Bible Study

 Wow. I think I kicked over a hornet's nest in my last article! (See comments on "WOMS" posted by Amonite.)

All right, just so I'm not viewed as some kind of anti-intellectual, touchy-feely pastor who just wants people to love Jesus and reduce their knowledge of God's Word to pretty poems and children's Bible stories, please allow me the opportunity be clear on my position. Especially to you, Amonite, since you sort of took me to task in your comments. (Which I fully appreciate, by the way.) After all, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17).

I am absolutely, completely, profoundly and fanatically FOR Bible study in all its forms and manifestations. I love studying what is beneath the text... learning the proper context of the biblical stories... being wowed by understanding the depth and richness of meaning found in the etymology of the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words... and, perhaps most importantly, being taught to "see" the forms and shadows of the coming Messiah in nearly every page of the Old Testament. I deeply love the "science" of studying God's Word. I went to seminary, and for nearly seven years of my life, I read books about the study of the Bible. I wrote endless papers on biblical criticism, hermeneutics, exegesis, and other methods of scholarly Bible study.

For me, Bible study opened up a whole new, utterly beautiful avenue of understanding more about the God of the universe, who created all, and knows all, and watches over all, and loves all people. This powerful, gracious, patient, holy God MUST be properly studied and revered... His Word is simply too powerful and too big for us to ignore, or become passive, or lazy. We cannot afford to walk in ignorance or arrogance about who God is... and the only way we can discover more and more things about Him is through in-depth study. I'm not sure I buy your 2 Peter 1:3-11 argument fully... but nevertheless, I passionately believe in the power of wrestling with God's Word, using any and all tools available for the task. It would be sinful not to engage one another, challenge one another, teach one another, and learn together from the Holy Scriptures.

And yet...

Bible study is a funny thing. As with all things utterly human and laced with sin... Bible study does not in and of itself equal relationship. Can we agree on that? God is not pleased to be the SUBJECT of our study... He demands to be the OBJECT of our thoughts, our ideas... that is, our worship. As a husband, I don't merely "study" my wife - I relate to her. I listen to her. I love her, and choose to spend time with her... not merely to learn, but to simply be. She is not merely the subject of my thoughts, but the object of my affection.

I have heard it put this way: In truth we do not interpret the Bible, so much as it interprets us. It is not a dead document to be analyzed... it is the living Word that reveals the Almighty One to those who posture themselves with a humble attitude of listening to what He has to say, and willingness to obey His will.

I have met many smart Bible scholars who simply do not know Jesus as Lord. Oh, they know the technical details of the Word... they know the philosophical intricacies of the Hebrew and Greco-Roman cultures... they know the unfolding history of the Hebrew/Israelite nation... they know all kinds of things ABOUT God. But they do not know God. They have no relationship with the Savior. So... I ask you, Amonite, where has all their scholarly Bible study gotten them? Are we saved by our superior knowledge of Christ...? Or by our simple, childlike faith in Christ? What shapes us and molds us into the image of God...? By how well we can exegete a text? Or by humble obedience to the One who reveals Himself (and all that we need for salvation) through His Holy Word?

My strongly felt... no, my utterly passionate belief about the state of Christianity in 21st century America (and the West in general) is that we are a spiritually impoverished nation, and as such, we are thoroughly biblically illiterate. We all have 10 Bibles on our shelves... and yet, maybe 1 in 100 people have actually read ONE of their Bibles ONCE ever in their entire lives. As a pastor, I find that horrifyingly wrong.

Printed Bibles may be a relatively new phenomenon... but then again, the saints used to gather daily to publicly read (i.e., hear) the powerful Word of God. We are obviously far removed from that kind of assembly... so reading the Word privately (as well as corporately) is a sufficient and necessary endeavor.

We, however, are a frantically busy people, stressed and stretched beyond belief. We're on the move constantly, here and there every single day. Work, play, kids, family, trips, vacations, more work... you get what I'm saying, right? And when we have free time... when we come home at night after a long, exhausting day, what is it most of us turn to as a therapeutic way of calming down? Well, take your pick: television, or the internet. I know firsthand... 'cause that's so typically me! Unfortunately, those avenues lead to several potential problems in my thinking... perhaps chief among them is that people are not spending time engaging in the basic spiritual disciplines. You know... stuff like soaking in God's Word, time in prayer, and intentional, meditative silence, with an ear toward the soft, still voice of the Lord.

So... since we're so frantically busy. Since we don't have the time (or energy) to actually READ the Bible for ourselves, what do we do? We farm it out to others!

Ya... I know I should read the Bible - after all, it is the Word of God... the most profound, unique book in all of human history... the revelation of the Holy One, etc. Most of us agree that it's an important book. But hey, it's HARD to understand! But rather than take precious time to struggle through it all, I'll read books from really smart people who have already done it... and can condense it down to a list of the most important things I'm supposed to get from it. Oh, I STUDY the Bible... in that I read my devotional books (that have 2-3 verses at best) and consider what the "professional" has mined from its riches. I have my Bible reading plan... one that chunks up the grand, epic story of God's salvation into four, daily, bite-size pieces that completely destroys the context of the narrative story. I read tons of books and articles from those who have done the dirty work of interpretation... and I love to read about how these authors inform me I'm supposed to think and respond to God, based on what they write. I even listen to tons of podcasts of really articulate, very intellectual super-preachers who know how to move me, and tell me the truth!

But read the Bible for myself...? In context...? As an epic story that teaches Truth beyond the gate of my intellectual mind...? From cover to cover? No way... I simply don't have the time! It's too big, man... too boring, too confusing, too offensive, too detached from my circumstances... and too open to my wrong interpretation. It's not worth the investment of my time to read it like that. It's not meant to be read like a story... it's more like a reference book at the library... like an encyclopedia, full of necessary information, data and wisdom... but hey, you don't read a full encyclopedia volume! You don't even check one out... you just look up whatever you're hoping to address at that time. Right?

Man... that is just plain wrong thinking! I believe powerful, profound things can change in a person's evil heart when they take the time, effort, discipline, and determination to read the Bible in an oh-so-simple way - from Genesis all the way through to Revelation! It happened in my life, and I've seen it happen in many other people's lives as well. Are we called to read it in a one-dimensional, ignorant, self-serving manner? Absolutely not! We enter the pages prayerfully and humbly, and expectantly. As we read, we see ourselves in the story, and all of a sudden, it becomes our story. We are Adam, we are Israel, we are fickle, we are hard-hearted, we are stiff-necked... we truly are a mess! But God is holy, God is good, God is patient, God is a consuming fire, God hates sin, God gets frustrated with our lack of trust in Him... God is love, and His love has always been present... and His grace has always been revealed, even in those strange, often violent stories found in the Old Testament. In fact... the whole thing leads us to desperately crying out for an answer to the sin problem. We realize we're utterly screwed because of the curse upon us all. We simply are not able to change our rebellious streak, no matter how hard we try. Not even the law can save us. We need an outside source of strength. We NEED a Savior!!! God does not change... but He does reveal Himself to us more and more as we immerse ourselves in the beautiful, often mysterious adventure of faith found only in His holy Word. And through it all, the Gospel becomes the Good News... the profoundly good news!

Should we study the Word? Absolutely! Of course! But as I said before, only secondarily to placing ourselves at His feet and HEARING what He desires to say to us through continual reading of whole chapters, whole books, whole testaments... yes, even the whole Bible - learning who God is throughout the magnificently written 66 books of the biblical canon. If the laypersons, who do not have time and/or desire to "study" in a scholarly way, were to spend their time reading the Word itself rather than ONLY other people's (book, internet, devotional "study") interpretation of what the Word has to say and how it should shape us... I believe the Church would once again become a praying Church... a loving Church... an involved Church... a passionate Church... and we would more closely resemble the royal priesthood and holy nation that the gates of hell can not overcome. Amonite, perhaps we're stumbling on the word "study" - whereas I believe interpretation (within a community of faith) is absolutely part of the reading and hearing exercise. Study, to me, is more about turning to outside sources for clarity and information.

Of course we are called to interpret what we read... to wrestle with the text. That's where Bible study is of paramount importance to making disciples - that is, enhancing the whole reading/interpretive process. That's where involvement in the Body of Christ equips us for right belief (orthodoxy) and right behavior (orthopraxy). That's why pastors preach. That's why small groups are utterly important. That's why apologetics is a good and necessary tool. That's why we're called to gather together in communities... and openly discuss (even debate) what we're hearing from God together. We are not meant to live in isolation, or interpret the Word in an individualistic manner... no way! We are wired by God for deep community. We keep Satan at bay through our constant fellowship, through our prayers together, through serving one another... and through our continual discussion of what new life the Word is breathing into our otherwise dead beating hearts. Just because I want people to read their Bibles and engage in the epic story of salvation... doesn't mean I want them to do it in isolation.  Heck no... that's why we have church - to prevent us from moving inward and isolating ourselves from the ecclesia... the fellowship of the believers. But (and this is a big but!), I believe we all too quickly turn to "hired guns" of the faith and allow their much-studied interpretations become our interpretation (that is, apart from wrestling with it ourselves). Shortcuts are shorter, but they don't always get us to where we need to go. We need to READ and INTERPRET together, in community. In addition to that... yes, we can and do learn a great deal more by turning to scholars, pastors, authors, teachers, etc. who are not part of our local community. There is a wealth of information to help us STUDY certain aspects of discipleship in greater detail... and therefore enrich our reading/interpretive process... but they're only secondary to the primary task of learning the depth of biblical Truth together.

Church: I'm for it! It ain't always pretty, but it's absolutely necessary, and sometimes (often in spite of itself) it reflects an utterly beautiful portrait of Jesus Christ to a world in desperate trouble.

And that leads me to this Sunday's sermon topic: Christian Assembly.

WOMS (Weapon of Mass Salvation)

Text relating to the sermon this Sunday at The River: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 (NLT)

"In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God."

Prayer is a funny thing. The Bible often tells us to pray... so obviously, God wants us to talk with Him. But what is it He want us to say to Him? And what should our posture be? Are we supposed to pray with confidence... or humility? Should we be on our knees... or walking around with our hands in the air? How do we deal with the whole concept of unanswered prayers? Just what exactly is prayer all about?

Last Sunday, I may have raised some eyebrows when I implored the sheep of my flock (okay, it's God's flock... but you know what I mean) to NOT study their Bibles - that is, if it takes away from the simple, humble act of reading their Bibles (and seeking to listen what God may want to say to them). When we study something, it tends to depersonalize the subject, rendering it an intellectual pursuit rather than a relational one. I don't want you to study God... I want you to KNOW God! We know someone by spending time with them and listening to their voice... not by dissecting their words and creating charts. Obviously, Bible study is a good thing... a great thing for Christian disciples - but not if it becomes our only avenue of pursuing God. Bible study can only be secondary to the primary task of getting to know the God of the Bible... and that is best accomplished by reading the words of Scripture and allowing them to soak into our heart, soul and mind.

My approach to prayer is essentially the same, in that, it is first and foremost a relationship-building tool designed to shape us into followers of Christ... not a mechanism of getting what we want from God. That may seem obvious to some, but I'm not so sure many people really understand what prayer is about. Just as most all yearly Bible reading plans tend to break down the Bible into more "pleasant" bite-size chunks of Old Testament and New Testament... with a Psalm and Proverb thrown in for good measure - so too is our modern approach to the act of prayer based more on a sense of science than story, i.e., "cause and effect" rather than deep dependence. God is not a vending machine that must do as we request. We don't put in our money (prayer) and out pops a snack (answer). True, we are told to make requests of God, and even believe with confidence that our prayers will be answered... but confidence in Christ is thoroughly laced with humility that reminds us that God knows what is best... God is in charge... and God will work whenever, however, and by whatever means He chooses. We can ask, even persistently, for things to unfold the way we think are best... but ultimately, we must submit ourselves to God's will.

Perhaps the key to understanding prayer is the concept of covenant. For reasons we cannot fathom, God loves us with incredible passion. As such, He chooses to involve us in the epic saga of the salvation of the world. Humanity, with all its warts and flaws, is made in the image of God... and has been given the mind-blowing gift of participation in God's ongoing plan to put a broken world back together. He doesn't need us... not by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, He believes in us, and gives us an undeserved place at His table. Our weapons? According to the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6, they are the belt of truth; the body armor of righteousness; the shoes of peace (that comes from the Good News); the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation; and (most importantly for a warrior), the Word (which is the sword of the Spirit).

Prayer is not listed as a defensive or offensive weapon in Paul's list. For him, it is the absolute foundation of all other things  - an absolutely necessary component for a soldier to remain informed and alert while on the battlefield. Prayer is unseen yet powerful. Prayer is mysterious. Prayer is essential. Prayer is what keeps the belt tight, the armor thick, the shoes secure, the shield strong, the helmet impenetrable, and the sword sharp.

God does not "owe" us anything. He has already given us everything. If you don't believe that, take a good long gaze at the cross of Christ. And yet... even though He doesn't owe us and doesn't need us... God still invites us to walk with Him... fight evil with Him... trust Him... talk to Him... and submit to Him.

Prayer is the other side of the spiritual coin from reading (that is, listening to, entering into the stories, and seeing ourselves in the larger story of)... the Bible. Prayer is the "tails" whereas the Word is the "heads". One without the other is subject to the flesh of sinful man... desperately seeking to be in control and attain power. But together (by faith, in humility), they combine to unleash the most powerful force in the universe... an unlikely covenant relationship of love between the created and the Creator... between humanity and God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.


Hmmmm. If what I say is true... 

How then should that shape our willingness and motivation to pray as God's people? Perhaps with holy hands and calloused knees?  :-)

Word of God

Text relating to the sermon at The River this Sunday (at 10:00 AM): 

1 Peter 1:13-25 (NLT)

So, how long does your New Year's resolve tend to last? A few hours? Days? Weeks? Maybe you've kept your resolution(s) for the whole year...? If so, congrats! Can't say I've ever kept one too well myself, except one. I read the Bible from cover to cover one year... LOTS of work, but well worth the cost.

This month at The River, we'll be discussing four areas of discipleship I believe we should consider practicing in order to experience deep, authentic, and lasting transformation: (1) The Word of God, (2) Prayer, (3) Christian assembly, and (4) Works of service. Yes, there a thousand things we need to change about ourselves... but in terms of following Chirst, these issues are certainly worthy of heartfelt resolution.

This Sunday, we'll talk about the importance of immersing ourselves in the Word of God. (And no, it's not too late to join me in reading it all the way through.)

Peter says this:

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say,

   

   “People are like grass;

   their beauty is like a flower in the field.

   The grass withers and the flower fades.

   But the word of the Lord remains forever.” - 1 Peter 1:23-25

Now I'm going to go out on a limb here... and suggest that the Word of God... a.k.a., the Scriptures, a.k.a., the Bible (as we know it) was really, really important to the Apostles and members of the early church. Peter goes so far as to say that life itself comes from the word of God. Remember in Genesis 1, where God said, "Let there be light", and there was light? The words of God brought life where there was otherwise no life. In the same way, the Word of God continues to bring life where there is otherwise no life.

Ex nihiolo is a Hebrew phrase meaning "something from nothing." In other words, out of nothing, God spoke this world into existence. Wow... just take a moment and ponder that idea!

The Bible is no ordinary book... or (more accurately) library of books. No sir, the Bible contains the breath of God. It is Spirit-filled. It is pure revelation... in that it has the capacity to illuminate the Truth of God to human hearts full of chaos and darkness. As it has been often said, the Bible is God's love letter to humanity. The words of the Father and the Son are powerfully, yet mysteriously breathed into our deadness, and offers us resurrected life in the power of the Holy Spirit. But it only brings life to a broken and humble heart... someone who hungers for God... light, truth, hope, peace, love.

Unfortunately, the Bible is also a weapon of death in the hands of a prideful person. Some of the worst atrocities in human history have been committed in the name of God's Word. The epic story of God... the divine mystery of His desire to bring salvation to a world gone amuck. The beautiful - yet utterly mysterious stories of life, death, prosperity, poverty, joy, despair, peace, war, love, hate, obedience, rebellion, humility, pride... good and evil - all somehow encompass the power to draw us into the arms of God (by faith), or the power to bring about pure evil in the human heart. Hitler, for example, was a confessed Christian who once wrote, "I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." 

Somehow, I think I'm safe in saying that the self-proclaimed "Fuhrer" may have read and studied his Bible... but he definitely was not acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator... nor fighting on God's side. Satan was able to twist the truth - even God's Truth - into a sick and murderous revelation of pure evil. How could that even be possible?

I don't know. But I do know the canon of Scripture we've inherited over many centuries... the book we affectionately know as the Holy Bible... the Old and New Testaments... continues to bring out the best and the worst in people. That in and of itself ought to be sufficient evidence that it contains power beyond any ordinary book! Some people love it... some hate it... and quite frankly, nobody fully understands it. We read it, study it, discuss it, wrestle with it, and argue about it. And yet it remains a utter mystery, right? It transforms our heart when we dare to engage with it. It provides wisdom for right living when we accept it. It gives us encouragement and confident hope when we take the time to listen to it. And it challenges our wicked flesh when we humbly allow the message to penetrate our soul.

Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. - Ephesians 6:17b

So tell me, o Christian: Is your sword blood-stained from battling the enemy of God note: that is JUST a metaphor)... or is it covered in a thick layer of dust?

You know... it's always a good time to get started. But this is the bestest, most ideal time to decide that you want to experience the Word for yourself, rather than depend on pastors, teachers, priests, and scholars to experience it for you (and tell you what you're supposed to think and believe). January is an ideal time to become resolute - utterly and stubbornly determined - to dust off your sword and let the Word of God breathe new life into your Christian faith.

Any takers? 

Unto Us: A King is Anointed

Special Advent sermon series at The River church: "Unto Us - Christ Has Come"

Series Text: Isaiah 9:1-7 (NKJV) 

 

November 27: Unto Us - A Light Has Shined (Salvation to all through Jesus)

December 4: Unto Us -A Child is Born (Incarnation of Jesus)

December 11: Unto Us - A Son is Given (Crucifixion of Jesus)

December 18: Unto Us - A King is Anointed (Resurrection of Jesus)
 

This week's focus text: Verse 7

 

Of the increase of His government and peace  

There will be no end, 

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, 

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice 

From that time forward, even forever. 

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

So, I've been a little under the weather for the past few weeks, and yesterday I found out why... I have bronchitis... what fun. Anyway, I've asked my young Padawan Preacher, Cole, to speak for me this Sunday. (Hmmm, shoulda named him Luke.) Nevertheless, in my drug-induced state of thinking, I thought I'd take a shot at this Sunday's big idea at The River through the blog... and let Cole take it where he hears God telling him to lead us in the sermon.

So, Jesus is our king. What should that mean to us? Really?

In John 18, Pilate was about to turn Jesus over to be crucified. But before he did, he had an exchange of words with him... and for the life of him, Pilate couldn't figure out why the Jews hated Jesus so much. On the other hand, he didn't exactly fall on a sword to save him from crucifixion either. In vv. 33-37 it says:

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 

 

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Eventually, Pilate handed Jesus over to be executed. Thus, opening the way for Jesus to move ever closer toward His true identity as King of glory. Yes, the man of Nazareth died that day. But the grave could not contain the Word of God forever. Death was but a mere step in the Son's preparation as our risen Lord... as our anointed King. Christmas and Easter are bookend events which help to reveal the Gift of God through Christ - that is, He brought justice and peace to this fallen world. One day soon, He will return to seal the deal.

I wonder... truly wonder if we have the capacity to grasp the significance of Jesus as our King. I mean, we live in America... land of the free and home of the brave, right? We can't fully understand the concept of living under a king's rule... how could we? We elect our leaders - they aren't forced upon us. We have a say in the matter. We have the right to vote... and the right to freely discuss... and even the right to ridicule our elected officials. We may not like our leaders... and we may hate their political ideals... Heck, how many emails ridiculing our President have people sent you over the past three to four years? But hey, we don't have to worry about being persecuted or imprisoned for our ideas and opinions about political issues... not even the mean-spirited ones. And if we complain hard enough, we might even get the bums voted out. That's the American way!

I love it... the democrats complain the right-wing wackos have it all wrong. Those fascists want to take our freedoms in the name of warfare! And of course... the republicans complain the left-wing liberals have it all wrong. Those socialists want to destroy our system of free enterprise by overtaxing productive citizens in the name of welfare! You have to admit, we do have our problems... deep, systemic problems.

But whichever way you lean in terms of earthly politics... please don't place your hopes on one political party or the other... or one particular person. Cause I got news for you. We may live in the best country on earth, with the best political structure ever devised in human history... but guess what?

He (or she) ain't gonna hold a candle to the LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS. "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end..."

That's right... the One who was there when the earth was formed... the One who was there when the Red Sea parted... the One who produced the seed, and caused it to germinate into a plant that became a tree that was cut down and used to make a manger... the One who was born and lived among us... the One who died and bought our redemption (on another piece of wood). The One who ascended back to heaven to be at His Father's right hand. Yep... that guy. He's  our King... our Lord. When He returns, He's going do more than sit around in an oval office and fly in a really cool private jet. He's going to do more than host parties and sign bills into law. He won't be interested in giving interviews to the press or making speeches. He won't care about electoral votes or the democratic process.

Nope. He's going to busy Himself ruling the nations. He's going to bring His kingdom and His rule on this earth in completeness and finality. He is going to judge the wicked and the dead. He is going to destroy the devil and his powers of darkness once and for all. He is going to overcome the gates of hell. And He is going to invite His people... His disciples to join Him in this new world order.

Revelation 19:11-16 tells us this, (which ought to give us some measure of pause as we reflect on that little helpless babe in the manger this Christmas):

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Dang! Little baby Jesus... he's going to judge and make war? The meek and mild carpenter of Nazareth... his eyes are going to be like a flame of fire, and he's going to wear many crowns? The guy who walked the earth and taught about love is going to strike the nations? Tread the winepress of Almighty God? (I don't know what that means exactly... but it sounds frighteningly serious!)

How can that be? How can the Light of the world act so violently? How can the baby Jesus spill the blood of his enemies? How can the Son that was given... the forgiver of sins rule with a rod of iron? And how can we believe and know that the world will be better off when He takes the throne and establishes Himself as our King? How are we supposed to react to this kind of rule?

First of all, it's not a bad a thing to fear God.... that is, be utterly overwhelmed, even terrified by His pure holy nature. He is no politician. He is pure love... He is eternal, limitless and free. He alone is worthy to make judgment upon this world. And as our King, He will do that very thing. We will all stand before Him one day... yes, even the Christians... and give an account. Wow!

Secondly, though reverent fear may be a good and healthy response to the King of Kings - even those who love Him and serve Him and worship Him while living on this earth - we need to understand this: Our King is completely faithful and true. He is white-hot and pure, but He is most certainly NOT evil... in fact, He hates evil. When He arrives on His stead, He will forcefully rid this world of all traces of evil, destroying it once and for all. That should give His followers cause for profound and joyful celebration! He is no weak President... He is no elected official... He is no sound-byte generator... He is the LORD. And He means business!

Finally, all of these mysterious images that we have of the Triune God ought to come into focus as we contemplate our posture before Him. Kind and generous. Powerful and full of wrath. Meek and mild. Faithful and True. Risen Lamb and Great High Priest. Baby and King. Terrifying and merciful. None of this seems logical... but I ask you, what about our God and King can be confined to human systems of logic? I mean... c'mon, really!

Hmmmm... I don't know about you... but as for posture... I'm planning to be flat on my face on that frighteningly beautiful and glorious day when I meet my KING face-to-face. He will know everything I've ever said and done. He will know my thoughts and motivations. He will know whether or not I really love Him... whether I really gave my heart to Him. He will see me for who I really am... more so than I've ever been able to see and know about myself. Talk about humbling! He may lift me up and give me an embrace... but frankly, I'm gonna let Him decide that! My deepest hope for all of us is that our King would look into our fear-filled eyes and say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Wow... now THAT seems like a leader who's worth following into eternity.

May the King of all Kings grant you Peace and Joy this Christmas season.

Unto Us: A Son is Given

Special Advent sermon series at The River church: "Unto Us - Christ Has Come"

Series Text: Isaiah 9:1-7 (NKJV)

November 27: Unto Us - A Light Has Shined (Salvation to all through Jesus)

December 4: Unto Us -A Child is Born (Incarnation of Jesus)

December 11: Unto Us - A Son is Given (Crucifixion of Jesus)

December 18: Unto Us - A King is Anointed (Resurrection of Jesus)

This week's focus text: Verse 

For unto us a Child is born, 

Unto us a Son is given; 

And the government will be upon His shoulder. 

And His name will be called 

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Man, what a strange gift. God gave us His Son... wrapped in swaddling cloths.

Jesus, who is the Light of the World who came to bring God's salvation (Nov. 27)... who "moved into the neighborhood" and lived among us as one of us (Dec. 4)... who willingly endured torture and execution on our behalf. That's right, the One who created us is the One who taught us, and He is the One who paid the ultimate price for our redemption. How do you measure that kind of love?

Perhaps a better question... what do we do in response to that kind of love? What should we do? How should that Truth impact our heart and mind? What should it motivate us believe and do and become? What does it really mean that a son was given... given by God... given to the world?

We all know John 3:16, right? The all-too-often used phrase that has probably lost some of it's luster over the years, simply because it's become a popular drum-beat for overzealous football fans and parade goers with signs.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Here's my point: God invented Christmas by giving us the Gift that keeps on Giving, and giving, and giving. He gave us death (His) that leads to life (ours). The Son of God was born Jesus of Nazareth, and placed EVERYTHING on the table (or under the tree to keep the Christmas motif going). Quite frankly, I don't know if that verse has the power to save people by being printed on a sandwich board or t-shirt... but I do know it describes the profound Truth that begins at Christmas.

So what does it mean to accept this gift? To unwrap it? To take it out of the box and interact with it? To utilize it to its fullest potential? To live it and share it and invest ourselves in it? How do we show appreciation for this precious gift?

That's easy, really. Accept the gift by re-wrapping it and sharing it with others. Think of it as the world's biggest re-gifting program... or the world's largest White Elephant exchange! Give to God by giving your life back to Him... and to your neighbor.

He laid down everything for you. So lay down everything for Him by allowing Him to reign supreme in every facet of your being. Die to your flesh, so that He can breathe new life into you... life in the Spirit. Open your fists and let go of the junk you're carrying around... allow Him to raise you up out of the muck and mire... let Him resurrect you to kingdom life... abundant life... eternal life.

This Christmas, let's determine to celebrate Jesus' birthday by living out Galatians 2:20 in every way we know how...

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." 

After all, the story of God's Son doesn't end with his death, right? It ends with His eternal reign in the heavens. Actually it never ends whatsoever! The Son may have died, but death could not hold him. His real role is that of King of Kings. He has already begun what ultimately will come to fruition... and someday all the world will know that Jesus is Lord. In fact, He is our anointed King (Dec. 18). 

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

Unto Us - A Child is Born

Special Advent sermon series at The River church: "Unto Us - Christ Has Come"

Series Text: Isaiah 9:1-7 (NKJV)

November 27: Unto Us - A Light Has Shined (Salvation to all through Jesus)

December 4: Unto Us -A Child is Born (Incarnation of Jesus)

December 11: Unto Us - A Son is Given (Crucifixion of Jesus)

December 18: Unto Us - A King is Anointed (Resurrection of Jesus)

This week's focus text: Verse 6

For unto us a Child is born, 

Unto us a Son is given; 

And the government will be upon His shoulder. 

And His name will be called 

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Nothing generates more excitement within a family than when a child is born, right?

I remember when my daughter was born. We already had a son that was four years old, and we eagerly awaited to see whether he would have a new baby sister or brother to take home. (We're old fashioned, in that we never wanted to know the gender until they came... it spoils the surprise!)

Anyway, I frantically made my calls to everyone that, "It's a girl!". The excitement in my voice was bursting out of me... wow, I'm a daddy again! And now we've been given the perfect nuclear family... an eldest boy and baby girl... yahoo! It's a girl, it's a girl, it's a girl!!!

But you know what? It wouldn't have mattered a bit to us if our little girl turned out to be another little boy. Who cares? It's an oozy-woozie little baby in the house. The miracle of life... an increase in the family line... the excitement of watching her facial features (and determining who she looks like)... holding her tightly (yet understanding she is a fragile newborn)... changing her diapers (which God gracefully gets us used to doing before introducing the stink factor)... feeding and burping her... singing her lullabies to help her fall asleep... you know, all the stuff that comes with caring for this new person in the household! I loved every bit of it... even when the stink did come into play! You get to watch the slow, but steady process of an infant developing a personality. You watch for the first signs of a smile... then you anxiously await the day when she utters her first word... then you hold you breath the day she takes her first steps... my God, it is the most awesome thing in the world to watch a newborn become a toddler, then a preschooler, then a grade-schooler, then a middle-schooler, then... Well then she becomes a teenager and you start to feel very, very old and powerless.  :-) But she's still a joy, even when she gets emotional, or stubborn, or downright frustrating!

It's in our DNA (at least in a general sense) to extend the family line... to add to the population... you know... to procreate and add more people to this planet. In Genesis 1:28 God tells the humans, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Indeed... be fruitful and increase in number. He has given us this gift of life through our own lives... and the hope of our continued existence from generation to generation. That gift is what gives us hope... gives us purpose... gives us peace... gives us joy.

And what better manifestation of all those things than God Himself coming to our broken world to put the pieces back together? What could possibly be given to us that provides the glorious bundle of hope, and joy, and purpose, and peace than that of the Baby Jesus? Hmmm... how about the forgiveness he will bring in His 33rd year of life? How about the truth of God's Word that will shine in and around him?  How about the grace offered to guilty sinners? How about the transformation and renewal of all creation that will come through this fragile newborn from Nazareth? How about the teaching that will transform our whole understanding of what it means to be a neighbor?

What else does the Baby Jesus represent to humanity? What does he represent to you personally?

All babies signify joy and hope to a family hungry and thirst for new life, for innocence and human potential... for a new generation and and a new future. But let's face it, this baby was utterly and completely special. He is truly the Gift from God who is God who connects us to God and ensures our good standing with God. It may not be PC to say these days in good ole' America... but Jesus is what makes Christmas what it truly is. Duh, that's why it's called CHRIST-mas!

He is truly worthy of our praise and celebration. His earthly life, and death, and resurrection is what reconnects us to eternity itself... to our original glory a long time ago before we were forced to leave the Garden and aimlessly wander. Thank God He's given us the Way and the Truth and the Life. Thank God for Jesus!!!

Yes... thank you God, for the profoundly wonderful gift of a child born - unto us. May we live as if this gift meant everything to us... and may we freely share this gift with everyone we encounter.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Unto Us - A Light Has Shined

Special Advent sermon series at The River church: "Unto Us - Christ Has Come"

Series Text: Isaiah 9:1-7 (NKJV)

November 27: Unto Us - A Light Has Shined (Salvation to all through Jesus)

December 4: Unto Us -A Child is Born (Incarnation of Jesus)

December 11: Unto Us - A Son is Given (Crucifixion of Jesus)

December 18: Unto Us - A King is Anointed (Resurrection of Jesus)

This week's focus text: Verse 2

The people who walked in darkness 

Have seen a great light; 

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, 

Upon them a light has shined.

It all started with a man named Jacob. No...

It all started with a man named Abram. No, wait...

It all started with a man named Adam. No. Dang, that's not it either...

It all started with God. Ah, yes... that's it! "In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:1-2). 

But wait. There was someone else present in creation too... right?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:1-5).

Okay, now I get it... in the beginning was the Godhead, i.e., the Father, Son, and Spirit. All things were made by Him, through Him, and in Him.

And humanity was God's special creation... the crowning achievement, in that He (representing all humans) was made in God's own image. Man is uniquely creative. Of all creatures, only man contemplate the existence of God, ponders his place in the universe, and wonders about the afterlife. And only man worships deities. Indeed, man is special. But thanks to the sin of Adam (and Eve)... man is also cursed. As a result, he has been kicked out of the garden, left to wander and stumble in the darkness... hopelessly lost and confused.

But God had a plan to deal with the curse of humanity (and all of creation). Admittedly, it took awhile to unfold (and is still unfolding). But nevertheless, it is a beautiful and worthwhile story. In fact, it is the most powerful and true story ever told... anywhere.

After the fiasco with Adam - and a reshuffling of the deck with Noah - God raised up a man named Abram to be a mighty nation. He promised Abram (later changed to Abraham) that his descendants would be as numerous as sands on the seashore. And the nation that would be formed by God through Abraham would be a light to the Gentiles. This new nation would be blessed by God, and they would exist to be a blessing to the whole world. In other words, God would reveal Himself to every person on earth through His chosen people, letting His special creatures know He loves them and wants to forgive them of their sins and re-connect them to their original purpose and divine design. 

God wanted Abraham's descendants to share the good news of salvation to the other nations of the world. And sure enough... God blessed Abraham, making him the father of the great nation of Israel. Actually, it was Abraham's grandson, Jacob, who had twelve sons (through four different women), that became the infamous 12 tribes of Israel. And it wasn't until the time of King David many, many centuries later that the nation truly became great in size, strength, and international influence.

However, there was only one problem with God's plan to use Israel to be a light to the other nations (Gentiles). They didn't quite understand the fine print on God's covenant with their ancient patriarch, Abraham. You see, God wanted to bless Israel so that they would be a blessing to the other nations... but ultimately they decided they wanted to keep it for themselves. So they sort of conveniently forgot about the part about being a blessing. After all, they were God's "chosen people", so why waste the message of God's salvation on non-Israelites?

I know the Old Testament is more complicated than that, but hey, I'm giving the cliff notes here! Anyway... rather than sharing the goodness of God with foreigners, Israel hoarded the good news for just their own nation... and ended up worshiping all kinds of false gods along the way. Yahweh Himself actually lived among them and spoke through His prophets, but nevertheless, the Israelites missed the truth of His holy Word through their disobedience. (Hmmmm... good thing we're not like that today, huh?)

Anyway, here's the mysterious and surprising aspect to this story: None of this took God by surprise. Nothing about the roller-coaster, weak-willed faith of the Israelite people shocked the Lord of all creation. Disappointed? Perhaps... but not surprised whatsoever. He knew they would fail... and He knew that in the fullness of time, He would need to step in and do what we couldn't do for ourselves. How else could we know the depth of man's failure if not for Israel's example?

Anyway, God knew that eventually He would need to send His Son to be the sacrificial Lamb... to bring salvation to everyone... to reverse the curse of sin... to rescue the oppressed... to pardon the guilty... to purchase our freedom... to reveal the Truth of God's unending love... to be the Light of the World... to shine in the darkness so once and for all we could know the Way and the Truth to everlasting Life. 

God sent His precious Son to complete the plot line of the story that began o so many years before when everything went wrong with Adam in the Garden. That was a horrible day - when humanity was forced to leave the sanctuary of fellowship with God and trudge along in a dark and dangerous world. 

God knew His Son would be born Jesus of Nazareth before the foundation of the world... but perhaps He waited until we were ready to accept the fullness of Truth before executing His plan. Maybe He waited until we'd experienced a few centuries of failure in trying to save ourselves... and cried out for deliverance.

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."   Galatians 4:4-5

I've heard it put this way before: God sent the Son of God to our world to become the Son of Man, so that sons of men could become sons of God.

Hmmmm... aren't you glad Jesus is the Light of the World?