N. T. Preaching, Copyrighted by Author

Whodunit (Mark 14:40-43) (Easter Series)

2009-03-30T03:29:00.010-07:00

WHODUNIT (MARK 14:40-43)
Nobody could have predicted the controversy that erupted over the Aramaic-speaking, English-subtitled movie “The Passion of the Christ.” Months before the film’s release, rabbis went on the offensive and questioned publicly the appropriateness of such a movie. It seems that every year in Europe past when Passion plays were staged around Easter, many Jews would suffer mindless persecution and be called Christ killers.

Polls that surfaced subsequently were divided if the Jews were responsible for Jesus’ death. ABCNEWS asked 1,011 adults the question “Are Jews today responsible for the death of Jesus?” Overall, 8% believed so.
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/primetime/US/views_of_bible_poll_040216.html

The Pew Research Center, however, in its poll of 1,703 adults, found a higher 26 percent of respondents believe Jews were to blame for the Crucifixion. The greatest increase was among young people and blacks. 34% of those under 30 believes Jews were responsible, whereas 42 percent of blacks hold that view. The survey did not ask whether respondents believe Jews today should be blamed for the Crucifixion.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/040402/ap/d81mtm4o0.html

The Greek word for “kill” (apokteino) occurs 76 times in the Bible – 49 times in the gospels alone. So who killed Jesus, according to the Bible? Were the Jews or the Romans the bad guys? Was Judas Iscariot or Pontius Pilate ultimately responsible?

The Jews Sought to Kill Jesus
For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18)
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. (John 7:1)
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (Matt 16:21)

A fourteen year old Jewish boy asked a rabbi on Jewish.com:
Q: “I am a fourteen year old Jew. I have a lot of Christian friends, and I have one certain friend that has a very strong opinion of Judaism and Jews. He keeps telling me that the Jews killed Jesus, and I am going to hell if I don't let him in my heart. What really bothers me is the thing about the Jews killing Jesus…Did the Jews kill Jesus?”

A: “Your friend certainly has a “old-fashioned” view of things, since official Christian doctrine, which once spread that lie about the Jews, no longer does. Of course, it was a disciple, Judas, who betrayed him to the Roman authorities, and all the disciples were Jews. Some of the Christian sources depict a scene in which “the Jews,” given the choice of saving Barabbas or Jesus from crucifixion, chose Barrabas…So, even here, some Jews had indirect responsibility for his death. Finally, from a political point of view, we know that some Jewish leaders - appointed by the Romans - may have wanted Jesus out of the way because he seems to have been a political threat. After all, if indeed he claimed to be “king of the Jews,” the Romans would have wanted him silenced, and Jewish leaders may have been “under the gun” to silence him. The final decision, of course, lay with the Romans, who alone used crucifixion as a means of killing criminals and who alone had authority to impose the death penalty. Now, even if Jews were involved in Jesus' death, I might add that that was then, and this is now. Certainly, no Jews since Jesus died played a role in his death. Furthermore -- and most importantly -- since it was Jesus' resurrection that began Christianity, if anything we should be praised for having him killed!”

To supplement what the rabbi said, verse after verse, chapter to chapter, and gospel after gospel say that the Jews merely sought to kill Jesus, but not that they actually killed Jesus. They were guilty of plotting and seeking to kill Jesus, but not the very act itself. “The Passion of the Christ” was supposedly adapted from the gospel of John, but John was most explicit in saying that the Jews “sought” to kill Jesus, but not the job itself. The apostle records that the Jews tried all the harder to kill Jesus for breaking the Sabbath, calling God his own Father, and making himself equal with God (John 5:18). Jesus stayed away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life (John 7:1). People in Jerusalem were aware the Jews were trying to kill him (John 7:25), but they never concluded the Jews killed Jesus. Jesus, unapologetically, also accused the Jews of seeking to kill him (John 8:37, John 8:40). The NIV said they were ready and determined to kill him. By John 11, the chief priests and the Pharisees even called a meeting of the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus (John 11:47, 53). Again, the attitude and aim of the Jews were firm and clear, but not the act itself.

Not only John, but Matthew (Matt 26:4) and Mark concur with John’s assertion. Matthew claims that “the chief priests and the elders of the people…plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him,” and Mark (14:1) says that the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.

The Synoptic gospels, however, add a twist to the word “kill” not found in John. Matthew, Mark, and Luke note that Jesus did not name the Jews, or even their religious leaders, as his killers. In Jesus’ teaching to his disciples, as recorded by Matthew (Matt 16:21), he explained to them that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he “must be killed” and on the third day be raised to life. Jesus predicted his “suffering” at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, but not “death” at their hands. He said that “he must be killed” but he did not identify who the killers were. Matthew was not alone; Mark (8:31) and Luke (9:21) echo Matthew’s assertion that he “must be killed,” using the passive voice. Language experts discourage the use of the passive voice and use it sparingly but usefully to emphasize an object (“he” must be killed), to de-emphasize an unknown subject/actor when the actor is unknown and if the readers need not know who's responsible for the action.

The Gentile were the Christ Killers
33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”(Mark 10:33-34)
32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again.” (Luke 18:32)

One of the most sympathetic figures in the movie “The Passion of the Christ” was Pontius Pilate, who comes across as unwilling to kill or crucify Jesus due to the positive influence of his wife, Claudia, who was cast as sweet like Mom and apple pie. She comforted Jesus’ mother and Mary Magdalene in the movie when Jesus was arrested and flogged. Even though evangelicals are rock solid in their support for Mel Gibson’s movie, Mel Gibson is still a traditionalist Catholic at heart and in belief.

According to Matthew 27:19, the only thing the unnamed wife of Pilate ever did was to send her husband a message not to have anything to do with Jesus, whom she called innocent, for she had suffered a great deal that day in a dream because of him. Unlike the gospel account, in the movie, Pilate’s wife has a name, is a believer and is good, godly and generous. The kind portrayal of Pilate as an innocent governor caught up in the crowd’s demand has nothing to do with Scripture but everything to do with Catholicism.

According to Christianity Today, Mel Gibson had read the works of Anne Catherine Emmerich, a late-18th, early-19th-century nun who had visions of the events of the Passion. The movie reflects Ememrich’s account from her book “Dolorous Passion of Our Lord”: “After the flagellation, I saw Claudia Procles, the wife of Pilate, send some large pieces of linen to the Mother of God. I know not whether she thought that Jesus would be set free, and that his Mother would then require linen to dress his wounds, or whether this compassionate lady was aware of the use which would be made of her present. … I soon after saw Mary and Magdalen approach the pillar where Jesus had been scourged; … they knelt down on the ground near the pillar, and wiped up the sacred blood with the linen which Claudia Procles had sent.” (“The Passion of Mel Gibson” Christianity Today March 2004)

Unfortunately, the Jews have been erroneously called “Christ killers” for as long as Christianity exists. According to the Bible, the Gentiles were the real Christ killers. Most notable and notorious of all involved was Pilate’s role. Luke the Gentile (23:4, 14, 22) reports that three times Pilate found no fault with Jesus. The first time, Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man” (Luke 23:4). The next announcement, after Jesus returned from Herod, was: “I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death (Luke 23:14-15), and finally he said, “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him” (Luke 23:22).

The angelic or saintly deeds of Pilate’s wife are unknown to the Bible. Her contact with or attention to the two Marys was straight out of Hollywood. Her concern was primarily for her own and her husband’s interests, and not for Jesus or the women’s wellbeing.

Unlike Mark and Luke, Matthew did not charge the Gentiles with killing Jesus; he used another word – they “crucified” Him (Matt 20:19). Both the words “kill” and “crucify” resolved the Jews from blame. Jesus predicted his crucifixion but he never blamed the Jews. Nowhere in the Bible did the gospel writers charge that the Jew crucified Jesus. Matthew and Mark were similar in their account of the series of events happening and who to blame for the crucifixion. Matthew asserts that Pilate had Jesus flogged and handed him over to his soldiers, who then led him away to crucify him (Matt 27:26, 31, 35). Mark records that Pilate released Barabbas to satisfy the crowd, had Jesus flogged (Mark 15:15) and then handed him over to the soldiers, who led him out to crucify him (Mark 15:20). The Greek text in both Matthew and Mark, however, records Pilate doing the flogging. Instead of the NIV rendering of “he had Jesus flogged,” the Greek directly says “he flogged Jesus” in both Matthew and Mark (Matt 27:26, Mark 15:15).

The Hands of Men Killed Jesus
When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief. (Matt 17:22-23)
He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9:31-32)

What does “betrayed into the hands of men” (Matt 17:22) mean? Who are the men? The angels reminded the women after His resurrection, in Luke 24:7: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'“

Who are the sinful men? They refer to Jews , Samaritans and Gentiles; Romans and Greeks; Judas who sold him for 30 pieces of silver and Peter who denied Him three times; Pilate and Barabbas; the soldiers and the fishermen; the ruling Sanhedrin, the rulers of the synagogue and the unruly mob; the disciples who strayed and the women that stayed; the Pharisees, the Herodians (Mk 12:3) and the Sadducees (Mk 12:18); the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law; the outcast, the beggar, the sick, the leper, the paralytic, the poor, the hungry, the blind, the deaf, the prisoner, the oppressed, the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the widowed, the demon-possessed, the shepherds, the Magi, the zealots, ordinary people, the little man, the working people,

The song “Mystery Of Mercy: by gospel group Caedmon's Call has the same theological understanding:
“I am the woman at the well, I am the harlot
I am the scattered seed that fell along the path
I am the son that ran away
And I am the bitter son that stayed

My God, my God, why hast though accepted me
When all my love was vinegar to a thirsty King?
My God, my God, why hast though accepted me?
It's a mystery of mercy and the song, the song I sing

I am the angry man who came to stone the lover
I am the woman there ashamed before the crowd
I am the leper that gave thanks
And I am the nine that never came.”

Our sin and His love nailed Jesus to the cross. We were dead in our transgressions and sins (Eph 2:1), but His death on the cross was meant to:
“Save” his people from their sins (Matt 1:21 - sozo)
“Forgive” sins (Matt 9:6 - aphiemi)
“Take away” or “take up” the sin of the world (John 1:29, 1 John 3:5 - airo)
“Wipe out” sins (Acts 3:19 - exaleipho)
“Wash away” sins (Acts 22:16 - apolouo)
“Cover” sin (Rom 4:7 - epikalupto)
Not “count” sin against him (Rom 4:8 - logizomai)
“Do away” with sin (Rom 6:6 - katargeo)
“Free” man from sin (Rom 6:7 - dikaioo)
“Take away” or “remove” sins (Rom 11:27 - aphaireo)
“Die” for our sins (1 Cor 15:3 - apothnesko)
“Gave” himself for our sins (Gal 1:4 - didomi)
“Provided purification” for sins (Heb 1:3 - katharismo)
“Atone” for sins (Heb 2:17, 1 John 1:7 - hilaskomai)
“Remember” sins no more (Heb 8:12, 10:17 - mimnesko)
“Do away” with or “cancel” sin (Heb 9:26 - athetesis)
“Bear” sin (Heb 9:28, 1 Peter 2:24 - anaphero)
“Died” for sins (1 Peter 3:18 - pascho)
“Free” us from sins (Rev 1:5 - luo)

The only person who claimed that the Jews killed Jesus was not a gospel writer, but Paul the apostle, who claimed that the Jews killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets (1 Thess 2:15). How do we reconcile the writings of Paul with the gospel writer’s? It really doesn’t conflict with the New Testament as a whole. Paul asserted the Jews killed Jesus, but the gospel writers asserted the Greeks both killed and crucified Him (Mark 10:33-34, Luke 18:32, Matt 20:19). The collective guilt was not on Jews or Gentiles, but mankind.

Conclusion: It’s been said, “He paid a debt He did not owe because I owed a debt I could not pay.” He is a sufferer but not a victim. Jesus made the choice to come to earth, he chose to die for our sins, and he chose to do so before the creation of the world (Eph 1:4). Peter says in Acts 2:23: “This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

However, don’t miss the forest for the trees. The good news is not that He died, but that He died and arose again. The Jews, the Gentiles, the disciples missed the most critical piece of Jesus’ prediction. On three occasions Mark clearly told the disciples the greatest miracle will happen after his horrific suffering and death - in Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:27), passing through Galilee (Mark 9:30) and on the way to Jerusalem (Mark 10:32). Jesus was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. (2 Cor 13:4)

Do you know the crucified Jesus is Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36), the Lord of glory
(1 Cor 2:8)? Are you living by faith in the Son of God, who loved you and gave himself for you (Gal 2:20)? Have you crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24)?

2009-03-30T03:29:00.009-07:00

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2009-03-30T03:28:00.000-07:00

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Christmas, Pt. 1: "Silence is Golden"

2009-02-18T07:46:00.001-08:00

SILENCE IS GOLDEN (LUKE 1:5-25)
Middle Age is the last laugh before old age is no laughing matter. People in middle-age can identify with his piece of humor titled “Middle Age”:
Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty, but everything else starts to wear out, fall out or spread out.
There are three signs of old age. The first is your loss of memory, the other two I forget.
You're getting old when you don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.
Middle age is when work is a lot less fun - and fun a lot more work.
Statistics show that at the age of seventy, there are five women to every man. Isn't that the darndest time for a guy to get those odds?
You know you're getting on in years when the girls at the office start confiding in you.
Middle age is when it takes longer to rest than to get tired.
By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.
Middle age is when you have stopped growing at both ends, and have begun to grow in the middle.
Of course I'm against sin. I'm against anything that I'm too old to enjoy.
A man has reached middle age when he is cautioned to slow down by his doctor instead of by the police.
Middle age is having a choice of two temptations and choosing the one that will get you home earlier.
You know you're into middle age when you realize that caution is the only thing you care to exercise.
At my age, “getting a little action” means I don't need to take a laxative.
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
The aging process could be slowed down if it had to work its way through Congress.
You're getting old when getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.
You're getting old when you're sitting in a rocker and you can't get it started.
You're getting old when you wake up with that morning-after feeling, and you didn't do anything the night before.
The cardiologist's diet: if it tastes good, spit it out.
It's hard to be nostalgic when you can't remember anything.
You know you're getting old when you stop buying green bananas.

The gospel of Luke opened with a dark cloud, a deep sigh and a mood of resignation, the drama increased by the absence of recorded prophetic utterances for about 400 years, the period between the Old and New Testament records. God had not spoken a word for an astounding 400 years! Worse, the king, not the Lord, was in control or in charge. The tyrant Herod the Great had humiliated God's people by placing idols in the temple. The government's sword was louder than the people's protest. Herod's name was feared more than God's. However, God’s presence, power and purpose were evident for all who had eyes of faith, but many people’s faith was turning middle-age – the time when faith is getting worn-out, getting washed out and getting no workout. Luke’s gospel began not with the Messiah’s birth, but with His forerunner’s appearance and family. God’s 400 years of silence between the two testaments was broken by a loud announcement, but it was greeted with strong skepticism and outright disbelief by one of His most faithful servants.

What is middle-age faith? Where did the midlife crisis in faith come from? How can believers become young at heart and fresh in faith again?

God Deserves Our Best
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. (Lk 1:5-7)

Father Joseph went up to Father Fred one afternoon and said, “I am sick of all this clean living. Tonight let's you and me go out and party. We'll carouse, drink, whatever we want.” Fred was shocked. “Are you crazy? This is a small town and everyone knows us. Besides, even if they didn't, they would see our clothes and know we were priests.” Joe was ready for this. “Don't be silly. We won't stay in town, we'll go into the city where nobody knows us and we'll dress just like anyone else.”

In the end, he managed to persuade Fred, and they went out that night and partied like professionals. When they got back home at 5:00 AM, Fred's face became pale. “I just thought of something,” he said. “We have to confess this.” Again, Joe was ready. “Relax, I told you I thought this all out in advance. Tomorrow, you go into church and into the confessional. I will come in my regular clothes and confess, and you absolve me. Then I'll go put on my garments, you come in and confess, and I'll absolve you.” Fred was amazed at Joe's brilliance.

Joseph went in later that morning and said, “Father forgive me, for I have sinned. My friend and I, we're both young men, and last night we went out and caroused. We became drunk, went womanizing, used foul language, and danced to wicked music.” Fred answered, “God is patient and forgiving, and thus shall I be. Do five Our Fathers and five Hail Marys, and you will be absolved of your sin.”

A while later, their places were reversed as Fred came in and confessed everything in detail. There was a short pause, and Joseph answered, “I don't believe this. And you dare to call yourself a priest? You will do 500 Our Fathers, 500 Hail Marys, donate all your money to the church and go around the church 500 times on your knees praying for God's forgiveness. Then come back and we'll discuss absolution, but I make no guarantees.” “What?” Father Fred was shocked. “What about our agreement?” Joe replied, “Hey, what I do on my time off is one thing, but I take my job seriously.”

God’s plan of visitation after 400 years of silence couldn’t happen to a more trustworthy, devout and active priest. Zechariah was better, nicer and godlier than most people and priests. Zechariah could boast of the finest stock in priestly lineage. His ancestor was Abijah (v 5), whose forefather Eleazar was the chief leader of the Levites and the son of Aaron, Israel’s first high priest (Num 3:32). His wise choice of a mate also added to his credit among priests, his reputation before men and his standing before God. Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Not one but both were righteous and pious before God. They were complimentary, praised and outstanding. They served hand-in-hand, were of the same mind and had a heart for God. There were not many stable years in Israel, but there was one stable couple - solid citizens - in Israel. The two were the bright lights, the shining stars and the distinguished luminaries in the silent and chaotic period. They were careful to observe all, not part, of God’s commands. A gem of a couple, they were devoted, faithful, obedient and reverent.

Since the couple did not have kids, they gave the best of their time, talents and treasures to serve God. I couldn’t think of a more devout and dignified couple in the Bible. He wasn’t devout just because he was a descendant of Aaron or that he was from the line of Eleazar, the immediate successor of Aaron (Num 20:25-29). Zechariah was a devout man of his own choosing and Elizabeth was a devout woman of her own cognizance. No spouse or family member could push righteousness down another’s throat. It has to come from the heart, from within from inside out.

Zechariah did not need prodding from his wife to attend to his temple duties, to be on his best priestly behavior and to live up to his priestly vocation. No public scandal or troublesome past tailed him, no destructive habits or moral vice gripped him and no petty dispute or ill gossip entangled him. He was as goody two-shoes, as sweet as pie and as prim and proper as one can find or get.

God Demands the Best
8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.” (Lk 1:8-20)

Two teachers met back on campus during home-coming after having not seen each other for many years. Their conversation was something like this:
A: I have gotten married since we last met.
B: Oh, that's good.

A: I don't know about that. My husband is twice as old as I am.
B: Oh, that's bad.

A: Well, I don't know about that. He's worth a million dollars.
B: Oh, that's good.

A: Well, I don't know about that. He won't give me a cent.
B: Oh, that's bad.

A: Well, I don't know about that. He did build me a $200,000 house.
B: Oh, that's good.

A: Well, I don't know about that. It burned down last week.
B: Oh, that's bad.

A: Well, I don't know about that- he was in it!

The usually dependable Zechariah acted out of character when it counted. Initially, he couldn’t believe his good fortune when his name was chosen by lot out of all the priests in his division to go into the temple and burn incense (v 9). Matthew Henry suggested that a priest could only be chosen once in his lifetime, if ever at all. It was the high point of a priest’s life and the highest honor afforded to a priest. He was the talk of the town, the envy of the priests and the celebrity of the week. To add the topping to the cake, God sent an angel to announce the good news and congratulate him personally – not just any angel, but Gabriel, the legendary great arch-angel. This is the first time the Greek word “evangelize” is used in the Bible (v 19). The first evangelist in the New Testament poured out his heart, but the news did not hit Zechariah hard; in fact, it did not hit him at all. Zechariah was supposed to get down on his knees, thank God for the gift and bow down in humble worship, but his attitude left much to be desired with and was insufferable for an angel’s stomach. Gabriel was jumping with joy but Zechariah didn’t even break into a little jig. Zechariah greeted the heavenly courier, carrier and caller with a ho-hum and bah-humbug, what-else-have-you-got, and what-planet-are-you-from from attitude.

To make sure Zechariah get the point, Gabriel assured Zechariah that his prayer was remembered and answered (v 13) but it fell on deaf ears. He was untouched by an angel - unmoved, unimpressed and uninspired. He could at least feign interest or ask, “What prayer?” The contrast of a boy to a girl (Matt 10:37) still did not catch his attention or make him curious. The last straw was the naming of the child still did not break the spell or pique his interest. The specific details, personal visitation and the cheery announcement were all noise, nonsense and nonsensical to him. The angel’s stress of joy, delight/gladness and rejoicing in verse 14 did nothing to wake him from his listlessness or indifference and was not able to break the deadlock and glumness in him. The angel’s rah-rah speech could not shake him out of his sustained self-made state of disbelief.

The angel might as well save his strength, send a letter, fly a bird or shoot an arrow to deliver the message instead, given Zechariah’s poor response. Breaking into song and dance, sending a choir of angels and doing cartwheels in the air would also make no impression on the stoic priest. Zechariah registered a minus on a zero to ten “interest” scale. The angel could shout until he was short of breath, dry in saliva or coarse in speech but the result and response were still the same. Further, Gabriel’s job was to break good news, not break stubborn people. So, doing more to impress and convince Zechariah was out of his realm of responsibility. Zechariah typified the generation that was blindsided and conditioned by 400 years of silence. The priest needed a heart job and a big jolt.

God Delivers His Best
24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:24-25)

An old Indian was arrested and taken into court on charges of running a still (distillery). The judge asked the Indian for his name, but the Indian gave no sign of having heard the question. The judge then asked if the Indian had a lawyer, but this question drew no response.

The judge was a busy man, and since there was no real evidence that the Indian sold what he made, the judge told the D.A. that he was going to dismiss the case. The judge told the Indian he could go and called the next case. The Indian sat motionless while the next defendant was brought in and charged with operating a still.

The defendant's lawyer went into a two-hour defense, and when he was through, the judge sentenced his client to three years' hard labor. The lawyer gathered up his notes and started to leave the courtroom when the old Indian got up, walked over to him, and whispered, “White man talk too much.” (The Toastmaster General's Favorite Jokes 131-32, George Jessel Secaucus, NJ: Castle Books, 73)

God’s intention from the start was never to punish Zechariah; his intentions were not to slap or strike him, but to shake and sober him. He had always intended to reward and not to rebuke Zechariah and Elizabeth, to bless and not to break the two, to congratulate and not to condemn the faithful couple. Zechariah’s words were pathetic but not poison, tasteless but not tragedy, and inappropriate but not insane. His attitude was disbelief and not unbelief, reservation and not rejection, doubt and not desertion, unfortunate but not unforgivable. He did not say “I do not believe,” but rather the tone was “This is unbelievable.” The priest had always had a good heart, a strong conscience, a godly reverence, a flawless record of impeccable and outstanding service. God was not about to abandon, ostracize or remove the faithful priest. Zechariah was unwise but not unrepentant. His words were ill-mannered, but not ill-conceived.

Further, Zechariah’s cold shoulder, sharp tongue and rare faithlessness could hardly be counted as Elizabeth’s fault or a blemish onto her account. The best gift God had given the priest was his wise and godly wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s attitude was just the opposite of her husband’s. Unlike her husband who had to say something, she hid herself for five months (v 24). She took time to pause amidst confusion, to ponder the meaning and to fathom the unfathomable. It was a time to escape inquiry, to examine oneself and to seek God. The Chinese say: “Speak more, err more.” When she had to say something, unlike her husband, she broke into praise mode and not protest mode. Her joy was unspeakable, unsurpassed and unsurprising. The Greek word “disgrace” or “reproach” (v 25) that occurs only once in the Bible describes the notoriety she suffered for being childless, being taunted at and deemed a disgrace.

The humble and contemplative Elizabeth knew from the start the baby was never about what she deserved, but about what the Lord did. She reflected on and submitted to what the angel said. The baby was from the Lord to them for Israel’s deliverance. He will go on before the Lord bring back the people of Israel to the Lord their God, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (vv 16-17). Eventually, Zechariah came around. God’s ultimate purpose was for him to be stricken and not silenced, not to be a mute but to be a messenger, not to be dumb but to be delivered. God wanted him to learn the lesson of the obedient heart and not to repeat the lesson of the open mouth. In the end, the angel’s prediction that the father will give the name to the son not only came true in good time but it also gave Zechariah the chance to redeem himself.

Conclusion: God wants us to meet the challenge of faith, face head-on the dare to believe and to rise to the occasion of spiritual growth. God is not satisfied with half-hearted, wishy-washy and sweet nothing believers. Have you reached a midlife crisis in your faith? Have you plateau in belief? Are you trapped in disbelief, ensnared by disillusionment and hobbled by disobedience? Have you stopped growing, serving or reflecting? God is not finished with you yet. There is nothing worse than having no self-expectation, nothing to expect from God and nothing to expect in life. Ask God to help you see what new opportunities, fresh challenges and unfinished tasks you need to work on.

Christmas, Pt. 2: "Topsy Turvy"

2009-02-18T07:45:00.008-08:00

TOPSY TURVY (LUKE 1:26-38)
Christmas spirits are down every five years or so in the 21st century, as typified by the down years of 2002 and 2007. War and more rumors of war are in the air, unemployment is up and stocks are down, hearts are anxious and worried.

In 2002, more than two years of economic insecurity and instability wrecked havoc to many workers and their families. Many churches’ offerings were down 10-20%.

In 2007, fire threatened southern California, housing prices were down across the country and the mortgage crisis was felt throughout the world. Fortune magazine reports that the best minds – top banks and brokers - on Wall Street lost untold millions and billions as a result:
J. P. Morgan Chase - $339 million
Bear Stearns - $450 million
Bank of America - $527 million
Lehman Brothers - $700 million
Credit Suisse – 948 million
Morgan Stanley - $3.4 billion
Merrill Lynch - $7.9 billion
Citigroup - $9.4 billion (‘Wall street’s Money Machine Breaks Down,” Fortune, 11/26/07)

The first Christmas was marked by uncertainty, unease and uprooting. The Jews were unhappy under the new political realignment. The strength and influence of the Greek rule and culture horrified, dismayed and repelled the Jews. The age was as good as any age for the Messiah’s coming, but His coming did not usher in an era of conquest. The Jews’ problems did not end with Jesus the Messiah’s coming. The enemies were not defeated, an army was not raised and an uprising did not occur.

Why not? What characterizes the Messiah’s coming? What kind of Prince is Jesus and what kind of kingdom does He rule?

Christmas is the Advent of God’s Peace.
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
(Lk 1:26-30)

A study on ‘worry” was carried out on more than 1,600 men ages 40 to 90. At the start, they were given personality tests. They were tracked for 17 years to see how a trait called neuroticism affected survival. Those who score high in the neurotic trait are “worrywarts” who cope poorly with stress and tend to be highly anxious or depressed, says study leader Daniel Mroczek of Purdue University. “They don't let things roll off their backs.”

Among men who were high in this trait at the start and became even more so over time, half had died 17 years after the study started. Among those who were high in neuroticism at the start but didn't increase - the less neurotic, 75% to 85% were still alive. The good news: “People can change,” Mroczek says. “If you learn to worry or fret less, you may add time to your life.” But the findings apply only to men, he emphasizes.

Women are more likely than men to overthink, says psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema of Yale University, who has studied rumination for years. Women brood about things that make them sad or anxious; men are more likely to stew about anger, she says. And you don't have to be an adult to suffer bad health effects. In her latest, four-year study of adolescent girls, she found that girls prone to ruminating were more likely than the others to develop eating disorders, alcohol problems and depression. Future chronic ruminators often were anxious little kids, Nolen-Hoeksema says. “It's not the stress that kills us, it's how we respond to it.” (“Brooding Weighs on Mind and Body,” 5/8/07 USA TODAY)

Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ in times of trouble.

The social implications of the angel’s announcement, without doubt, crossed virgin Mary’s mind. Motherhood seemed to be an insurmountable problem, an unbearable burden and an overwhelming responsibility. The disclosure was way over her head. It was way too much for her, and she was way too young. Her fiancée was about to leave her, the wedding was about to be cancelled and a child out of wedlock was about to be her fame, but her life did not spiral out of control. She did not have a nervous breakdown, cry at her misfortune or ask the angel for time to think, reconsider and decide.

Mary had peace because the Lord’s presence with her (v 28). Christmas does not mean the absence of danger, trouble and adversity but the presence of God’s peace in times of danger, trouble and adversity. The angel could not stop repeating the root word of “grace,” or charis in Greek (v 28). The first greeting from the angel was the word “grace,” (“greetings” in NIV) and the next word in Greek - “highly favored” - is also a modified version of the word “grace.” The first two Greek words are “Grace” and “highly- favored” - the linking verb “you who are” is missing in Greek. She had peace, wonderful peace, because of the presence of Christ our Savior (Titus 1:4, 3:6) and Lord (1 Tim 1:2, Jude 4, 25), the Lord of all (Acts 10:36) and God over all (Rom 9:5), and the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) in her life. God’s peace transcends all understanding (Phil 4:7) and is perfect to those who trust in Him (Isa 26:3).

Christmas is the Advent of God’s Promise.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Lk 1:31-33)

Once upon a time, there was a far-away land that was ruled by a vicious king. His iron hand reached into every corner of his subjects' lives. Every corner - except one. Try as he might, he couldn't destroy their belief in God. In his frustration, he finally summoned his advisors and asked them: “Where can I hide God so the people will end up forgetting about him?”

One suggested hiding God on the dark side of the moon. This idea was (vigorously) debated, but was voted down because the advisors feared that their scientists would one day discover a way to travel into space travel and God would be discovered again.

Another suggested burying God in the deepest part of the ocean. But there was the same problem with this idea, so it was voted down.

One idea after another was suggested and debated and rejected. Until finally the oldest and wisest advisor had a flash of insight. “I know,” he said, “why don't we hide God where no one will ever even think to look?” And he explained, “If we hide God in the ordinary events of people's everyday lives, they'll never find him!” (Thomas McMillen)

Lost to hustling, bustling and unsuspecting folks, the confirmation of God’s promise of the Messiah was to be fulfilled in a strange, unorthodox, but ordinary way.

Did God forget His promise of a Messiah to Israel? The promise sometimes seemed to hang by a thread. Centuries, kings and empires had come and gone, and yet the Messiah did not come with his army to rescue the Jews. In 722 B.C., the Assyrians carried away ten tribes, and in 586 C.C., the Babylonians exiled the last two tribes. The promise was alive again when an empire change occurred. Seventy years after the exile, the Persian king Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the city. Nothing happened for over the next 500 years. Even the prophets had not spoken for 400 years. The Chinese say, “Wait till the neck is long, the hair is white, or even the mosquitoes sleep.” Many gave up hope, and many missed the point.

But God’s promise never fails. It is perfect, exact and timely. Delay is man’s vocabulary. God’s promise came eventually; yet the Messiah did not bring a sword or an army, but peace on earth and goodwill to man (Lk 2:14). The name of Jesus, meaning salvation or deliverance, was given because the Messiah will save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21) and not from the city of Rome, the Gentiles, or their enemies.

The Messiah’s mother was a perfect choice. Mary was a direct descendant of David, but the Messiah’s hometown was an unlikely choice – Nazareth in Galilee. Nazareth was an obscure place and unloved town 75 miles northeast of Jerusalem. Nathaniel echoed the sentiment of outsiders toward Nazareth when he quipped, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46). The town was located in Galilee, the northern region of Palestine that was also dismissed by the Pharisees who said, “No prophet comes out of Galilee” (John 7:52). The gloom, negativity and indifference over Nazareth and Galilee were understandable due to the stigma over its nickname: Galilee of the Gentiles (Isa 9:1, Mt 4:15). Isaiah predicted glory, instead of gloom, for Zebulun and Napthtali: “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan (Isa. 9:1).

The Gentile population grew when an appreciative Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre (1 Kings 9:10-12). The presence of Gentiles in Galilee was complete when the Assyrians who captured and deported the northern kingdom to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). Galilee also bordered Israel’s enemies and so they were often the first casualties of war. Galilee was known for her Gentile people, heathen temples, and pagan idols.

In Jesus’ time, Galilee was home to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. Neither Zebulun or Naphtali was an esteemed tribe in Israel or son of Jacob. Zebulun was the youngest of six sons bored by the unloved Leah, Israel’s founder (Gen 35:23), and Naphtali was the youngest son of Rachel's handmaid, Bilhah (Gen 35:25).

Christmas is the Advent of God’s Power.
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:34-38)

One of my all-time favorite movies is the Lord of the Rings. The main character in the trilogy, Frodo, volunteered to bear the ring to the elves’ stronghold, where the Great Council will decide the ring’s fate. Upon arrival, he learned from the council that the ring could only be destroyed by the fires that made it. When a quarrel broke out over who should return the ring for destruction in enemy territory, Frodo reluctantly volunteered to break up the argument.

At the end of the first part of the trilogy, a lot of lives were lost or sacrificed because of the evil forces’ desire for the ring. Frodo, too, sacrificed a lot to return the ring to its place. To save Shire from attack and destruction by evil forces, Frodo had to leave his beloved Shire, the place where he was born and raised and the only place he had known and lived. Two of his three friends from Shire with him on the trip were captured by the evil forces.

New friends he had made risked and sacrificed their lives to save Frodo. Also, people were not who they were around the ring. Frodo’s mission was to destroy the ring and stop the madness caused not only by freaks, monsters and killers but his own fears, weaknesses, and temptations. At the end of the first part of the trilogy, Frodo regretted his association with the ring, but recalled the advice his friend and mentor Gandalf gave. Frodo pitied himself for the burden he had to carry on behalf of all when he confided to Gandalf, “I wish the ring had never come to me.” Gandalf responded kindly, “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given you.”

Not enough credit has been given to Mary. Even though God chose Mary, Mary had a choice – not just be a bearer or carrier, but a servant (v 38). She did not just loan her body, but she offered her heart, mind, soul and everything. Not only was she prepared to leave her fiancée, she was prepared to leave her town and life behind. She left for Bethlehem when she was with child (Lk 2:4), fled to Egypt when the child’s life was in danger (Mt 2:13-14) and returned to remote Nazareth only when it was safe (Mt 2:23). G. Campbell Morgan said of Mary: “In our rebound from the false exposition into which the Mother of our Lord has been lifted by the Roman Church, we have too often neglected, we have been unfair to her, we have consigned her almost to oblivion.”

Mary was the first believer and bearer of the good news. The Bible, the disciples, and the early church know her as the mother of Jesus (Matt 1:18, 2:11, 13:55, Luke 2:34). Mary was one of the founders, historians, eyewitness, sponsors and pillars of the early church (Acts 1:10). She was the mother of Jesus and the mentor of the apostles. God chose Mary to be the mother of the Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. But how was that possible, she asked the angel. (v 34) The angel answered, “For nothing is impossible with God.” (v 37)

Having the son of God for one’s child was not the easiest and simplest task. How do you teach, raise or mother someone who is perfect, sinless and holy? The three names describing him (v 35) - the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7), the Holy One (Luke 4:34), and the Son of God (Mk 8:29) – refer to his authority over demons specifically, but not excluding his authority over man, things, and nature. What could a simple peasant girl offer to the son of God when he was a kindergartner, a teenager or a grown man? The growing pains were unbearable for any sane parent. As Simeon predicted, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34-35)

Mary’ and her husband were not among society’s wealthy, prominent or elite. They did not have much. Mary and Joseph could not even afford a lamb sacrifice at the temple, so they sacrificed a pair of doves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:24, Lev 5:7). To the eyes of the world, Mary and the likes of her were not to be envied or emulated, but they did not know her strength and power. Of course, a parent’s work is never done. The power of God enabled Mary to be all that was necessary of her – a mother, a servant and a disciple.

Conclusion: Our problems do not go, fly or stay away at Christmas. Christmas means that the presence of Jesus in giving us the peace, promise, and power to face all our problems. Job says, “Man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7) Christmas means that God cares so much that He came down to experience the pain, suffering and life with us.

Christmas, Pt. 3: "The True Blessings of Christmas"

2009-02-18T07:45:00.007-08:00

THE TRUE BLESSINGS OF CHRISTMAS (LUKE 1:26-45)
There is supposedly a blessing for everything in Judaism, from food to drink, from people to nature, from illness to danger.

If you have seen Fiddler on the Roof, you may remember that the rabbi of the tiny Jewish community in Russia was asked by a student concerning a blessing for the Tsar of Russia. With the song “Tradition” playing in the background, the student came up to the rabbi, the town’s most important person, and asked him how to pray for the powerful Tsar: “Rabbi, Rabbi, may I ask you a question?” “Of course,” the rabbi replied. “Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar?” The Rabbi said, “Blessing for the Tsar? Of course. May God bless and keep the Tsar…far away from us!”

Around Christmas time, most people, especially kids, ask themselves if they’ve been naughty or nice, bad or good, crying or not.

Christmas, however, is never a difficult or depressing experience. It is first and foremost a blessed experience. The word “blessing” does not quite fit the theme of Christmas. Traditionally, we greet each other at this time of the year “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” Christmas is anything but a blessing now; it is a burden or a break, for revelry, recreation or reunion time.

Why is Christmas a blessing to the world and a blessed time of the year? How are we blessed? What do we have to do to receive and experience this blessing?

Count Your Blessing from the Lord
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:26-29)

A Persian fable says: “One day a wanderer found a pale-looking but sweet-scented lump of clay. Curious at the lump of clay’s fragrant smell, the wanderer asked the clay, “What are you? Are you a beautiful gem?” The clay said, “No, I am not.” “Are you a rare plant?” the wanderer again questioned. The clay again answered, “No, I am not that either.” The wanderer next queried, “Then you must be a costly merchandise?” The clay retorted, “No, I am just a lump of clay.” The frustrated wanderer then asked, “Then, how did you smell so good?” The lump of clay finally confessed, “I smell good because I have been dwelling with the rose.” (7,700 Illustrations # 7143)

Recorded in the KJV but not NIV is the additional but helpful clause in verse 28, repeated in verse 42: “Blessed art thou among women.” The Greek word “eulogeo” (v 28) to describe Mary’s blessing is an unusual greeting, whether used for men or women, the dead or the living. The English equivalent is “eulogy,” a part of a funeral program. To eulogize someone is not merely to talk generally about the person but to speak highly of the person, or “good words” literally, especially at the person’s funeral! Unlike its English usage, the Greek word is a dynamic and living word, not a dead word and a belated honor for the deceased.

Christmas is the best of times despite the worst of times. Soon to be rocked by scandal, reviled by society and rife with questions, Mary understandably was “greatly troubled” (v 29) - shocked, stunned and shaken. The angel’s presence, ironically, did not ease her mind or help things out; it was enough to stress her out. Already an angel’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth’s family, specifically to the husband Zechariah, six months ago (Luke 1:24-26) was the talk of the town, a tall tale at best, a terror even to skeptics. Zechariah was silent and unable to speak (Luke 1:20), remaining speechless since until who knows when.

Christmas is, in fact, the occasion of three “troubles.” The first “trouble” describes how Zechariah was “startled/troubled” and was gripped with fear by an angel’s appearance (Luke 1:12). The last “trouble” sent shock waves, stirred a city, spawned much discontent and stimulated for change, recounting how King Herod, along with all Jerusalem, was “disturbed” by the magi’s news (Matt 2:3).

Sandwiched between two “troubles” is the mother of them all. Half a year after Zechariah’s trouble, Mary was “greatly troubled” (v 29) by an angel’s appearance and announcement. This Greek word (dia-tarasso) makes its first and only occurrence in the Bible, meaning “thorough/throughout” (dia-) and verse 11’s “troubled” (tarasso). Zechariah was troubled (tarasso) (Matt 2:3), but Mary was greatly troubled” (dia-tarasso). No one could imagine the tension, her turmoil and test.

One can imagine the “great trouble” and thorough impact of the angel’s sudden appearance had on the young, unmarried woman, especially if relative Zechariah had felt the same and ended up mute (Luke 1:12). It was an uninvited déjà vu moment and an unwanted “oh-oh” and “oh-no” experience. Only when she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:40) did she receive confirmation that she was blessed and not troubled (v 29) by her baby’s arrival.

You won’t find words like “devoted,” “godly,” or “beautiful” to describe Mary. She wasn’t perfect. She was not the fairest of them all, nor the wisest, or the sweetest. But Mary received the fairest, wisest, and sweetest honor, which is a woman who was blessed by God with God’s favor.

Christ is the Fount of Blessing (Cast All Cares to the Lord)
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. (Luke 1:39-44)

David Livingstone, the famous 19th century British doctor, missionary and explorer who had practically gave his heart to Africa, lived his life there, and served the natives, once replied those who glorified his sacrifice and contribution to Africa: “People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending my life in Africa which is simply acknowledging a great debt I owe to our God, which we can never repay. Is that sacrifice which brings its owner reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny? It is emphatically no sacrifice. Rather, it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, danger, foregoing the common conveniences of this life – these may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let his only be for a moment. All these are nothing compared with the glory which shall later be revealed in and through us. I never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk, when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father’s throne on high to give himself for us.”

Luke’s account differs from Matthew’s account in that Matthew records an angel’s appearance to Joseph, not Mary. Readers of Luke’s gospel are given the scoop that God sent the angel Gabriel (v 26). Gabriel’s assurance to Mary did nothing to convince her to run to the arms of Joseph. Note that Mary did not run to Joseph first, to avoid piling unwanted pressure on him, creating more tension and further alienating Joseph. Also, Mary did not know that Joseph had a vision, albeit much later (Matt 1:20), but the unknown timeline makes the story more dramatic. All kinds of thoughts raced through her mind as she sought her cousin. How am I going to tell Joseph? How will I face my family? How am I going to raise the child by myself? So Elizabeth’s words eased her mind and kept her sane: “Blessed is the child you will bear!”

Already thoughts seized young Mary’s frightened mind (v 29), which the angel tried to calm. Will my child face discrimination? Will he be a freak of nature? Is the world a safe place? Am I good enough to raise him? Would she risk raising a child out of wedlock? Will the child be fatherless? Will he ask about the child’s father? Note Gabriel did not promise her God will work on Joseph, convince her groom and make things right. He did not say “I promise,” “No problem” or “Trust me.” His only calm assurance was the mention of her cousin, not her husband.

Mary knew she could be the biggest fool and the worst example. She did not know how the child would respond to curious seekers. Elizabeth assured her that mother and child were not cursed or doomed, but were both blessed. She was blessed without condition, not because she believed, but because he was the blessing.

Are you carrying a heavy burden today? Is a cloud of darkness boxing you in?
Cast all your anxiety on the Lord because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Consider Yourself a Channel of Blessing (Choose to Live for the Lord)
38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)

45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" 46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, (Luke 1:45-48)

A hardworking little boy by the name of Theocrite sang the words “Praise God” like no one else. His praises not only kept him in good spirits, but it also brought joy to others, and praise from God. One day, a monk passing by heard him, and suggested: “I am sure God has heard you, but what if you were the Pope of Rome, singing God’s praises in St. Peters Church at Easter time in Rome?”

Theocrite thought that would be a tremendous achievement if he had the opportunity to do so. So the angel Gabriel who heard him, granted it, and he became the next Pope of Rome. Immediately God said, “How is it I do not hear the voice of Theocrite singing at his work?”

The angel, knowing this, became a boy and took Theocrite’s place, but he could do everything except one thing – sing praises to God. God said wistfully, “I hear a voice of praise, but not the way Theocrite sang it. I miss my little human praise.”

The angel then took off his disguise, went to Rome, found Theocrite, the new Pope of Rome, and said to him: “I took you from your work and made you the Pope of Rome, but I was mistaken. You could be a great Pope, but no one could fill your shoes, match your spirit, and take your voice of praise. (The Moral Compass 717-78, William J. Bennett)

The climax of Luke’s account is not the proclamation of Gabriel or the promise of Jesus but the praise of Mary, especially the blessedness of Mary coming from her mouth (v 48). Her head comprehended it, her body conceived it, but her heart must confess it! A conversion and a conviction must happen, and not just a command or commission taking place.

Note that Mary had no choice previously. The angel did not ask her before conception if she was willing to be the mother of Jesus. The first announcement was, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus” (vv 30-31). She was speechless until the angel’s second speech, for a reason. Also, Gabriel did not ask for her opinion, her endorsement and her consent. Presently, however, she had a choice on how to live her life - in fear or in faith, believing or begrudging, trust or distrust, hope or hopelessness, joy or judgment.

God had blessed Mary, a Jewish commoner from Nazareth, to be the mother of the Lord (Lk 1:43). Mary knew that she was not necessarily the most qualified, the most resourceful, and the most deserving. The only unique reason why God chose her was that she was a descendant of David.

Before, Mary did not have to say yes and sign off to be a mother. Yet Mary now was more than the bearer and mother (Luke 2:34); she was a servant (v 38), a believer and a leader (Acts 1:14). Mary’s response was short but decisive. She answered the angel Gabriel, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” (Lk 1:38) Her life presently was one of confidence in God, cooperation with Him and commitment to Him, as she joyously recounted, testified and agreed later: “From now on all generations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48)

Conclusion: Have you missed out on the blessing of Christmas? Do you know the true blessing of Christmas? Have you experienced the blessedness of Christmas that comes from knowing Jesus Christ our Lord, from obeying Him, praising Him?

Christmas, Pt. 4: "God's Chosen Parents"

2009-02-18T07:45:00.005-08:00

GOD’S CHOSEN PARENTS (MATTHEW 1:18-25)
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has kept track for many years the cost of raising a child through its survey of 12,880 families and 3,395 single-parent families on the cost of a child’s housing, food, transportation, clothing, health care, child care, education and miscellaneous goods and services, but not including the parent’s time costs, forgone earnings and career opportunities. The estimated expenditure on a child in 1995 for a two-child middle-income couple that makes $33,700-56,700 (before tax) is $7,610 for a 0-2 year-old toddler to $8,710 for a 15-17 year-old teenager. http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/960401.pdf

The expenditure adjusted to 2003 with an annual 3.1% inflation concludes that a middle income married couple with two kids will likely spend $9,510-$10,500 on a child. More interestingly, USDA concludes that a child born in 2003 who will reach 17 in 2020 will likely cost lower income families that make below $25,700 a cool $172,370, middle income families making $25,700-54,800 an arm and a leg at $235,670, and the highest income families making over $54,800 a whopping $344,250! (Funds for a new house!) http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/Crc/crc2003.pdf

Joseph, like any young man his age, had dreams and ambitions of his own but willingly surrendered or relinquished his dreams for a higher calling – to be father of the Messiah. Joseph was the father figure in Jesus’ life but, more often, he was the forgotten important parent figure in Jesus’ life. In fact, he does not have a word to say or a conversation to share in the Bible. His presence at Jesus' birth and the reception of the shepherds or the magi was not stated. Artists and Apocrypha writings have painted the picture of Joseph as an old man marrying the young Mary. It took a long time for scholars and historians to give Joseph his rightful credit.

Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, a religious-art specialist affiliated with Washington's Georgetown University notes that early Christian art sometimes omitted Joseph from the Nativity. When present, “he's either disinterested or separate, a doddering old man with a bald head or gray beard, a stock character,” she says. The Rev. Michael Morris, an expert in art and Catholic theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., says Joseph was occasionally painted sleeping through the event. This may have been a nod to his prophetic dreams, but Morris notes that even among Catholic clergy today, “if someone says he's going to take a St. Joseph's meditation, it jokingly means he's taking a nap.” (“Father and Child,” Time 12/19/2005)

Mary’s name looms large in history and in the Bible, but not Joseph’s. Most commentators believe that Joseph had died by the time Jesus made his ministry debut. One can say Joseph did not live to see his dream and the angel’s proclamation come true. His dreams, however, were not as important as God’s role for him and God’s delight with him.

What kind of a father figure is God pleased with? What is the father’s role and responsibility in raising a child? What is one’s position, part and purpose in life? How can you rise to the occasion and fulfill your God-given potential?

Be Trustworthy in Disposition
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. (Matt 1:18-19)

Holiday shopping is a $220 billion dollar industry. USA Today (12/6/04) revealed that the average consumer in 2004 will spend $541.03 on gifts - $406.52 on family gifts, $71.29 on friends and $22.12 on coworkers and others.

The National Retail Federation sponsors a survey interviewing 7,861 respondents on what gifts top their holiday lists (USA Today 12/14/04). 53% wants either books, CDs, DVDs, videos or video games. 51% prefers clothing. 33% has an eye on consumer electronics. Home décor or furnishings is the fancy of 21%. Sporting goods or leisure items is the choice of 13%.

The truth is that riches, money and status had nothing to do with Christmas. God chose Joseph and Mary to be the parents of the Son of God for a reason. They were not perfect, sinless or angels but they were noble, moral and upright. Joseph, in particular, was a righteous man (v 19). God chose an outstanding citizen, a blameless man and a perfect gentleman to be Jesus’ father. Joseph stands in elite company in the New Testament, attested to be “righteous,” afforded such honor along with Jesus (Luke 23:47, Matt 27:19), John the Baptist (Mark 6:20) and his parents (Luke 1:6-7), Simeon (Luke 2:25), Joseph of Arimathea who buried Jesus (Luke 23:50) and Cornelius (Acts 10:22). Joseph had a heart of gold. He was good to the core, kind in his nature and held in high honor. As such, Joseph was a dependable, respected and hardworking man.

Joseph was the strong and silent type, a man of few words but his character spoke volumes and did all the talking. Have you noticed everyone speaks but Joseph in the Christmas narrative (and most Christmas plays)? Not even a monosyllabic “yes,” “no” or “huh” reply was attributed him. The mother, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men and the barn animals get all the choicest parts at Christmas, but not Joseph. Joseph was comfortable with his non-speaking, background-hogging part. He did whatever he could to bring stability to the child, the mother and the family. The husband-t0-be had a decent job, not a dream job. He did not come from money nor did he have a government job. Neither was he a physician, a priest, or a poet. The father-to-be was a carpenter, a modest and unassuming job as such. Note that Joseph and Mary could only afford doves for sacrifice in the temple, a small animal was beyond their budget and out of question (Luke 2:24). In today’s world, one could say he could not afford the latest video games, digital cameras, or the plasma, the big-screen or the flat-screen TVs for the family, iPod or Playstation 2.

What defined Joseph were not goods and things, but character and reputation, the greatest and the only criteria God looked at when he chose Joseph out of all of David’s descendants. It’s been said, “Reputation is what people think and say you are, but character is who you really are.” People and neighbors knew Joseph as the quiet, hardworking, honest, who would not give them poor workmanship, supply them rotten wood and charge them exorbitant fees. They did not have to worry about the price he charged, the work he did or the products he hawked.

Be Teachable in Doubt
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. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matt 1:20-25)

The Los Angeles Times (8/22/02) asked kids what would they want if they were given three wishes. Christina, 10, said, (1) To have a horse so I could go riding anytime; (2) that unicorns and flying horses could be real; (3) to have $1 million so we could live in a bigger house.

9-year-old Ericka answered: (1) To be in medieval times and be a princess (2) to do back handsprings; (3) to be an interior decorator for houses.

Young 8 year-old Oscar was more serious. He wished for: (1) That there will be no crime so people wouldn’t die; (2) that people will have food so they will live longer; (3) that I will get good grades so I can get better at everything.

Fun-loving 9-year-old Jonathan replied: (1) I would wish for a pet alligator. It would be big and nice; (2) that I would have my own tree house and I could paint it Army color; (3) that I could be a famous soccer play.

Antonio, a thoughtful fourth-grader declared: (1) That my family would have eternal life because they are special to me; (2) to become a veterinarian because I love animals; (3) to have peace in the world with no more terrorists destroying our country and no more violence.

Joseph’s faith deserves more praise and attention than his ambition. One might even say God required or expected more from him than from his wife, John the Baptist’s father or the night shepherds in the Advent narratives. Joseph did not have the advantage of a visible angelic manifestation that Mary, Zechariah and the shepherds had. Angel Gabriel appeared to John the Baptist’s father, standing at the right side of the altar of incense (Luke 1:11). God sent the angel Gabriel to visit Mary in Nazareth (Luke 1:26-28), too. An unnamed angel of the Lord also appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:9).

The angel of God appeared to Joseph on three occasions, but never in angelic form each time but always in a dream. He did not see the angel of the Lord standing cutely at the right side of the altar of incense as Zechariah did (Luke 1:11) and he was not blinded by the glory of the Lord that shone around him like the shepherds were (Luke 2:9). No angels were flapping wings, playing harps, or wearing halos before Joseph. Joseph did not have the advantage of an angelic greeting as Mary did (Lk 1:26). All three angelic instances in Joseph’s narrative were in dreams, not appearances.

The only thing special with the angelic communication in Joseph’s case was supplied by Matthew the author, who dramatized the angelic visitations on three occasions with the “behold” introduction and exclamation that is missing from NIV but found in Greek and KJV (Matt 1:20, 2:13, 2:19). Joseph’s first dream of an angel is in verse 20 of chapter one. The next was after the wise men’s departure, when the angel of the Lord reappeared in a dream to Joseph, urging him to take the child and his mother to escape the murderous Herod and to remain in Egypt (Matt 2:13). After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream again to Joseph in Egypt to inform him that they could return to the land of Israel (Matt 2:19-20).

Joseph did not experience the earth-shaking event associated with the angels’ appearance at Jesus’ the resurrection (Matt 28:2-4). We are not told if he dreamed in black and white, but the words were loud and clear. Joseph acted in faith and did as he was told. Matthew used the Greek word “take” (paralambano) to demonstrate Joseph’s old-fashioned obedience. The word is used 49 times in Greek, but 6 times related to Joseph – the most in any one account or on any one individual. The first two occurrences of the word were when the angel of the Lord commanded Joseph to take Mary as his wife (Matt 1:20), which he promptly did when he woke up and took Mary home as his wife (Matt 1:24). The second two occurrences of the word were when an angel of the Lord commanded Joseph to take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt (Matt 2:13), and Joseph took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt (Matt 2:14). The last two occurrences were when an angel commanded Joseph to take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel after Herod’s death (Matt 2:20), and Joseph obeyed and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel (Matt 2:21).

Be Tenacious in Danger
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matt 2:13-15)
19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” (Matt 2:19-23)

Several years ago Reader’s Digest (3/95) reprinted Larry Rent’s article from the book “Child” titled “Things You’d Love to Hear” from your kids:
1. You’re so cool, Dad.
2. Who cares if the TV is broken?
3. Pass the broccoli, please.
4. What! No kiss?
5. No, thanks. It’s too expensive.
6. It’s a hard choice. Everything sounds great.
7. Bored? How could I be bored?
8. I’ve already made my bed.
9. It was my fault.
10. That’s okay. None of my friends are allowed to do it either.

At times Joseph must have felt he was useless as a man, less of a man and not much of a man when he could not find an inn for his wife and child. The truth was that he was very central to the family’s well-being, the lone ranger in decision-making and every inch involved in child-raising. He fought tooth and nail for the family and was extremely devoted to their safety and needs. However, one would have to look hard to track the quiet man’s involvement.

Joseph was the one who gave Jesus His name at His birth (Matt 1:25). The angel had said to Joseph, “You are to give him the name Jesus” (Matt 1:21). When Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms and praised God in the temple courts, both the father and mother, with Joseph’s name mentioned first, marveled at what was said about him (Luke 2:33). The angel again turned to Joseph (Matt 2:13) when the child’s life was in danger at the murderous hands of Herod, who later gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under (Matt 2:16) that were a threat to this throne. There must have been times Joseph pined for a return to Israel, but he kept his family there, pondering if the angel would ever show up again. Just as he had given up on Israel, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph for the third time, this time advising him to return from Egypt to Israel after Herod had died (Matt 2:20). Joseph had a fourth dream, although angels were not specified (Matt 2:22). This time, he decided on his own that it was best for the family to settle in the rural and remote Galilee rather than busy the hustle and bustle of Judea.

Joseph was not an absentee father, a stepfather, as some suggested, or a godfather. Joseph was not the adopted father of Jesus; he was the appointed, assigned or acting father; the legal, the human and the earthly father! Jesus willingly and gladly followed in his kind father’s shoes and took up the carpenter’s trade (Mk 6:3). Joseph did not keep anything from the boy or treat him differently from other children, even though the couple later had four sons – James, Joseph, Judas and Simon – and at least two daughters (Mk 6:3). Joseph had his work cut out for him, but still God entrusted His Son to him without worrying about child abuse, parental neglect, unfair treatment or family dysfunction. Most fathers have enough trouble with their biological kids, never mind being the spiritual father! Most parents would be so out of whack and out of sorts, if not out of here, if they were to care for kids not of their bone and flesh, but not Joseph, who was firm but fair. He was not related by blood, but by belief. The way he handled Mary’s case and treated Mary’s reputation represented the gentleman he was. He was not about to criticize or shame Mary, confront her parents, relatives, and friends, or let his side of the family know he had no choice.

Joseph and Mary were not perfect parents but they were more than good parents; they were outstanding parents. They were not surviving parents; they were super parents. They were not disadvantaged parents, but were devoted parents.

Conclusion: God has given His all when He gave infant Jesus to mankind. Jesus has come to save His people of their sins. God is not looking for gifts and goods in return, but your life and your love in return. Are you the righteous, obedient and strong person God is looking for to do His will? Are you a gentleman to the opposite sex, a fatherly figure to youngsters and a pillar in the family? Have you given your best and your all to Jesus who gave Himself for you?

Christmas, Pt. 5: "Away in a Manger"

2009-02-18T07:45:00.003-08:00

AWAY IN A MANGER (LUKE 2:1-21)
The second last day of our 2003 summer vacation in Canada was a disaster. Our plan was to visit Doris’ alma mater in Kingston and then head to Montreal and Quebec, but we had no hotel reservations beyond Toronto. My wife had said, “Let’s not plan. Let’s make it an adventure. Worse come to worst, we can stay at my best friend’s house in Toronto.” And what an adventure it was.

After staying in Toronto for a few days, we headed to Kingston where we bedded at Comfort Inn for $45. After Kingston, we headed to Montreal where we stayed in a local motel for $65. Everything was perfect up till then. The next day in the Quebec island we refused a motel for $120 but even that was gone when we returned after a futile search elsewhere; so we stay the night in a mainland motel for $120.

Our plan was to stop by at the same motel in Kingston on the return trip to Toronto, but the motel was full. So we decided to take the hour and a half drive to Toronto and find motels near Toronto, so that we can leave for the airport the next day. To our disappointment, the motels before and after reaching Toronto were occupied because of a convention in town that Thursday. When we were turned down even for suites, we realized that we have to call her best friend to end the saga. We were tired, hungry, and frustrated. That night I said to Doris, “Now I know how Joseph and Mary must have felt.”

The next day (8/16) the Toronto and East Coast blackout occurred and we had to lengthen our stay to another two more nights at the friend’s place.

Jesus’ birth was not a series of unfortunate events, but a series of unforeseen events. Jesus came on his own terms, in the right fashion, with a timeless message. The Jewish nation expected the arrival of a Conquering King, but He came as a Suffering Servant. People expected Him to testify of himself, but angels and shepherds testified to Him. Israel expected freedom from Rome, but not forgiveness of sins. They wanted prosperity, and not peace and pardon.

What kind of a Savior was He? What kind of gift did He offer? Who are the beneficiaries?

Jesus is Meek and Lowly
2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)

My wife has a Sunday school version of the first Christmas. She imagined the horses, the cows, the pigs, the sheep, the dogs, the cats, and the chickens all bending their limbs, belting a number and bowing in worship. The real version, however, was not as pleasant, peaceful or picturesque. Spiders, mice, lizards, flies, and other creepy crawlies were the real part and parcel of the barn experience.

The real story of Christmas is captured in the first two verses of the Christmas hymn “Away in a Manger”:
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Jesus was born of royalty, but he was born meek and lowly. Meekness is not weakness in response or failure to respond, but strength under control. A friend quipped that meekness means you are a tough person so you can afford to look soft (M Wu). Jesus was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth and he did not come from money. True, he was a descendant of King David, but he was born in a stable, and not a palace or a castle. His delivery was not in a hospital, but a barn. The parents needed to do a lot of work before the baby was born. Joseph and Mary had to sweep the floor, wipe the dust and clean the place. They had to do with what they had, including enduring the noise and smell of animals and coping without the benefit of a kitchen or a bathroom. Even our present-day garages are cleaner than the horse stable, pig-sty or chicken coop that was Jesus’ shelter. No disinfectant or deodorant could sanitize or freshen the place enough.

Doctors and midwives were not there to receive him. Lowly shepherds, and not dignitaries, guards, servants or maids greeted him. The unattractive barn, and not the local inn or clinic, was his delivery room and living quarters. His clothes were not tailor- or custom-made, but homemade.

Tradition has it that Jesus was placed in a trough after he was born, but three times the Bible stated that he was born in a stable or a manger (vv 7, 12, 16), with no mention of a trough for a crib. The only other occurrence of the Greek word “manger” was when Jesus scolded the synagogue ruler and others like him: “You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the ‘stall’ and lead it out to give it water?” (Luke 13:15) The trough makes for good object lessons and pop-up books but the truth is that lowly Jesus was born in a dirty and dusty shack. Matthew Henry said that a manger is a place for cattle to stand when being fed or during feeding time. I suggest that they could not even find an empty trough for him. His bed was solid ground or hard floor; rug, feathers or board was a luxury not afforded him. Mattresses, spring box and headrest were unheard of. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). The only thing he had was straw, hay and blanket. His parents were unlikely to have a cradle, crib or cot prepared for him.

When Jesus was born, he was wrapped in swaddling clothes (v 7), and not in linen, silk or wool. His parents did not shop at the town version of Bed, Bath and Beyond, Linen and Things, or St. Michael’s. No fine fabric, fancy artwork or fashion design adorned his clothes. Leon Morris said that swaddling clothes were long strips that would wrap the child round and round. Baby Jesus wore but torn and ragged strips of cloth around the body, including the legs. His parents never made an expensive or exquisite robe for him.

Jesus is Majestic and Lord
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:9-18)

Christmas is the busiest shopping time of the year. The malls are crowded, parking is a nightmare and bargains are plenty. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, marks the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. Many retailers open their doors very early that day (typically 5 A.M.) to shoppers camped overnight for the special deals.

Christmas is the biggest stimulus to shopping and spending in the year. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers every shopping mall has 8,758 Santa visits during the busy festive season. The busiest retail shopping day of the year in the United States (in terms of both sales and customer traffic) is usually the Saturday before Christmas. A florist claims that Christmas sales account for about 25 percent of annual sales. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_20061219/ai_n17073784

The first Christmas was just as busy. Caesar Augustus had ordered a census, sent everyone packing and made life miserable. Rich or poor, strong or weak, men and women had to return to their hometown to register. Included in the throng was Mary, who was with child. However, the birth of Jesus turned the first Christmas from a gloomy Christmas into a glorious one. He had an invited audience at his birthday party, but His audience was not royalty, diplomats or socialites, but angels, shepherds and the heavenly host (v 13), and what a breath-taking, spine-tingling and eyebrow-raising performance it was.

When the angel appeared before the shepherd (v 9), the glory of the lord “shone around” them. The single Greek word for “shone around” is perilampo, which means to illuminate all around or to shine round about. The Greek word peri is the root word for the English word perimeter, and lampo gives rise to the word lamp. The only other Scriptural record of this word is from Acts 26:13, where Paul testified how he was converted when he saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, “blazing around” him and his companions. Can you imagine the goosebumps, the chills and the pause the angel gave the shepherds? The exact Greek rendition was “they feared (a) great fear.” They were not only terrified; they were very scared. Their hearts were thumping, their hands were cold and their hairs were standing.

If that wasn’t enough, the heavenly host joined in chorus. The Greek record was “a multitude of heavenly host.” The angel was not just joined by a few good angels or a chorus of angels, but a swarm of armies. The word “host” already meant an “army” in Greek. So, “a multitude of heavenly host” is more than just an army, but a multitude or countless armies of celestial beings in dazzling array singing their stirring choruses in the night skies. The only other time the Greek word for “host” occurs describes the heavenly bodies in the skies that are uncountable (Acts 7:42). The birth of Jesus, without doubt, was the hottest ticket, the biggest blockbuster and the grandest premier the world has ever known.

Jesus is Merciful and Love
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. 21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. (Luke 2:19-21)

Peppermint Patty sat under a tree, with her crossed hands on her tummy, sorting out her unrequited feelings from the indifferent and naïve Charlie Brown: “Chuck just doesn't seem to understand a girl’s emotions. In fact, Chuck doesn’t seem to understand girls at all. Chuck is hard to talk to because he doesn’t understand life. He doesn’t understand laughing and crying.”

Then Peppermint Patty continued to mutter to herself as she walked away: “He doesn't understand love and silly talk and touching hands, and things like that. He plays a lot of baseball, but I doubt if he understands baseball.” Before too long, her walking had lead her to Charlie Brown’s house, where she promptly knocked at the door.

When Charlie Brown answered the door, Peppermint Patty barked at him: “I don’t think you understand anything, Chuck.” Getting that off her chest, she turned around and walked away before Charlie Brown had a chance to say anything. As Charlie Brown stood outside his front door by himself, he said, "I don’t even understand what it is I don’t understand.”

Mary treasured up all the things the shepherds said about the child and pondered them in her heart (v 19). The shepherds’ Jesus is Joshua or “salvation” in Hebrew, but He did not come to save His people from Caesar Augustus, the Roman world or the Greek civilization. He has come to save people from their sins (Matt 1:21).

The Bible says that we were dead in sins (Eph 2:1, 5, Col 2:13), darkened in reason (Eph 4:18) and doomed for destruction (1 Tim 6:9), but Jesus came to land a fatal blow to sin. What He had done to sin for our sake in theological terms included forgiving (Mt 9:2), bearing (Jn 1:29, Heb 9:28), erasing (Acts 3:19), purging (Heb 1:3) and canceling (Heb 9:26) the sins of men. He died for our sins (1 Cor 15:3), freed us from sins (Rom 6:22) and remembers them no more (Heb 10:17). Three times the Bible says that He is the atoning sacrifice (Heb 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 4:10) for our sins.

Unlike world powers and rulers, the power in His hands was not the power to coerce lives, but to change lives. He did not come to sentence people, but to save them. The prosperity He brought was not the prosperity of funds, but the prosperity of forgiveness. He brought peace on earth and goodwill to men (v 14) in the hearts of those who accepted Him.

The angel announced the good news of the birth of a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (v 11). The good news was for all the people (v 10), not just the Jews, but also the Gentiles. Jesus is the Savior; the deliverance or the destruction of the lost sinner is in His hands. He is the Christ; the rise and fall of the Jewish nation is in His hands (Lk 2:34). Jesus is Lord; the fate and destiny of the whole world is in His hands. Life and death are in His hands, justice and judgment are in His hands, redemption and retribution are in His hands.

The Greek phrase “great joy” occurs only four times in the Gospels, but only in Luke and Matthew. Both gospels agreed the presence of great joy were only found on two occasions - at his birth (Luke 2:10, Matt 2:10) and at His resurrection (Luke 24:52, Matt 28:8). One was his incarnation for our sins and the other His death for our sins.

Conclusion: The birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the two constants after the shopping is done, the sales are counted and the season is over. The greatest gift of all is the gift money cannot buy. It is what the Prince of Peace has given to the world: the forgiveness of sins and salvation of sinners. Our responsibility is to receive the free gift and to tell the lost world (vv 18, 20) of the Saviors’ birth, because one day the tiny babe will return as the conquering King.

Christmas, Pt. 6: "Go Tell it on the Mountain"

2009-02-18T07:45:00.001-08:00

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAINS (LUKE 2:8-20)
The two weekends before Christmas are the busiest days of the year for the mall and the stores, for ordering and mailing, and for dining and catering. In Southern California alone, more than 20 million cards and letters and 1.5 million packages are postmarked the usual third Monday of December before Christmas (Los Angeles Times 12/18/01).

The American Express Retail Index, in its survey of consumers in 2001, projected that the average will spend about $1,564 per household for gifts, travel, entertaining, decorations and other expenses this year.

Every year consumers make December the busiest month of the year, and make Christmas the biggest party of the year, all for the wrong reasons. The first Christmas was a busy season. The Christmas shepherds were in a big hurry, too. On a quiet night in the country outside of Bethlehem, an angel appeared to shepherds who were watching their flock to tell them the good news. After hearing what the angels told them, the shepherds then made haste to Bethlehem to find and see and know baby Jesus for themselves.

What did the Christmas angel say? Why were the shepherds in such a rush? What is our thrill and task at this time of the year?

Christmas is the Unveiling of Great Pleasure
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Lk 2:8-12)

Christmas is not all it is made be to be. A lot of people would rather skip the festivities altogether. 63% of respondents to a 1998 Dateline NBC/Prevention Magazine Holiday Stress survey said they felt pressure to do things they did not want to do during the holidays, and 64% reported feeling nervous and stressed about the entire season. The seasonal stress has a name to it: SAD for “seasonal affective disorder,” or what people used to call the “winter blues.”

Money was the biggest stress factor, of course: 72 percent worry about money at least some time during the holidays. Even though a good 15 percent always dread the holiday season, 9 percent end up having a good time anyway. Just 6 percent of participants manage to hang on to that dread right through the New Year's celebrations. Naturally holiday stress is more prevalent the farther north you go, with 1 percent to 5 percent of those living in middle to northern latitudes reporting SAD symptoms. Women, particularly young adults, account for 60 percent to 90 percent of those affected by this seasonal pattern of depression. (“Dear Data Dog,” American Demographics, Dec. 2000)

The angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord “shone around” (peri-lampo) them (v 9), terrifying the shepherds. This Greek word for “shone around” occurs only twice in the Bible, the other time describing Paul’s experience on the road when he saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, “blazing around” him (Acts 26:13). The first New Testament evangelist, technically, was not John the Baptist (Lk 3:18), but the Christmas angel. This is the first time the verb “euaggelizo” or “evangelize” (v 10) appears in the New Testament. NIV clumsily translated the word as “I bring you good news.”

The Greek text used the word fear twice to describe how the shepherds felt at the angel’s sudden appearance: The shepherds “feared” (phobeo) a great fear (phobos megas)!” (v 9) But the angel did not come to strike great fear, but in contrast, to spread great joy or “chara megas” (v 10). Christmas is the proclamation of not just joy, but great joy, one of only two great joys associated with Christ - great joy at his birth (Luke 2:10, Matt 2:10) and great joy at his resurrection (Luke 24:52, Matt 28:8).

The great joy of Christmas is the birth of the baby Jesus, the Savior, the Christ, the Lord. He is the Christ, the Promise, the Anointed One, or the Coming Messiah, whose birth was prophesied in the Old Testament. In Micah 5:2, the promise of a ruler in Israel would come from Bethlehem. The word Lord is a recurring word in this passage (vv 9, 9, 11, 15). He is our Lord, the Lord of glory (1 Cor 2:8), Lord Almighty (2 Cor 6:18), the Lord of lords (Rev 17:14).

This great joy is for all the peoples of the world – Jews and Gentiles, shepherds and Magi (Matt 2:10), angels and men. It is cause for true celebration among the Chosen Ones and the Goyim, the rich and the poor, heaven and earth.

I love the story of the Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The Grinch was a mean, ugly, lonely make-believe creature who hated Christmas and decided to put an end to it after enduring the merry-making villagers’ noise and nonsense for fifty three years.

On Christmas Eve, he put on a Santa Clause hat and coat, stole into the village, climbed into the chimneys and quietly took all the presents for himself while the villagers were sleeping. He took everything that would resemble Christmas, including tree, stocking, and decoration, and gloated anticipating the villagers’ reaction when they discovered that all their presents were gone on Christmas morning itself.

The next morning the Grinch woke up to the singing he had heard for over half a century at this time of the year. He looked out his window saw that he had failed to dampen the villagers’ Christmas spirit. He waited for people to the declare Christmas season a disaster or a letdown, but instead the people started singing. “Why?” the Grinch asked. Because Christmas is the celebration of what’s inside, not outside. The great joy and the real joy of Christmas is the birth of Jesus that can never be taken away. The Grinch had stolen all the presents, toys and decorations but the villagers did not miss them. They were still standing together, holding hands and singing joyfully. Happiness is fleeting, but joy is lasting. Parties do not last. The Chinese say, “There is no party under heaven that never ends.”

Christmas is the Unveiling of Glorious Praise
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Lk 2:13-18)

A man rushed up to a policeman yelling, “Help! Help! I’ve been robbed.” “Take it easy, Mac,” replied the policeman, taking out his notebook. “Tell me, what did the guy look like?” What guy?” said the man. “The guy who robbed you,” explained the policemen. “Give me a description.”

The exasperated man said, “There wasn’t any guy. I was robbed by an elephant.” The astonished cop exclaimed, “Okay, then give me a description of the elephant.” The man answered impatiently, “Are you kidding? It was an elephant. A big gray elephant with four legs and a trunk.”

The cop warned, “Don’t get touchy with me. Elephants have characteristics which identified them. For instance, if the elephant that robbed you had big ears, he was an African elephant. If he had smaller ears, he was an Asian elephant. So which was he – African or Asian?”

“How should I know?” cried the distressed victim. “He had a stocking pulled over his face.” (Adapted, George Jessel, Toastmaster General’s Favorite Jokes (Secaucus: Castle Books, 1973), pp. 94-95.)

The shepherds were ecstatic they were included in the infant’s welcoming pronouncement, festivity and committee by the angels of the Lord. God has left clear clues, straight line tracks, a direct map to the infant for the shepherds, for all the people of the world - and for you and I - to find him. The shepherds were given such privileged information (Luke 2:15), they had seen such a heavenly sight (Luke 2:17, 20), they were told such joyous news (Luke 2:17), and they had heard such glorious singing (Luke 2:20).

Further, the angel clearly evangelized everything to them in two short verses (2:10-11), or the 5 W’s and 1 H’s: what to announce - “great joy”; who it was for - “for all the people”; when the event happened - “today;” where it was located - “in the town of David”; why - “a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord;” and how -”you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” The angel’s revelation and accompanying remarks were complete for all ages.

When the shepherds finally saw the child for themselves, they returned to the country, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told to them. Previously the shepherds were poor, cold, tired and frightened, taking over the graveyard shift and working at night, but now they were rich, joyous, energized and inspired, basically taking over the angels’ work and working non-stop to spread the word concerning what had been told them about the child. The Christmas angel who was joined by a host of angels in a slew of choruses to praise God had left, but the praises did not stop. The shepherds now shouted for joy, sang in unison, gave glory, honor and praise to God that the plan for the redemption of mankind had come at the right time.

The rotten world, with its bitter suffering and bleak future, was a thing of the past. God came down from His glory. The Word became flesh and dwelt among men (Jn 1:14) – full of grace and truth. The time had fully come for God to send his Son, born of a woman, born under the curse of the law (Gal 3:13), to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (Gal 4:4-5). God's secret wisdom has been revealed, a wisdom that was hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began (1 Cor 2:7).

The shepherds were the first believers of the gospel. They decided to check out the baby by night. They believed the words of the Christmas angel, left the country for the city of Bethlehem, hurrying in the middle of the night to look for the baby in a manger. The word “tell” is an inescapable key word in this passage. The angels told the shepherd (2:17), and the shepherds told others (2:18) what they were told (2:20). Praise the Lord, the greatest event in history was shared with shepherds who passed the good news to others. God did not come down in a palace, surrounded with servants, shrouded in secrecy.

Christmas is the Unveiling of Gracious Peace
The angels said, “Peace on earth to men on whom his favor rests.”

The year 2001 is supposed to be a significant year for commemorating world peace. One hundred years ago, the United Nations began awarding prize money in memory of Alfred Nobel to individuals or groups that have done the most to promote peace between nations. The Nobel Peace Prize, worth about a million US dollars, is the most coveted international prize.

Nobel was the Swedish industrialist who invented dynamite and held more than 350 patents, which made him very rich. At his death in 1895, the bachelor left a sizable fortune to a foundation dedicated to recognizing excellence in science, medicine, literature, and peace efforts.

However, no individual or group, not even the United Nations, can do anything to bring lasting peace. 250 wars have been fought in the 20th century alone and more than 110 million people, including 63 million civilians, died in the conflicts, according to figures from the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Geir Lundestad, director of the Nobel Institute, said, “If the criterion for success is the Nobel Peace Prize’s ability to put an end to wars, then the prize is certainly a failure. And it will remain a failure.” The twentieth century was the bloodiest century in the history of mankind, and the new century is not getting any better.

World peace, personal peace and or relational peace are precarious and are hanging by a thread. God’s peace is different. If you notice, NIV does not use the phrase “goodwill to men” anymore. The word goodwill or “eu-dokia” in the Greek text is a combination of two words, “eu-” as in eulogy or saying good things and “dokia” or thinking. So goodwill means thinking good or having a good mindset. The whole translation means peace on earth and a good mindset to men. That’s the gift of Christmas – the gift of a peaceful mind.

God’s gift of peace of mind is not a feeling or a drug, a legislation of the court or a treaty of nations, a surplus of money or an absence of war. It is not an extra piece of cake, a set of formulas or a recitation of chants. It is a peaceful mindset knowing God’s unchanging gift of salvation; it is not tied to external factors or changing circumstances. Peace in the modern world is overrated and suspicious. Personal peace can be easily shattered by an emergency call, a traffic accident, or a crime scene, but God’s peace is secured by Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

The Americans were taught a difficult age-old lesson on September 11: Power cannot buy peace of mind. Being on top is a blessing and a curse. The Chinese said, “Big trees invite winds.” This Christmas, our nerves are frayed more than ever. We will not experience peace of mind until we receive and embrace the gift of peace in Christ Jesus, which is priceless. By our own efforts we fail. Others disappoint us. Only the most powerful - the Omnipotent God, only the most knowledgeable - the Omniscient God, and only the most attending - the Omnipresent God - can give us peace.

The message of Christmas is simple. When you look outside of Christ, you will find unending misery. Look to Christ and you will find abiding peace.

Conclusion: Do you have the peace of God, which transcends all understanding? Do you desire God’s peace to guard your hearts and your minds? (Phil 4:7) Do you have Jesus in your heart and the peace that the world can’t give and the world can’t take it away? Christmas does not mean eating, shopping, or traveling. Make haste and don’t hesitate. Pursue, discover and experience Christ for yourself. Are you a quiet, passive and ignorant observer, listener and believer? The Christmas angel appeared to make believers, eyewitnesses and evangelists out of unsuspecting shepherds. Do you tell others what you know and believe, and what you have seen and heard?

Christmas, Pt. 7: "The Hopes and Fears of All the Years"

2009-02-18T07:44:00.004-08:00

THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEARS (LUKE 2:21-38)
Chuck Swindoll told a touching and an unforgettable story about Major Harold Kushner and a marine who was held by the Viet Cong for five and a half years:
“Among the prisoners in Kushner’s POW camp was a tough young marine, 24 years old, who had already survived two years of prison-camp life in relatively good health. Part of the reason for this was that the camp commander had promised to release the man if he cooperated. Since this had been done before with others, the marine turned into a model POW and the leader of the camp’s thought-reform group. As time passed he gradually realized that his captors lied to him. When the full realization of this took hold he became a zombie. He refused to do all work, rejected all offers of food and encouragement, and simply lay on his cot sucking his thumb. In a matter of weeks he was dead.” (Charles R. Swindoll, Growing Deep in the Christian Life)

Why did he give up? The marine realized that his enemies did not mean what they said. There was no hope for release, no way to escape and no reward for good behavior. The Chinese say, “There is no bigger tragedy than a heart’s death哀莫大於心死.”

Hope is powerful. It’s been said, “Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” (14,000 Quotations, 242)

The Bible tells us that hope in God does not disappoint: “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us.” (Rom 5:3-5)

The lives of two people in Jesus’ birth narrative are richly deserving of mention and merit. Simeon and Anna lived to an old age but they never lost hope in God. They waited patiently for the Messiah, devoted themselves selflessly to God and committed themselves exclusively to service. Their hope in God was rewarded when Jesus’ parents arrived at Jerusalem, entered the temple and offered required sacrifices for the baby’s circumcision and purification.

Why does hope triumph in the midst of pessimism, uncertainty and silence? Why is it so powerful and necessary? How does hope make us strong?

There is Peace in Abiding by God’s Promise
22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:22-32)

I bought a framed poster when I was a teenager, the only one I recalled buying since, and gave it to my sister, who was an unbeliever then. Somehow I was drawn to the words: “I believe in the sun - even when it does not shine; I believe in love - even when it is not shown; I believe in God - even when he does not speak.”

Ten years later, I came across Robert Schuller’s version of the story behind those words: “Sweeping across Germany at the end of World War II, Allied forces searched farms and houses looking for snipers. At one abandoned house, almost a heap of rubble, searchers with flashlights found their way to the basement. There on the crumbling wall, a victim of the Holocaust had scratched a Star of David. And beneath it, in rough lettering, the message: “I believe in the sun - even when it does not shine; I believe in love - even when it is not shown; I believe in God - even when he does not speak.” (Illustrations Unlimited, James S. Hewett)

Simeon was a visionary who could see the end and not just the beginning of things, one who basked in foresight while others moaned in hindsight, and an individual who lived the present in view of tomorrow. He was unique. His waiting was a positive and optimistic, not a negative or passive outlook. He was more definite than desperate and he believed in God’s design despite delay. What motivated Simeon, captivated him and kept him focused?

For the long period of 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testament God did not say a word. For four centuries, the Jews were thinking, longing, wondering for something to happen. Simeon never abandoned that hope or believed that the presence and promise of God had left Israel in the first place.

Simeon had a wonderful revelation that he would not die and that he would live to see the child (v 26). Yet it could be a horrible curse. Elderly life is not a blessing; eternal life is. Living without dying is a horrible thing. The only reason and motivation for Simeon’s will to live was the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Can you imagine the anticipation of Simeon? He was all waiting, excited about the preview, the unveiling and the grand prize, and what did he see? Not a prince, prophet or politician but a child!

What can a child do? By faith and in obedience, Simeon saw the Messiah, the Savior of the world and the King in the child. And he took the baby in his arms, praised God for deliverance and announced his own retirement.

There is Peace in Abiding by God’s Priorities
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:33-35)

According to MemoriseThis.com, Christmas is up there in stress with divorce, moving house and changing jobs as the sixth most stressful life event. 86% of respondents say they find buying presents difficult and 65% find Christmas shopping a stressful experience, according to the results of a new survey of over 3,000 people.

The results of the survey reveal that over 30% of folks get stressed just at the mere thought of hitting the high street at Christmas, and 61% say they lack inspiration when shopping and worry that people won't like what they've bought them. 60% have at some time had the horrible experience of buying a gift for someone and seeing disappointment on their faces when they opened it.

In the 16-24 year old age group 62% cited Dad as the hardest person to buy for. Less surprisingly the survey also showed that men dread the idea of shopping on the high street more than women with 34.8% of men compared to 27.8% of women.
55% would most like to receive is “a surprise - something inspirational”. This was followed, in order of popularity, by funky gadgets; pampering products, gift activities (e.g. Ferrari Driving or Wine Tasting) and gourmet treats. Conversely only 3.7% of us said we would prefer to receive a gift to share with the family such as a game. http://www.prnewswire.de/cgi/news/release?id=113215

In all the commotion, everyone forgot about Joseph and Mary.

Do you know how many people had blessed the parents of Jesus at his birth? None. The angels appeared to the shepherds, made their announcement, sang and departed (Luke 2:13-15). The shepherds arrived, saw the baby, praised God and told their neighbors the good news (2:16-18). The Magi came, worshipped the baby, brought gifts and left (Matt 2:10-11).

It was left to Simeon to give the parents a needed blessing, a precious warning and a sincere advice. Joseph and Mary were a young couple in need of advice and care. They had, in fact, been through a lot – engagement, pregnancy, marriage (in that order), from Galilee’s Nazareth to Judea’s Bethlehem (Luke 2:4), onward to Jerusalem eight days after the baby was born. On top of that, as many young couples could testify, they did not have much to spend or experience with kids. Simeon’s testimony was significant and refreshing to them. He was God’s voice of acceptance, His arms of presence (v 28), and His instrument of love.

Aging Simeon’s presence and words were an assurance to the newly-weds that God had accepted their offerings. Remember, Mary and Joseph could only afford a poor family’s offering of a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons – not a lamb sacrifice, as required of those who could afford it.

The elderly Simeon was also there to offer support to the young mother Mary, who got a peek at the baby’s nature, mission and influence— one that affected the words, the thoughts and hearts of people. Yet the baby will also give Mary anguish, distress and struggles, because her baby will face opposition, rejection and execution. Mary’s grief will multiply with her upcoming roles as a supportive parent, a devoted follower and a helpless eyewitness.

There is Peace in Abiding by God’s Presence
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)

Have you ever thought what it was like to be eighty-four?

Bruce Bliven, 86, one-time editor of the New Republic for thirty years, lived with his wife at Stanford, England, often wrote to those who asked them about their well-being, especially in their old age:
“At 86, Rose and I live by the rules of the elderly. If the toothbrush is wet, you have brushed your teeth. If the bedside radio is warm in the morning, you left it on all night. If you are wearing one brown shoe and one black shoe, you have a pair just like it somewhere in the closet.

Try not to mind when a friend tells you on your birthday that a case of prune juice has been donated in your name to a retirement home.

I stagger when I walk, and small boys follow me, making bets on which way I’ll go next. This upsets me children shouldn’t gamble.

Like most elderly people we spend many happy hours in front of the TV set. We rarely turn it on.” (Ann Landers 12/13/95)

The prophetess Anna was a tremendous woman of hope. She was an eighty-four years old lady whose husband died seven years into their marriage, and she had remained a widow. Age, romance and status meant little to her in view of her value before God. The 84-year old Anna valued who she was, what she did and where she was. There was no hint of bitterness, retirement or inactivity in her soul.

Why? In God’s eyes, Anna was valuable not by her years of life or her husband’s longevity, their years of marriage, the happiness she “deserved” or the places they traveled.

Anna was an extraordinary person living in an extraordinary place playing an extraordinary part. She may be old, odd, orthodox to others, but she was separated for God, obedient to God and approved by God. What an amazing woman - she never left the temple. Can you imagine no Christmas cards, carols and cookies? Like the psalmist in Psalm 84, she thrived on these words: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord…Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young--a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God… Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
(Ps 84:1-3, 10)

I had baptized a couple in their 80’s who asked me, “What can we do?” Be like Anna, pray for the pastor, the church and all brothers and sisters. This is priceless service only a servant like Anna could understand and appreciate.

Conclusion: Have you made peace with God? Is God a one day celebration or is He an everyday presence in your life? Have you reflected on the past year and how you can improve on the present year and coming years? Have you made a financial contribution to help out the church, the lost, the needy? Have you made peace with others and are you yielded completely to God?

Christmas, Pt. 8: "The Adventure in the Advent"

2009-02-18T07:44:00.003-08:00

THE ADVENTURE IN THE ADVENT (MATTHEW 2:1-12)
Three weeks before Christmas, I was tricked by the moderator who wished worshippers with a “Happy Holidays” greeting at the start of worship. I echoed the same in return instead of saying “Merry Christmas!” For many years I was dismayed with the commercialization of Christmas. Beginning from the day after Thanksgiving, otherwise known as Black Friday, the barrage of sales and advertisement reaches stratospheric proportions. Increasingly stores are playing Christmas songs and having Christmas sales even before Thanksgiving.

A spokesperson for the United States Postal Service says that on the second-last Monday before Christmas, roughly 1 billion packages, cards and letters are mailed at the post office. (“For Last-minute Shoppers, it's All about the Shipping,” USA TODAY 12/17/07)

Further, Christmas is no fun for people suffering from the Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during winter time when the days shorten, the nights lengthen, the temperature drops and the mood suffers.

This year I have a change of heart. The day after Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, I heard my first Christmas song while in a store: “Hark the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!’” Another: “Do you hear what I hear?” and other hymnal classics. I said to myself, “All is not lost. What an unexpected, unusual and unparalleled way to testify to the Lord’s birth.” We can sing our mouths dry and our tongues rot but not do what the hymns do. Saturation of songs is a problem, but not a problem to the Lord, who deserves our praise. When the Pharisees wanted Jesus to silence the rowdy disciples praising Him, Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:38-40)

The adventure of the magi is as inspiring a story as any for people who are down, disheartened and depressed at this time of the year. Most scholars believe the magi’s visit was much later than the shepherds’, maybe two years after He was born. The magi’s visit completes the angel’s message to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL THE PEOPLE.” (Luke 2:10)

Why do we celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? What are we so joyous about? How do we rightly celebrate Christmas?

Schedule Time to Witness the Savior
2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. (Matt 2:1-4)

I have a lot of relatives whose very lives, like many Chinese people, are chained to, if not paralyzed by, superstitious beliefs. On a trp to Singapore (2006), I noticed my mother buying breakfast without fail for her elderly neighbor suffering from a broken leg. What she said the next day reveals the depth of her blind but firm belief in Chinese folk religions and fengshui. She said all the bad luck started when the neighbors wanted to sell their house for $1 million Singapore dollars. When visitors offered much less due to uncertain economic times, they balked at the offer and decided not to sell. After all, they were just testing the market. The damage, however, was done, according to my mother, because house hunters entering the couple’s home walked up and down the stairs viewing the home, thereby trampling upon their good fortune, resulting in the elderly man breaking his leg not only once, but twice, the second time when his son-in-law tried to pick him up.

I used to live in a corner house on a T-section, exactly on the south-west corner of a “T” junction. Another relative bluntly remarked that it was bad luck, and that’s why I was without a job for six months, the time I resigned from my first church in the States to study for a Doctor of Ministry degree.

Who are the magi? I met a group of Assyrian Christians on a plane once. The patriarch sitting next to me told me the majority of Assyrians today are Christians, which was surprising to me since they were the bad guys in the Bible! He also told me that according to Assyrian legend, the three wise men include a Persian, an Assyrian and an Ethiopian. Matthew Henry says that the Magi among the Persians were their philosophers and their priests. Some traditions suggest three to 14 wise men.

The “magi,” as the word suggests, were simply the “magicians” in their day. What kind of magicians were they? Not those that dabble in fortune telling, palm reading, black magic or tarot cards. They were students of astronomy, not astrology. Astrology (study of stars) and astronomy (law of stars) were historically the same discipline but separated in the 17th century. Astronomy is accepted as a science today and is a widely studied academic discipline for its study of objects and phenomena beyond the earth’s atmosphere. Astrology, on the other hand, uses the apparent positions of celestial objects as the basis for psychology, prediction of future events and other esoteric knowledge. The latter is not widely regarded as science and is typically defined as a form of divination. The scientific community considers astrology a pseudoscience or superstition. (Wikipedia)

In a bad sense, a magos is a sorcerer, the word used for Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:8). In a good sense, the magi were astronomers, stargazers, thinkers, intellectuals and scientists of their day. The problem with astrology is that the logic in astrology has become magic instead. Matthew did not tell us who the magi were, how many there were or what star they followed. The magi were definitely not psychics or diviners of any sort. They did not know who to ask, where to look, how to start, when to go. Remember they were not there at Jesus’ birth, but much later. For all their wisdom, they almost bungled the job. Matthew informs readers that the magi did not come for the star, but for the Savior: “We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Their witness was to Jesus, not to the star. The contrast to “saw his star” is “worship him,” not “worship it.” They did not thank their lucky star(s) and bow to the heavens - sun, moon or stars.

Jesus is the bright Morning Star (Rev 22:16). The morning stars that sang together at earth’s creation (Job 38:7) will no longer shine (Joel 2:10, 3:15) at the coming of the day of our Lord.

Spare Time to Welcome Israel’s Shepherd
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'“ 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matt 2:5-8)

A site foreman had ten very lazy men working for him, so one day he decided to trick them into doing some work for a change. “I’ve got a really easy job today for the laziest one among you,” he announced. “Will the laziest man please put his hand up?” Nine hands went up. “Why didn't you put your hand up?” he asked the tenth man. “Too much trouble,” came the reply.

The magi had their adventure cut out for them. Language is a problem. Land is another. Location, lodging and luggage - the kind of challenges that discourages travelers. These wise men from the east rode beasts of burden, trekked hundreds of miles and crossed barren desert roads. Even when they got to Jerusalem, they were told, “Not Jerusalem, but Bethlehem in Judea.” They did not groan and moan. Bethlehem? It is another five to seven miles south of Jerusalem, and elevated 2,460 feet above sea level. Already, the men had surmounted cultural, geographical and rational obstacles, braving the wind, the sun and the wilderness, but the greatest danger awaiting them was not sandstorm, heat and exhaustion but the power, pride and politics of Herod. Known or unknown to them, their lives were at risk. They stumbled upon the most dangerous and hated man in Judea.

Ever the politician, Herod was appointed “tetrarch” of Judaea in 41 BC at about the age of 25 – about 40 years before Christ was born. He was an Edomite - Esau’s descendant by race - and Jewish by religion. His legacy in architecture is equal to his legacy of death. When he reconstructed the ancient Temple of Solomon, the Jews suspected his sinister motive was to possess the public genealogies collected there, especially those relating to the priestly families, hoping to destroy the genealogy of the expected Messiah, lest He should come and usurp his kingdom. (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary) He had nine wives, but sacrificed Mariamne, his favorite wife and the only person he had ever loved but was a royal relative of the previous regime, his mother-in-law Alexandra, and three sons – two by Mariamne and a stepbrother who plotted against the two. The Jews saw in him only a usurper of the throne of David, the biggest grave robber there was. He did not even spare the grave of King David, robbing it and other cherished national treasures. He was so blood-thirsty that Augustus said, “I would rather be Herod's hog than his son.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia) He died in 4 BC, shortly after he ordered the “massacre of the innocents.”

Another thing the magi had to entertain was the counsel of the chief priests and the teachers of the law. If you contrast Micah’s prophesy with their reply, you will find that they have added their own opinion to humiliate Herod and the magi:
“ruler…of my people Israel.” (Matt 2:6)
“ruler over Israel” (Mic 5:2)
What did they add? My people. Israel’s leaders were not willing to share their Messiah, not with the Edomite king or the Gentile magi. Consider the two words added to spike and poke them. How sad for the magi to hear those words, wise men such as them could not to fail to parse the words or notice the slight.
The chief priests and teachers were frosty as ice and cold as night, bitter and touchy and possessive, even though they have no real interest in who, where and when the Messiah was born. Israel’s Shepherd was born but the sheep was not following, benefiting other sheep that were not of the sheep pen instead. (John 10:16) The chief priests and the teachers of the law quoted Scripture, the place and the Name, but they did not bother to look.

Spend Time to Worship God’s Son
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matt 2:7-12)

A 2007 National Christmas Tree Association poll of 1,001 U.S. households reveals how people spend Christmas:
Religious reflection – 22%
Giving to the poor – 41%
Decorating the house – 61%
Sending Christmas card – 65%
Exchanging gifts – 79% (USA Today 12/17/07)

While exchanging gifts may be popular, many people complain of the fruitcake, re-gifts and other unwanted gifts. The worst Christmas gift I read of was a boyfriend’s gift of a Thigh Master to his girlfriend!

The word Christmas comes from two words, “Christ” and “mas,” the old Latin word the Roman Catholic used to describe their worship. So Christmas is the worship of Jesus Christ. Again, the emphasis in the text is that they were overjoyed (v 10) when they bowed down and worshiped him (v 11). You will not find a more joyous group in the Bible. The first record of the word “joy” in the New Testament is associated with the magi’s joy over Jesus’ birth. Previously, the angel’s announcement to the shepherds was “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10) The angel’s pronouncement of joy was the first “great joy” statement in the Bible, followed by the magi’s “great joy” in Greek, but with more spunk and another word after “joy” and “great” – “exceeding.” The KJV translation is “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (reverse in Greek: chara megas sphodra)” and NASB is “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Adding the noun “joy” to the verb “rejoice” is rare and unique, the only time ever. The equation of “rejoice with joy” is odd enough, never mind “rejoice with great joy” and “rejoice with exceeding great joy.” JOY, it’s been said, means “Jesus, Others, Yourself.” Joy is the most frequent theme in the Christmas narratives of the first two chapters of Matthew and Luke, rivaling the three times for “peace” (Lk 1:79, 2:14, 2:29) and “glory” (Lk 2:9, 14, 32) with five, three times for the traditonal “chara” (Lk 1:14, 2:10, Mt 2:10) and twice for “agalliasis” (Luke 1:14, 44).

Notice the magi’s Christmas was a joyous one because they desired nothing in return for their gifts. They were not there to ask for a lottery number, a stock tip or a marriage partner. Gold deserves mention and attention because it is universal, the first gift they offered to Jesus. Investing in gold is nothing short of a sure thing. I remember preaching about the magi in the early 90s when gold was $300 an oz and in 2005 when it was about $500. Do you know how much gold is worth in 2007? If I have known my preaching would cause the price of gold to soar, I would have been a millionaire. Gold plunged to $260 in 1999, but surged above $800 an ounce in 2007 and on Nov. 7 briefly touched $845.50 a troy ounce of gold bullion - a 28-year high. The metal’s market price has risen every year since 2000, trouncing the U.S. stock market in that period, rocketing 190%, compared with a 26% total return for the Standard & Poor's 500 index.
The magi offered their best, the most expensive and precious gift, the best of the best to the Lord.

Conclusion: Have you lost the joy of Christmas? Are you a selfish and miserly Scrooge to God this time of the year? Is your joy found in and bound to presents, or in the presence, the person and the provision of Christ? Do you take time and make time to renew your commitment to thank Him, worship and serve Him not just for the season but for the whole year through?

Christmas, Pt. 9: "I'm Dreaming of a Wise Christmas"

2009-02-18T07:44:00.001-08:00

I’M DREAMING OF A WISE CHRISTMAS (MATTHEW 2:1-18)
I look with amusement once at Christmas e-cards prominently displayed on websites. The most frequent themes and images on the cards are Santa Claus, Snowmen, Christmas trees, stockings, reindeers, penguins, polar bears, candles, angels, tree decorations and the three kings. The nativity scene appears in one of twelve cards on Blue Mountain’s Christmas page, none of twelve in Yahoo and none in twelve on American Greetings, too.

2005 is the year inflatable Christmas decorations come of age. The inflatable decorations I have seen around my neighborhood include Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Snowman, Santa, Reindeers, Polar Bear, Penguin, the Grinch and the eye-catching Inflatable Snow Globes. One year I counted 50 or more homes with Christmas lawn displays but only 2 with the nativity scene.

Freezing Christ out of Christmas is a culture war, a liberal bias and a left-wing agenda no one likes to admit. Celebrating Christmas in a worldly manner is not a biblical option. Celebrating it in a wisely manner is the alternative.

How did the magi or wise men celebrate Christmas? What do the wise today need to know about the Christ of Christmas past and present? What did Christ bring at His coming and what did the wise men offer in return?

Wisdom is in the Going, not in the Guessing
2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matt 2:1-2)

One year I received this forwarded e-mail from my wife around Christmas time:
Why Jesus is Better Than Santa Claus
*Santa lives at the North Pole... JESUS is everywhere.
*Santa rides in a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
*Santa comes but once a year... JESUS is an ever-present help.
*Santa fills your stockings with goodies... JESUS supplies all your needs.
*You have to wait in line to see Santa... JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
*Santa lets you sit on his lap... JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
*Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is “Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?”... JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our head.
*Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly... JESUS has a heart full of love.
*All Santa can offer is HO HO HO... JESUS offers health, help and hope.
*Santa says “You better not cry”... JESUS says “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.”
*Santa's little helpers make toys... JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
*Santa may make you chuckle but...JESUS gives you a joy that is your strength.
*While Santa puts gifts under your tree... JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

The wise men who paid homage to Christ at his birth were missionaries, evangelists, scholars, philosophers, sages, dreamers and seekers. The wise men were not wise for nothing. They were wise because they made the move, acted in faith and sought the child. Out in the east most people did not notice a star. Other stargazers were most happy to catch the sight but buried the thought and nixed the idea of pursuing further. The wise men not only saw the star but they sought the king. The idea of making the trip was so inconceivable and inconvenient for simple folks and ordinary people but not for the wisest of the wise, who decided that this was the adventure and the opportunity of a lifetime not to be missed. So they crossed deserts, braved storms and suffer winds to see the sight. The conventional idea of the star forcing them to go and leading them to Jerusalem is foreign to the text and nothing further from the truth. The star did not act like a tour guide until after they arrived in Jerusalem, in verse 9. That was why they ended in Jerusalem and not Bethlehem to stop for advice and directions in the first place.

The magi were wise not only in asking for directions and advice, but that they knew the identity of the child. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the wise men did not ask “What child is this?” but calmly asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him” (v 2). The reason for their appearance in Jerusalem caught everyone by surprise. The foreigners knew something the locals did not – the birth of the King of the Jews. The “King of the Jews” was the designation Jesus had no problem with accepting and embracing in his birth, life and death. Matthew, Mark and Luke all recorded Jesus’ exchange with Pilate who asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” The suspense was whether Jesus would deny the designation to save himself. However, Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say,” (Mark 15:2, Matt 27:11, Luke 23:3).

Jesus was not any mere King; he was King of the Jews. He was not only King of the Jews; he was “born” King of the Jews, not appointed or voted king of the Jews. It had Messianic implications for the author Matthew. The first and only person recorded as “king” by the author Matthew so far in the book, especially in the genealogy of kings, was King David (Matt 1:6). Not even the other kings of Judah were called king in Matthew chapter one’s genealogy, including Solomon. They were known by their given or birth name. All kings, including King David, were enthroned as youth or adults. Another king, the wannabe and impostor king Herod, was disqualified because he was a Gentile king. However, Jesus was the perfect fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus was not only Jewish; Matthew traced his ancestry to King David, which was critical to fulfillment of Messianic biblical prophecies. David was the past king and Herod the present king, but Jesus was the permanent king because He was the One born King. He did not buy his title, succeed his father or usurp the throne.

In a sharp encounter with Pilate, Jesus claimed, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37). But what kind of king was Jesus? Not the secular kind or of earthly dominion. Jesus explained, “The kings of the earth collect duty and taxes-from their own sons or from others” (Matt 17:25) and “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them” (Lk 22:25), but he clarified when he was arrested: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

The title “King of the Jews” was just the right title for him. He is King of a people, not a state or government. It is not political or regional, but divine and eternal. He is the Messiah, the anointed One (Ps 2:2), the seed of Abraham (Gen 22:18), the son of God (Ps 2:7), the Son of Man (Dan 7:13), God’s Servant, the Chosen one (Isa 42:1), the Branch (Zech 3:8, 6:12), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6).

Wisdom is in the Greeting, not in the Gazing
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matt 2:9-10)

I was at the sheriff’s station three days before Christmas to pay for my expired driver’s license ticket, which I was not aware of until I was stopped. The workers there were friendly and we had a good conversation. As I left the place after conducting business, the sheriff said as I was departing: “Happy Holidays.” I instinctively replied, “Merry Christmas.” She laughed at my Christmas rectification and reminder, chuckling as she corrected herself, “That’s right. Thank you.”

Christmas is the joyous celebration of the birth of Christ, who brings great joy to all (v 10). It is the greatest joy. The angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people (Luke 2:10). There are three great joys in the Bible, according to the Greek text: the news of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:10), His resurrection (Matt 28:8) and the Gentiles’ conversion (Acts 15:3).

Unlike the shepherds, the magi’s response was not just joy or great joy, but the Greek version “exceeding great joy,” or “overjoyed” in verse 10. Other noteworthy instances of great joy in the Bible include the Israelites’ response at Solomon’s enthronement and Hezekiah’s revival (1 Kings 1:40, 2 Chron 30:21), the exile returnees’ dedication of the Jerusalem wall (Neh 12:43) and John the Baptist’s great joy at witnessing to Jesus (John 3:29). The wise men, however, were more than joyous and more than just excited and enthusiastic; they were ecstatic, euphoric and exhilarated, rubbing their eyes at the star that dramatically applied the brakes, pinching themselves to see if it was real and prancing around pretty much like kids. They could not believe their eyes and the sight, the light at the end of the tunnel and the treasure at the end of the rainbow. The magi had come from a long way and followed for a long time, but at the culmination of the adventure they were especially overjoyed. But they were not there for sight-seeing or star-gazing; they were there to greet the king.

The book of Matthew is the gospel of worship. The same Greek word for “worship” in other gospels pales in comparison with the gospel of Matthew. The other gospels record only one instance Jesus was worshipped. In Mark only the demon-possessed man worshipped Jesus (Mark 5:6), in Luke only the disciples worshipped the Risen Jesus (Lk 24:52) and in John only the blind man Jesus healed (John 9:38) worshipped Him, but in Matthew the people who worshipped Jesus were three times the sum of all worshipping events in Mark, Luke and John. The ones worshipping Jesus in Matthew included the wise men (Matt 2:2, 11), the man with leprosy (Matt 8:2), the ruler whose daughter has just died (Matt 9:18), the disciples caught in a storm (Matt 14:33), a Canaanite whose daughter was demon-possessed (Matt 15:25), the mother of Zebedee's sons who asked for a favor (Matt 20:20) and two more times, the disciples worshipping the Risen Lord (Matt 28:9, 17).

The wise men were not there to catch a glimpse of the baby or take a peek at divinity. From the very beginning they announced to the locals (v 2) that their intent was to worship Him. The moment the magi entered the child’s presence, their first reaction was not to take a picture of the child but to bow in worship to the child. They were not there to cuddle the baby, hold a party or become the news. The only thing missing so far at Jesus’ birth was worship, which the magi were happy to supply or provide.

Wisdom is in the Giving, not in the Getting
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. (Matt 2:11)

A 91-year old grandma wrote:
“For Christmas, I don't want another crystal bud vase, a sausage and cheese tray, another music box to find a place for, a silk nightgown, perfumed soap, a fancy bed jacket, dusting powder or a bird feeder.

What do I want? I have told you before what I really want for Christmas but I never got it.

I want you to give me a few hours. Take me and my cumbersome wheelchair to the mall so I can see the lights and hear the music. I would also like to be driven around town to see the decorations - then maybe stop for hot cocoa.

I would like a book of postage stamps, a writing tablet with lines and some plain envelopes. I would appreciate a ballpoint pen that works, and some telephone coupons so I can make a few telephone calls to people I would probably never see again.

I would also appreciate a visit from you and other family members - especially my grandchildren, who call and say: ‘Hi, Grandma. How are you? I love you. Gotta go. See you later. Bye!’

I would like someone to offer to pay my heating bill for one month.

And I sure wish someone would come here and test my smoke alarm.

I dearly love all of you; that's why I can tell you what I really want for Christmas.” (Dear Abby 11/2/94)

In the end, the magi or wise men did more than worship – they “bowed down” and worshiped him (v 11). Bowing down and worship is more significant than just worship. The devil tempted Jesus with the promise of the kingdoms of the world and their splendor (Matt 4:8-9) if He would bow down and worship the devil. The servant in a parable who owed ten thousand talents “fell on his knees” (Matt 18:26) and the twenty-four elders, the four beasts and the author John “bowed” and worshipped in Revelation (Rev 5:14, 19:4, 10).

The magi brought to Jesus and his family timely, quantity and quality gifts. The gospel of Luke hints to readers that the family was a poor family and of humble origins. The baby was born in a manger and he was wrapped in strips of cloth (Luke 2:7-8). His parents offered a pair of doves or two young pigeons at his birth
(Luke 2:24).

The magi took a lot of risks to see the King. Already Jesus had the poor shepherds visiting him. The wise men, however, brought gold with them, overcoming the fear of thieves, bandits or thugs along the way. In those days, people took with them cash and not personal check, credit card or cashier’s check. A heavily accented foreigner with gold on him or her was an easy prey too good to be true. A small group of foreigners was no security at all.

Gold was the most prized and costly material possession at that time, and probably even now too. The price of gold crossed $500 an ounce in 2005 and past $1,000 a troy ounce on March 13, 2008. Gold is not only a valuable commodity, but a rare and precious find. 80 percent or more of the gold mined today are used for jewelry, which topped $38 billion in 2005, according to the World Gold Council, the industry trade group. For that ounce of gold, miners dig up and haul away 30 tons of rock. At some mines in Nevada, 100 tons or more of earth have to be excavated for a single ounce of gold, said Ann Maest, a geochemist who consults on mining issues. Before they are through, miners at some of the largest mines move a half million tons of earth a day. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the cost of cleaning up metal mines in a year could reach $54 billion. The United States, the world's second-largest consumer of gold behind India, is also the world's largest holder of gold reserves. (Behind Gold's Glitter: Torn Lands and Pointed Questions,” New York Times 10/24/05).

A global commodities strategist (Bart Melek) says, “Gold has longevity. It doesn’t go bad. It’s hard to replicate.” (“The Price of Gold Roars Past $1,000 as Investors Flock to a Classic Refuge,” New York Times 3/14/2008)

The magi brought excellent gifts, not offered loans or leftovers. They did not hesitate or think for a moment, “Why does a baby need so much gold?” “Are you sure the child, and not the parents, is the real beneficiary?’

Frankincense, on the other hand, is integral to worship and offerings. It is holy to the Lord (Ex 30:34-37), an aroma pleasing to the LORD when used as grain offering (Lev 2:1-2, 6:15). Because it is holy, frankincense is forbidden for use in sin offering (Lev 5:11-12, Num 5:15). Isaiah 60:6 predicted a glorious day when herds of camels will cover the land and young camels of Midian and Ephah and all from Sheba will come bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.

Myrrh, while used to anoint the vessels and articles in the temple (Ex 30:23-29) and is used for embalming (John 19:39-40), is more associated with beauty and love. In Esther’s time and case, she, like other girls, had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics, before she could go see or meet the king (Est. 2:12). In Proverbs (Prov 7:17) and specifically the Song of Solomon, myrrh is essential to lovers meeting (Song 1:13, 4:6-7, 4:13-14, 5:1, 5:5, 5:13).

Conclusion: Are you celebrating a white Christmas or a wise Christmas? Jesus is worthy of our worship. He is God became man; He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor (2 Cor 8:9), exchanging His majesty and magnificence for meekness and mortality, His supremacy and sovereignty for scorn and sufferings, His divinity and dominion for danger and death. One day Jesus the King will come again this time no longer humbly riding on a donkey (Matt. 21:5). He will claim His throne, His kingdom and His people. As described in Psalms, He is the King of glory (Ps 24:7), the great King of all the earth (Ps 47:2, 7, 48:2), the great King above all gods (Ps 95:3). One day He will fully reveal Himself, just as the prophets declared, as Jacob and Israel's King (Isa 41:21, 44:6), King of the nations (Jer 10:7), the LORD Almighty King (Isa 6:5, Jer 46:18, 48:15, 51:57, Zech 14:17). Finally, He will come to judge as in Revelation’s the King of the ages (Rev 15:3) the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15, Rev 17:14, 19:16), whether you receive or like Him or not! Have you lost the joy of and reason for Christmas? Won’t you worship Him on bended knees and welcome Him into your heart right now?

Christmas, Pt. 10: "The Word Became Flesh"

2009-02-18T07:43:00.004-08:00

THE WORD BECAME FLESH (JOHN 1:14)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

According to Forbes magazine, Christmas shoppers will shell out an average of $607.01 on gifts this year (2006) - $454 on presents for their family, $86.13 on their friends and $22.29 on coworkers. I heard on Chinese radio they spend half as much in Hong Kong and China.

According to the Greeting Card Association, the U.S. Postal Service will deliver some 2 billion cards this Christmas. The average household will spend $47.14 on decorations and send some 26 Christmas cards. And as for the senders, BIGresearch estimates they'll spend $30.77 each cards alone, an average of $19.11 on flowers and $91.83 on food for Christmas. Americans plan to buy 31 million real Christmas trees, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. Some 40% of celebrators are hoping for some sort of electronic gadget this Christmas. www.forbes.com/2006/12/04/christmas-spending-breakdown-biz_cx_lr_1205christmas_slide_2.html?partner=msnbc

But even with the increased options, Deloitte says 24% of celebrators still don't think they'll get what they want come Christmas morning.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2006-12-05-forbes-shopping_x.htm

I won’t blame you if you fall to sleep reading John’s stripped-down version of Christmas. It has no stars dancing in the heavens, no camels galloping across the desert, no magi hiding gold in a trunk, no shepherds huddling together in glee, no cows lowing in the barn, no loving parents to hold a cute baby, and no mad king to plot the child’s destruction.

How does one celebrate Christmas without the parties, presents and pageantry? What does Christmas mean without the malls, the meals and the music?

Experience the Riches of the Poverty of Christ
Enjoying the riches of life has nothing or little to do with money. When we were little, we crowded excitedly outside our neighbor’s steel gates to catch a glimpse of the most popular kid’s show then – Ultraman. Other things that thrilled kids back then were playing soccer, reading comics, playing marbles, spinning tops and collecting cards.

Up to elementary school, my brother, my sister and I, who are all 15 months apart, shared a bed. Some of the sweetest and richest memories include my grandmother ordering coffee and pouring half of it on the saucer for me to sip, cracking a raw egg over steaming rice and adding soy sauce on it for dinner. A 50 cents piece of ma-you fish, beef and milk for my birthday treat made me feel like a million bucks.

Today I live my life the same way, understanding the value of money, stretching my dollar’s worth and giving the Chao-zhous a run for the money. If Gillette shaving cream is $1.69 and Colgate is $1.29, then I’ll choose the no-foam, no-cap and no-frills 99 cents Barbasol! Once I bought two bottles of VO5 shampoo on sale at 77 cents each! In fact, my shaving cream, my hair gel, and my VO5 shampoo are a dollar’s worth, even though my wife swears that my hair will coarsen, gray or even rot. I never pay $5 to rent a DVD from Blockbuster when I pay $1 in Ontario Library or nothing in Norco Library. We eat whatever vegetables, fruits and meat that are on sale. My van mileage is close to 200,000 miles after seven years. We eat out once a week and have literally tried all good restaurants tried but still we scratch our heads thinking what is worth the travel, the hassle and the price. My wife’s classic statement: “You are stingy and I am thrifty.”

“The word of God” is exclusive to Jesus, a phrase referring to Jesus not used in any book except John. “Flesh” (v 14) has its figurative and literal meaning. Figuratively, it represents the weak, lowly and fallen nature of man. Literally, it means the physical, human and bodily form. In this passage, it means the latter.

Jesus became an average person born to an ordinary family and he lived as a commoner. The divine word of God became human flesh and chose the simple life, some say the hard way. He was raised in a humble, lowly and even poor home and family. His parents could only afford a pair of doves or two young pigeons when the time of their purification came (Luke 2:22-24). Leviticus 12:7-8 says, “These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.”

Jesus’ home was not filled with luxury, but filled with love. If you think He only cared about himself and had no hardship, you are never more wrong. Have you ever given thought to why Jesus’ public ministry began so late in his life? Jesus had a family life; he had parents and siblings. Scholars believe that Joseph had died by the time Jesus began His ministry. As the eldest son he had the heaviest responsibility to provide for his family. Because my brother was a big bully, when I was young I resented being the youngest. Now I know being the youngest was a picnic in the park and being the eldest was a pain in the neck. When I see Jesus, I see him as one who did not choose the easy way out. Mark 6:3 says he was a carpenter by trade and he had four brothers - James, Joseph, Simon and Judas – and at least two sisters (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55-56). He did not begin His ministry until he was 30, enough time for the siblings to be independent, not leaving his mother all the work.

I am like Jesus. I am the son of a carpenter, at least that’s what my birth certificate says. Carpenters do not make much – my father could not make a living out of carpentry; handymen have it made today. One charged $145 for repairing my a/c unit and another charged $125 for the toilet bowl – all in a hour’s work! Jesus’ life was not about loving life and living life to the fullest but loving God and people and living life for a purpose. Matthew Henry says, “He was really and truly man, but that he subjected himself to the miseries and calamities of the human nature.”

The word “dwelling” (skenoo) means “tent” or “encamp,” to reside as God did in the Tabernacle of old. This word will not be used again until Revelation, where it says that in the last days God will “spread his tent” over those who serve him day and night in his temple (Rev 7:15). This is the word for people “dwelling” in heaven, not “living” in heaven (Rev 12:12, 13:6), and for God’s dwelling with men (Rev 21:3). Seeing Jesus was experiencing God’s riches, beauty and majesty He intended for men.

Experience the Riches in the Person of Christ
One of the biggest Christmas secrets was revealed (in 2006) before the tabloids had a chance. For 26 years an anonymous man handed out $1.3 million to needy people. Successful 58-year old businessman, Larry Stewart, admitted only his family and a few close friends knew the truth.

Stewart was a 23-year old door-to-door salesman who ran out of money when his company went out of business. He hadn't eaten for almost two days when he went to a diner, ordered a big breakfast and then pretended he had lost his wallet.
The owner, waiter and cook Ted Horn picked up a $20 bill off the floor and said, “Son, you must have dropped this.” Stewart says, “I said to myself, ‘Thank you, Lord.’” After he left town, it dawned on him: Nobody had dropped the money, but the owner didn’t want to embarrass him. Right then, he made a promise and said, “Lord, if you ever put me in a position to help other people, I will do it.”

Eventually Stewart moved to Kansas City, where he made money first in cable television, then with his own long-distance telephone company. He sometimes asks social service agencies, police officers and firefighters for help and gives the victims $1,000 or more. In December 1999, Stewart tracked down Horn in Tupelo, Miss., and gave him a bank envelope with $10,000 in it. Horn, 88, says: “It's an amazing story. He's the best. He's a Christian man. He enjoys giving away that money.” Tom Phillips, the sheriff of Jackson County, Mo., who has been accompanying Stewart on his holiday rounds for 17 years, agrees. “The best part about Larry is, he is giving from his heart. He is doing it to see the smiles on people's faces.” Not only did he give $100,000 away for 2006 Christmas, he worked with four newly trained Secret Santas to hand out $75,000 of their own money.

The riches of Christ could easily escape the human eye. His riches were found in the person, not the money he never gave. The simplest man on earth lived a glorious life. The word “glory” aptly describes his life. Do you know the noun “glory” (doxa) occurs more than the nouns “love” (agape) and “power” (dunamis). The Greek noun for glory occurs 163 times, agape 117 times, and power 116 times.

There are three superlatives concerning Jesus’ glory we should know for a richer life. When he was born the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14), which was also echoed by the crowd in Jerusalem that sang, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). The Greek word for “highest” (hupsistos) is derived from the word “skies” (hupsos) or “heavens.” It means that the sky is the limit for God’s glory. Further, the word “skies” (hupsos) is derived from the word “huper,” which means “hyper” or “over” or “above” in English.

Here in John’s gospel, John describes Jesus’ glory as “the glory of the One and Only,” the same Greek words for John 3:16. What is “One and Only” in Greek? Mono-genes means one (mono) in becoming (ginomai). This word occurs nine times in the Bible, six times referring to Christ and three times referring to biblical characters whose “only child” was dead, dying or demon-possessed (Luke 7:12, 8:42, 9:38). In that context, the “one and only” means the singular, particular, unique, special and eligible representation, and not for speculating how many “children” God has, but to underscore there is no other. He gave us the greatest gift of Christmas – Himself, in all His glory, grace and truth.

Finally, when He returns to judge the earth, all the nations of the earth will mourn, because they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and “great glory” (Matt 24:30-31, Luke 21:27), not just “glory.” He will then fully reveal Himself as Lord of glory (1 Cor 2:8), as He truly is. If he had come in his great glory the first time, we would not be able to withstand his glory. The Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses that reflect God’s glory (2 Cor 3:7), how then could they withstand the real thing?

Experience the Riches of the Principles of Christ
I have made a synonym for CHRISTMAS; it stands for Christ - not cards, hope - not holidays, rejoicing - not revelry, Incarnation –not the Immaculate Conception, salvation - not Santa, thanksgiving - not turkey, meditation - not merchandise, adoration – not activities, sharing - not shopping.

Most of all, Christmas is about Christ, not when He came but why He came, what He did and how He lived. Jesus was a principled man, but his principles were summed up in two words: grace and truth. Jesus is all about grace and truth. He is not about grace per se, he is about truth, too. They are both indispensable parts of the equation. Without grace, truth is merciless, ruthless, and unfeeling. Without truth, grace is spineless, sentimental and syrupy.

Why truth? Truth is the foundation and pillar of John’s gospel. Matthew speaks of truth once, Mark and Luke three times, but John the philosopher speaks of truth 25 times in his gospel. In John’s gospel, not only did Jesus give the truth (John 1:17) and speak the truth (John 17:17), He is the truth (John 14:6) that could set people free (John 8:32), but truth was hard to accept (John 8:45) because the devil hates the truth (John 8:44).

“Grace” is found eight times in Luke and four times in John, but none in Matthew and Mark. Grace finds its fruition in Paul, who mentions it 102 times in his epistles.

In His grace, He came to us to experience the world as we do. He saw human suffering in all its form, almost becoming a victim of Herod himself. He did not consider coming or life meaningless and boring; life meant so much for Him because He came with and for a purpose. Jesus said in John 6:38-40: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life.”

With that in mind, Jesus willingly took on Himself the limitations, the frailties and infirmities of life. He experienced temptation, suffering, abandonment, rejection, pain. The book of Hebrews give us a better perspective and better understanding in to his suffering and its relevance to us, highlighting three words – his suffering, temptation and weakness. Hebrews 2:18 says, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” and Hebrews 4:15 records, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.” Finally, 1 Peter 2:21 notes, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

Conclusion: Christmas is about duty, responsibility and caring. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Are you too focused on the fun, the feast and the festivities at year’s end? Is your Christmas about Christ, the meaning and significance of His birth, His life and His death? Are you experiencing His glory, gladness, goodness, and grace this time of the season?

Worship: Don't Leave Church Without It (Luke 2:39-52)

2009-02-18T07:43:00.003-08:00

WORSHIP: DON'T LEAVE CHURCH WITHOUT IT (LUKE 2:39-52)
I was a teenager when the Billy Graham crusade came to Singapore in 1978. The older leaders and advisers to the young people drove seven hours, taking us students in several cars across the border to attend the event. We were ecstatic. For many of us, it was the first time entering the country. We had to obtain our passport, get parents’ permission and sleep in churches to save money.

Thousands and thousands of people turned out on the opening night. We were told to stick to one another. At the end of the first night, like other attendees, we left the stadium hurriedly and returned to our host church around 10 p.m. The excitement, joy and chattiness of the 30 or so boys and girls that night was shattered when someone asked, “Where is Lee? Did anybody see him? Whose car was he in?” Lee was only 14, the youngest in the group and everybody’s favorite mascot.

There was no way in the world the leaders could return to fight stadium traffic. Further, they did not know Singapore well enough, so notifying the authorities was a real possibility. We were worried for Lee, for the leaders and the church. An hour or so later, Lee burst into the scene and all our fears were gone.

I interrogated him, “Where did you go?” but Lee was defiant, “You have the nerve to ask, of all people你還好講! I kept my eyes on your shoes, your pants and your every stride in the mad rush of the crowd. I was sure that I could not go wrong. After following you for a while, I looked up and noticed it was not you! I was behind the wrong person. So I sat on the curb until a taxi driver pitied me and offered me a free ride.” At least he was smart enough to remember our foreign residence!

When Jesus was 12 years old, a puzzling, an inconceivable and an unexplainable thing happened. His parents looked in vain for him on the way home to Nazareth from Jerusalem. How could it happen? Losing your kid in the mall? Forgetting where you parked your car? Leaving your house with water boiling on the stove? It happens more often than you think.

Have you ever lost your way or lost the Lord on the way to church? How about to fellowship and in service? How can we guard ourselves from a fruitless, an unproductive and a wasted time of worship at church?

Worship is a Growing Relationship: Look to Him
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. (Lk 2:39-43)

A typical American family was driving home from church one Sunday. Dad was fussing about the sermon being too long and sort of boring. Mom said she thought the organist played too loudly during the second hymn they sang. Sister, who was a music major in college, said she thought the soloist sang about a half note off key during most of her song. Grandma said she couldn't hear very well - since they were sitting toward the back.

As the family pulled in the driveway, little Willie, who had listened to all of this, started to fuss about the woman who sat in front of him with that big hat. Then he paused, nudged his dad, and said, “But, Dad, you gotta admit, it was a pretty good show for a nickel!” (Charles Swindoll, Growing Deeper)

What is worship? How do you know you have been to worship and not merely been to church? The word “worship” is derived from the word “worth-ship,” suggesting that God alone is worthy and deserving of our worship and praise.

Worship is a growing and genuine relationship, not a stagnant or stale one. It comes with a response. A worshipper is an active participant, not a passive observer. When worship is not a growing experience, it becomes a ritual, an exercise, a routine.

Like many worshippers today, Joseph and Mary, sincere, simple and spiritual as they were, made the fundamental mistake in worship: they lost the Lord! They lost touch with Jesus, lost sight and lost track of Him. Their eyes were fixed on other things such as the rituals in religion, the throng of people, the priests at work, the activities, the festivities and all that jazz. Their eyes wandered off the center to the sideshow, majoring in the minor, substituting the essentials for the non-essentials. They had fun but not focus, and they were at attendance but not at attention.

Joseph and Mary were not irreligious or irresponsible; they were merely distracted. It can happen to us because it happened to one of the nicest and sweetest couples in the Bible. Joseph was a righteous man (Matt 1:19) and Mary was highly favored! (Luke 1:28) After all, they had not done anything wrong, which is precisely the problem with churchgoers who come to church merely out of duty, obligation and routine. They had performed everything according to the law at Jesus' dedication (2:39) and visited the temple at Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover (2:41). For all their attention to detail, it all fell apart on a trip to Jerusalem. Again, they were there according to the custom of the feast (2:42) and had spent the full number of days there (2:43). Still, they lost Jesus.

Jesus did not do his parents a favor, too. My wife asked me why Jesus did not tell his parents where he was. It was not the 12-year old youngster’s responsibility to find them, but it was theirs to find Him. Further, he did not stray from where he was; they did. Of course, He did not hide from them, nor did he mean to test, tease or torture them.

The problem was in verse 44 - “thinking” or “suppose” in Greek. The gospels record five occurrences of this word, of which this word is its first. A lot of people seem to make needless suppositions and wild guesses of who Jesus was and why he came. When Jesus began his ministry at about thirty years old, people “thought” he was the son of Joseph (Luke 3:23). Jesus warns, “Do not ‘think’ that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt 5:17) and “Do not ‘suppose’ that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt 10:34). In Jesus’ parable of the laborers in the vineyard, those who were hired first ‘expected’ to receive more, but each one of them also received a denarius (Matt 20:10).

The suppositions never end. They guessed he was in the company of travelers (v 44), “joint-journeymen/-travelers” (sun-odia) in Greek, the acquaintances, maybe people from the same caravan, community or city. Failing to find him there, they were sure to find him among relatives and friends (2:44), but he was not among family members, work colleagues or neighborhood buddies. Friends are people who know Jesus personally, maybe youth his age, his playmates. The problem is not that they never tried seeking him - they looked hard and they searched far and wide – for three long days (v 46). The Greek word is ana-zeteo (looking) – seek out. The problem was losing him, missing and neglecting him in the first place.

Worship is a Knowing Relationship– Learn from Him
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Lk 2:44-47)

Ronald Reagan had a classic answer for reporters who relentlessly asked him at the height of his success, “Why did you leave your former political party (Democratic Party)?” How did Reagan respond? At the 1988 Republican National Convention he gave this never-to-be-forgotten statement that is included in Reagan lore. He remarked, “That party changed - and it will never be the same. They left me; I didn't leave them.”
http://www.reagansheritage.org/html/reagan_rnc_88.shtml

Here are some quotes on worship:
“Ignorant worship is like throwing darts at a bull’s eye while blindfolded--sure you might hit the mark but more than likely you will do a lot of damage.” (Grady Scott)
People “assume worship is like watching a movie; it’s something I critique afterward.” (John Ortberg)
Robert Webber says that worship is not “something done to us or for us, but by us.”
“Worship is not like going to a self-help group or a therapy session.”
“Worship is not for some pragmatic or utilitarian purpose.”
“Worship is not about you or me, it is about God.”
“Worship is not a spectator sport, it is not entertainment.”
“Worship is not a fad. It’s a genuine movement of God to bring us closer to Him.”
“True worship is the adoring response of all that the believer is - mind, emotions, will and body - to all that God is and says and does.” (Warren Wiersbe)

The second element in worship is the communion and interaction of worshippers with the Creator. Worship is a knowing relationship. It is not a dumb-down session, a time of fun to empty the mind, but a time to know God better, fuller and richer.

Many churches put the pastor’s outlines on the bulletin or on power-point because they want churchgoers to be participants and not mere parishioners, worshippers and not well-wishers. Christian worship is not meaningless repetition of “Hare Rama, Hare Krishna” and other pointless Eastern chants. Christian worship is meant to be informative, instructional and interaction-al. It permeates one’s mind, involves one’s thinking and challenges one’s intellect. The problem is that we hear plenty of sermons, know the Bible well and can even predict the next point. This is where we are in trouble.

When Jesus’ parents realized Jesus was not in the company of travelers, relatives and friends, they frantically returned to the scene and spot of the last sighting of the missing child. Well, at least Joseph and Mary had the sense to turn back. Jesus was not hard to find. No apologies to people who are sick in their stomach of church and fellowship, maybe the hypocrisy or conflicts, but where do you think Jesus was found? The place you lose Him in the first place is the place to find Him. It seems that the church is the likely place to lose people, yet is the same place to find Jesus.

Even when they returned to Jerusalem (v 45), the parents still could not figure out where Jesus was. How long did it take them to find him in the city or downtown? No less time than the search among acquaintances, family and friends. Only on the third day they found him because it never occurred to them or crossed their mind that the temple was the place to look. They would be arrested, prosecuted and jailed today!

Sadly, the temple was the last place to look and the first place to dismiss or overlook. We knock our churches because of its lack of facilities, programs and staff, but worship is very basic. Look at Jesus. He has no company but his dialogue with the teachers. Unfortunately, the church is in every corner of the street but not in the corner of one’s heart and mind, never mind the center. Prominent, but most taken for granted.

Note the purpose Jesus was there. What was he doing there? Listening and asking (v 46). I notice that people from the East are poor in asking questions, but people in the West are poor in listening.

By the age of twelve, Jesus was keenly aware of His unique relationship with the Father and the need to build a personal relationship with God and to draw near to God in worship. God is not a stranger, but His father (v 49).

Jesus was sitting comfortably among older adults, between learned people, challenging teachers and students of the law, hearing, listening and understanding what was said and conveyed. He was asking them questions, having a conversation, fellowshipping with them, drawing their understanding and increasing their comprehension. He was having a blast, the time of his life.

The teachers of the law were amazed or astonished (v 47) but not offended or insulted at the interrogation and cross-examination from someone as young as him. “Understanding” (v 47) is also translated as “intelligence” (1 Cor 1:19) and insight (2 Tim 2:7) in the Bible. In answering, one has to speak up, not necessarily speak out. It is not a desire to be heard but a desire to hear, to study, listen and learn.

Worship is a Showing Relationship: Live for Him
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:48-52)

There was a story about two men who met on the street. One said to the other, “Have you heard about Harry? He embezzled the company out of half a million dollars.” The other man said, “That's terrible; I never did trust Harry.”

The first man said, “Not only that, he left town and he took Tom's wife with him.” The other man said, “That's awful; Harry has always been a ne'er do well.”

The first man said, “Not only that, he stole a car to make his getaway.” The other man said, “That's scandalous; I always did think Harry had a bad streak in him.”

The first man said, “Not only that, they think he was drunk when he pulled out of town.” The other man said, “Harry's no good. But what really bothers me is, who's going to teach his Sunday School Class this week?”

Finally, the outcome of worship is a showing relationship. Its outcome is transparency, trustworthiness and testimony. Jesus' subjection to his parents is a natural part of worship. Some criticized Jesus' response to his mom (v 49). I disagree. Jesus' questions were not designed to embarrass. His answer was a reminder of His nature, his place and his mission – who He is, where He belongs and what He loves doing. These critics fail to see verse 51: “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” Jesus is never arrogant. He obeyed and respected his parents, never considered them uninformed, old-fashioned or grumpy old people – the same “obey” word describes wives’ submitting to their husbands (Eph 5:22) and young men to those who are older.
(1 Peter 5:5)

What is this showing relationship? Verse 52 reveals that it includes mental, physical, spiritual and social growth. Jesus is not a nerd or a jock. His growth is rounded and holistic. Biblical wisdom is more than mere knowledge and insight; it is practical lifestyle, common sense and skilled application. “Stature” is age and maturity, not just physical and bodily growth, but personal and mental development. It is the same word for the blind man who is “of age” to speak for himself (John 9:21, 23) and the church’s need to measure up to the “whole” or “stature” of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13).

The final word used - “favor” - is grace (charis) before God and man. The phrase “Enter to worship, Depart to serve” is a testimony to the outcome of worship. A worshipper relates to God and man. Worship ends with a meaningful relationship with God and others.

John Macarthur says, “If our corporate worship isn't the expression of our individual worshipping lives, it is unacceptable. If you think you can live any way you want and then go to church on Sunday morning and turn on worship with the saints, you're wrong.” (Lutzer quotes MacArthur 91)

The word “grew” (pro-kopto) is “to drive forward, to advance (in amount, to grow; in time, to be well along).” (Strong’s) It means to increase, proceed and improve.

Conclusion: Do you spend time in worship, prayer and study daily, or do you depend on Sunday worship, service and sermon to give you a jolt and charge your batteries? Has worship transformed your relationship with others – how you view and treat others? Do you come to worship with a proper attitude? Are you reverent and respectful? Are you loud or quiet when worship time begins? Do you take notes or do you pass notes? Worse, do you snooze or doodle? Are you living for Jesus, listening and looking to Him? Are you SPIES - spiritually, physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially growing?

2009-02-18T07:43:00.001-08:00

Paul, Pt. 1: “How Low Can You Go?”

2008-03-27T19:53:00.003-07:00

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? (ROMANS 7:12-25)
A man one dreamed of passing into the world beyond. An angel met him and showed him a great golden book. “What is that?” he inquired. “It is the book of your life,” was the reply. Looking closer he saw that there were some writing on the first page. “What is there?”

The angel said, “These are your evil acts, and you see that they are many.” The angel turned the page, and the man saw that the next sheet was more closely written. The angel said, “These are your evil words, and you see that there are more of them than there are acts.” The poet trembled.

The next page was more closely written. “What are these?” asked the man. “These are your evil thoughts, and you see that there are many, for a man thinks more than he speaks or acts.”

With the trembling voice, the man asked what the fourth page contained. The angel turned it over, and lo! it was black as midnight. The angel said, “This represents your evil heart, for it is out if the blackness of the heart that all thoughts and words and acts come.”

The Chinese say, “江山易改，本性難移 (Moving rivers and mountains is easy, changing a person’s nature is difficult” and “劃虎劃皮難劃骨, 知人口面不知心 (You can draw a tiger’s skin but not the bones; you can know a person’s mouth and face, but not his heart.”

Romans 7 is a classic passage on human nature, its origin and destiny, if you may. Four words gird Romans 7: law (23 times), sin (16 times), would/wish or “want to do” in NIV (7 times), and death (5 times).

Why does human nature behave as it does? Is man doomed to struggle or designed to succeed? Is there an end to the struggle? Where does it start and how does it stop?

Sin is the Villain
12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. (Rom 7:12-14)

Paul begins by asserting slavery to sin means death.

What is sin? Here are some suggestions:
“Sin is like a kidney stone. No one likes a kidney stone, nor should anyone like sin.”
“Sin is like a rotten egg we try to cover up with spices.”
“Sin is like a cancer with a 0% survival rate.”
“Sin is like weeds in a garden; if not rooted out, they will soon overrun it.”
“Sin is like having cataracts. It slowly adds a layer over our eyes, until sooner or later we can’t see too clearly anymore.”
“Sin is like a spider web. You get trapped in it.”
“Sin is like the bee, with honey in its month but a sting in its tail.”
“Sin is like gravity. It is an ever-present force. You can’t see it – only its effects.”
“Sin is like a snake, full of deadly poison. It is like a little spark that can burn up a great forest.”
“Sin is like an anesthetic; it has a numbing affect.”
“Sin is like a bullet in the body. There can be no strength and healing until the bullet is removed.”
“Sin is like the leak in the pipe; it will very likely cause you to fall every time.”

Sin is not child’s play. It must be exposed and admitted because it is “utterly sinful” (v 13). The word “utterly” is used five times in the Bible, the other four times translated as “most excellent” (1 Cor 12:31), “far beyond” (2 Cor 1:8), “far outweighs” (2 Cor 4:17) and “intensely” (Gal 1:13) and it produces death (v 13).

Everybody has an excuse and a scapegoat for sin. In this case, it is the law. Did the law bring death (v 13)? Is the law responsible for my death? Is it “wrongful death” and am I wrongly charged? Or is the law guilty as charged? The Greek for “by no means” (v 13, Rom 3:4, 3:31, 6:2, 6:15, 7:7, 9:14, 11:1, 11:11) is also translated elsewhere in the Bible as “certainly not” (Rom 3:6, Gal 2:17, 3:21), “never” (1 Cor 6:15) and “far be it” (Gal 6:14). No one enjoys laws, rules and codes, but Paul insists that death is the work of sin, not the work of the law. Remember, God’s law was given after man’s sin, not vice versa. The “law” is the Mosaic law and the “commandment” (v 12) is its authoritative moral and religious precepts.

Paul’s passionate argument is that the law and its teachings did nothing to stumble man, ruin lives or bring death. The law did not cause man to fall; sin is the villain and culprit, and it produces death (v 13).

The law, which was given after and not before the fall (Rom 5:13) to counter man’s sin, is fundamentally holy, righteous and good (agathos) (v 12), so it is unaffected by sin. The law is as good as it gets; it was given not to condemn man’s sin, but to lessen his guilt and reveal God’s holiness. It is was given as provision for man’s sin and not as penalty for man’s sin

In the chapters before, Paul states that the law is the judge (Rom 2:12) –hearing and deciding cases. The law is man’s conscience (Rom 2:15, 3:20) and his tutor (paidagogos) (Gal 3:24). It is the embodiment of knowledge and truth (Rom 2:20).

The law serves as a mirror, a messenger, so don’t shoot the messenger. When I look in the mirror in the morning and I do not like the corners of my hair standing up or jutting out, I need to wet my hair and comb it down. Sometimes, I’ll have to leave the house with a small comb stuck to the stubborn hair, allowing gravity to do its part. The most embarrassing is forgetting about the comb when I go to meet people.

Man is the Victim
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. (Rom 7:15-23)

A man was taken to court for stealing an item from a store. The man said to the judge, "Your Honor, I'm a Christian. I've become a new man. But I have and old nature also. It was not my new man who did wrong. It was my old man."

The judge responded, "Since it was the old man that broke the law, we'll sentence him to 60 days in jail. And since the new man was an accomplice in the theft, we'll give him 30 days, too. I therefore sentence you both to 90 days in jail."

The denial of man’s badness is so strong today that popular statements to deny his responsibility flourish, such as “He is not a bad person, but a good person who did a bad thing” and “He is not a bad person but he has only made some bad choices.” The beneficiaries include criminals and cheats.

Paul accurately portrays the predicament of man. There is no understanding or limit to the depths and despair of human nature, and no end to his mischief and malice either. No ban, boundary or bail is strong enough to deter him. It’s been said, “Rules are meant to be broken.” “Do Not” signs merely invite open rebellion.

The gym I frequent once placed a “Do Not Touch” sign on the temperature control box outside that goes from low 1 to high 10, due to patrons incessantly adjusting the temperature in the room. It did not work; even the sign disappeared! I suggested a “Wet Paint” sign would have done a better job. In today’s language, we say “I can’t help it” or “I can’t help myself.”

The human heart is worse than a can of worms. It does more damage than germs, viruses and diseases, playing its Jekyll and Hyde drama, tug of war sport, yes and no game in us all the time.

The dilemma of man and his struggle with sin, as exposed and expounded in verse 15, is so exquisite and intricate in Greek. There are basically only three “do” words in verse 15 - all at the end of a sentence; the “want to do” expression is merely “wish” in Greek. Verse 15 in Greek says: “For that I do (work out), not I know; for that I wish, not that I do. But what I hate, that I do.”

Paul says he does not “understand” or “ginosko” (know) what he is “doing” (1st “do”), the Greek word for “kat-ergazomai” means “work fully, work out, work through.” It has the “kata” preposition, meaning “against,” “through” or “out.”
Paul does not understand why he purposefully and preferentially do the wrong thing and make the bad choices – to its full extent or maximum limits bare. Further, there is no holding him back from testing the waters and pushing the boundaries. This “do” had to do with its extent, degree or scope – the edge. Understanding this helps readers to unravel the passage, because the word occurs five times in the chapter (Rom 7:13 –“produced”, 15 – “what I do”, 17 –“do”, 18 – “do”, 20 – “I who do it”).

The second do (complicated by NIV) has to with its regularity, typified by the last “do” (prasso) in verse 15 (“not do”). The last two “do’s” before this “prasso” word do not occur in Greek; it just means “wish.” Greek is simply “For not that I wish, I practice (prasso).” “Prasso” (vv 15, 19) is praxis/practice, to perform repeatedly or habitually, the same word translated as “keep on doing” in verse 19. Paul laments he cannot consistently practice good behavior. Good behavior is in bits and pieces, in fits and spurts, switched off and on.

The third “do” (poieo) is the decisive and outcome “do,” which occurs five times in the passage (Rom 7:15, 16, 19, 20, 21).

We do things contrary to our desire and profession to do well - in its complete extreme, constant exercise and conventional end. We sin to no end, we sin at all times and we sin to foregone conclusion. In the end he ended up returning to what he “does not want” or “hates” (miseo) (v 15) to do - precursor to the word “miso-gynist,” means to hate, detest. It is the “I hate to do it” or “I hate myself for it” syndrome. How complex, conflicted and contradictory. Doing right is a titanic struggle and an uphill struggle; doing wrong is a short step or a minor slip. The Chinese says, “學好必須十年功，學壞只須一分鐘 (Doing right requires ten years, doing bad requires just one minute).” The previous Chinese generation says, “要孩子學壞，只須三日，學好卻要三年 (Kids take three days to learn bad, three years to learn good.” Some have modified to say kids take three minutes or even there seconds to learn bad.

In truth, practice what you preach is easier said than done. The good you intend to do ends up not just merely bad, faulty or short, but evil (vv 19, 21) – sin’s Murphy's Law equivalent: If anything can go wrong, it will. Not only wrong, but wicked and wasted.

From utterly sinful (v 13) Paul progresses to “nothing good” (v 18) – one stating it in the positive and the other in the negative. The sooner we admit “nothing good” lives in us (v 18), the better it is. Paul uses the construction word “lives” (oikeo) (vv 17, 18, 20), meaning “occupies” or “inhabits,” from the verb “house” in Greek. Good can visit but not stay. Good is merely a renter, but evil is the new occupant. Further good has no intention or ability to stay. Instead sin lives or dwells (vv 17, 20) in me. Sin not a stranger or guest, but a housemate and a landlord. “Right there” (v 21) is parakeimai or to lie near, i.e. be at hand.

Sin is likened to a combatant “warring against” (anti-strateuomai) (v 23) the law of my mind (nous) and “making me a prisoner” (aichmalotizo). The former is the contest; the latter is the conquest - the engagement versus the exile. The latter Greek word occurs three other times, translated as “taken as prisoners” (Luke 21:24), “take captive” (2 Cor 10:5) and “gain control” (2 Tim 3:6).

Christ is the Vindicator
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Rom 7:11-25)

Paul acknowledges that the law, for all its virtues, merits and reserves, is not the answer, too.

Here are some quotations on the law:
“The Law is like an x-ray. It cannot cure cancer, but it can point cancer out.”
“The law is like a map. And a map is better than nothing if you're wandering around on a trackless mountainside: it will at least tell you if you're lost.
“The law is like a mirror. It shows us that we are sinners, but it does not provide the solution.”
“The law is like a flashlight. It shines in the dark and points out the problem, but it cannot fix things.”
“The law is like a bully with a whip, who herds us towards the truth of God. It is extremely painful to go, but it is worse to resist.”

The law, good as it is, was given to sinful men to relive him from his guilt, but not release him his sin. It is “better than nothing” and “better than before,” but is not the best. It serves its purpose but it is not salvation either. It is more like a relief, a respite and a reprieve from sin. A band-aid, if you may. A nurse, but not the surgeon. The law, as the Chinese say, “治標不治本 (treats the exterior, not the issue),” the outside, not the inside.

Jesus Christ our Lord is the one and only vanquisher of sin. The word “rescue” is “deliver” (v 24), and his deliverance is “out of” (ek) (stronger than “from”) the body of death. A track of the Greek word “deliver” tells us Jesus Christ has delivered us from three things: (1) death (v 25), (2) the dominion of darkness (Col 1:13), and (3) the coming wrath (1 Thess 1:10). Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us believers are delivered from sin or temptation. The battle rages on. The nature of man is unchanged, but the spell and curse of sin is broken. There is no difference between a believer and an unbeliever. One is an impenitent sinner and the other a penitent sinner; the former an unsaved sinner but the latter a saved sinner – one acknowledges himself a sinner, the other does not even know. At least now converted sinners have an alternative - serve God in one’s mind even though the flesh (“sinful nature” v 25) persists.

The other reason why believers are delivered from death (v 24) rather than from sin is because sin has no control over the dead, but death’s stranglehold is from Adam to eternity. There is no sin in heaven but death is decided upon heaven’s doors. Sin has a life span but death has no timeline.

Note also that Paul say we are delivered from death, not the law. The law is a Jewish issue, but death is a bigger issue and the last enemy (1 Cor 15:26). Death is a universal experience, so it requires a universal solution. Also, we need no deliverance from the law, since the law is primarily provided for the Jews, not for the world. The law is fine and good (Rom 7:13) as it is. Sin, not the law, deceived men and produced death. (Rom 7:11, 7:13). The sin of Adam’s race came way before the law was given in Moses’ time. Sin reigned from the time of Adam (Rom 5:14). Adam represents the human race and ancestry. The victim is humanity, man as a whole. The fierce onslaught of sin is an experience common to all men, not just the Jews.

Conclusion: Who do you serve – sin or the Savior? Do you allow sin get the best of you? Do you fight sin in your own strength or with the Lord’s help? Are you active or inactive in the Savior’s service warring against sin and delivering victims from death?

Reflection Questions:
1. What is Paul’s view of the Law in general?
2. What is Paul’s view of the Law in relationship to sin? Our culture tends to change the rules, values and even laws to accommodate people. Example: Cohabitation is common nowadays; it really is not a sin. How is Paul’s view different from the secular view?
3. How is the law spiritual? What does that mean?
4. Is sin (original sin / sinful nature) or the sin living in us responsible for the evil we do? Who/what is responsible for our doing good?
5. Do you have similar experience like Paul – desiring to do good but cannot carry it out. What is your example?
6. What is the inner tension that results in Paul feeling like a wretched man? Do you share the same feelings struggling?
7. What exactly is Jesus’ rescue? Consider your personal examples. Do we have the same struggle with the laws at work our body and in our mind?

Paul, Pt. 2: “For the Good of Those Who Love Him”

2008-03-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM (ROMANS 8:28-39)
Fred is 32 years old and he is still single. One day a friend asked, “Why aren’t you married? Can’t you find a woman who will be a good wife?” Fred replied, “Actually, I’ve found many women I wanted to marry, but when I bring them home to meet my parents, my mother doesn’t like them.”

His friend thinks for a moment and says, “I’ve got the perfect solution, just find a girl who’s just like your mother.” A few months later they meet again and his friend says, “Did you find the perfect girl? Did your mother like her?”

With a frown on his face, Fred answers, “Yes, I found the perfect girl. She was just like my mother. You were right, my mother liked her very much.” The friend said, “Then what’s the problem?” Fred replied, “My father doesn’t like her.”

There is a lot we do not know or like about suffering, especially why people suffer and why disasters happen, especially to us. One unsurprising thing for sure is that everyone has his or her fair share of it. People mistakenly believe that the Christian life a bed of roses with a happily ever after ending. Overzealous witnesses promises that much. The opposite is a more accurate portrayal of the Christianity Paul has in mind, where Christians in the first century invite enemies, hatred, persecution, discrimination and even martyrdom on themselves simply for wearing the name of Christ on their sleeves. This is the second most popular Pauline passage for many Christians.

What did Christ promise us when we undergo suffering? What is the proof of His promise? Why does suffering often cause us to draw closer to Him and not drift away from Him?

Nothing is More Purposeful Than the Love of God
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Rom 8:28-29)

An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout “PRAISE THE LORD!” Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, “There ain’t no Lord!!”

Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted “PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!” The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, “PRAISE THE LORD.”

The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, “Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn’t.” The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, “PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. Praise the Lord!”

The truth about Christianity is that God comes through when hardship breaks out. Yes, there is a purpose behind everything that happens, though we are less sure about its reason, solution or its explanation. I differentiate between looking back to its reason and looking forward to the purpose.

In Christianity we are not haunted or hogtied by Islam’s fatalism or Europe’s existentialism. The former says everything good and bad is from God and the latter says good and bad has no meaning. Christians believe God permits even the bad to happen, but He did not present, provide or perform them, or even prohibit them from happening. James 1:13 records, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.”

By faith, we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (v 28). What does that mean? Does it mean a free ride, a soft landing or a smooth passage is awaiting believers? Let us begin with the single Greek word “work.” Do not be misled by NIV’s translation. One of the misinterpretations and misunderstandings in Christianity is that God does everything for the believers. The believer can just sit back and watch the show, so to speak. That is hardly the case from this passage. The Greek for the verb “works” is “works together” as translated by KJV and NASB, or “sun-ergeo,” the precursor for the English word synergy – “syn” (sync) means “together,” and “ergeo” means “work,” as in “ergonomics.” It does not mean all things do not trouble, test and try you, that you are a puppet, a robot or a pawn, but that God will work in you and through you and with you to make things work for you. All things will join forces and act together to turn out for your good and that all things will work out fine, will fall into place and will serve its purpose. It doesn’t say God will “work for you,” but that He will “work for the good.” God, however, will work with you and even on you, but not for you during those times. It doesn’t even say for Tom, Dick sand Harry, but for “those who love Him.”

This word “work for” is used in four other instances in the Bible. When the disciples went out and preached everywhere, the Lord “worked with them” and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it (Mark 16:20). The resurrected Lord did not even go out with them and He did not work for them but he worked with them. Other translations are “join in the work” (1 Cor 16:16), “fellow workers” (2 Cor 6:1) and the classic passage about faith and actions “working together” (James 2:22).

Philip Yancey says, “I don’t think that God delivers us from suffering. He doesn’t give us some sort of little protective suit as a Christian so that we suffer less than other people. He does give us the resources of His Spirit and a kind of inner-peace that is unavailable to people who don’t turn to God in those moments.”
http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/yancey_3302.htm

It’s been said, “God did not promise a smooth sailing but rather a safe arrival.”

Do not get stuck on the word “predestined” (pro-orizo) or in the predestination argument. The word has nothing to do with fatalism. The line reads “‘predestined to be conformed’ to the likeness of his Son.” Again the pesky word “syn” word reappears in “sum-morphos” - jointly formed, figuratively meaning “similar.” This word occurs one other time in the Bible, translated as “transform” (Phil 3:21). All things work together to joint-transform you into “con-form” (“sum-morphos”) you to the likeness of His son. Just as Christ is the image of God (2 Cor 4:4, Col 1:15), we are to be more like Christ (Col 3:10), except that Christ “is” the image of God while we are to “conform to” the image of Jesus.

Nothing is More Precious Than the Love of God
30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Rom 8:30-32)

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

God in Christ has given us the greatest gift and proof of all by His death on the cross. By giving his blood and life, He gave us the greatest testament of His love.

The preposition “for” (v 31) - if God is “for” us - should read “over” (huper), above, beyond – if God is “over” us. The word “against” (v 31) frequently denotes opposition, distribution or intensity (Strong’s). How is God “for” us? He did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all (v 32).

God’s ways are fair. He did not overturn, break or shortchange his moral law to make an exception for His Son. God is holy, righteous and just. The same word tells us He did not “spare” the natural branches, the Jews (Rom 11:21). Nor did He spare sinful angels but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment (2 Peter 2:4). He also did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah’s family (2 Peter 2:5). Since He could not turn a blind eye to the sins of the world, He did not spare His son and sacrificed Him for man’s sin.

Paul uses two stronger and sharper “give” words in verse 32 to describe Jesus’ sacrifice - none of them really means “give.” The first is not the regular word for “give” but “give up” – with a preposition attached to it. The meaning is yield up or hand over, the same word for Judas’ betrayal (Matt 26:16). The second “give” is “charizomai” from the word “charis” but usually translated for another type of giving – forgiving!

Nothing is More Powerful Than the Love of God
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:33-39)

An engineer, after doing his internship with NASA in Houston, made a startling decision to change course and study medicine. Two decades removed from college, he shared his testimony in our church thanksgiving service:
“Passing the Oral Board is the culmination of 10 years of medical school, residency, and practice. If I were to include the college years and premed studies, the total would be 20 years. My decision to enter medicine in part was to follow Jesus, to heal the sick and to ease the suffering. As an anesthesiologist, I have the crucial role in putting patients to sleep and to revive them later. In Biblical times, this would be regarded as a supernatural power, performed only by Jesus Christ. Although the patients may not be aware of my presence during their surgery, I constantly monitor and watch over them, not just the operative part but the entire patient. This reminds me of how our Lord watches over each and every one of us, even though we may not be aware of His presence. I thank the Lord for giving me knowledge and skills to take care the weak and the sick. For Him, He is the true Healer and Life-Giver.”

There is always a person or two who questions you, but the important thing is who is qualified and worthy to press charges, judge cases and make intercession. Paul uses a slew of legal language to encourage downcast believers. “Bring charge” (v 33) is a legal term. Strong’s define the word “egkaleo” (v 33) as “to call in (as a debt or demand), i.e. bring to account (charge, criminate, etc.).” Apart from this verse, this word is found only in Acts, chronicling Paul’s passionate arguments against his enemies who wanted to find him guilty. The other six occurrences are translated as “press charges” (Acts 19:38), “being charged” (Acts 19:40) and “accusation” (Acts 23:28, 29, 26:2, 7). Paul uses the severest pressing argument by inserting the word “against,” not use on the other six occurrences of the same word “bring any charge.”

On the legal side, “justify” is Greek for kata-krino, means against and “krino” means judge. Krino (critic) by itself means judge or critic, but kata-krino, attaching the preposition “kata” or against, means sentence. It is the point of no return just as Jesus was condemned (Mark 10:33), a point of helplessness.

The last legal term “intercede” (entugchano) occurs five times in the Bible, thrice for “intercede” (Rom 8:27, 34 Heb 7:25), once for “petition” (Acts 25:24) and “appeal” (Rom 11:2).

The word “separate” (v 35) occurs six times in the Bible. In its strongest application, it is used for the bonds of marriage (Matt 19:6, Mark 10:9, 1 Cor 7:10). It makes its single appearance in the gospels when Jesus uttered, “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matt 19:6)

Because He is the prosecuting attorney, court judge and defense lawyer, nothing can separate us from His love. Paul lists trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword. There’s nothing worse and nothing else after this list. By the way, lacking money is not your worse fear. Trouble is Greek for “tribulation” (thlipsis) – no rest. Hardship is anguish or distress in Greek – no quiet. Persecution is the intensity or “pressing on” of suffering – no stopping. Famine is no food. Nakedness is no clothing. Danger is no security and sword is no defense.

The traditional translation “more than conquerors” is awkward for the single Greek word that occurs just once in the Bible. The single Greek word “huper-nikao” comes from “huper” or “above, beyond, exceeding, more (than)” and “nikao,” the verb for “nike” or “conqueror, overcomer, victor.” So hupernikao “vanquish beyond, i.e. gain a decisive victory.” We will succeed, not barely survive. We will not merely challenge, but conquer. We are tested but we will triumph.

Conclusion: Nothing is more personal, permanent and passionate than God’s love. God gives us his very best, guides us in every way and guards us to the very end. Without his consent, not a hair of your head will perish. There is a lesson to be learned but not a lesson to be loved in all things. God did not promise a life without storms, gloom or downpour. But God did promise a rainbow at the end of the storm and a light at the end of the tunnel and a day of rejoicing after a night of mourning. (Ps 30:5)

Paul, Pt. 3: “Better Alive Than Dead”

2008-03-27T19:52:00.004-07:00

BETTER ALIVE THAN DEAD (ROMANS 12:1-2)
Pete and Larry had not seen each other in many years. Now they had a long talk trying to fill in the gap of those years by telling about their lives. Finally Pete invited Larry to visit him in his new apartment.

“I got a wife and three kids and I’d love to have you visit us.”

“Great. Where do you live?”

“Here’s the address. And there’s plenty of parking behind the apartment. Park and come around to the front door, kick it open with your foot, go to the elevator and press the button with your left elbow, then enter! When you reach the sixth floor, go down the hall until you see my name on the door. Then press the doorbell with your right elbow and I’ll let you in.”

“Good. But tell me...what is all this business of kicking the front door open, then pressing elevator buttons with my right, then my left elbow?”

“Surely, you’re not coming empty-handed.”

Many believers return leftovers or nothing to the Lord and understand little about sacrifice and commitment. Paul offers some guidance to the Gentile believers in Rome about how to live a full life and not a futile life for the Lord, to be more like the Lord and less like the world. Romans 12 is one of the most popular texts in the Bible. I have heard pastors preaching this text more than most Pauline texts in the Bible.

Do believers have an obligation to serve God? What motivates them to serve? Why are some obstacles preventing and delaying him from completing his service?

Surrender Your All
12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. (Rom 12:1)

The Chinese are very particular about eating fresh seafood. They craved for fish right out of the tank. Many years ago when I visited my cousin in Chicago, we dined at a popular Chinese restaurant in the suburbs. We were eager for fresh fish but were not sure what to expect in Chicago, so I asked the waiter in Cantonese: “Is your fish ‘swimming fish游水魚’?” The question seemed to catch him by surprise. He paused, looked at us smugly and answered with a straight face, “It swam before.”

The Food and Drug Administration has tips on how to choose fresh fish:
Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy, sour, or ammonia-like.
A fish’s eyes should be clear and bulge a little.
Whole fish and filets should have firm, shiny flesh and bright red gills free from slime. Dull flesh could mean the fish is old.
The flesh should spring back when pressed.
Fish fillets should display no darkening or drying around the edges. They should have no green or yellowish discoloration, and should not appear dry or mushy in any areas.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/seafsafe.html

Is your offering to the Lord fresh or frozen?

Paul encourages the Romans to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord. Jewish sacrifices are totally opposite of Chinese and pagan sacrifices, where worshippers eat the sacrifices (1 Cor 10:18). Jewish sacrifice is wholly consumed, but not for general consumption. The Israelites were not given detailed instructions on offering sacrifices until the first chapter of Leviticus. Burnt offerings must be a male animal without defect. The presenter lays his hand on the head of the offering before its slaughter, and then the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar. The sons of Aaron shall then put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire, put the burnt offering that is skinned and cut into pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood that is on the altar. The inner parts and the legs must be washed with water before the priest burns all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. (Lev 1:1-9)

In the same way, the believer’s body is totally given to the Lord as a living sacrifice. The conditions for acceptance are the same. It must be without defect – not damaged goods; it must be alive – not sick, diseased or dying animals, animals on its last legs. Nothing is saved or salvaged. The best parts are given or burnt to the Lord. No head reserved for porridge, no kidney for snack, no inner parts and legs for barbeque, or bones for soup.

Matthew Henry’s insight is amazing:
“Your bodies - your whole selves; so expressed because under the law the bodies of beasts were offered in sacrifice, 1 Cor 6:20. Our bodies and spirits are intended. The offering was sacrificed by the priest, but presented by the offerer, who transferred to God all his right, title, and interest in it, by laying his hand on the head of it. Presenting them denotes a voluntary act…It must be a free-will offering. Your bodies; not your beasts…The presenting of the body to God implies not only the avoiding of the sins that are committed with or against the body, but the using of the body as a servant of the soul in the service of God. It is to glorify God with our bodies…Present them a living sacrifice; not killed, as the sacrifices under the law. A Christian makes his body a sacrifice to God, though he does not give it to be burned. A body sincerely devoted to God is a living sacrifice.”

One of my professors in seminary, Dr. Thomas Constable, says, “Urging (Gr. parakaleo) lies between commanding and beseeching…The apostle did not want his readers to comply because he had commanded them to do so, but because they wanted to because of what God had done for them.”

Mercy (v 1) is plural and not singular in Greek, which is consistent of him in other letters too (2 Cor 1:3, Phil 2:1, Col 3:12), although it is singular in the book of Hebrews (Heb 10:28). It is ever so plentiful, bountiful, and meaningful.

On the other hand, believers are to offer Him our bodies as a living, holy and pleasing “sacrifice” - singular in Greek and most translations but NIV. It is a single act, not piece by piece, part by part, portion by portion. In Greek it is “present your bodies as a sacrifice (whole and decisive),” followed by three adjectives: living, holy, pleasing.

Contact with anything dead or even torn is unclean, including eating or touching them (Lev 11:31, 17:15). You might say, “Aren’t they all dead when you sacrificed them?” There is a difference between offering the dead before slaughter for sacrifice and offering the living before sacrifice. The pragmatism in us considers its function, but God examines its form and fitness.

Living is the activity and functionality, but “holy” is its nature and quality. Holiness is the idea of being set apart to the Lord. The word “set apart” in Genesis means a clear difference, a distinct division; it is the word for the separation of light from the darkness (Gen 1:4), the sky from earth’s atmosphere (Gen 1:6-8), the day from the night (Gen 1:14, 1:18). In Israel’s case, they are to be set apart and utterly different from the nations - to be God’s own (Lev 20:26). God has chosen Israel out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (Deut 7:6, 14:2) The negative is separation from the others but the positive is to be God’s possession. By the way the New Testament idea of holy is not perfection, but “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish” (Eph 5:27). While “living” means not dead, diseased or dying, “holy” means the best.

Pleasing (eu-arestos) is its purpose and aspiration. The Greek word occurs nine times in the Bible, NIV translated them as “please” or “pleasing” (Rom 12:1, 12:2, 14:18, 2 Cor 5: 9, Eph 5:10, Phil 4:18, Col 3:20, Titus 2:9, Heb 13:21), which is part of the Greek equation, but missing out in NIV is the first part eu- of euarestos, which is well-pleasing.

Seek the Transformation
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

A dignified old clergymen owned a parrot of which he was exceedingly fond, but the bird had picked up an appalling vocabulary of cuss words from a previous owner and, after a series of particularly embarrassing episodes, the clergymen decided he would have to have his parrot put to sleep. But a lady in his congregation suggested a last-ditch remedy. She said,” I have a female parrot. She is an absolute saint. She sits quietly on her perch and prays constantly. Why don’t you bring your parrot over and see if my own bird’s good influence doesn’t reform him?”

The pastor said it was worth a try, and the next night he arrives with his pet. The bird took one look at the lady parrot and chirped, “Hi, Toots, how about a big kiss?” The lady parrot responded gleefully, “My prayers have been answered!”

An Irish proverb says, “Who lies down with dogs will get up with fleas.” (A Treasury of Irish Folklore and Humor, Henry D. Spalding, Jonathan David Publishers, New York 1978)

The verb conform (v 2) is su-schematizo; the su/sun preposition means “joint” and schematizo is from “pattern” (schema), which means external condition and circumstances, also translated as “things” of the world (1 Cor 7:31) and (Jesus’) “appearance” as a man (Phil 2:8). “Conform” is an imperative - an order and not an option or an offer.

Paul commands believers to mark boundaries with the world, not to be joined/”sun” at the hip with the world, to be identical to and unrecognizable from the world. Imitating the pattern/schema of the world leaves no room for the believer to grow and mature, to be shaped by the word and not the world. The world is “aion,” meaning “an age,” a period of time, not the physical world “cosmos” but the present world.

Transformed is the most dramatic, unexpected and interesting word in the text. “Metamorphoo” is also an imperative, it describes Jesus’ transfiguration, where His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. (Matt 17:2, Mark 9:2). It is night and day, black and white, old and new. Unlike Jesus’ transfiguration, the goal of our transformation is to be transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18) In biology, metamorphosis is an abrupt structural change, as seen in the marked changes during the development of an organism, especially the transformation from larva to adult, e.g., in the transformation from tadpole to frog or from caterpillar to butterfly. The skin is shed, the changes are permanent, the chain is broken, and there is no resemblance to the past.

Transformation begins with the mind, not one’s body. “Nous” (mind) is the intellect, the thought, one’s understanding. Matthew Henry says, “The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man.”

Strive for Excellence
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:1-2)

John Stott, commenting on this passage, says we have to choose between the way of the world and the will of God.

The world says: get and grab what you can and live for yourself.
God says: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

The world says: give as good as you get; return good for good and evil for evil and tit for tat.
God says: “Do not repay evil for evil but overcome evil with good.”

The world says: sex is for fun; it’s enjoyment without commitment.
God says: sex is for love; it’s enjoyment within commitment.

The world says: go for the top and the end justifies the means.
God says: “Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be the servant of all.”

The world says: greatness is measured by achievement.
God says: greatness is measured by service.

The world says: you’re number one; so live for yourself and look out for yourself; nobody else is going to if you don’t.
God says: “Seek first my rule and my righteousness, and these things will be added to you.”

The world says: stand up for yourself; fight for your rights.
God says: “Blessed are the meek; they shall inherit the earth.”
http://www.30goodminutes.org/csec/sermon/stott_2621.htm

The outcome of a sacrificial life and a transformed mind is walking in the will of God.

The translation “test and approve” is unnecessary for the single Greek word “dokimazo” or “to prove,” meaning “test,” “discern,” “think” or “examine.” The most popular translation for this word is “test” (1 Cor 3:13, 2 Cor 8:8, 13:5, Gal 6:4, 1 Thess 2:4, 5:21, 1 Tim 3:10, 1 John 4:1) , followed by “approve” four times (Rom 2:18, 14:22,1 Cor 16:3, 1 Thess 2:4), and once for diverse translations such as “interpret” (Luke 12:56), “try out” (Luke 14:19), “think” (Rom 1:28), “examine” (1 Cor 11:28), “prove” (2 Cor 8:22), “find out” (Eph 5:10), “discern” (Phil 1:10), “tried” (Heb 3:9) and “refined” (1 Peter 1:7). This word is basically “think,” which is an activity of the mind. Mind is the form - the brain, the mental faculty; but dokimazo is the intellect, the function of the mind.

The myth of the mind is its impartiality and its independence. The mind is not given to us merely to remain neutral. It’s been said, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” There is no limit to the mind once we put our mind to it. As a psychologist friend of mine exercising with me suggested, “Exercise is not physical; it is mental.” I often tease and encourage clueless gym wannabes and rookies, “Exercise is mind over matter.” The transformed mind has no problem thinking God’s thoughts and understanding God’s values, discerning true and false, decoding right and wrong, discriminating moral from immoral, ethical from unethical and godly from ungodly values.

The three words that qualify the will of God are good (agathos), pleasing (eu-arestos) and perfect (teleios - completeness). Agathos is good in its benefit. Pleasing – repeated in verse 1 - has “eu” or “good” preposition, meaning “very pleasing.” The Greek word for “perfect” (teleios), meaning “full age” or “completion,” occurs 19 times in the Bible. Besides 11 times the popular translation of “perfect” (Matt 5:48, 5:48, 19:21, Rom 12:2, 1 Cor 13:10, Col 1:28, Heb 9:11, James 1:17, 1:25, James 3:2, 1 John 4:18), the other translations are “mature” – six times (1 Cor 2:6, Eph 4:13, Phil 3:15, Col 4:12, Heb 5:14, James 1:4), “adults” (1 Cor 14:20) and “finish” (James 1:4).

This “perfect” word is the same word for the work of pastors to build up the body of Christ “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature” (Eph 4:13) and for perseverance to “finish” its work in believers so that they may be “mature” (James 1:4) – the words “finish” and “mature” are the same Greek word for “perfect.”

Conclusion: There is no better offering to God than to offer yourself – your consecration, commitment and communion with Him. Have you offered the best of your body, mind and will to the Lord? Do you love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength? (Deut 6:5) Are you withholding time, talents and treasures that rightfully belongs to the Lord? Do you walk in the path of the wicked or the righteous? Are you walking in the path of life, understanding and peace? Do you love or imitate the world or the Lord?

Application Questions:
1. What is Paul’s call to Christians? Is there a difference between “believers’ and those who offer themselves as a living sacrifice? Where are you in responding to this call.

2. Consider one area that you need discipline as you offer your bodies as a living sacrifice (e.g. pleasures of the body, health, etc.). Pray about it and set some personal goals to begin exercising discipline.

3. Choose an area that you struggle not to conform to the world (e.g. work ethics, family life, money, relationships). What is it? Contrast the world’s values and the biblical values.

4. How can we be “transformed by the renewal of your mind”? Do you have such experiences? Share the experience with a brothers and sisters?

5. How do we distinguish between our own desires/aspirations and the will of God? Are they always different or are they the same? How do we discern what the perfect will of God is?

6. How do we encourage (“urge”) one another to practice Romans 12:1-2 as fellow brothers and sisters? Consider one way you can do that.

Paul, Pt. 4: “The Paradox of the Cross”

2008-03-27T19:52:00.003-07:00

THE PARADOX OF THE CROSS (1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-31)
The cross took a major political beating since 2004. In May, 2004, the ACLU gave Los Angeles County two weeks to eliminate the 1957-designed seal that appears on most official county property: walls, documents, uniforms, vehicles and even business cards – all because of a cross. After four months of debate, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors caved in and stripped a tiny miniature gold cross from the Los Angeles County seal to avoid a lawsuit. By a 3-2 partisan vote, the three Democrats on the board voted in favor of removing the cross while the two Republicans voted retain it. (Los Angeles Times 9/15/04 “Officials Vote to Replace County Seal”)

In June the same year, more than 700 people packed a board meeting in Redlands, the city 50 miles east of Los Angeles, to decry the removal of the cross. Thousands more wrote or called supervisors to complain, but the board refused to budge. It will cost the county an estimated $800,000 to replace the seal. Redlands city attorney, Dan McHugh, said, “The city council has a budget crunch, it could run up to 50 to 60 thousand dollars in costs so the city council made the decision that the manager ought to continue removing the cross. It was just not worth the money or the effort.”
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,119035,00.html

In a sense, the cross receives the same treatment as Jesus, who was spit in the face, struck with fists and slapped (Matt 26:67), then flogged (Matt 27:26), struck on the head (Matt 27:30), mocked (Matt 27:29), blasphemed (Matt 27:39) and
insulted (Matt 27:44).

What is the message of the cross? Why is it so offensive and reviled? How is the cross a threat?

The Cross of Christ is the Wisdom Left Untried
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Cor 1:18-21)

An atheist was sitting under a tree one day thinking. “God,” he said, “you know I don’t believe in you, but if you exist, you must be stupid. Look at this huge oak tree. It has little teeny acorns on it. And look at this huge pumpkin growing on this weak, puny little vine. Now, if I had been you, I would have put the acorn on the little vine, and the pumpkin on the huge, strong oak tree.”

While the man was reflecting on his great wisdom and wishing that he had a mirror to see how wise he looked, an acorn fell on his head. “Thank God it wasn’t a pumpkin,” he cried out.

The wisdom of man is laughable. The hippies say all we need is love. The pacifists say all we need is peace, not war. The romanticists say all we need is one another. The fortune tellers say all we need is luck and the progressives say all we need is change.

Paul states man’s real need is the cross because his greatest need is salvation. However, the cross is foolishness to those who are not merely “perishing,” but those destined for “total destruction” (apollumi) in Greek (v 18). He labels the cross for what unbelievers call it – foolishness, or moria from moros. The cross is a comedy to unbelievers - a trick and a joke. In the eyes of the world, there is no greater fool than a Christian and no greater foolishness than the cross. Critics consider Christianity a crutch for losers and failures. Besides “those perishing,” those destroyed in the Bible include the body (Matt 5:29), one’s life (Matt 10:39), wicked people (Matt 21:41), evil spirits (Mark 1:23-24), the unrepentant (Luke 13:3), the sinful (Rom 2:12). Interestingly, the targets of God’s destruction are people, not things or animals.

Christians, on the other hand, vouch that the cross is more than just a piece of wood or jewelry. It is the power (dunamis) of God to save, forgive and change lives. Three words have the same connotation as “power” in Greek. One is “strong,” another is “mighty” and the most popular is “power/dynamite,” the popular word for describing “the power of God” (Rom 1:16, 2 Tim 1:9, Matt 22:29, Mark 12:24, Luke 5:17, Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 1:24, 2 Cor 6:7, 2 Tim 1:8). The power of God is more than just the regular word for “strong” or “mighty,” words describing physical attributes.

According to verse 18, 21 and two other passages (Rom 1:16, 2 Tim 1:9), the Bible tells us what man needs is the cross, because is the power of God for salvation, man’s most precious gift. Why do we need salvation? Salvation because man’s doom, downfall, destiny, demise and destruction are certain. The cross is not popular because it points out man’s sinful condition, selfish choices and stiff judgment.

While man is “totally destroyed” or “perishing” (v 18), the wisdom (sophos) and the intelligence of man are “destroyed,” a milder form of the word. Wisdom is sophos, the precursor for the words sophisticated, sophist (a teacher or philosopher), sopho-more (wise + moron!). Intelligence (sun-esis) is the cognitive and intellectual ability to put and pull thoughts together. They are the synthesizers and organizers of thought. The scholar (grammateus) is the scribe or secretary, people who put thoughts into writing, in contrast to the wise who is good at thinking and the intelligent who is strong in analysis. The philosopher (suzetetes), on the other hand, is the seeker, the root word from the word “seek.” He is the inquirer of his generation.

If you ask any four of them – the wise, the intelligent, the scholar and the philosopher, none of them will tell you they know the truth of they know. They will not pretend to know about man’s salvation. The truth, to them, is in the process, never the proposition. They are interested in seeking the truth, not finding the truth. They really do not deny the truth of sin, wrongdoing and transgression, but they will tell us nobody knows. They are more interested in the question, not the answer; the search and not the solution.

For all the great thinking and the collected brains of the world, they could only know about Him, not know Him. They do not reject religion – just revelation. I always say religion is man seeking God, but revelation is God seeking man.

The Cross of Christ is Weakness in Disguise
22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. (1 Cor 1:22-25)

Elisabeth Elliot, wife of slain missionary Jim Elliot, whose story was the subject of the movie “The End of the Spear,” says what the cross means to her:
Number one: To take up the cross means to shoulder what will be the means of your death.
Number two: To take up the cross means to give energy to a seemingly hopeless task.
Number three: Submit to unsympathetic authorities.
Number four: Obey commands that you would not have chosen.
Number five: Face public mocking and ridicule.
Number six: Be rejected by those you have loved and served.
Number seven: Have your motives and actions misjudged.
Number eight: Experience pain and discomfort.
Number nine: To take up the cross means to see those you care about reject God.
http://www.backtothebible.org/gateway/today/8233

The cross is a paradox the world cannot understand. A paradox is a statement or proposition that seems to contradict itself but in reality expresses a possible truth. For example, Jesus says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt 10:38), “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14), “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Mark 10:31) and “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matt 20:26)

The message of the cross is the greatest paradox: by His death we have life, by His forgiveness we have freedom, by His sacrifice we are saved, by His death we have deliverance, by His blood we are blameless, by repenting we are reconciled, His affliction for our atonement, His curse for our crime, His mortality for our immortality, His end for our eternity, His oppression for our offense, His suffering for our salvation, His grace for our guilt, His pain for our pardon.

In fact, the Jews and the Greeks thinkers and intellectuals looks for something far less than what God is giving. God is offering them divine wisdom and power, but they settle for logic and miracles. Instead of choosing the miracle of salvation, they were chasing supernatural visions, dreams and phenomena.

Human intelligence should rightly be called artificial intelligence because they can only study about the brain and the mind, but not man’s heart and soul. The cross offends and stumbles learned people, because Christianity makes no sense to them. Not only so, it is a scandal, an offence, a stumbling block to the Jews. The mission of Christ is not to save himself, but to save us. If wisdom could solve everything, Solomon’s kingdom would never end and he would not say “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless!” (Eccl 1:2) The cross is power, not merely strength and might, because only God’s power can save man’s soul.

The Cross of Christ is Worth the Boast
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1:26-31)

Ten years after finishing law school, Chuck Colson found himself working in the White House, appointed as Special Counsel to President Nixon in 1969, responsible for inviting influential private special interest groups into the White House policy-making process and winning their support on specific issues. For four glorious years he was known as Nixon’s hatchet man. He dispensed favors and issued orders in the name of the President. Colson confessed he was “valuable to the President ... because I was willing ... to be ruthless in getting things done.” Then came Watergate and he was implicated along with other Nixon aides. In 1974, Colson pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. He was given a one-to-three year sentence, fined $5,000 and disbarred.

In prison, a dramatic thing happened. A proud man, he accepted Jesus Christ into his life. After he was released, he went back into prison. This time, to start a ministry called Prison Fellowship to reach out to other prison inmates. Colson has received fifteen honorary doctorates, but he said: “All my achievements meant nothing in God’s economy. My greatest humiliation - being sent to prison-was the beginning of God’s greatest use of my life. Now I could see, after I lose everything I thought made Chuck Colson a great guy, what God intended for me to be and the true purpose of my life. God does not want our success. He wants us.”

Three verbs describe the fate of the wise, the influential (dunatos), the noble (eu-genes) and the strong (ischuros) at the hands of God: shame, nullify and boast. The Greek for “shame” appears twice in verse 27 and altogether 13 times in the Bible, its lesser translations are humiliate (Luke), disappoint (Rom 5:5), dishonor (1 Cor 11:4), embarrass (2 Cor 7:14), be ashamed (2 Cor 9:4). Its original word has a “down” (kata) preposition attached, meaning “shame down,” by implication utterly shameful, making one red faced, making one lose face and making one face downward.

The second verb “nullify” also has the same preposition (kata) attached to the verb. It’s other translations in the Bible are “cut down” (Luke 13:7), no value (Rom 4:14), done away with (Rom 6:6), release (Rom 7:2), coming to nothing (1 Cor 2:6), destroy (1 Cor 6:13), cease (1 Cor 13:8), pass away (1 Cor 13:8), disappears (1 Cor 13:10), put behind me (1 Cor 13:11), fading (2 Cor 3:7), taken away (2 Cor 3:14), do away (Gal 3:17), abolished (Gal 5:11). The range of meanings taken from the passage on love in 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 includes “But where there are prophecies, they will CEASE … where there is knowledge, it will PASS AWAY ... but when perfection comes, the imperfect DISAPPEARS… When I became a man, I PUT childish ways BEHIND me.”

“Shame” refers to how man “feels,” but nullify refers to who he “is” – nothing, non-existent, disintegrate before God’s presence. The list of things God “nullify” in the Bible includes food and the stomach (1 Cor 6:13), the last enemy, which is death (1 Cor 15:26, 2 Tim 1:10) and, of course, him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil (Heb 2:14).

Finally “boast” refer to what man “says.” The last verb “boast” is less frequently translated in the Bible as brag (Rom 2:17), rejoice (Rom 5:3), take pride (2 Cor 5:12), glory in (Phil 3:3). At first, in my zeal, I wanted to say all boasting is wrong, but boasting in itself, in the Bible, is not wrong. There is a right way to boast and a wrong way to it in the Bible. Good boasting/rejoicing includes boasting in the hope of the glory of God (Rom 5:2), suffering - which produces perseverance (Rom 5:3), reconciliation with God (Rom 5:11), in the Lord (1 Cor 1:31), others’ eagerness to help (2 Cor 9:2), things that show my weakness (2 Cor 11:30), power that is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9), the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 6:14), others’ perseverance and faith in persecutions and trials (2 Thess 1:4), the humble brother in his exaltation (James 1:9). Of course, the most often mentioned is to boast in the Lord (1 Cor 1:31, 2 Cor 10:17)

The wrong thing to boast is about oneself (2 Cor 12:5), observing the law (Rom 2:23), work done in another man’s territory (2 Cor 10:16), circumcision
(Gal 6:14), works (Eph 2:9) and the certainty of tomorrow (James 4:16).

Conclusion: Are you relying on God’s wisdom or man’s wisdom? Do you boast in your strength or God’s strength in your weakness? Are you ashamed of the cross or do you glory in the cross?

Questions and applications

1. Who would you consider as “the wise in the world”? Name a few individuals.
Who would you consider as “the wise in the Lord?” Name a few individuals.
Compare and contrast to identify similarities and differences.

2. Why would the Gospel of “Christ crucified” be a stumbling block to many?

3. Have you ever shared the gospel with others and they find what you shared to be foolish (or irrational, unscientific, illogical, a fable)? How do you respond?

4. Who were the Corinthian Christians? What was their social status? How did the Lord change their lives? How about you and other RCAC brothers and sisters? How are we perceived by non-believers? How has God transformed you?

5. Read Isaiah 29:14 in its context to understand God’s reason for “destroying the wisdom of the wise.” Reflect on our attitude towards God. Read Jeremiah 9:24 in its context to understand what believers should take pride in. Reflect on where your personal pride lies.

Paul, Pt. 5: “When Elephants Rumble”

2008-03-27T19:52:00.001-07:00

WHEN ELEPHANTS RUMBLE (1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-15)
An African proverb says, “When elephants fight, grass gets trampled.” When elephants rumble, not only grass suffers the damage, animals run for cover, too. Elephants do not throw their weight around for nothing. According to Wikipedia, the grizzly bear weighs 1,720 lbs., the white rhinoceros 7,937 lbs., the hippopotamus 9,920 lbs., but the African elephant weighs 16,534 lbs.

The largest elephant on record weighed about 24,000 pounds (10,886 kilograms) and was 13 feet (3.96 meters) tall! Wild elephants eat all types of vegetation, from grass and fruit to leaves and bark— about 220 to 440 pounds (100 to 200 kilograms) each day. They also drink about 30 gallons (113.5 liters) of water each day.
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-elephant.html

Building a church is hard enough without bigger than life characters causing a stampede in church. Often, there are conflicts, disagreements and misunderstandings. In the church at Corinth there were two 600-pound gorillas and 2,000-pound elephants by the name of Paul and Apollos. Their followers were displeased with each other, disrespectful to each other and distant from each other, adding to the two men’s stress, straining the fellowship in the church, neglecting the work of the gospel, hurting the name of the church and rejecting the suggestion of possible reconciliation.

How should leaders, coworkers and groups within the church work together? What causes divisions and factions? What can we do to build up and not tear down one another?

Prize Good Motivation
3:1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? (1 Cor 3:1-4)

During a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe, when the Shema prayer was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting. The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones sitting to stand up. The rabbi, learned as he was in the Law and commentaries, didn’t know what to do. His congregation suggested that he consult a housebound 98-year-old man, who was one of the original founders of their temple.

The rabbi hoped the elderly man would be able to tell him what the actual temple tradition was, so he went to the nursing home with a representative of each faction of the congregation. The one whose followers stood during Shema said to the old man, “Is the tradition to stand during this prayer?” The old man answered, “No, that is not our tradition.”

The one whose followers sat asked, “Is the tradition to sit during Shema?” The old man answered, “No, that is not our tradition.”

Then the rabbi said to the old man, “Please help us! The congregants fight all the time, yelling at each other about whether they should sit or stand.” The old man interrupted, exclaiming, “THAT is our tradition!”

The church is a hotbed of conflicts, as witnessed by the church in Corinth. Paul chides them as worldly and infants (v 1). The word “worldly”– “fleshly” in Greek, not “cosmos” – occurs merely 11 times in the Bible, four times in this passage alone (vv 1, 3, 3, 4 – “men”). Mostly, the world is contrasted with what is spiritual, godly and holy (Rom 7:14, 15:27, 1 Cor 3:1, 9:11, 2 Cor 1:12). A fleshly or worldly person is a slave to sin (Rom 7:14). He is selfish, superficial and self-righteous. He does not seek the things of God, to grow in Christ or the good of others.

Paul addresses the Corinthians as infants, crybabies and adolescents. An infant is ne-pios in Greek; ne- is negation and epos is “word,” so a baby does not speak a word. He babbles and cries; he does not speak. An infant talks gibberish and makes noise. Babies do not walk, they crawl. They need to wheeled in their strollers, strapped to their baby seats and helped to their high chairs. Worse, some need to be constantly carried in the arms or rocked in the arms.

A baby loves his baby formula, toys and pacifier. Solid food will make the infant choke, vomit and sick. Babies sleep, eat and poop. They crave attention; they won’t leave you alone and allow you to sleep or rest. Other negative portrayals of the “infant” in Greek include the inability to talk, think and reason like a man, in 1 Corinthians 13:11. In Ephesians 4:14, he is tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. In Hebrews 5:13-14, unlike the mature man, the babe cannot distinguish good from evil.

The roots of the infancy tag or label the Corinthians inherited can be traced to their childish and not constructive behavior. Two problems rocked and stalled the church in Corinth. One was jealousy and the other was quarreling (v 3). The root of jealousy (zelos) is in the word “zeal,” which tells us of the intensity of the issue, the passion felt and feelings involved, and the fervor at its height. Zeal is internal. Internal jealousy is then spilled into open quarreling. Contention, competition and criticism characterized the church. Because of that, the atmosphere was poisoned, her fellowship was strained and her ministry had suffered.

Promote Good Morale
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe-as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. (1 Cor 3:5-8)

Elisabeth Elliot told of a legend she heard from an African pastor. The story is told that Jesus was walking along with His disciples one day, and He asked each one of them to pick up a stone to carry for Him. So Peter picked up a fairly small one. John picked up a large one. And Jesus led them up to the top of a mountain, by which time they were hungry. So Jesus turned these stones into bread and gave them permission to eat what they had in their hands. Well, of course, Peter didn’t get enough, so John shared some of his with Peter.

Then on another occasion Jesus again took them for a walk and asked them to pick up a stone. This time He didn’t go up to the top of the mountain. But He took them to the river Jordan and told them to cast the stones into the river--which they did. This time, of course, Peter having picked up a much heavier stone. Then they looked to their Master for an explanation.

Nothing happened. He didn’t do any miracles. He just looked at them with great compassion and said, “For whom did you carry this stone?”
http://www.backtothebible.org/gateway-to-joy/accept-what-god-is-doing.html

What ignited such passion and division in the church that Paul wanted no part of? One group professed solidarity with Paul and another pledged loyalty to Apollos. Apollos is a prominent person in the New Testament church. Ten references to his name are found in the Bible. A Jew, a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures (Acts 18:24), Apollos vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 18:28) He had a mind of his own and was a tough nut to crack. Later in the book, Paul admitted he strongly urged Apollos to go to Corinth, but Apollos did not go for the lack of opportunity (1 Cor 16:12). Not many people dared to resist Paul, but Apollos was one of those. Possibly, Apollos refused to go because he did not want to be distressed by and dragged into their quarrels of Corinth.

Paul and Apollos were brothers in the Lord (1 Cor 16:12) and they were never at odds with each other (Titus 3:13), but their supporters were. Watch Paul do the balancing act in reference to Apollos – Paul and Apollos in verse 4 and the reverse, Apollos and Paul, in verse 5. He did not want to be accused of belittling Apollos’ leadership and provoking his supporters in this sensitive church.

Paul explained that they are just servants (diakonos) - an attendant or a waiter. There are two major servant words in the Bible. The more popular and technical one is doulos, the slave, a phrase popular to culture and in theology. The diakonos is popular for ministerial and even political setting. For example, government authorities are God’s servants (Rom 13:6). Paul and Apollos were
servants “through” (“dia,” from diameter – through/across) whom you came to believe. They are mere ambassadors, not the King; vessels, not the Pilot; and channels, not the Source .

Paul’s part is to plant, Apollos’ part is to water and God’s part is to cultivate. The gracious part in Paul commends Apollos for doing the dirty job, to water the plant, which has to be done regularly. I should know because the lazy part in me plants our cherry tomatoes near the sprinklers so that I do not have to water them. The planter does his one-time bit and leaves the rest of the job to the gardener, who has to water every day, supplies the nutrients and protects against pests. Paul was the founder of the church in Corinth (Acts 18:1), and the church was blessed to have Apollos (Acts 19:1) after Paul left (Acts 18:18). The weird thing was that Paul and Apollos never officially or technically met. When Paul left for Ephesus, Apollos was there but he did not meet Paul, who had set sail from Ephesus (Acts 18:21), but instead met Aquila and Pricilla. In fact, Paul and Apollos (1 Cor 16:12) were both not in Corinth at the time the letter was written.

“Grow” is the same word for John the Baptist and Jesus “growing” and becoming strong (Luke 1:80, 2:40). Jesus uses this word for natural agricultural growth – the lilies (Matt 6:28, Luke 12:27), the mustard seed (Matt 13:32, Luke 13:19) and the seed that fell on good soil (Mark 4:8). This could be quantitative (Acts 7:17) or qualitative growth (Eph 4:15, Col 1:10), though more so for the latter. The true harvester is God. He looks for fruit, gathers the crops and reaps for harvest.

Every time “reward” (v 8) is mentioned, people go crazy. They make doctrine and theology out of it. Gold, diamond or platinum? How many karats? They measure the kingdom of God in material terms. No, Paul is just stating a “principle,” with no specifics or details involved. It is just human analogy, not heavenly material or kingdom objects.

Provide Good Material
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Cor 3:9-15)

According to Wikipedia, foundations are generally broken into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations. Shallow foundations are usually embedded a few feet into soil.
Deep foundations are used to transfer a load from a structure through an upper weak layer of soil to a stronger deeper layer of soil. Sometimes these foundations penetrate bedrock.

Most house foundations are only one to two feet deep. Skyscrapers require huge foundations to support the structures. First, a large hole is dug into the ground to reach a point of stable soil (often bedrock). After some sort of bedrock is reached, large steel footings are placed, and from these, vertical steal beams are placed along with a network of rebar.

The foundation of the 1,815 ft (553m) CN Tower in Toronto is 50 ft (15m) deep or 5 floor deep. This is nothing compared to one of the world’s deepest foundations. The foundation of the 88-story or 1483-feet (452m) Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is 394 ft (120 m) deep - more than one fourth of its structure!
www.allaboutskyscrapers.com/skyscraper_concrete_foundations.html

The Corinthians’ jealousy and quarrelling were a slap to the face of Paul and Apollos, not something to be proud of. Paul almost shouted, “Are you out of your mind? We are fellow workers ( 9), not sworn rivals. The word “fellow workers” (sun-ergos) is intermingled with “joint” (sun, i.e. sync) and “worker” (ergon, i.e. ergonomics). The Corinthians were the field (georgion, from geo/earth + ergon/work) and the building. Paul and Apollos were the farmhands joint at the hip and the church was the land and the structure joint to the body of Christ.

Paul compares himself to an “expert builder” or architect (architekton) – the only time the word appears in the Bible - laying a foundation (themelios) or substructure, the base, the bottom or, better still, the bedrock underneath the earth’s surface. He cannot fail; his math must add up or the consequences are unimaginable. An engineer in my church once told me, “Engineering is all about physics.” Someone else is “building on it” – the verb “building” has the “on” (epi) preposition attached - the verb occurs four times in the passage (vv 10, 10, 12, 14). The substructure and the structure are attached, not detached; connected not disconnected; joint, not disjointed.

The word “careful” (v 10) is “see.” The word is not so much as “be careful” in the heart than “careful” with the eyes. Everyone should build with eyes open and not do shoddy work; fellow workers are obligated to pull their weight and not cut corners.

Next Paul begins the greatest to least comparison – gold, silver, costly (timios, from ti-me or “honor”) stones, wood, hay – which is a bundle, and straw – a stalk.
Again, Paul is using a principle, not alluding to what each represents, except for the foundation, who is Jesus Christ. There is only one foundation, not layers of foundation. There is only one choice for foundation; pastors, founders and leaders are merely the engineers. They do not determine the foundation; they merely determine who and where the foundation is, they point to the foundation and build on the foundation. All in all, the words build and plant each occurs four times in the passage.

The Day (v 13) in Paul’s theology is the day of God’s wrath (Rom 2:5) and the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ ((Rom 2:16). More than one third of 75 times the Greek word “fire” occurs in Revelation. “Burned up” (kata-kaio) in verse 15 does not mean burn, but burn against; the preposition “kata” or “against” is attached. Nothing will be hidden and no excuse will suffice.

Conclusion: Are you a peacemaker, a planter and a planner in God’s kingdom? Are you part of the solution or part of the problem? Are you committed to the Lord, His body and the church? Do you have a humble attitude and a reconciling spirit?

1 Cor 3: 1-15 Questions

1. What are the characteristics that distinguish the Corinthians as “worldly” and “infants in Christ”? Are the two the same?

2. Why is jealousy and quarreling described as worldly? Does that happen in today’s churches? What about your church?

3. What is the difference between identifying yourself with a group, a church, a denomination and a particular individual (Paul, Apollo, or a charismatic/popular leader in modern times)?

4. While the Corinthians took pride in following Paul (or Apollo), how did Paul see himself and the Corinthians?

5. Paul called the Corinthians “the field” and “the house,” what is his responsibility as God’s fellow servant? Is there any difference between “servant” and “fellow servant”?

6. Reflect whether you are building on the Foundation of God, which is Jesus Christ. If you are, what are the materials you are using? How would you describe “your work” Do you think it is of quality that will pass the test?

7. What are you? God’s servant, God’s fellow servant or worldly infant in Christ?

Paul, Pt. 6: “Three Sides of the Equation”

2008-03-27T19:51:00.004-07:00

THREE SIDES OF THE EQUATION (1 CORINTHIANS 10:23-33)
A farmer wanted to breed his three sows (adult female hogs). He had a friend who owned a few boars, so they made arrangements to get the sow and boars together. One afternoon the farmer loaded the sows into his pickup truck and hauled them over to the nearby farm. While the pigs were getting very well acquainted, he asked his friend how he would know if his pigs were pregnant.

“That’s easy,” said the man. “They wallow in the grass when it (works) takes, but they wallow in the mud when it doesn’t.”

Early the next morning the farmer awoke, glanced out the window of his bedroom, and noticed all three sows wallowing in the mud. So he loaded them back into his pickup and took them for a second round with the boars. Next morning...the same result. All three were wallowing in the mud. Disappointed but determined, the farmer once again took them back, hoping the third time would be the charm.

The following morning the farmer had to be away from the farm on business, so he anxiously phoned his wife, “Are they wallowing in the grass or the mud, dear?”

“Neither,” she replied. “But two of them are in the back of your pickup and the third one’s up front honking the horn!” (Charles Swindoll, Simple Faith 184-85).

Like the farmer, good, godly Christians are so serious about changing others’ opinions, beliefs and convictions on non–essential issues that they cannot see eye to eye or have a heart to heart talk with others who differ from them. Some churches split and members leave over Bible versions, worship wars and Jesus’ coming.

One of the most contentious issues in the church at Corinth was whether to eat food sacrificed to idols. The believers there comprised of Jews and Gentiles, so their background and diet is different.

What factors govern our decision-making in differences? What is the best and greatest motivation?

Paul gives us three principles to free us to worship, serve and thrive in a church community.

Seek the Gain That Counts
23 “Everything is permissible”- but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”- but not everything is constructive. (1 Cor 10:23-24)

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?” “Hold on a minute,” Socrates replied. “Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”

“Well, no,” the man said, “actually I just heard about it and…” “All right,” said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?”

“Umm, no, on the contrary…” “So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?”

“No, not really.” “Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?” (Appleseeds.com)

Why did Paul rehash the case on food sacrificed to idols? Did not the church in Jerusalem ask the Gentiles to abstain from four things upon profession of Christ - food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality? (Acts 21:25) Did Paul undermine the apostles’ teachings? The apostles and the church had previously faced and handled at least two food fights. First, on the subject of ceremonial washing of hands and feet and the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles that was part of tradition of the elders. (Mark 7:1-4) Jesus summarized, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” (Matt 15:18-20)

Paul, too, had his hands full with the debate over eating vegetables or meat. He says in another book, Romans 14:1-3 - “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.”

This third incident concerns food sacrificed to idols. The word “permissible” (v 23) in Greek is translated as “lawful” by KJV, RSV and NASB. That was the word of choice the Pharisees used to test Jesus with a flurry of questions: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” (Matt 12:10), “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2) and “Is it RIGHT to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Matt 22:17)

NIV’s “beneficial,” on the other hand, has three different translations in three different versions: KJV’s “expedient,” RSV’s “helpful” and NASB’s “profitable.” Most of the time, the word “beneficial” is translated elsewhere in the Bible by NIV as “good” (John 16:7, 18:14, 1 Cor 7:35, 10:33), “better” (Matt 5:29, 5:30, 18:6, 19:10, John 11:50), “best” (2 Cor 8:10, Heb 12:10) and on one occasion “helpful” (Acts 20:20) and “gained” (2 Cor 12:1). Greek time! “Sum-phero” (beneficial) is from “sum/sun” (sync/joint) and “phero” (carry, bear, see “Christopher=Christ bearer”). The word literally means “bears up.” While all things are lawful, all things do not keep up, carry over, hold together or maintain form in the long run. This is on the personal side, which there is no lasting personal benefit. From verses 23 till the end of the chapter, the word “all” occurs nine times (1 Cor 10:23, 23, 23, 23, 25, 27, 31, 33, 33). Come to think of it, that’s what the Chinese say. It’s not going to make you better, prettier, stronger, only fatter! There are always other things to eat. Food is perishable but fellowship and friendship are permanent. Crudely saying, food exits one’s body but fellowship binds hearts together.

The next line repeats the first line except for the last word - “constructive” (oikodomeo), or “edify” in KJV and NASB but “build up” in RSV. While “beneficial” is for the long term, “constructive is from the bottom up. The word is the same word for the construction of a house; to be a house-builder. The Bible tells us only two things builds up: love (1 Cor 8:1) and faith (1 Tim 1:4). Nobody becomes more spiritual over food. They merely have more religious opinions but they do not help a person grow spiritually.

Seek the Good of Others
24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake- 29 the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? (1 Cor 10:24-30)

According to an ancient fable, there was a Persian king who wanted to discourage his four sons from making rash judgments. At his command, the eldest son made a winter journey to see a mango tree across the valley. When spring came, the next oldest was sent on the same journey. Summer followed and the third son was sent. After the youngest made his visit to the mango tree in the autumn, the king called them together and asked each son to describe the tree.

The first son said it looked like an old stump. The second disagreed, describing it as lovely—large and green. The third son declared its blossoms were as beautiful as roses. The fourth son said that they were all wrong. To him it was a tree filled with fruit—luscious, juicy fruit, like a pear.

“Well, each of you is right,” the old king said. Seeing the puzzled look in their eyes, the king went on to explain. “You see, each of you saw the mango tree in a different season, thus you all correctly described what you saw. The lesson,” said the king, “is to withhold your judgment until you have seen the tree in all its seasons.” (Appleseeds.com, Source: “Sower’s Seeds That Nurture Family Values, # 30”)

Verse 24 is plain and short in Greek: “Seek none oneself but another (heteros, as in heterodox).”

What are believers to do if unbelievers invite them for dinner? Did Paul shortly before not advise believers to stop eating in an idol’s temple (1 Cor 8:10) and participating in fellowship with demons? (1 Cor 10:20) What has changed? In this instance, the believer is invited and the occasion is a home. Paul says do not fuss or fret unless the owners fuss and frown. This is different from Paul’s argument in chapter 8 concerning eating in an idol’s temple (1 Cor 8:10), which is strictly forbidden.

Why is food not the issue? Because the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (v 26). The full quotation taken from Psalms Ps 24:1-2 is: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” All the land and sea creatures are His creation, which He deemed good. (Gen 1:21, 25)

The biblical teaching on food or meat in itself is two-fold: (1) All food is “clean or “katharos” (Rom 14:20) – the reverse is “no food is unclean in itself” - and (2) everything God created is “good” (kalos) and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. (1 Tim 4:4-5) The truth, as Paul eloquently states it is “Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.”
(1 Cor 8:8)

The litmus test in a non-biblical issue - not unbiblical issue - is shifted to one’s conscience, stated five times in the chapter (1 Cor 10:25, 27 , 28, 29, 29). The conscience is a stern judge, a merciless critic and a terrible nag. The verb “judge” (v 29) is to scrutinize, investigate, interrogate - asking questions to no end. The exhaustive translations for this word are examine (Luke 23:14), call to account (Acts 4:9), cross-examine (Acts 12:19), examine (Acts 17:11), discern (1 Cor 2:14), make judgments (1 Cor 2:15), judge (1 Cor 4:3), sit in judgment (1 Cor 9:3) and raise questions (1 Cor 10:25). The Greek word for “raising questions” (v 25) or “judging” is bound up with a prefix “ana,” (ana-krino) for repetition and intensity.

The conscience is an amazing thing; it is qualified by different adjectives. There are people with weak (strengthless in Greek) conscience (1 Cor 8:10), good conscience (Acts 23:1), clear (katharos) conscience (1 Tim 3:9), corrupted conscience (Titus 1:15), guilty (evil in Greek) conscience (Heb 10:22). The worst is not in the Bible – no conscience, which is a myth: there is good/clear, weak or bad/corrupted, but not no conscience.

Paul says, “But if anyone regards (peitho –persuaded) something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.” (Rom 14:14) Food is food; it is neutral, but to a weaker brother, its cultural, religious and psychological value matters more than its nutritious value. It’s been said, “A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.” Conscience is the awareness of what is right or wrong. The Greek word is sun-eidesis or joint knowledge, co-perception, not ignorance or unawareness.

In the same way the children of God has glorious freedom (v 29, Rom 8:21), for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17), but the reverse side of freedom is denouncement (blasphemeo) (v 30), offense and vilification.

Seek the Glory of God
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God- 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. (1 Cor 10:31-33)

Charles Colson shared about receiving a phone call from Jack Eckerd, the founder of the Eckerd Drug chain, the second largest drug chain in America. Jack Eckerd invited him to Florida on the founder’s Lear jet to discuss Florida’s prison reform. While he was there Colson talked to Jack Eckerd about Jesus and gave him some books to read. Years went by but Colson witnessed to Jack Eckerd without success. One day Jack Eckerd called him up to say he believed in the resurrection. Charles Colson prayed with him to accept Christ.

The first thing Eckerd did was to walk into one of his drugstores and walked down through the book shelves, but this time he reacted differently when he saw Playboy and Penthouse magazines in the stores. And he’d seen it there many times before, but it never bothered him before. Now he saw them with new eyes. He’d become a Christian. He went back to his office. He called in his president. He said, “Take Playboy and Penthouse out of my stores.” The president said, “You can’t mean that, Mr. Eckerd. We make three million dollars a year on those books.” Eckerd said, “Take ‘em out of my stores.” By one man’s decision, those magazines were removed from the shelves of 1,700 stores across America, forsaking three million dollars a year in revenue. (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited)

Paul provides the Corinthians believers a different and superior way to think. This time, not bound to conscience and feelings, right and freedom, brothers or sisters, but to God’s glory. Conscience as motivation has its ups and downs, highs and lows, peaks and pits, but doing things for God’s glory is the greatest and ageless motivation in life. Doing things for God’s glory is the greatest freedom in life. Paul did not limit the principle to eating food sacrificed to idols, but that whatever they do, to do it all for the glory of God (v 31). If eating causes a weak brother to stumble, not just merely disagree, then I can choose to eat it another day or in another company. “Stumble” (v 32) in Greek has the meaning of striking, beating and tripping. It means that if others are beaten up over my eating in their presence, then I will pass. It doesn’t mean one is a hypocrite for eating somewhere. The word “stumble” occurs three times only in the Bible, the other two translations are “clear” (Acts 24:16) and “blameless.” (Phil 1:10) Note that Paul is not saying not to eat at all, but not in the presence of the weak brother, who will blame himself or you for his stumbling.

“Please” is “aresko,” which is taken from the word “airo” - to lift up (others). Pleasing everybody is an impossible task and a losing proposition. That’s why Paul qualifies it to mean for the greater good, not his own (v 33). The ultimate is to open and not close the door to witnessing. Why is eating or not more important than the gospel? In another passage unrelated to eating, Paul says “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor 9:22-23) Pleasing all and becoming all is not a virtue in today’s society. It is frowned upon and interpreted as a sign of weakness, not strength. The foremost reason is that we do not want others to take advantage of us. Paul is not saying the believer has to “be all,” not a state or character, which does not change – just “becoming” all, that others may be saved. It is a salvation issue, not a sanctification issue. He is stating that he is responding to the weaker brother, not just someone claiming he is weak, but that he is weak.

Conclusion: Do you do all things for the glory of God? Is your testimony pleasing to Him? Do you find ways and time to witness for Him?

1. Study the three words permissible, beneficial, and constructive.

Using entertainment (e.g. watching movies) as a topic, can you give an example of each (i.e. permissible, beneficial, and constructive)?
Using hobbies as a topic, can you give an example of each?
Using food as a topic, can you give an example of each?
Using friendship with unbelievers as a topic, can you give an example of each?

Identify some other choices you are discerning in your personal life (study or work life) and ponder.

2. In this text, what is our responsibility to our non-believing friends (in school or work settings) when we participate in activities with them?

3. Using the examples you come up with in #1, can you include your conscience and “the other man” (your unbeliever friend)’s conscience in examining the activities

4. What is the fundamental guideline or principle for all we do? (v.31) Apply it to the examples you have selected in #1. Does it change anything?

5. What does Paul’s effort to “please everybody in everyway” mean? What should the purpose be? As Christians, are we trying to “please” everybody?

Paul, Pt. 7: “One in the Spirit”

2008-03-27T19:51:00.003-07:00

ONE IN THE SPIRIT (1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-26)
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. Green said “I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees, leaves - without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority.”

Blue interrupted: “Consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity.”

Yellow chuckled: “I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile.”

Orange started next to blow her trumpet: “I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and pawpaws. When I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you.”

Red shouted out: “I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood….I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy.”

Purple spoke with great pomp: “I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom.”

Finally, Indigo spoke, “Without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace.”

Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening - thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort. Rain began to speak: “You foolish colors. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me. From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace.” (Abridged)

According to Unger’s dictionary, Corinth is Greece's most splendid commercial city. Its strategic situation just south of the narrow isthmus connecting central Greece with the Peloponnesus made it the mecca of trade between the East and the West. The city derived rich income from the transport of cargoes across the narrow isthmus. The city of Corinth is divided along racial, social and economic lines, affecting the church and influencing its dynamics. Jews and Gentiles, masters and slaves, rich and poor are represented.

How can a church rally her members to emphasize spiritual and godly service and bypass physical and cultural distinctions? What do they need to adopt and affirm in order for the church to flourish and grow?

The Flock is One
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Cor 12:12-13)

This is as good a story on the plight of the church and the lack of workers as any: This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

The church is a family, not individuals; an organism and not an organization; a body and not the building. Her members are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28), and the sum is greater than the parts.

The word “body” (soma) occurs 18 times in chapter 12 alone and 47 times in the book. The word “unit” (v 12) is an awkward translation of the Greek for “one,” which occurs 13 times in the chapter. The Lord’s purpose for the church is for her unity, as witnessed by Jesus’ High Priestly prayer for the church before his crucifixion. Six times He prayed for them to be united as one (John 17:11, 21, 21, 22, 22, 23).

To be one means unity not uniformity; to be unanimous, not to be in union; to have harmony, not hostility; to be in accord and not in discord; to agree to disagree; to emphasize similarities and not differences.

A key saying for unity is ““In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” When I was invited to be an adjunct faculty in a seminary, I said that my theological views might be different from the school’s position. The academic dean replied, “It’s OK, Victor, as long we do not attack each other.”
We can defend one’s position but not demean the person, argue one’s point but not attack the person, call others no names but brother, that’s the spirit of unity.

The word “parts” occurs 17 times in the chapter. The body is singular but her members are plural, just as a family is one but her members are more than one. In fact, experts believe a one-child policy makes spoilt brats of their kids. These little emperors have not learned to share – toys, love and money. The family’s schedule and universe revolves around the doted child. Just before turning teen, I was still sharing a big bed with my brother and sister. Of course, all of us want to sleep inside, nearest the wall instead of the aisle. To wake the sleepyheads for school, my grandmother would grab the nearest legs and literally pull us out of bed.

The word “all” occurs 16 times in chapter 12. The mission and the ministry of the church are more important than its members and their division. Our source is in Christ and our unity is in the Spirit (v 13). There is one Body even though we have many believers, one Baptizer even though we are baptized at different times and one Birth even though we have many babies.

The Functions are Different
14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don't need you!” (1 Cor 12:14-21)

None of the parts of the body is useless or worthless, including the appendix, which I had removed due appendicitis. My only disappointment is my doctor left an upside down scar – a frown - instead of a smiley face on my waist.

For generations the appendix has been dismissed as superfluous. Doctors figured it had no function, surgeons removed them routinely, and people live fine without them. And when infected the appendix can turn deadly. It gets inflamed quickly and some people die if it isn't removed in time. In 2005, 321,000 Americans were hospitalized with appendicitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 300 to 400 Americans die of appendicitis each year, according to the CDC.

Surgeons and immunologists at Duke University Medical School assert that the function of the appendix seems related to the massive amount of bacteria populating the human digestive system. There are more bacteria than human cells in the typical body. Most of it is good and helps digest food. But sometimes the flora of bacteria in the intestines die or are purged. Diseases such as cholera or amoebic dysentery would clear the gut of useful bacteria. The appendix's job is to reboot the digestive system in that case. The appendix “acts as a good safe house for bacteria,” said Duke surgery professor Bill Parker, a study co-author. Cultivating good germs is not needed in a modern industrialized society, Parker said. If a person's gut flora dies, they can usually repopulate it easily with germs they pick up from other people, he said. But before dense populations in modern times and during epidemics of cholera that affected a whole region, it wasn't as easy to grow back that bacteria and the appendix came in handy. In less developed countries, where the appendix may be still useful, the rate of appendicitis is lower than in the U.S., other studies have shown, Parker said.
(“Scientists: Appendix Protects Good Germs” Press Enterprise, 10/6/07)

Every one has a job to do, a role to play and a task at hand.

Paul seems to begin with the weaker members, weaker as in less conspicuous, clumsily placed. The Greek for “foot” (pous, as in podiatry) occurs 96 times in Bible but the hand 172 times, almost doubling foot. In Arab countries and in Thailand, it is considered extremely offensive to show someone the sole of your foot, because the feet are the least respected parts of the body. Due to their bottom position and limited function, feet are exposed to a variety of potential infections and injuries. Most people wear basic footwear to prevent injuries.

In daily tasks we celebrate the hand more than the feet, but none can do without the other. The hand holds things and goes online, but the foot plays soccer and travel places. The hand drives the car but the foot presses the brakes.

In sports, most of the injuries are with foot pain, lower leg & ankle, knee pain
and thigh pain. Due weakness in the knees and legs, I protect my foot gingerly, wearing socks during late fall, winter and early spring when the room temperature drops below 75 degrees. My feet turn colder faster than my hands. I wear socks but never gloves. At one time, there was no nail left to my left leg’s last toe, but it resurfaced with water exercise.

The “ear” word occurs 37 times but the “eye” 101 times in the New Testament. The nose is the most underrated member of the body; Greek for “smell” occurs just once in the Bible!

A body with identical parts ceases to be a body. If the parts do not cooperate the body is no longer a body but a corpse. All parts are defined by their function. Any part not playing their part would result in the loss of coordination, health and function. Problems plague the body when a part overcompensates for another’s dysfunction.

The Feelings are Mutual
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Cor 12:12-26)

Earlier this summer, a study published in the American Sociological Review (“Social Isolation in America”) found Americans have fewer friends than they did 20 years ago, and that the number of those without a friend had more than doubled. Researchers at the University of Arizona and Duke University concluded we're more isolated and lonely than we used to be.

Tom Rath, a numbers man for the Gallup polling group, drew on more than 5 million interviews to write his book, “Vital Friends: The People You Can't Afford to Live Without.” He found little has changed, and “Gallup studies show it's not a bleak picture at all. Unless you have at least three or four people in either sphere of life, work and home, that is, you can have problems. Evidence shows having three or four friends at work makes a real difference. It's better than going out and buying something, or reading a self-help book.” Susanne Alexander, an author, relationship coach and marriage educator, says, “Minus friends, however, we're not happy campers. We can shut down emotionally. Problems can last longer, and solutions can be harder to reach. You're unable to move ahead.” (“Friends make one rich” Press Enterprise, 8/28/06)
Rath's new book,

The insignificant parts are not weaker, but they merely “seem/think” (vv 22, 23) weaker (seem/think are the same in Greek – dokeo or think). Paul uses the word “seem/think” twice – same word in Greek (vv 22, 23) to make the Corinthians understand that their thinking is mere opinion, perception, value judgment, not discernment, observation, or true worth. Note that Paul refuses to call any part “strong” or “stronger,” inferior or superior, greater or lesser. In fact, he did not call them weaker (v 22) but “strength-less,” or without strength in Greek. Besides “weak,” this word is also translated as the “sick” (Matt 25:39), the “cripple” (Acts 4:9) and the “powerless” (Rom 5:6). He did this not to call them names, but to expose the normal body parts’ disregard, disrespect and discrimination toward weaker body parts.

In the survival of the fittest, there is no place for the weak, but God placed the weaker parts in the body so that other parts can minister to them. The presence of weaker parts completes the church and gives her balance. They are “indispensable” (1 Cor 12:22), which occurs eights times in the Bible, usually for a less dramatic translation, such as four times for “necessary” (2 Cor 9:5, Phil 1:24, 2:25, Heb 8:3) and once for “close” (Acts 10:24), “had to” (Acts 13:46) and “must” (Titus 3:14).

Paul uses three words to compare “weaker” members – “less honorable,” “unpresentable” (v 23) and “parts that lacked.” “Less honorable” is a-timos – no honor; “a-“ is a negation and “timos” is from “tim-e,” the first syllable for Timothy – honoring God. “Unpresentable” is “a-skemon,” as in no “skemon,” the latter translated as “form” (1 Cor 7:31) or “appearance” (Phil 2:8). “Parts that lacked” (hustereo) is from the root word “hupo,” meaning “under,” “beneath” and “below.” Their contrast is with “honor” and “special modesty.” “Honor” is “tim-e” and “special modesty” is “eu-shemosune” or “good (eu)” “appearance/form,” from the previous word. Paul interestingly uses three “perissoteros,” translated as “treated/treatment” to emphasize the care and concern for the weaker parts; the word occurs six other times in NIV, translated as “most” (Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47) twice, and once for “more” (Matt 11:9), “much more” (Luke 12:48), “excessive” (2 Cor 2:7) and “freely” (2 Cor 10:8).

Parts are incomplete and incompetent without partners. Going solo, none is stronger and all is weakened, if not destabilized and damaged.

Paul next uses three “sun” prefix to knit the passage together. God’s purpose is to “combine” (v 23) or “sugkerannumi,” from sun (joint) and kerannumi, translated as “full strength” (Rev 14:10) and “mix” (Rev 18:6, 18:6), so that negatively - there is no division in the body. The other translation for “division” is “tear” (Matt 9:16, Mark 2:21). Positively, they are to have equal concern for each other. The more pressing translation for “concern” (1 Cor 7:32, 33, 34, 34) is “worry” (Matt 6:25, 6:27, 6:28, 6:31, 6:34, 10:19, Luke 10:41, 12:11, 12:22, 12:25, 12:26), interest
(Phil 2:20) and anxious (Phil 4:6), which is a deeper and wiser, knowing that problems touch and involve both sides.

The second “sun” - “equal concern” is “sum-pascho” or joint passion (as in suffering, i.e. Passion for Christ). Rejoice (v 26) is the third word, along with verse 23’s “combine” and verse 25’s “equal concern.” It means sug-chairo, joined (in) joy, translated as “shared the joy” (Luke 1:58) and “rejoice” (Luke 15:6, 15:9,
1 Cor 13:6, Phil 2:17, 2:18).

Conclusion: Are you concern for others in the body? Has knowing Christ and others make you gentler, meeker and simpler? Are you active or passive and progressing or regressing in service?

Questions:
In your church, is the diversity based on ethnicity/nationality, socio-economic status and education/income/occupational status? Do you think a diverse church can stay united? What was the church in Corinth like (1 Cor 1:10)?
Paul uses the analogy of the body to describe the church. Examine how this analogy helps us understand church life.
Why do we need the body parts with their different functions?
Do you see you need brothers and sisters in the Lord (v 27)? Describe some needs.
Who are the “seemingly weak” brothers and sisters in your church? Why are they perceived as weak?
How can we treat the less honorable brothers and sisters with special honor? Give a concrete example in your church.
What is God’s role in unifying the church (vv 18-20, 24-25)?
Share an example when your body parts are (1) not coordinated in their functions, (2) hurting one another, and (3) supporting one another. Apply the analogy to your church.

Paul, Pt. 8: “The Greatest of These is Love”

2008-03-27T19:51:00.001-07:00

THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE (1 CORINTHIANS 13)
“Darling,” he murmured into the phone, “I love you. I adore you. I'd climb Mount Everest in my bare feet for you. I’d slay dragons for you. I’d walk on hot coals for you. I would endure any hardship for you.”

“Oh, Ralph, I love you, too. When will I see you again?”

“Well,” replied the valiant lover, “I’ll pick you up on Saturday if it doesn’t rain.”

Love is central and unique to Judaism and Christianity. The Shema, which is the centerpiece of all morning and evening Jewish prayer services and is considered the most important prayer in Judaism, reads: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deut 6:4-5) Jesus calls it the first and greatest commandment. (Matt 22:37-39)

The most famous verse in the New Testament is “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17) Not only do Christians observe a new commandment, which is to love one another as Jesus has loved us (Jn 13:34), we are to do everything in love. (1 Cor 16:14)

What is love? Is it nothing more than feelings of love? Do you have to be in the mood to love? Why is loving others easier said than done? Why is love the greatest virtue and motivation in life?

Love is Superior
13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor 13:1-3)

Howard Hendricks, the Bible Study Methods professor at Dallas Seminary, is probably the most renowned and influential teacher in the field of Bible study. He has taught thousands of students, including me. Hendricks’ parents separated before he was born, and he was raised by a loving grandmother and an alcoholic grandfather. He tells of how a man named Walt led him to Christ:

One day Walt told the Sunday school superintendent he wanted to start a Sunday school class. “That’s great, Walt,” he was told, “but we don’t have an opening for you.” Walt insisted, however, so the superintendent said, “Good. Go out and get a class. Anybody you find is yours.”

Then Walt came into my community. The first time we met, I was playing marbles out on the concrete. “Son,” he said, “how would you like to go to Sunday school?” I wasn’t interested. Anything with school in it had to be bad news. So he said, “How about a game of marbles?” That was different. So we shot marbles and had a great time, though he whipped me in every single game. (Now you know: I lost my marbles early in life.) By then I would have followed him anywhere.

Walt picked up a total of thirteen boys in that community for his Sunday school class, of whom nine were from broken homes. Eleven of the thirteen are now in full-time vocational Christian work. Actually, I can’t tell you much of what Walt said to us, but I can tell you everything about him...because he loved me for Christ’s sake. He loved me more than my parents did. He used to take us hiking, and I’ll never forget those times. I’m sure we made his bad heart worse, but he’d run all over those woods with us because he cared. (Howard Hendricks, Teaching to Change Lives, pp. 21-22, Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1987)

The word “love” in this chapter is “agape,” not “philos,” which is translated in the Bible as “friend” (John 15:14), or “eros,” which is physical or sexual. Agape love is selfless, sacrificial and steadfast. Paul’s definition is not only succinct and thorough, it is probably the most beloved and renown definition of love. It is not only the most popular for wedding couples, but also to many Bible readers.

The structural markers underlining Paul’s testimony to the superiority of love is organized around three phrases “but have not love.” Love trumps the three kinds of gifts – the sensational or the spectacular, the sophisticated or skilled, and the sacrificial and selfless gifts. He begins with the least important and the most abused spiritual gift.

Note that Paul did not use the word “gift” for love to downplay the Corinthians’ emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit (Rom 12:6, 1 Cor 12:4) and promote love, which is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), because love is available to all and compulsory of all, not optional or giftedness.

The subject of speaking in tongues was a controversial and sore subject in the church of Corinth. Tongues are not ecstatic utterances or unknown languages given a believer for a thrill, a kick or a high. Twice, Paul uses the phrase “different kinds” of tongues (1 Cor 12:10, 12:28) to suggest tongues are “various languages” – “kinds” is translated as “offspring” (Acts 17:28), “native” (Acts 18:24) and “countrymen (2 Cor 11:26) in the New Testament. Tongues come with restrictions and with interpretation (1 Cor 12:30, 14:5, 14:13, 14:27). The abuse of tongues occurs because of pride. The speaker prides himself in being more spiritual than the next believer (1 Cor 14:4) and boasts of speaking to God and not men (1 Cor 14:2). Speaking in tongues is useless – merely speaking into the air - without interpretation is unintelligible to outsiders (1 Cor 14:9) and unfruitful to believers (1 Cor 14:14).

However, we must not lose sight of what Paul is really saying. Paul is using a figure of speech called merism (Greek meros “part”) to emphasize “totality or ‘all’ as expressed by contrasting parts” (e.g. high and low, young and old). “Tongues of men and angels” means the ability to communicate with men and angels or heaven and earth, knowing all languages in the world. There is no special emphasis on tongues of angels because angels were never known to speak in unknown tongues to men or God. For the support of Paul’s use of merism, the word “all” is used eight times in the chapter (vv 2, 2, 2, 3, 7, 7, 7, 7).

It’s been said, “Empty vessels make the most noise.” “Gong” (v 1) is translated elsewhere as “copper” (Matt 10:9) and “bronze” (Rev 18:12). “Resounding” occurs one other time in the Bible and is translated as the “roaring of the sea” (Luke 21:25). The “clanging” sound is likened to that of someone “wailing” (Mark 5:38).

From the sensational, Paul addresses the skilled gifts. Paul moves to prophecy. Prophecy is not necessarily “foretelling” but, more importantly, “telling forth” God’s word; not prediction or revelation of future events, but instruction and teaching of God’s word. While tongues are not for believers but for unbelievers, prophecy, nevertheless, is for believers and not for unbelievers. (1 Cor 14:22) Paul puts a premium on prophecy. With prophecy there would be no lack of knowledge or insight. In the Bible, mysteries (v 2) are not the same as secrets. Mysteries are waiting to be uncovered and discovered, but secrets refused to be found or revealed.

In Mark 11: 23, Jesus says a man with faith can order a mountain into the sea, but Paul here heightens it to “moving mountains.” Paul’s “mountains” is plural, more dramatic but utterly useless. He is not saying the man is not doing much as a feat but that he is not much better as a person. It adds to his reputation but not his character.

Next, the apostle contrast and climaxes the argument with two sacrificial and selfless gifts – giving and martyrdom. Giving to friends and family is no big deal, giving 10% or even millions is no big deal if you are a billionaire, but giving all is selfless, sacrificial and shocking. The gift of martyrdom is the most sacrificial and the most selfish gift of all but at the same time – it can only be used once. Paul is not saying the person has done nothing, but that the person is none the better “without love.”

Love is Perfect
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

Kids, aged 5 to 10, were asked questions about what they thought of love and marriage. Here’s a sample of what they said.
On what falling in love is like:
“Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.” (Roger, 9)
“If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don't want to do it. It takes too long.” (Leo, 7)
“No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That's why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” (Jan, 9)
“I think you're supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn't supposed to be so painful.” (Harlen, 8)
“All of a sudden, the people get movies fever so they can sit together in the dark.” (Sherm, 8)
“You should never kiss a girl unless you have enough bucks to buy her a big ring and her own VCR, 'cause she'll want to have videos of the wedding.” (Jim, 10)
“It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need somebody to clean up after them!” (Lynette, 9)
Concerning why lovers often hold hands:
“They want to make sure their rings don't fall off because they paid good money for them.” (Dave, 8)
“Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I have been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me.” (Bobby, 8)
“I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth grade hard enough.” (Regina, 10)
“One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.” (Ava, 8)
Some surefire ways to make a person fall in love with you:
“Tell them that you own a whole bunch of candy stores.” (Del, 6)
“One way is to take the girl out to eat. Make sure it's something she likes to eat. French fries usually works for me.” (Bart, 9)
“Just see if the man picks up the check. That's how you can tell if he's in love.” (John, 9)
“Lovers will just be staring at each other and their food will get cold. Other people care more about the food.” (Brad, 8)
“The person is thinking: Yeah, I really do love him. But I hope he showers at least once a day. (Michelle, 9)
“Don't forget your wife's name ... That will mess up the love.” (Erin, 8)
“Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind ... Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch.” (Natalie, 9)
http://www.gagirl.com/kids/kids.html

After comparing love, Paul defines and idealizes love. Paul uses eight positives and eight negatives: two positive definitions in verse 4, then seven negative terms from verses 4-5, next a positive-negative contrast (v 6) and ends with five more positive characterizations (vv 7-8).

Patience (makrothumeo) (v 4) or forbearance is derived from Greek word “long” (macros). Literally it means long-suffering. Kind is a contrast to “patient.” Kindness does with a smile what patience forces itself to do. Patience manages to “grin and bear” it but kindness “delivers coals in the snow” (Chinese proverb) to those in need.

A list of seven “not’s” – three in verse 4 and four in verse 5 – is included in two short verses. English language speakers differentiate between jealousy and envy. Jealousy is the red eye, but envy is the covetous heart. One is resentful of what others have, the latter is desirous of what others have. “Envy” is in the heart, but “boasting” is on the lips; it means inflating one’s worth. “Pride” is in one’s mind. “Rudeness” is in one’s conduct; it occurs one other time in the Bible, translated as “acting improperly.” (1 Cor 7:36) “Self-seeking” is for one’s interests or welfare; it means “looking out for oneself.” “Anger” (paroxuno) is tackling one’s temperament. The word is from the root “acid.” “Keeps no record of wrong” in Greek is “not thinking (logizomia) evil,” which deals with one’s motive or past.

Verse six is “rejoice in/upon” versus “rejoice with.” The former has room for one only – self, but the latter has rooms to spare for others. The first sneers and gloats alone when others do wrong; loveless engages in chest-thumping but love doubles the joy and shares the high-fives.

In contrast to the eight “not,” including one in verse 6, is “all” – four in verse 7 and eight in the whole chapter. The root word for “protect” comes from the word “roof.” “Protect” is about sheltering others. “Trust” is the word for “believe” or “have faith” in God. “Hope” is confidence, grounded in the future. “Perseveres” literally means “stay behind” – grounded in the present “Protect” is believing in people, believe is in God, and hope is future reality and perseverance is present resolve.

Love is Eternal
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor 13:8-13)

In the “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” feisty Lucy says to Charlie Brown, “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown. Tis the season of peace on earth and good will toward men, therefore I suggest we forget all our differences and love one another.” The delighted Charlie Brown says, “That’s wonderful Lucy. I’m so glad you said that. But tell me, do we have to love each other only at this season of the year? Why can’t we love each other all year long?” Lucy retorts, “What are you a fanatic or something?”

“Cease” and “pass away” in verse 8 are the same Greek words, occurring four times (vv 8, 8, 10, 11) in the passage. “Still” (v 8) has to do with volume and “cease/pass away” with time and history. Prophecy and knowledge (v 8), at best, is in part. Love, on the other hand, has no limits, is not bound by time. The former, gifts, are information but love is inspiration; gifts are limited to the church but love is for all.

“Nepios” or child (v 11) is the most unflattering and unusual of all words used for children in the New Testament; it is the word for the youngest infants - “child” or “babe,” whereas “man” is not merely “man,” but it could be translated as “husband” (Matt 1:19) or married man. “Thought” or “phroneo” is the mind, but “reason” is the mind at work. “Phroneo” is the brain, its activity, the mental faculty, but “reason” is the logic, its function, the thinking process, the reasoning power. The interesting thing is that Paul uses talking before thinking and thinking before reasoning – from weak to strong, exactly how a child does things. His talking is noisiest, his thinking is blank and his understanding why is not formed.

“Poor reflection” in verse 12 is “ainigma” (“enigma”), meaning “obscure.” The word “mirror” and “full” are contrasted in Greek. Mirrors were invented about 2,000 years ago, so we understand why Paul says mirrors then have a poor reflection. “Mirror” (es-optron) and “fully” (pros-opon) both has the word “eye” (optanomai) embedded in them, the latter meaning “to eye,” meaning “eye to eye.” The first and normal “know” (ginosko) is contrasted with the more intense and thorough “know” (epi-ginosko) with the preposition “upon” added.

The words “cease” (1 Cor 13:8), “pass away” (1 Cor 13:8), “disappears” (1 Cor 13:10), and “behind me” (1 Cor 13:11) are the same in Greek – katargeo.

Conclusion: Are you growing in love? Do you love the Lord and your neighbors the deserving and the undeserving, the believing as well as the unbelieving,? Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? (Matt 5:44-46) Do you love in word and in deed?

Paul, Pt. 9: “The God of All Comfort”

2008-03-27T19:50:00.002-07:00

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT (2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-6)
Everything that could go wrong went wrong for Will Smith’s character in “The Pursuit of Happyness.” He invested his money into buying and selling bone-density scanners. One of his $250 scanners was stolen by a hippie and another by a lunatic. The lack of income took a toll on his family and his frustrated wife left him on account of his chaotic life, including collecting unnecessary parking tickets, for which he was arrested. At about the same time he also bumped into a kind man who paved the way for him to have an opportunity to be a broker, only if he could beat 19 others to the job in an internship. The supervisor at the internship used him for an office boy and even the CEO stiffed him for taxi money in an emergency.

A series of unfortunate events left him and his five-year-old son homeless. When he sold all his scanners the IRS impounded his money for unpaid taxes. He was thrown out of his apartment. They slept overnight in a train station restroom one night when they ran out of money. Every day before 5 pm he lined up with his son at a shelter that would take in limited people, sometimes missing the cut. When he finally recovered his last scanner from the crazy man, it did not work, so he had to donate blood to earn $20 something to replace a default part. At night in the shelter he diligently studied for his broker exam. When he could not convince a big client to give him a chance, he worked hard on other clients. Through hard work and determination he succeeded beyond his dreams and was made a broker.

The best scene was when he was at a chapel service in the shelter, listening to an inspiring song from the choir:
“Lord don’t move that mountain,
Give me the strength to climb it.
Please don’t move that stumbling block,
But lead me Lord around it.”

Have you been mad at God for something that went wrong? A world crisis, a family crisis or an office crisis? In a national survey conducted by George Barna, a cross section of adults were asked: “If you could ask God only one question and you knew He would give you an answer. What would you ask?” The number one answer by 17% of respondents was; “Why is there pain and suffering in the world?” Augustine put it this way: “If there is no God, why is there so much good? If there is a God, why is there so much evil?”

What part does suffering play in our life? How does one outlast tragedy, pain and even loss? Why is suffering possibly a friend and not a foe?

You’ve Got to Be Positive, Not Pessimistic
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, (2 Cor 1:3-4)

In the early 1980’s, Dr. Salvatore R. Maddi, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of a forthcoming book, “Resilience at Work,” followed hundreds of employees at Illinois Bell when its parent company, AT&T, was facing federal deregulation. More than 10,000 people eventually lost their jobs. “There was suicide, depression, anxiety disorders, divorces, heart attacks, strokes - all the things that could be attributed to massive stress,” Dr. Maddi said.

But while about two-thirds of the workers in Dr. Maddi’s sample unraveled, the other third thrived. They survived the incident with their health intact and hung onto their jobs or moved to another company where they quickly climbed up the ranks. When the researchers went back and reviewed their first set of interviews, they found that many of the people who made it through unscathed had stressful family backgrounds - constant moving, their parents getting divorced - and were more likely to describe change as inevitable. “Some of the people who cracked had initially taken a job with Bell rather than I.B.M. because they believed it was safe and didn’t want any disruption,” Dr. Maddi said.

Paul’s first verb in the letter is praise, or “blessed” (eulogetos) in Greek, a testimony and tribute to Job’s feisty attitude in the midst of troubles (Job 1:21). Christians do not merely have light at the end of the tunnel; they have light inside and outside the tunnel. There is nothing more encouraging and enduring than to know that our God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (v 3). Compassion refers to His nature and comfort is the action. This compassion word has nothing to do with the two more popular words on compassion – bowels and sumpatheo, the former describing describe movement and the latter empathy; compassion/mercy has to do God’s relationship to man. The Old Testament equivalent of this root word (compare Rom 9:15 and Ex 33:19) is used of a father’s compassion on his children (Ps 103:13, Mal 3:17) and a mother’s compassion on the child she has borne (Isa 49:15). The object of God’s compassion in the Bible are His servants (Deut 32:36, Ps 135:14), all He has made (Ps 145:9), Jacob (Isa 14:1) and His afflicted ones (Isa 49:13). God knows the fear, the fight and the fire in us.

The key word in this passage is “comfort.” Meeting troubles does not mean God is condemning us; He comforts us in our troubles. He does not chastise or criticize us but calm and console us when we are troubled. The noun form occurs six times in five verses, from verse 3 to 7 – once in each verse but twice in verse 6 – and its verb four times – three times in verse 4 and once in verse 6. The Greek meaning for comfort is para-kaleo or “call (kaleo) beside or alongside (para).” Our comfort is derived from knowing not only He is on our side, but that He is by our side, though He can only be seen or felt with eyes of faith. This noun is translated as consolation (Luke 2:25) and encouragement, as in the case of Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36). God’s encouragement is eternal (2 Thess 2:16), never ending. The verb translations for “comfort” are pretty broad, including answer kindly (1 Cor 4:13), urge (Rom 12:1), encourage (1 Cor 14:31), implore (2 Cor 5:20), appeal (2 Cor 10:1), plead (2 Cor 12:8) and exhort (1 Tim 5:1).

God’s comfort is applicable in the most extreme situation – in our tribulation
(thlipsis), not in mere trouble (as it is translated) but not the great tribulation either. Elsewhere, this word (thlipsis) is the second part of the “great tribulation” equation in Revelation (Rev 7:14). Note that for all our troubles, it is nothing compared to the coming “great tribulation” (Rev 7:14), otherwise known as “great distress” (Matt 24:21) the gospels talked about and Revelation’s “suffer intensely” (Rev 2:22). In another chapter, Paul comforts the Corinthians, saying our troubles are light and momentary troubles (2 Cor 4:17) in comparison to the eternal glory awaiting us (2 Cor 4:17).

You’ve Got to Be Purposeful, Not Powerless
so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. (2 Cor 1:4-5)

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read “Puppies For Sale.” A little boy appeared under the store owner's sign. “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.

The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.” The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. “I have $2.37,” he said. “Can I please look at them?”

The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, “What's wrong with that little dog?” The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. “That is the puppy that I want to buy.” The store owner said, “No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, “I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”

The store owner countered, “You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.”
To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, “Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!”

A youth asked a sad and lonely man this question: “What is life’s heaviest burden?” He answered, “To have nothing to carry.”

Troubles are not suffered in vain. With God’s help and comfort, we can transform the experience from the trouble to comfort other people in need. Troubles are the means to embitter us or to empower others, to sour us or to strengthen people, to doom us or to direct people. People do not grow if they are perfect, passive or pessimistic.

Christ is our example. He became a man and suffered the worst imaginable trouble/tribulation in history, but His sufferings are vicarious and victorious. He suffered in our place and for our sake, serving as our substitute on the cross. Christ’s afflictions/troubles are for the sake of his body, which is the church. (Col 1:24). Further, because He is just, He will return trouble on those who trouble us. (2 Thess 1:6)

Besides troubles, Jesus experienced more: “sufferings” (v 5) or “pathema,” from the word “pathos” or “passion.” Pathos is a quality that arouses emotions such as pity or sorrow. Our strength lies in the sufferings of Christ. Suffering itself is never glorious, anything but glorious, but out of it came glory (1 Peter 1:11). He is crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death (Heb 2:9), so our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us (Rom 8:18). Sharing in his sufferings (Phil 3:10) is an honor. When we participate in the sufferings of Christ, we will be overjoyed (1 Peter 4:13) when we share in the glory to be revealed (1 Peter 5:10). 1 Peter tells us we are partakers (koinoneo) and witnesses of His sufferings (1 Peter 5:1).

You’ve Got to Be Patient, Not Panicky
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. (2 Cor 1:6)

One of the toughest individuals I have ever met is my colleague Rev. Silas Chan of Logos Seminary, a Ph. D graduate in 1987 with grownup kids now. His testimony is worth telling:
“40 years ago, I graduated from Taiwan Seminary. 40 years ago disabled people in Taiwan were called “handicap for life殘廢.” And since 19, due to a spinal cord injury, I have been handicapped, depending on a wheelchair for mobility, unable to find a job in most societies. Graduating from seminary, due to my church’s difficulty, I was forced to find a job in an organization…Graduation is unemployment. How bitter. I had a small a tutoring class which I had closed upon being called and attending seminary. There is no road for me to travel. But the seminary professors have love. Seeing my situation, they arranged for me to be “secretary” at the seminary, but since they already have one, there was no vacancy and I was “secretary to professor association,” which is secretary to the secretary. Whatever the secretary cannot finish, or whenever they need me, work was handed to me. At that time our seminary professors lived rather far away. When the typhoons and heavy rains arrive, they asked me to step in to teach. After a few sessions, the students’ response was OK, so the school decided to send me to US for further studies, obtaining teachers credentials…Looking back, the 40 years of heartbreak history was part of the process of God’s plan.” (EFC Magazine 5/04)

It’s been said, “Patience perfects Christian character.” (Vine’s) “Patient endurance” (hupo-meno) is the Greek word “patience,” or the preposition “under” (hupo) plus the popular verb “abide” (meno) of John 15:4. It means continuing, remaining and enduring when you are under! Troubles allow us to learn the skill of “surviving underneath.” Swimming is a good “continuing under” analogy. I should know since I swim ten 75 feet laps three days week. You learn swimming in the water, not from the books. In order to swim, you’ll have to step into cold water, get your hair wet and stay above the water. You’ll never learn swimming in a hot tub, a children’s pool or an inflatable pool. In water, you’ll kick your legs, swing your arms and propel your body to move forward. Even my wife, who does not know how to swim, uses her two foam dumbbells as floaters and splashes her way across five laps, crossing the fearful five feet deeper end twice each lap.

Other translations for “patience” (hupo-meno) in the NIV are “persistence” (Rom 2:7), “endurance” (Rom 15:4) and “perseverance” (2 Thess 1:4). God is a God of patience (Rom 15:5). The Bible consistently teaches that suffering precedes patience and produces patience (Rom 5:3). The testing of your faith develops patience/perseverance (James 1:3). Patience is an attribute of God and a virtue to man. By persevering, we have hope (Rom 15:4), receive what God has promised (Heb 10:36) and run the race marked out for us (Heb 12:1). By persevering, the man of God may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:4) In the New Testament this word is synonymous with the besieged Job (James 5:11), who understood eventually that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Conclusion: The Chinese say, “Heaven send no dead end to man天無絕人之路.” Experience has to be earned and learned. Are you willing to be prepared for troubles, or merely wish to be protected from troubles? Do you have perspective and poise when pressure mounts? Have you thanked God for learning survival skills through suffering?

Small group discussion:
1. What troubles have you experienced? Describe an experience you have been through.
2. What kinds of trouble had Paul been through (2 Cor 11:24-27)? What do you think kept him going?
3. Have you experienced troubles that turned out to good effect? What was your initial reaction to the trouble? How did you overcome the trouble and what was the lesson learned?
4. How did Paul describe God (v 3)?
5. What is compassion?
6. When God comfort us, does it mean He has canceled our problems? How is it different then?
7. Share one of your experiences being comforted by God.
8. How can our suffering impact others positively? Have you ever shared your experiences to help others? How did others learn and benefit from a similar trouble you have?
9. According to Paul, what is the purpose of his sufferings?
10. What is endurance? How have troubles produced patience and endurance in you?

Paul, Pt. 10: “The Spirit of Faith”

2008-03-27T19:50:00.001-07:00

THE SPIRIT OF FAITH (2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-18)
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, her host provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room .... just wait.” “That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged…it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it… It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away… just for this time in my life.”

It’s been said, “Believing is seeing,” not vice versa. In the midst of affliction (v 17) and troubles, Paul urges the believers in Corinthians to walk by faith and not by sight, not to give in to the triple threat of doubt, despair and disobedience.

Why are troubles not our greatest enemy? What resources have God given us to combat and overcome the troubles in life? Why is the absence of faith and not the presence of troubles a believer’s bigger problem?

Triumph is Yours in Christ to Claim
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (2 Cor 4:7-12)

A little boy is telling his Grandma how “everything” is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does. “Here, have some cooking oil.”

“Yuck” says the boy.

“How about a couple raw eggs?”

“Gross, Grandma!”

“Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?”

“Grandma, those are all yucky!”

To which Grandma replies: “Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!”

With the spirit of faith active in our lives (v 13), troubles are merely an opportunity for God’s presence, His power and provision to work in our lives.

It’s been said, “A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.”

Jars of clay (v 7) are plenty but treasures are priceless. “Treasures” (v 7) is the Greek word “thesauros” (thesaurus), literally a deposit or storehouse of wealth. We are not doomed because of the abundance of God’s riches and resources at work and available to us. This same word describes the “treasures” the magi gave to baby Jesus (Matt 2:11), the kingdom of heaven that is likened to treasure hidden in a field ((Matt 13:44) and the treasures of Egypt Moses disregarded (Heb 11:26). The Bible tells us in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). If you never experienced troubles, you’ll never experienced treasures.

“Jars of clay” is “earthen jars” in Greek. According to Wikipedia, clay exhibits plasticity when mixed with water in certain proportions. When dry, clay becomes firm and when fired in a kiln, permanent physical and chemical reactions occur which, amongst other changes, causes the clay to be converted into a ceramic material. Clay by itself has no use. It has to be placed in the fire or in an oven to become useful.

Treasures and clay jars are a contrast to each other. The last and least expected place for people to put their treasures is in an earthen jar, but God has done so when we are unafraid and unashamed to carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. When you bear in your body the death of Jesus, His all-surpassing power bears you in life.

“All-surpassing” is the word “huperbole” in Greek or for figures of speech students – “hyperbole” in English, which means extravagant, excess or exaggeration – also translated as utterly (Rom 7:13), great/greater (1 Cor 12:31, 2 Cor 1:8), far outweighs (2 Cor 4:17) and intensely (Gal 1:13). God’s mighty power (dunamis), His ability and greatness is shown not in our potency, achievement and success, but in our weakness, meekness and limitations.

With faith, we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. “Hard-pressed” is also translated as “narrow” for “the narrow road that leads to life” (Matt 7:14), crowding (Mark 3:9), distressed (2 Cor 1:6), harassed (2 Cor 7:5), persecuted (1 Thess 3:4), trouble (2 Thess 1:6). That must have been how a piece of clay must have felt when it was placed in the kiln, as if its life is over, but it just a new beginning. After closing its eye to the blazing heat for the longest time, the piece of clay open its eye to discover itself a brand new object, not “crushed” after all – crowded but not crushed; flat but not flattened, squeezed but not squashed.

“Perplexed” or “aporeo” is translated as wondering (Luke 24:4) or at a loss (John 13:22), but “despair” or “ex-aporeomai” means “out of” (ex-) wondering” or “at a loss.” We are baffled, bemused and bewildered about what is going on, but it is never out of range or beyond what we can bear; not to the point of doubt, distrust, or disbelief.

“Persecuted,” the same word Paul is all too familiar with his futile persecution of the church, is simply “pressing on” or “following/going after,” but never catching up. “Abandon” is being forsaken (Matt 27:46), left behind (Rom 9:29), deserted (2 Tim 4:10) or given up (Heb 10:25b). In fact, the only person the forsaken word is used in the Bible is with Jesus (Matt 27:46). God has promised He will never will leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5). We are chased but never caught.

“Struck down” (kata-ballo) is “cast down” or “lay” in Greek, but never destroyed (apollumi), which is destroyed fully in Greek. The contrast is with “down” but not “out.”

Thanksgiving is Yours in Christ for Certain
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2 Cor 4:13-15)

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On that day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance.

Similarly, the Chinese say “pulling sprout to help them grow拔苗助長” does the reverse and seal its fate.

Life is not about avoiding troubles but about surmounting difficulties and overcoming obstacles. Those who have never faced problems have never lived.
Practicing the spirit of faith causes troubles to be an occasion for thanksgiving.
Paul argues that the resurrection is the greatest power at work and the greatest promise in life, because God who has conquered sin, death and Satan by rising from the grave.

The Greek for “present” (v 14) reminds us of the picture of Joseph and Mary taking Jesus to Jerusalem to “present” him to the Lord (Luke 2:22); it is also translated as “put at disposal” (Matt 26:53), standing near (Mark 14:47), provide
(Acts 23:24), prove (Acts 24:13), before (Acts 27:24), offer (Rom 6:13), receive
(Rom 16:2), bring us near (1 Cor 8:8). As a child, having your parents by your side is always a big deal on the first day of class and the last day in school.

There are two “with” (sun) in verse 14, the first time Paul uses two times this preposition in a single verse. It is a proud day and a thrilling feeling when you stand with a fellow graduate on your graduation day, but it is the greatest day when you are raised with Jesus and stand with others in His presence.

When one is in suffering the emotional side in us thinks the Lord loves us less, but the truth is that grace abounds more (v 16). We are to live by grace, not by guts. We are to strive for a life of thanksgiving and not succumb to a life of tragedy, and to strive for God’s glory and not one’s greatness.

Transformation is Yours in Christ with Courage
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor 4:16-18)

In 1974, Dr. Clifton Meador, a Nashville physician, treated Sam Londe for cancer of the esophagus, considered fatal back then. Londe died a few weeks later, but an autopsy revealed that his esophagus was fine. He had a few cancerous spots on his liver and one on his lung, but not enough to kill him. Three decades later Meador told the Discovery Health Channel: “He died with cancer, but not from cancer. . . . I thought he had cancer. He thought he had cancer. Everybody around him thought he had cancer. Did I remove hope in some way?”
(“The Nocebo Effect: Expecting the Worse can Hurt your Health,” Miami Herald Oct. 30, 2007)
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health/story/288052.html

The Chinese say, “There is no greater tragedy than the heart’s death哀莫大於心死.” The loss of hope, not the loss of health, is the greatest killer in life. It kills a person faster than any disease, disaster, distress and discontent.

The Greek for “lose heart” occurs merely four times in the Bible, twice in this chapter (vv 1, 16) and translated elsewhere as “become weary” (Gal 6:9) or “be discouraged” (Eph 3:13). Lose heart in Greek (ekkakeo) is “out (ex) and evil (kakos), or giving into evil. This generation loses heart at record pace because of the pain of despair, not the presence of difficulties. Whether you come from a broken family or have a bad record, without hope, esteem is unrecoverable and irreparable.

Our greatest hope is in God, who specializes in internal renewal (v 16), not external change; whose aim is eternal glory (v 17), not temporal fix, and whose methods are unseen and not visible. He is the surgeon readying us for the long haul and for deep cleaning. His job is on the inside, not outside – though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (v 16). His schedule is intense, not instantaneous or immediate - for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (v 17). His methods are invisible, not observable - so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen (v 18). Outwardly, we are wasting away (diaphtheiro), translated as corrupt (1 Tim 6:5) or destroyed (Rev 8:9), but a renewal (2 Cor 4:16, Col 3:10) is taking place inside day by day. The word “renewed” (ana-kainoo) has its roots in the word repetition (ana-) and new (kainos). In Christ, we are renewed, not ruined; we are resolved, not restless; we are refocused, not regressing. God’s work is continual, comprehensive and complete in Christ.

Paul considers our troubles, Greek for “tribulation,” light and momentary in contrast to the eternal glory that far outweighs them (v 17). Momentary – at the very instant - is contrasted with eternal, Greek for “ages.” One is time-bound, the other is heaven-bound.

The light and monetary troubles “work for us” and in our favor – lost in NIV’s translation. The only worker hard at work in this context is troubles. We are not proud of suffering and tribulation – that would be sadism and flagellation– but we glory in God’s word, His wisdom and ways. In the meantime our end is to skopeo (fix our eyes) on that which is unseen. Paul did not use the word “see” (blepo) to complement the seen, but he used “scope,” translated elsewhere as “see to it” (Luke 11:35), not merely “see”; “watch out” (Rom 16:17), not merely watch; take note(Phil 3:17), not merely note; look out, not merely look; the span and not the sight, the field of vision and not the focal point.

Conclusion: Sixth century Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “It is not good for all your wishes to be fulfilled. Through sickness you recognize the value of health, through evil the value of good, through hunger satisfaction, through exertion the value of rest.” Are troubles working for you or against you? Are you traumatized or transformed by troubles? Do you thank God in advance and in faith for the grace that is ever increasing, never stopping or regressing?

Paul, Pt. 11: “The Gift Goes On”

2008-03-27T19:49:00.002-07:00

THE GIFT GOES ON (2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-11)
Billy Graham told the story of a strong man who was traveling with a circus. One of his most impressive stunts was to take an orange and squeeze every last drop of juice out of it. Then he would offer one thousand dollars to anyone who could manage to squeeze as much as one additional drop from it. He went from town to town making his offer, but no one was able to win the one thousand dollars from him. Then one day he came to a small town in California and made his demonstration of juice-squeezing prowess and his challenge.

A small, wizened, 98-pound weakling type man came forward and said he’d like to take a try at the challenge. He took the crushed orange and proceeded to squeeze six more drops of juice from it. The strong man was amazed. He could hardly believe his eyes. He asked how he was possibly able to do this. The man shrugged and said, “Oh, I’m the treasurer at the Baptist church and we do this all the time.”

I confess I seldom preach a sermon exclusively on giving. This is the only passage I have attempted the last ten years at my church. By God’s grace, after the hundreds of dollars monthly deficit in my first years, the next nine years at my present church were barely okay, so I did not have to give an emergency sermon. This passage’s inclusion in the “Classics of Paul” series was a tossup, but my wife was convinced it belongs.

Why are believers resistant in returning a rightful portion of their money to God? What is a tithe? How should we give?

Give Charitably, not Conservatively, to the Lord
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Cor 9:6)

Every spring I plant some seeds on the ground by the sprinkler to reap plentiful harvest. The wannabe farmer in me loves fruit from the ground. Negatively speaking, he does not want to waste the idle land on his sloping backyard. Not only is it free, it is organic. One year (2006) I transferred to the ground a budding “hairy gourd (mo-gua毛瓜)” from its small pot a friend gave me. We were so excited when harvest came. After the summer ended and midway through the fall, the harvest stopped and the fruit disappeared. By that time my wife was so sick of eating her favorite gourd that we did not buy one from the supermarket for a whole year, and sparingly since.

The next year we thought we have learned our lesson to be less grandiose, but it did not prevent my non-farmer wife from buying a pack of four small cherry tomato plants. At its height of produce, I had to pluck it every Saturday for Sunday church potluck, so as not to waste it.

One seed can do so much damage. Sowing is not an easily understood analogy in an industrial age, but it is a fitting comparison in an agricultural age. “Sow” (v 6) in Greek is more than merely planting seed; it is scattering seed. The Greek word for “sparingly” (v 6), contrasted with “generously,” occurs only in this verse and none other in the Bible. It means stingily or reservedly, to be tightfisted, money-pinching and cost-conscious. Its opposite is openhanded and bighearted giving. “Reap” is Greek for “harvesting” time (Matt 25:24) or when harvest is “reached” (James 5:4).

Unfortunately, many believers are generous with friends but not to God. A minister was asked by a politician, “Name something the government can do to help the church,” the minister replied, “Quit making one dollar bills.”

Giving is a blessing, never a burden; an offering and not an obstacle; charitable and not conservative. The word most deserving our attention is “generously” (eu-logia). “Eu-logia” (eulogy) is from the words “good” (eu) and “words” (logia). It is more than mere generosity; it literally means the art of “good words” or “fine speaking” and is widely used for “commendation” or “consecration,” “eulogy” or “benediction,” a fitting tribute and expression for the departed. It is not acceptable to speak bad about the dead when giving the eulogy. This word occurs 18 times in the Bible, translated as eight times for “blessing” (Rom 15:29, Gal 3:14, Eph 1:3, Heb 6:7, 6:14, 12:17, 1 Peter 3:9, 3:9), four times both for “generously” (vv 5, 5, 6, 6) and “praise” (James 3:10, Rev 5:12, 5:13, 7:12), and once for “flattery” (Rom 16:18) and “thanksgiving” (1 Cor 10:16).

So “generously” is more than merely giving; a spiritual blessing or benediction is attached. As you can see, Paul talks little to nothing about the material benefit, but its spiritual benediction. It is the generosity of our lips as much as the heart.

Give Cheerfully, not Compulsorily, to the Lord
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:7)

A pastor once addressed his small mountain congregation one Sunday. “My friends,” the pastor said, “if this church is going to get anywhere, it has to learn to crawl.” The people responded, “Let it crawl, pastor, let it crawl.”

“And after it learns to crawl, it has to learn to walk.”

The people responded, “Let it walk, pastor, let it walk.”

“And after it learns to walk, it has to learn to run.”

And the people responded, “Let it run, pastor, let it run.”

“But if this church of ours is going to run,” the preacher said, raising his voice to a fever pitch, “If this church of ours is going to run, it’s going to take money.”

And the people responded: “Let it crawl, pastor, let it crawl.” (from Fr. David McBriar, Love in a Paper Sack)

I love the Greek version of verse 7. Again, the issue of money is downplayed and not emphasized. The two translated verbs “give” are not present or stressed in the text, though our role as “giver” (v 7) is specified. The first part in Greek reads: “Each according he purposed in his heart.” More shocking is the fact that there is only one verb present in the verse - “decided” or pro-aireomai, meaning “before/prior” (“pro” as in pro-active) and the latter (haireomai). This Greek verb occurs only once in the Bible but the latter part of the root word (haireomai) is translated all three times in the Bible as “choose,” describing Paul’s choice of life and death (Phil 1:22) and Moses’ choice to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt (Heb 11:25). Shockingly, the “deciding” is no different from and the same for God’s “choice” from the beginning to save those who believe (2 Thess 2:13). So “decided” means a preference to offer and give “before” a church deficit arises, a pressing need transpires and an urgent sermon follows!

The “heart” (v 7) is important in its context. It is not giving “from” the heart but deciding “in” the heart. The former is emotional, the other is purposeful. One is subjective and shifting, but the latter is steadfast and serene. The former is reaction or a reflex but the latter is a resolve and a ruling.

“Reluctantly” (lupe) is understated; this word occurs 16 times in the Bible, the only time translated as such in this verse. It is translated seven times for “sorrow” (Luke 22:45, 2 Cor 2:7, 7:10, 7:10, Rom 9:2, Phil 2:27, 2:27); three times each for “grief” (John 16:6, 16:20, 16:22) and “pain” (2 Cor 2:1, Heb 12:11, 1 Peter 2:19); and once for “anguish” (John 16:21) and “distressed” (2 Cor 2:3). So “grudgingly” means giving out of sadness, wretchedness and heaviness of heart, perhaps crying in secret, beating one’s chest and cursing one’s luck, the emotional damage from giving.

“Compulsion” (ana-gke) is the psychological pressure. The word literally means “repetition” (ana) and “arm” (agkale), as good a Greek version as twisting one’s arm, pulling one’s teeth, requiring one’s arm and leg, not preparing to give but painful to give.

The contrast to reluctance and compulsion, on the other hand, is only one – “hilaros,” Greek for hilarious, which Dictionary.com defines as “(1) arousing great merriment; extremely funny: a hilarious story; a hilarious old movie, (2) boisterously merry or cheerful: a hilarious celebration, and (3) merry; cheerful, and American Heritage Dictionary defines as “characterized by or causing great merriment.” Our giving is out of love, joy and peace, thanking God for the opportunity to give. Every time I complain about restaurant prices and home maintenance, I should thank God I can afford it. In the same way, thank God for the opportunity to give.

Give Confidently, not Conditionally, to the Lord
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Cor 9:8-11)

Have you seen the bumper sticker that says “Honk if you love Jesus”? Another sign counters: “Tithe if you love Jesus! Anyone can honk!”

After my parents’ divorce when I was five, my mother moved abroad, later my father lived with my stepmother and much later my grandmother died when I was 12. I was literally and practically self-raised much of my teenage years. In those days, I had $5 a day for food, or $150 a month, since my father advanced us the money by the month. At that time, lunch and dinner was $1.50 each, bus was 50 cents one way, and the last dollar was for breakfast and miscellaneous. Etched in my sister’s but not mine is one embarrassing instance of me crying due shortage of money for food.

Tithing was a challenge when I accepted the Lord as a student in the later 70s. At first, I was reluctant, resistant and even resentful. Giving $15 tithe per month or 50 cents a day means I do not have a dollar but 50 cents left a day – just enough for breakfast, which was 50 cents. I do not know why I innocently tithed as a poor student, but I know if I did not start as a student, I could not continue while an adult, when the sum and stake is much, much more than a 50 cents a day or $15 a month struggle. For many believers, money is the first and last barrier holding them back and stunting their growth. I often joke believers can afford one or two cars’ monthly installment with their tithe.

Have you ever wondered why God does not state unequivocally that He will double or triple your income and investment when you give to Him? That would be enticement and entitlement, not encouragement; a bribe and a bargain and not a blessing, a “favor” and not in faith. God has clothed his promise in subjective but sound terms and principles so that His people do not lose sight of the joy in giving.

My wife was shocked when she discovered that teens today do not know what a “tithe” is and means? Dictionary.com defines it as “the tenth part of agricultural produce or personal income set apart as an offering to God or for works of mercy, or the same amount regarded as an obligation or tax for the support of the church, priesthood, or the like.”

To some believers, tithing is tantamount to slashing a pound of flesh from them. Tithing, however, is not about giving but about growing, not about offering but about obedience, not about percentage but priority.

What did God promise believers in return? Not goods, but grace, (v 8) – the affluence, beauty and composure in one’s character, not the amount, bonus or cost in compensation.

There are six “all” in verses 8-11: all grace, all things at all times, all that you need, every good work (v 8), every way and every occasion(v 11). Abound (v 8, 8) means better than ever, enough to spare, over and above.

“All grace” is the strength and depth of the giver; “all things” is the scope and category involved; “all times” is the occasion – more than one occasion; “all that you need,” or “sufficiency” in KJV and NASB, is the contentment of heart and peace of mind– appears one other time for “contentment” in 1 Timothy 6:6; “every good/agathos work” is the quality and value of the work; “every way” (ploutizo) is the resources/riches in Greek; and “every occasion” (haplotes) is not occasion but manner - sincerity, singleness and simplicity in Greek, used twice by Paul to urge slaves to obey their masters with sincerity of heart (Eph 6:5, Col 3:22).

The next contrast is even more impressive; man sows but God scatters or disperses (v 9).Yes, God is a clutter, wasteful and liberal in giving, never stingy, selfish and self-serving. He is a spender and a supplier not a saver; a squanderer and not a spoilsport. Another translation for scatter is “abandons” (John 10:12)

Finally, the first “supply” is different from the second “supply” in the same verse 10, which is “multiply” in Greek, not merely “supply.” God will not only supply and multiply seed, He will also enlarge the harvest – seed (singular) is contrasted with harvest, or crops (plural) in Greek. Rich and generous is contrasted in verse 11, noting that some are rich but not generous. Many studies found that the poor are more giving than the rich.

Conclusion: Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:21) Is your heart invested in earthly or eternal things? Do you care more about beautifying your house or building God’s house? Do you give offerings or leftovers, a treasure or a tip, the best or spare change?

Paul, Pt. 12: “My Grace is Sufficient for You”

2008-03-27T19:49:00.001-07:00

MY GRACE IS SUFFICENT FOR YOU (2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10)
Do you know that people who think they are treated unfairly are more likely to suffer a heart attack or chest pain? According to a report published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, those who thought they had experienced the worst injustice were 55% more likely to experience a coronary event than people who thought life was fair.

The study was funded primarily by health agencies in the British and U.S. governments. One of the largest and longest of its kind, it examined medical data from 6,081 British civil servants. In the early 1990s, they were asked how strongly they agreed with this statement: “I often have the feeling that I am being treated unfairly.” Unlike previous studies, the subjects were questioned before they showed any signs of cardiovascular disease. That way, the results weren’t skewed by people who thought life was unfair because they were already sick.

The subjects were tracked for an average of 10.9 years. In that time, 387 either died of a heart attack, were treated for a nonfatal attack or diagnosed with angina (chest pain). The researchers found that the rate of cardiac events among civil servants who reported “low levels” of unfair treatment was 28% higher than for those who had no complaints. People who reported “moderate unfairness” saw their risk rise by 36%. (“People Who Feel Wronged Can Really Take it to Heart,” Los Angeles Times, May 15, 2007)

The list of people saying or added to the “life is unfair” game on the internet over ten pages of search includes people who face rebuilding their homes, being alone in one’s 50s, a person with a skin disease, disable people, women, the poor, and the overweight person. Many say life is unfair to me, or life is unfair to all.

How do we handle a seemingly unfair situation in life? How do we ensure that our passion and purpose in life is not dimmed or snuffed by the problems of life? What spiritual resources are available in Christ when the physical body fails?

Embrace Your Weakness; Don’t be Embarrassed of It
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (2 Cor 12:7)

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: “I don’t believe that God exists.” “Why do you say that?” asked the customer.

“Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things.” The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: “You know what? Barbers do not exist.” “How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”

“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.” “Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me.”

“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don’t go to Him and do not look for Him. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”

Paul’s struggle to accept his physical condition is heightened in the light of the Corinthian church backdrop, with her carnal, childish and conceited believers. His stress on spiritual growth was often disrupted and hijacked by their sharing of grandiose spiritual activities. Their fixation and obsession were on the talk of visions (derived from “eye” in Greek - Luke 1:22, 24:23) and revelations or “apokalupsis” in Greek (v 1), signs, wonders and miracles (v 12). The apostle set them up by claiming he, too, can boast about knowing inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell (v 4).

“Boasting” (v 1, 5, 5, 6, 9), or Greek for “glorying” or ‘rejoicing,” can be in a good or a bad sense – negative or positive. Legitimate boasting in the Bible includes glorying God (Rom 5:2, 5:11, 1 Cor 1:31, Gal 6:14), persevering faith (Rom 5:3, 2 Thess 1:4), enthusiastic giving (2 Cor 9:2), growing believers (2 Cor 10:15) and exercising humility (James 1:9) – basically, never in sensational claims or outward appearance. Inferior boasting in the Bible includes bragging about the law (Rom 2:23), boasting of works (Eph 2:9) and of tomorrow or longevity (James 4:15-16).

There is no gain from boasting about gifts because there is no future in gifts (v 1). The word “gain” is “sum-phero,” from “joint” (sum-) and “carry” (phero). “Sumphero” literally means “carry together.” There is no gain from boasting because it is one-sided and not team-oriented, glorifying self and not God. It cannot be extended to or shared with friends or God. It has no long-term growth or potential. No one’s character benefits, including the boastful man.

Focusing on great revelations results in pride. NIV records the verb “becoming conceited” (v 7) once only, but Greek text mentions it twice, the second time at the end of the verse, as indicated by KJV, which adds “lest I should be exalted above measure.” Besides appearing twice in this verse, the word occurs one other time in the Bible as “exalting oneself.” (2 Thess 2:4) This single Greek verb comprises of a preposition “huper” for above, over or beyond “airo,” to take up, raise up or lift up. The latter is a neutral word for “taking up” one’s cross and follow Jesus (Matt 16:24) and for taking His yoke upon self and learning from Him (Matt 11:29), but once the “huper” is added, the person on an ego trip is over the top, on a roll and out of range. “Become conceited” (huper-airomai) is, ironically and unfortunately, linked to the word “great” (huperbole) in the same verse (v 7). Sadly, the proud man does not see that the revelations are not great, but merely “exaggerated” (huperbole).

Paul has a thorn in the flesh. No one is sure what Paul suffered from but suggestions offered include temptation, opposition, disability and ailments such as ophthalmia, malaria, migraine headaches, and epilepsy. A thorn (skolops) is a Greek slang for a disability. It literally joins the root words for “leg” (skelos) and “sight” (optanomai) together. The word could mean the limb or the eye, or a handicap. But the next word is “buffet/torment” means “to rap with the fist,” the same word for Jesus who was “struck with fists” (Matt 26:67, Mark 14:65), for Paul who was “brutally treated” (1 Cor 4:11) and slaves who “receive a beating” (1 Peter 2:20) from their masters. Even the great Paul was not spared from physical suffering, pain and affliction. Worse, it comes from Satan, not God, which He allows. Note that God is our trust, not our tempter. So Paul does not consider his handicap a punishment or a plague.

Exchange Your Weakness; Don’t be Embittered with It
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Cor 12:8-9)

Bob and the Lord stood by to observe a baseball game. The Lord’s team was playing Satan’s team. The Lord’s team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero, and it was the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs (one person left for the enemy to retire). They continued to watch as a batter stepped up to the plate whose name was Love. Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single, because Love never fails.

The next batter was named Faith, who also got a single because Faith works with Love. The next batter up was named Godly wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch. Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass: Ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked, because Godly wisdom never swings at what Satan throws. The bases were loaded. The Lord then turned to Bob and told him He was now going to bring in His star player. Up to the plate stepped Grace.

Bob said “He sure doesn’t look like much!” Satan’s whole team relaxed when they saw Grace. Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch. To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen. But Satan was not worried; his center fielder let very few get by. He went up for the ball, but it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the ground; then it continued over the fence for a home run! The Lord’s team won.

The Lord then asked Bob if he knew why Love, Faith, and Godly Wisdom could get on base but could not win the game. Bob answered that he did not know why.
The Lord explained, “If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, faith and wisdom will get you on base, but only My Grace can get you home. My Grace is the one thing Satan cannot steal.”

The word “plead” (v 8) is basically “urge,” as Paul famously urged Roman believers to offer your bodies as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1). Paul wanted a handicap in life as much as he wanted a toothache. Although he was determined and dramatic, he was not desperate or disobedient in his urging; steadfast but not selfish; persistent but not pushy.

Believers live by faith and not by feelings, by grace and not by guts. The subtext in Paul’s statement on grace is contrasting grace or “charis” with gifts “charismata,” with the latter’s emphasis on great revelations (v 7). Grace is hard to define. Many say it is God giving us what we do not deserve. God’s strength enables the unable, empowers the powerless and encourages the discouraged. There are at least seven contrasts between grace and gifts. Grace is not a gift. It is more a blessing than a gift. There is reference to “gift in grace” (Rom 5:15) in the Bible, but not the “gift of grace.” Grace is not visible or outward - unlike gifts. Grace is an attribute of God; gifts are not. Grace is a virtue, but gifts are skills. Grace is for all, but gifts are apportioned by the Spirit. Grace is superior as it is the source of gifts (Rom 12:6). Finally grace breeds humility, but gifts cause pride.

The Greek word “sufficient” occurs only eight times in the Bible, translated elsewhere thrice each for “enough” (Matt 25:9, John 6:7, John 14:8) and “content” (Luke 3:14, 1 Tim 6:8, Heb 13:5) and once each for “sufficient”
(2 Cor 12:9) and “satisfied” (3 John 10).

The word “perfect” (teleioo) gives a wrong connotation. It means completing and finishing, having no lack, deficiency or shortage. This same word is translated as “over” (Luke 2:43), “reach my goal” (Luke 13:32), “finish” (John 4:34), “complete” (John 17:4) and “fulfill” (John 19:28). So perfect is not the absence of pain, but the presence of God’s peace; not freedom from adversity but freedom from anxiety. One’s weakness proves a person, not paralyze him. It completes him, not condemns him. A person is not defined by his success and power but by his steadfastness and perseverance. It does not matter how many times you fall down but how often you get up. How many times go we get up? The answer is more times than we fall down, one more time than we fall down and the next time we fall down.

Weakness is “strength-less’ in Greek, translated as “weakness” mainly in Paul’s letters (Rom 6:19, 8:26, 1 Cor 2:3, 15:43, 2 Cor 11:30, 12:5, 12:9, 12:10, 13:4) and in Hebrews (Heb 4:15, 5:2, 7:28, 11:34), but usually as “infirmities” (Matt 8:17), “sicknesses” (Luke 5:15, 13:12, John 11:4, Acts 28:9), “diseases” (Luke 8:2) and “illness” (Gal 4:13, 1 Tim 5:23) and once aberrantly for “crippled” (Luke 13:11) and “invalid” (John 5:5). So “weakness” is merely physical, not mental or emotional or psychological. It is a handicap but not a hurdle. Physical strength is the last thing to depend on because all flesh will eventually fail.

Power is not physical either. Strength is physical, but that’s not the contrast Paul uses. Power is not one’s ability but enablement, not one’s capability but capacity, not muscle but motivation. True biblical power is always having or gaining what you do not have to begin with. So suffering is unavoidable, but sorrow is; affliction is not optional, but anguish is; stress is acceptable, but distress is not.

Empower Your Weakness; Don’t be Ensnared by It
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:11-13)

Dr. Paul Brand, the well-known doctor the author, was raised in India. His parents were missionaries there. In his book, “In His Image,” he writes about his mother. When his mother was 75 years old, she was still walking miles every day, visiting the villages in the southern part of India, teaching the people about Jesus. One day, while the 75-year old lady was traveling alone, she fell and broke her hip. She lain on the road in pain for two days before some workers found her, loaded her into their jeep and drove 150 miles over rough roads to find a doctor who could set the broken bones. But the very bumpy ride damaged her bones so badly that her hip never completely healed. He said, “I visited my mother in her mud-covered hut several weeks after all of this happened. I watched as she took two bamboo crutches that she had made herself, and moved from one place to another with her feet just dragging behind because she had lost all feeling in them.”

Paul Brand said, “At age 75, with a broken hip, unable to stand on her own two legs, I thought that I made a pretty intelligent suggestion. I suggested that she retire.” He said, “She turned around, looked at me and said, ‘What value is that? If we try to preserve this body just a few more years and it is not being used for God, of what value is that?’…so she kept on working. She kept on riding her donkey to villages until she was 93 years old…and she continued to tell people about Jesus Christ until she died at age 95.”

Greek for “delight” (v 10) is eu-dokeo, or “well” (eu-) and “thinking” (dokeo), or to approve of, not merely accept or tolerable. “Weakness” is mentioned twice in verse 9 and once in verse 10, and “weak” once in verse 10. “Insult” is “hubris” (humbling) in Greek, its other two occurrences in the Bible is translated as disastrous (Acts 27:10) and damage (Acts 27:21). “Hardship” is “ana-gke’ in Greek, from two words – “repeat/constrain” and “bend/arm” (agkale). This word is as good a word in Greek for arm-twisting as one can find. “Persecution” is the same word for Paul’s hateful pursuit of Christians. “Difficulties” (steno-choria) literally means narrowing (stenos) of ground (chora), room or space. Put together, weakness is physical sickness, insult is emotional humiliation, hardship is bodily harm, persecution is intense activity, and difficulty is limited options.

Verse 10 (“am weak”) is the verb form for weakness: weak; strong is not physical (ichuros), but the word “dunatos” or powerful in a non-physical way. Examples of this kind of strength include living at peace with everyone (Rom 12:18), bearing with the failings of the weak (Rom 15:1) and keep one’s whole body in check, especially his tongue (James 3:2). It is strength in character, relationships and behavior. God is more interested in your temperament than your talents, in how you deal with things when you are gutted than when you are gifted.

Strength is never the strongest in the physical way. Some people have no power when it comes to snacks, soda or sweets. Power is stronger than strength in the same way greed is stronger than gold and love is more than emotion. It’s been said, “Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands --- and then eat just one of the pieces.”

Conclusion: It’s been said, “Pain is nothing compared to the emptiness that comes from quitting.” Have you thought about what you have and what you can do despite your situation or in your situation, rather than without your situation? Is there someone in the same boat you can hear out or help out? Do you rely on God to handle one thing at a time, take one step at a time and enjoy one day at a time?

Paul, Pt. 13: “No Longer I”

2008-03-27T19:48:00.002-07:00

NO LONGER I (GALATIANS 2:20)
A most incredible story appeared in New York Times. Every working day for the past 20 years in the city of Chandigarh, India, government employees have been sitting on the same battered wooden chair, an object, a civil engineer admits, that had “no beauty,” but “for office use, very comfortable.” The chairs were each worth an estimated 400 rupees, or about $10, at a junkyard. Few of the city’s employees gave the furniture a second glance. Gradually, as the furniture fell into disrepair, it was thrown into government storerooms and occasionally auctioned “for peanuts.”

One day in 1999, a handful of antique dealers from around the world became regular visitors to the government junkyards in this city about 150 miles north of New Delhi, a modernist city conceived by the architect Le Corbusier in the 1950s. There they go about the business of buying up disused stocks of furniture.

Rajnish Wattas, principal of the Chandigarh College of Architecture, was stunned when he saw the catalog for a sale of the chairs at Christie’s in New York, on sale at the auction house for $8,000 to $12,000 – 1,000 times its worth. The city woke up to the knowledge that the chairs were specially designed by famed designer Pierre Jeanneret and created by Corbusier’s colleagues. “We found out that we were sitting on a pot of gold, quite literally.” (“A City That Sat on Its Treasures, but Didn’t See Them,” New York Times, 3/19/08)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/world/asia/19chandigarh.html?ref=todayspaper

The greatest event and transformation in history turned Paul’s life around. He met his Maker, his Master and his match. The religious zealot who persecuted Christians wherever they were bound and wherever they were found discovered that Christianity is not about religious creeds, moral codes or ethical conduct. Christianity is not bound in a philosophy, but in a person: Jesus Christ, who is not a historical footnote or a fictional character, but the living God. The strength of a believer lies in a powerful, personal and present relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is our identity, our intercessor and inspiration. A Christian is, therefore, one who believes in Christ, who belongs to Him and is beloved by Him.

Who is Jesus Christ to you? What kind of relationship do you have with Christ? How are you to live?

You are Identified with Christ
20 I have been crucified with Christ

A minister was talking to a professing Christian and asked him if he was active in a local church. The man responded, “No, but the dying thief on the cross wasn’t active in any church and yet he was still accepted.”

The minister then asked if he was baptized. The man responded, “The dying thief on the cross was not baptized and he still made it to heaven.”

The minister then asked if he had partaken of the Lord’s Table. The man responded, “No, but the dying thief didn’t either, and Christ still received him.”

The minister then commented: “The only difference between you and the dying thief is that he was dying in his belief, and you are dead in yours.”

What does it mean to be crucified? A.W. Tozer says, “To be crucified means, first, the man on the cross is faced only one direction; second, he is not going back; and third, he has no further plans of his own.”

The Greek text says “With Christ I have been crucified.” The Greek word “crucified with” (sustauroo) occurs merely five times in the Bible (v 20, Rom 6:6, John 19:32, Mark 15:32, Matt 27:44). In the gospels, all the three references to “with Christ” relate to the robbers who were crucified with Jesus (Matt 27:44, John 19:32, Mark 15:32). Frankly speaking, they had no choice. The crucifixion in this passage, however, is volunteered, initiated and orchestrated. No one binds and drags you screaming, kicking and fussing to the cross.

The crucifixion experience is always “with Christ,” and not “in Christ” or “like Christ,” with the latter two words amounting to losing one’s individuality, personality and reality. Further, no one suffers on the cross the same way as Jesus. The Bible tells us we died to sin (Rom 6:2) and that we died with Christ (Rom 6:8), but never “died in Christ” or “crucified in Christ.” Crucified with Christ is related to one’s internal motivation, not the external manner or method.

A person “crucified with” Christ does not think of one’s rights, respect and revenge but to share in His suffering, shame and sentence. His suffering is a lonesome, cumbersome and gruesome death. He does not want you to die for Him that way. It is not a physical crucifixion or a mental torture, so no one needs to enter a monastery, seek a cave or escape the world. It is identifying with Christ, not imitating His experience or internalizing His pain. The crucifixion is not painful but peaceful; not pitiful but purposeful, not paralyzing but profitable. It is not to deaden yourself to the world, but to deliver yourself to Christ. This relationship is rational and not irrational, realistic and not religious, relational and not romantic.

While our cross may be heavy, we are never alone, anxious or abandoned. It is a long and lonely struggle, but Christ’s presence is promised. There is no fear, failure, or fatalism associated with your crucifixion. God did not put you to the ultimate test of crucifying you on the wooden cross. The verb “crucified with” refers one other time to the old person that was “crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be done away with Him” (Rom 6:6) and the stripped-down version of “crucified” alludes to crucify “the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24) It means surrendering all that you are, all you have and all that you do to Him – your attention and amusements, your affections and attitudes, your acquaintances and your advancement, your aspirations and your achievements.

You are Inseparable from Christ
I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

One of the most renowned defenders, thinkers and leaders of the Christian church is Augustine, author of the famous “Confessions of Augustine.” Before he was saved, he was equally famous for his philandering ways, his brilliant intellect, and a godly mother who prayed tirelessly for his salvation.

After he turned his life over to Christ, the one area of his life that rendered Augustine helpless and powerless was his relationship with the opposite sex. To put it bluntly, he did not really know what to do with the escort ladies who were once his former companions. He was not looking forward to the test.

Soon after Augustine’s conversion, he was walking down the street in Milan, Italy. There he met a prostitute whom he had previously frequented. She called, “Augustine, it is I,” but he ignored her and kept walking, hastening his steps, I might add. She called again. “Augustine, it is I!” Without slowing down, but with full assurance and conviction, he replied, “I know, I know, but it is no longer I, it is no longer I.” (Adapted from 7,700 Illustrations # 6519)

The purpose and focus of your crucifixion is not your death from now on, but your living from now on. Do you know how many times the clause “I live’ is repeated in verse 20? Thrice, not twice. The next clause in Greek does not begin with “I no longer live” (as in NIV), but “I live but no longer I (ego), but Christ lives in me.” Paul asserts he is alive and kicking, not dead and gone. He is not denying or degrading himself or his existence in a ascetic, sadistic or monastic way. He is not saying “I died” or “I live not,” but “I live,” but he adds, “but no longer I (ego), but Christ lives in me.” By the way Paul never said in his epistles “I died” – period - or “I died in Christ,” but “I die ‘with’ Christ.” (Rom 6:8, Col 2:20, 2 Tim 2:11) Further, all references in the Bible to dying with Him is complemented by living with Him (Rom 6:8, 2 Tim 2:11).

“No longer” (ouketi) is a single word in Greek. It is not the regular “no” (ou/ouk) that occurs more than 1,500 times in the Bible, but the lesser 47 times in the Bible. Jesus only also used this form of contrast - in the context of marriage, when the husband and wife are “no longer” two, but one (Matt 19:6, Mark 10:8). The marriage is a good place to start. The two are not identical but they identify with each other. They were previously not related but they are currently in a relationship, committed and connected to each other. The two communicate and consult with each other, comprehend, complement and challenge each other. There are no coercion or control issues in a healthy relationship. They collaborate and cooperate. The two are close but not changeable or comparable. They are likeminded but not alike. They are in accord and not in discord. They are united but not in union. One does not come into marriage to snuff out or strip away the spouse’s individuality, uniqueness and characteristics.

Christ’s living in me is not the same as He living for me. It doesn’t mean being combined, conjoined or condensed into one with Christ. It means Christ is the commander, the captain, the chief, the commissioner of your life. He does not want to be your clerk, coordinator, or custodian; He wants to the chairman, the czar, the CEO, no other candidate, cast or competition is tolerated. From now on, you live not for your gratification and gain, but for His glory and in His grace.
He does not require you to suffer in His place, but to stand by His side; not for you to bear His cross, but to bear your cross; not to be humiliated, but to be humble. God does not want to be in the remote corner or in the inner circle; He wants to be the center piece. He requires not your chastisement or condemnation, but He does require your confession and commitment to Him. He wants to be your heart’s resident, not renter; a house mate and not a house guest; the boss and not the boarder.

You are Inspired by Christ
The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis reached a turning point at 48 when a tabloid published a photo of her and listed her weight as 161 pounds. She said, “I was like, ‘How dare you -- I'm not 161 pounds!’ I was indignant. I got home and I went on a scale and I was 161 pounds. I was in denial about it. So I started a really healthy way of eating, just avoiding things that I had been shoving in my mouth. Over the course of a year, I dropped about 20 pounds.”

Curtis says, “Getting older means paring yourself down to an essential version of yourself.” When she turned 50, Curtis said, “I feel way better now than I did when I was 20. I'm stronger, I'm smarter in every way, I'm so much less crazy than I was then. I've let my hair go gray. I wear only black and white. Every year I buy three or four black dresses that I just keep in rotation. I own one pair of blue jeans. I've given away all my jewelry, because I don't wear it…I've had the experience of going into people's homes after they've died, and I’m amazed at the number of things people amass and never look at again.”
http://www.aarp.org/research/press-center/presscurrentnews/vavavaboomer_hollywood_icon_jamie_lee_curtis_goes.html

What is the essential version of Christian living?

Textually, the verse does not say “live by (dia) faith,” but “live in (en) faith.” This preposition is not parallel to the Abrahamic covenant or the Reformation phrase: “the just will live by/out (ek) faith” (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38). Further, we are not told to live “through” (dia) faith. The immediate preposition before and after the word “body” in Greek is the same, similar to “Christ lives ‘in’ me.” Altogether there are three “in” in verse 20. “Live in faith” is contrasted with verse 16 in the same chapter: justified by faith in Christ (Gal 2:16, Gal 3:24). One is the past, the other is the future. The Galatians were divided into two camps: the legalistic group justified by observing the law, and the libertarian group by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal 2:16), but Paula adds a third category – to live by faith, not merely justified by faith.

Just as Paul has finished his last sentence that “Christ lives in me,” he does not mean he is the past tense, passive voice or passenger mode. He still has dreams to chase, decisions to make and directions to take in life, but now his inspiration, influence and ideals have changed .

The phrase “gave (paradidomi) himself (heautou)” is such a stark revelation and a shocking twist in God’s plan. All through the gospels, the people who “gave,” “delivered” or “betrayed” Jesus - same Greek word - are plainly identified. The person most associated with this word is Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him (Matt 10:4). Others linked to the Greek word for the betrayal include “the hands of men” (Matt 17:22), “the chief priests and the teachers of the law” (Matt 20:18), the Gentiles (Matt 20:19), the hands of sinners (Matt 26:45), Pilate (Matt 27:2), and the people (John 18:35).

For the first time in the Bible, Paul reveals that Jesus “gave himself” for us. Christianity is unique because the Bible tells us “Jesus loves me,” a personal relationship and testimony not known to other faiths or with their founders.

A prominent theologian and writer when asked when asked at a press conference how he would summarize the essence of the millions of words he had published, he replied, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/barth.html

Love is never emphasized in Hinduism and Buddhism because any love, feeling or sentiment is frowned upon as attachment issues. “The Son of God loved me” is unique to Christianity and Paul’s theology. You take away love and there is no Christianity. Christianity is not about ideology, philosophy or dogma; it is about love embodied, personified and incarnated.

Conclusion: Christianity is about Who you have - Christ, not what you have – religion; not about death, but deliverance; not about one’s suffering but about one’s salvation. Christ died so that we may live. He lives in us so that we can live for Him. The life we live is in faith, not in fear. Are you living for self, slaving under sin and looking for success, or are you living a life of service, sacrifice and steadfastness. Is Christ the measure, the motivation and the model of your life?

Paul, Pt. 14: “The Fruit of the Spirit”

2008-03-27T19:48:00.001-07:00

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (GALATIANS 5:16-23)
A brother attended a charismatic church retreat. It was such an emotional highpoint for him. He said he had never cried so much in his life before. Curious, he asked why more than half the audience speaks in tongues simultaneously, so I shared with him the practice is against the teaching of the Bible, citing 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 that says, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.”

I vividly remember my first encounter, as a young, second-year new believer, with a popular charismatic pastor, who presented the work of the Holy Spirit in such an unflattering way. At that time no one had the faintest idea that the Baptist pastor had turned charismatic. 13-year old Jonathan, the youngest in our group of boys, had asked the charming church camp speaker to pray for him and invited us to join him for the appointed meeting. Inside his room, the speaker asked us to stand in a circle, with the youth in the middle facing him. As the two oldest in the group, I and another youth, who later became a seminary professor, watched with our eyes open while others dutifully closed their eyes. We were next shocked by the discrepancy of eyewitness accounts. The man pushed him with such force that the boy staggered back a step or two while his eyes were still closed in prayer. After the prayer, controversy ensued. The youth asked him pointblank, “Pastor, did you push me?” He replied with a straight face, “No, I did not push you. The Holy Spirit pushed you.” We told the leaders, who later met with the man to clarify the sequence of the events – of course, to no avail.

Such has been the misinformation, misinterpretation and misrepresentation surrounding the Spirit’s activity and work in a believer’s life, that Paul balances the teaching of the gifts of the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, equal with both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in essence and nature, in deity and person, and in power and glory. The Spirit permanently indwells believers at the instant they believe, baptizing them into the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13), sanctifying them for obedience to the person of Christ (1 Peter 1:2) and sealing them till the coming of Christ (Eph 4:30). Yet there is a lot of confusion. Our charismatic brothers say the evidence of the Spirit’s activity is in speaking in tongues and performing miraculous, signs and wonders. I am not anti-charismatic, but non-charismatic.

What is true of the Spirit’s presence? What does He do and how does He work? How does the Spirit sanctify us for Christian living? What is the foolproof evidence of the presence of the Spirit in a believer’s life?

The Spirit’s Presence Commands Victory
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Gal 5:16-18)

A brother was goaded by lust, and rising at night be made his way to an old man, and told him his thoughts, and the old man comforted him. And revived by that comforting he returned to his cell. And again the spirit of lust tempted him, and again he went to the old man. And this happened many times. But the old man did not discountenance (embarrass) him, but spoke to him to his profit, saying, “Yield not to the devil, nor relax thy mind: but rather as often as the devil troubles thee, come to me, and he shall go buffeted away. For nothing so dispirits the demon of lust as when his assaults are revealed. And nothing so heartens him as when his imaginations are kept secret.”

So the brother came to him eleven times, confessing his imaginings. And thereafter he said to the old man, “Show love to me, my father, and give me some word.” The old man said, “Believe me, my son, if God permitted the thoughts with which my own mind is stung to be transferred to thee, thou wouldst dash thyself headlong.” And by the old man saying this, his great humbleness did quiet the goading of lust in the brother.” (Helen Waddell, The Desert Fathers, The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor Paperbacks, 1960, p. 77.)

Yielding to the Spirit and not to sin is the key to the victorious Christian life. In the Old Testament God the Spirit of God temporarily equipped the Israelites with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts to build the temple (Ex 31:3-5). In the New Testament the same Spirit not only gave gifts to the church to serve Him (1 Cor 12:4) but impart fruit to His children to exalt Him.

“Live by the Spirit” is literally “walk in the spirit” in Greek. So what is living by or walking in the Spirit? Living by the Spirit is a walk, a stroll and a journey. It is an indwelling and not an instance, continuous and not choppy, related to one’s practice but not one’s personality. Paul employs this word (live/walk) 34 times in his epistles, translated 20 times as “live” (Rom 6:4, 8:4, 2 Cor 5:7, 10:2, 3, Gal 5:16, Eph 2:2, 4:1, 4:17, 5:2, 5:8, 5:15, Phil 3:17, 3:18, Col 1:10, 2:6, 1 Thess 2:12, 4:1, 4:1, 2 Thess 3:6), four times for “act” (Rom 14:15, 1 Cor 3:3, 2 Cor 12:18, Col 4:5), and once for behave (Rom 13:13), use (2 Cor 4:2), do (Eph 2:10, 4:17), walk (Col 3:7), follow (2 Cor 12:18) and awkwardly as “ retain the place in life” (1 Cor 7:17) in the NIV. There is no mystery, magic or mumbo-jumbo to this word. The problem with Christians is that they fail to walk the walk, walk close with and work in hand with the Spirit. The Greek verb peri-pateo consists of the preposition “peri” (around) and “pateo” (tread), meaning treading and trampling back and forth, side to side and all around; strolling, even striding or stomping around, not stopping, stagnating or slacking.

When believers walk in the Spirit, they will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (NIV) or “fulfill the lust of the flesh (KJV). Walking in the Spirit is not an emotional surge, an ecstatic experience or a euphoric mood; it is not about dealing with one’s feelings, but one’s flesh - weakness. It is not about feeling higher, superior and deeper, but about being stronger, steadier and clear. The goal is to follow the Spirit, and not fulfill one’s urges.

The stronger and specific enemy we face is the lust of the flesh or the desires of sinful nature (NIV). Paul speaks against the “lust of the flesh,” not the flesh itself, which is not necessarily sinful, but the carnal or fallen flesh. This is to prevent people from abusing or degrading their body. “Desires/lust” (epi-thumia) is literally “epi-” (upon) and “thumos” (fierceness) for is the same word as “fits of rage” in verse 20, also translated as wrath (Rom 2:8, Rev 14:19, 15:1, 15:7, 16:1, 16:19, 19:15), furious/fury (Luke 4:28, Acts 19:28, Rev 12:12, Rev 14:10), anger (2 Cor 12:20, Heb 11:27), rage (Eph 4:31, Col 3:8) and maddening (Rev 14:8, 18:3). So lust is actually the flesh in rage, out of control and descent into madness. By the way, the sinful flesh is always incensed, irate and infuriated; it will not stop. The point is not fulfilling or gratifying the flesh, but not eliminating desires or hating oneself either. “Gratify” is merely “finish” in Greek, no sensual or sexual connotation; its connotation is in its use or abuse.

When you are guided by the Spirit, you are not given to the flesh. Before, we have no strength to resist or break sin’s mastery over us, but now the Spirit’s presence breaks sin’s spell and hold over us once and for all.

The Spirit’s Presence Condemns Vice
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-20)

There was once a town reprobate who was wonderfully saved at a revival meeting. He pledged to start a new life and abandon his licentious ways, but he found hat it was not easy to overcome the lusts of the flesh. Several months later he ran into the preached who had led him to Christ and the preacher asked him directly, “Well, how’s it been goin?”

“It’s been goin’ awful,” the convert responded. “It’s like two teams of horses pullin’ away at my soul. One team pullin’ in one direction tryin’ to get me do what God wants and another pullin’ in the opposite direction tryin’ to get me to do the things of the flesh.”

“Let me ask you something,” inquired the preacher. “Which team of horses wins?”

The new Christian answered with a twinkle in his eye, “Whichever team I says giddyup to.” (Tony Campolo, 7 Deadly Sins 50)

The raging flesh yields to no earthly master but the divine Spirit. The works of the flesh are obvious (phaneros), luminous and blatant, not hidden or unknown, the root word is from “phos” or fire. The first three desires on Paul’s list are associated with the body. First on the list is porneia (sexual immorality), the precursor for pornography, also translated as “marital unfaithfulness” - in the context of marriage (Matt 5:32), “illegitimate, sexual sin” (2 Cor 12:21) and “adulteries” (Rev 14:8). The second - “impurity” (a-katharsia) – is translated as “sinful” (Rom 1:24) and “unclean” (Matt 23:27); it literally means (“not catharsis” or “unclean”) emphasizes sin’s nature and impact. “Debauchery” (a-selgeia), another a-word, is its grossness, also translated as envy (Mark 7:22), sensuality (Eph 4:19), shameful ways (2 Peter 2:2), filthy (2 Peter 2:7), sinful human nature (2 Peter 2:18) and immorality (Jude 4). The first deals with the infidelity, second the nature, and third the abuses.

The next two deals with unfaithfulness to God. “Idolatry” (eidolo-latreia) is literally idol-latreia - worship or service. “Witchcraft” is pharmakeia (pharmacy) or medication, where we get the idea of witches’ brew.

The next eight on the list concerns people can be reduced to four cause and effect relationships. The other translations for “hatred” (echthra) (James 4:4) are enemies (Luke 23:12) and hostile/hostility (Rom 8:7). “Discord” or Greek for “eris,” who is the goddess of discord. Hatred is the passion, discord is the practice.

“Jealousy” (zelos) is unfavorable or adverse zeal. “Fits of rage” (thumos) is the traditional word for “wrath.” “Jealous” is within, but wrath is outpoured.

“Selfish ambition” (eritheia) is a word variance of the previous “discord” or “eris,” but “selfish ambition” in its verb form (erethizo) is more intense, also translated as stirred (2 Cor 9:2) and embitter (Col 3:21 - embitter your children). “Dissensions” (dichostsis) is from Greek’s “dis/duo” (twice) and “stasis” (party). Again, another inside-outside punch.

“Factions’ (hairesis) is the English equivalent of heresy. “Envy” in the Bible has to do with spoil and decay. Heresy is the reason, envy is the result.

From sin’s nature (first three), then its offense against God (next two), followed by offense against man (next eight), Paul moves to its social ramifications. The last two – drunkenness and orgies –the former is intoxication of the mind and the latter of the body.

The Spirit’s Presence Communicates Virtues
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)

A lady had recently been baptized and one of her co-workers asked her what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard and didn't know how to answer, but when she looked up she saw a jack-o-lantern on the desk and answered, “It's like being a pumpkin.”

The worker asked her to explain and she said, “Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all the yucky out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts his light inside of you to shine for all to see.”

How do we know if a person is filled with the Spirit or walking in the Spirit? Does he speak in tongues? Roll on the floor or bark like a dog, as some Christians in charismatic circles and faith healing groups do. What is the most visible demonstration of the work of the Spirit? It is not in the practice of the gifts of the Spirit but the presence of the fruit of the Sprit. While an individual cannot have all the gifts of the Spirit, he can have the fruit of the Spirit whole, in full, in its entirety. Unlike the outcome of having the gifts of the Spirit, which is pride and performance, the outcome to bearing the fruit of the Spirit is humility and harmony with. The fruit of the Spirit is not ecstatic, emotional or excitable experience. It is dignified and even dull, never dramatic.

Note that the fruit is singular, not plural. The English chooses ice-cream from “nine flavors,” but I think of nine-layer cake, so I say in “in nine layers” or “with eight fillings” (八寶飯). The fruit of the Spirit the surest and only undisputed evidence of the Spirit’s activity in one’s life – not tongues, healing and miracles. Further, the gifts of the Spirit were given for the purpose of serving and building the church, while the fruit of the Spirit for the purpose of strengthening and empowering individuals, treasuring and emphasizing who they are – their character and conduct, not what they do – their capability and charm.

The evidence of the Spirit is not in the gifts we have, but in the fruit we bear. The fruit is best viewed in threes. The first triad is the cornerstone, the second is in one’s conduct and the third is in one’s character. The pillars are love, joy and peace. “Love” is the greatest and foremost virtue. It is sacrificial, selfless and superior. “Joy” is an attitude, not an act; an outlook, and not an occasion; it is inward change and not outward circumstances. “Peace” is the heart securely, steadily and sweetly relying on God and resting in Him, not merely a heart without worry or trouble. Peace is trusting the person of Christ, His presence and purpose.

The next three are patience, kindness and goodness. “Patience” is forbearance with others and fortitude in heart. It comes from the word “long” in Greek. Patience is not patience over a minute, over one incident or over a friend. It is tested and tried on the unloving, the undeserving and the exasperating. “Kindness” used to be “gentleness” in KJV, but it is actually related to goodness. Kindness is one’s behavior to others and goodness is the nature of the act.

The last triad - faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – builds one’s character and integrity. “Faithfulness” is merely faith (pisits) in Greek. It is one’s response to God, not one’s relationship with others. The “gentleness” in verse 23 is an act of humility, not an aim at harmony. It is humbly accepting what’s taught (James 1:21), godly humility (James 3:13). Its Greek is derived from the “meek” of the earth (Matt 5:5), “gentle” Jesus riding on a donkey (Matt 21:5), the inner self that radiates the unfading beauty of a “gentle” and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4). “Self-control” (eg-krateia) is literally “in” (en) “force” (kratos), or might in check, not out of control.

Conclusion: Is your life yielded to the Spirit? Are you governed and guided by His presence? Are you using your gifts to serve Him? Do you bear fruit to glorify His name? Do you live a life of spiritual devotion or a life of religious drama? Do people see the believer or the beguiler in you? Are you bearing fruit, or are you merely occupying space, wasting water and seeking attention?

Paul, Pt. 15: “The Best is Yet to Come”

2008-03-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

THE BEST IS YET TO COME (EPHESIANS 3:14-19)
There once was a sculptor working hard with his hammer and chisel on a large block of marble. A little boy who was watching him saw nothing more than large and small pieces of stones falling away left and right. He had no idea what was happening. But when the boy returned to the studio a few weeks later, he saw to his great surprise a large, powerful lion sitting in the place where the marble had stood. With great excitement the boy ran to the Sculptor and said, “Sir, tell me, how did you know there was a lion in the marble?” (Henry Nouwen, Clowning in Rome, p.87)

Do you know God’s power at work within us can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine? (Eph 3:20) Proportionally, Ephesians tells us more about God is willing to “give/grant” to believers than any of Paul’s epistles in the Bible. The word occurs a whopping 12 times in six chapters of the book (Eph 1:17, 1:22, 3:2, 3:7, 3:8, 3:16, 4:7, 4:8, 4:11, 4:27, 4:29, 6:19) for an average of two occurrences per chapter in Ephesians. For perspective, 1 Corinthians uses the word more – 15 times but in over 16 chapters. Ephesians, more than any epistle in the Bible, portrays God as a generous giver (the word “grant” is present in KJV, NASB and RSV but dropped by NIV). The third chapter of Ephesians echoes and resumes the prayer and words of the first chapter. Previously, in Ephesians 1:16, Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom and revelation – the knowledge part, but here he completes the prayer by asking God for three things – the practical part , structured linguistically around the repetition of “that” (hina) in verses 16, 18 and 19. As powerful as this passage is, I could hardly find a Chinese sermon on it on all major websites.

You Have More Power Than You Think
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Eph 3:14-17)

A man of the state of Chu had a spear and a shield for sale. He was loud in praises of his shield. “My shield is so strong that nothing can pierce it through.” He also sang praises of his spear. “My spear is so strong that it can pierce through anything.”

“What would happen,” he was asked, “if your spear is used to pierce your shield?”
It is impossible for an impenetrable shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable.

So, what is strength? Tylenol’s web page list three basic Tylenol products: Regular Strength TYLENOL, Extra Strength TYLENOL and TYLENOL 8 Hour. The first one says “effective headache relief that won’t irritate your stomach,” the next boasts “Gelcaps with specially designed holes to release powerful medicine fast” and the last “Fast relief of muscle pain and specifically designed to last all day.” Actually there are three more – Women’s Tylenol ® Menstrual Relief, Tylenol ® Arthritis Pain and Cold-Multi Symptom Rapid Release Gels, but the more products they release, the less they can convince consumers that they have found the answer and cornered the market on what is “extra strength.”

Human strength is often overstated. Some may appear stronger with the power and advantage of resources, relationships and reasoning at their disposal. The truth is we are no stronger than our muscle fiber and physical conditioning. However, true strength and maximum strength is not found in one’s physique, personality or position in life, but in God’s power and provision. God’s gift of strength is vertical and not horizontal – “through His Spirit,” internal and not external – “in your inner being,” permanent and not passing – “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

Believers have more strength than they know and more power than they think. God is the provider, the Spirit is the partner in the process and the purpose is for Christ to dwell in one’s heart through faith. Another way to put it: The Father is the initiator, the Spirit is the intermediary, the Son is the inhabitant and we are the instruments or vessels. God provides according His glorious riches. Strengthen (krataioo) is an insightful choice. That is the word to describe John the Baptist (Luke 1:80) and Jesus (Luke 2:40) when they both grew and “became strong.” By that time Jesus was only 12 years old (Luke 2:42), so he was not bodily strong, powerful. “Grow” is the physical, but “become strong” is mental – to have strength of courage, character and conviction. Jesus was not well-built by this time, but he was well-rounded.

This strengthening (krataioo) is admirable and advantageous, but it is not measured with man’s power. Our power is bestowed in proportion or according to (kata) the riches of God’s glory. The NIV translation of “His glorious riches” (v 16) is very clumsy. The KJV, NASB and Chinese Union Version’s translation is “the riches of his glory.” What is the difference? The former stresses His riches, but the latter His glory, which is far superior. His glory is the greater of the two, superior to and inclusive of riches. It is also to prevent believers from inserting or forcing a physical or materialistic reading into God’s riches. In having His glory, you are better off than rich, even though the word “rich” is nothing to be ashamed of. “Riches” is a good translation to avoid people think of “wealth.” The funny thing is this exact phrase is translated as “the riches of his glorious inheritance” shortly before in Ephesians 1:18 and “the riches of his glory” in Romans 9:23, but reverts to “glorious riches” in Colossians 1:27.

The powerful strengthening is accomplished by the Spirit. The Spirit is the agent of change. He is the teacher (John 14:26), the truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13) and the transformer.

Lastly, how and where are we strong? In the inner man, “eso” in Greek, as in “esoteric” or “belonging to an inner group.” As you grow older, you’ll understand that inner strength is greater than outer strength because the exterior is bound to crumble and the inner is the last to go, just as any gym member can tell you exercise is more mental than physical, an internal and not an external battle, a matter of the heart and head before it forms into a habit.

Basically, true strength is from upward breaching inward and reaching downward.

You Are More Precious Than You Think
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Eph 3:17-18)
Here is a touching letter from Jesus to seekers found on Youtube (“A Letter from JESUS”):

Dearly Beloved Friend:

How are you? I just had to send you this letter to tell you how much I love you and care for you. I saw you yesterday as you were walking with your friends. I waited all day, hoping you would walk and talk with me also. As evening drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day, and a cool breeze to rest you. Then I waited, but you never came. And yes, it hurt me, but I still love you because I am your friend. I saw you fall asleep last night, and I longed to touch your brow, so I spilled moonlight upon your pillow and your face. Again I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk. I have so many gifts for you. You awakened late this morning and rushed off for the day. My tears were in the rain.

Today you looked so sad, so alone. It makes my heart ache because I understand. My friends let me down and hurt me many times, but I love you. I try to tell you in the quiet green grass. I whisper it in the leaves and trees, and breathe it in the color of the flowers. I shout it to you in the mountain streams, and give the birds love songs to sing. I clothe you with warm sun shine and perfume the air. My love for you is deeper than the oceans and bigger than the biggest want or need you could ever have.

We will spend eternity in heaven. I know how hard it is on earth. I really know, because I was there, and I want to help you. My Father wants to help you, too. He's that way, you know. Just call me, ask me, talk to me. It is your decision... I have chosen you, and because of this I will wait...Because I love you. And I know I’ll be you someday when I get back…

Your Friend,
Jesus
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nf5xD68EqHw

When Christ dwells in our hearts – an architectural and a structural term, we are rooted and established in love – an agricultural and a biological term, then we are able to grasp how “wide and long and high and deep” is the love of Christ.

Roots are mysterious and powerful things. The Bible uses “root” as a verb twice only, both by Paul. The other time is in Colossians 2:7, where it reads: “rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith.” Both equations begin with the verb “root” in the use of compound verbs – “rooted and established” and “rooted and built up in him.” Being rooted is not only essential, it is priority, crucial and vital. Without roots, flowers die, trees fall and plants are uprooted. The higher you reach, the deeper your roots.

The word “established” is the verb form of “foundation,” so the translation is “founded.” The roots are the depth and the foundation is the material or ground. You can build deep down a quicksand’s foundation but it will still sink. This is the verb for the wise man who “laid the foundation” of his house on rock (Luke 6:48) and God’s act of “laying the foundations of the earth.” (Heb 1:10)

“Have power” (ex-ischuo) is a rare word in the Bible. It means to have full strength (to carry) out (something) literally. “Ex-” means “out” and the verb “ischuo” is “be of strength.” What does one need strength for? To grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. A person who is not rooted and grounded in love has a hard time understanding God’s love.

The most commonly used dimensions are the parameters describing the size of an object: length, width, and height. The four dimensions of God’s love, however, includes depth – the antonym to height. Paul is using a literary device called merism - totality as expressed by contrasting parts. There are no conditions, no confines, no changes to God’s love. The four dimensions of God’s love does not mean “as is” but “its all.”

One of my professors at seminary, Harold Hoehner, says “these measurements most likely describe not the thoroughness of comprehension but the immensity of the thing to be comprehended.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Here are some quotes on God’s love:
“God's love is like a circle, a circle, big and round, and when you see a circle, no ending can be found.”
“God's love is like the ocean, you can see its beginning, but not its end.”
“God's love is like Himself, from everlasting to everlasting--immutable.”
“God's love is like a stream, a river that just keeps flowing.” Christianity is not about creed, character and conduct. It is about the love of God, bound in the context of the His incarnation, His death and resurrection.

Martyn-Lloyd Jones says Paul “almost contradicts himself by using a figure of speech which is called oxymoron. He prays that we may “know” the love of Christ “which passeth knowledge”. He says that “though this love of Christ is itself beyond all computation, and can never be truly measured, nevertheless it is our business to learn as much as we can about it, and to receive as much of it as we can possibly contain.”

You Can Progress More Than You Think
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph 3:19)

“I have come to speak to you about your work,” said the Angel-Who-Attends-To-Things. “It appears to be unsatisfactory.”

“Indeed!” said the man, “I hardly see how that can be. Perhaps you will explain.”

“I will”, said the Angel. “To begin with the work is slovenly.”

“I was born heedless,” said the man. 'It is a family failing which I have always regretted.”

“It is ill put together, too, “ said the Angel. “The parts do not fit.”

“I never had any eye for proportion,” said the man. “I admit it is unfortunate.”

“The whole thing is a botch,” said the Angel. “You have put neither brains nor heart into it, and the result is ridiculous failure. What do you propose to do about it?”

“I credited you with more comprehension,” said the man. “My faults, such as they are, were born with me. I am sorry that you do not approve of me, but is the way I was made. Do you see?”

“I see!”, said the Angel. He put out a strong white hand, and taking the man by the collar, tumbled him neck and crop into the ditch (near where they were standing).

“What is the meaning of this?” cried the man as he scrambled out breathless and dripping. “I never saw such behavior. Do you not see what you have done? You have ruined my clothes, and nearly drowned me besides.”

“Oh yes!” said the Angel. “This is the way I was made.” (Source: “For You and Me” by Laura Richards from “The Moral Compass”)

“Filled” and “fullness” (v 19) actually share the same root word. The verb “fill” is mostly translated as “fulfill” in the Bible, more than twice as common as “fill” – 51 times to 19 times in KJV. It is to fulfill one’s potential, grow into maturity and be more Christlike. The material, physical and external things of the world frustrate a person and not fill a person, only God can do that.

Harold W. Hoehner comments that the KJV and RSV translations, “that you may be filled with all the fullness of God,” wrongly imply that the whole fullness of God can be contained in a believer's life. But this ignores the Greek preposition
“eis” (to) which denotes a goal; this is translated accurately in the NIV: “to the measure.”

Lastly, we are not filled with God but filled with all the fullness of God. The former is a mystic union with God, but the latter “fullness” is merely likeness to Him. The former refers to His divine nature in Himself, but the latter His communicable attributes to man. It is not oneness or union with God, merging into Him to become one cosmic conscience or breath – New Age style. The Bible teaches us that Christ is the image of the invisible God (2 Cor 4:4, Col 1:15). We are merely to be conformed to the likeness of his Son (Rom 8:29) and to be “renewed in knowledge” in the image of the Creator (Col 3:10) – not to be the exact replica, representation or reproduction.

Also, fullness does not mean moral perfection but moral purity, not errorless but excellence, not no blunders but not backsliding, not no moral limitations but no moral letdown, not no frailty but no failure. It means to be conformed to the likeness of his Son (Rom 8:29), not to be conjoined to His likeness; not to be “as” Him, but to be “like” Son; not to be God, but to be like Him. The fullness of God (Eph 3:19), Christ and the fullness (Eph 4:13) and the Deity (Col 2:9) are mentioned three times in the Bible, but Ephesians 4:13-14 tells us its practical purposes: “…attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming,” which is to stabilize us emotionally, theologically and relationally.

Conclusion: Are your riches grounded in knowing God’s love? Have you accepted God’s unconditional, unfailing, unchanging love? What are you filled with and full of? Is the Spirit actively working in you to transform you to be more like Christ? Are you growing in love for Jesus or falling in love with riches?