If You Are Willing...

This week, our resident musician/theologian/preacher, Cole, is once again going to bring the Word of God to the folks at The River.

He's been reading a lot through the Old Testament, and will talk to us about the Soteriology (that is, salvation and redemption), both through the Law of Moses and through the Cross of Christ.

The following Sunday (February 11), I (Pastor Jeff), will focus on Ephesians 5:21-33, discussing a biblical understanding of the word love. This, of course, is in celebration of Valentine's Day. (Don't forget the flowers, guys!)

Here's a taste of what Cole will be talking about this week:

We live in a fallen world. When sin wreaked it's havoc on the Earth it brought all kinds of horrible things into existence. Everyday thousands of good people die from natural disasters, war, starvation and disease. It's easy to look at the massive amount of pain and suffering and become cynical. It's easy to think of the world as a cold, dead place. Understandably, some people take a look at all the suffering and say, "how could a loving God allow this?" There was a certain group of people in the bible days I bet asked this question everyday.

45 “Those who suffer from a serious skin disease must tear their clothing and leave their hair uncombed. They must cover their mouth and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean. They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp."   Leviticus 13:45-46

Isn't that a rather harsh law from a loving God? Why didn't he just heal them? How could he let his children suffer so painfully? Not only did they deal with terrible physical pain and deformity, but they also had to live a life of isolation.

When you were a child, did you ever do something really stupid? Did you ever do something that you felt genuinely awful about? I remember as a kid, when I would screw up I would feel really guilty. My parents were always quick to forgive, but I still had to deal with the consequences of my actions. Many times it wasn't even my parents punishing me directly, so much as it was natural consequence. In 2009, I got arrested for possession of alcohol. I had really made a mess of my life. My parents were upset, and embarrassed, but obviously still loved me. I said I was sorry over and over, and I know that they had forgiven me. Being sorry however, did not take away the problems I had brought upon myself. I still had to deal with all of the people I had hurt.

Every human being who's ever lived has sinned over and over again. Not ONE person is righteous. we have separated ourselves from our Holy,loving creator. As a result, we live in a place where terrible things happen. God's harshness in this law I believe, is his effort to show us that we need a savior. That there is a serious penalty to sin that will not simply vanish when we say sorry. I think this is one of the primary purposes for Leviticus. When we take a look at God's perfect standard, it made us realize our enormous failure. Every time we try to be righteous we fail over and over again! So no, I don't think that God actively GIVES people horrible disease, I think that it happens as a result of fallen creation.

He's all powerful right? Why not choose to just take it away? God does not choose to simply rescue us from our circumstances. Instead he does something even more mind blowing...he joins us in them. He does not simply stand off in the distance watching us suffer. He chose to suffer with us. God, the Holy and perfect one, who dwells in unapproachable light left his throne. He laid aside his crown to show us his ultimate love in a way we never could have come up with ourselves. God's version of salvation is much different than our version. We think If he would just take away our troubles we would be okay. God knew better, because even in the absence of disease, we are still unclean. He offers us something so much more than physical health, he offers us fellowship with himself. How much more glory does that bring than simply healing our sickness?

In closing I want to offer a story right out of the bible that provides a window to God's heart for us.

40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.
 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said.“Be healed!” 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43 Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

 45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.  Mark 1:40-45