How To Study Theology by Martin Luther

I want to point out to you a correct way of studying theology, for I’ve had practice in that. If you keep to it, you will become so learned that you yourself could (if it were necessary) write books just as good as those of the fathers and councils. This is the way taught by holy King David (and doubtlessly used also by all the patriarchs and prophets) in Psalm 119. There you will find three rules, amply presented throughout the whole psalm: prayer (oratio), meditation (meditatio), and testing (tentative).


Prayer

First, you should know that the Holy Scriptures constitute a book that turns the wisdom of all other books into foolishness, because not one teaches about eternal life except this one alone. Therefore you should straightway despair of your reason and understanding. With them you will not attain eternal life, but, on the contrary, your presumptuousness will plunge you and others with you out of heaven (as happened to Lucifer) into the abyss of hell. But kneel down in your room and pray to God with real humility and earnestness (as David did), that he through his dear Son may give you his Holy Spirit, who will enlighten you, lead you, and give you understanding.

Meditation

Second, you should meditate not only in your heart, but also externally, by actually repeating and comparing oral speech and literal words of the book, reading and rereading them with diligent attention and reflection, so you may see what the Holy Spirit means by them. Take care you do not grow weary or think you have done enough when you have read, heard, and spoken them once or twice, and that you then have complete understanding. You’ll never be a particularly good theologian if you do that, for you will be like untimely fruit which falls to the ground before it is half ripe. God will not give you his Spirit without the external Word.

Testing (Anfechtung)

Third, there is testing. This is the touchstone that teaches you not only to know and understand, but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how lovely, how mighty, and how comforting God’s Word is, wisdom beyond all wisdom. David, in Psalm 119, complains often about all kinds of enemies, arrogant princes or tyrants, false spirits and factions, whom he must tolerate because he meditates, that is, because he is occupied with God’s Word in all manner of ways. For as soon as God’s Word takes root and grows in you, the Devil will harry you and will make a real theologian of you, for by his assaults he will teach you to seek and love God’s Word. I myself am deeply indebted to my critics, that through the Devil’s raging they have beaten, oppressed, and distressed me so much. That is to say, they have made a fairly good theologian of me, which I would not have become otherwise. And I heartily grant them what they have won (honor, victory, and triumph) in return for making this of me, for that’s the way they wanted it.



Martin Luther, 'How to Study Theology'

Sin you say?

Sin is a difficult topic to discuss with relation to Scripture because the same word in English refers to several different states. In its most basic form, sin is a transgression of law and rebellion against God. Sin is any action that harms the relationship we have with God and/or another person. It is choosing to act in a way that pulls us away from God. He designed us to respond to Him in a way that is in agreement with His nature. Sin breaks that connection, refuses that gift, and rejects God. Cornelious Plantinga says that sin is the "willful breaking of Shalom". Shalom is that state of peace and perfection that God originally intended for man and creation. When we sin, we break Shalom.

Sin entered the world at "The Fall" when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree that God declared out of bounds to them. We are now spiritually sinful because of the "sin nature" we inherited from Adam. We are born with the nature of sin and a natural tendency is towards sin. We are born with the inclination to reject God, since from the curse in Gen 3:16 we are at enmity with God. Because of our identity as descendants of Adam, we also carry "imputed sin." This is a term meaning taking something that belongs to someone and crediting it to an other's account. It is almost like being a fan of a certain team because they are the only team in town. We are identified with that team, which in our case is sin. Of course, sin is also each individual action which is counter to God's law.

Sin can show up in a variety of ways. The Hebrew 'awon means an iniquity or malevolent unfairness (1 Samuel 20:1). Rasha' infers restlessness or something that is out of control (Isaiah 57:21). Chata' is the most commonly heard definition. It means missing the mark or straying off course (Judges 20:16). 'Abar means to transgress or to go beyond that which is sanctioned (Judges 2:20). In the New Testament, the Greek hamartia is similar to the Hebrew chata' but it goes further. It is not only "missing the mark," but also the inner compulsion or nature that induced the offense (Romans 6:1). Similarly, it can be an organized power that deliberately sets about causing a person or group to fall into sin (Romans 6:12). Coincidentally, in seminary the study of sin is called "Hamartialogy".

Since all sin is the rejection of God, His authority, and His preference, sin automatically excludes us from His presence. And in reading you also see that pride plays a huge role in sin as pride turns our attention from God and towards us. But forgiveness of sin, as well as grace and peace and eternal life are found in Jesus Christ. Freedom from the grasp of sin is only found in God. Our inherited sin nature, our imputed sin, and our every little choice definitively separate us from God. Fortunately, Jesus' sacrifice covers all sins. Instead of Adam's imputed sin, we receive Christ's imputed righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)—we choose another team to identify with. As the Holy Spirit indwells us, the sin nature loses its grasp, and we are no longer its slave. And when we commit individual acts of sin, we are authorized to approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), knowing that coming to God and confessing our sins will allow us to renew our relationship with Him.

Christian Relationships

So I have been thinking about this for a while, and I think I am going to go ahead and start writing a series of blog entries specifically for my Redline Youth Group addressing common questions that come up a lot, like questions about relationships, other religions, sin and forgiveness, heaven, etc. This is my first post. Enjoy!! Any ideas or comments, let me know.

Question: "Can you give me some Christian relationship advice?"

Answer: I have received this question a lot, and I am a little hesitant to give a direct relationship answer. As a Pastor people come to me for advice often, for Jr and Sr High students the ultimate authority in your life should be your parents (other than God, of course). Additionally, I do not presume to speak for God in giving authoritative relationship advice to Christians.

With that said, lets see what scriptural advice I can give. First, you should speak with God about your relationship. Pray to the Lord, asking Him to clearly reveal to you what He would have you do (Philippians 4:6-7), that is the MOST IMPORTANT THING: PRAY!!! Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment (James 1:5). God promises to grant prayer requests that are asked according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). Being wise and discerning are most definitely God's will. God wants you to make good relationship decisions. God desires Christians to be joyous and edified as a result of their relationships. If you ask God with an open heart and humble spirit, He will give you the relationship advice you need.

Finally, find wise counsel with mature Christians you can trust, and your parents. Seek guidance from your Youth Pastor or Sr. Pastor, or other mature church leaders (like youth leaders). Their years of experience enable them to speak from wisdom and the knowledge of God in their lives.

Page Turners Book Club Discussion Thread: "Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols We Worship and the Wounds We Carry"

Hey Page Turners: This is the discussion board for this month's book. Please stop by often to post comments, questions, observations about the book!!! Enjoy!

Book: "Redemption: Freed by Jesus from the Idols We Worship and the Wounds We Carry" by Mike Wilkerson

Book Description: Exodus is a real story about God redeeming his people from the bondage of slavery and how their difficult journey home exposed their loyalties—though wounded by Egypt, they had come to worship its gods. Most Christians don’t make golden idols like the Israelites in the wilderness, but we do set up idols on our own desert road—idols like substance abuse, pornography, gluttony, and rage. And even those who don’t know the pain of actual slavery can feel enslaved to the fear and shame that follow sexual abuse or betrayal by a spouse, for we suffer at the hands of our idols as well as those created by others. We need more than self-improvement or comfort—we need redemption. Redemption is not a step-oriented recovery book; it’s story-oriented and Bible-anchored. It unfolds the back-story of redemption in Exodus to help Christians better understand how Christ redeems us from the slavery of abuse, addiction and assorted trouble and restores us to our created purpose, the worship of God. Readers will discover that the reward of freedom is more than victory over a habitual sin or release from shame; it is satisfaction and rest in God himself.

Page Turner's Book Club Discussion Thread: God's Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola

We're ready to kick off the Page Turners Book Club with our Inaugural Book: God's Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola.  This is the start of the discussion thread.  As you read the book over the course of the month, comment on this board with any ideas, questions, thoughts and if possible provide page and chapter information.  I'll collect all this information and bring it to book club for discussion.

Here is an overview of the book.  So, happy reading and lets get those comments flowing...

God's Favorite Place on Earth by Frank Viola

When He came to earth, Jesus Christ was rejected in every quarter in which He stepped. The Creator was rejected by His own creation. “He came to His own and His own received Him not,” said John. For this reason, Jesus Christ had “no where to lay His head.” There was one exception, however. A little village just outside of Jerusalem named Bethany. Bethany was the only place on earth where Jesus was completely received.


God’s Favorite Place on Earth is a retelling of Jesus’ many visits to Bethany and a relaying of the message it holds for us today. Frank Viola presents a beautifully crafted narrative from the viewpoint of Lazarus, one of the people who lived in Bethany with his two sisters. This incomparable story not only brings the Gospel narratives to life, but it addresses the struggle against doubt, discouragement, fear, guilt, rejection, and spiritual apathy that challenges countless Christians today. In profoundly moving prose, God’s Favorite Place on Earth will captivate your heart with its beauty, charm, and depth. In this book you will discover how to live as a “Bethany” in our world today, being set free to love and follow Jesus like never before.

Butt Prints In The Sand

I served on EOEE Walk #82 this last weekend, and what a wonderful experience that was.  As a part of the weekend my friend and brother in Christ, Pastor Josh, shared with me this poem.  It's too good not to share with you.  I hope you enjoy it.  It is a light hearted take on the famous Footprints poem, but also conveys a message.  We are called to grow in our Faith.  1 Peter 2 says that we should crave spiritual milk; 1 Cor 13:11 says that we are supposed to put away childish things and behave like men; Phil 2:12 says we are to work out our faith.  On and on there are verses showing that we are to grow in our faith walk, and not stagnate.  Lest we run the risk of being dropped on our butt!  Enjoy...

Butt Prints In The Sand
One night I had a wondrous dream,

One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"
Those prints are large and round and neat,
"But Lord they are too big for feet."

"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait."

"You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know.
So I got tired, I got fed up,
and there I dropped you on your butt."

"Because in life, there comes a time,
when one must fight, and one must climb.
When one must rise and take a stand,
or leave their butt prints in the sand."

The Real Meaning Of Memorial Day

I was pondering the meaning of Memorial Day this morning and I came across this history.  I hope you enjoy it.  Have a wonderful and blessed Memorial Day!!

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.


Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.



In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

Can a Christian be competitive?

Over the last week the topic of competitiveness and Christian living has come up at a weekly men's group that I am a part of.  I was surprised that almost the entire group had a different opinion than I did, so I did some research and wrote a brief paper that summarized my thoughts.  I thought I'd share it here now.  So enjoy!!

Can a Christian be competitive?
Dealing with the question of competitiveness and Christianity: are the two mutually exclusive. The actual question that started it all is as follows: Is there ever a time that having a competitive nature is a good thing? It then evolved through discussion to “Is competitiveness compatible with the Christian life?” and “Was Jesus competitive?” While this response is not exhaustive or technically “scholarly” in nature (I borrow heavily from Bill Luganbill and do not use MLA citations or anything), I will put forward the idea that competitiveness is compatible with the Christian life if a person 1) Understands what is meant by Christian competitiveness and 2) Utilizes their skills, as in all things, to glorify God.


Lets first start with a definition. In a strict sense, the definition of the word “competition” is the act of competing for supremacy or a prize. In sociological terms, competition is rivalry between two or more persons or groups for an object desired in common, usually resulting in a victor and a loser but not necessarily involving the destruction of the latter. This can easily go down the road of God vs. Satan (aka 1 Peter 5:8 where the devil is described as an “adversary”). Realistically, from Gen 3:15 through the entire drama of Scripture you see an adversarial relationship between the flesh and the Spirit; or Jacob who wrestled with God; or the Elijah example we discussed; or the genealogy of the 12 tribes of Israel, etc. But I will keep this more focused on the day to day topics we were discussing on Tuesday and leave the deeper theological topics for another day.

We would all agree that as Christians we should all strive to do our best. Whether you look at Eph 6, Colossians 3, or this passage from 1 Peter 2:

18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.

The problem is our understanding of the word. "Competition" in the sense we mean it today is a concept for which it is difficult to find exact parallels for in Biblical times. Here is an example from Bob Luganbill of how we can draw an analogous example for the sake of understanding:

“…in the US we often say something is "a challenge" when we are really trying to put a positive spin on a negative development - the task at hand is more daunting than usual, but in our optimistic approach to things we try to look at the enjoyment and satisfaction that may be involved in solving a particularly difficult problem rather than at the mess we may be in. As far as I am aware, there is no comparable concept to "challenge" in this sense in other languages/cultures (not even in French, for example, where the root word for "challenge" comes from). That is not to say that other languages/cultures wouldn't understand what we are talking about once it is explained, but it does mean that we often take for granted that certain ideas or ways of looking at the world which are second-nature to us will of course be familiar to others as well. That is not the case in the modern world, and it is even a less reliable guide when looking at the ancient world.”

So just because something exists in our language, but does not exactly exist in another does not mean it does not exist. It also does not mean that it is wrong. In like manner, there is no direct equivalent vocabulary item in either ancient Greek or Hebrew, and no exact conceptual equivalent either for what is meant by "competition". A more closely related equivalent (and where my mind directly went on the topic) is the clear cultural predisposition toward excellence (the Greek arete is a very close match). But even though the structure of Greek and Roman athletics, as a point of comparison, allows for one "winner", the idea is still more focused upon the bestowing of excellence (or the proving of excellence already there) through the process of the games. (This for the record goes far beyond simple cooperation, or Christian helping which was proposed in class.) When I speak of the notion of competition, I speak of a “do your best”, “give it all you got” approach to your life. This is a noble view of competition as a process whereby it is the one or ones with true heart who work the hardest and persevere when the going gets tough who win out (or should win out) in the end. This aspect or notion of competition is one that is not unparalleled or lacking in scripture:

Don't you know that all the runners in the stadium run the race, but that only one receives the prize? Run in such a way so as to achieve what you are after. And again, everyone involved in competition (agonizomenos, i.e., participating in the agon or contest) exercises self-control in all respects. Those athletes go through such things so that they may receive a perishable crown of victory, but we do it to receive an imperishable one. So as I run this race of ours, I'm heading straight for the finish line; and as I box this bout of ours, I'm making every punch count. I'm "pummeling my body", one might say, bringing myself under strict control so that, after having preached [the gospel] to others, I might not myself be disqualified [from receiving the prize we all seek]. 1st Corinthians 9:24-27

There is a huge difference between a Biblical competitive nature and that which is found in secular society today (which is true of several other items as well). In the example given by Paul above, the athletes are all striving for a single prize which only one of them can possibly receive (so that the efforts of the many are futile). Furthermore, the thing they are striving for is ultimately pointless as well, because like all things in this world of emptiness, it will soon turn to dust. In the Christian life, on the other hand, the prizes we win by running for Christ are eternal and will ever be wonderful, and, since there is no shortage of heavenly treasure, we are not excluding others by our positive achievements. Quite to the contrary, our rewards are achieved in large part after personal spiritual growth by assisting in the process of the spiritual growth of our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that far from "winning away" rewards from them, we win our rewards by helping them win theirs:

Now therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord at all times, for you know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1st Corinthians 15:58

So you see, the fact that there is a “reward “awaiting a Christian is a motivating factor, much like a competition. It is this "strive for excellence" element that is meant by Biblical competition, it is not at all competitive in the sense of succeeding at the expense of other believers (or of an opposing Church soccer team!). Both sides of this equation are important. Again to quote Luganbill:

Just as it would be a horrendous mistake to assume, for example, that it is the relative "success of my church/ministry/etc." which is the measure by which God will judge my work (i.e., pulling in more bodies than other churches/ministries), so it is likewise incorrect to assume that since there is no believer to believer competition for something tangible here on earth that we are therefore supposed to relax and not be motivated to strive for excellence. Each of these misapplications of scripture has its own pitfalls. We should ever be lending our fellow believers a hand up, but not allow anyone "to pull us down" into a lukewarm approach to our service to the Lord (1Cor.15:33). We should set a zealous example, and we should be stirred by the godly zeal and good example of others (Heb.12:1).

Ultimately, (in my opinion) there is nothing wrong with goodhearted competition in the pursuit of excellence. Competition becomes a problem; however, when our wins determine our worth.

As for the aspect of “winning at all costs”, which in business terms is sometimes described as social Darwinism, lets take again from Luganbill:

This notion of the active striving and triumphing of the superior person is most closely mirrored in scripture by the Greek word eritheia and its cognates, a word group expressing the idea of "striving", "rivalry", "ambition" and "contentiousness". This is forbidden Christians both directly (2Cor.12:20; Gal.5:20; Jas.3:14-16) and indirectly (Rom.2:8; Phil.1:17): Let nothing be done through strife (eritheia) or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Philippians 2:3

While I believe this is the perception of competition that the group first jumped too, it is not the view of competition that first came to my mind.

Paul also says that he is pressing "toward the mark (i.e., the finish line on the race course; Gk. skopos) for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ" (Phil.3:14). These two passages make it clear that it is not the effort in what we consider competition that is the problem - the effort should be there for believers who are aflame for Jesus Christ rather than lukewarm - but rather the problem is pride:

any selfishness which seeks advantage, attention, glory for oneself, and is not first and foremost concerned with the welfare and spiritual advance of one's fellow Christians. Since, as I say, it is precisely by helping one another that we achieve the rewards we seek, seeking gain of any kind for ourselves and to the detriment of our brothers and sisters while in this world is a fundamentally flawed and wrong-headed approach which will yield only "wood, hay and stubble" at the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor.3:10-15). It is in fact legitimate to "provoke" one another to love (Heb.12:3-4) and to acts of love (2Cor.9:2). What is wrong is to seek advantage for self (Phil.2:4). What is wrong is selfishness (1Cor.13:5). And that is the essence of the matter.

The way that I see is that the "spirit" of competition is a good thing when properly directed…which is true of most things when viewed through the lens of Jesus Christ. If we are truly striving to do our best for the glory of Jesus Christ, then that will turn out for the benefit of our fellow Christians who are aided by our efforts for His Church. And if we are truly striving to be the best we can be for Jesus Christ, then we give a positive example for our brothers and sisters to follow and does not disadvantage them in any way.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.

Hebrews 10:24

Seeing the strong race that others are running, is spiritually beneficial in every way. It is a true competitive Spirit in a Biblical sense. Inordinate secular competition in economic, political or sports terms is pointless in every way if that is all that one is consumed with, as not a few of the scriptures proclaim :

And I saw that all labor and achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4

“The scriptures declare that "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Prov.27:17). When we run with the best, we become better runners. Only let our running not be in vain. Let us run on the right course, with the right fellow runners, toward the right goal, and for the right prize. As Christians, we must learn to turn that innate spirit of competitiveness toward good uses, looking forward to a good report of our running from our Lord on that day to come. May it not be said that we ran for ourselves, but for Him and His Church, and that we ran as hard and as well as we could.” At the end of the day, as with everything else, if competition consumes you or draws you away from your walk, then it’s a bad thing. However, striving for excellence using the gifts Our Father has given us, and ultimately recognizing Him in all we do, I do not believe is incompatible with the Christian life or Christian worldview. To answer the initial question: Yes, there are times that having a competitive nature can be a good thing.

Transformed By The Resurrection: Luke 24:13-35

This is the message I delivered at Sunrise Service on Easter Sunday.  Just thought I'd share in case you missed it:


I recently read the legend of the king who decided to set aside a special day to honour his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists were brought forward, and from these four, the king would select the winner.

The first person presented was a wealthy philanthropist. The king was told that this man was highly deserving of the honour because of his humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor.

The second person was a celebrated physician. The king was told that this doctor was highly deserving of the honour because he had rendered faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years.

The third person was a distinguished judge. The king was told that the judge was worthy because he was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his brilliant decisions.

The fourth person presented was an elderly woman. Everyone was quite surprised to see her there, because her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honoured as the greatest subject in the kingdom. What chance could she possibly have, when compared to the other three, who had accomplished so much? Even so, there was something about her the look of love in her face, the understanding in her eyes, her quiet confidence.

The king was intrigued, to say the least, and somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. The answer came: "You see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge? Well, she was their teacher!" That woman had no wealth, no fortune, and no title, but she had unselfishly given her life to produce great people.



• There is nothing more powerful or more Christlike than sacrificial love. The king could not see the value in the humble lady. He missed the significance of the teacher. Often we miss the value of those around us. I think it would surprise us to know how often we miss the presence of Christ just as Cleopas and his friend missed the significance of the stranger on the road to Emmaus.

On the road to Emmaus here are some things you don’t want to miss:

1. The significance of the resurrection: It transforms us

• Look closely at what happens to these two people as they journey from Jerusalem to their home in the city of Emmaus seven miles away. A stranger, whom we know is Jesus, joins them. He asks them what they are talking about and they

stop dead in their tracks. They can hardly bring themselves to discuss it they are so saddened by the events of the last three days.

• Their friend, their master, their rabbi, the one they describe as a mighty prophet, has been unjustly condemned to death and violently killed on a cross. They say to their companion, "Are you the only person in all of Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place?" This would be enough to unsettle anyone but new and disturbing information is being told.

• Reports about his tomb being empty and the crazy notions of some who say he is alive.

• Listen to what happens next on that dusty road at the end of the day. This is the part that intrigues me. Jesus begins to interpret the Old Testament and explains to them how all these things were spoken of by Moses and the Prophets. He opens the Scriptures to them. He transforms their thinking.

• They had no idea these things were supposed to take place. They had concluded that Jesus’ mission had failed. They now understand that the last three days were the plan all along.

• Finally the two invite Jesus into their home. He has dinner with them. Again Jesus transformed the event. There at that ordinary dinner at the end of the day this stranger takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, gives it to them and their eyes are opened. In that moment they were transformed.

There’s a story about a young boy named Walter Elias. Born in the city, his parents one day moved out to the country to become farmers. Walter had a vivid imagination and the farm was the perfect place for a young boy and a wondering mind. One day in the apple orchard he was amazed when he saw sitting on a branch of one of the apple trees an owl. He just stood there and stared at the owl. He thought about what his father had told him about owls: owls always rested during the day because they hunted throughout the night. This owl was asleep. He also thought that this owl might make a great pet.

Being careful not to make any noises he stepped over sticks and leaves. The owl was in a deep sleep because it never heard Walter Elias walking toward it. Finally, standing under the owl, he reached up and grabbed the owl by the legs. Now, the events that followed are difficult to explain. Suddenly everything was utter chaos. The owl came to life. Walter’s thoughts about keeping the bird as a pet were quickly forgotten. The air filled with wings, and feathers, and screaming. In the excitement Walter held the legs tighter. And in his panic, Walter Elias, still holding on to the owl, threw it to the ground and stomped it to death. After things calmed down, Walter looked at the now dead and bloody bird and began to cry. He ran back to the farm, obtained a shovel, and buried the owl in the orchard.

At night he would dream of that owl. As the years passed he never got over what had happened that summer day. Deep down it affected him for the rest of his life. As an older man he said he never, ever killed anything again. Do you see it? Something significant happened after that event. Something that Walter didn’t miss. Something which transformed Walter Elias, something that redeemed him from the pit of despair, something that resurrected him, something that made Walter Elias into someone who we all have experienced in some way. You see his name changed to Walt Disney who created Mickey Mouse, Goofy and all those wonderful cartoon animals.



2. The significance of the resurrection: It convicts us

• The two disciples, when they had realised who Jesus was and were amazed at the great news, the said: "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"

• They had realised what all of the Old Testament prophecies were about and they had to realise that they were wrong in thinking that Jesus was dead and that all hope was gone.

• That is what conviction is all about, realising that we are wrong about something and believe in it enough to change us. The two disciples could have said, well so what Jesus is back from the dead but he is still not going to wipe out the Romans.

• They believed enough in the fact that Jesus had risen and that he died for a reason. They realised that Jesus was the only one who could save them from something far worse than oppression from a government but from oppression from the Devil.

• A man that we all should know is Martin Luther; he is the impetus behind the Protestant Reformation. He was a Roman Catholic priest who was a very good man, but he came to a point at which he also had a burning heart he was convicted that he was saved through grace by faith…and nothing else.

• We should come to the point at which we realise that there is nothing for us to do but to repent and follow Jesus.

• We need to realise the things that we do and be able to turn from those things and follow Jesus.

• Has the resurrection of Jesus made any difference in YOUR lives…are YOU convicted that Jesus is our master and that we should live accordingly?

• Because brothers and sisters, Our hearts should burn too.

3. The significance of the resurrection: It makes us witnesses
• Of coarse once we are transformed and once we are convicted there is no reason that we should keep it to ourselves.

• Once the two disciples had realised that they had just met with the risen Lord they got up and went back to Jerusalem to tell the others.

• It was dark and they had already decided earlier that they should settle down and eat. They didn’t really feel like walking any more.

• But they got up and they walked the 7 miles to tell the others.

• They had become witnesses.

• What about us? When we hear good news what do we do…if I had to win a car or win money in a competition, I’m sure I won’t be able to keep it quiet. (Caller of the Year!/Winter Jam example!!)

• Well we have heard the good news and experienced it. The resurrection has changed our lives and has convicted us. We need to be able to go out and tell others.

• How do we do that, well the first step is that we live our lives so that people can see we’re different. That means that we don’t allow anything else to be our God. Pride should not rule our lives, money should not control our lives. Power over other should not rule our lives.

• When people see us they should see Jesus, we should be like Jesus…that is the way.

• We cannot tell people one thing and live another.

• Saying kind words to people make a difference, reaching out to people in need…that is all about being a witness to Jesus.



Summary
• I want to challenge us today that we should not live our lives without allow the resurrection be apart of it.

• That is the most important thing about Christianity…resurrection…power over sin and death!

• It must transform us, convict us and make disciples out of us.

• FF Bruce said of Paul, “Paul has a Christology in which the sun rises and sets on Jesus Christ.” He’s exactly right.

Such A Significant Day: Good Friday Reflections

On Good Friday we remember, we celebrate, and we look forward to the resurrection just 3 days later. Today is the beginning of God making good on all of His promises, going way back to Gen 3:15. Consider this:


When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, shortly afterward he drove all the money changers out of the temple courtyard and overturned their tables.

As a result of this the Jewish rulers began to plan how they could have him crucified, nailed to death on a cross, before the end of the week.

It would, of course, have been a simple matter for Jesus to slip away from Jerusalem to some place of safety.

Indeed, even as late as Thursday evening, when Judas had gone to fetch Our Lord’s enemies, he could easily have escaped over the hills and so have avoided all that the Devil and his human agents were planning to do to him.

He knew this very well, and yet he deliberately stayed behind in the Garden of Gethsemane to be arrested and crucified.

Why did he do this? Because he loved you and me so much that, when he came into the world, he was ready to sacrifice everything, even his life, to save us from evil, to win for us forgiveness of sins, to bring us to God to be his forever, and to make new people of us by making us like himself.

Indeed, it was so that he might do this that his Father, out of love for us, had sent Jesus into the world and he could not do it by simply running away.

Jesus himself pictured his task as a fight between a shepherd and a wolf such as was not uncommon in his day in the wild Judean hills.

We can see it all so clearly: the wolf, hungry, lean, savage, and stealthily advancing on the flock of helpless sheep with only the shepherd standing between them and destruction.

If he turns and runs, nothing can stop the wolf from scattering the flock and killing the sheep at his leisure.

But this Shepherd will not run away, for they are his own sheep and he knows each one by name.

So this Shepherd stands his ground as the wolf with bared teeth hurls himself at his throat.

So Jesus, the Good Shepherd, did not run away and leave us to the powers of evil, but gave himself and his life for us upon the Cross.

“I am the good shepherd”, he said. “I know my own and my own know me…And I lay down my life for the sheep” (NRSV, John 10:14,15).

That was what made Our Lord’s death on the Cross altogether different from that of any other religion; our savior did not kill anyone for us, but offered his own life up for his people.

For he was God’s own Son giving his life for the salvation of humankind.

Our Lord’s life was not taken from him – he gave it freely and willingly as the price he had to pay in order to save us from evil and to bring us to his Father.

The Crucifixion was something that had to be done because when Jesus came into this world, the forces of evil would try to destroy him.

So he said, “…the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”

So Jesus died for us on Good Friday, and three days later God raised him from the dead and he is now for ever with the Father in Heaven.

We Christians have a living Saviour, that’s something no other religion can claim.

And what our precious Saviour did that day on the Cross gives Him the right to bring you and me to the Father.

Our sins – all the wrong things we have thought and said and done – make us unfit to approach God on our own.

But Jesus is God’s sinless Son, and what he has done and suffered for us gives him the right to bring us back with him to his Father in Heaven, both here and forever after. Amen!!

Washing Feet: Reflections on John 13

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet- John 13:1-20


13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table,[a] took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,[b] but is entirely clean. And you[c] are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants[d] are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread[e] has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he.[f] 20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”

This week I was able to participate in a Foot Washing service at church. What an experience! As a kid growing up in the Catholic Church I participated in many Foot Washings, on Holy Thursday usually as an altar boy. I didn’t really understand it, but I was always struck by the image of Father Jim (who seemed to be “larger than life” in our small church setting) getting down on one knee, taking off the person’s shoes and socks, and washing their feet. As a child, I just always thought to myself, “Wow that is Father Jim washing those people’s feet!”


As I’ve grown in my faith and studies in the Word, I have come to appreciate the sacrament (yes, I called it a sacrament) of Foot Washing. I have seen foot washing services, but never participated in one. I remember during a class in Early Christian History, Dr. Johnson recounting of his days as a Pastor and one particular occasion when he was to do a foot washing at his first church. You see, he did not have a good experience at all at this church. Many of the church members were actively seeking to get him removed. And before he left there was an opportunity to do a foot washing. During the foot washing he had the chance to wash the feet of the person leading the charge to get him thrown out as Pastor. I recall in class him telling us how that foot washing changed the way he viewed that man from then on. He said, “It’s tough to feel anger against a person whose feet you’ve just washed.”

This week, I was the Pastor as part of the service. The Sr. Pastor and I selected 12 people whose feet we would wash; 6 adults and 6 youth. After some opening scripture and prayer, devotion and music we called the 12 forward. We sat them down, intermingled adults and youth. The Pastor and I took our bowels, pitchers and towels. We got down on our knees. And one by one, we removed the shoes, socks, and washed the feet of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let me tell you, the world looks different from your knees. As I sat there and removed the shoes, and prepared the water, I prayed over each person. As I dried their feet again I asked the Lord to bless them.

Now to be sure, washing feet in 2013 in Ohio is a lot easier that washing feet in the year 33 in Jerusalem! These weren’t dirty, muddy, sandal shod feet. These weren’t the feet of career fisherman. These weren’t the feet of men accustomed to walking barefoot miles and miles every day. But nevertheless, to wash someone’s feet has affected me. For those people whose feet I washed, and for the several others that were there present in the service, I don’t think we’ll forget the experience.

What Jesus did was wonderful. It is incomprehensible at times. Humility, love, kindness, tenderness…I don’t think even these words have the impact to grasp the magnitude of what Jesus did. He was a sacrifice, an atonement, a propitiation, and let us also not forget that he was an EXAMPLE to be followed!!

Jesus told the Apostles that just as he washed their feet, so too should they wash each other’s feet to follow his example. In fact, Jesus requires nothing of us that he did not do himself first:

• Feed the poor, Jesus did that- Mark 6

• Forgive others, Jesus did that- John 8

• Show sympathy, Jesus did that- John11

• Required obedience, Jesus did that- Matthew 26

• Spread the Good News, Jesus did that- John 4

• Resist temptation, Jesus did that- Matthew 4

• Pray, Jesus did that- Luke 11

• Suffer, Jesus did that- Mark 14

No matter what the requirement, everything Jesus requires of us, Jesus did first. Let us fix our eyes upon Him, the Author and Perfector of our Faith as it says in Hebrews 12. Let us look to Jesus as our example. And let us live everyday through the lens of being Jesus Christ to the world. And sometimes, you just have to wash some feet.

Sin: What is it?

As we head into Holy Week I have been struggling with the question of sin as it comes up frequently.  Here is a brief paper I wrote on the topic, so I thought I'd share.  Enjoy!!

Where to begin with the question of sin? The Bible declares that we are made in the image of God, yet it also declares that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Rom 3:23), and yet at the same time we are still morally culpable for our actions. In this short essay we will look at answering the following; What is sin- original, social, and actual. My feelings and direction on sin, and what are the practical, ministerial implications of my understanding and position regarding sin. Let’s first begin with a definition of this term we are examining: sin.


According to Hoekma, sin is a perverse way of using God given gifts and powers. (Hoekma, 113-132). This is a way of looking at sin as the taking of God’s good creation and disrupting that image. Much like what we see happen prior to and then after Gen 3:15; pre curse and post curse creation. Nothing is the same afterwards. Plantinga also has an interesting definition of sin; the willful breaking of shalom. (Plantinga, 10) Shalom in the Bible means “universal flourishing, wholeness and delight- a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts are fruitfully employed.” (Plantinga, 10) In other words, shalom is the way things are supposed to be. Sin is then the breaking of shalom willfully, which is a result of the stain of the image of God in men to begin with. Plantinga goes on to say that, “sin outstrips other human troubles by perverting special human excellences.” (Plantinga, 3) I think that last statement gets to the heart of the affect on our imago Deo; our excellences in God’s image are perverted. Still present, but perverted. This is much like a giant Maple tree that has grown crooked, still a Maple but not as useful for shade as it otherwise would have been. We still reflect our God image, but is has been stained.

But sin does not have to defeat us, we know what sin is. And our gracious and loving God sent His son to save us from ourselves. 1 John 4:10 states, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His son to be a propitiation for our sins.” God does not want us to be defeated, although we are stained from birth through original sin. God not only sent his son, but we are also able through scripture and study to assess sin and assign it characteristics that allow us to comprehend and avoid it. Hoekema lists the multiple facets of the nature of Sin in chapter 9. I feel that an understanding of sin’s nature is valuable in learning how to deal with it. First, sin does not have an independent existence. This stresses that sin in actuality is the perversion of something which was good, a defect. Augustine called it the deprivation of that which is good. The reason that sin cannot be independent is evident in that it can be conquered. If sin were actually a substance, an actual part of the essence of man, then how would we be able to conquer it? It is this understanding that allows man, through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ to break free from sin and to change course. Sin is not a physical aspect of man, it is a perversion of the direction of man.(Hoekma, 169)

Secondly, sin is an essence that is related to God and the will of God. If there is no God, there is no sin. As we see all through scripture, it is the law (the Law of God) that brings consciousness to sin. Rom 3:20 declares that “…through the law we become conscious of sin.” Rom 7:7 states it as follows, “Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what it was to covet if the law had not said ‘Do not covet’”. (Hoekma, 171) The law gives us understanding, knowledge that at the end of the day, all is sin acted out by us and is against God.

Third, sin has at its source in the heart. (Hoekma, 171) I understand the implication here. Sin is essence, not physical. What is the heart? It is the emotion of man. The spring of both the good and evil that man is capable of. Mat 15:19 states. “For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony and slander.” This also leads to the 4th and most interrelated point on sin, sin includes actions and thoughts. The “lust of the flesh” that it spoken of in Galatians 5:16 encapsulates in the word ‘flesh” the entire human nature. (Hoekma, 172) It is our innermost being that is marred, that is perverted. Plantinga reinforces sinful thoughts as sin by delineating further that just assuming that you are offending God in some way is evidence of sin. (Plantinga, 22)

Lastly, at the root of all sin is pride. In some fashion we want to be like God. (Hoekma, 173) That was the overriding impulse in Gen 3:5 with the fall of man. Augustine sums it up in this manner:

And what is the origin of our evil will but pride? For “pride is the beginning of sin.”(Ecclus 10:13) And what is pride but the craving for undue exaltation? And this undue exaltation, when the soul abandons Him to whom it ought to cleave as its end, and becomes a kind of end to itself.” (Hoekma, 173)

Plantinga sums it up very nicely, going on to paraphrase Niebuhr and the idea of security. This also is a version of pride as we (man) are looking to gain what we want when we want it:

At bottom, says Reinhold Niebuhr, we human beings want security. We feel restless and anxious in the world because we are both finite and free, both limited and unlimited. We are persons of seemingly endless possibilities and of immense power, but we are also creatures utterly dependent on the good offices of our Creator. So we live on the edge of finitude and freedom, anxious lest we miss opportunities and anxious anew when we have exploited them…but our anxiety as Niebuhr observes, is only the context for sin, not its cause. Out base problem is unbelief. Failing to trust in the infinite God, we live anxiously, restlessly, always trying to secure and extend ourselves with finite goods that can’t take the weight we put on them…Unbelief says Niebuhr, yields anxiety, which yields alternating pride and sensuality. (Plantinga, 61)


This is the base and I agree with this assessment. We, man, want to secure for ourselves with a degree of certainty, what we can gain for ourselves. While God wants us to live dependent on him for all things, like the Israelites as they wandered the dessert getting food only daily, or the sparrow which neither reaps nor sows, God wants us to rely on him for life and our daily needs. We, however, sin marred as we are and prideful, want to usurp that power from God to ourselves. In essence, that is what I believe is the issue.

This sin has originated since the fall, and with regard to original sin I agree with the Augustine/Calvinistic/Reformed school of thought that man has received both the corrupted sin nature and guilt from Adam. This has corrupted man to the core. Every aspect, every part of man cannot escape its affects. This has left us in a state of complete depravity, or as Hoekma calls it Pervasive Depravity (Hoekma, 150). Quickly defined this means that the corruption of original sin extends to every aspect of man and that there is not present in man, by nature, the motivation to love God. Many passages reinforce this belief from a scriptural standpoint including Eph 4:17-19, Tit 1:15-16, Rom 8:7 and many others. From the aspect of sin coming in through one man and being redeemed though one man I refer to Rom 5 where Paul reinforces he point that as sin came into the world through one man, so too was sin removed from the world by the “free gift” of one man. Christ accomplished this for us while we were still sinners. What an act of love from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This sin manifests itself socially and actually. I think we have already covered the aspect of actual sin. All of our actions are sinful. Nothing we do is not marred. We have evil thoughts, compulsions, desires and we either act or think with our thoughts. Here is the paradox as I see it; man is born is sin. Every aspect of our lives is sinful and no part is unstained. Our thoughts, actions, physical appearance, everything is distorted by sin. Yet, Scripture still calls us to be morally culpable for our actions. So, how can God expect a sin polluted mind to make a decision that the thinker will be held accountable for? It doesn’t seem possible. This is what I think Entwistle is referring to when he talks about Tillich’s “contradiction of man” where man is created by God, has God’s image, and yet still has turned from God (Entwistle, 154) , and Erickson’s response to it:

Sin has very serious consequences when it comes to the relationship of sinner and God. These results include divine disfavor, guilt, punishment and death. Physical death, spiritual death and eternal death flow from the consequences of sin. Sin also has consequences that affect the individual sinner. These include enslavement, flight from reality, denial of sin, self deceit, insensitivity, self centeredness, and restlessness. These effects on the sinner also have social implications in competition, inability to empathize, rejection of authority, and inability to love. …[as a group] we may be so conditioned by membership in a group that our very perception of reality is colored by it… This conditioning is something so subtle and thoroughgoing that we may not be aware that there is a given side of a given issue, or even that there is an issue at all. (Entwistle, 155)


Here is the contradiction to our lives. We are enslaved. We suffer from self denial, self centeredness, the inability to love, the inability to empathize. A thoroughly distorted view of creation is what we’re left with. A far cry from Genesis 1, instead we now suffer from the wrath of the curse of Gen 3:15. This is evidenced further in Scripture when lists the works of the sinful flesh:

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorceries, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you as I warned you before; those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5: 19-21)

It sounds very similar to the Entwistle passage. It also sounds very burdensome. What does our flesh, our nature marred by sin provide us? It gives us nothing but misery. Entwistle tells us that the ultimate consequence of sin is dread and misery (Entwistle, 153) and Plantinga suggests that all sin ultimately springs from misery. (Plantinga, 3) We see people like this in our lives every day.

But the new reality given to us in Christ Jesus is that we can find contentment in knowing that we have been “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 1:3). We should not lose hope, we should not despair. Here is what we should do in seven simple verses from the book of Romans to break the shackles of sin that we are all under:

Acknowledgment of God as Creator

Romans 1:20-21: "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

We are sinners

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”

God loves us and wants us back

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God offers us the gift of eternal life

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Confession and Belief is how we accept the gift.

Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Christ is all you need

Romans 10:13 “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Determination for salvation

Romans 11:36: "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."



There are many verses like this in Scripture. But God created us for his pleasure and wants us back for his pleasure as well. We are assured that we can call upon the name of the Lord and have his atoning sacrifice eradicate, regenerate our inner beings to help assuage the effects of our sin nature. James 4:8 reminds us to “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” God’s word is truth, and life and it stands. If we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. And God’s Holiness cannot stand in the presence of sin, therefore through the sanctification of His Grace and Spirit, His drawing near to us will inevitably lead to the subjugation of the sinful flesh. And we can be assured when we have received the Spirit of God in us, and that is through the production of the fruits of the Spirit. In Galatians, Paul tells us that the manifestations of the Spirit indwelling in a person are evidenced by the fruits of the Spirit that person produces:

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it’s passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. –Gal 5:22-25



To sum up this essay, what can be said of sin. Through our own willful rebellion we have turned from God and incurred His just and holy wrath. Every decision, every aspect of our lives is stained by that rebellion. While it seems hopeless, praise God that we have been brought back, redeemed through the blood of Christ as Paul writes in Eph 2. While in our sinful state we have the inclination to stand on our head and tell the world it is upside-down, we must realize that the cure for our condition can only be found in the atoning work of Christ Jesus.





Bibliography

1) Entwistle, David N. Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity

Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004

2) Hoekema, Anthony A. Created in God’s Image

Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1994

3) Plantinga, Cornelius Jr. Not the Way it’s Supposed to Be- A Breviary of Sin

Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995

4) The New Oxford Annotated Bible NRSV, 3rd Edition

New York: Oxford University Press, 2007

Palm Sunday Special: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

Dramatis personæ:

John: the narrator

Jesus: the president, or another

Soldiers

the Chief Priests

some or all of the following roles may be shared:

Peter

Pontius Pilate

a Woman

a Soldier

a Slave
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John: Hear the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.

(John 18.1 – 19.end)

John: Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them,

Jesus: Whom are you looking for?

John: They answered,

Soldiers: Jesus of Nazareth.

John: Jesus replied,

Jesus: I am he.

John: Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them,

Jesus: Whom are you looking for?

John: And they said,

Soldiers: Jesus of Nazareth.

John: Jesus answered,

Jesus: I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.

John: This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.’ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter,

Jesus: Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?

John: So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him.

First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people. Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter,



a Woman: You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?

John: Peter said,

Peter: I am not.

John: Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered,

Jesus: I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.

John: When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying,

a Soldier: Is that how you answer the high priest?

John: Jesus answered,

Jesus: If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?

John: Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him,

Soldiers

and Slaves: You are not also one of his disciples, are you?

John: Peter denied it and said,

Peter: I am not.

John: One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked,

a Slave: Did I not see you in the garden with him?

John: Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.

Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said,



Pilate: What accusation do you bring against this man?

John: They answered,

Chief Priests: If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.

John: Pilate said to them,

Pilate: Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.

John: The Jews replied,

Chief Priests: We are not permitted to put anyone to death.

John: (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him,

Pilate: Are you the King of the Jews?

John: Jesus answered,

Jesus: Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?

John: Pilate replied,

Pilate: I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?

John: Jesus answered,

Jesus: My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.

John: Pilate asked him,

Pilate: So you are a king?

John: Jesus answered,

Jesus: You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.

John: Pilate asked him,

Pilate: What is truth?

John: After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them,

Pilate: I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?

John: They shouted in reply,

Chief Priests: Not this man, but Barabbas!

John: Now Barabbas was a bandit. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying,

Soldiers: Hail, King of the Jews!

John: and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them,

Pilate: Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.

John: So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them,

Pilate: Here is the man!

John: When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted,

Chief Priests

and Soldiers: Crucify him! Crucify him!

John: Pilate said to them,

Pilate: Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.

John: The Jews answered him,

Chief Priests: We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.

John: Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus,

Pilate: Where are you from?

John: But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him,

Pilate: Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?

John: Jesus answered him,

Jesus: You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.

John: From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out,

Chief Priests: If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.

John: When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. Pilate said to the Jews,

Pilate: Here is your King!

John: They cried out,

Chief Priests: Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!

John: Pilate asked them,

Pilate: Shall I crucify your King?

John: The chief priests answered,

Chief Priests: We have no king but the emperor.

John: Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.



Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,



Chief Priests: Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’

John: Pilate answered,

Pilate: What I have written I have written.

John: When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another,

Soldiers: Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.

John: This was to fulfill what the scripture says, ‘They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.’ And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother,

Jesus: Woman, here is your son.

John: Then he said to the disciple,

Jesus: Here is your mother.

John: And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture),

Jesus: I am thirsty.

John: A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said,

Jesus: It is finished.

John: Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’



After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Snippet from "A Model if Christian Maturity" by DA Carson

Is it a Biblical Jesus who promises us nothing but health, prosperity, wisdom, and joy? Is it a Biblical Jesus who guarantees heaven and says nothing about hell? Is it a Biblical Jesus who promises eternal life but says nothing about entailed righteousness? Is it a Biblical Jesus who needs to have His saving work supplemented by our merits, ceremonies, and sacrifices if we are to be redeemed? If the Corinthians could be deceived in the first century into transferring their allegiance to a Jesus who did not really exist, what entitles us to think we shall always be exempt from similar dangers and deceptions? Our only safeguard is a humble return, again and again, to the apostolic Gospel, the Biblical Jesus, preserved for us in the pages of Scripture.- Quote on 2 Corinthians 11:4

You Think You're So Great? Reflections on Luke 22:27

“For who is greater, the one seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”- Luke 22:27


In this passage we see the Lord celebrating the last supper with the Apostles. Think about this, our Lord Jesus Christ is having the last supper before He knows He is going to be crucified. He is sharing His last meal with those that were closest to Him, the Apostles. These 12 men have spent the last three years following Jesus. Jesus had poured His all into the Apostles: teaching them, loving them, modeling for them the behavior that a follower of Jesus Christ should exhibit. After three long years of apostleship, you would think they would know what it meant to be a follower of Jesus, right? And yet, in verse 24 we read this: “A dispute also started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.” Yep, here is Jesus Christ- the model of humility, the model of sacrifice, the model of servitude, listening to his APOSTLES arguing over who should be considered the greatest. Unbelievable!! But what do you expect from fallen men, from sinners saved only through the Grace of God.

Now Jesus could have easily gone off on the Apostles, and called them a bunch of dummies that were missing the point of everything He had done. But He didn’t. Jesus knew the Apostles, He knew that down deep they had good hearts and were well intentioned, but he also knew their shortcomings too: Peter was a brash fisherman. Matthew was a reformed tax collector (and probably a thief). He called James and John “Sons of Thunder” for a reason, probably because they argued a lot. Simon the Zealot was a called a zealot for a reason!! Thomas probably doubted everything. Jesus loved them for who they were, for the faith they had in him, in spite of the laundry list of shortcomings they had. Can you relate?  I sure can.

No, Jesus did not yell and go crazy, he related a simple story to them, telling them they were to be different than Gentiles who cared about being great. He told them that the greatest must become the least, and that leaders should serve, and then he capped it off with verse 27: “For who is greater, the one seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” If you really think about this verse it will bring a tear to your eye. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, the embodiment of Love, Goodness and Mercy did not come to this Earth as an honored guest, but rather as a servant. Our Lord Jesus Christ came down from Heaven, where He lived with the Father and Spirit, where he walked the streets of gold, and saw the crystal sea, and heard the songs of the angels, to redeem mankind not through force, not through distinguishable honor, but rather through a sacrificial act. Jesus Christ humbled Himself, suffered being called names, lied about, spit on, flogged, mocked, and crucified…all to save us. While we hated Him, He loved us.

Take a moment as we approach these last few weeks before Easter, and consider the fact that Jesus humbly served…not invoking the power and authority that He had, but rather through humility and submission to the will of God redeemed us through His atoning death and sacrifice. We too, in following the example of our Lord and Saviour, should be willing to model the same in our lives.

My Purpose in Christ: Reflections on turning 40

There is so much going on at church. New people are coming almost daily, and the mission field is ripe to overflowing!! Over this last weekend our praise band got to participate in some very cool worship with another local church. And, I was blessed to be there and help one of our 4th graders accept our Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (which is really the main purpose of everything we do!). I feel I am exactly where the Lord wants me to be to advance the Kingdom!


Last week, my wife and I celebrated a “milestone” birthday as we turned 40. I am blessed beyond belief with my wife, kids, work and ministry.  Personally, this event has had me reflect on what the purpose of my life should be. Through the Holy Spirit, I turned to God's Holy Word to help me understand my purpose, and I have been drawn over and over again the last several days to the following passages:

• Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) “It is God Himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus. Long ago He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.”

• Mark 8:35 (NLT) “Only those who throw away their lives for My sake and the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live.”

• James 1:22-15 (NET) But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.”

I can't say it any better than God's own Word can.  I have been prayerfully considering the purpose, call and ministry that the Lord has laid upon my heart. I love the Lord Jesus. In all things, the sun rises and sets on Jesus Christ and I want my life and ministry to always reflect that fact. I need to put away what has troubled me in the past, make right the things I need to make right, and I need to remain bold and steadfast in proclaiming the Good News. 

Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King!  His love endures forever!!

You Are Blessed!!- Brief exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-14

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ1 before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,2 having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this3 is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV)

In this brief introduction to the Ephesians, which is aptly considered the “crown” and “quintessence” of Paulinism (Bruce, 229), Paul lays out for the community at Ephesus the blessings and richness we have in Christ Jesus. Paul extols the richness and lavishness of the inheritance we have in the Kingdom of God through the shed blood, forgiveness and redemption in Christ. We have been adopted into the family of God, through the good pleasure of our Creator from the beginning of time. This passage prepares the community at Ephesus for the instruction, both theological and practical, that is to follow in this book.

Date and Authorship

There is debate amongst current scholars over the genuine authorship of Ephesians. The style and content of the letter is not in line with those letters considered to be genuinely Pauline; Galatians, Romans, to name a few. Some reasons given anti- Pauline authorship are: it’s impersonal style, references to post-apostolic time, too general a letter (Barth, 10-11), there are many expressions that are unique from Paul’s other writings, and heavy dependence on Colossians. (Lincoln and Wedderburn, 84) However, the traditional authorship of Paul still has many supporters and posses a strong case as well. Pro- Pauline authorship proponents claim that the letter was accepted as written by Paul by the earliest church fathers, additionally pseudonymous authors of the time would not deprecate the person whose authority they are claiming, as this author has (Eph 3:1) nor would a pseudonymous author knowingly fabricate events in the author’s life that would be meant to deceive as would be the case in Eph 4:1 and 6:20, especially when the underlying message of the book is instruction on ethical and righteous living. (O’Brien, 42-43) Paul was an incredibly skillful and educated writer and was certainly able to write this book in the manner of what was needed at the moment it was written. I will side with Pauline authorship. It was probably written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome around 62AD.

Cultural Context

Ephesians is the most general and least situational of all of Paul’s letters. (O’Brien, 49) There is not an urgent need that Paul is addressing. What can be understood of the community from our passage is that they have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; they are saints who believe and understand the personal blessing of God, though they may not know Paul personally. (O’Brien, 50) They are called saints, fellow citizens, brothers and sisters, adopted, and members of the body. Since these classifications are true for all Christians, this indicates the universality and generality of this letter. Paul assumes the community knows him, is familiar with his knowledge of the mystery of God, and knows about his suffering and imprisonment. (O’Brien, 51) It is implied that these are new Gentile Christians that have some familiarity with the Old Testament Jewish laws and customs. (Lincoln, xxiii)

Form, Style and Movement

Ephesians overall is an Epistle. More specifically, the style of Ephesians has been called “pleonastic” which is characterized by lengthy sentences connected with relative clauses. (O’Brien, 6) Our passage falls into this category. It uses synonyms placed side by side, such as “wisdom and insight” in 1:8, for a rhetorical effect. The piling up of terms for God’s purpose is used to great effect in our passage particularly. (O’Brien, 7) This presents our passage in eulogy form, as an extended benediction and prayer. The purpose of which undergirds God’s accomplishment and unification of all things in Christ, to His eternal purposes. There is a strong liturgical character to our selected passage. (Bruce, 241) Paul is using this benediction to layout out the message and topics that he will expound upon throughout the rest of this letter.

Detailed Analysis

The overall message of our passage is one of blessing and gratitude for our election and adoption into God’s family. Verses 3-6 are full of words of praise for our election and adoption. (Bruce, 251) Interestingly enough, in verse 3 we see the name of God, as God and Father. This is the only mention of God by name, although the rest of the passage is full of parental imagery. (Barth, 101) The structure of this blessing is in eulogy format, or a berakah, which is a long, single sentence that starts with “Blessed be…” and is an instrument of blessing and praise to our creator. (Bruce, 252) This long sentence runs the extent of our passage through v14. We are to praise God for our call and adoption. We are given all spiritual blessings; there is no mention of material blessing, there is also no mention of spiritual blessings that are held back. Our blessings are “in the heavenly places”, not in the present world. The word “heavenly” occurs 5 times in the course of this letter. This shows us the magnitude and scope of how we’re blessed, blessed above all things. (Bruce, 253) And since we are already enjoying these blessings we see implied references to the inaugurated eschatology of the here and now (this age and the age to come). Christ will sum up all things in the end, but as believers and adopted members of Christ’s family we are already enjoying the partial fruits of our salvation. (Bruce, 254) And this adoption and acceptance of the gifts of the Kingdom are chosen “before the foundation of the world”. This reference to the eternal selection of God is only found here in all the works of Paul. (Bruce, 254) I believe this gives us an understanding of the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresence and immutability of God. Our election is not accomplished by man, but rather by an all loving God. I believe this is what the Reformers of the 16th and 17th century viewed as the Doctrine of Election, and what led Calvin to regard Ephesians as one of the paramount books of the NT. (Bruce, 255) This adoption and election is only possible through Jesus Christ, it is His mission that allowed us to attain this gift. (O’Brien, 97) Our responsibility for this gift is to remain holy and blameless. (Lincoln and Wedderburn, 121) With all hope and in love our response to an all loving God, is to put on His image as His adopted children. We are now heirs of the Kingdom, children of promise. We should therefore behave accordingly. As is stated in this passage, God adopted us for His pleasure and His purpose. And Paul sums this up in the phrase “to the praise of His glorious Grace” in v6. This phrase occurs 3 times in the book of Ephesians (all in our passage) and sums up the thrust of the overall message of the book. (Barth, 101, Lincoln and Wedderburn, 113)

In verses 7-10 we begin to see how those who are chosen in Christ before the beginning of the world are redeemed over the course of history through the act of Christ’s shed blood. This redemption implies a release and liberation, as if from imprisonment. (O’Brien, 106) It is this liberation that goes hand in hand with our forgiveness through the shed blood, the sacrifice, of Jesus Christ. God not only gave us this gift, He lavished us with the richness of His Grace. This was something of worth, of value; for that reason it is expressed in terms of wealth. (Bruce, 259) The use of words that imply wealth (inheritance, riches), as well as the use of the word ‘lavished” convey to the reader that words cannot begin to describe the magnitude of the Grace and gifts we are inheriting as a result of our election in Christ. (O’Brien, 107) Not only are we given these gifts, and adopted in God’s family, we then go on in v8 to also receive wisdom and understanding. This is done so that we can understand, comprehend and cultivate the gifts we have received. (Bruce, 260) It is this wisdom and understanding that we will need in order to live the life we are called to in the previous verse. It is with wisdom that we may understand the position we are given and what is needed to live as an heir to the Kingdom. V9-10 then unifies everything under Christ. God has made known to us the mystery of his plan so that everything can be completed in Jesus Christ. The “mystery” of v9 is God’s love and Grace for us. (Barth, 127) An inheritance of love the likes which he derives pleasure to share with us through His Son. Jesus Christ then comes and completes this love by gathering all things and peoples, Jews and Gentiles, to himself as they have been called. (Bruce, 261, O’Brien, 107) Jesus Christ becomes the ultimate source that restores harmony to all things, to all creation. (Lincoln and Wedderburn, 110)

Moving to v 11-14, we see the praise of the believers for the assurance that we have in Christ. The language now begins to shift from “we” to “you also”, which indicates the movement towards the reconciliation of all things under Christ. (O’Brien, 114) We progress from a Jewish first reference in “we who first placed our hope”, to “you who were also sealed”. We see the progression of Christ reconciling all things under his authority. This indicates that all believers are adopted, elected and blessed through their belief in Christ. (Bruce, 264, O’Brien, 115) All is unified, God’s family is one. United and in harmony, “to the glory of His praise”, which is the second time this phrase occurs in the passage, v12. (Barth, 113) Paul goes on to state that we are sealed with the Spirit; the word “sealed” in its Semitic origins is rendered “guarantee”. (O’Brien, 121, Bruce, 266) This shows the permanence, the immutability of God’s purpose. (Barth, 118) This verbiage for the guarantee of the Holy Spirit is only found in the works of Paul in the NT. (O’Brien, 120) This reference goes beyond just the promise of the Spirit, because Paul is clear that we are already experiencing a portion of it today, in the here an now. The promises of God are already partially enjoyed by those which have believed and are called. We see this because Paul declares that we are sealed with the Spirit now, not in the future. (O’Brien, 120) The entire passage is summed up in v14, where for the 3rd time Paul declares “to the praise of his glory”. We are summed up in that act of praise, for the glory of God, which has permeated the entirety of this passage. (Barth, 113)

Synthesis/Conclusion

The key points, Christological focus and character of this passage are God’s intention to bring harmony to all people and creation through Christ, to emphasize the divine grace of God, and the calling of God’s people to himself. First and foremost, this passage magnifies that God is the praise of God; in this passage the theology is a doxology. (Barth, 143) God acts in paramount love as a caring and liberating father. In form, the passage is a eulogy (berakah) that sets up as a “talking points memo” for the rest of letter. From this point Paul sets the tone, style and main ideas that will continue to recur throughout the epistle and provides an introduction into the instruction that will follow. (O’Brien, 123) We see our relationship to God as one of father and son, we note Jesus’ ultimate power to unify all things under himself, this provides our blessing and partially realized inheritance, and ultimately we have the seal (guarantee) of the Spirit.

Reflection

This eloquent and beautifully crafted passage of Paul should give all believers comfort and joy in knowing what a majestic and secure eternal blessing we have through Christ Jesus. In summary, what this passage tells us is that we have been blessed, chosen and redeemed through Jesus Christ. It gives God great pleasure to adopt us as children and to be heirs to the Kingdom. What a message for believers 2,000 years ago and today. I don’t think our culture, or any culture since these words have been penned, truly grasps the profundity of the message of Paul. We are children of God, the King eternal. We are in position of nobility, enjoying the blessings bestowed on us from the heavenlies. It is a message of hope, of spiritual prosperity! An inheritance of wealth unimaginable that is not only bestowed, but lavished upon us. In seeking to apply this message to our culture today, the question should be; do we realize where this treasure comes from? The claim to fame for Ephesus back in 60 AD was a huge temple to Artemis which has long since been destroyed. (Freedman, 413) On the other hand, the inheritance we are provided, besides being eternal, is without measure; lavished upon us by God. In our culture TV ads quickly point out that “The King is Good” referring to Burger King, or “Have all you want, we’ll make more!” talking about Tostitos; but here in Ephesians we see that the King is good, and our inheritance is without limit, from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And the more reassuring aspect is that we have a guarantee on our inheritance, unlike those innumerable souls that invested themselves in the worship of Artemis. Furthermore, in keeping with the abundance of God’s immutable decrees, we owe a debt of gratitude that we are to exhibit by living as those worthy of call. (Lincoln and Wedderburn, 149) This is where I think the church needs to focus today; are we as a church living worthy of our call? I think we need to be reminded, as the Ephesians were later in this epistle, “That is not the way you learned Christ” (Eph 4:20). Unfortunately, we may have learned Christ this way through our churches. But Paul is clear in his teaching that from, through, and in God and Jesus Christ we have blessing upon blessing. We can use this passage of Ephesians to instruct us not only on the blessings and inheritance we have in Christ, but also in the way we are to praise him continually.