Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV)
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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My Notes:
The King of Heaven did not write a constitution. He did not establish a government. He didn't even claim a piece of real estate or draw borders for his kingdom. He did not attack any other king on earth to to take their kingdom.
The King of Heaven stood on a mountain amongst crowds of people in a land occupied by another empire, and began to teach them. He told them that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit. Peacemakers will be called sons of God. If I am persecuted (and insulted) for behaving rightly, the kingdom of heaven is mine.
These are the laws of the kingdom of heaven, written in love on the hearts of its' citizens. And we're all invited. King Jesus describes a kingdom upside-down. The greatest are the meek, the persecuted, the servants, the children. Seeking power in the kingdom won't get me anywhere. And Jesus isn't interested in just becoming king of my personal kingdom (or Lord of my life), he's asking me to submit to his kingly rule, to lay down my pride, and my control, and my personal achievement, and my desire to be liked, and leave it all to join up with all the rest who have done the same to be part of this other kingdom.
Where the earth will be given to the meek. Where the merciful will be shown mercy.
I can see why Jesus says that it's hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. I can see why someone whould sell everything they have to buy this pearl.
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Father,
I want to be in the second group. Please challenge me this week with this new way (ancient way) of being.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
What Kat Missed on Sunday
The entry in which Kat (who is teaching Burundian children in Mae Sot, Thailand), gets caught up on what's going on at church this week, and everyone else gets to listen in, in case they missed stuff, too.
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Hey Kat!
How's the future? Fourteen hours ahead. Cool.
We pray for you, you know. I think you come up in some way or another just about every week. You are loved.
Want to skype in a couple weeks? The 13th? Let us know.
This week was awesome, Kat. Things are so good right now. And I don't mean that in the visionary pastor speaking things that are not as though they are kind of way. I mean they're really awesome.
The reading plan has really brought a sense of foundation and unity to our community in every manifestation. We're all getting onto the same page, and you can feel it. On Friday night, a group of half a dozen or so guys were talking about my Sunday message before I even preached it. I didn't ask them too. I wasn't even there. This is so great.
When people share with one another and pray together there is a real sense of unity, of all going the same direction, even if in different vehicles. There's an obvious raised level of faith and expectation as well. People's speech is peppered with an urgency to go and share, to serve in the community, to love and incarnate the gospel authentically.
Smallgroups are meeting all the time, the attendance of which is higher than Sunday morning. But besides small groups, there is the brunch team, responsible to cook on Sunday mornings, and the communion team, responsible to deliver communion every week. These and other teams forming are creating an intentional web of relationships where everyone has an opportunity to serve or be served, lead or be led at any time. It's interconnected, real, and active.
This week we "introduced" the brunch team. It's Amanda, Joel (Jackson), Katie, and Simon (the Zealot). Amanda had planned to make brunch with only one helper, but the whole team just ended up showing up and getting it done together. They also gave each other nicknames.
We prayed for Joel Short this week. Every week we get a letter from an absent community member, read it, pray for them, and send them a letter back. Joel is at Regent College in Vancouver. Joshua prayed for him and sent him our response. Joel has a girlfriend apparently, but is being coy as to any further details.
Music and worship was beautiful. This has been growing in depth and beauty as well. There is a freedom there. Kate led.
BTW, we're definitely in a season of growth right now. We have new visitors every week, and every three to four weeks, one or two of them stay. We'll probably have at least six new people that you don't know yet when you return. This week there were people all over the floors and standing in doorways.
I suggested that maybe a group of people could rent a house with a bigger living room in the neighbourhood, and we could meet there. By the end of the service, there were serious conversations happening between about six people about actually making this happen. Many jokes ensued about being a multi campus church, or starting a "satellite location" that has the other location present via skype. ha. I don't think it's going to happen, but it's a fun thought.
Joel Jackson led communion again. He is really growing as a speaker. He is showing a gift for preaching.
My message was called "Born Again to See the Kingdom of God". You can hear the recording on our website in a few days. Just search for the message labeled the 27th of February. I'll post the notes below.
Elijah and Grace are being dedicated next week after church. We'll try to video record it and email you the file. They joined us for almost the entire gathering this week, which was nice.
Finally, after the service was all over, Kate's smallgroup went to Remedy where they continued to share and pray for each other and talk about their lives for a couple hours in the afternoon.
Sooooo, we like you, we're thinking of you, and we're very excited to receive you back into a church that is healthy and growing right now. Rawk!
Love,
Shawn, a pastor
on behalf of your Monk Punks
and Look to the Cross for Victory
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Here are my notes. Just like last time, they're made more for me than for you, so forgive me if they ever seem incomplete. Check out the recording, or email me if you want any clarification.
Feb 27, 2011 – Shawn Birss – LTTX
Matthew part 3 - Born Again to See the Kingdom of Heaven
INTRO
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Matthew 4:23-25 ESV
First year of Jesus’ ministry – The year of Inauguration or The year of Popularity
Not mentioned much in the synoptics (Matthew, Mark or Luke), but more in John.
In Jesus’ first year, he gets a lot of crowds. Matthew 4:23-25 summarizes , as well as introduces the Sermon on the Mount, which represents Jesus’ teaching of the crowds he has gathered during that first year of his ministry, at the height of his popularity, and before the crowds become cynical and the Pharisees find him controversial.
Jesus’ message – Repent (change the way you live) and believe the good news that the kingdom of heaven has arrived!
Right from the start, he’s a fisher of men, and calling his disciples to be the same.
He’s not a “keeper of the aquarium”, spending the next three years teaching and training until the disciples are “ready”. In fact, it takes the entire book of Matthew before his disciples clearly understand who Jesus really is, and what his (and their) mission on earth is.
Jesus is getting busy, and the disciples are following, watching, learning, and believing.
John 4:1-42 – the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well
…And he had to pass through Samaria.
…A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
…But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ) . . .
…Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"
…Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
(What are they seeing? They are seeing crowds of Samaritans coming toward Jesus)
…Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony
…And many more believed because of his word.
They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
Again, Jesus was busy, spreading the gospel of the kingdom
To every available person
By every available means
And involving his disciples in his mission. He’s teaching them by example. They follow.
Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Lift up your eyes! Lift up your eyes!
What do they see in Sychar?
A woman. A woman worth ignoring. And a Samaritan.
A place to buy food. A place to pass through and leave quickly. Gasoline Alley in Red Deer on the way to Calgary.
Samaritans. A town filled with obstinate people that just don’t know how to worship God properly. God would probably be better off without them.
Jesus saw fields, white for harvest. Right now! Good news too, that the heavy lifting’s been done.
Check it out, guys! We’re cherry-picking! We’re practically stealing these goals! We’re playing HALO, we’re heavily armed, and we’re waiting at the respawn point, here! Cast your line in, these fish are a-biting!
Lift up your eyes!
How do we get this kind of vision?
The Kingdom of Heaven is here and now!
Mat3:2-at hand
4:17-at hand
10:7-at hand
12:28-has come upon you
Mk1:15-at hand
Lk9:27-not taste death until they see the kingdom of God – then the Transfiguration
10:9-come near to you
10:11-has come near
11:20-has come upon you
17:21-in the midst of you (or within you, or among you)
John 18:36-not of this world
(Matthew – “Kingdom of Heaven” all but twice. Mark, Luke, John – “Kingdom of God”)
The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN has not yet come in all its’ fullness. It is coming. But it also has come. And it is here. The Kingdom of Heaven is here. (There are other Kingdoms, too. We’ll talk about that more another time.)
Lift up your eyes!
John 3:1-21 (ESV)
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
I want to see the Kingdom of God. Really see it.
When we do not see this ever present, living, active reality at work all around us it is because we have been looking only through the eyes we were born with.
Who is Jesus?
John 1:1-14 ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John SAW his glory.
Luke 9:27-36 ESV
But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."
Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said.
As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
(This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. - John 2:11 ESV)
Paul used to see Jesus as a heretic. A false teacher. A cult leader. A nuisance. He killed followers of Jesus until Jesus blinded him so that his eyes could be opened.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 ESV
These critical eyes. Full of darkness. Regarding people according to the flesh.
We need our spiritual eyes opened. We need to perceive the world through our renewed vision. Our eyes of faith. Our spiritual eyes gifted me by a spiritual father.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 ESV
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23 ESV
I want to see the Kingdom of God all the time. I want to see the love that is strong enough to give his life to give true life to those he loves.
I want eyes so reborn that the brilliance of this Kingdom of love would shine more brightly than the condemning sight of the evil of the world.
We MUST be born again. Only by the inner working of the Holy Spirit giving birth to new eyes of the spirit may we see clearly to walk in the light of God’s love.
Lift up your eyes!
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8 ESV
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
Titus 1:15 ESV
Our “Born-Again” life is a new heart and new spirit and new eyes to believe (in faith) and live and respond as a pure, Holy-Spirit enabled, Jesus-following disciple.
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Living in the light
John 3:16-21
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
When we’re born again we love light more than darkness. When we are born again, and live in faith, we will see and we can be seen. We don’t hide. We live through and for our king and for his glory.
We live in the LIGHT
Our good works glorify God. AND If we sin in the LIGHT, we can be forgiven as we confess and repent.
Christians should be very honest people. We know we’ve sinned. We’re not ashamed, because we’ve been forgiven
Pecca fortiter, sed forties fide et gaude in Christo Sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ more boldly still – Martin Luther
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Living life in the Kingdom
How do we get new eyes? How do we live in the light? How do we lift up the new eyes we have?
1 Realize and admit that you are blind
and that you do not live as a citizen of the Kingdom.
(This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
Matthew 13:13-16 ESV)
And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."
And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Mark 10:46-52 ESV
Blind Bartimeus could have just been calling for alms. He probably called for mercy to every person who came through that gate. Recovering his sight would have been as costly to him as it was costly for the disciples to leave their nets, or Matthew to leave his tax collecting. Bartimeus would rather lose everything and see, then keep his livelihood and remain blind.
But he had to submit to Jesus.
2 Believe in and submit to the King of the Kingdom
John 3:11-16
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. (Jesus has seen the Father, and we have not. We must submit to HIS vision of our state and his) If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. (Jesus has seen and knows the Father, and wants to reveal the Father to us) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
(Numbers 21:4-9 – the bitten people of Israel lifted up their eyes to the snake of the pole and received their healing)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus became poor and blind for our sake. He became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), and then died in our place. If we confess and believe that HE is the light, and that HIS PERFECT LIFE can become ours, our old, sinful, blind, dead life will die with him (Romans 6:3-4) and we will be filled with the same spirit that raised him from the dead (Romans 8:11).
This is eternal life!
This is being born again!
How?
Agree with what the King says about himself, and you in his word.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. - Psalms 119:105 ESV
Confess back to the King what is true about himself. This is PRAISE and WORSHIP.
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. - Matthew 26:30 ESV
Psalm 118 (Hallel Psalm) – this is the HYMN OF PRAISE they sang AFTER the Last Supper, and BEFORE Jesus’ arrest in Gethsemene. Imagine singing these words right after your Rabbi said he was about to be betrayed and crucified. Imagine being Jesus and singing these words.
3 Continue to live daily as a citizen of the Kingdom
Live in the spirit that you’ve been reborn into BY FAITH
This means AFTER recognizing that you’re blind, and AFTER recognizing that only through Jesus can you be made new and have your sight restored, you walk IN THE LIGHT as a REBORN PERSON in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Start walking according to what the Bible says.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:11 ESV
Matthew 25:34-40 ESV
Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
SEE the Kingdom of God. SEE Jesus. We need Spiritual Eyes. Born again eyes. Eyes of faith
These eyes see love, not condemnation.
And we need to LIVE EVERY DAY BY FAITH, running with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.
Lift up your eyes! Live in the light!
Realize you are blind. Submit to Jesus. Walk in the light of the Kingdom
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I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:16-18 ESV
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV
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Hey Kat!
How's the future? Fourteen hours ahead. Cool.
We pray for you, you know. I think you come up in some way or another just about every week. You are loved.
Want to skype in a couple weeks? The 13th? Let us know.
This week was awesome, Kat. Things are so good right now. And I don't mean that in the visionary pastor speaking things that are not as though they are kind of way. I mean they're really awesome.
The reading plan has really brought a sense of foundation and unity to our community in every manifestation. We're all getting onto the same page, and you can feel it. On Friday night, a group of half a dozen or so guys were talking about my Sunday message before I even preached it. I didn't ask them too. I wasn't even there. This is so great.
When people share with one another and pray together there is a real sense of unity, of all going the same direction, even if in different vehicles. There's an obvious raised level of faith and expectation as well. People's speech is peppered with an urgency to go and share, to serve in the community, to love and incarnate the gospel authentically.
Smallgroups are meeting all the time, the attendance of which is higher than Sunday morning. But besides small groups, there is the brunch team, responsible to cook on Sunday mornings, and the communion team, responsible to deliver communion every week. These and other teams forming are creating an intentional web of relationships where everyone has an opportunity to serve or be served, lead or be led at any time. It's interconnected, real, and active.
This week we "introduced" the brunch team. It's Amanda, Joel (Jackson), Katie, and Simon (the Zealot). Amanda had planned to make brunch with only one helper, but the whole team just ended up showing up and getting it done together. They also gave each other nicknames.
We prayed for Joel Short this week. Every week we get a letter from an absent community member, read it, pray for them, and send them a letter back. Joel is at Regent College in Vancouver. Joshua prayed for him and sent him our response. Joel has a girlfriend apparently, but is being coy as to any further details.
Music and worship was beautiful. This has been growing in depth and beauty as well. There is a freedom there. Kate led.
BTW, we're definitely in a season of growth right now. We have new visitors every week, and every three to four weeks, one or two of them stay. We'll probably have at least six new people that you don't know yet when you return. This week there were people all over the floors and standing in doorways.
I suggested that maybe a group of people could rent a house with a bigger living room in the neighbourhood, and we could meet there. By the end of the service, there were serious conversations happening between about six people about actually making this happen. Many jokes ensued about being a multi campus church, or starting a "satellite location" that has the other location present via skype. ha. I don't think it's going to happen, but it's a fun thought.
Joel Jackson led communion again. He is really growing as a speaker. He is showing a gift for preaching.
My message was called "Born Again to See the Kingdom of God". You can hear the recording on our website in a few days. Just search for the message labeled the 27th of February. I'll post the notes below.
Elijah and Grace are being dedicated next week after church. We'll try to video record it and email you the file. They joined us for almost the entire gathering this week, which was nice.
Finally, after the service was all over, Kate's smallgroup went to Remedy where they continued to share and pray for each other and talk about their lives for a couple hours in the afternoon.
Sooooo, we like you, we're thinking of you, and we're very excited to receive you back into a church that is healthy and growing right now. Rawk!
Love,
Shawn, a pastor
on behalf of your Monk Punks
and Look to the Cross for Victory
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Here are my notes. Just like last time, they're made more for me than for you, so forgive me if they ever seem incomplete. Check out the recording, or email me if you want any clarification.
Feb 27, 2011 – Shawn Birss – LTTX
Matthew part 3 - Born Again to See the Kingdom of Heaven
INTRO
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Matthew 4:23-25 ESV
First year of Jesus’ ministry – The year of Inauguration or The year of Popularity
Not mentioned much in the synoptics (Matthew, Mark or Luke), but more in John.
In Jesus’ first year, he gets a lot of crowds. Matthew 4:23-25 summarizes , as well as introduces the Sermon on the Mount, which represents Jesus’ teaching of the crowds he has gathered during that first year of his ministry, at the height of his popularity, and before the crowds become cynical and the Pharisees find him controversial.
Jesus’ message – Repent (change the way you live) and believe the good news that the kingdom of heaven has arrived!
Right from the start, he’s a fisher of men, and calling his disciples to be the same.
He’s not a “keeper of the aquarium”, spending the next three years teaching and training until the disciples are “ready”. In fact, it takes the entire book of Matthew before his disciples clearly understand who Jesus really is, and what his (and their) mission on earth is.
Jesus is getting busy, and the disciples are following, watching, learning, and believing.
John 4:1-42 – the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well
…And he had to pass through Samaria.
…A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
…But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ) . . .
…Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"
…Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
(What are they seeing? They are seeing crowds of Samaritans coming toward Jesus)
…Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony
…And many more believed because of his word.
They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
Again, Jesus was busy, spreading the gospel of the kingdom
To every available person
By every available means
And involving his disciples in his mission. He’s teaching them by example. They follow.
Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Lift up your eyes! Lift up your eyes!
What do they see in Sychar?
A woman. A woman worth ignoring. And a Samaritan.
A place to buy food. A place to pass through and leave quickly. Gasoline Alley in Red Deer on the way to Calgary.
Samaritans. A town filled with obstinate people that just don’t know how to worship God properly. God would probably be better off without them.
Jesus saw fields, white for harvest. Right now! Good news too, that the heavy lifting’s been done.
Check it out, guys! We’re cherry-picking! We’re practically stealing these goals! We’re playing HALO, we’re heavily armed, and we’re waiting at the respawn point, here! Cast your line in, these fish are a-biting!
Lift up your eyes!
How do we get this kind of vision?
The Kingdom of Heaven is here and now!
Mat3:2-at hand
4:17-at hand
10:7-at hand
12:28-has come upon you
Mk1:15-at hand
Lk9:27-not taste death until they see the kingdom of God – then the Transfiguration
10:9-come near to you
10:11-has come near
11:20-has come upon you
17:21-in the midst of you (or within you, or among you)
John 18:36-not of this world
(Matthew – “Kingdom of Heaven” all but twice. Mark, Luke, John – “Kingdom of God”)
The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN has not yet come in all its’ fullness. It is coming. But it also has come. And it is here. The Kingdom of Heaven is here. (There are other Kingdoms, too. We’ll talk about that more another time.)
Lift up your eyes!
John 3:1-21 (ESV)
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."
Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"
Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
I want to see the Kingdom of God. Really see it.
When we do not see this ever present, living, active reality at work all around us it is because we have been looking only through the eyes we were born with.
Who is Jesus?
John 1:1-14 ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John SAW his glory.
Luke 9:27-36 ESV
But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."
Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah"--not knowing what he said.
As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
(This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. - John 2:11 ESV)
Paul used to see Jesus as a heretic. A false teacher. A cult leader. A nuisance. He killed followers of Jesus until Jesus blinded him so that his eyes could be opened.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 ESV
These critical eyes. Full of darkness. Regarding people according to the flesh.
We need our spiritual eyes opened. We need to perceive the world through our renewed vision. Our eyes of faith. Our spiritual eyes gifted me by a spiritual father.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 ESV
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23 ESV
I want to see the Kingdom of God all the time. I want to see the love that is strong enough to give his life to give true life to those he loves.
I want eyes so reborn that the brilliance of this Kingdom of love would shine more brightly than the condemning sight of the evil of the world.
We MUST be born again. Only by the inner working of the Holy Spirit giving birth to new eyes of the spirit may we see clearly to walk in the light of God’s love.
Lift up your eyes!
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8 ESV
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
Titus 1:15 ESV
Our “Born-Again” life is a new heart and new spirit and new eyes to believe (in faith) and live and respond as a pure, Holy-Spirit enabled, Jesus-following disciple.
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Living in the light
John 3:16-21
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
When we’re born again we love light more than darkness. When we are born again, and live in faith, we will see and we can be seen. We don’t hide. We live through and for our king and for his glory.
We live in the LIGHT
Our good works glorify God. AND If we sin in the LIGHT, we can be forgiven as we confess and repent.
Christians should be very honest people. We know we’ve sinned. We’re not ashamed, because we’ve been forgiven
Pecca fortiter, sed forties fide et gaude in Christo Sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ more boldly still – Martin Luther
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Living life in the Kingdom
How do we get new eyes? How do we live in the light? How do we lift up the new eyes we have?
1 Realize and admit that you are blind
and that you do not live as a citizen of the Kingdom.
(This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
Matthew 13:13-16 ESV)
And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."
And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Mark 10:46-52 ESV
Blind Bartimeus could have just been calling for alms. He probably called for mercy to every person who came through that gate. Recovering his sight would have been as costly to him as it was costly for the disciples to leave their nets, or Matthew to leave his tax collecting. Bartimeus would rather lose everything and see, then keep his livelihood and remain blind.
But he had to submit to Jesus.
2 Believe in and submit to the King of the Kingdom
John 3:11-16
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. (Jesus has seen the Father, and we have not. We must submit to HIS vision of our state and his) If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. (Jesus has seen and knows the Father, and wants to reveal the Father to us) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
(Numbers 21:4-9 – the bitten people of Israel lifted up their eyes to the snake of the pole and received their healing)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus became poor and blind for our sake. He became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), and then died in our place. If we confess and believe that HE is the light, and that HIS PERFECT LIFE can become ours, our old, sinful, blind, dead life will die with him (Romans 6:3-4) and we will be filled with the same spirit that raised him from the dead (Romans 8:11).
This is eternal life!
This is being born again!
How?
Agree with what the King says about himself, and you in his word.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. - Psalms 119:105 ESV
Confess back to the King what is true about himself. This is PRAISE and WORSHIP.
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. - Matthew 26:30 ESV
Psalm 118 (Hallel Psalm) – this is the HYMN OF PRAISE they sang AFTER the Last Supper, and BEFORE Jesus’ arrest in Gethsemene. Imagine singing these words right after your Rabbi said he was about to be betrayed and crucified. Imagine being Jesus and singing these words.
3 Continue to live daily as a citizen of the Kingdom
Live in the spirit that you’ve been reborn into BY FAITH
This means AFTER recognizing that you’re blind, and AFTER recognizing that only through Jesus can you be made new and have your sight restored, you walk IN THE LIGHT as a REBORN PERSON in the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Start walking according to what the Bible says.
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:11 ESV
Matthew 25:34-40 ESV
Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
SEE the Kingdom of God. SEE Jesus. We need Spiritual Eyes. Born again eyes. Eyes of faith
These eyes see love, not condemnation.
And we need to LIVE EVERY DAY BY FAITH, running with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.
Lift up your eyes! Live in the light!
Realize you are blind. Submit to Jesus. Walk in the light of the Kingdom
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I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:16-18 ESV
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV
Gospel of John Movie part 1
Last Sunday I posted two clips of a movie we're watching as a church based on the Gospel of Matthew from the NIV. The same company that first created that film also helped make another movie almost a decade later, based on the Gospel of John, word for word from the Good News Translation.
The movie has higher production values than Matthew, but I still prefer their earlier film. This is entirely because of the portrayal of Jesus, which in Matthew feels fresh and real to me, but in John feels a little more Hollywood.
Nevertheless, since so much of our reading came from John this week, I thought it would be cool to see those readings as they are portrayed visually in this film. I'll post the first four parts, which will include all of the verses we've read so far, from the Good News Translation.
The movie has higher production values than Matthew, but I still prefer their earlier film. This is entirely because of the portrayal of Jesus, which in Matthew feels fresh and real to me, but in John feels a little more Hollywood.
Nevertheless, since so much of our reading came from John this week, I thought it would be cool to see those readings as they are portrayed visually in this film. I'll post the first four parts, which will include all of the verses we've read so far, from the Good News Translation.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Stuff I looked at this week (formerly known as My Influences)
This is all about full disclosure, so here goes.
I don't really want to write this right now. I just really want to get it done before Sunday.
One day, these weekly blog entries will be awesome. Maybe. If I keep doing them.
For now, I figure,if I'm gonna do them, I'm gonna go with regularly. After I get that down, I'll get to consistent, and then readable, and then sort of worth reading, and then good.
This week, it's just regular. Git'r'done.
So here it is:
I finished Matthew this week. I am starting back at the beginning, and in about twenty-eight days, I hope to have a cute little zine filled with my study notes that I can give you. It'll be swell.
For my message, I leaned a lot on E-Sword this week. Yup. Mostly I read the Bible, found linked passages, did a couple word searches and studies (most notably on "see", "blind", "sight", and "look"), and read a couple words of a Matthew Henry commentary about Bartimeus the Blind Beggar, or "BBB" as his friends knew him.
I'm almost finished "This Beautiful Mess". It's a nice read. It's a warm and fuzzy read. It's got some good insights into practically expressing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read the book. Or ask me. I'll probably have more to say about this book net week.
One more thing, actually. This is one of those, "story of our churches" books. It seems like every happenin' church out there has one. This one's about Imago Dei. To be honest, these stories kind of make me want to write a book myself. But I am writing a book. A couple of them. The book on community might end up being like this.
Speaking of Community, I watched it last weekend with Kate. It was a great episode. It was filmed in the style of a mockumentary. Yeah. ha. It was a mock mockumentary. That's so meta. What a brilliant show, though. Abed, a character on the show, became the director for the show. Not the actor playing Abed. Abed himself. Brilliant.
Whatever.
We also watched Smallville. It was garbage. Yet, we will watch it again . . .
Next week I'll write more about Smallvill;e, and about how much psuedo-Biblical-but-not stuff bugs me . . . it was like they were trying to do a parody of bad evangelical Christian apocalyptic fiction, and then doing a bad job of it. blech.
Seriously. One character on the show (after noting that someone has an Omega branded on their skull) actually says,
"It's like the Mark of the Beast, like in the book of Revelations, in the Bible!"
Thanks for spelling it out for us, genius. Cuz we're stupid. Couldn't see the reference you were smacking us over the head with, there. And by the way, Revelation isn't pluralized.
um . . .
I read the latest issue of "Walking Dead" this week. Thanks Joshua. Love this series. Robert Kirkman is a genius. Have I said that?
I read Seinlanguage by Jerry Seinfeld this week. It's very nineties. I'm also very nineties, so I think Seinfeld is awesome. I'd watch him over Mitch Hedberg any day.
I also read this article about how to answer the 64 toughest interview questions. Read it if you're looking for a job.
mmmmmmmmm.... anything else?
Music!
This is why I'm tired. I'm an old person, with kids, and I went to a punk show this week? It didn't start until ten, and didn't end until after 2am. Don't these people have to work in the morning? Sheesh.
I'm crotchety right now.
It was awesome, actually. The Whiskey Wagon played. They really, really impressed me. They're a local banjo mandolin and harmonica playing punk band. Just the thing I like. The lead singer wore a toque. Awesome. Starting off with Amazing Grace kind of got me started off on the right foot, too. Because I'm a pastor. I totally go for stuff like that. I'm easy like that.
Seriously though, they were talented, and a lot of fun. I'll definitely go out of my way to intentionally see them again.
The Mahones were the headliners. They're excellent. I've seen them twice in Lethbridge. They're a little more folky than the Dropkick Murphys, but totally in that vein. In fact they recently opened for Dropkick. I've seen Dropkick Murphys live as well, and I like the Mahones better. But I didn't stay for them. Cuz I'm old. And crotchety.
The Mahones are on the "The Fighter" soundtrack. The Popes covered them.
I've been listening to a lot of Larry Norman right now. 'll write about it next week.
I don't really want to write this right now. I just really want to get it done before Sunday.
One day, these weekly blog entries will be awesome. Maybe. If I keep doing them.
For now, I figure,if I'm gonna do them, I'm gonna go with regularly. After I get that down, I'll get to consistent, and then readable, and then sort of worth reading, and then good.
This week, it's just regular. Git'r'done.
So here it is:
I finished Matthew this week. I am starting back at the beginning, and in about twenty-eight days, I hope to have a cute little zine filled with my study notes that I can give you. It'll be swell.
For my message, I leaned a lot on E-Sword this week. Yup. Mostly I read the Bible, found linked passages, did a couple word searches and studies (most notably on "see", "blind", "sight", and "look"), and read a couple words of a Matthew Henry commentary about Bartimeus the Blind Beggar, or "BBB" as his friends knew him.
I'm almost finished "This Beautiful Mess". It's a nice read. It's a warm and fuzzy read. It's got some good insights into practically expressing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read the book. Or ask me. I'll probably have more to say about this book net week.
One more thing, actually. This is one of those, "story of our churches" books. It seems like every happenin' church out there has one. This one's about Imago Dei. To be honest, these stories kind of make me want to write a book myself. But I am writing a book. A couple of them. The book on community might end up being like this.
Speaking of Community, I watched it last weekend with Kate. It was a great episode. It was filmed in the style of a mockumentary. Yeah. ha. It was a mock mockumentary. That's so meta. What a brilliant show, though. Abed, a character on the show, became the director for the show. Not the actor playing Abed. Abed himself. Brilliant.
Whatever.
We also watched Smallville. It was garbage. Yet, we will watch it again . . .
Next week I'll write more about Smallvill;e, and about how much psuedo-Biblical-but-not stuff bugs me . . . it was like they were trying to do a parody of bad evangelical Christian apocalyptic fiction, and then doing a bad job of it. blech.
Seriously. One character on the show (after noting that someone has an Omega branded on their skull) actually says,
"It's like the Mark of the Beast, like in the book of Revelations, in the Bible!"
Thanks for spelling it out for us, genius. Cuz we're stupid. Couldn't see the reference you were smacking us over the head with, there. And by the way, Revelation isn't pluralized.
um . . .
I read the latest issue of "Walking Dead" this week. Thanks Joshua. Love this series. Robert Kirkman is a genius. Have I said that?
I read Seinlanguage by Jerry Seinfeld this week. It's very nineties. I'm also very nineties, so I think Seinfeld is awesome. I'd watch him over Mitch Hedberg any day.
I also read this article about how to answer the 64 toughest interview questions. Read it if you're looking for a job.
mmmmmmmmm.... anything else?
Music!
This is why I'm tired. I'm an old person, with kids, and I went to a punk show this week? It didn't start until ten, and didn't end until after 2am. Don't these people have to work in the morning? Sheesh.
I'm crotchety right now.
It was awesome, actually. The Whiskey Wagon played. They really, really impressed me. They're a local banjo mandolin and harmonica playing punk band. Just the thing I like. The lead singer wore a toque. Awesome. Starting off with Amazing Grace kind of got me started off on the right foot, too. Because I'm a pastor. I totally go for stuff like that. I'm easy like that.
Seriously though, they were talented, and a lot of fun. I'll definitely go out of my way to intentionally see them again.
The Mahones were the headliners. They're excellent. I've seen them twice in Lethbridge. They're a little more folky than the Dropkick Murphys, but totally in that vein. In fact they recently opened for Dropkick. I've seen Dropkick Murphys live as well, and I like the Mahones better. But I didn't stay for them. Cuz I'm old. And crotchety.
The Mahones are on the "The Fighter" soundtrack. The Popes covered them.
I've been listening to a lot of Larry Norman right now. 'll write about it next week.
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well, "I will give you Living Water" - John 4:1-42
John 4:1-42 (NIV)
1 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
17 “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
Father,
I want to be found among the least likely.
I want to love and worship and serve in truth.
1 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
17 “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
Father,
I want to be found among the least likely.
I want to love and worship and serve in truth.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Jesus and Nicodemus, "You must be born again" - John 3:1-21, Numbers 21:4-9
(Additional Reading - 2Kings 18:1-4)
John 3:1-21
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Numbers 21:4-9 (NIV)
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
I want to see the Kingdom of God. Really see it.
I think that many times that I have not seen this ever present, living, active reality at work all around me isbecause I have been looking only through the eyes I was born with.
These critical eyes. Full of darkness.
I need to walk with open eyes. I want to perceive the world through my renewed vision. My eyes of faith. My spiritual eyes gifted me by a spiritual father.
I want to see the Kingdom of God all the time. I want to see the love that is strong enough to give his life to give true life to those he loves.
I want eyes so reborn that the brilliance of thus Kingdom of love would shine more brightly than the condemning sight of the evil of the world.
I want to love light more than darkness. I want to see and be seen. I want to live through and for my king and for his glory.
I want to live in the spirit that I've been reborn into.
John 3:1-21
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Numbers 21:4-9 (NIV)
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
I want to see the Kingdom of God. Really see it.
I think that many times that I have not seen this ever present, living, active reality at work all around me isbecause I have been looking only through the eyes I was born with.
These critical eyes. Full of darkness.
I need to walk with open eyes. I want to perceive the world through my renewed vision. My eyes of faith. My spiritual eyes gifted me by a spiritual father.
I want to see the Kingdom of God all the time. I want to see the love that is strong enough to give his life to give true life to those he loves.
I want eyes so reborn that the brilliance of thus Kingdom of love would shine more brightly than the condemning sight of the evil of the world.
I want to love light more than darkness. I want to see and be seen. I want to live through and for my king and for his glory.
I want to live in the spirit that I've been reborn into.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Jesus' First Miracle - John 2:1-11
John 2:1-11 (NIV)
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
Scripture's story is a romantic one. The oppressed Bride is rescued by a loving sacrificial prince who comes first in disguise, and later on a white horse with a sword to bring vengeance to their enemies. They are married, and he rules as king forever.
It is not surprising that Jesus' first miracle would be at a wedding. He's very romantic. He loves romantic love. He loves to celebrate. He loves to be with people. All of this is clear in scripture.
Interesting that Jesus says his time hasn't come, but then he does the miracle anyway.
Also notable to me is that he chose to make wine - a lot of it - for people who have already had so much to drink that they wouldn't know better. Clearly, he has made alcohol for drunk people. Scripture is clear about drunkenness, that it is sinful. Scripture is also clear that Jesus did not sin.
Heavenly Father,
Thankyou for the romance, celebration, and joy of your son. Thankyou for the great anticipation that we now have for the great wedding after time when we are perfected and united with Christ.
God, please build our faith. Increase our anticipation. Remind us of our true home and family, so that we may be homesick for you, and for our future spouse.
Thankyou for those little celebrations that we get here on earth, for communion and for baptism and for church. Thankyou for the incredible generosity of your sacrifice, that you would five so freely of your life for us, who do not even fully know or understand what a potent gift it is.
You are more than enough. You are more powerful than necessary. You are more beautiful than what is knowable. You are better than we can conceive of.
AMEN
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
Scripture's story is a romantic one. The oppressed Bride is rescued by a loving sacrificial prince who comes first in disguise, and later on a white horse with a sword to bring vengeance to their enemies. They are married, and he rules as king forever.
It is not surprising that Jesus' first miracle would be at a wedding. He's very romantic. He loves romantic love. He loves to celebrate. He loves to be with people. All of this is clear in scripture.
Interesting that Jesus says his time hasn't come, but then he does the miracle anyway.
Also notable to me is that he chose to make wine - a lot of it - for people who have already had so much to drink that they wouldn't know better. Clearly, he has made alcohol for drunk people. Scripture is clear about drunkenness, that it is sinful. Scripture is also clear that Jesus did not sin.
Heavenly Father,
Thankyou for the romance, celebration, and joy of your son. Thankyou for the great anticipation that we now have for the great wedding after time when we are perfected and united with Christ.
God, please build our faith. Increase our anticipation. Remind us of our true home and family, so that we may be homesick for you, and for our future spouse.
Thankyou for those little celebrations that we get here on earth, for communion and for baptism and for church. Thankyou for the incredible generosity of your sacrifice, that you would five so freely of your life for us, who do not even fully know or understand what a potent gift it is.
You are more than enough. You are more powerful than necessary. You are more beautiful than what is knowable. You are better than we can conceive of.
AMEN
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Jesus' Healing and Deliverance Ministry - Luke 5:12-26, Mark 1:40-2:12
Luke 5:12-26 (NIV)
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Mark 1:40-2:12 (NIV)
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Mark 2
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
"Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
"I am willing. Be clean!"
Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
"Friend, your sins are forgiven."
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . "
Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.
. . . he preached the word to them.
++
++
God,
Please move right past my desire to qualify, to quantify, and to mathematize the manifestation of your miraculous power.
I need to have more faith. Help my unbelief. Remind me of your miracles. Thankyou for what you have done, you do, and will do.
I want to know you better. I want to live like this is so.
-Shawn
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Mark 1:40-2:12 (NIV)
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Mark 2
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
"Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
"I am willing. Be clean!"
Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
"Friend, your sins are forgiven."
"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . "
Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.
. . . he preached the word to them.
++
++
God,
Please move right past my desire to qualify, to quantify, and to mathematize the manifestation of your miraculous power.
I need to have more faith. Help my unbelief. Remind me of your miracles. Thankyou for what you have done, you do, and will do.
I want to know you better. I want to live like this is so.
-Shawn
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
My Influences This Week
Why?
Full disclosure. Kind of a bibliography. Also, it's fun.
When?
I started writing this Sunday afternoon. I'm trying to catch up, get these posted BEFORE Sunday, so I'm going to try and complete the next one by Friday.
What?
Matthew 15-21 - That's what I read last week, besides the reading plan along with the church. This week I plan to finish Matthew. I'm taking detailed notes as I go as well. Once I'm done, I'll start again, and do one more review of the notes I've written before giving them to the congregation.
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - A lot of my message this week came from the first section of this book. Bonhoeffer was a conservative theologian, and a radical resister of the Nazis in 1940s Germany. He was executed for plotting to assassinate Hitler. He took the call to follow Jesus very seriously, and it cost him his life. The second part of this book is three chapters on the Sermon on the Mount, so I'll probably start reading those next week.
This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley - This book is written by the pastor of Imago Dei (Image of God) in Seattle. He's also Donald Miller's pastor. Donald Miller wrote Blue Like Jazz. Anyway, the book deals with the subject of the Kingdom of Heaven in a conversational and practical tone. Some of the ideas in my Sunday message that dealt specifically with repentance came from this book. It's lively and challenging. I've read the first part, and will probably finish the book this week.
Dan Friesen's Blog - In Juniour High, this guy taught me a course called "Grazing Through Galatians". Later, he was the primary preacher at a church plant I was involved in. When I began preaching there, he was a mentor of mine as I learned to preach. He loves to preach and study the Bible. I ran across his blog quite accidentally last week after not speaking to him in years. He just happened to have written about a text that I already had in my notes. This entry gave me a lot of content for the conclusion of my message.
Rob Bell preaching at Willow Creek - Rob Bell has the honour of being #28 on "Stuff Christians Like", so you've probably heard of him. This message was called "Dust of your Rabbi", and he has a lot of great information about the process of education and discipleship for Jewish people in first century Palestine. I really enjoyed the message, and used a lot of the cultural stuff from this message in my own.
Rob Bell exposed - Here's the deal. Lots of people don't like Rob Bell. But lots of people don't like lots of people. In fact, if you're a preacher with any presence on the internet, there are probably websites and blogs dedicated to how wrong you are. Back in the day before I'd read a lot of Mark Driscoll, I looked him up on the internet and decided that he must be terrible for all of the anti-Mark websites out there. When I actually gave him a chance, I discovered that he actually has more to say that I like than stuff that I don't. So I ignore the stuff that I don't, and study the stuff that I do. If you ever think that you've found a preacher that you agree with all the time every time (including me), I'd caution you to look again. Anyway, there were a couple of things in Rob Bell's message that I didn't agree with, and scores of websites about why he wrong. Though I usually avoid teachings about things that aren't true (anti-teachings) or websites about things that are wrong, I thought I'd do my due diligence and find out what the complaints were. Turns out that they were the same as mine. They just made a bigger deal about it. I didn't use that stuff in my message.
NIV Study Bible - Good stuff.
Esword - Great for checking the definitions of biblical words in their original languages. It's a free Bible program. Check it. I did a lot of looking into the words "Come" and "Go". Seriously.
Inception - Saw it for the first time with Kate this week. I liked it. It isn't the best movie Christopher Nolan's ever done, but I liked it.
Gogol Bordello - I love this band. I have for a while. I listened to them a lot this week.
Bob Dylan (Times They Are a'Changin') - This song made me mad this week. If I had more time to write this entry right now, I'd tell you why in greater depth. Basically, for the first time this week I heard it not as an anthem of youth, but as an anthem of an arrogant and again generations. The boomers failed. And they lied. The hippies weren't interested in turning the power over to the have nots. They just wanted power for themselves. Yup. The same generation that avoided the Vietnam war led America into Afghanistan and Iraq. Times a-Changin' had nothing to do with them. Times just change. That's what time does. Let's not make the same arrogant mistakes they did when the power transfers into the hands of the millennial generation. Because it will. Soon. Thank God.
Larry Norman (Great American Novel) - I love this song. It was in my head all week. It reminds me of Bob Dylan. But it doesn't make me mad.
Acoustic Chaos Thursday at DV8 - Yup, I went to an acoustic punk open mic night this week. I'll go again next week. Rawk!
Full disclosure. Kind of a bibliography. Also, it's fun.
When?
I started writing this Sunday afternoon. I'm trying to catch up, get these posted BEFORE Sunday, so I'm going to try and complete the next one by Friday.
What?
Matthew 15-21 - That's what I read last week, besides the reading plan along with the church. This week I plan to finish Matthew. I'm taking detailed notes as I go as well. Once I'm done, I'll start again, and do one more review of the notes I've written before giving them to the congregation.
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - A lot of my message this week came from the first section of this book. Bonhoeffer was a conservative theologian, and a radical resister of the Nazis in 1940s Germany. He was executed for plotting to assassinate Hitler. He took the call to follow Jesus very seriously, and it cost him his life. The second part of this book is three chapters on the Sermon on the Mount, so I'll probably start reading those next week.
This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley - This book is written by the pastor of Imago Dei (Image of God) in Seattle. He's also Donald Miller's pastor. Donald Miller wrote Blue Like Jazz. Anyway, the book deals with the subject of the Kingdom of Heaven in a conversational and practical tone. Some of the ideas in my Sunday message that dealt specifically with repentance came from this book. It's lively and challenging. I've read the first part, and will probably finish the book this week.
Dan Friesen's Blog - In Juniour High, this guy taught me a course called "Grazing Through Galatians". Later, he was the primary preacher at a church plant I was involved in. When I began preaching there, he was a mentor of mine as I learned to preach. He loves to preach and study the Bible. I ran across his blog quite accidentally last week after not speaking to him in years. He just happened to have written about a text that I already had in my notes. This entry gave me a lot of content for the conclusion of my message.
Rob Bell preaching at Willow Creek - Rob Bell has the honour of being #28 on "Stuff Christians Like", so you've probably heard of him. This message was called "Dust of your Rabbi", and he has a lot of great information about the process of education and discipleship for Jewish people in first century Palestine. I really enjoyed the message, and used a lot of the cultural stuff from this message in my own.
Rob Bell exposed - Here's the deal. Lots of people don't like Rob Bell. But lots of people don't like lots of people. In fact, if you're a preacher with any presence on the internet, there are probably websites and blogs dedicated to how wrong you are. Back in the day before I'd read a lot of Mark Driscoll, I looked him up on the internet and decided that he must be terrible for all of the anti-Mark websites out there. When I actually gave him a chance, I discovered that he actually has more to say that I like than stuff that I don't. So I ignore the stuff that I don't, and study the stuff that I do. If you ever think that you've found a preacher that you agree with all the time every time (including me), I'd caution you to look again. Anyway, there were a couple of things in Rob Bell's message that I didn't agree with, and scores of websites about why he wrong. Though I usually avoid teachings about things that aren't true (anti-teachings) or websites about things that are wrong, I thought I'd do my due diligence and find out what the complaints were. Turns out that they were the same as mine. They just made a bigger deal about it. I didn't use that stuff in my message.
NIV Study Bible - Good stuff.
Esword - Great for checking the definitions of biblical words in their original languages. It's a free Bible program. Check it. I did a lot of looking into the words "Come" and "Go". Seriously.
Inception - Saw it for the first time with Kate this week. I liked it. It isn't the best movie Christopher Nolan's ever done, but I liked it.
Gogol Bordello - I love this band. I have for a while. I listened to them a lot this week.
Bob Dylan (Times They Are a'Changin') - This song made me mad this week. If I had more time to write this entry right now, I'd tell you why in greater depth. Basically, for the first time this week I heard it not as an anthem of youth, but as an anthem of an arrogant and again generations. The boomers failed. And they lied. The hippies weren't interested in turning the power over to the have nots. They just wanted power for themselves. Yup. The same generation that avoided the Vietnam war led America into Afghanistan and Iraq. Times a-Changin' had nothing to do with them. Times just change. That's what time does. Let's not make the same arrogant mistakes they did when the power transfers into the hands of the millennial generation. Because it will. Soon. Thank God.
Larry Norman (Great American Novel) - I love this song. It was in my head all week. It reminds me of Bob Dylan. But it doesn't make me mad.
Acoustic Chaos Thursday at DV8 - Yup, I went to an acoustic punk open mic night this week. I'll go again next week. Rawk!
Jesus reads the scroll - Luke 4:14-44, Isaiah 61
Luke 4:14-44 (NIV)
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”
24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.
42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Isaiah 61 (NIV)
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 “For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
10 I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
+++++
My Notes:
I love this statement of faith and mission. It is beautiful in content and in form. Even the description of the event is filled with such a beautiful electric tension.
I want to know Jesus better. That is my prayer today. He is so beautiful.
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”
24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.
42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Isaiah 61 (NIV)
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 “For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
10 I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
+++++
My Notes:
I love this statement of faith and mission. It is beautiful in content and in form. Even the description of the event is filled with such a beautiful electric tension.
I want to know Jesus better. That is my prayer today. He is so beautiful.
Monday, February 21, 2011
What Kat Missed on Sunday
Kat lives in Thailand.
She misses us, and we miss her back.
She follows this blog.
Paula is her friend.
Paula also missed church on Sunday, because she was at a cool winter camp.
Paula asked what she missed on Sunday.
I wrote her an email.
Kat probably wonders what she missed sometimes, too.
So here is the email.
And then my notes.
They are for Kat.
They are also for you if you weren't here and missed us, too.
++
++
Paula!
How was your session? And camp? It's good to hear from you!
Church was really good yesterday. There was a unity to the whole gathering, between people in the community and also in content. From brunch to benediction it felt like one conversation.
There were two visitors - Ethan, a friend of Simon's, and Aaron, a friend of Brandon's who plans to join us for the next six weeks.
Katie and Joshua made baked oatmeal for breakfast. I understand it was delicious. I had a grapefruit.
Joel led communion. He talked about how Jesus' life reflects Moses' and the Israelite's and fulfills the Old Testament.
We spent some time to talk about Joshua going to another church. He's been preparing for this for a few weeks. This wasn't his last Sunday, but he wanted to prepare the community for his leaving. I'm helping him find a new church, as he requested. There isn't anything wrong or bad going on, he just feels it is time to go, and wants to do it well, and I support him. If you want to talk to him, or I, or anyone else about that, just go for it.
The message was (as the reading plan also was) about repentance, discipleship, and perseverance in faith. It was good. A solid message. There were some really fun parts about just what the disciple's lives were like, and what that might mean for us as disciple's today. I was challenged along with everyone else.
It was recorded. It'll be on the website before the end of the week.
looktothecrossforvictory.com
See you soon! If there's anything else you were hoping to know about, let me know.
- Birss
++
++
These notes are made for me to read and preach from, not for you to read. Also, I had an additional page of handwritten notes as well, that isn't included here. This means that some of it might seem incomplete. If you want to hear the message, go to the website, and search for the message on 2011 Feb 20.
Feb 20, 2011 – Shawn Birss – LTTX
Matthew part 2
Discipleship, Temptation, and Perseverance
TEXT
Matthew 3:12-17
Pray
Matthew 3:18-22
HEAR AND HEED THE CALL
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Gospel – Good News of a new Kingdom.
Bad News – Ceasar is Lord
Good News – JESUS is LORD
This Kingdom requires repentance. Because the laws of this kingdom are different.
Repentance means to turn around. It means to act differently than you are now.
Mat 3:8 – JtheB – Produce fruit . . . (Luke 3:10-14 for practical examples)
Repent is often not taken as good news. Because we don’t like to admit we’re going the wrong way. We don’t like to change.
But Jesus’ good news is, “You don’t have to be oppressed anymore. And you don’t have to be an oppressor anymore.”
Repent is actually a good, strong word. It’s full of hope, and new beginnings. It’s an invitation into a new way of being in a new realm, where you are exactly as you were created to be.
V23 – Good News of the Kingdom
“Come, Follow Me”
Describe discipleship in 1 cent Judaism.
Psalm 119 – nursery rhyme
RABBIS WERE ROCKSTARS
6yo – Elementary School – House of the Book (or Instruction) – The Torah.
Memorize the Torah until you’re 10
(Honey in your mouth – Ezekiel)
10yo – Juniour High – House of the Prophets – the Talmud
Memorize the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures
Art of Questions and Questions
ie – Q1 - What is the Capital City of Alberta? Q2 – Which city has the lowest ranking team in the NHL?
14yo – 2 paths
Either
you become a disciple
You ask “I want to take your yoke”
(Jesus – Matt 11:30)
They test you and either take you on
“Come Follow Me”
Or tell you
“Go learn the family business, and maybe your children will be Rabbis.”
OR
You go and learn the family business for four or five years as an apprentice,
Get married around 20
And raise your kids to do the same.
Who is called?
Jesus lived and ministered in a fishing village in Capernaum. Galilee of the gentiles. Great light.
He was calling the least of the respected. He was calling the “whosoevers” (j3:16)
Come Follow me – fishermen (Matt 4:19)
Come Follow me – Matthew (9:9-11)
Come Follow me – Rich man (Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:21)
The true disciple’s response to the call is not a confession of faith, but an act of obedience
Lazar Come Out (command, same as follow me)- John 11:33
(Peter walking on water – “come” (Matthew 14:29))
Whether Jesus invites us or commands us, he gives us the power to accomplish what he’s asked us to do.
Follow me
Jesus to Peter
First and last words
Both on the lake of galilee
Both while Peter was fishing
Matthew 4:19 John 21:22
LEAVE YOUR NETS
Repentance and following Jesus is demonstrative and measurable. What did you leave behind? How are you different?
John the Baptist - "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" - and then he gives examples
The fishers leave their nets
Matthew walks away from his table
Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell everything and give it to the poor.
What do you gain?
Rich man - treasure in heaven
Matthew - wrote Matthew
Fishers - ...of men
KofH - treasure in a field. A fine pearl.
Grace is so precious it is worth plucking out your own eye or cutting off your hand should your eye or hand cost you that grace. (ref)
The grace of God IS NOT FREE. It is the costliest thing in existence. It cost Jesus his life. He sweat drops of blood at the thought of the costliness of the grace he would purchase for us.
Grace is not free. Grace is paid for.
Jesus - gain the whole world, but lose his soul? Take up your cross, deny yourself. Follow me.
If the grace you believe in does not move you to a radical change in your life, it is cheap, and it is not the grace of God.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." This is the quote that is most often attributed to Elliot, but apparently it is very close to the English nonconformist preacher Philip Henry (1631–1696) who said "He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose".
Diet Bon – page 54 “Bourgeois respectability”
Every single person mentioned in this message that was explicitly obedient to the call of discipleship to Christ DIED at the hands of the GOVERNMENT for their life of following and proclaiming Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Jim Elliot
Peter
James
Philip
John – sentenced to death, but exiled instead.
Lazarus - ?
Rich ruler – lived happily ever after.
STAY THE COURSE
Know god (this is my beloved son...)
Be filled with the Spirit (descends like a dove ... Acts - wait for the spirit ... Phil 4:13)
Know the WORD - Jesus defeated Satan with the Bible (lamp to feet and light to path. Hidden word in heart that I might not sin)
Read your Bible, pray everyday, and you'll growgrowgrow
I'm not going to stop saying this. Seriously. I have an agenda this year. It is to get every single one of us reading our Bibles and praying every day. If this is not a goal of yours for this year, you are seriously not paying attention. I will make it my mission to make life miserable for you until you do.
GO and make disciples (mat28)
Which is to continue the course you've already begun.
COME becomes GO Matthew 8:9
"come and see" (inviting brothers, Samaritan woman ref)
Mark 10:20-25 - The young ruler
Jesus LOVED him, before telling him the hardest thing he ever heard in his life.
Finish this sentence:
Jesus looked at me, loved me, and said . . .
She misses us, and we miss her back.
She follows this blog.
Paula is her friend.
Paula also missed church on Sunday, because she was at a cool winter camp.
Paula asked what she missed on Sunday.
I wrote her an email.
Kat probably wonders what she missed sometimes, too.
So here is the email.
And then my notes.
They are for Kat.
They are also for you if you weren't here and missed us, too.
++
++
Paula!
How was your session? And camp? It's good to hear from you!
Church was really good yesterday. There was a unity to the whole gathering, between people in the community and also in content. From brunch to benediction it felt like one conversation.
There were two visitors - Ethan, a friend of Simon's, and Aaron, a friend of Brandon's who plans to join us for the next six weeks.
Katie and Joshua made baked oatmeal for breakfast. I understand it was delicious. I had a grapefruit.
Joel led communion. He talked about how Jesus' life reflects Moses' and the Israelite's and fulfills the Old Testament.
We spent some time to talk about Joshua going to another church. He's been preparing for this for a few weeks. This wasn't his last Sunday, but he wanted to prepare the community for his leaving. I'm helping him find a new church, as he requested. There isn't anything wrong or bad going on, he just feels it is time to go, and wants to do it well, and I support him. If you want to talk to him, or I, or anyone else about that, just go for it.
The message was (as the reading plan also was) about repentance, discipleship, and perseverance in faith. It was good. A solid message. There were some really fun parts about just what the disciple's lives were like, and what that might mean for us as disciple's today. I was challenged along with everyone else.
It was recorded. It'll be on the website before the end of the week.
looktothecrossforvictory.com
See you soon! If there's anything else you were hoping to know about, let me know.
- Birss
++
++
These notes are made for me to read and preach from, not for you to read. Also, I had an additional page of handwritten notes as well, that isn't included here. This means that some of it might seem incomplete. If you want to hear the message, go to the website, and search for the message on 2011 Feb 20.
Feb 20, 2011 – Shawn Birss – LTTX
Matthew part 2
Discipleship, Temptation, and Perseverance
TEXT
Matthew 3:12-17
Pray
Matthew 3:18-22
HEAR AND HEED THE CALL
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Gospel – Good News of a new Kingdom.
Bad News – Ceasar is Lord
Good News – JESUS is LORD
This Kingdom requires repentance. Because the laws of this kingdom are different.
Repentance means to turn around. It means to act differently than you are now.
Mat 3:8 – JtheB – Produce fruit . . . (Luke 3:10-14 for practical examples)
Repent is often not taken as good news. Because we don’t like to admit we’re going the wrong way. We don’t like to change.
But Jesus’ good news is, “You don’t have to be oppressed anymore. And you don’t have to be an oppressor anymore.”
Repent is actually a good, strong word. It’s full of hope, and new beginnings. It’s an invitation into a new way of being in a new realm, where you are exactly as you were created to be.
V23 – Good News of the Kingdom
“Come, Follow Me”
Describe discipleship in 1 cent Judaism.
Psalm 119 – nursery rhyme
RABBIS WERE ROCKSTARS
6yo – Elementary School – House of the Book (or Instruction) – The Torah.
Memorize the Torah until you’re 10
(Honey in your mouth – Ezekiel)
10yo – Juniour High – House of the Prophets – the Talmud
Memorize the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures
Art of Questions and Questions
ie – Q1 - What is the Capital City of Alberta? Q2 – Which city has the lowest ranking team in the NHL?
14yo – 2 paths
Either
you become a disciple
You ask “I want to take your yoke”
(Jesus – Matt 11:30)
They test you and either take you on
“Come Follow Me”
Or tell you
“Go learn the family business, and maybe your children will be Rabbis.”
OR
You go and learn the family business for four or five years as an apprentice,
Get married around 20
And raise your kids to do the same.
Who is called?
Jesus lived and ministered in a fishing village in Capernaum. Galilee of the gentiles. Great light.
He was calling the least of the respected. He was calling the “whosoevers” (j3:16)
Come Follow me – fishermen (Matt 4:19)
Come Follow me – Matthew (9:9-11)
Come Follow me – Rich man (Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:21)
The true disciple’s response to the call is not a confession of faith, but an act of obedience
Lazar Come Out (command, same as follow me)- John 11:33
(Peter walking on water – “come” (Matthew 14:29))
Whether Jesus invites us or commands us, he gives us the power to accomplish what he’s asked us to do.
Follow me
Jesus to Peter
First and last words
Both on the lake of galilee
Both while Peter was fishing
Matthew 4:19 John 21:22
LEAVE YOUR NETS
Repentance and following Jesus is demonstrative and measurable. What did you leave behind? How are you different?
John the Baptist - "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" - and then he gives examples
The fishers leave their nets
Matthew walks away from his table
Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell everything and give it to the poor.
What do you gain?
Rich man - treasure in heaven
Matthew - wrote Matthew
Fishers - ...of men
KofH - treasure in a field. A fine pearl.
Grace is so precious it is worth plucking out your own eye or cutting off your hand should your eye or hand cost you that grace. (ref)
The grace of God IS NOT FREE. It is the costliest thing in existence. It cost Jesus his life. He sweat drops of blood at the thought of the costliness of the grace he would purchase for us.
Grace is not free. Grace is paid for.
Jesus - gain the whole world, but lose his soul? Take up your cross, deny yourself. Follow me.
If the grace you believe in does not move you to a radical change in your life, it is cheap, and it is not the grace of God.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." This is the quote that is most often attributed to Elliot, but apparently it is very close to the English nonconformist preacher Philip Henry (1631–1696) who said "He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose".
Diet Bon – page 54 “Bourgeois respectability”
Every single person mentioned in this message that was explicitly obedient to the call of discipleship to Christ DIED at the hands of the GOVERNMENT for their life of following and proclaiming Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Jim Elliot
Peter
James
Philip
John – sentenced to death, but exiled instead.
Lazarus - ?
Rich ruler – lived happily ever after.
STAY THE COURSE
Know god (this is my beloved son...)
Be filled with the Spirit (descends like a dove ... Acts - wait for the spirit ... Phil 4:13)
Know the WORD - Jesus defeated Satan with the Bible (lamp to feet and light to path. Hidden word in heart that I might not sin)
Read your Bible, pray everyday, and you'll growgrowgrow
I'm not going to stop saying this. Seriously. I have an agenda this year. It is to get every single one of us reading our Bibles and praying every day. If this is not a goal of yours for this year, you are seriously not paying attention. I will make it my mission to make life miserable for you until you do.
GO and make disciples (mat28)
Which is to continue the course you've already begun.
COME becomes GO Matthew 8:9
"come and see" (inviting brothers, Samaritan woman ref)
Mark 10:20-25 - The young ruler
Jesus LOVED him, before telling him the hardest thing he ever heard in his life.
Finish this sentence:
Jesus looked at me, loved me, and said . . .
Jesus' teaching and healing ministry - Matthew 4:23-25, Mark 1:21-39
Matthew 4:23-25 (NIV)
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
Mark 1:21-39 (NIV)
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
God. You are amazing. Jesus is amazing.
God, increase my faith.
I am tempted to want to be a good, decent, "proper" Christian. I'm tempted to not want to believe in miracles and healings, to be functionally cessationist, because believing in, practicing, and even experiencing these things might make me . . . Wierd.
When they're just words on a page, just a story, I can intellectualize it if confronted by someone who doesn't believe like I do.
But if I believe this is true, really truly true, and I believe that Jesus is alive and the Holy Spirit is active today, then my faith is anemic if I don't truly believe that you can and will do the impossible.
You still are a God of love and compassion. You still are the highest authority, and the only authority.
To you alone I submit, Father. Do what you want with me, and through me. If it means healing for the sick and broken, and good news to the poor, then go ahead and make me ridiculous.
+++++
After writing this, I realized that being "functionally cessationist" (living as though God is no longer demonstrably active in the world through miracles) is basically living as functionally atheist.
I never want to turn faith in Jesus into an empty, powerless philosophy.
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
Mark 1:21-39 (NIV)
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
God. You are amazing. Jesus is amazing.
God, increase my faith.
I am tempted to want to be a good, decent, "proper" Christian. I'm tempted to not want to believe in miracles and healings, to be functionally cessationist, because believing in, practicing, and even experiencing these things might make me . . . Wierd.
When they're just words on a page, just a story, I can intellectualize it if confronted by someone who doesn't believe like I do.
But if I believe this is true, really truly true, and I believe that Jesus is alive and the Holy Spirit is active today, then my faith is anemic if I don't truly believe that you can and will do the impossible.
You still are a God of love and compassion. You still are the highest authority, and the only authority.
To you alone I submit, Father. Do what you want with me, and through me. If it means healing for the sick and broken, and good news to the poor, then go ahead and make me ridiculous.
+++++
After writing this, I realized that being "functionally cessationist" (living as though God is no longer demonstrably active in the world through miracles) is basically living as functionally atheist.
I never want to turn faith in Jesus into an empty, powerless philosophy.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Gospel of Matthew Movie part 1
Last Thursday we started watching "Matthew", a film made as a visualization of the Gospel of Matthew, word for word from the NIV text. The portrayal of Jesus is beautiful. We watched the first seven chapters on Thursday, which took us to the end of the sermon on the mount.
This film is great. Since this blog is about Jesus as portrayed in Matthew, I thought it would be cool to include the clips here. I'll post them on Sundays as we read them, according to what we read the week before.
This film is great. Since this blog is about Jesus as portrayed in Matthew, I thought it would be cool to include the clips here. I'll post them on Sundays as we read them, according to what we read the week before.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Jesus calls more disciples - John 1:35-51
John 1:35-51 (NIV)
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
"Come and see."
This reminds me of John the Baptist in Luke saying,
"Produce the fruit of repentance."
This is not abstract or theoretical. This is practical and measurable.
The good news of Jesus is not something merely to be told, but to be demonstrated.
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”
50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
+++++
+++++
My Notes:
"Come and see."
This reminds me of John the Baptist in Luke saying,
"Produce the fruit of repentance."
This is not abstract or theoretical. This is practical and measurable.
The good news of Jesus is not something merely to be told, but to be demonstrated.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Jesus calls his first disciples - Matthew 4:18-22, Luke 5:1-11
(parallel passages Mark 1:14-20, John 1:35-42)
(Also see Jesus calls more disciples)
(Also see Jesus' calling of Matthew the disciple - Jesus has authority to forgive sin and love sinners)
Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11 (NIV)
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
++++++++++
My Notes:
Simon knew how to fish. God gave him the ability to catch them.
This reminds me of the verse from Deuteronomy a few days ago:
"I give you the power to obtain wealth."
We don't have that power in ourselves. Everything we have is a gift of God. Whatever power we may think we have can be taken. This is why Moses warns the people in Deuteronomy to always remember that everything they have comes from God, so that they do not become prideful and forget him.
But God is generous. Simon couldn't catch that many fish in that much time on his own, no matter what kind of fisher he was. With Jesus, he filled nets to breaking.
Which reminds me of that passage from Ephesians that I still keep thinking of almost every day.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
++++
Jesus called the fishers from their nets to join him in fishing for people.
First he took the nets they already had, and then filled them to the greatest degree that they could be filled.
Then he tells them to follow him, and says that he's going to teach them to use their God given talents to their greatest effectiveness.
But first they had to leave what they knew to follow this man who would teach them what they didn't know.
Father,
Take this world from my heart, and give me you.
(Also see Jesus calls more disciples)
(Also see Jesus' calling of Matthew the disciple - Jesus has authority to forgive sin and love sinners)
Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11 (NIV)
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
++++++++++
My Notes:
Simon knew how to fish. God gave him the ability to catch them.
This reminds me of the verse from Deuteronomy a few days ago:
"I give you the power to obtain wealth."
We don't have that power in ourselves. Everything we have is a gift of God. Whatever power we may think we have can be taken. This is why Moses warns the people in Deuteronomy to always remember that everything they have comes from God, so that they do not become prideful and forget him.
But God is generous. Simon couldn't catch that many fish in that much time on his own, no matter what kind of fisher he was. With Jesus, he filled nets to breaking.
Which reminds me of that passage from Ephesians that I still keep thinking of almost every day.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
++++
Jesus called the fishers from their nets to join him in fishing for people.
First he took the nets they already had, and then filled them to the greatest degree that they could be filled.
Then he tells them to follow him, and says that he's going to teach them to use their God given talents to their greatest effectiveness.
But first they had to leave what they knew to follow this man who would teach them what they didn't know.
Father,
Take this world from my heart, and give me you.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Jesus calls for repentance - Matthew 4:12-17
Matthew 4:12-17 (NIV)
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
++++++++++
My Notes:
Jesus ministry was in the margins.
He grew up in Nazareth, the poor little multiethnic rural town of renters and sharecroppers. I can imagine Jesus as a child running barefoot through dusty streets with poor and outcast pagan Gentile children - his friends - while proper people on the other side of the tracks protected their children from "those people".
Galilee of the Gentiles. His home. The forgotten.
And when he gets older and begins his ministry, he doesn't move his base of operations to the centre of religion, politics, culture, and money in Jerusalem. He moves to Capernaum. He lives with the poor, among the Gentiles who worked other people's land to just make enough to survive, and the Jews who didn't have enough money to live just among their own people, as many in that day believed they should.
Twice in Matthew Jesus clearly says that his ministry is to "the lost sheep of Israel". But still Matthew describes Jesus' obviously intentional ministry in predominantly Gentile regions. Twice Jesus remarks strongly to all around him of the great faith of non-Jewish persons that receive healing from him.
After calling Matthew (the despised Tax Collector), he tells some good religious Jerusalemites that it isn't the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
Even though he clearly stated the boundaries of his intentional mission, I think it is quite telling that he would choose to spend so much of his time
right
on
the
very
far
edges
of that defined boundary.
I imagine him standing on the border of his nation, toe on the line, facing out, calling loudly,
"Hey! You! Yes, you! And even you! You, too! Come, and hear the good news! The kingdom of heaven is so near, and even you are invited to come be a part of it!"
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
++++++++++
My Notes:
Jesus ministry was in the margins.
He grew up in Nazareth, the poor little multiethnic rural town of renters and sharecroppers. I can imagine Jesus as a child running barefoot through dusty streets with poor and outcast pagan Gentile children - his friends - while proper people on the other side of the tracks protected their children from "those people".
Galilee of the Gentiles. His home. The forgotten.
And when he gets older and begins his ministry, he doesn't move his base of operations to the centre of religion, politics, culture, and money in Jerusalem. He moves to Capernaum. He lives with the poor, among the Gentiles who worked other people's land to just make enough to survive, and the Jews who didn't have enough money to live just among their own people, as many in that day believed they should.
Twice in Matthew Jesus clearly says that his ministry is to "the lost sheep of Israel". But still Matthew describes Jesus' obviously intentional ministry in predominantly Gentile regions. Twice Jesus remarks strongly to all around him of the great faith of non-Jewish persons that receive healing from him.
After calling Matthew (the despised Tax Collector), he tells some good religious Jerusalemites that it isn't the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
Even though he clearly stated the boundaries of his intentional mission, I think it is quite telling that he would choose to spend so much of his time
right
on
the
very
far
edges
of that defined boundary.
I imagine him standing on the border of his nation, toe on the line, facing out, calling loudly,
"Hey! You! Yes, you! And even you! You, too! Come, and hear the good news! The kingdom of heaven is so near, and even you are invited to come be a part of it!"
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Jesus tested in the desert - Matthew 4:1-11, Hebrews 4:14-16, Ephesians 6:10-18
(additional reading Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13)
Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
++++++++++
My Notes:
God,
I don't feel especially strong today. Today is a day of more questions than answers, it seems.
But I come boldly. It is not arrogance for me to claim boldness and strength as I approach you in prayer, when my strength is in you, and my boldness is through faith in Jesus, my High Priest.
What an incredible gift prayer is. I talk boldly to the Father of the King of kings. But I've been adopted. Why shouldn't I come? And in my weakness, you are strong. To confess that I am in need of strength today is not difficult when I remember that Jesus did as well.
Jesus was hungry. Wow. And his temptations came during this time of weakness.
There's something in knowing
You know how this felt
There's something in sharing
This hand that we're dealt
And so, I will approach boldly.
I will be strong, not in my circumstances or feelings, but in you and your power.
I will put on your armour.
I will stand firm.
I will pray in the Spirit.
My hope is you.
Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
++++++++++
My Notes:
God,
I don't feel especially strong today. Today is a day of more questions than answers, it seems.
But I come boldly. It is not arrogance for me to claim boldness and strength as I approach you in prayer, when my strength is in you, and my boldness is through faith in Jesus, my High Priest.
What an incredible gift prayer is. I talk boldly to the Father of the King of kings. But I've been adopted. Why shouldn't I come? And in my weakness, you are strong. To confess that I am in need of strength today is not difficult when I remember that Jesus did as well.
Jesus was hungry. Wow. And his temptations came during this time of weakness.
There's something in knowing
You know how this felt
There's something in sharing
This hand that we're dealt
And so, I will approach boldly.
I will be strong, not in my circumstances or feelings, but in you and your power.
I will put on your armour.
I will stand firm.
I will pray in the Spirit.
My hope is you.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
My Influences this week
Okay. Before I go any further, I need to start by saying that the name of this post is terrible. First of all it's boring. Secondly, it's a little too specific. Have I painted myself into a corner? I need something snappier like
Ride the Fire Eagle Danger Day!
Suggestions?
So, this entry fills in a lot of stuff that doesn't get covered in a forty minute message, or the hour or so some of you might get to hang out with me every week. Since the direction of the preaching, and eventually the church, will be affected some way or another by the things I'm dwelling on, I figure you should know about them.
And some of this is just plain fun to share, too.
Okay, so here's stuff I was thinking about this week.
The Bible:
I'm glad to say that this still deserves to be first this week. Every morning I'm still getting up early and reading the Bible first. It ends up permeating into my whole day, affecting my perception of everything else.
Last week I studied through Matthew 15-21. I've decided to put reading through the whole New Testament on hold for now, and just focus on the book of Matthew. A chapter a day seems to be working great, as I'm chewing it up pretty finely. Once the cud's gone through a fourth time (around the end of March), I'll regurgitate my Matthew notes all over a zine for you to have. Because I like you that much.
Ephesians! Wow! Like Poetry it is! I could memorize this book. GEE OR JUSS. Ephesians three is where I parked a lot this week, but I also enjoyed the passage from chapter six that was part of my church reading plan this morning. It'll be tomorrow morning for you, because I like to be one day ahead.
On that note, I'm loving the reading plan. The discipline to actually stop at only a few verses and really consider them has been great. I start every day with it.
Books:
Becoming the Answer to our Prayers by Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove
I finally finished this book this week. It jumped up and bit me at the end. I always enjoy Claiborne and Nouwen and Vanier for their encouragements to love the poor and see Jesus in the least of these. To be honest, I usually find it kind of an easy read, because I already agree, and the challenges spur me in the direction my wheels are already spinning.
But then Shane went and got all Pentecostal at the end of this book. So, I was challenged in all the best ways. I needed it. It surprised me as it took me through the passage in Ephesians that I'd just read the day before:
Eph 3:14-20
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Yowza! Shane (and Jonathan) proceeded to write about how we as Christians need to be praying for and believing God can accomplish the impossible, and through us! Real, Holy Spirit miracle things can be accomplished by God through his people. We need to pray that God ends poverty, yes.
And THEN we believe in faith for the empowerment of God to end poverty, and then WE GO END POVERTY through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
What's your biggest dream for radical change in the world? Pray for it. Then do it. How about that?
Manga Messiah - Yeah, it's a graphic novel about Jesus. I finished it. It was actually way, way better than I expected. A friend bought it for me while he was in jail, and was even a little embarrassed to give it to me. I'm sure one of the writers was a theologian. It goes past the text of the narrative and illustrates all kinds of historically and culturally significant details that wouldn't necessarily be immediately apparent. I actually recommend it, even if you don't read graphic novels.
ESV Study Bible - We went traveling this week to a conference in Lethbridge, and I could only bring one study Bible. This is a pretty decent one. It's thorough. You know what, though? The more I read it, the more I recognize how conservative it is, and I don't necessarily mean that in the good ways. A couple times this week, I read a few study notes that sounded like they were just promoting The American Republican party. No kidding. And it wasn't necessary, or strongly supported in the text. I intend to do some research onto who the contributors are, and especially if they are all Americans. I suspect they are.
I was thinking of starting a John Piper book this week, but I'm not so sure now. So I don't currently have a book on the go. Any suggestions?
Victory Churches International:
I spent a good part of my week in Lethbridge at a Victory pastor's conference. It was very good to be reminded of my roots. It really was. I saw some old role models of mine (some at the conference, some visited outside of the conference). I was reminded of where a lot of my balls-out risky ministry philosophies come from.
I was raised in a church that started a Christian School, the first (legal) Christian Television station in Canada, possibly the first illegal one too, the most effective Christian political lobby groups that now exists, and over 2000 churches around the world. Most of this was done since I started going to the church when I was eight years old, in 1988. And that's just a sampling. For good or ill, like it or not, you've got to admit that that's a little community that has done a heck of a lot to affect the culture and atmosphere of their neighbourhood, country, and world.
The theme of the week, surprise surprise, was Ephesians 3:14-20. No kidding. Just for fun, let's look at that one again:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Here's a link to the closing "synopsis" sermon from the weekend. Here's the first "get everyone excited" session. Just a warning. It's George Hill, and he's ballsy.
Another guy I really look up to also spoke at the conference. Back when I was in Bible College, he was running churches and drop in centres out of any building he could find with a patch of carpet in it in the poorest neighbourhood in Calgary. Then the neighbourhood got bulldozed to the ground. Then he was given a hotel to take care of poor people in the inner city. No kidding.
His name is Don Delaney. The ministry is called Victory Outreach Centre. Here he is on Global Television just a couple of weeks ago.
Internet:
Ryan "The Snooge" You Rascal showed me this video this week about a man in India who could've made it big as a chef, but decided to give his life making food, cutting hair, and clipping toenails for the homeless poor in his city.
Paula "Cornell" Cornell sent me this awesome TED talk about community and vulnerability. There's a lot of good stuff in this. Take a moment (twenty minutes) when you have it. It's worth it.
TV/Movies:
Community. I watched that "Messianic Myths" episode twice more this week. I showed it to my brother in Lethbridge, and then my friends in Calgary. Hilarious and poignant. How does generation of Youtube and Facebook view Jesus, the church, and the church's attempts at sharing Jesus?
Smallville. Come on. Best episode in a couple of years, I'm sure. They've finally brought it all back to the simplicity of just watching Clark Kent become Superman, and his relationships with those who love and hate him most. And by the miracle of comic-book style storywriting, they've managed to literally bring all of those lovers and haters back for the last chapter. Well done.
So . . . that's a lot of the stuff that got me thinking about stuff this week. I hope you enjoyed it.
Ride the Fire Eagle Danger Day!
Suggestions?
So, this entry fills in a lot of stuff that doesn't get covered in a forty minute message, or the hour or so some of you might get to hang out with me every week. Since the direction of the preaching, and eventually the church, will be affected some way or another by the things I'm dwelling on, I figure you should know about them.
And some of this is just plain fun to share, too.
Okay, so here's stuff I was thinking about this week.
The Bible:
I'm glad to say that this still deserves to be first this week. Every morning I'm still getting up early and reading the Bible first. It ends up permeating into my whole day, affecting my perception of everything else.
Last week I studied through Matthew 15-21. I've decided to put reading through the whole New Testament on hold for now, and just focus on the book of Matthew. A chapter a day seems to be working great, as I'm chewing it up pretty finely. Once the cud's gone through a fourth time (around the end of March), I'll regurgitate my Matthew notes all over a zine for you to have. Because I like you that much.
Ephesians! Wow! Like Poetry it is! I could memorize this book. GEE OR JUSS. Ephesians three is where I parked a lot this week, but I also enjoyed the passage from chapter six that was part of my church reading plan this morning. It'll be tomorrow morning for you, because I like to be one day ahead.
On that note, I'm loving the reading plan. The discipline to actually stop at only a few verses and really consider them has been great. I start every day with it.
Books:
Becoming the Answer to our Prayers by Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove
I finally finished this book this week. It jumped up and bit me at the end. I always enjoy Claiborne and Nouwen and Vanier for their encouragements to love the poor and see Jesus in the least of these. To be honest, I usually find it kind of an easy read, because I already agree, and the challenges spur me in the direction my wheels are already spinning.
But then Shane went and got all Pentecostal at the end of this book. So, I was challenged in all the best ways. I needed it. It surprised me as it took me through the passage in Ephesians that I'd just read the day before:
Eph 3:14-20
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Yowza! Shane (and Jonathan) proceeded to write about how we as Christians need to be praying for and believing God can accomplish the impossible, and through us! Real, Holy Spirit miracle things can be accomplished by God through his people. We need to pray that God ends poverty, yes.
And THEN we believe in faith for the empowerment of God to end poverty, and then WE GO END POVERTY through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
What's your biggest dream for radical change in the world? Pray for it. Then do it. How about that?
Manga Messiah - Yeah, it's a graphic novel about Jesus. I finished it. It was actually way, way better than I expected. A friend bought it for me while he was in jail, and was even a little embarrassed to give it to me. I'm sure one of the writers was a theologian. It goes past the text of the narrative and illustrates all kinds of historically and culturally significant details that wouldn't necessarily be immediately apparent. I actually recommend it, even if you don't read graphic novels.
ESV Study Bible - We went traveling this week to a conference in Lethbridge, and I could only bring one study Bible. This is a pretty decent one. It's thorough. You know what, though? The more I read it, the more I recognize how conservative it is, and I don't necessarily mean that in the good ways. A couple times this week, I read a few study notes that sounded like they were just promoting The American Republican party. No kidding. And it wasn't necessary, or strongly supported in the text. I intend to do some research onto who the contributors are, and especially if they are all Americans. I suspect they are.
I was thinking of starting a John Piper book this week, but I'm not so sure now. So I don't currently have a book on the go. Any suggestions?
Victory Churches International:
I spent a good part of my week in Lethbridge at a Victory pastor's conference. It was very good to be reminded of my roots. It really was. I saw some old role models of mine (some at the conference, some visited outside of the conference). I was reminded of where a lot of my balls-out risky ministry philosophies come from.
I was raised in a church that started a Christian School, the first (legal) Christian Television station in Canada, possibly the first illegal one too, the most effective Christian political lobby groups that now exists, and over 2000 churches around the world. Most of this was done since I started going to the church when I was eight years old, in 1988. And that's just a sampling. For good or ill, like it or not, you've got to admit that that's a little community that has done a heck of a lot to affect the culture and atmosphere of their neighbourhood, country, and world.
The theme of the week, surprise surprise, was Ephesians 3:14-20. No kidding. Just for fun, let's look at that one again:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Here's a link to the closing "synopsis" sermon from the weekend. Here's the first "get everyone excited" session. Just a warning. It's George Hill, and he's ballsy.
Another guy I really look up to also spoke at the conference. Back when I was in Bible College, he was running churches and drop in centres out of any building he could find with a patch of carpet in it in the poorest neighbourhood in Calgary. Then the neighbourhood got bulldozed to the ground. Then he was given a hotel to take care of poor people in the inner city. No kidding.
His name is Don Delaney. The ministry is called Victory Outreach Centre. Here he is on Global Television just a couple of weeks ago.
Internet:
Ryan "The Snooge" You Rascal showed me this video this week about a man in India who could've made it big as a chef, but decided to give his life making food, cutting hair, and clipping toenails for the homeless poor in his city.
Paula "Cornell" Cornell sent me this awesome TED talk about community and vulnerability. There's a lot of good stuff in this. Take a moment (twenty minutes) when you have it. It's worth it.
TV/Movies:
Community. I watched that "Messianic Myths" episode twice more this week. I showed it to my brother in Lethbridge, and then my friends in Calgary. Hilarious and poignant. How does generation of Youtube and Facebook view Jesus, the church, and the church's attempts at sharing Jesus?
Smallville. Come on. Best episode in a couple of years, I'm sure. They've finally brought it all back to the simplicity of just watching Clark Kent become Superman, and his relationships with those who love and hate him most. And by the miracle of comic-book style storywriting, they've managed to literally bring all of those lovers and haters back for the last chapter. Well done.
So . . . that's a lot of the stuff that got me thinking about stuff this week. I hope you enjoyed it.
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