Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Job 36:11
If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
It’s Thanksgiving weekend. Happy Thanksgiving! For just a few moments, reflect on what you are thankful for. Or rather ‘who’. Because it boils down to family, loved ones, friends, doesn’t it? Relationship, not stuff. People, not possessions. This is what Jesus invites us to in this passage: contentment in relationship with our Father. Relationship that provides security, comfort, covering, peace. Relationship that finds you sitting at the King’s table. Relationship that eventually leaves you planted, deeply rooted like a tree by living streams: you cannot be moved. In relationship, there are no laws, except the Royal Law of Love. That was the message that Jesus delivered in the Sermon on the Mount that day: that they, his hearers, were loved by God. Beloved, that same message holds true for us today. We are loved by God. He cares deeply for us. He is committed to our success. We can trust Him. Please know that. In the same way that we, as parents, are committed to the well being of our children, Our Father, in Heaven is committed to ours, every moment of every day. Bless His Name! Enjoy the Holidays! Enjoy your loved ones!
Psalm 1:3
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 20, 2011: Praying Sincerely (Matthew 6:5-15)
Luke 11:1
... When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray..”
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father
Luke 11:2
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father…
By now, the words ‘Jesus’ and ‘multitudes’ began to be spoken in the same breath, with the same breathlessness. The crowds were growing and for good reason: Jesus preached and demonstrated the sudden, seeming ‘nearness of the Kingdom of God. Up to now it had been: “If God..”, or “ When God..”. But Jesus preached the ‘Imminence’ of God, the immediacy of the Kingdom. People marveled, and followed. God was near. When Jesus spoke, they could feel God. Then, on this day came the Sermon on the Mount. In these few moments, Jesus opened the windows of Heaven and invited His hearers access to the Throne. In this sermon, He introduced the Gospel of Grace. Grace whereby God was removing their offence and clothing them in righteousness with the very simple requirement on theirr part that they believe. Believe and be healed. Believe and be saved. Believe and see God.
Scripture tells us that one of Jesus’ disciples had a question. Maybe he was putting it all together. An epiphany of sorts. A revelation that from this day forward, God was doing something different, something new. The un-named disciple asked, “Jesus, (I’m paraphrasing) seeing as how everything is changing, going forward, how do we pray?” Can’t you see him mentally connecting the dots? The thing with connecting the dots is, before you draw the first line, you have no idea what is being hidden. But, as you draw the lines, connecting the dots, the picture begins to take shape. The disciple who qestioned Jesus may have been at that point. Mentally, he was drawing the lines, but the shape was not quite recognizable. Not yet. Jesus’ response illustrated God’s plan. Relationship.
“Father”. Jesus instructed them to call Him (God): Father. And based on His opening of this sermon, anyone could call God “Father”. They and we were being invited to ‘Relationship’, as in ‘relatives’, as in ‘protected’, ‘provided for’, ‘healed’, ‘covered’, ‘Blessed”. David’s words come to mind: “Is there anyone still left of the the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness?:. In those few moments Heaven smiled and continues to smile. On that day, God withdrew wrath and extended Grace. On that day, God, our Creator, revealed Himself as “Abba Father”. Not just Father, but ‘Daddy’. In those few moments, He offered us relationship and intimacy. The same intimacy that He extended to Moses, that caused Moses’ face to reflect His very Glory, He now extends to us. Face to Face.
Jesus said “find a closet”: a private place, where you could have a private personal audience with the ‘King of Glory’. In that private place, much as it is in your own home, there’s no need to shout. You simply speak: quietly, reverently, lovingly, thankfully, gratefully. Find a quiet place. When my earthy father was still alive and I would go to visit, when I would sit down to visit, we would sit close, close enough to grasp hands, close enough to carefully examine one another, to determine how the time that had passed since our last visit had treated us (I’m crying). We sat close enough that we didn’t have to speak loudly, we could whisper. We would laugh and talk. He would lay his hands on my shoulders, I found comfort in the very weight of His touch. The memory of my time with him is precious.
Beloved. Our Father, who is in Heaven, whose Name is Holy, Hs Kingdom has come! His will is being done in these earthen vessels, these bodies of ours that are but His Temples’. His will is being done in us, just as it is in Heaven. Each day, each and every day He personally delivers to us the Bread of Life, His Holy Word. Additiomally, He provides us with our every need according to His riches in Glory, by Christ Jesus. He has forgiven our debts, and they were many, and He strengthens us inwardly to forgive any that may be indebted to us. Let us never accuse Him of tempting us for He protects us from, and gives us power over our true Adversary, Satan. Unforgiveness is but one of the many distractions that the enemy uses to keep your eyes off of your Father. Don’t be burdened by unforgiveness. Forgive, without condition, and be free. Free to worship your Father, in Whom resides the Kindom, Who is All-Powerfil, In Whom rests all Glory. And with whom you have relationship of such an intimate, comforting nature, that time spent with Him, talking to Him, sharing your deepest cares and concerns, sharing and receiving from Him: Hope, Faith, dreams. Can you hear Him speaking to you in whispers: in that ‘still, small voice’? Can you feel the weight of His hand on your shoulder? Do you know how much love and pride reside in His touch? Do you know how much He longs for you? How He longs to draw near? How comforting is that? How encouraging? How empowering? Time spent with your Father in a private, intimate setting, will fill us with the confidence of overcomers, super conquerors that He has purposed in us from befor the beginning. Come and sit at the King’s table beloved, and be Blessed. Time spent with Him is precious!
.wb
2 Samuel 9:13
And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
As The Deer
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
(Chorus)
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
... When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray..”
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father
Luke 11:2
He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father…
By now, the words ‘Jesus’ and ‘multitudes’ began to be spoken in the same breath, with the same breathlessness. The crowds were growing and for good reason: Jesus preached and demonstrated the sudden, seeming ‘nearness of the Kingdom of God. Up to now it had been: “If God..”, or “ When God..”. But Jesus preached the ‘Imminence’ of God, the immediacy of the Kingdom. People marveled, and followed. God was near. When Jesus spoke, they could feel God. Then, on this day came the Sermon on the Mount. In these few moments, Jesus opened the windows of Heaven and invited His hearers access to the Throne. In this sermon, He introduced the Gospel of Grace. Grace whereby God was removing their offence and clothing them in righteousness with the very simple requirement on theirr part that they believe. Believe and be healed. Believe and be saved. Believe and see God.
Scripture tells us that one of Jesus’ disciples had a question. Maybe he was putting it all together. An epiphany of sorts. A revelation that from this day forward, God was doing something different, something new. The un-named disciple asked, “Jesus, (I’m paraphrasing) seeing as how everything is changing, going forward, how do we pray?” Can’t you see him mentally connecting the dots? The thing with connecting the dots is, before you draw the first line, you have no idea what is being hidden. But, as you draw the lines, connecting the dots, the picture begins to take shape. The disciple who qestioned Jesus may have been at that point. Mentally, he was drawing the lines, but the shape was not quite recognizable. Not yet. Jesus’ response illustrated God’s plan. Relationship.
“Father”. Jesus instructed them to call Him (God): Father. And based on His opening of this sermon, anyone could call God “Father”. They and we were being invited to ‘Relationship’, as in ‘relatives’, as in ‘protected’, ‘provided for’, ‘healed’, ‘covered’, ‘Blessed”. David’s words come to mind: “Is there anyone still left of the the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness?:. In those few moments Heaven smiled and continues to smile. On that day, God withdrew wrath and extended Grace. On that day, God, our Creator, revealed Himself as “Abba Father”. Not just Father, but ‘Daddy’. In those few moments, He offered us relationship and intimacy. The same intimacy that He extended to Moses, that caused Moses’ face to reflect His very Glory, He now extends to us. Face to Face.
Jesus said “find a closet”: a private place, where you could have a private personal audience with the ‘King of Glory’. In that private place, much as it is in your own home, there’s no need to shout. You simply speak: quietly, reverently, lovingly, thankfully, gratefully. Find a quiet place. When my earthy father was still alive and I would go to visit, when I would sit down to visit, we would sit close, close enough to grasp hands, close enough to carefully examine one another, to determine how the time that had passed since our last visit had treated us (I’m crying). We sat close enough that we didn’t have to speak loudly, we could whisper. We would laugh and talk. He would lay his hands on my shoulders, I found comfort in the very weight of His touch. The memory of my time with him is precious.
Beloved. Our Father, who is in Heaven, whose Name is Holy, Hs Kingdom has come! His will is being done in these earthen vessels, these bodies of ours that are but His Temples’. His will is being done in us, just as it is in Heaven. Each day, each and every day He personally delivers to us the Bread of Life, His Holy Word. Additiomally, He provides us with our every need according to His riches in Glory, by Christ Jesus. He has forgiven our debts, and they were many, and He strengthens us inwardly to forgive any that may be indebted to us. Let us never accuse Him of tempting us for He protects us from, and gives us power over our true Adversary, Satan. Unforgiveness is but one of the many distractions that the enemy uses to keep your eyes off of your Father. Don’t be burdened by unforgiveness. Forgive, without condition, and be free. Free to worship your Father, in Whom resides the Kindom, Who is All-Powerfil, In Whom rests all Glory. And with whom you have relationship of such an intimate, comforting nature, that time spent with Him, talking to Him, sharing your deepest cares and concerns, sharing and receiving from Him: Hope, Faith, dreams. Can you hear Him speaking to you in whispers: in that ‘still, small voice’? Can you feel the weight of His hand on your shoulder? Do you know how much love and pride reside in His touch? Do you know how much He longs for you? How He longs to draw near? How comforting is that? How encouraging? How empowering? Time spent with your Father in a private, intimate setting, will fill us with the confidence of overcomers, super conquerors that He has purposed in us from befor the beginning. Come and sit at the King’s table beloved, and be Blessed. Time spent with Him is precious!
.wb
2 Samuel 9:13
And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet.
Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
As The Deer
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
(Chorus)
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 13, 2011: Loving Unconditionally (Matthew 5:38-48)
Matthew 5:39
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:25
Agree with thine adversary quickly…
Matthew 5:44
‘But I say unto you, Love your __________’
Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part III: The Okey Doak
My former pastor used to say, “Free confession is good for the soul.” I’ll go first. For those of you that know Eric, he had the best angle I’ve heard on this passage in a while. Put simply, it was “Love your __________’ (you fill in the blank). Husband, wife, sister, brother, son, daughter, co-worker,,, you get the picture. You see, what that verse speaks to is our natural defense mechanism. If someone hits us, we hit back… reflexively. And that’s normally ok, isn’t it? After all, it really is reflexive. We are born with it. Touch something hot, we withdraw. Touch something sharp, we recoil. It’s a natural reflex. Additionally, we learn to respond to people in the same way at a very early age. If someone hits us, we hit back. If someone speaks harshly to us, we retort with the same tone and fervor or worse. With all of this in mind, who then is my enemy? At a situational level, it’s whoever my opponent is at any given moment. If I argue with my wife or my children, for a few moments, they are my enemy. The same holds true for whoever else fills in that blank, right? Move this to a deeper level. What about people who don’t look like me, don’t worship like me, don’t live where I live or work where I work? What is my ‘natural’ response to them?
Beloved, our loved ones, co-workers, neighbors, or the people from that other religion are not the adversary, not even for a moment. Jesus wants us to Expect, Think and Do Differently (Shout out to PedroJ).No longer are we to respond to every situation reflexively (“Lions, tigers and bears. Oh my!”). Not as emissaries of God. After all, He (God) causes it to rain on the just and the unjust. He loves everyone, not just his own. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. His love for us started there. Love has to guide us. It starts at home. It has to carry over into our workplace, into our community. At some point, as we mature, we should be able to ask ourselves, almost rhetorically, “Who is my enemy?” The answer: no one. Not one person. After all, they (we) are all created in God’s image and in His likeness. Jesus was affirming this on the mountain that day. The law instructed: ‘Love your neighbor’. Jesus let us know that that bar was too low. In fact, where he was setting the bar was beyond our ability to comprehend. And again, by doing so, He condemned us, and showed us how badly we needed Him (did you get that?).
Nothing is too hard for God though, is it? We have seen in our lifetimes those that have endured insufferable torment forgive their tormentors, have we not? This ‘God kind of love’; Agape, is possible. And when we see it displayed we marvel. We praise God. This Agape, this unconditional love is available to every believer, but it will require practice. You’ll really will have to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give someone your coat after they’ve sued you for your shirt. It can be done, but you must, we must act against our nature, and yield to the Spirit of God within us.
Let me close with a brief testimony. Both of my children have had issues that could have had serious legal consequences in the last several months. The details are personal and private, but here’s the notable circumstance in each case. The people who forgave them were of a different religion and or nationality and in both cases; those people testified that their religious convictions would not allow them to pursue the individual matters past the point of an apology from my children. Christians.. Brothers and Sisters.. Who is my enemy? Praise the Lord. Love everyone.
.wb
(Whew! This was cathartic. Thank you Lord.)
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Romans 13:10
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
Petra
Love
Words and music by Bob Hartman
Based on 1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient, love is kind
No eyes of envy, true love is blind
Love is humble, it knows no pride
No selfish motive hidden inside
Love is gentle, makes no demands
Despite all wrong, true love still stands
Love is holy, love is pure
It lasts forever, it will endure
(Chorus)
Love knows when to let go
Love knows when to say no
Love grows in the light of the Son
And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come
Love is loyal, believes the best
It loves the truth, love stands the test
Love is God sent in His Son
Love forgives all we have done
In this world where hatred seems to grow
True love goes against the flow
And becomes so hard to show
In this world where push turns to shove
We have strength to rise above
Through the power of His love
Lord, we need to know the power of Your love
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:25
Agree with thine adversary quickly…
Matthew 5:44
‘But I say unto you, Love your __________’
Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part III: The Okey Doak
My former pastor used to say, “Free confession is good for the soul.” I’ll go first. For those of you that know Eric, he had the best angle I’ve heard on this passage in a while. Put simply, it was “Love your __________’ (you fill in the blank). Husband, wife, sister, brother, son, daughter, co-worker,,, you get the picture. You see, what that verse speaks to is our natural defense mechanism. If someone hits us, we hit back… reflexively. And that’s normally ok, isn’t it? After all, it really is reflexive. We are born with it. Touch something hot, we withdraw. Touch something sharp, we recoil. It’s a natural reflex. Additionally, we learn to respond to people in the same way at a very early age. If someone hits us, we hit back. If someone speaks harshly to us, we retort with the same tone and fervor or worse. With all of this in mind, who then is my enemy? At a situational level, it’s whoever my opponent is at any given moment. If I argue with my wife or my children, for a few moments, they are my enemy. The same holds true for whoever else fills in that blank, right? Move this to a deeper level. What about people who don’t look like me, don’t worship like me, don’t live where I live or work where I work? What is my ‘natural’ response to them?
Beloved, our loved ones, co-workers, neighbors, or the people from that other religion are not the adversary, not even for a moment. Jesus wants us to Expect, Think and Do Differently (Shout out to PedroJ).No longer are we to respond to every situation reflexively (“Lions, tigers and bears. Oh my!”). Not as emissaries of God. After all, He (God) causes it to rain on the just and the unjust. He loves everyone, not just his own. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. His love for us started there. Love has to guide us. It starts at home. It has to carry over into our workplace, into our community. At some point, as we mature, we should be able to ask ourselves, almost rhetorically, “Who is my enemy?” The answer: no one. Not one person. After all, they (we) are all created in God’s image and in His likeness. Jesus was affirming this on the mountain that day. The law instructed: ‘Love your neighbor’. Jesus let us know that that bar was too low. In fact, where he was setting the bar was beyond our ability to comprehend. And again, by doing so, He condemned us, and showed us how badly we needed Him (did you get that?).
Nothing is too hard for God though, is it? We have seen in our lifetimes those that have endured insufferable torment forgive their tormentors, have we not? This ‘God kind of love’; Agape, is possible. And when we see it displayed we marvel. We praise God. This Agape, this unconditional love is available to every believer, but it will require practice. You’ll really will have to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give someone your coat after they’ve sued you for your shirt. It can be done, but you must, we must act against our nature, and yield to the Spirit of God within us.
Let me close with a brief testimony. Both of my children have had issues that could have had serious legal consequences in the last several months. The details are personal and private, but here’s the notable circumstance in each case. The people who forgave them were of a different religion and or nationality and in both cases; those people testified that their religious convictions would not allow them to pursue the individual matters past the point of an apology from my children. Christians.. Brothers and Sisters.. Who is my enemy? Praise the Lord. Love everyone.
.wb
(Whew! This was cathartic. Thank you Lord.)
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Romans 13:10
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
Petra
Love
Words and music by Bob Hartman
Based on 1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient, love is kind
No eyes of envy, true love is blind
Love is humble, it knows no pride
No selfish motive hidden inside
Love is gentle, makes no demands
Despite all wrong, true love still stands
Love is holy, love is pure
It lasts forever, it will endure
(Chorus)
Love knows when to let go
Love knows when to say no
Love grows in the light of the Son
And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come
Love is loyal, believes the best
It loves the truth, love stands the test
Love is God sent in His Son
Love forgives all we have done
In this world where hatred seems to grow
True love goes against the flow
And becomes so hard to show
In this world where push turns to shove
We have strength to rise above
Through the power of His love
Lord, we need to know the power of Your love
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 6, 2011: Living in Harmony with Others (Matthew 5:17-37)
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part II: Everybody else. Everybody!
I have to veer away from the title of this week’s lesson for a few moments. I hope to stay focused enough to find my way back, but this is an important passage of Scripture and I don’t want to change the subject… of the text. You see, Jesus makes a turn at verse thirty seven of this “Sermon on the Mount”, Up to this point, He’s spoken to the poor, the meek, the humble, but now turns his attention to the rest of us. He wants to make sure that no one is left out, no one. But in order to accomplish this, He must first make everyone aware of their need for a Savior. What? That’s correct, one of the key components of the Gospel, the ‘Good News’ is that “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God”. That’s all of us. Or to state it another way, “There are none righteous, No, not one.” How ‘bout them apples? Do you get it yet? Not one of us is worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. No matter our ‘good’ intentions, no matter our ‘good’ deeds, no matter our ‘good’ station in life. Jesus wanted those within the sound of His voice, Pharisees and Sadducees included that they needed a Savior.
For just a moment, think of the people that you run into on a day to day basis, two types really: those who need answers and those who have it all figured out. Of those two groups, which will be harder to reach? People looking for answers recognize their need. They will listen, most every time you approach them with the Gospel. However, the people that have it all figured out, what about them? Beloved, they are blind and don’t know it, deaf, unable to hear the beckoning of the Lord for the blaring of the horn that they are constantly blowing on their own behalf. And yet, God loves them. He loves them and He’s long suffering, not willing that any should perish.
In order for the Holy Spirit to accomplish His work in the hearts of these who are blinded by their own self righteousness, Jesus had to lay the groundwork correctly. These passages accomplish that. In these twenty some odd verses Jesus throws everyone under the bus. He relegates every one to eternal torment and condemnation. Everyone! It’s OK to shout here, if you know what you’re shouting about. You see Beloved, there’s only one Heaven, not two. There’s not a ‘Heaven’ for the poor, the humble, the meek, the persecuted and a separate ‘Heaven’ for those who have never done anything wrong, who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, who always seem to ‘have it together’, always on top of their game. No, God’s one Heaven is only for the poor, the meek and the humbled. Unless our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the most righteous…!?!? Jesus wants to make sure that everyone is afforded access. He wants everyone to be included, so He has to ensure that everyone understands that they have a need, a need for a Savior.
If I wasn’t impressed before, I’m impressed now. No one likes a big head, a know it all. They tend to gravitate to a rather exclusive club: people like themselves. Yet Jesus in these few short verses extends mercy to the most unmerciful, Grace to graceless. At the same time that He elevates the humble, He humiliates the proud for their eternal benefit if they will only hear. I don’t know about you, but I don’t come away from this passage of Scripture unscathed. Thank God! No, I tumble through these verses with the awareness that if Jesus doesn’t ‘catch’ me here, I’ll tumble right on into eternal torment and shame.
What then? How do I respond to Mercy? By being merciful. How do I respond to God’s humiliation? By remaining humble. “By Grace ye are saved, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.” The gift of God: the most important gift, the principal gift, the greatest gift of all. I must stop here so as not to belabor the point.
That person, who has become aware of his own sinfulness and who understands his need for a Savior (and has accepted Jesus as his Savior), that person is now ready to actively participate in God’s Kingdom. Where to start? Verse twenty three offers direction: Here you come with an offering to God, but God puts His hand up and says, “Wait!” “All of the gold and the silver are mine’s, but not all of the people.” God’s Gospel is the Gospel of reconciliation. Reconciliation of man to God. As a new ambassador in His Kingdom, we can start by living the Gospel of reconciliation. If there is anyone with whom we need be reconciled, now is the time. If there’s anyone that needs to know that you’ve been changed, that person you offended in times past: a family member, a former spouse, a co-worker, a one-time friend needs to see that kind of change. You see, that that was between you might be the very thing that is keeping them from God. The bitterness, the hurt, the feelings of betrayal that they may be holding onto because of what you put them through may be the very thing hardening their heart to the point that they are not receptive to the love of God. Put down your gift and go. It was probably you who was at fault. Admit it and go make it right. I know people that have gone to the death bed of someone they’d wronged to try and make it right. That effort on your part might have eternal consequence. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven..” Amen.
.wb
Matthew 5:24
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
2 Corinthians 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:21
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part II: Everybody else. Everybody!
I have to veer away from the title of this week’s lesson for a few moments. I hope to stay focused enough to find my way back, but this is an important passage of Scripture and I don’t want to change the subject… of the text. You see, Jesus makes a turn at verse thirty seven of this “Sermon on the Mount”, Up to this point, He’s spoken to the poor, the meek, the humble, but now turns his attention to the rest of us. He wants to make sure that no one is left out, no one. But in order to accomplish this, He must first make everyone aware of their need for a Savior. What? That’s correct, one of the key components of the Gospel, the ‘Good News’ is that “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God”. That’s all of us. Or to state it another way, “There are none righteous, No, not one.” How ‘bout them apples? Do you get it yet? Not one of us is worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. No matter our ‘good’ intentions, no matter our ‘good’ deeds, no matter our ‘good’ station in life. Jesus wanted those within the sound of His voice, Pharisees and Sadducees included that they needed a Savior.
For just a moment, think of the people that you run into on a day to day basis, two types really: those who need answers and those who have it all figured out. Of those two groups, which will be harder to reach? People looking for answers recognize their need. They will listen, most every time you approach them with the Gospel. However, the people that have it all figured out, what about them? Beloved, they are blind and don’t know it, deaf, unable to hear the beckoning of the Lord for the blaring of the horn that they are constantly blowing on their own behalf. And yet, God loves them. He loves them and He’s long suffering, not willing that any should perish.
In order for the Holy Spirit to accomplish His work in the hearts of these who are blinded by their own self righteousness, Jesus had to lay the groundwork correctly. These passages accomplish that. In these twenty some odd verses Jesus throws everyone under the bus. He relegates every one to eternal torment and condemnation. Everyone! It’s OK to shout here, if you know what you’re shouting about. You see Beloved, there’s only one Heaven, not two. There’s not a ‘Heaven’ for the poor, the humble, the meek, the persecuted and a separate ‘Heaven’ for those who have never done anything wrong, who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, who always seem to ‘have it together’, always on top of their game. No, God’s one Heaven is only for the poor, the meek and the humbled. Unless our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the most righteous…!?!? Jesus wants to make sure that everyone is afforded access. He wants everyone to be included, so He has to ensure that everyone understands that they have a need, a need for a Savior.
If I wasn’t impressed before, I’m impressed now. No one likes a big head, a know it all. They tend to gravitate to a rather exclusive club: people like themselves. Yet Jesus in these few short verses extends mercy to the most unmerciful, Grace to graceless. At the same time that He elevates the humble, He humiliates the proud for their eternal benefit if they will only hear. I don’t know about you, but I don’t come away from this passage of Scripture unscathed. Thank God! No, I tumble through these verses with the awareness that if Jesus doesn’t ‘catch’ me here, I’ll tumble right on into eternal torment and shame.
What then? How do I respond to Mercy? By being merciful. How do I respond to God’s humiliation? By remaining humble. “By Grace ye are saved, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.” The gift of God: the most important gift, the principal gift, the greatest gift of all. I must stop here so as not to belabor the point.
That person, who has become aware of his own sinfulness and who understands his need for a Savior (and has accepted Jesus as his Savior), that person is now ready to actively participate in God’s Kingdom. Where to start? Verse twenty three offers direction: Here you come with an offering to God, but God puts His hand up and says, “Wait!” “All of the gold and the silver are mine’s, but not all of the people.” God’s Gospel is the Gospel of reconciliation. Reconciliation of man to God. As a new ambassador in His Kingdom, we can start by living the Gospel of reconciliation. If there is anyone with whom we need be reconciled, now is the time. If there’s anyone that needs to know that you’ve been changed, that person you offended in times past: a family member, a former spouse, a co-worker, a one-time friend needs to see that kind of change. You see, that that was between you might be the very thing that is keeping them from God. The bitterness, the hurt, the feelings of betrayal that they may be holding onto because of what you put them through may be the very thing hardening their heart to the point that they are not receptive to the love of God. Put down your gift and go. It was probably you who was at fault. Admit it and go make it right. I know people that have gone to the death bed of someone they’d wronged to try and make it right. That effort on your part might have eternal consequence. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven..” Amen.
.wb
Matthew 5:24
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
2 Corinthians 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Sunday School Lesson for October 30, 2011: Seeking True Happiness (Matthew 5:1-16)
Wayne’s two cents worth
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part I: The Gospel of Inclusion
Most of you are familiar with these verses. We’ve heard them from the beginning of our travels on this road of Christendom. Jesus’ first major sermon, located in the book of Matthew, this ‘Sermon on the Mount’ tends to be one of the first places we land in Scripture and one of the most familiar in Scripture as we revisit it over and over. Call it accessible, Matthew 5 is accessible. Exactly what Jesus intended. You see, until Jesus began his Ministry, Heaven was for a select few. If you appeared to be ‘Blessed’ on earth, if you were materially well to do, part of the religious ‘in crowd’ in Israel, then surely that would translate to ‘Heavenly Blessings’ as well. On the other hand, if you were poor, sick, destitute, forgotten, guess what? According to the spiritual teaching of the day, you deserved it, God was against you. You’d have had to buy your way in.. or just be left out.
But Jesus! Jesus came with a different ‘Gospel’, a Gospel of inclusion. He wanted to let people know, that God’s love was inclusive, that God was willing to extend Mercy to the least of Israel. Jesus introduced to His hearer’s on that day and to us on this day the concept of Grace: God’s Unmerited Favor. Most of us still have trouble with it, the concept of Grace. We’d like to think we’ve done something or are doing something to deserve God’s Blessing; emphasis on ‘doing’. Jesus changed the emphasis that day. The emphasis changed from ‘doing’ to ‘being’. God looks on the heart, on every heart and He sees … Himself. That’s right! He sees Himself in every heart, in every soul of every child ever born, God sees Himself and extends Mercy. No matter the circumstance, no matter the problem, God so loved the world… Good News! Good News indeed!
The ‘Church folk’ reading this get it, but what about those who aren’t ‘Churched’? Some, who read this may not have a Church home, may not feel comfortable in Church or around Church folk. After all ‘we Church folk can be a little judgmental from time to time, can’t we? God wants you to know that He loves you and that you have a right to access. That’s correct, God grants access to the most neglected among us, the weakest, most unlovable, desperate, sickest, poorest ‘scoundrels’ among us. Anybody can get in. Anybody can get a ‘hearing’. Anybody can be granted access. Feeling ‘shunned’ by family, friends, loved ones? Feeling like a misfit, like you don’t belong? There’s room for you.. room at the Cross. That’s the message that Jesus brought that day. It’s still the message. There’s room at the Cross for you.
Let me close with this: I have two teenagers that I love dearly. Sometimes though, I don’t think they know it as good as I want them to. When I have to correct them (no, they’re not as grown as they think they are) they ‘bow up’, get real stiff-necked, if you know what I mean. Sometimes, they’ll even yell at me, slam doors, storm away in absolute rebellion... . Do any of your children do that? Here’s the deal. No matter how great their rebellion seems at any given moment, I still love them… and they know it.
Beloved, before Christ came into our lives personally, each and every one of us was in stark rebellion against God and God loved us anyway. For you who don’t know Jesus in the pardon of your sin, you’re in rebellion. It’s OK! Jesus’ arms are open wide. He loves you just as you are. Whenever the day comes that you get through trying to do it your own way, God invites you to come to Him and be Blessed!
Shalom,
.wb
John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Luke 14:23
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part I: The Gospel of Inclusion
Most of you are familiar with these verses. We’ve heard them from the beginning of our travels on this road of Christendom. Jesus’ first major sermon, located in the book of Matthew, this ‘Sermon on the Mount’ tends to be one of the first places we land in Scripture and one of the most familiar in Scripture as we revisit it over and over. Call it accessible, Matthew 5 is accessible. Exactly what Jesus intended. You see, until Jesus began his Ministry, Heaven was for a select few. If you appeared to be ‘Blessed’ on earth, if you were materially well to do, part of the religious ‘in crowd’ in Israel, then surely that would translate to ‘Heavenly Blessings’ as well. On the other hand, if you were poor, sick, destitute, forgotten, guess what? According to the spiritual teaching of the day, you deserved it, God was against you. You’d have had to buy your way in.. or just be left out.
But Jesus! Jesus came with a different ‘Gospel’, a Gospel of inclusion. He wanted to let people know, that God’s love was inclusive, that God was willing to extend Mercy to the least of Israel. Jesus introduced to His hearer’s on that day and to us on this day the concept of Grace: God’s Unmerited Favor. Most of us still have trouble with it, the concept of Grace. We’d like to think we’ve done something or are doing something to deserve God’s Blessing; emphasis on ‘doing’. Jesus changed the emphasis that day. The emphasis changed from ‘doing’ to ‘being’. God looks on the heart, on every heart and He sees … Himself. That’s right! He sees Himself in every heart, in every soul of every child ever born, God sees Himself and extends Mercy. No matter the circumstance, no matter the problem, God so loved the world… Good News! Good News indeed!
The ‘Church folk’ reading this get it, but what about those who aren’t ‘Churched’? Some, who read this may not have a Church home, may not feel comfortable in Church or around Church folk. After all ‘we Church folk can be a little judgmental from time to time, can’t we? God wants you to know that He loves you and that you have a right to access. That’s correct, God grants access to the most neglected among us, the weakest, most unlovable, desperate, sickest, poorest ‘scoundrels’ among us. Anybody can get in. Anybody can get a ‘hearing’. Anybody can be granted access. Feeling ‘shunned’ by family, friends, loved ones? Feeling like a misfit, like you don’t belong? There’s room for you.. room at the Cross. That’s the message that Jesus brought that day. It’s still the message. There’s room at the Cross for you.
Let me close with this: I have two teenagers that I love dearly. Sometimes though, I don’t think they know it as good as I want them to. When I have to correct them (no, they’re not as grown as they think they are) they ‘bow up’, get real stiff-necked, if you know what I mean. Sometimes, they’ll even yell at me, slam doors, storm away in absolute rebellion... . Do any of your children do that? Here’s the deal. No matter how great their rebellion seems at any given moment, I still love them… and they know it.
Beloved, before Christ came into our lives personally, each and every one of us was in stark rebellion against God and God loved us anyway. For you who don’t know Jesus in the pardon of your sin, you’re in rebellion. It’s OK! Jesus’ arms are open wide. He loves you just as you are. Whenever the day comes that you get through trying to do it your own way, God invites you to come to Him and be Blessed!
Shalom,
.wb
John 5:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Luke 14:23
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sunday School Lesson for October 23, 2011: Finding True Love (Song of Solomon 4:1–5:1)
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
Song of Solomon 1:15
How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
Song of Solomon 1:16
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming!
Jeremiah 2:32
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
This week’s lesson speaks of the most passionate kind of… intimacy Real intimacy fueled by a love so intense, so passionate that it causes one to blush in the reading of these Scriptures. Scripture? Yes, Holy Scripture. Scripture ordained by God, breathed upon by the Holy Spirit. Pay attention. There are a couple of things that you need to know about the lesson and about this Song of Solomon. Number one: God is not mentioned in this book… at all. Remarkable. One of two books in Scripture where God is not mentioned by name. How could God allow this? Why would he allow this? I surmise that God didn’t want us to be distracted. What? Distracted!? How? This leads to my second point: God gave Man and Woman love, really passionate love and.. sex. “Be fruitful and multiply”, He commanded them. The Song demonstrates the model that God had in mind when He spoke this Word. This man and his bride portray a singular focus and passionate desire for one another. Only one another. This Song of Solomon displays a depth of intimacy so deep that it’s foundations transcend the temporal and drift into the realm of the spiritual. Really? Really! This is the kind of love that lasts. You, the reader, understand innately, that the kind of love being written about her lasts a lifetime. Pay attention. Look around you. Do you know any elderly married couples? If you do, what you normally see in their relationship is commitment, long lasting commitment that started right here, in the garden that Solomon writes of. “For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…. Till…” You know the rest. This kind of love is where life begins. This kind of love is celebrated in every culture, in every language. This kind of love is the very spark of life personified. Love like this is envied, wished for, spoken of in quiet whispers and sung about in ballads and tomes throughout all of history.
No, God doesn’t want to distract you. Scripture is to be read and meditated upon. That means this Song of Solomon too. That’s right. This Book called ‘The Song of Solomon’ or in some cases, ‘The Song of Songs”, this great tome about passionate love and desire is to be read slowly and thoughtfully in quiet contemplation and meditation. Really?! Why? Because God wants to exemplify true intimacy experienced temporally so that you can grow comfortable pursuing real, deep, revealing, lasting intimacy and … desire for Him. Theologians will quickly point out the error in my thinking. They’ll retort that there are three kinds of love spoken of in Scripture, Eros, Phileo and Agape. They’ll tell you that the Eros kind of love, sensual, physical, temporal is to be regarded as the lower form of the three. I’d reply that God fully intended that not one life would be created outside of the Eros kind of love since He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden. Not one! I’d also offer that, when we humans try to subjugate the Eros kind of love for the Phileo kind of love in a relationship we end up with… Hold on. Let me talk about Phileo for a moment. Phileo is defined as the ‘friend’ kind of love. Deep and personal, exemplified by a commonality of purpose. There’s nothing like a best friend. Yet, the Phileo kind of love does not exemplify a lifetime commitment to one another. Not really. Disagree? Friends, good friends don’t leave a job and move across the country because a friend of theirs was relocated. Not normally. But ‘married people’ pack up and go, in most cases, with their spouse, when life’s circumstances demand it. That kind of commitment is fueled by Eros. Phileo in the place of Eros in a relationship (remember: Eros is an expression of love, not lust (a different Greek word) in our culture is akin to ‘Friends with benefits”. No lifetime commitment. No lasting passion.
How then is God’s purpose accomplished in all of this? Beloved, God is Invisible to you and I. We feel something, we experience something, but what about when trouble comes? What about when challenges arise? When those times befall us, and they eventually will, there has to be something that causes you to bend your will, your very instinct for survival toward your Father, God. Time spent passionately pursuing your relationship with Him right now will take you to a place where no matter the circumstance, you stand in confidence that what He has allowed, He’ll deliver you through. Sounds like Faith doesn’t’ it? The very substance of things hoped for. Eros demonstrates that. In their secret garden, this bride and groom build through their desire for one another a hope for one another. A hope that will take them from this moment of paradise to a life that is mutually rewarding, richly fulfilling, long and satisfying, ‘Til death do us part’, a picture of the ‘Eternity’ that our Father has prepared for us. As it turns out, real Eros (sensual love) has some very spiritual overtones, doesn’t it.
Listen, when Jesus said to His disciples, “ Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends” (You know. That song you hear at weddings), He was speaking of Agape love. The God kind of love. Love so foreign and alien to us that we really only barely understand it. He was speaking of His eventual crucifixion. The laying down of His life for all of mankind. From the Phileo side of things, we see demonstrations of this when soldiers, serving a common purpose, sacrifice themselves so that their fellow soldiers can be safe. I’m sure that was mental picture formed in the minds of the disciples as they digested His words. Friends. Remember how uncomfortable they were at ‘The Last Supper’ where these words were spoken? But, I would submit to you, that any married man or married woman truly committed to one another and their children would gladly and willingly accept the challenge that Jesus’ words convey when applied within the context of …family. Family starts with marriage, and marriage starts in the Garden. A garden like the one that Solomon spoke of and… by God, revealed much about God and His Eternal, Everlasting passion and desire for you and I, His Beloved. Enjoy the lesson! When you have time, read the entire Song. It will Bless!
Blessings,
.wb
(did I talk about Him too much? can’t hardly help myself :) )
John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Revelation 21:9
And there came unto me one of the seven angels …., and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
Song of Solomon 1:15
How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
Song of Solomon 1:16
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming!
Jeremiah 2:32
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
This week’s lesson speaks of the most passionate kind of… intimacy Real intimacy fueled by a love so intense, so passionate that it causes one to blush in the reading of these Scriptures. Scripture? Yes, Holy Scripture. Scripture ordained by God, breathed upon by the Holy Spirit. Pay attention. There are a couple of things that you need to know about the lesson and about this Song of Solomon. Number one: God is not mentioned in this book… at all. Remarkable. One of two books in Scripture where God is not mentioned by name. How could God allow this? Why would he allow this? I surmise that God didn’t want us to be distracted. What? Distracted!? How? This leads to my second point: God gave Man and Woman love, really passionate love and.. sex. “Be fruitful and multiply”, He commanded them. The Song demonstrates the model that God had in mind when He spoke this Word. This man and his bride portray a singular focus and passionate desire for one another. Only one another. This Song of Solomon displays a depth of intimacy so deep that it’s foundations transcend the temporal and drift into the realm of the spiritual. Really? Really! This is the kind of love that lasts. You, the reader, understand innately, that the kind of love being written about her lasts a lifetime. Pay attention. Look around you. Do you know any elderly married couples? If you do, what you normally see in their relationship is commitment, long lasting commitment that started right here, in the garden that Solomon writes of. “For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…. Till…” You know the rest. This kind of love is where life begins. This kind of love is celebrated in every culture, in every language. This kind of love is the very spark of life personified. Love like this is envied, wished for, spoken of in quiet whispers and sung about in ballads and tomes throughout all of history.
No, God doesn’t want to distract you. Scripture is to be read and meditated upon. That means this Song of Solomon too. That’s right. This Book called ‘The Song of Solomon’ or in some cases, ‘The Song of Songs”, this great tome about passionate love and desire is to be read slowly and thoughtfully in quiet contemplation and meditation. Really?! Why? Because God wants to exemplify true intimacy experienced temporally so that you can grow comfortable pursuing real, deep, revealing, lasting intimacy and … desire for Him. Theologians will quickly point out the error in my thinking. They’ll retort that there are three kinds of love spoken of in Scripture, Eros, Phileo and Agape. They’ll tell you that the Eros kind of love, sensual, physical, temporal is to be regarded as the lower form of the three. I’d reply that God fully intended that not one life would be created outside of the Eros kind of love since He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden. Not one! I’d also offer that, when we humans try to subjugate the Eros kind of love for the Phileo kind of love in a relationship we end up with… Hold on. Let me talk about Phileo for a moment. Phileo is defined as the ‘friend’ kind of love. Deep and personal, exemplified by a commonality of purpose. There’s nothing like a best friend. Yet, the Phileo kind of love does not exemplify a lifetime commitment to one another. Not really. Disagree? Friends, good friends don’t leave a job and move across the country because a friend of theirs was relocated. Not normally. But ‘married people’ pack up and go, in most cases, with their spouse, when life’s circumstances demand it. That kind of commitment is fueled by Eros. Phileo in the place of Eros in a relationship (remember: Eros is an expression of love, not lust (a different Greek word) in our culture is akin to ‘Friends with benefits”. No lifetime commitment. No lasting passion.
How then is God’s purpose accomplished in all of this? Beloved, God is Invisible to you and I. We feel something, we experience something, but what about when trouble comes? What about when challenges arise? When those times befall us, and they eventually will, there has to be something that causes you to bend your will, your very instinct for survival toward your Father, God. Time spent passionately pursuing your relationship with Him right now will take you to a place where no matter the circumstance, you stand in confidence that what He has allowed, He’ll deliver you through. Sounds like Faith doesn’t’ it? The very substance of things hoped for. Eros demonstrates that. In their secret garden, this bride and groom build through their desire for one another a hope for one another. A hope that will take them from this moment of paradise to a life that is mutually rewarding, richly fulfilling, long and satisfying, ‘Til death do us part’, a picture of the ‘Eternity’ that our Father has prepared for us. As it turns out, real Eros (sensual love) has some very spiritual overtones, doesn’t it.
Listen, when Jesus said to His disciples, “ Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends” (You know. That song you hear at weddings), He was speaking of Agape love. The God kind of love. Love so foreign and alien to us that we really only barely understand it. He was speaking of His eventual crucifixion. The laying down of His life for all of mankind. From the Phileo side of things, we see demonstrations of this when soldiers, serving a common purpose, sacrifice themselves so that their fellow soldiers can be safe. I’m sure that was mental picture formed in the minds of the disciples as they digested His words. Friends. Remember how uncomfortable they were at ‘The Last Supper’ where these words were spoken? But, I would submit to you, that any married man or married woman truly committed to one another and their children would gladly and willingly accept the challenge that Jesus’ words convey when applied within the context of …family. Family starts with marriage, and marriage starts in the Garden. A garden like the one that Solomon spoke of and… by God, revealed much about God and His Eternal, Everlasting passion and desire for you and I, His Beloved. Enjoy the lesson! When you have time, read the entire Song. It will Bless!
Blessings,
.wb
(did I talk about Him too much? can’t hardly help myself :) )
John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Revelation 21:9
And there came unto me one of the seven angels …., and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday School Lesson for October 16, 2011: Growing Old with Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:14)
Psalm 37:25
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Ephesians 4:14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
I’ve resisted writing this lesson. Excuse after excuse. The truth is, this lesson makes me uncomfortable. I have to stop and think about…. Aging. There are certain eventualities in life, Aging is one of them. The writer of this week’s lesson, presumably Solomon, progresses through a beautiful alliteration of the onset of old age. I won’t go into each step in the process outlined in scripture, but rather, the warning that he provides both at the beginning and end of the passage: Remember God. The exhortation here is to find God early in life. In all of the getting in your youth, get God. Have fun within the appropriate boundaries, live life to its fullest. Enjoy yourself, but honor God. Honor him in your youth and He can and will guide you into a purpose greater than yourself. Don’t squander your youth, your vitality, your energy and your time on the vanity of seeking pleasure for pleasure’s sake alone. Remember God. Revere God. Learn to Rely on God. These three R’s will serve you well later in life when the eventuality of age begins its onset.
If you remembered Him when you were young, spent some time in His Presence, when your confidence in you begins to wane, your confidence in Him will build. As young Christians, when challenges arise, we go into a kind of ‘Are you there’ mode with God, but over time, we come to know that He is there and He is there for us. Literally an Ever Present Help in the time of need.
Revere God: time spent in supplication and prayer. Time spent in devotion and service. Time spent early on in your Christian experience will build a life of restraint before God because of God and who He is to you. Boundaries are important. One of the most destructive forces of youth is the lack of boundaries. Reverence learned early will protect and preserve you through youth to a place of maturity and preparedness for a place of leadership in God’s purpose.
Reliance. Reliance is the end result isn’t it. Reliance is a major aspect of … Faithfulness. That’s what we tell folks. Leaning on the Everlasting Arm. Reliance. Reliance on God who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that you can ask or even think. Reliance on God becomes a fixture as we grow older, if we learned early that God is Reliable, when we are old we rely on Him with a trust that transcends this temporal realm. David said, “I was young, and now I’m old, yet I’ve never seen the Righteous forsaken…”. Paul wrote, “For me to live is Christ, for me to die is gain”.
There is something to be said for ‘Eldership’. Preferred leadership in the Church of God has as one of it’s components: age. Whether it was Paul, the Aged or John, the Elder, faithfulness over time is one of the principal tenets of Leadership in the New Testament. Throughout Church History and into our present day; aged, responsible, mature, faithful leadership continues to ground the Church foundationally, so that we are not tossed to and fro by every whim or trend or fad that comes along. So then, what we find her is that, if God tarries (do you know what tarry means?), we all have something to look forward to: Growing old gracefully. Growing old with Wisdom. He’s been there for you from the beginning. Guess what? He’ll be here with you into Eternity. Good News. Very Good News. Be encouraged! We’ve got some exciting things to look forward to!
Blessings,
.wb
1 Timothy 5:17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
James 5:14
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Revelation 11:16
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Ephesians 4:14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
I’ve resisted writing this lesson. Excuse after excuse. The truth is, this lesson makes me uncomfortable. I have to stop and think about…. Aging. There are certain eventualities in life, Aging is one of them. The writer of this week’s lesson, presumably Solomon, progresses through a beautiful alliteration of the onset of old age. I won’t go into each step in the process outlined in scripture, but rather, the warning that he provides both at the beginning and end of the passage: Remember God. The exhortation here is to find God early in life. In all of the getting in your youth, get God. Have fun within the appropriate boundaries, live life to its fullest. Enjoy yourself, but honor God. Honor him in your youth and He can and will guide you into a purpose greater than yourself. Don’t squander your youth, your vitality, your energy and your time on the vanity of seeking pleasure for pleasure’s sake alone. Remember God. Revere God. Learn to Rely on God. These three R’s will serve you well later in life when the eventuality of age begins its onset.
If you remembered Him when you were young, spent some time in His Presence, when your confidence in you begins to wane, your confidence in Him will build. As young Christians, when challenges arise, we go into a kind of ‘Are you there’ mode with God, but over time, we come to know that He is there and He is there for us. Literally an Ever Present Help in the time of need.
Revere God: time spent in supplication and prayer. Time spent in devotion and service. Time spent early on in your Christian experience will build a life of restraint before God because of God and who He is to you. Boundaries are important. One of the most destructive forces of youth is the lack of boundaries. Reverence learned early will protect and preserve you through youth to a place of maturity and preparedness for a place of leadership in God’s purpose.
Reliance. Reliance is the end result isn’t it. Reliance is a major aspect of … Faithfulness. That’s what we tell folks. Leaning on the Everlasting Arm. Reliance. Reliance on God who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that you can ask or even think. Reliance on God becomes a fixture as we grow older, if we learned early that God is Reliable, when we are old we rely on Him with a trust that transcends this temporal realm. David said, “I was young, and now I’m old, yet I’ve never seen the Righteous forsaken…”. Paul wrote, “For me to live is Christ, for me to die is gain”.
There is something to be said for ‘Eldership’. Preferred leadership in the Church of God has as one of it’s components: age. Whether it was Paul, the Aged or John, the Elder, faithfulness over time is one of the principal tenets of Leadership in the New Testament. Throughout Church History and into our present day; aged, responsible, mature, faithful leadership continues to ground the Church foundationally, so that we are not tossed to and fro by every whim or trend or fad that comes along. So then, what we find her is that, if God tarries (do you know what tarry means?), we all have something to look forward to: Growing old gracefully. Growing old with Wisdom. He’s been there for you from the beginning. Guess what? He’ll be here with you into Eternity. Good News. Very Good News. Be encouraged! We’ve got some exciting things to look forward to!
Blessings,
.wb
1 Timothy 5:17
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
James 5:14
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Revelation 11:16
And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
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