How will this school year be different than last year and the years before? Will you follow hard after God into this new year? Will you seek to become more of the person that God has called you to be this year? Will you make more friendships, work harder at your school work, and seek to grow closer to your family?
Will this be one of those years where you can look back and see how it has impacted your life because you allowed it to do so?
The same goes for youth group. Will this be a year where you seek to build others up in selfless service? Will you come to youth group seeking to be served or seeking to serve? Will you seek to understand the gifts that God has given you so that you can give them away to others?
Will your time in the Word shape how you respond to all of these questions?
The truth of the matter is that there are many things in this life that you cannot control. For example, you can't control how much homework you get. Another, you can't control the actions of others.
However, you can control how you respond and what you do. Even though you can't control how much homework you get, you can control your attitude about it. Even though you can't control a bully's actions, you can control how you respond to them.
How? You ask:
By getting into the Word and applying it to your lifestyle.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." -2 Tim. 3:16-17
Why does God give us the Scripture? The short answer is this: That you would be equipped for every good work. That you would know how to live wisely and in a way that pleases God and builds up others.
Last question: Will you seek more from the Bible than just head knowledge this year...or, will allow the Scriptures to guide the Way that you life you life?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Galatians 1:1-10
This is the first of many weeks that we are going to be spending in the book of Galatians. Galatians is such a relevant book to the issues that many of us face in our day to day lives; peer pressure, bullying, self-worth, finding our true identity, love, friendship, conflict...etc.
Paul starts off in 1:1-1:2 talking about how he wasn't sent by any human being, or any human group, such as a church. No, Paul tells the Galatians that he was sent by Jesus Himself. He is a preacher and church planter because he has recognized the calling that God has placed on his life.
He then goes on to tell us in his greeting that Jesus gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. To clarify, he is saying that it is God's will that we be rescued right here and now and not just in the afterlife. In other words, salvation starts here and now and not just after we die.
It is also important to notice how Paul doesn't mention heaven or hell here, but that God's intent is to rescue us from this evil age. It doesn't mean that heaven and hell aren't significant. Paul tends not to focus on them in his writings. He is always more concerned our response to God in this age.
Starting in verse 6 Paul calls out the Galatians because they are turning away from the Gospel because some people are confusing the Galatians with un-biblical teaching.
Notice in verses 8 and 9 how seriously Paul takes this. He repeats himself in saying that those who preach a false Gospel are under God's curse. To Paul, the Gospel is not something to mess with...it needs to be upheld and taught appropriately. So far, in this letter, he doesn't tell us what the Gospel is. He just calls the Galatians out for deserting it.
Lastly, Paul is getting ready to appeal to the church in Galatia as their brother in Christ and apostle. He tells them that he is not trying to win human approval. Not that he doesn't care what people think of him. After all, he is a human being. However, as a servant of Christ, Paul acknowledges the fact that he is going to cut against the grain. He is not seeking human approval above God's. He knows that his identity isn't found in what people think of him, but in what God thinks of him.
How can we apply this text to our own lives?
1) We need to take very seriously whether or not we are following the words of the true Gospel or a false gospel.
2) We need to understand that God intends to rescue us here and now, and not just in the afterlife. God intends to bless His people in this life so that they can be a blessing to others and the world.
3) Even though we all want acceptance from others, we need to have the attitude that Paul has. Do we want to please people? Of course! However, our ultimate aim is to please God, not people. As servants of Christ we seek to please God first because He is the one who has rescued us from this evil age and given us the freedom that can only come in Christ. Plus, we can't truly be a blessing to others unto we have received God's blessing.
Paul starts off in 1:1-1:2 talking about how he wasn't sent by any human being, or any human group, such as a church. No, Paul tells the Galatians that he was sent by Jesus Himself. He is a preacher and church planter because he has recognized the calling that God has placed on his life.
He then goes on to tell us in his greeting that Jesus gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age. To clarify, he is saying that it is God's will that we be rescued right here and now and not just in the afterlife. In other words, salvation starts here and now and not just after we die.
It is also important to notice how Paul doesn't mention heaven or hell here, but that God's intent is to rescue us from this evil age. It doesn't mean that heaven and hell aren't significant. Paul tends not to focus on them in his writings. He is always more concerned our response to God in this age.
Starting in verse 6 Paul calls out the Galatians because they are turning away from the Gospel because some people are confusing the Galatians with un-biblical teaching.
Notice in verses 8 and 9 how seriously Paul takes this. He repeats himself in saying that those who preach a false Gospel are under God's curse. To Paul, the Gospel is not something to mess with...it needs to be upheld and taught appropriately. So far, in this letter, he doesn't tell us what the Gospel is. He just calls the Galatians out for deserting it.
Lastly, Paul is getting ready to appeal to the church in Galatia as their brother in Christ and apostle. He tells them that he is not trying to win human approval. Not that he doesn't care what people think of him. After all, he is a human being. However, as a servant of Christ, Paul acknowledges the fact that he is going to cut against the grain. He is not seeking human approval above God's. He knows that his identity isn't found in what people think of him, but in what God thinks of him.
How can we apply this text to our own lives?
1) We need to take very seriously whether or not we are following the words of the true Gospel or a false gospel.
2) We need to understand that God intends to rescue us here and now, and not just in the afterlife. God intends to bless His people in this life so that they can be a blessing to others and the world.
3) Even though we all want acceptance from others, we need to have the attitude that Paul has. Do we want to please people? Of course! However, our ultimate aim is to please God, not people. As servants of Christ we seek to please God first because He is the one who has rescued us from this evil age and given us the freedom that can only come in Christ. Plus, we can't truly be a blessing to others unto we have received God's blessing.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Made in God's Image: Part 3
In the Beginning...
After Adam and Eve took a bite of the apple that God had commanded them not to eat of, they realized that they were naked. Now, you can do an in depth study about what the original language means by the word "naked," but there is no use for that at this point. The thing that we need to grasp, though, is that Adam and Eve realized that they were naked. Now, according to Genesis, Adam and Eve had been naked the whole time and felt no shame over that fact. However, after the apple, things changed.
Where they had been clothed before, they now realized that they weren't clothed any longer. Something vanished after the apple, leaving Adam and Eve conscience of their own exposure.
I have argued elsewhere, and will do so here again that what vanished was God's Spirit. In other words, humanity was designed to be cloaked in very presence of God, saturated by His Holy Spirit.
When they took the bite, they lost nearness to God. Once nearness to God is lost, learning how to live in His image becomes rather difficult because humanity no longer has direct exposure to Him, at least not in the Way that Adam and Eve did. Of course there is much more that can be added here, such as the nature of sin and the total depravity of humanity, but those things flow out of what I have already previously stated.
The most important thing to note is that, where heaven and earth were once interlocking and directly connected, where humanity once dwelled in the fullness of God's presence...all of that was lost with the apple....with once bite of counterfeit servitude.
Mankind could no longer live in the presence of God and live to talk about it. Remember what God told Moses; "no one can see my face and live."
From the apple, humanity thought it best to stray as far from the image of God as possible:
A brother kills a brother; instead of fostering life, humanity decides to take it away.
Even though God commanded Noah's descendants to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, they congregate in one city and fortify it against God, directly rejecting God's initial purpose for humanity.
God's people ask for a king, directly rejecting God's Kingship.
Even though God warned them of this, the King that the people chose started a chain reaction of oppressive kings.
Like Adam of Eve in the garden, humanity sought to please God by their own merit and religious rites.
war, murder, rape, incest, lies, abuse....all because of one bite...one notion that I can do this thing better on my own by my own effort.
Where heaven once ruled, hell now reigned.
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Not so with you." -Jesus in Mark 10
In the End: Thy Kingdom Come, They will be Done.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people." -Peter quoting the ancient prophet Joel in Acts 2:17.
What has been broken will be fixed. What was lost will be found.
Where there was nakedness before, God has decided to cloak yet again. "I will pour out my Spirit."
The world is currently in the midst of a 2nd Genesis. We don't know what day were are on, where God is at exactly in His creation project. We just know that the 7th day is yet to come, the day when everything is finished...when creation is renewed and restored, when God fully and finally decides to allow His presence to "rest" on His good creation again. Sin will be eliminated, death will die fully and finally, satan will be vanquished, every tear will be wiped away as we see the King face to face.
Isa. 26:19
Job 19:25
Heaven on earth.
The Image of God: Jesus of Nazareth
What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
To live as Jesus did.
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Not so with you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Just as God called Adam and Eve to fill the earth and subdue it...to reign with Him...
Jesus calls His disciples to fill the earth and subdue it...to reign with Him.
Where the authority to reign with God had previously been lost, Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 28 that, "all authority has been given to me."
After Adam and Eve took a bite of the apple that God had commanded them not to eat of, they realized that they were naked. Now, you can do an in depth study about what the original language means by the word "naked," but there is no use for that at this point. The thing that we need to grasp, though, is that Adam and Eve realized that they were naked. Now, according to Genesis, Adam and Eve had been naked the whole time and felt no shame over that fact. However, after the apple, things changed.
Where they had been clothed before, they now realized that they weren't clothed any longer. Something vanished after the apple, leaving Adam and Eve conscience of their own exposure.
I have argued elsewhere, and will do so here again that what vanished was God's Spirit. In other words, humanity was designed to be cloaked in very presence of God, saturated by His Holy Spirit.
When they took the bite, they lost nearness to God. Once nearness to God is lost, learning how to live in His image becomes rather difficult because humanity no longer has direct exposure to Him, at least not in the Way that Adam and Eve did. Of course there is much more that can be added here, such as the nature of sin and the total depravity of humanity, but those things flow out of what I have already previously stated.
The most important thing to note is that, where heaven and earth were once interlocking and directly connected, where humanity once dwelled in the fullness of God's presence...all of that was lost with the apple....with once bite of counterfeit servitude.
Mankind could no longer live in the presence of God and live to talk about it. Remember what God told Moses; "no one can see my face and live."
From the apple, humanity thought it best to stray as far from the image of God as possible:
A brother kills a brother; instead of fostering life, humanity decides to take it away.
Even though God commanded Noah's descendants to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, they congregate in one city and fortify it against God, directly rejecting God's initial purpose for humanity.
God's people ask for a king, directly rejecting God's Kingship.
Even though God warned them of this, the King that the people chose started a chain reaction of oppressive kings.
Like Adam of Eve in the garden, humanity sought to please God by their own merit and religious rites.
war, murder, rape, incest, lies, abuse....all because of one bite...one notion that I can do this thing better on my own by my own effort.
Where heaven once ruled, hell now reigned.
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Not so with you." -Jesus in Mark 10
In the End: Thy Kingdom Come, They will be Done.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people." -Peter quoting the ancient prophet Joel in Acts 2:17.
What has been broken will be fixed. What was lost will be found.
Where there was nakedness before, God has decided to cloak yet again. "I will pour out my Spirit."
The world is currently in the midst of a 2nd Genesis. We don't know what day were are on, where God is at exactly in His creation project. We just know that the 7th day is yet to come, the day when everything is finished...when creation is renewed and restored, when God fully and finally decides to allow His presence to "rest" on His good creation again. Sin will be eliminated, death will die fully and finally, satan will be vanquished, every tear will be wiped away as we see the King face to face.
Isa. 26:19
Job 19:25
Heaven on earth.
The Image of God: Jesus of Nazareth
What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
To live as Jesus did.
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Not so with you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Just as God called Adam and Eve to fill the earth and subdue it...to reign with Him...
Jesus calls His disciples to fill the earth and subdue it...to reign with Him.
Where the authority to reign with God had previously been lost, Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 28 that, "all authority has been given to me."
Made in God's Image: Part 2
Whenever Eve was eyeballing the fruit that God had commanded her not to eat, I think that there was something different going on in her mind than what most people think. First, we must note that Adam was with her the whole time (Gen. 3:6).
Second, remember that God had made humanity to reign with Him over His creation.
In other words, Adam and Eve had the perfect life. For one, they saw God face to face all of the time. Second, there was no sin or evil in the world at all at this point. And third, the God who created them desired to share His rule over creation with them. He hadn't just made them to be slaves, but to be a people who reign with Him over the earth.
Now, if that was you...if you were in their shoes and someone told you that you could have the same knowledge that God had over good and evil....what would be your motivation to take the bite?
It can only be one of 2 things:
1) Adam and Eve wanted to be exactly like God, knowing all things and never dying. But, that doesn't make much sense because Adam and Eve had never harbored any bitter feelings towards God because they were sinless. This means that they were never jealous of Him...ever.
If they would have been jealous of God before they took the apple, sin would have entered the world at that point. In other words, sin would have started with their jealousy, not the apple.
2) No, I think that there is a better explanation. Again, Adam and Eve already had everything that they could ever ask for...face to face relationship with God, peace on earth, and authority over creation. I don't think that Adam and Eve took a bite of the apple just for the sake of rebelling against God. No, I think that they did it because they wanted to please God by their own merit. Eve saw that the apple would help her gain "wisdom." Why would she want more wisdom? To be a better steward over what God had given her. She wanted to reign with God better. Why know just a little bit about the reality of creation when you can know the whole thing?
I think that Adam and Eve wanted to go above and beyond what God had called them to do, and they wanted to do it by their own works. "If we reign this well with limited knowledge, how much better could we rule if our knowledge was unlimited? If we know what God knows?"
Thus, sin entered the world through a people who desired to please God in an unpleasing way.
The very essence of religiousity. God wanted them to please Him with their relationship to Him and their trust in His Word. They wanted to please Him by their own means, their own religion.
They decided not to trust in His Word (don't eat the fruit), the very Word that brought all of creation into being (and God said "let there be..."), but to trust in their own capabilities and works.
Whenever Adam and Eve took the bite of the apple, they forfeited the essence of what it means to be made in the image of God by not seeking to rely on God's Word but on their own wisdom and religiousity.
Part 3 coming soon.
Second, remember that God had made humanity to reign with Him over His creation.
In other words, Adam and Eve had the perfect life. For one, they saw God face to face all of the time. Second, there was no sin or evil in the world at all at this point. And third, the God who created them desired to share His rule over creation with them. He hadn't just made them to be slaves, but to be a people who reign with Him over the earth.
Now, if that was you...if you were in their shoes and someone told you that you could have the same knowledge that God had over good and evil....what would be your motivation to take the bite?
It can only be one of 2 things:
1) Adam and Eve wanted to be exactly like God, knowing all things and never dying. But, that doesn't make much sense because Adam and Eve had never harbored any bitter feelings towards God because they were sinless. This means that they were never jealous of Him...ever.
If they would have been jealous of God before they took the apple, sin would have entered the world at that point. In other words, sin would have started with their jealousy, not the apple.
2) No, I think that there is a better explanation. Again, Adam and Eve already had everything that they could ever ask for...face to face relationship with God, peace on earth, and authority over creation. I don't think that Adam and Eve took a bite of the apple just for the sake of rebelling against God. No, I think that they did it because they wanted to please God by their own merit. Eve saw that the apple would help her gain "wisdom." Why would she want more wisdom? To be a better steward over what God had given her. She wanted to reign with God better. Why know just a little bit about the reality of creation when you can know the whole thing?
I think that Adam and Eve wanted to go above and beyond what God had called them to do, and they wanted to do it by their own works. "If we reign this well with limited knowledge, how much better could we rule if our knowledge was unlimited? If we know what God knows?"
Thus, sin entered the world through a people who desired to please God in an unpleasing way.
The very essence of religiousity. God wanted them to please Him with their relationship to Him and their trust in His Word. They wanted to please Him by their own means, their own religion.
They decided not to trust in His Word (don't eat the fruit), the very Word that brought all of creation into being (and God said "let there be..."), but to trust in their own capabilities and works.
Whenever Adam and Eve took the bite of the apple, they forfeited the essence of what it means to be made in the image of God by not seeking to rely on God's Word but on their own wisdom and religiousity.
Part 3 coming soon.
Made in God's Image: Part 1
What does it mean to be made in God's image? I am glad you asked!
It seems to me that we know that we are made in God's image, but whenever it comes down to it a lot of Christians have a hard time figuring out what that really means. My question to you is how do you answer that question? Do you use Scripture? Do you come up with an answer on your own?
Most importantly, do you go to Genesis 1 and 2 for the answer? It's there. It's easy to see it but we tend to never connect the dots unfortunately.
Let me start off, though, with a definition from a real smart guy named J. Richard Middleton. You wanna know how I know that he is smart? Whenever he graduated from high school, he decided to go to a college in Jamaica. I mean, who thinks of that? As I look back on my college experience I really wish I would have thought of that! Not that I have anything against St. louis, but I could have done my homework everyday on the beach! In my opinion, this guy is a genius.
Anyways, this is how he defines what it means to be made in the "image of God."
"the royal office or function of human beings as God's representatives and agents in the world, given authorized power to share in God's rule over the earth's resources and creatures."
At creation, God tells mankind to 1) be fruitful and multiply (fill the earth) and to 2) subdue creation. In other words, he tells humanity to reign with Him over His creation that He has made to take care of it and it's inhabitants. To love it as He loves it. It's like the kings in the middle ages who appointed lords to help them rule over the different districts in their kingdom. Now, that by no means made humanity equal with God, just as lords weren't equal to the kings in the middle ages. But, it is important to note that God didn't just create us to enslave us. No, He wants to share His reign over creation with humanity and was doing so until Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God (more on that in part 2).
This may be new for some people...to hear things worded this way. Some people have difficulty understanding the "reigning with God" aspect. Even though I will come back to this in Part 3, please note that God uses the word "rule" in Genesis 1:28.
We must also remind ourselves that God's definition of "ruling" isn't the same as ours. Again, humanity fell into sin...our view of what it means to be a ruler is messed up.
Jesus told His disciples in the Gospel that Mark wrote that:
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you." (10:42-43)
What's Jesus saying?
Even though they are regarded as rulers, they are oppressive.
They exercise authority over humanity in a way that God hasn't even done (more on that later)
You, the follower of Jesus of Nazareth, aren't to reign the way that they do.
For those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
It seems to me that we know that we are made in God's image, but whenever it comes down to it a lot of Christians have a hard time figuring out what that really means. My question to you is how do you answer that question? Do you use Scripture? Do you come up with an answer on your own?
Most importantly, do you go to Genesis 1 and 2 for the answer? It's there. It's easy to see it but we tend to never connect the dots unfortunately.
Let me start off, though, with a definition from a real smart guy named J. Richard Middleton. You wanna know how I know that he is smart? Whenever he graduated from high school, he decided to go to a college in Jamaica. I mean, who thinks of that? As I look back on my college experience I really wish I would have thought of that! Not that I have anything against St. louis, but I could have done my homework everyday on the beach! In my opinion, this guy is a genius.
Anyways, this is how he defines what it means to be made in the "image of God."
"the royal office or function of human beings as God's representatives and agents in the world, given authorized power to share in God's rule over the earth's resources and creatures."
At creation, God tells mankind to 1) be fruitful and multiply (fill the earth) and to 2) subdue creation. In other words, he tells humanity to reign with Him over His creation that He has made to take care of it and it's inhabitants. To love it as He loves it. It's like the kings in the middle ages who appointed lords to help them rule over the different districts in their kingdom. Now, that by no means made humanity equal with God, just as lords weren't equal to the kings in the middle ages. But, it is important to note that God didn't just create us to enslave us. No, He wants to share His reign over creation with humanity and was doing so until Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God (more on that in part 2).
This may be new for some people...to hear things worded this way. Some people have difficulty understanding the "reigning with God" aspect. Even though I will come back to this in Part 3, please note that God uses the word "rule" in Genesis 1:28.
We must also remind ourselves that God's definition of "ruling" isn't the same as ours. Again, humanity fell into sin...our view of what it means to be a ruler is messed up.
Jesus told His disciples in the Gospel that Mark wrote that:
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you." (10:42-43)
What's Jesus saying?
Even though they are regarded as rulers, they are oppressive.
They exercise authority over humanity in a way that God hasn't even done (more on that later)
You, the follower of Jesus of Nazareth, aren't to reign the way that they do.
For those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
The Image of God
What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Most of us know that we are made in God's image, but what exactly does that mean? What does it mean that humanity, distinct from all other creatures, is made in the image of the invisible God?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
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