For the past couple of months I have been working with my former classmates from high school to organize our upcoming 25th reunion. There is a great temptation when you are thrown back together with old friends to fall into old habits. One of the temptations is obvious. There may have been old habits that your friends associate with the old you. Maybe you were prone to swearing or gossiping or drinking, but whatever it was the temptation is obvious.
It is also easy enough to overcome when you have been removed from these friends for a long time. You have new habits with your new self that have taken the place of the old habits and just because you are around your old friends that does not mean you have to give in to the old temptations. So you refrain from gossiping, swearing, and drinking and you feel quite proud of yourself and all the while you have neglected the greater command that you have not seen as a temptation.
The Bible it up nicely here in Luke Chapter 10:
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Just who is my neighbor (hint: read the rest of Luke 10)? And what is the temptation that I am referring to that I have to be careful of? One of the easiest things to do when you are with a group of friends is to exclude others. To not show them the love that you so easily show to your friends. So my challenge when I return for my 25th reunion is to not exclude anyone and to show the love of God to all that I meet as equally as I can. This will be far more difficult than refraining from the "obvious" sins.
How about you? Did you see anyone at church recently that you did not know already? Did you make the effort to make them feel welcome? Or did they leave wondering why they bothered to make the effort? My challenge to you is to seek out those that don't already belong more frequently and to make them feel welcome. It is not really that difficult. You can start like this: Hi, my name is _________. I am happy you joined us tonight. Let me know if I can do anything to make your visit more enjoyable.
We are great at hugging our friends, but how about our neighbors?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The pure in heart
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I have recently enrolled in college and I apologize for not updating my blog sooner. It is no excuse, but I allowed it to become an excuse. I have been struggling a bit with the topic as well. What exactly does it mean to be pure in heart? How will we see God if we are pure in heart? Is there a method by which we can become pure in heart?
Interestingly there are several definitions for the word translated here as pure and some of our answers can be found there. First of all there are a couple of ways that we can be made pure. The first is by fire. This is how metals are purified. They are superheated and all the impurities get burned off. The second way to be made pure is by pruning. The gardener comes along and trims away the dead branches and we become more suitable for bearing fruit. If I were to be given the choice between the two, I think I would choose the pruning rather than the fire. Of course during the actual pruning, I am sure that I will not be so happy about it. Both of these definitions are pertinent to being clean in the physical sense.
The word could also be used to indicate clean in the levitical sense. This would be doing things that are not forbidden or things that impart no un-clean-ness to us. This would be a bit problematic for me if I were to attempt to become clean in this manner. I do not know the levitical law well enough to know how many of the laws I have broken, but I do know it well enough to know that if I were depending on my own adherence to the law for being clean, I would be in big trouble.
The third way that the word is used is similar to above but from the ethical perspective rather than a legal one. This would mean that we were blameless, innocent, free from sin, and unstained by the guilt of anything. Once again, this is a bit problematic if I look at my own self for satisfying the criteria of being clean.
Ultimately I know that I can only become clean because of Christ and even then it is not me that is clean but Christ's clean-ness is transferred to me. And the master gardener has occasionally pruned some dead branches from my life. However, one of my favorite passages is:
Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Interesting that Paul here tells us that when we put into practice what he has taught us and when we think about the things that are pure and noble and right, that God will be with us. Perhaps, with God's help, this is something that I can do.
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I have recently enrolled in college and I apologize for not updating my blog sooner. It is no excuse, but I allowed it to become an excuse. I have been struggling a bit with the topic as well. What exactly does it mean to be pure in heart? How will we see God if we are pure in heart? Is there a method by which we can become pure in heart?
Interestingly there are several definitions for the word translated here as pure and some of our answers can be found there. First of all there are a couple of ways that we can be made pure. The first is by fire. This is how metals are purified. They are superheated and all the impurities get burned off. The second way to be made pure is by pruning. The gardener comes along and trims away the dead branches and we become more suitable for bearing fruit. If I were to be given the choice between the two, I think I would choose the pruning rather than the fire. Of course during the actual pruning, I am sure that I will not be so happy about it. Both of these definitions are pertinent to being clean in the physical sense.
The word could also be used to indicate clean in the levitical sense. This would be doing things that are not forbidden or things that impart no un-clean-ness to us. This would be a bit problematic for me if I were to attempt to become clean in this manner. I do not know the levitical law well enough to know how many of the laws I have broken, but I do know it well enough to know that if I were depending on my own adherence to the law for being clean, I would be in big trouble.
The third way that the word is used is similar to above but from the ethical perspective rather than a legal one. This would mean that we were blameless, innocent, free from sin, and unstained by the guilt of anything. Once again, this is a bit problematic if I look at my own self for satisfying the criteria of being clean.
Ultimately I know that I can only become clean because of Christ and even then it is not me that is clean but Christ's clean-ness is transferred to me. And the master gardener has occasionally pruned some dead branches from my life. However, one of my favorite passages is:
Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Interesting that Paul here tells us that when we put into practice what he has taught us and when we think about the things that are pure and noble and right, that God will be with us. Perhaps, with God's help, this is something that I can do.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Everyone needs compassion...
Hillsong United- Mighty to Save
Everyone needs compassion,Love that's never failing;Let mercy fall on me.Everyone needs forgiveness,The kindness of a Saviour;The Hope of nations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE92VCpTDWg
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I hope that the New Year has dawned on you with hope for tomorrow. I pray that your hope is grounded in Christ and that you are trusting in Him.
The verse that I am looking at today can seem very simple. Everyone needs some mercy thrown their way and we are all in favor of that right? I think most of us want mercy for ourselves and are not quite so quick to grant it to others. Why is that? Why is it that we are so willing to condemn others when we ourselves are pretty worthy of condemnation? I must look at myself first.
I have two cyber friends that I have known for quite some time. One of these friends is not a believer. They are however, very loving and I am particularly fond of the occasion when they came to my defense much to my surprise when I was in the midst of a debate with an atheist. The other friend is a believer and quick to condemn any behavior that does not suit him. I know that he is correct in his orthodoxy but I have doubts about his orthopraxy. How do I balance teaching the word without coming across as condemning?
Luke 10:29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
The first thing you notice here is that the expert in the law wanted to justify himself. I see this desire in myself and I know that it is wrong. It is a constant struggle to remind myself that I can not justify myself and that I am only justified through Christ. The question that you have to ask yourself is what is the secondary motive for asking the question of Jesus? Could it be because he only wanted to show mercy to those that were deserving of mercy? Could it be because he did not really want to show mercy to anyone?
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
The solution here is to show mercy to everyone. Jesus does not define who the neighbor is but how to be a neighbor and that is by showing mercy. I said earlier that I have to look at myself first and the reason is pretty simple. I often feel that my friend who is so quick to condemn is very wrong and could use a good smackdown. But then that puts me right there with him doesn't it? My challenge is to learn how to balance sharing the correct belief (orthodoxy) while showing the correct actions (orthopraxy) out of love in both cases. I pray that God gives me the strength, wisdom, and guidance to do exactly that in the year to come.
Peace, Bruce
Everyone needs compassion,Love that's never failing;Let mercy fall on me.Everyone needs forgiveness,The kindness of a Saviour;The Hope of nations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE92VCpTDWg
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I hope that the New Year has dawned on you with hope for tomorrow. I pray that your hope is grounded in Christ and that you are trusting in Him.
The verse that I am looking at today can seem very simple. Everyone needs some mercy thrown their way and we are all in favor of that right? I think most of us want mercy for ourselves and are not quite so quick to grant it to others. Why is that? Why is it that we are so willing to condemn others when we ourselves are pretty worthy of condemnation? I must look at myself first.
I have two cyber friends that I have known for quite some time. One of these friends is not a believer. They are however, very loving and I am particularly fond of the occasion when they came to my defense much to my surprise when I was in the midst of a debate with an atheist. The other friend is a believer and quick to condemn any behavior that does not suit him. I know that he is correct in his orthodoxy but I have doubts about his orthopraxy. How do I balance teaching the word without coming across as condemning?
Luke 10:29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
The first thing you notice here is that the expert in the law wanted to justify himself. I see this desire in myself and I know that it is wrong. It is a constant struggle to remind myself that I can not justify myself and that I am only justified through Christ. The question that you have to ask yourself is what is the secondary motive for asking the question of Jesus? Could it be because he only wanted to show mercy to those that were deserving of mercy? Could it be because he did not really want to show mercy to anyone?
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
The solution here is to show mercy to everyone. Jesus does not define who the neighbor is but how to be a neighbor and that is by showing mercy. I said earlier that I have to look at myself first and the reason is pretty simple. I often feel that my friend who is so quick to condemn is very wrong and could use a good smackdown. But then that puts me right there with him doesn't it? My challenge is to learn how to balance sharing the correct belief (orthodoxy) while showing the correct actions (orthopraxy) out of love in both cases. I pray that God gives me the strength, wisdom, and guidance to do exactly that in the year to come.
Peace, Bruce
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I am hungry
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
On Saturday night we had our work Christmas party. We went to an exclusive restaurant in Buckhead and I was very much looking forward to it. I was very excited about the meal that I was going to have and curious as to what they would serve us. I was not disappointed. The food was excellent. They had various appetizers including shrimp cocktail that was my favorite. For the meal, we started with a crabcake that was perhaps the highlight of the evening. This was followed by a salad that was topped with some fried goat cheese. This was a very interesting concept, but not quite as good as the crabcake. For the main course, I had chicken and filet mignon with potatoes and asparagus all of which were cooked perfectly. Finally for dessert I had a chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream on the side. When I was done, I was stuffed. I could not even quite finish my dessert because I was so full of the meal that they had prepared for me.
Now, I enjoyed this meal very much. How strange it would have been if I had not waited for the meal and instead tried to fill myself beforehand. I would have missed out on all of the food prepared for me and I have no doubt that it would not have been anywhere near as good. The very concept is somewhat laughable. Why would I eat before I was going out to eat?
I know that the analogy is not perfect, but don't we do exactly that in our walk with Christ? We try to make ourselves righteous instead of waiting on God to fill us. Wouldn't it be much better to wait to be filled with the only one who can provide us with righteousness? The only one who can satisfy our soul? My prayer for you today is that you can become like Paul who prayed this prayer in his letter to the Philippians:
Philippians 1:9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Note that it is through Christ that we can obtain righteousness to the glory and praise of God. This passage says nothing about any acts that we do that might fill ourselves with righteousness. Yet every day we get up and try to "do" something to earn God's good favor so that He might be pleased with us. But we should be doing something shouldn't we? Well, yes. We should be growing in the knowledge of Christ so that we can discern His will and then we will know what it is that we should be doing.
Paul prays in his letter to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 3:16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
This is what I hunger for: to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. I need to get myself out of the way though. In order to be full to the measure with God, I can't have any other stuff already filling me up. That is why I should not eat before I go out to eat.
Peace, Bruce
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
On Saturday night we had our work Christmas party. We went to an exclusive restaurant in Buckhead and I was very much looking forward to it. I was very excited about the meal that I was going to have and curious as to what they would serve us. I was not disappointed. The food was excellent. They had various appetizers including shrimp cocktail that was my favorite. For the meal, we started with a crabcake that was perhaps the highlight of the evening. This was followed by a salad that was topped with some fried goat cheese. This was a very interesting concept, but not quite as good as the crabcake. For the main course, I had chicken and filet mignon with potatoes and asparagus all of which were cooked perfectly. Finally for dessert I had a chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream on the side. When I was done, I was stuffed. I could not even quite finish my dessert because I was so full of the meal that they had prepared for me.
Now, I enjoyed this meal very much. How strange it would have been if I had not waited for the meal and instead tried to fill myself beforehand. I would have missed out on all of the food prepared for me and I have no doubt that it would not have been anywhere near as good. The very concept is somewhat laughable. Why would I eat before I was going out to eat?
I know that the analogy is not perfect, but don't we do exactly that in our walk with Christ? We try to make ourselves righteous instead of waiting on God to fill us. Wouldn't it be much better to wait to be filled with the only one who can provide us with righteousness? The only one who can satisfy our soul? My prayer for you today is that you can become like Paul who prayed this prayer in his letter to the Philippians:
Philippians 1:9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Note that it is through Christ that we can obtain righteousness to the glory and praise of God. This passage says nothing about any acts that we do that might fill ourselves with righteousness. Yet every day we get up and try to "do" something to earn God's good favor so that He might be pleased with us. But we should be doing something shouldn't we? Well, yes. We should be growing in the knowledge of Christ so that we can discern His will and then we will know what it is that we should be doing.
Paul prays in his letter to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 3:16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
This is what I hunger for: to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. I need to get myself out of the way though. In order to be full to the measure with God, I can't have any other stuff already filling me up. That is why I should not eat before I go out to eat.
Peace, Bruce
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Meekness anyone?
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
There is a certain progression in the Sermon on the Mount as I am reading it. The first two verses I discussed were more internal on the part of the believer. The believer first recognizes his spiritual poverty before God, or his lack of righteousness. He then contemplates the meaning of this and mourns over the sins that he has committed, others have committed, and that will be committed. We now get to a verse that is more of an external action on the part of the believer. It is a verse that seems to be contradicted in every day life and is the exact opposite of what is expected of you in the secular world.
To get ahead in this life here on earth today, you are expected to be forceful and proud and to toot your own horn. Jesus here is telling us that to be blessed, we need to be the opposite of that. We need to be meek or mild or humble if you will. These are not the qualities that the average employer is looking for. However, I would suggest that there is at least one job that these would be ideal qualifications for:
John 13: 2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Perhaps the best illustration of meekness is a willingness to serve others. First to serve God, then to serve your neighbors. I remember when I first came to know Christ and before I was born again, that my greatest fear was submitting to God. I did not want to lose my "self" by becoming a follower of Christ. This was part of the reason that it took me a year or so to come to the decision after affirming belief in Him. However, what I did not know then and have realized since, is that I am never more the "me" I was intended to be than when I am serving God and others. What a joy it is to serve!
God does not want half hearted commitment either. If you read the passage in John 13 very carefully you will notice something. Or perhaps it is better phrased by saying you will not notice something. You will not notice it saying "and when Jesus came to Judas, he refused to wash his feet." Jesus washed the feet of the one who betrayed him right along with the rest of the disciples. I do not think I have reached that level of servanthood yet. I do not think my heart would be in the right place if I was serving someone who I knew hated me, but I am still pressing on toward that goal.
I want to close tonight by reflecting on what Jesus says after washing the feet of His disciples:
John 13:12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Peace, Bruce
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
There is a certain progression in the Sermon on the Mount as I am reading it. The first two verses I discussed were more internal on the part of the believer. The believer first recognizes his spiritual poverty before God, or his lack of righteousness. He then contemplates the meaning of this and mourns over the sins that he has committed, others have committed, and that will be committed. We now get to a verse that is more of an external action on the part of the believer. It is a verse that seems to be contradicted in every day life and is the exact opposite of what is expected of you in the secular world.
To get ahead in this life here on earth today, you are expected to be forceful and proud and to toot your own horn. Jesus here is telling us that to be blessed, we need to be the opposite of that. We need to be meek or mild or humble if you will. These are not the qualities that the average employer is looking for. However, I would suggest that there is at least one job that these would be ideal qualifications for:
John 13: 2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Perhaps the best illustration of meekness is a willingness to serve others. First to serve God, then to serve your neighbors. I remember when I first came to know Christ and before I was born again, that my greatest fear was submitting to God. I did not want to lose my "self" by becoming a follower of Christ. This was part of the reason that it took me a year or so to come to the decision after affirming belief in Him. However, what I did not know then and have realized since, is that I am never more the "me" I was intended to be than when I am serving God and others. What a joy it is to serve!
God does not want half hearted commitment either. If you read the passage in John 13 very carefully you will notice something. Or perhaps it is better phrased by saying you will not notice something. You will not notice it saying "and when Jesus came to Judas, he refused to wash his feet." Jesus washed the feet of the one who betrayed him right along with the rest of the disciples. I do not think I have reached that level of servanthood yet. I do not think my heart would be in the right place if I was serving someone who I knew hated me, but I am still pressing on toward that goal.
I want to close tonight by reflecting on what Jesus says after washing the feet of His disciples:
John 13:12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Peace, Bruce
Monday, December 8, 2008
Blessed are those who mourn?
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I used to be confused about this verse. I used to think that we were blessed when we mourned because it meant that we had loved someone enough to mourn for them. This may be a secondary meaning for the verse but the primary meaning is something else. The primary meaning relates directly to the previous verse that we examined. If you remember our tax collector from Luke 18, he had sensibly come to the conclusion that he was a sinner. You have some options when you come to the conclusion that you are a sinner. My suggestion tonight is that the appropriate response is not to wallow in your sin; nor is it to be nonchalant about it. The appropriate response is to mourn over your sin.
When I first came to the realization that there was a God and that we could know Him I began to feel what could be best described as unease. This was probably not the typical reaction, but I could not help but feel uneasy at the idea of someone else other than myself knowing all of the really bad things that I had done in my life. As I learned more about God and His expectations for me and His holy nature, this unease grew to concern. I don't think that it ever quite got to outright terror, but that was probably because I was learning about God's mercy and love at the same time. As I learned more about God's love and mercy, my unease was transformed to shame.
I still had much to learn at this time (and still do), and one thing I definitely did not understand was that salvation was available to me. Strangely, this misconception was very beneficial to me. You see, I thought to be saved, that I had to be perfect. So I tried. Really Hard. Needless to say, I did not attain perfection. But as I pursued perfection I felt a longing for a relationship with Christ and I became more and more sorrowful over my past (and current) life of sin. Sorrow because I had offended a holy God. Sorrow because I had separated myself from Him. Sorrow because it was my sin that caused Him to die. Curiously, it was at this time that the thought of Christ's righteousness being sufficient to cover over my sins was made manifest in me. Perhaps some other time I will share the whole story here, but for now I will leave it at this: I have trusted that Christ is sufficient and I have been comforted.
I want to ask you tonight if you have come to the sensible conclusion that you are a sinner. I want to ask you if this realization has caused you to reflect on the nature of God. Do you know Him? Once you do know Him, I hope that you reflect on the effects of your sins. I hope that you do not simply ignore them or wallow them. I hope that you too can join me in mourning and perhaps you too can be comforted.
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I used to be confused about this verse. I used to think that we were blessed when we mourned because it meant that we had loved someone enough to mourn for them. This may be a secondary meaning for the verse but the primary meaning is something else. The primary meaning relates directly to the previous verse that we examined. If you remember our tax collector from Luke 18, he had sensibly come to the conclusion that he was a sinner. You have some options when you come to the conclusion that you are a sinner. My suggestion tonight is that the appropriate response is not to wallow in your sin; nor is it to be nonchalant about it. The appropriate response is to mourn over your sin.
When I first came to the realization that there was a God and that we could know Him I began to feel what could be best described as unease. This was probably not the typical reaction, but I could not help but feel uneasy at the idea of someone else other than myself knowing all of the really bad things that I had done in my life. As I learned more about God and His expectations for me and His holy nature, this unease grew to concern. I don't think that it ever quite got to outright terror, but that was probably because I was learning about God's mercy and love at the same time. As I learned more about God's love and mercy, my unease was transformed to shame.
I still had much to learn at this time (and still do), and one thing I definitely did not understand was that salvation was available to me. Strangely, this misconception was very beneficial to me. You see, I thought to be saved, that I had to be perfect. So I tried. Really Hard. Needless to say, I did not attain perfection. But as I pursued perfection I felt a longing for a relationship with Christ and I became more and more sorrowful over my past (and current) life of sin. Sorrow because I had offended a holy God. Sorrow because I had separated myself from Him. Sorrow because it was my sin that caused Him to die. Curiously, it was at this time that the thought of Christ's righteousness being sufficient to cover over my sins was made manifest in me. Perhaps some other time I will share the whole story here, but for now I will leave it at this: I have trusted that Christ is sufficient and I have been comforted.
I want to ask you tonight if you have come to the sensible conclusion that you are a sinner. I want to ask you if this realization has caused you to reflect on the nature of God. Do you know Him? Once you do know Him, I hope that you reflect on the effects of your sins. I hope that you do not simply ignore them or wallow them. I hope that you too can join me in mourning and perhaps you too can be comforted.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
So what does it mean to be poor in spirit and just how are we blessed if we are poor in spirit? I think that we can see this illustrated in a parable of Jesus told here in Luke 18:
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
The tax collector here was poor in spirit because he realized that standing before God, he was not a righteous man. He had sensibly come to the conclusion that he was a sinner. He did not have an overinflated opinion of his own worth and knew that he was dependent upon God's mercy.
When I was in college, I took calculus and struggled at first. I knew that I was not good at calculus or you could say I was poor in calculus. Because I was willing to admit this, I was able to do something very important. I was able to get help from someone who was rich in calculus. If I had not been willing to admit my "poorness" then I would not have sought help and I would have failed the class. I sought out a tutor and they helped me to learn what it was that I needed to know to be rich in calculus. The next year a friend of mine was struggling with calculus and I was able to help him because I had previously sought out help for myself.
This is why it is a blessing to be poor in spirit. When you realize this (that you are not righteous before God), it puts you in a position where you know that you need help. When you know you need help, you are much more likely to ask for help. You will realize that there is only one that can put you in a right standing before God and you will call out to Him. This is a blessing because it is the first step to salvation. I don't think it is possible to be saved until you realize that you, in fact, do need saving.
The really cool part is that once you have recognized this in yourself, you will be able to recognize it in others as well and you will be able to point them in the right direction so that they too can be saved. I thank God that He has humbled me and allowed me to have a low opinion of myself so that I could reach out to Him.
Peace, Bruce
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
So what does it mean to be poor in spirit and just how are we blessed if we are poor in spirit? I think that we can see this illustrated in a parable of Jesus told here in Luke 18:
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
The tax collector here was poor in spirit because he realized that standing before God, he was not a righteous man. He had sensibly come to the conclusion that he was a sinner. He did not have an overinflated opinion of his own worth and knew that he was dependent upon God's mercy.
When I was in college, I took calculus and struggled at first. I knew that I was not good at calculus or you could say I was poor in calculus. Because I was willing to admit this, I was able to do something very important. I was able to get help from someone who was rich in calculus. If I had not been willing to admit my "poorness" then I would not have sought help and I would have failed the class. I sought out a tutor and they helped me to learn what it was that I needed to know to be rich in calculus. The next year a friend of mine was struggling with calculus and I was able to help him because I had previously sought out help for myself.
This is why it is a blessing to be poor in spirit. When you realize this (that you are not righteous before God), it puts you in a position where you know that you need help. When you know you need help, you are much more likely to ask for help. You will realize that there is only one that can put you in a right standing before God and you will call out to Him. This is a blessing because it is the first step to salvation. I don't think it is possible to be saved until you realize that you, in fact, do need saving.
The really cool part is that once you have recognized this in yourself, you will be able to recognize it in others as well and you will be able to point them in the right direction so that they too can be saved. I thank God that He has humbled me and allowed me to have a low opinion of myself so that I could reach out to Him.
Peace, Bruce
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
