Matthew 4 Much has been written, taught and preached about Matthew 4- the temptations of Christ in the desert. When I read this chapter, verse one (1) gave me cause for pause.
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." God led his own Son into temptation?! But what about the model prayer, "Lead us not into temptation. . ." (Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4)
So, let me get this straight. We are instructed by Jesus to pray for the very thing not to happen that God expressly did to Jesus.
Then there is James 1:13- 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; This verse states that God does not tempt us, but does He intentionally lead us to where we will be tempted? How many of the temptations we face each day are a result of God's direct intervention vs Satan's influence vs our own human nature? Does it matter?
Not sure of the point of this ramble, but I had never noticed just how intentional God was in leading his Son to a monumental spiritual battle.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
December 27, 2012
Matthew 3
John 3 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Gucci loafers. A Yves Saint Laurent suit. Tie by Carlo Franco. Complementary colors. Matching belt and shoes. For many this is the picture they have of a preacher. Suited up and ready to present a three-point sermon with seven subpoints all of which follow an easy-to-remember alliterative pattern. On a good Sunday perhaps one person will go to the front to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and one family will join the fellowship.
Contrast that to John the Baptist. His camel's hair suit was not Brooks Brother's. The leather belt most likely did not match is tattered sandals. His breath smelled of grasshoppers. He came from out of the desert, not the SW Theological Seminary. Yet people from "Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of Jordan" were repenting and being baptized because of this radical man of the cloth.
Little is known about what John the Baptists preached. Was it a hellfire and damnation or a theological discourse? Did he speak of God's love or God's wrath? Whatever it was I envision a long-haired, unshaven, arm-waving, passion-filled preacher quoting the Torah and telling it like it was. His message was true, his passion evident, and his ministry fruitful.
John the Baptist illustrates the importance of substance over flash. The message of Christ is the thing, not the light show, the size of the orchestra or the catchy sermon title. Whether the pastor eats locust or caviar, wears jeans or suits. The message will win people for Christ. Reconciliation. Healing. Rest. Comfort. That's what the world needs to hear delivered by a passionate, confident, loving Church.
John 3 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Gucci loafers. A Yves Saint Laurent suit. Tie by Carlo Franco. Complementary colors. Matching belt and shoes. For many this is the picture they have of a preacher. Suited up and ready to present a three-point sermon with seven subpoints all of which follow an easy-to-remember alliterative pattern. On a good Sunday perhaps one person will go to the front to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and one family will join the fellowship.
Contrast that to John the Baptist. His camel's hair suit was not Brooks Brother's. The leather belt most likely did not match is tattered sandals. His breath smelled of grasshoppers. He came from out of the desert, not the SW Theological Seminary. Yet people from "Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of Jordan" were repenting and being baptized because of this radical man of the cloth.
Little is known about what John the Baptists preached. Was it a hellfire and damnation or a theological discourse? Did he speak of God's love or God's wrath? Whatever it was I envision a long-haired, unshaven, arm-waving, passion-filled preacher quoting the Torah and telling it like it was. His message was true, his passion evident, and his ministry fruitful.
John the Baptist illustrates the importance of substance over flash. The message of Christ is the thing, not the light show, the size of the orchestra or the catchy sermon title. Whether the pastor eats locust or caviar, wears jeans or suits. The message will win people for Christ. Reconciliation. Healing. Rest. Comfort. That's what the world needs to hear delivered by a passionate, confident, loving Church.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
December 26, 2012
Matthew 2
Depending on the source, you can find a variety of explanations as to who the wise men in the Christmas story were and their origin. Kings? Astronomers? Power hungry priests? There is not even a record as to the number of these wise men or Magi. One constant though is that they were a learned group of men who had spent years studying religious texts, prophecy and astronomy. This group of eastern travelers were PhDs. They were no dummies. Each one had shelves full of scrolls and tablets (not the Apple sort).
Because of their diligence in the study of prophecy and ancient texts, when something big was happening in the west, they were ready to investigate. They followed the star right to where God wanted them to be, the feet of the Christ Child. The Magi's grunt work of scroll reading, late night scroll discussions, reading of scroll commentaries and scroll meditation had prepared them to be a part of God's master plan. Had they not been consistent in the spiritual disciplines they could very easily have missed the celestial guide which led them to Jesus.
As Christians, do we put in the grunt work that will allow us to be guided by our celestial guide, the Holy Spirit, to where God needs us to be each day? Are we spending the time in God's Word, in prayer and meditation to develop the sensitivity to His leading? If we are not developing those Magi disciplines we might miss the star's appearance over a coworker's cubicle that needs a sympathetic ear. The star leading us to that email of encouragement to a small group member might be overlooked.
Christ came to reconcile, restore and repair. He depends on the Church to carry out His mission here on earth. Do we follow His guiding stars throughout the day to be where He wants us to be, when He wants us to be there?
Depending on the source, you can find a variety of explanations as to who the wise men in the Christmas story were and their origin. Kings? Astronomers? Power hungry priests? There is not even a record as to the number of these wise men or Magi. One constant though is that they were a learned group of men who had spent years studying religious texts, prophecy and astronomy. This group of eastern travelers were PhDs. They were no dummies. Each one had shelves full of scrolls and tablets (not the Apple sort).
Because of their diligence in the study of prophecy and ancient texts, when something big was happening in the west, they were ready to investigate. They followed the star right to where God wanted them to be, the feet of the Christ Child. The Magi's grunt work of scroll reading, late night scroll discussions, reading of scroll commentaries and scroll meditation had prepared them to be a part of God's master plan. Had they not been consistent in the spiritual disciplines they could very easily have missed the celestial guide which led them to Jesus.
As Christians, do we put in the grunt work that will allow us to be guided by our celestial guide, the Holy Spirit, to where God needs us to be each day? Are we spending the time in God's Word, in prayer and meditation to develop the sensitivity to His leading? If we are not developing those Magi disciplines we might miss the star's appearance over a coworker's cubicle that needs a sympathetic ear. The star leading us to that email of encouragement to a small group member might be overlooked.
Christ came to reconcile, restore and repair. He depends on the Church to carry out His mission here on earth. Do we follow His guiding stars throughout the day to be where He wants us to be, when He wants us to be there?
Monday, December 24, 2012
December 24, 2012
Matthew 1:1-24
So much of the Christmas story centers not just around Jesus, but also around Mary, Jesus' mother, and rightly so. She was selected to be the mother of our Savior. In the first chapter of Luke, the angels tell Mary "you have found favor with God" and "you are highly favored". We would be remiss if we did not give Mary the honor due her.
I am sure that Mary was in a state of wonder at how she could be pregant knowing she was a virgin. She knew she had not had relations with Joseph or any other man. She also knew that there was a child growing inside of her. The only explanation available to her was such a miracle as described by the angel. While abortion was practiced in ancient times, it was not condoned by the Jewish faith. Since Mary was obviously a very righteous girl, to her an abortion was most likely not an option. Therefore in practicality, Mary did not have a choice but to see the pregnancy to its fruition.
While Mary's faith was amazing, I find Joseph's obedience to and faith in God just as amazing. Take a look at the events through Joseph's eyes. Engaged to be married. Looking forward to the wedding night. All that pent up adolescence sexual energy. The longing. The anticipation. The cold showers. Then the news.
"Joseph, honey. I don't know how to tell you this, but I am pregnant."
"Who were you with?! Was it Thomas from the tent shop?"
"No, I haven't been with another man."
"Unless my Torah instructors were WAY off base, something doesn't add up here."
"Uh, well. . .I was overpowered by the Most High."
(Laughter of derision.)
"No, really. I promise."
Silence.
"Oh, by the way, my baby will 'reign over the house of David' and 'his kingdom will never end'."
Scene ends with Joseph slamming the door and taking a long, angry walk.
The scripture notes that Joseph "had in mind to divorce her quietly." You can't blame the guy. Impregnanted by the Most High. Yeah, right. Only a fool would believe such a story. Nothing in Joseph's life could have prepared him for such news. There was no precedence for such a happening. No spontaneous pregnancies as a reference point. Yet, that was what he was being asked to believe from this teenage girl. Joseph couldn't wrap his head around such a story, so divorce was certainly warranted and logical in his mind.
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
What I find most amazing about this passage from Matthew is verse 24. "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded. . ." No consulting with a rabbi. No conversations with a trusted friend. No wet fleece, dry fleece tests. Just immediate, complete obedience.
Did he still have lingering doubts? Did his imagination get the best of him at times? Did his commitment to Mary waver? Most likely. But the bottom line is God spoke and Joseph acted. His obedience was immediate and complete.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 Joseph had faith in God. Not Mary. Not his own thoughts and feelings. But in God. That is where all our faith should be rooted.
What I find most amazing about this passage from Matthew is verse 24. "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded. . ." No consulting with a rabbi. No conversations with a trusted friend. No wet fleece, dry fleece tests. Just immediate, complete obedience.
Did he still have lingering doubts? Did his imagination get the best of him at times? Did his commitment to Mary waver? Most likely. But the bottom line is God spoke and Joseph acted. His obedience was immediate and complete.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 Joseph had faith in God. Not Mary. Not his own thoughts and feelings. But in God. That is where all our faith should be rooted.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
December 11, 2012
Ephesians 6:13 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
- • What proportion of today’s news, by your estimate, is about bad things?
- • What evidence do you see of the battle against the enemy in your life? In Springfield?
- • What would it mean for you “to stand” in these particular battlefields?
Monday, December 10, 2012
December 10, 2012 Ephesians 6:10-13
Ephesians 6:10-13 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
There will be several repeats in this week's posts. I am guest teaching in our small group on Sunday and Week 6 is the group of lessons for which I am responsible.
Day 1 Teacher Questions
Why is spiritual warfare an inevitable part of the Christian life?
Why is it so easy to underestimate our enemy? Why is that something we must never do?
How have you become more aware that our battle is not against flesh and blood? How should that awareness influence how and who we fight?
There will be several repeats in this week's posts. I am guest teaching in our small group on Sunday and Week 6 is the group of lessons for which I am responsible.
Day 1 Teacher Questions
Why is spiritual warfare an inevitable part of the Christian life?
Why is it so easy to underestimate our enemy? Why is that something we must never do?
How have you become more aware that our battle is not against flesh and blood? How should that awareness influence how and who we fight?
Friday, December 7, 2012
December 7, 2012 Ephesians 6:19-20
Ephesians 6:19-20 19 Pray also for me,that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Sitting in prison. Deprived of liberty. Most likely beaten and hungry. Does Paul pray for freedom? Is his prayer request for an improvement in his personal situation?
Paul prays for two things during his imprisonment. Others and his ability to spread the gospel. WOW! No personal prayers other than that he "fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel."
Sitting in prison. Deprived of liberty. Most likely beaten and hungry. Does Paul pray for freedom? Is his prayer request for an improvement in his personal situation?
Paul prays for two things during his imprisonment. Others and his ability to spread the gospel. WOW! No personal prayers other than that he "fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel."
Thursday, December 6, 2012
December 6, 2012 Ephesians 6:18
Ephesians 6:18 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Does your prayer life look like the one described in Ephesians 6:18? If not, what is a better description?
Who do you have the opportunity to intercede on behalf of in prayer? Pray for those people and the battles they are fighting today. Pray that they will put on the armor of God and feel His strength.
Does your prayer life look like the one described in Ephesians 6:18? If not, what is a better description?
Who do you have the opportunity to intercede on behalf of in prayer? Pray for those people and the battles they are fighting today. Pray that they will put on the armor of God and feel His strength.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
December 5, 2012 December 6:16-17
Ephesians 6:16-17 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Monday, December 3, 2012
December 3, 2012 Ephesians 6:10-13
Ephesians 6:10-13 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Be strong. . .in the Lord and in his mighty power. Need I say more?
Be strong. . .in the Lord and in his mighty power. Need I say more?
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