My wife and I have been going through the Lenten reader that Asbury Seminary put out for Lent this year. We’ve been struck by the pain that comes across in the Scripture readings. Usually you would think that this would be an uplifting time to prepare us for the remembrance of the resurrection, but the readings have really focused on the downtrodden. There have been a lot from Jeremiah, mostly laments and cries for justice and freedom from oppression, but there is also a delight in knowing that the enemy will be defeated. Is this what Lent is for? Lent is preparation for Easter. It is a time of soul-searching and repentance. In a way, then, the answer is “Yes.” Would I encourage people to delight in the destruction of their enemies? Probably not. This is not the attitude displayed by Christ. We, as fallen humanity, can have the tendency to misplace our anger and misdirect our frustrations. I’m not necessarily sure if this is what Jeremiah is doing in his writings, or what the Psalm writer is doing in his. There is rejoicing at the defeat of enemies that is to come, but I don’t think that defeat of the enemies is really the focal point. A natural consequence of an enemy’s defeat is the victory of God. Ultimately, this is what Lent is about – the victory of God in Christ. So, what does all this have to do with Psalm 92?
Psalm 92 is primarily praise for the mighty works of God. In the midst of it all (vv. 6-7, 11) is the defeat of the enemies of God – the senseless man, the wicked, evildoers, adversaries, wicked foes. These are people that are not only opposed to the Psalm writer, but who are opposed to God as well. Ultimately, Lent is about the defeat of The Enemy. In this time of introspection and repentance, the Enemy of God is defeated time and time again. This is only part of what has caught my attention in this passage. The second thing, which is a consequence of the defeat of the Enemy, is the flourishing of the faithful – more specifically, vv.14-15.
The Psalm ends with the building up of the faithful. Those who rely on the strength of God will “still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’” (Ps 92:14-15). My prayer today is that I may stay the course with Christ, that I may also be able to say that I still bear fruit in my old age, that I will stay fresh and green. The thing about ministry is that it is not an easy task. If one is not called to ministry, then one should not go into ministry. Ministers affect people at the deepest levels of existence. For someone as introverted as myself, this takes a lot of energy. I already know that I will need time to myself every day. If I can do this, then ministry will not be a job or a task, but a fulfillment of all that God has called me to be. If I can live everyday knowing this truth, then I am certain that I will continue to bear the fruit of the Lord daily, even on days when I certainly do not feel adequate, or up to task.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
John 16:12-15
What is the role of the Spirit? Of all the subjects in theology about which volumes have been written, the Spirit seems to be neglected the most. A couple of years ago, I was helping with a confirmation retreat. I was using some UM materials in the lessons, but I was also adding some things that I thought to be important along the way. On the section concerning God, I almost had too much to add to the lesson. It was a lot of information at once, especially for sixth and seventh graders. The lesson on Christ was the same way. How do you condense Christology into a thirty minute lesson for sixth and seventh graders? This is still something that I struggle with. But the lesson that I had the hardest time with, more than any other lesson period, was the Holy Spirit. Even with the help of the guide, I couldn’t get more than ten minutes on the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, my friend, mentor and former pastor was able to take over the lesson when he sensed that I was stumbling all over the place. Pneumatology is a weakness, not only in my personal theological development, but in the understanding of the Church as a whole. But what can be learned about the Spirit here?
The Spirit guides us in our weakness. Jesus had so much to teach the disciples. If we only had three years to spend with God, how much could we really learn? I’m in seminary now, closing in on completion of my M.Div., and I feel like I still have a lifetime of learning to accomplish. If Jesus couldn’t teach the disciples everything in three years; check that, if the disciples could not learn everything directly from Jesus in three years, how much more are we lacking in this type of knowledge? The Spirit guides us in knowledge and truth, but no more than we can bear.
The Spirit is closely tied to Jesus and to the Father. The Spirit teaches by taking what is Jesus’ (and consequently the Father’s) and making it known to us. This is so important that John (in the dialogue of Jesus) mentions it twice. This is certainly not by mistake. It is for emphasis. The Spirit is an integral part of the Triune nature of God. He cannot be separated from the Father or the Son. Does this make sense? No, but isn’t that what the whole point of this passage is? We cannot wrap our minds around the nature of the Trinity, especially not by any logic that we have in humanity. Here is one of our weaknesses in which the Spirit guides us. We have to be willing to allow the Spirit to work in our lives, but God is faithful and no doubt will help us to understand these things as we walk closer to Him.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
The Spirit guides us in our weakness. Jesus had so much to teach the disciples. If we only had three years to spend with God, how much could we really learn? I’m in seminary now, closing in on completion of my M.Div., and I feel like I still have a lifetime of learning to accomplish. If Jesus couldn’t teach the disciples everything in three years; check that, if the disciples could not learn everything directly from Jesus in three years, how much more are we lacking in this type of knowledge? The Spirit guides us in knowledge and truth, but no more than we can bear.
The Spirit is closely tied to Jesus and to the Father. The Spirit teaches by taking what is Jesus’ (and consequently the Father’s) and making it known to us. This is so important that John (in the dialogue of Jesus) mentions it twice. This is certainly not by mistake. It is for emphasis. The Spirit is an integral part of the Triune nature of God. He cannot be separated from the Father or the Son. Does this make sense? No, but isn’t that what the whole point of this passage is? We cannot wrap our minds around the nature of the Trinity, especially not by any logic that we have in humanity. Here is one of our weaknesses in which the Spirit guides us. We have to be willing to allow the Spirit to work in our lives, but God is faithful and no doubt will help us to understand these things as we walk closer to Him.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Job 28:12-28
“But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” (v.12) “God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens” (vv.23-24).
God sees the big picture. I was recently watching a hilarious movie – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I love this movie because it is extremely random. I like random comedy, the kind of comedy that demands you pay attention to it, and often calls you to watch it again to pick up on something else that you probably missed the first time through. At the beginning of the movie, the main character, Arthur Dent, is trying to prevent a team of bulldozers from demolishing his house to make way for a bypass, because “you have to have bypasses,” says the foreman. Ford Prefect is Arthur’s friend who is in reality an alien (I’m not giving anything away here, it happens in the first ten minutes). Because Arthur once saved Ford from getting hit by a car, Ford decides that he wants to save Arthur’s life from the impending destruction of Earth to make way for an intergalactic bypass. So in the beginning of the movie, all Arthur really sees is the small picture, what is revealed right in front of him. Ford actually takes Arthur to a pub to tell him what is about to happen, and Arthur still does not believe it until he sees the Vogon destructor ship, when his worldview is greatly altered. Suddenly, Arthur is thrust into a whole other world that he never even knew existed. He finally gets to see a bigger piece of the picture.
This is amazingly a whole lot like what we experience as Christians. We think we have things figured out, but then we are told things like, “To gain you life, you have to lose it,” and “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” It doesn’t seem to make sense. It does not fit into our worldview. But God sees the bigger picture. It is only through death that we can live. We have to die to ourselves to truly find life. Can we find wisdom in this? Not by secular means. Life is meaningless unless we first die to Christ.
I heard the other day that if all memory of the other major world religions (i.e. Islam, Hinduism, Buddism) were to be wiped off the face of the earth, they would all come back because they are based on human reasoning and thought. Christianity, however, is the exception. Christianity is not something that can be contrived through human reasoning. It doesn’t make sense. Christianity is not made up from the wisdom of man, but from the wisdom of God, the one true God, Creator and Sustainer. We cannot find true wisdom in the other major religions of the world. They may have some interesting thoughts about life, but that does not make them wise. In vv. 13-19, there is a litany of precious items that cannot compare to wisdom, they cannot buy it or surpass it. Wisdom is said to be “hidden from the eyes of every living thing” (v. 21). Wisdom is found only in God. God is found only through Jesus Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is not something that humanity could have though up on its own. God sees the big picture.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
God sees the big picture. I was recently watching a hilarious movie – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I love this movie because it is extremely random. I like random comedy, the kind of comedy that demands you pay attention to it, and often calls you to watch it again to pick up on something else that you probably missed the first time through. At the beginning of the movie, the main character, Arthur Dent, is trying to prevent a team of bulldozers from demolishing his house to make way for a bypass, because “you have to have bypasses,” says the foreman. Ford Prefect is Arthur’s friend who is in reality an alien (I’m not giving anything away here, it happens in the first ten minutes). Because Arthur once saved Ford from getting hit by a car, Ford decides that he wants to save Arthur’s life from the impending destruction of Earth to make way for an intergalactic bypass. So in the beginning of the movie, all Arthur really sees is the small picture, what is revealed right in front of him. Ford actually takes Arthur to a pub to tell him what is about to happen, and Arthur still does not believe it until he sees the Vogon destructor ship, when his worldview is greatly altered. Suddenly, Arthur is thrust into a whole other world that he never even knew existed. He finally gets to see a bigger piece of the picture.
This is amazingly a whole lot like what we experience as Christians. We think we have things figured out, but then we are told things like, “To gain you life, you have to lose it,” and “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” It doesn’t seem to make sense. It does not fit into our worldview. But God sees the bigger picture. It is only through death that we can live. We have to die to ourselves to truly find life. Can we find wisdom in this? Not by secular means. Life is meaningless unless we first die to Christ.
I heard the other day that if all memory of the other major world religions (i.e. Islam, Hinduism, Buddism) were to be wiped off the face of the earth, they would all come back because they are based on human reasoning and thought. Christianity, however, is the exception. Christianity is not something that can be contrived through human reasoning. It doesn’t make sense. Christianity is not made up from the wisdom of man, but from the wisdom of God, the one true God, Creator and Sustainer. We cannot find true wisdom in the other major religions of the world. They may have some interesting thoughts about life, but that does not make them wise. In vv. 13-19, there is a litany of precious items that cannot compare to wisdom, they cannot buy it or surpass it. Wisdom is said to be “hidden from the eyes of every living thing” (v. 21). Wisdom is found only in God. God is found only through Jesus Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is not something that humanity could have though up on its own. God sees the big picture.
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
Titus 1:10-16; 2:7-8
Titus 1:10-16
There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11 they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. 12 It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, "Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons." 13 That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Titus 2:7-8
7 Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.
As I read these passages, the biblical scholar inside of me wants to look at the structure of what Paul is saying throughout the book, which wouldn’t be too difficult to do as it is only three chapters. I want to explore the Greek syntax and look at the structural relationship of contrast between the first passage and the second. Clearly I have Inductive Bible Study on my mind, and why not? It’s the only class I’ve had to this point today. However, I think I might miss something in doing all that work. I know, it seems strange. How could I microscopically pick apart an entire passage and miss something? But I do it all the time. I think part of it is the nature of the living Word, but part of it also has to do with my personal failings at digging deeper than just the surface, casual Sunday school Bible study level. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Sunday school Bible study, but usually it doesn’t go deep enough. I could make a living writing decent Bible studies for Sunday school classes and still not develop myself or my readers in a closer walk and understanding of the Lord.
As I read over and over again, one phrase sticks out in my mind – “set them an example.” Maybe it is because I’ve been feeling convicted lately over my rush to get things done and not spend enough time with the Lord in the silence of the morning or afternoon. I get time in, but that does nothing more than check it off of some list in my head. Is this the kind of example that I want to set? Is this the kind of mentality I would want the people in my congregations to display when it comes to the most important aspect of one’s life? No, it’s not good enough. It’s not good enough to simply do the work just to get it done. All of the exegetical work that I referred to at the beginning of this journal is great, but not if it wears me out for the really important part, the meat, of what God is trying to say in the passage to a world that is lost without Him, then I have lost something very important that I cannot get back without twice as much blood, sweat and tears. And if I, a future pastor, cannot seem to find the time to devote adequate study time to what God has to say to a hurting world, how can I expect the same from those who choose to show up on Sunday morning?
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.
There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; 11 they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach. 12 It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, "Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons." 13 That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Titus 2:7-8
7 Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.
As I read these passages, the biblical scholar inside of me wants to look at the structure of what Paul is saying throughout the book, which wouldn’t be too difficult to do as it is only three chapters. I want to explore the Greek syntax and look at the structural relationship of contrast between the first passage and the second. Clearly I have Inductive Bible Study on my mind, and why not? It’s the only class I’ve had to this point today. However, I think I might miss something in doing all that work. I know, it seems strange. How could I microscopically pick apart an entire passage and miss something? But I do it all the time. I think part of it is the nature of the living Word, but part of it also has to do with my personal failings at digging deeper than just the surface, casual Sunday school Bible study level. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Sunday school Bible study, but usually it doesn’t go deep enough. I could make a living writing decent Bible studies for Sunday school classes and still not develop myself or my readers in a closer walk and understanding of the Lord.
As I read over and over again, one phrase sticks out in my mind – “set them an example.” Maybe it is because I’ve been feeling convicted lately over my rush to get things done and not spend enough time with the Lord in the silence of the morning or afternoon. I get time in, but that does nothing more than check it off of some list in my head. Is this the kind of example that I want to set? Is this the kind of mentality I would want the people in my congregations to display when it comes to the most important aspect of one’s life? No, it’s not good enough. It’s not good enough to simply do the work just to get it done. All of the exegetical work that I referred to at the beginning of this journal is great, but not if it wears me out for the really important part, the meat, of what God is trying to say in the passage to a world that is lost without Him, then I have lost something very important that I cannot get back without twice as much blood, sweat and tears. And if I, a future pastor, cannot seem to find the time to devote adequate study time to what God has to say to a hurting world, how can I expect the same from those who choose to show up on Sunday morning?
Just some musings from a traveling pilgrim.