Galatians 1:8-10
The issue going on behind the scenes here was that some were insisting that you had to be a Jew to be a Christian. Of course one can be, the problem comes in insisting on any sort of rites as being necessary. Our church doesn’t even hold baptism to be necessary for salvation, just what it represents. One should be baptized upon coming to faith, but that’s another post or more.
The parallel concern here is one of authority in the church. There is one authority – “Christ our only King and head”, as my church acknowledges. But would an observer really get that? Do those of us in the thick of things really get that? It means the Gospel of Christ, not just about Christ, has its own authority, its own power, its own direction. We strategize and analyze and market and target – which is fine and good and it may help us zero in on real situations and real human needs and how to communicate with those who desperately need the liberation of that Gospel’s power in their/our bondage to this dying order of things – but sometimes it seems as if God is required to act through the filter of our strategies.
Meanwhile, authority is a huge issue in the church. What to do and how and who has the say about it all is an ongoing, often perplexing, dynamic. We bring more human baggage to that process than we ever perceive, even though it’s easy enough to perceive a lot of it. Somehow, amazingly but not so amazingly when you consider what power is at work, God gets enough of a piece of our hearts and minds enough of the time that we go forward – as long as we keep reminding ourselves and one another that our goal is to please God. And one with particular responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel lives under the impending curse that will most certainly fall on him (verses 8-9) if he fails to be faithful to the task.
Prayer:
Lord, keep me true to the one authority I need be concerned with. Through the grace of Christ. Amen.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
responding
Galatians 1:1-7
There is blunt message in the salutation. Every other letter of Paul has, within the opening greeting, words of commendation to the people to whom he is writing. Not here. He is ticked. The reason is to be found in verses 6-7. There are those in the Galatian churches who have abandoned the teaching Paul brought them, and have challenged his authority as an apostle.
Although the attack on him is personal, the issue Paul confronts them with concerns the essence of the Gospel message. They have, as we shall see in the letter, watered down the grace of the Gospel, in favour of reliance on various works. Their attack on his apostleship is just part of that. Paul is ticked because they are missing the point of the Gospel. When they discredit him, they discredit the message he brings. A person was only considered an apostle if they had direct experience of the risen Lord. He had such experience (see Acts 9).
It is by Christ’s sacrifice alone, not by human works, that anyone can experience the power and blessing of the Gospel. The benefit is to be delivered from the power of an order of things that is not of the Lord (verse 4). So Paul desires that the Galatians would experience for themselves the ‘grace’ (the means) and ‘peace’ (eternal blessedness experienced in the present) that the true Gospel brings.
Prayer:
Lord God, it is so easy to slip into old patterns. I don’t need to look to others for examples of that. The message of salvation is so simple that it is hard to believe it is so simple – simple but not easy, because it is hard to accept what is totally a gift: where are the strings? I want to see myself in things that work, and my part in it. Thank you that you give us more than enough to do by way of joyful response. Life is full, responding. Thank you. Through Christ. Amen.
There is blunt message in the salutation. Every other letter of Paul has, within the opening greeting, words of commendation to the people to whom he is writing. Not here. He is ticked. The reason is to be found in verses 6-7. There are those in the Galatian churches who have abandoned the teaching Paul brought them, and have challenged his authority as an apostle.
Although the attack on him is personal, the issue Paul confronts them with concerns the essence of the Gospel message. They have, as we shall see in the letter, watered down the grace of the Gospel, in favour of reliance on various works. Their attack on his apostleship is just part of that. Paul is ticked because they are missing the point of the Gospel. When they discredit him, they discredit the message he brings. A person was only considered an apostle if they had direct experience of the risen Lord. He had such experience (see Acts 9).
It is by Christ’s sacrifice alone, not by human works, that anyone can experience the power and blessing of the Gospel. The benefit is to be delivered from the power of an order of things that is not of the Lord (verse 4). So Paul desires that the Galatians would experience for themselves the ‘grace’ (the means) and ‘peace’ (eternal blessedness experienced in the present) that the true Gospel brings.
Prayer:
Lord God, it is so easy to slip into old patterns. I don’t need to look to others for examples of that. The message of salvation is so simple that it is hard to believe it is so simple – simple but not easy, because it is hard to accept what is totally a gift: where are the strings? I want to see myself in things that work, and my part in it. Thank you that you give us more than enough to do by way of joyful response. Life is full, responding. Thank you. Through Christ. Amen.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Spiritual Economics 101
Psalm 41
We easily could look back on this psalm from a couple of New Testament vantage points. One is a part of the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, to which the opening verses of Psalm 41 are similar ...
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
- Matthew 5:7
The other is Jesus’ comment, recorded in John 13:18, “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'”
These two references highlight for me that it is a special witness to God’s grace when his people can be merciful when they are not experiencing such treatment themselves. It is great to be kind-hearted when things are going well. I rarely snap at anyone when I’m feeling things are good. The unredeemed part of me comes more into play when I’m feeling put upon in some way. They I need God’s special grace.
I’m going to take a break from the Psalms at this point, as we have reached the end of Book I. For an article on the Psalms that includes discussion of their arrangement into ‘books’ (under heading, “Collection, Arrangement and Date”), go to
http://www.ibs.org/niv/studybible/psalms.php
Next: The Letter to the Galatians
Prayer:
Lord, this psalm reminds me how much I need daily infusions of your own mercy – and discipline - that I would be merciful to others. Thank you for the honesty of these psalms, and for the vitality of your Word reaching into everyday life and living. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
We easily could look back on this psalm from a couple of New Testament vantage points. One is a part of the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, to which the opening verses of Psalm 41 are similar ...
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
- Matthew 5:7
The other is Jesus’ comment, recorded in John 13:18, “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'”
These two references highlight for me that it is a special witness to God’s grace when his people can be merciful when they are not experiencing such treatment themselves. It is great to be kind-hearted when things are going well. I rarely snap at anyone when I’m feeling things are good. The unredeemed part of me comes more into play when I’m feeling put upon in some way. They I need God’s special grace.
I’m going to take a break from the Psalms at this point, as we have reached the end of Book I. For an article on the Psalms that includes discussion of their arrangement into ‘books’ (under heading, “Collection, Arrangement and Date”), go to
http://www.ibs.org/niv/studybible/psalms.php
Next: The Letter to the Galatians
Prayer:
Lord, this psalm reminds me how much I need daily infusions of your own mercy – and discipline - that I would be merciful to others. Thank you for the honesty of these psalms, and for the vitality of your Word reaching into everyday life and living. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Friday, February 22, 2008
He works in the tension
Psalm 40
There is tension in this psalm that it is not necessary to explain by saying it is actually two different psalms put together. That’s what some say. The power of the psalm comes from that very tension, and the completeness of the psalm as one outpouring is shown in the return at the end to the plea of the beginning.
What is the tension? There is praise of God, expressing confidence in him, but the psalmist also pleads for help, even vindication (14). It’s my situation: celebrating faith and trust in God even while I need assurance of his presence and help. The vindication is as much that the God will be shown to be in charge as much as it has a motive of self-interest. It is so that the faithfulness of God to those who trust in him will be evident. And this time – unlike some other times when we’ve read of plea to destroy enemies – he asks that enemies be put to shame and confusion, turned back. That leaves in play the possibility that they would be included in the prayer of verse 16. OK, there’s nothing that exactly points to that, but it seems to me that to include the possibility is in the spirit of humility in the concluding verse.
We use the word “inclusive” sometimes as if we invented the concern it represents. Meanwhile, it is hard for us – OK, me – sometimes to get my mind and heart around the fact that God really wants me to be part of his concern to offer rescue from destruction to everyone.
Prayer:
Lord, I celebrate that you do not approach invitations as we people do: thinking who is useful to us, considering whom it is in our interest to please, and who has done something for us lately. Let your Spirit bring expansiveness to my view of my fellow humanity, as I too am poor and needy. In Christ. Amen.
There is tension in this psalm that it is not necessary to explain by saying it is actually two different psalms put together. That’s what some say. The power of the psalm comes from that very tension, and the completeness of the psalm as one outpouring is shown in the return at the end to the plea of the beginning.
What is the tension? There is praise of God, expressing confidence in him, but the psalmist also pleads for help, even vindication (14). It’s my situation: celebrating faith and trust in God even while I need assurance of his presence and help. The vindication is as much that the God will be shown to be in charge as much as it has a motive of self-interest. It is so that the faithfulness of God to those who trust in him will be evident. And this time – unlike some other times when we’ve read of plea to destroy enemies – he asks that enemies be put to shame and confusion, turned back. That leaves in play the possibility that they would be included in the prayer of verse 16. OK, there’s nothing that exactly points to that, but it seems to me that to include the possibility is in the spirit of humility in the concluding verse.
We use the word “inclusive” sometimes as if we invented the concern it represents. Meanwhile, it is hard for us – OK, me – sometimes to get my mind and heart around the fact that God really wants me to be part of his concern to offer rescue from destruction to everyone.
Prayer:
Lord, I celebrate that you do not approach invitations as we people do: thinking who is useful to us, considering whom it is in our interest to please, and who has done something for us lately. Let your Spirit bring expansiveness to my view of my fellow humanity, as I too am poor and needy. In Christ. Amen.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Not from Within
Psalm 39
This psalm sounds rather bleak. At the end there is no apparent revelation of light and hope. As with the previous Psalm, it is in the context of illness and oppression from enemies. The concluding verse asks God to turn away from him, because he senses the Lord’s punishment. That’s because, again as with the previous psalm, the writer acknowledges his own role in what has come on him.
The irony here is that what may seem to be lacking is actually a sign of how deep the Psalmist’s trust in God is. The part that might seem lacking to us is a belief in an experience of God beyond this present life. How much of our expression of faith – from a New Testament perspective, that is – is grounded in our belief in the Resurrection? Paul the Apostle bases pretty much everything on this! Think about this: the psalmist is lacking in that aspect of faith Christians would consider the ground of everything, and yet he trusts in God, with the same trust as his ancestors – in the Lord who journeys with those who look to him.
When you first read this Psalm, you might wonder what is of hope, because the psalmist’s background is not the same as ours. But hope does not come from what we bring. Hope comes only from the Lord, not from anything within us. That’s why it is real hope, and not mere optimism.
Prayer:
God of surprises, I am so relieved and grateful that the hope you give me does not depend on anything in me – except a willingness to receive, and even that comes from you. Your grace is total. What a God you are! Through Christ I pray. Amen.
This psalm sounds rather bleak. At the end there is no apparent revelation of light and hope. As with the previous Psalm, it is in the context of illness and oppression from enemies. The concluding verse asks God to turn away from him, because he senses the Lord’s punishment. That’s because, again as with the previous psalm, the writer acknowledges his own role in what has come on him.
The irony here is that what may seem to be lacking is actually a sign of how deep the Psalmist’s trust in God is. The part that might seem lacking to us is a belief in an experience of God beyond this present life. How much of our expression of faith – from a New Testament perspective, that is – is grounded in our belief in the Resurrection? Paul the Apostle bases pretty much everything on this! Think about this: the psalmist is lacking in that aspect of faith Christians would consider the ground of everything, and yet he trusts in God, with the same trust as his ancestors – in the Lord who journeys with those who look to him.
When you first read this Psalm, you might wonder what is of hope, because the psalmist’s background is not the same as ours. But hope does not come from what we bring. Hope comes only from the Lord, not from anything within us. That’s why it is real hope, and not mere optimism.
Prayer:
God of surprises, I am so relieved and grateful that the hope you give me does not depend on anything in me – except a willingness to receive, and even that comes from you. Your grace is total. What a God you are! Through Christ I pray. Amen.
Friday, February 15, 2008
What's at Stake
Psalm 38
David here acknowledges his own role in what has come on him (verses 1-4), but the withdrawal of his friends and the opportunism of his enemies goes beyond what might be considered deserved. He realizes, because his situation is so overwhelming, that his only hope is in God. So really his predicament is no different than that of you or I, or anyone.
At one level of the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32), humanity is the child who wanted to go his/her own way. God is the loving Father out on the road watching for us to turn to him in the depth of our need. He and all of heaven (Luke 15:7) celebrate when one comes to him. Those already belonging to him would only celebrate, too, and not resent it like the older brother in the parable.
Here’s the thing: There is no hope without him; there is all hope with him. Psalm 107 celebrates that whatever predicament or wretchedness we get ourselves into, God is ready to deliver us at one cry from us.
Why is that churches with a large proportion of new Christians are so vibrant? Because their memory of the change is recent and alive for them. We all need to recapture some of that: the sense that all hope is found in God and there is – as the psalmist found in our current reading – there is no other way. Without him we are all “feeble and utterly crushed” (verse 8). Does God hold this over us? No. Does he say, “I told you so”? No. He does come quickly (verse 22) and then celebrates. Our worship is a reverberation of God’s – and heaven’s – own celebration.
Prayer:
O LORD, do not forsake me;
be not far from me, O my God.
Come quickly to help me,
O Lord my Savior.
– Psalm 38:21-22
David here acknowledges his own role in what has come on him (verses 1-4), but the withdrawal of his friends and the opportunism of his enemies goes beyond what might be considered deserved. He realizes, because his situation is so overwhelming, that his only hope is in God. So really his predicament is no different than that of you or I, or anyone.
At one level of the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32), humanity is the child who wanted to go his/her own way. God is the loving Father out on the road watching for us to turn to him in the depth of our need. He and all of heaven (Luke 15:7) celebrate when one comes to him. Those already belonging to him would only celebrate, too, and not resent it like the older brother in the parable.
Here’s the thing: There is no hope without him; there is all hope with him. Psalm 107 celebrates that whatever predicament or wretchedness we get ourselves into, God is ready to deliver us at one cry from us.
Why is that churches with a large proportion of new Christians are so vibrant? Because their memory of the change is recent and alive for them. We all need to recapture some of that: the sense that all hope is found in God and there is – as the psalmist found in our current reading – there is no other way. Without him we are all “feeble and utterly crushed” (verse 8). Does God hold this over us? No. Does he say, “I told you so”? No. He does come quickly (verse 22) and then celebrates. Our worship is a reverberation of God’s – and heaven’s – own celebration.
Prayer:
O LORD, do not forsake me;
be not far from me, O my God.
Come quickly to help me,
O Lord my Savior.
– Psalm 38:21-22
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Fretless Instrument
Psalm 37
It is pointed out that this psalm is not so much a psalm – in the sense of other psalms – but a collection of wisdom sayings, or proverbs. From a literary standpoint, the thoughts of the psalm are loosely connected, because of the nature of the poem’s formation – verses beginning with subsequent letters of the alphabet.
The general theme seems to be encouragement for the ‘godly’ who suffer because of their faith. What strikes me most powerfully comes in verses 14-15, observing that any plot against the godly (are we to assume in godly endeavours?) carries within it the seed of its own destruction. This in itself is helpful in following the instruction the psalm starts with, not to fret over evildoers, since such a preoccupation can damage your spiritual well-being. There are just better things to focus on, after all. And don’t you start to take on the qualities of that you dwell on, or I might say, get obsessed with?
Prayer:
Lord, remind me that I am made in your image, as part of a community of those who strive to be like you. When I am tempted to dwell on something I perceive as ill-motivated or even mean, turn my head and my heart back to your Son. If anyone had a reason to dwell on injustice against him, well, it sure could have been him, but he just kept turning to you, spending time with you, focusing on your will and your purpose. After the manner of his praying for those who would come after him, I pray that I may be one with him, as he showed himself to be with you. Through Christ I pray. Amen.
It is pointed out that this psalm is not so much a psalm – in the sense of other psalms – but a collection of wisdom sayings, or proverbs. From a literary standpoint, the thoughts of the psalm are loosely connected, because of the nature of the poem’s formation – verses beginning with subsequent letters of the alphabet.
The general theme seems to be encouragement for the ‘godly’ who suffer because of their faith. What strikes me most powerfully comes in verses 14-15, observing that any plot against the godly (are we to assume in godly endeavours?) carries within it the seed of its own destruction. This in itself is helpful in following the instruction the psalm starts with, not to fret over evildoers, since such a preoccupation can damage your spiritual well-being. There are just better things to focus on, after all. And don’t you start to take on the qualities of that you dwell on, or I might say, get obsessed with?
Prayer:
Lord, remind me that I am made in your image, as part of a community of those who strive to be like you. When I am tempted to dwell on something I perceive as ill-motivated or even mean, turn my head and my heart back to your Son. If anyone had a reason to dwell on injustice against him, well, it sure could have been him, but he just kept turning to you, spending time with you, focusing on your will and your purpose. After the manner of his praying for those who would come after him, I pray that I may be one with him, as he showed himself to be with you. Through Christ I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Lost: The Continuing Series
Psalm 36
An ‘oracle in the heart’ (verse 1) sounds painful. It is spiritually so, because of the poet’s sensitivity to the lost life of the “wicked.” I say “lost” not as a synonym for “wicked”, but rather noting the poet’s observation that the person whose state he laments has ceased to be wise and good, implying that something has indeed been lost.
The contrast given to such a life is not some exemplary human life, but the Lord himself, whose love and faithfulness he describes in the most expansive terms he can.
Given the beauty, power and hope with which the section on the Lord is drenched, and given that “the wicked” person who has caused the poet distress apparently has not always been so, I don’t think we can get away with just saying “Isn’t that too bad,” when we read the very last verse:
See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!
It can be taken as a warning, certainly, but should we not also take it as a challenge, an opportunity to witness just how powerful God's love is? I would take it as a challenge to any sort of, “I’m good with the Lord; isn’t it a shame about those other people” mindset. Yes, praise the Lord, the Lord will continue in his love to those who know him (verse 10), but should not the vastness of the Lord’s love and faithfulness – toward the “high and low among men” (verse 7) and even the beasts! (verse 6) - mean there is hope for anyone?
I believe the community of faith should take the concluding verse of this psalm not as a conclusion, but as a starting point, for which the previous eleven verses lay the groundwork.
Prayer (paraphrase of Romans 15:13):
God of hope, fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in you, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
An ‘oracle in the heart’ (verse 1) sounds painful. It is spiritually so, because of the poet’s sensitivity to the lost life of the “wicked.” I say “lost” not as a synonym for “wicked”, but rather noting the poet’s observation that the person whose state he laments has ceased to be wise and good, implying that something has indeed been lost.
The contrast given to such a life is not some exemplary human life, but the Lord himself, whose love and faithfulness he describes in the most expansive terms he can.
Given the beauty, power and hope with which the section on the Lord is drenched, and given that “the wicked” person who has caused the poet distress apparently has not always been so, I don’t think we can get away with just saying “Isn’t that too bad,” when we read the very last verse:
See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!
It can be taken as a warning, certainly, but should we not also take it as a challenge, an opportunity to witness just how powerful God's love is? I would take it as a challenge to any sort of, “I’m good with the Lord; isn’t it a shame about those other people” mindset. Yes, praise the Lord, the Lord will continue in his love to those who know him (verse 10), but should not the vastness of the Lord’s love and faithfulness – toward the “high and low among men” (verse 7) and even the beasts! (verse 6) - mean there is hope for anyone?
I believe the community of faith should take the concluding verse of this psalm not as a conclusion, but as a starting point, for which the previous eleven verses lay the groundwork.
Prayer (paraphrase of Romans 15:13):
God of hope, fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in you, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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