Mark 9:37 states that  to receive or reject “children” is to receive or reject Jesus himself. I think this verse is about much more than the fact that God loves children. As I read Mark 8:11-9:41, I hear a call to be like Jesus by embracing the messy, often frustrating process of discipling others.  If this is a valid reading, then, as a result, the warning of 9:37 is sharpened. This is part 1 of a two part series in which I will unpack this reading.  In part 1, we will walk through Mark 8:11-38 – first an overview, then an explanation.

8:11-13 – Vision of the divine is a gift…

8:14-21 – …that has been given to the disciples, but is developing very slowly.

8:22-26 – Object Lesson: Jesus progressively restores the blind man’s sight.

8:27-30 – Peter sees…

8:31-38 – …but only partially.

8:11-13 & 4:10-12

In light of his many miracles throughout the narrative to this point, Jesus’ emphatic declaration (ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν) that “this generation” (τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ) will not receive a sign might give the reader pause. Summary statements such as 1:34 and 1:39 highlight the irony. In 3:1-6 the Pharisees even saw Jesus heal a man in the synagogue. In light of all these miracles the declaration that “no sign will be given to this generation”(8:12) should be understood as an extension of Jesus’ insider/outsider explanation of his ministry. In 4:11-12, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, Jesus explains that outsiders have eyes and ears but they cannot see or hear the revelation of God in his words and deeds. No sign will be given (δοθήσεται, 8:12) to this generation, because the mystery of the kingdom has been given (δέδοται, 4:11) exclusively to Jesus’ disciples (i.e. the Church). The narrative of Mark makes clear that it is not because of the disciple’s great insight that they are given the mystery of the kingdom. Spiritual sight is a gift of grace.

8:14-21

Though the disciples have been given this gift, their spiritual understanding is developing very slowly. In 8:14-21, Jesus marvels at their lack of comprehension (οὔπω νοεῖτε οὐδὲ συνίετε… οὔπω συνίετε) and reminds them of the signs they have seen. He points to the feedings of the 5,000 and 4,000 and expects them to discern spiritual truths.

Setting aside the question of what exactly they should have discerned in these miraculous events, the next pericope functions in the narrative as an object lesson and ties several surrounding pericopae together.

8:22-26, 27-29, 31-38

In this peculiar miracle story, Jesus gives sight to the blind man a little at a time. Jesus touches the mans eyes and, at first, his vision is restored only partially. People look like walking trees to the man. Jesus touches him again and he sees everything clearly (τηλαυγῶς ἅπαντα). When understood in light of the two pericopae before and after, this miracle story turns out to be much more than a story about Jesus’ healing power. In 8:27-29, Peter insightfully declares Jesus to be “the Christ!” He sees. But does he yet see everything clearly? 8:31-38 answers with a resounding, “No”. Three verses after Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ, he begins to rebuke Jesus (ἤρξατο ἐπιτιμᾶν αὐτῷ). Jesus’ understanding of what it means to be the Christ (suffering, death, and resurrection) is appalling to Peter. Peter sees the Christ ὡς δένδρον (as a tree).

Peter proves that the disciples are less than mature in their understanding. One might say they are “like children”, but that will be developed in the next post. The message here is that though the disciples do not yet understand completely, Jesus does not cast them off. Just as Paul exhorts the Colossians to bear with one another (ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλων, 3:13), Jesus bears with his disciples and patiently continues the process of healing their spiritual eyes.

Whilst preparing to preach through the Old Testament books of Samuel I engaged a number of authors to fill out my understanding of the history and background to the books. During this time I was able to also do a more careful reading of the text itself and a number of things stood out to me. One significant point was the likely time that the final, canonical books were written and compiled. Although they contain contemporaneous records of events during the life of Samuel, Saul and David there are also smatterings of editorial comments and explanations that lend to a much later date for the final composition before being included in what we call the Old Testament canon.

I am intrigued by the authorial intent (human and divine!) of the books as that will provide the greatest insight into understanding the message both for the original audience and what application or implication it has for today’s reader.

It is with this in mind that I refer to the Introduction of The Meaning of the Pentateuch by John Sailhamer. He raises some important points about understanding the Pentateuch that are equally valid in approaching the other Old Testament historical narratives. Substituting “1 & 2 Samuel” for “Pentateuch” and “Samuel, David and Saul” for “Abraham and Moses” provides a very good basis with which to approach 1 & 2 Samuel.

To whom was the Pentateuch written as the norm of biblical faith? For whom was it intended to be normative when first written? Who was its audience? What did it have to say to that audience then, and what, if any, claims does it make on its readers today?

…

Is the Pentateuch written only for the ancient people of Israel? Is its intention primarily the descriptive task of understanding Israel’s religion under the Sinai covenant? Or was the Pentateuch written to confront its readers now, as then, with the imperative to live a life of faith exemplified by Abraham’s walk with God in the Pentateuch? Is it a “shout out” for Abraham, the believing prophet (Gen 15:6; 20:7), or for Moses, the priest who in the wilderness failed to exhibit his faith (Num 20:12)? How can anyone today read and understand its meaning for his or her life? How can a laws and religious rites as something that must be obeyed?

…

How can anyone today read and understand its meaning for his or her life?

…

The goal of a theological study of the Pentateuch is the biblical author’s intent as realized in the work itself. The (human and divine) authors’ intent is the “verbal meaning” of the book. The author’s intent is what his words say as part of the book. When talking about the meaning of the words of the Pentateuch, one should be careful to distinguish this from the “things” that the words point to in the real world. The Pentateuch is about real historical events, that is, “things that have happened” (res gesta) in the real world. Words are not the things themselves. Words only point to things and tell us about things. In speaking about historical events (things), one may easily confuse what an author says about these events with the events themselves. As important as history and archaeology are for understanding the “things” that the Bible points to and talks about, they sometimes get in the way of understanding the “words” of Scripture. The Pentateuch may be compared to a Rembrandt painting of real persons or events. We do not understand a Rembrandt painting by taking a photograph of the “thing” that Rembrandt painted and comparing it with the painting itself. That may help us understand the “thing” that Rembrandt painted, his subject matter, but it will not help us understand the painting itself. To understand Rembrandt’s painting, we must look at it and see its colors, shapes and textures. In the same way, to understand the Pentateuch, one must look at its colors, contours and textures. To understand Rembrandt’s painting, one must study the painting itself  To understand the Pentateuch, one must study the Pentateuch itself.

Verity and I have been radically educated, first of all by our interest in fairtrade some years ago when we decided to which many of our grocery items to either fairtrade labels or Australian owned and grown products, but secondly by World Vision’s ‘Don’t Trade Lives‘ campaign. When we began this educational journey we discovered so much about the appalling living and working conditions of the people who produce the products we consume and about the companies who make massive profits off their suffering just so we can have a cheap product and shareholders can gain more profit for their share in the company.

Has our vision being so clouded by the bottom line…dollar$ and cents, that people no longer matter to us? Do we even bother to research the story behind the food we eat and the clothes we wear? i suspect it’s easier to live in ignorance because that requires no action on our part.

When we learned about the human cost of the production of what we enjoy in our comfort and affluence, it began to haunt us every single time we walked into a store, so we would stop and think about each purchase and try and make an informed decision as to how we participate in the world as consumers. Did you know that in many Asian and African countries where our main product lines of coffee, chocolate, big brand clothing etc, the majority of people who enable these consumables to be brought into your household are slaves? They are held against their will, forced to work extraordinarily long hours, many of them children, barely surviving as we simply pluck our favorite brand from the shelves without blinking an eye like drones who have been sold a lie with pretty packaging to cover the blood, sweat and tears. The even sadder thing is that many companies are aware of this but they don’t care as long as you keep pumping money into their brand.

Verity wrote a song called ‘Profitable crimes’. It’s a poetic kick in the guts to any of us who may have never given thsi a second thought. The song is amazing and Verity and I have often though it’s the best one on the album ‘Advocate’. It’s the anthem of the CD.

She wrote the song after one day walking into a department store with some money she was given for Christmas to buy some new closes. As she looked at the labels on the clothes a haunting voice of conscience speaks in her head, and the chorus goes a little like this:

“Who’s fingers bled? As they sowed on this thread, of the fashion we usually wear. Who’s cries were drowned? In all these cents and dimes. Another profitable crime.”

If you think the chorus is tough to listen to, wait until you hear the verses that tell the story.

As I wrote this post today one of the headlines on the news is about an Australian Defence contract for making our soldiers uniforms being given to a Chinese company (article here). Why? BECAUSE IT’S CHEAPER! Why is it cheaper? Because the company Defense want to give the contract to doesn’t pay their workers as much. Who knows what conditions they work under, but then again who cares? Defense are happy because they win financially. Nevermind the 400 workers in Victoria currently fulfilling the contract under fair pay conditions and good work environment, they will lose their jobs. This isn’t about being patriotic, although that’s the brush the media paint the article with. This is about being ethical. Shifting this contract offshore is just another story of many, many others like it where Aussies will lose jobs because companies want to save a buck and exploit people in another country who don’t have a union, don’t have to be paid much or anything at all and are not requireed to have a fair working environment.

This and many stories like it ought outrage  and disgust us. But here’s what will happen. You’ll read this article and hear about this headline on the news, you’ll get stirred up initially, but then it will leave your mind and you’ll go back to the way things were because this doesn’t directly impact you, you’re not directly affected…the poor and exploited aren’t your problem…or are they?

One of the great things about music, and Verity’s music particularly, is that it’s subversive and can communicate a message straight to the heart because that’s where the change needs to happen in all of us. The gospels of the New Testament call us to care about this issue so don’t shrug it off, get educated and respond to it.

Let me know your thoughts and check out Verity Skye’s music here. 17 days to go til the launch

Shalom Mark

Denny Burk has a good discussion of the seriousness of unintentional sin.

 Ever wonder why some people can be active in church for many years, yet never show any signs of growing in grace?  In a sermon on the parable of the sower, Martin Luther addresses the question of why some seed bears fruit and some does not:

Christ’s Word plainly states that only a fourth part of the seed bears fruit, and  his own experience (to say nothing of John’s and the apostles’ experience) exhibits the fact that not everyone was ready to believe and accept the Word. The majority of the people are and remain evil and without fruit; only a limited number, a fraction, repent and come to faith. Therefore, to fault the doctrine and say that it is no good, amounts also to saying that the seed which falls by the wayside, on the rocks, and among the thorns is also not good. But we must turn this around and not blaspheme God. His Word is the seed which is being sown. This Word in truth is pure and good, and by its very nature can do nothing but bear fruit. The fact, however, that it does not bear fruit everywhere is not the fault of God and his Word but the fault of the soil which is not good, and in which, as a result, the seed must remain unproductive and decay. For the blame does not lie with the Word but with people’s hearts. They are unclean and impure, and either despise the Word or fall away from it under duress, or are choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. So, let everyone learn from this parable that it will always be this way with the gospel: some will be converted but there are probably three times more who will take offense. Listen to God’s Word while you have it; the time may come when you would like to hear it, but it may not be there for you. Therefore, give ear to it diligently while you have it. For he who despises it is overcome by darkness (John 12:35).

Source: Luther’s House Postils

The mid-winter months are the toughest months for me.  The skies and clouds are gray.  All the colors of the earth are muted and lifeless.  The long cold nights seem to awaken in me a need to hibernate.  Life seems to come to a slow crawl – like molasses in January.  The shorter days, where one goes to work in the dark and comes home in the dark, bleed the sunshine out of the soul.  And it truly seems like my soul goes dark.

Some call it Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Others label it simple depression.  Whatever it is, all I know is that it sucks away life and the joy of living.  I am not talking about the kind of depression that leaves a person huddled in a ball in the corner of the room paralyzed.  I am talking about a more subtle kind.  I am talking about the kind of depression where one can half-way interact with others, even smile and laugh, but behind it all have a lingering dread and foreboding that consumes every thought and action.  It is mentally exhausting.  Moments alone are painful mental exercises in attempting to get over the cancerous negative thoughts that eat away at any self-esteem or sense of self-worth.

Many people cannot relate to this mental state.  Few have experienced sadness but not this type of lingering despair of life that broods for weeks or even months.  Thankfully, many people will never experience what it is like to live with heavy soul-filled despair without any hope of relief on the horizon.  Some people have experienced periods of depression and those that have all exclaim the painful experience and hope never to go back there.  However, for many people like me, it is a regular re-occurring event.  When relief finally comes and the “cloud of depression” finally lifts, it is tainted by the bitter after taste of knowing that it will visit again.

Depression does not seem to be something that even the best of Christians get to bypass in this life.  There are plenty of examples of leading Christians who suffered from depression.  Likewise, we have some biblical examples too.  King David complains of dark periods in his life to God.  About 3/4 of the Psalms contain laments.  Read Psalm 69, 77, or 88 and you get a picture of someone painfully wrestling with depression.  Elijah and Jeremiah, “the weeping prophet,” were prophets of the LORD God who seemed to have dramatic episodes of depression too.

Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591) wrote about “the dark night of the soul.”  It portrays the utter discouragement that comes to those who suffer from depression.  Martin Luther’s three-year period of depression threatened to ruin him.  The great 19th century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, suffered from paralyzing depression to the point that there were times he could not preach or minister.  He tried to explain to others that he could not think himself out of his depression.  He described his thoughts like knives shredding his heart into pieces.  Abraham Lincoln once said about his depression:

“I am now the most miserable man living . . . If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. . . Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell . . .  To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better.”

William Cowper (1731 – 1800) was a gifted poet and writer.  Nevertheless, he struggled with depression so much that he was institutionalized.  Miraculously, it was in an asylum that he read the Bible and understood that salvation is found in Christ.  Yet, despite becoming a Christian, Cowper was never completely free of depression.  He continued to struggle with it for the rest of his life.  Still, through dark valleys, he wrote some of our greatest hymns.

J.B. Phillips (1906 – 1982) was a loved pastor and well-known for his Bible translation work – The Phillip’s Translation.  Phillips had many admirers and seemed to them to be the epitome of success.  Little did even his closest followers know that he suffered life-long with clinical depression that often incapacitated him.  After his death, his wife, Vera, and good friend, Rev. Edwin Robertson, published a book about J.B. Phillips entitled “The Wounded Healer.”  It tells the other side of Phillips’ story.  They write,

“While he was ministering to others he was himself powerfully afflicted by dark thoughts and mental pains. He knew anxiety and depression from which there was only temporary release. And while he never lost his faith in God, he never ceased to struggle against mental pain.”

Some years ago I read “The Wounded Healer” about J.B. Phillips’ life.  He became a hero of the faith for me.  I in no way suffer the level of incapacitating depression that he did.  However, I know too well what it is like being afflicted with “dark thoughts and mental pains” while ministering to others.  I also know the constant struggling against that mental pain while maintain my hope and faith in God.

Tree Stump Close-up, Turtle River, ND, Fall 2005 ©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2010)

There are no easy “steps” to getting out of depression.  I have had many well-meaning friends give me their counsel and advice for defeating depression.  I am not sure it is ever defeated.  One might as well wage war against the frigid cold of a January winter in North Dakota.  The exertion may make you feel like you are accomplishing something but it is utter futility at the end of the day.  It blows on you and through you regardless of what you do.

The best that I hope for is to weather these tumultuous storms of the soul.  Experience has taught me that they will pass – though later than I like rather than sooner.  The Word of God becomes my mainstay in reminding me of God’s continued faithfulness and delight in me regardless of how I feel.  I particularly dwell upon the hope that David expresses in his darkest laments as he puts his faith in God.  The warmth of friendships around me, whether they are aware of my inner black hole or not, comforts and encourages me with moments of levity.  In these moments, rays of sunshine warm my heart.  My world will not be colored gray forever.  Someday, the full colors of spring will bloom and I will be able to bask in the full warmth of the Son.

©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2010)

Mark 7:14-23

Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,
“Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

When he got home away from the crowd
his disciples questioned him about the parable.
He said to them,
“Are even you likewise without understanding?
Do you not realize that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
since it enters not the heart but the stomach
and passes out into the latrine?”
(Thus he declared all foods clean.)
“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.
From within the man, from his heart,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

_______________________________________________________

What do you have in your heart?  Is it full of love, joy, compassion, mercy….?  Or is it full of greed, malice, envy, arrogance….?  We can hide things from others, and sometimes we can fool ourselves, but we cannot hide anything from God.  Man looks to the exterior, while God looks into the heart.

The heart has been the central theme in the gospel readings this week.  The heart is our core.  It is the center of who we are.  Therefore, the heart is so important to Jesus.

Although Jesus said it is not what goes in the mouth that makes one unclean, I think it is important what reaches our hearts through our eyes and minds.  Jesus was just trying to teach the people that certain foods were no longer unclean.  But I think Jesus would say that what enters our hearts often comes from what we are feeding our soul – television, internet, music, conversations with friends, etc.

What are we feeding our soul?  Some statistics say that a staggering 80% of all men in the United States have a problem with pornography.  Have you seen the movie “Fireproof”?  It is a Christian movie about marriage that highlights the dangers of pornography on one’s soul and marriage.  I highly recommend watching this movie with your spouse, family and others.  It is very well done.

Pornography is an epidemic hitting our male adults and male teenagers.  It is so accessible to our young people on the internet.  And it has horrific effects on how young men view women, sexuality and love.  We must be vigilant to fight against this evil in our society.  And if you are reading this now and have a problem viewing pornography, ask someone for help.  It may seem like you are hurting no one.  But there is no such thing as a private sin.  It affects everyone!

Even our prime time TV shows show love scenes that once were considered pornographic.  And you can see TV commercials trying to sell laundry detergent with sexuality.

Let us be vigilant on everything that enters our soul through the senses and fill our time with things holy – the Eucharist, confession, prayer, Scripture, healthy friendships, wholesome programs, spiritual reading, lives of the saints, Christian music, Catholic radio.  This is how our hearts grow to become like the Sacred Heart of Christ.  What goes in affects what comes out of our mouths – all of this is centered in the heart.

What are you feeding your soul?

Fr. Burke

http://frburke23.wordpress.com

Writing out my testimony is a tremendously encouraging exercise.  Every time I write it out, I write it out differently.  Not because the gospel changes (it doesn’t) but because as I grow, and mature (hopefully I am maturing), I begin to see with more clarity what God was doing in my life at different stages.  I also come to appreciate the gospel more and cherish it in new ways.  Kevin recently posted his testimony in 3oo words, I thought I would follow suite but mine ended up being 600 words when I was finished.  This in no way makes me more spiritual than Kevin (it actually probably makes me more long winded and less concise which is a continual problem of mine), but when I sat down to write out my testimony this is what I wrote and I decided that I didn’t want to cut any of it out to make it shorter.

If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and have never written out your testimony, why not start today.  It is a very worshipful experience–it will remind you of the grace of God that you have in Christ and will make you more apt to share it with others.

My testimony in 600 words:

Growing up “Christianity” was going to church from time to time and singing some songs about God and zoning out while some guy who I didn’t know from Adam spoke for 30 minutes about God.  I knew Christianity had something to do with Jesus but I wasn’t really sure what that was.  I remember singing songs about the cross but it always seemed really sad to me—that this guy who seemed so good died such a horribly painful death.

So I great up relatively unaffected by the cross and more importantly unaffected by Jesus.   Because “Christianity” was just something I was involved in and not something I cared about, I spent much of my teenage years trying to get as many people as possible to accept me and like me.  I did a lot of foolish things to that end—all while searching for contentment and joy which seemed to be elusive.

During the my later years of high school, I started attending church with some friends who actually seemed to care about Jesus, not just about appearing to care about Him but actually caring and thinking and interacting with Him—and the cross was precious to them.  This messed up my whole perception of “Christianity” and in addition, I was hearing the gospel for perhaps the first time in my life.

As I was attending this church and getting to know these people, I was being told that God is holy—He is ultimate—perfect and magnificent in every way.  I was also hearing for the first time in my life that there is something deeply wrong with me, something at the core of my being that was keeping me from the contentment I so desperately wanted.  What was wrong with me was me.  I mean that in all sincerity.  I was my biggest problem.  I realized that I had spent all my life worshipping myself and trying to find joy in life by doing what I wanted to do and getting people to like me so that I would feel good about myself.

What I was learning was that I was a sinner and that sin is breaking God’s law but more than that, sin is treasuring anything more than I treasure the God who made me.  I was learning the true meaning of the cross.  I learned that God is holy—perfectly just and I am not and therefore the relationship with Him that I was created for was messed up because of my sin.  It became clear to me that I owed my life to God and I had not given it to Him and I deserved to be punished by Him.  At the same time I began to learn that the cross was and is the eternal remedy by which that relationship for which I was created could be healed.  Jesus offered to take the punishment God owed me for my sin if I would turn from sin and trust Him as Lord.  And in return Jesus offered me His righteousness and an eternally satisfying relationship with God.  This was simultaneously the most mind boggling and joyous news I had ever heard.

So I gave up on striving for significance through the praise of others, I still struggle with that now, but I have thrown myself at the feet of Jesus and found a joy far more filling and a treasure that will not perish.  Perhaps that sort of joy sounds too distant or too idealistic to you, let me challenge you to read one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and see if Christ doesn’t appear to be the all satisfying treasure of the universe.

So I have devotions for today’s staff meeting.  I grab my trusty Faith Alone and open to today.  I have to say, Luther is spot on with this one.

Loving Yourself

The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Galatians 5:14

Some of the early church fathers concluded from this passage that love begins with loving yourself.  They said this because loving yourself was given as the measure for how much you should love your neighbor.  I used to consider this from all sides to try to understand it .  I understand this command to mean that only love toward your neighbor is being commanded, not love of yourself.

First, self-love is already present in people.  Second, if God had wanted to command you to love yourself, he would have said, “You should love yourself and your neighbor as yourself.”  But he said instead, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  In other words, “as yourself” means the way you already love yourself, without a commandment to do so.  When describing love in 1 Corinthians 13:5, Paul teaches that love is not self-seeking.  It completely rejects self-love.  In Mark 8;34, Christ commands us to deny ourselves.  Philippians 2:3-4 clearly says, “In humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others.”  this commandment presupposes that people already love themselves, just as when Christ says in Matthew 7:12, “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”  Clearly he isn’t commanding you to love yourself here either.

So it seems to me the part of this commandment that says ‘as yourself” is referring to the wrong kind of love-the kind where you forget your neighbor and seek only your own interests.  But this can become the right kind of love if you forget yourself and think only about serving your neighbor. [1]

I can’t wait for the discussion at staff meeting.

[1]  James C. Gavin, editor, Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), devotional for January 26.

Recently, I was asked to make a presentation and then  field questions from the participants.  If I understand the subject, I enjoy this type of interchange.  However, this was in an area that I don’t know all the current activities of the organization.  I felt uncomfortable.

After the meeting I expressed my worry with a friend who was one of the people asking questions.  “Don’t you know it’s all right to say, ‘I don’t know?’”

Of course, I know that I’m not expected to know every detail of the daily activities and I am okay  saying, “I don’t know.”  Nevertheless, that knowledge does not cut the anxiety and unease I feel going into this meeting.

Driving home from the event, I mulled over the actions and reactions of the participants.  Several people had come to learn.  Other questions exposed an agenda which became clear from their query.  Then I reexamined by discomfort.  Why did the Dreaded Questioning unnerve me? 

Perhaps it is a control issue.  Or it could be that almost no one is comfortable being put in a hot seat of unknown inquiry.  From world leaders to folks who work with small ministries in Small Town,  USA, questions are our most beloved friend and arch-enemy. 

Questions allow us to explain in a cohesive way what wasn’t understood.  Questions can bring up new thought processes that stir our hearts and minds.  They may open new areas of thought that allow us to walk into adventurous vistas where we must totally depend on the Holy Spirit.  Questions solicit participation from an audience that may otherwise sit numb and dumb.

On the other hand, questions leave us vulnerable and exposed.  Questions become tell-tale evidence that we didn’t do our homework.  Questions allow The Avenger sitting in the audience to voice his or her distrust. 

Perhaps the greatest benefit of questions is that we must depend on the mercy of the Lord in the little things of life.  We aren’t making decisions that will change the complexion of world politics.  However, we present a life-changing Gospel and the answers we give may allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten and teach about the  amazing population we serve.

As I drove home, I determined that there were three things I learned from the experience.  First, I must insure that I’ve done my homework regarding this type of meeting.  Second, I should remember Paul’s advice, “After you have done all, stand.”  I can answer honestly and forthrightly or say, “I don’t know.  I’ll find out.”  And third, a bit of anxiety sharpens our minds and requires us to lean heavily on God’s mercy and grace.  This could be a good thing.

“People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

D.A. Carson

As I said HERE, the Bible in ninety-days has brought us to Leviticus.  One great part about this plan is you are only in it for 2 days.  lol  I do think we underestimate the importance of books like Leviticus, Numbers and the “Law” portion of Exodus and Deuteronomy.  No doubt, it can be very difficult to read through, I’m not denying that.  BUT, we can’t miss the value of it either.

The second key phrase in Leviticus that jumps out at me also appears on numerous occasions in one form or another.  It is the phrase “burned up completely” (or other variations).  When a sacrifice was to be burned on the altar, it was clear that the ENTIRE sacrifice must be burned up.  NOTHING was to be left.  This was all part of the “process” I talked about in my previous post.  This too I believe is a picture of a New Testament concept.

Romans 12:1 says  “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your BODIES (all of you completely) to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him (emphasis added).”

What was an acceptable sacrifice to God in the OT?  EVERYTHING must be burned up completely!  Now Paul tells us, “The old sacrifices were DEAD, but you are to be a LIVING sacrifice.  One that is acceptable.  So offer your bodies (ALL OF YOU COMPLETELY), as your spiritual act of worship.”  Before, they offered animals as a sacrifice, now we offer up ourselves as a LIVING one BECAUSE the sacrifice for our sins was paid by the blood of Christ!

Christ offered Himself COMPLETELY on our behalf.  We are now to offer up ourselves COMPLETELY because of what He’s done.

Till the end,

Jeff

The Barna Group has released a multi-part series on the economic crisis of the last year and how this impacts the church. These reports contain insightful and valuable information as you pray and plan for the year ahead. As a reminder, though research can serve as an indicator and prudent action is always advisable, we walk by faith.

Per the study, the implication is that church and non-profit leaders should prepare for another lean year. Response to this reality suggests avoiding high-risk and untested fundraising efforts and communicating effectively with constituents. In addition, consider proactive financial management, including adjusting income expectations. Avoid using traditional financial projections as reluctant donors are likely to cut back on the number of organizations and frequency of their support.

Action Items You Can Address:

1. Operate your ministry as efficiently as you possibly can.

2. Cast and re-cast your ministry’s vision so that people rally behind the significance of your ministry.

3. Communicate the priority and need of your ministry.

4. Nurture personal relationships with those who actively support your ministry.

5. Preach and teach on real case studies: real-life transformational testimonies are inspirational and remind people of God’s awesomeness.

6. Personally involve those who contribute to your ministry. Nothing serves more effectively than a “hands-on” approach.

Source: Barna Report

I haven’t forgotten about continuing to blog on the rest of the “Good and Beautiful God” by Smith.  Actually, I’ve used it to start a teaching series at BRCC called “Becoming” that I’m going to begin to teach this week (2/14).  It is a really inspiring book that really has changed how I think about God and myself.  I’m looking f orward to purchasing and working my way through his other two books.

I’ve attached the teaching summaries for anyone that is interested in seeing it – click below to check them out!  If you use it, please give credit to me and mostly to Smith for the inspiration.  Thanks!

Becoming Summaries in .pdf

This has been a multi-part series for anyone involved in youth ministry, delineating not only how to get your students involved in missions activities, but embody a lifestyle of being on mission for Christ. The complete series includes a list of ten practical ideas to infuse missions into the daily life of your youth ministry.

All good things must come to an end…

And our first blog series is officially coming to a close. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the list and found some, if not all, of the ideas useful and/or thought-provoking. Here’s a quick look at each post in the series:

Preface: No Excuses (it all starts here)

1. Teach It!

2. Pray Collectively

3. Service Projects

4. Attend Campus Outreach Groups

5. Partner with other Youth Pastors/Leaders

6. Get a Map, Get a Clue

7. Missionary Guest Speaker

8. Sponsor a Child

9. Missions Food Fair

10. Take Them on a Mission Trip

Now what? It’s important to take a step back and look at the implications of what we’ve covered. As I mentioned in our very first post, this isn’t about adding another program to your list of activities. Your ultimate goal with your students should be to make disciples of Jesus Christ and instill (by example) a passion to be on His mission.

Hopefully you never got the impression that any one of these ideas was jotted down simply to fill a gap on our list. Every singe one was intentional; there are some key biblical concepts providing the foundation for each (some require more critical thinking than others).

If you study early Church History (particularly the pages in Acts), you will likely realize there are certain universal characteristics every body of believers should exude. More on this in a later post.

But for now, here are the basic principles (and how we trust our ideas correspond)…

Dedication to the study of God’s Word, for both theology and life-application.

• Ideas 1, 4, 5, 7

Gathering together (both formal and casual) to share life experiences.

• Ideas 2, 5, 7, 9

Prayer (corporate and private) to intercede for friends and strangers, to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit, and give praise & thanksgiving to a worthy Father for who He is and what He has done.

• Ideas 2, 6, 8

Meeting needs through selfless service and generous giving (with believers and the lost).

• Ideas 3, 5, 8, 10

Being a witness in your community by investing time & sharing the gospel.

• Ideas 3, 4, 5, 10

PLEASE…feel free to add any comments or content. We strive to generate conversation for the greater good of the body of Christ for His glory. You input is not only valuable to us, but the rest of the body.

From The Resurgence:

In Matthew 28, Jesus told his disciples to make disciples of all nations, and his methods of teaching gave them incredibly powerful tools to execute the vision. This series of reflections based on the book of John shows that Jesus is the model for our own discipling and we should look to him, learn from him, and seek to be like him in our ministry.

Posts in this series:

1. Hospitality
2. Mission
3. Emotion
4. Monologue & Dialogue
5. Stupid Questions
6. The Heart
7. Testing
8. Object Lessons
9. Discomfort
10. Sending & Praying
11. Pointing to the Father
12. Pointing to the Spirit
13. Dying
14. Jesus Equips
15. Jesus’ Teaching Methods

Psalm 142:3-6 (Message)

“As I sink in despair, my spirit ebbing away, you know how I’m feeling, know the danger I’m in, the traps hidden in my path. Look right, look left— there’s not a soul who cares what happens! I’m up against it, with no exit—bereft, left alone. I cry out, God, call out: ‘You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!’ Oh listen, please listen; I’ve never been this low. Rescue me from those who are hunting me down; I’m no match for them. Get me out of this dungeon so I can thank you in public.”

Diving is a popular sport in an unknown territory to man. We were not created to swim the bottom of great oceans yet the wandering sense of discovery in man challenges our weakness to continue to take dominion over all God has given us drives us to explore the depths of our world. Strapping on an air tank in order to breath where we should not be able to and fins to swim with the strength of the creatures that were, goggled divers drop into the vastness of the sea to find hidden secrets and treasures. Suddenly the power of gravity seems to release its hold as the human body can now go vertically or horizontally, higher or lower with minimal effort. In exceptionally deep dives, a diver can become disoriented and unaware of where the surface is. This poses a risk when they do not have any fancy diving equipment to tell them which way is up. As their air tank begins to wane, it becomes urgent to find the surface. There is one sure way to find the surface and that is to release some air bubbles. Just a quick release and the bubbles quickly make their way up, suddenly the way out is clear and divers follow the sign to safety.

As God’s Children, this world is foreign to us. We travel in a place that contradicts every truth and promise God has placed in our heart. Kingdom principles are not in operation here. The Holy Spirit is like an air tank that Jesus has uniquely placed within us to enable us to survive in this place. Without Him, we would surely die. But that doesn’t mean that trials and circumstances do not sometimes threaten to overtake our sense of direction and cause us to lose sight of Jesus. It is in these times that we must follow the example of seasoned divers and release a breath. Call to your Father and wait as He reaches down to pull you out of your circumstances to where He is. Jesus will lead you to a place in His Presence above that which has threatened to overtake you! I challenge you today not to just release air but to release praise. Praise calls for the Lord’s attention because in your dependency, He is fully operational without limitation. Your confidence through faith releases Jesus’ full effectiveness in your life because you are no longer holding on to the things that keep you in the mess and attach you to the grounding depths of uncertainty. Praise releases that which is holding you down and places your focus on Jesus who is your escape. Praise pulls you to the surface because it draws you closer to the One who saves. The Lord will embrace your praise and therefore pull you tightly to Himself. What a wonderful feeling to be found! It is time to release some praise today and find your way to the top! It is the place that Jesus Christ prepared for you through His death, burial and resurrection. Are you ready to rise again?

Psalm 34:1-5(NLT)

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

Feeling lost in despair today? Are the circumstances surrounding your life dark and unclear? Are you struggling to find a way out of the struggles that attempt to overtake you? Release praise today and it will lead you out! Lifting your love to the Lord enables Him to flood the darkness with light and reach in the midst of uncertainty to draw you close to Him. Boast to the world that your Savior is coming to change your situation and rescue you! It is an open invitation for Him to do just that and He is faithful! He will valiantly save you! Allow Him to expose your fears and flood your life with His Amazing Light! It all starts when we release a breath of praise! Try it! What do you have to lose? Just one breath is hardly fatal. What do you have to gain? Everything!

What is the greatest threat facing the church today? OK maybe I change it to “What is ONE OF the greatest threats….”  It’s a question every pastor comes around to asking sooner or later. It’s certainly is a question many books have been written to address and are still  being writing about today, so I might as well throw in my two cents worth.

Some of the things I hear around the traps are cultural differences, materialism, post modernism, the rise of Islam, feminism just to name a few. I remember asking the pastor what he believed was the greatest threat to the church in his city. He couldn’t think of anything.  OK let me suggest that one of the greatest threat is forgetfulness. We keep forgetting the gospel and being distracted from it and so in the end we abandon it. Sadly I regularly hear of people who were once firmly rooted in the gospel but have now forgotten it.

How do people forget? Very simply. We forget because many of us constantly assume that we know, or that others know the gospel and because of this we stop preaching the gospel to ourselves and to others.

So we have parents who constantly assume their children are Christians and therefore never help them to understand the gospel. Instead what they do is to keep talking to them about how to live the Christian life and how to serve. The end result is moralism and legalism.

We have preachers who constantly assume their people are well taught in the scriptures and so believe that what they need is not to be taught the gospel again but to be challenged to serve, to pray, to read the bible more etc etc. The end result is a works based faith which is not rooted in the gospel.

And we are bound to forget when we say to ourselves “Yeah I know all this but I need something more than this!”

I’ve seen churches where this is clearly the case. I’ve talked to long standing church member in many churches who do not have the foggiest idea of what the gospel is. I remember hearing one lady trying to “evangelise” an unbeliever by telling them to obey the 10 commandments,  go to church and  pray. I remember speaking to many young people who have been going to church for many years. When I asked them what it means to be a Christian and what the gospel is they struggled to rattle it off.

We accept people to be members of our church on the assumption that they understand what the gospel but soon find out that have no clue what it is.

I remember a classic example of this many years ago. I was attending one of our young workers church canps. During free time I was chatting to one of the guys (Let’s call him Bill – Not his real name, besides he is no longer at our church) who had been coming for about a year but whom I had not met as yet (I had just started working in the church)  Anyway I asked him if he was a Christian to which he said no, so I took the opportunity to share the gospel to him. By God’s grace he accepted Jesus as Lord and saviour. Anyway we went back to the rest of the group and shared that Bill had become a Christian. The response was astonishing. Everyone else had assumed he was already a Christian so never bothered to share the gospel to him. Unfortunately I find this happens far too often in many churches.

Forgetfulness is a thing which the bible constantly warns God’s people not to do. Many times Moses warned his people, before they entered the Promised Land, not to forget all that God had done for them in bringing them to where they are (Deut 4:9,23; 6:12; 8:11,14,19. So  it’s no surprise that one thing God constantly calls his people to do is to “remember”. (Just type in “remember” in your online bible and check it out yourself)

The threat of “forgetting” the gospel is a serious problem I find in so many churches and the consequences  are dire. As I said above, it eventually leads to a moralism and legalism that has no power to change or to tranform the world.

So what can we do to ensure that we and our church do not “Forget” the gospel? Here are a few things.

a. At church, if you meet someone you’ve never met before or have never had a good conversation with then make it a point to ask them if they are a Christian and if so how they became a Christian? I head up a leadership conference and I made it a point to say to my team members every year to never assume the delegates are Christians. During the conference I saw many of my team members sharing the gospel to the delegates. Many had come thinking they were Christians but sadly did not know what the gospel was or was confused about it. So don’t assume!

b. As a matter of encouragement and conversation make it a point to ask people if there are any theological issues or questions they are wrestling through. It’s amazing the number of people I find at church wrestling with burning questions. I remember speaking to one youth leader who couldn’t work out why he had to read the bible.

c. Make a decision in the bible study group and in the preaching program to regularly and annually work through your Statement of beliefs

d. Make it a point to take new members through a membership class where the gospel is clearly explained and expounded.

e. Encourage parents to make it a point to teach their children the truths of the gospel regularly and consistently.

If we all get into these habit we might avoid one of the greatest threats facing our churches today and for generations to come – the danger of forgetting the gospel.