tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-273740712024-03-13T13:20:50.862-05:00Treasure in Earthen VesselsEncouraging the body of Christ to share the treasure of the Gospel through the power of God. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 Corinthians 4:7 Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.comBlogger1018125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-1710845736818118902023-07-14T12:25:00.003-05:002023-07-14T13:36:44.829-05:00When Enemies Are In Your Face<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiJfRpUR0UakSwXJ3vmKmtN2micbrUe7FWdSOWey3z2wFxqHNj3e18baRMAkQeoA_LXRFluNsRE0xmpVZ3nkQlU16WSOFUTCwbkUU3wwgrFun5pVI6Ic0X3EIm-slKuhU4HbyX1FY0_ABuA0C5PK6wMU1OcGYcQDPVISj9R4GkqMJZAQaNw/s615/woman-praising-sunset.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiJfRpUR0UakSwXJ3vmKmtN2micbrUe7FWdSOWey3z2wFxqHNj3e18baRMAkQeoA_LXRFluNsRE0xmpVZ3nkQlU16WSOFUTCwbkUU3wwgrFun5pVI6Ic0X3EIm-slKuhU4HbyX1FY0_ABuA0C5PK6wMU1OcGYcQDPVISj9R4GkqMJZAQaNw/s320/woman-praising-sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of my favorite pictures of God is found in Deuteronomy 33:27: "The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms." For some time I've prayed for Him to both cover me with His strength and <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2011/10/carried-by-his-constant-grace.html" target="_blank">carry me with His grace and mercy</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today in my Bible read-through, I saw something new, something precious, in the latter half of this verse and its immediate context: </div><b></b><blockquote><b>“There is none like God, O Jeshurun,
who rides through the heavens to your help,
through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you
and said, ‘Destroy.’" (Deuteronomy 33:26-27, ESV)</b></blockquote><div>This passage is tucked into a chapter with Moses' last words to each of Jacob's sons, the twelve tribes of Israel. This immediate section focuses on the entire nation of Israel, using a term of endearment as a synonym for Jacob, representing all of Israel ("Jeshurun" means "upright one" and is translated in the Septuagint with a form of <i>agape </i>that means "beloved one"). The point is that He is saying this to a people He loves - His covenant people. And what does He reveal about Himself? </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>He rides through heavens in all His majesty to help His own</li><li>He is our dwelling place</li><li>He protects us with His arms, forever</li><li>He thrusts out the enemy and says "destroy"</li></ul><div>Wait - what? God helping us, I get that. He is sovereign and powerful, after all. Dwelling in Him, letting Him catch us in His strong arms - yes, please! </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Having our enemies thrust in our face (the meaning of the phrase "before you") and being told to destroy them - um, can we rethink that one? Can't You just do the destroying, Lord? </div><div><br /></div><div>The answer, of course, is no. Just as God called Israel to move forward through the book of Joshua and conquer the land He had already promised, leaving some enemies in the land of Israel so the younger generation could learn to fight (Judges 3), He calls us to partner with Him in fighting our enemies of the world, the flesh, and Satan. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'd like to say I have all the answers why, but I don't. Here is what I know for sure though, looking back over my life: If He just took care of all those enemies and I never had to wrestle, I wouldn't know as much about Him as I do. I wouldn't know how to recognize them when they try to come around a back way. I wouldn't have been sanctified by the Word through wielding it while wearing the armor of God. I haven't fought every battle perfectly (or even well) but I have learned, deeply learned, that if God puts an enemy in front of me, He's calling me to fight. And when victory comes, as exhausting as it is, I know that even the small part He asked me to play would have been impossible without His help - and that victory over that enemy would have never come had He not first subdued the enemy, thrust him in front of me, and said, "Child, destroy." </div><div><br /></div><div>And I certainly would not have learned that these battles are not fought alone. He reveals this truth to the <i>people of God</i>. My battles should be fought in community, with others helping me as needed. We're terrible about this as Americans (myself included) but I'm learning more and more how vital this is to victory.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, God is our dwelling place. Yes, His arms carry us. But there is more. He is the God who sets us up for victory as we learn to fight His battles, His way. The next time your flesh rears its ugly head, or you are faced with a demonic or worldly battle - rejoice. He's simply prepared an enemy for destruction and thrust it in your face. Gather your people, and destroy.</div><div><div><br /></div></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-54230967737344921892022-11-10T13:27:00.002-06:002022-11-10T13:27:59.522-06:00Secret Places<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HQObMGqJSdAQ7tiqDw_fTiycNj16w7j-_tuQIjCHQ7JSVF5sACJxzc3H1Akc_PbdvC7CL_NetJGpxbd9zK9A1EkfoEnUQjZjjphapl6caq2S_Ut2ueqxZKMl4S1OpHyoi8aW9PHxLQ-CuuJiaseSyojlrcUf8C6w_74jl86OEJHDyTk/s1200/authentic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HQObMGqJSdAQ7tiqDw_fTiycNj16w7j-_tuQIjCHQ7JSVF5sACJxzc3H1Akc_PbdvC7CL_NetJGpxbd9zK9A1EkfoEnUQjZjjphapl6caq2S_Ut2ueqxZKMl4S1OpHyoi8aW9PHxLQ-CuuJiaseSyojlrcUf8C6w_74jl86OEJHDyTk/s320/authentic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; text-align: left;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; text-align: left;">Attribution:</span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; text-align: left;"> </span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; text-align: left;">Alpha Stock Images - http://alphastockimages.com/; </span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; text-align: left;">Original Author:</span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; text-align: left;"> </span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; text-align: left;">Nick Youngson - link to - http://www.nyphotographic.com/; </span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; text-align: left;">Original Image:</span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; text-align: left;"> </span><span face=""Source Sans Pro", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; text-align: left;">https://www.picpedia.org/handwriting/a/authentic.html</span></i></span></div><p>I've been challenged lately to think about authenticity. </p><p></p><p>We know that when we trust Christ, part of the Gospel is that we get a new heart (<a href="[Eze 36:26 ESV] 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." target="_blank">Ezekiel 36:26</a>). Yet we also continue to live with our flesh still stained by sin, the world around us trying to press us into its mold, and Satan bringing direct attacks. The process of sanctification changes us to increasingly reflect the new heart, but we stumble and fall along the way. We are told clearly how to walk in the victory of faith when we recognize the battle before us: </p><p><b><i></i></b></p><blockquote><p><b><i>But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NET)</i></b></p><p><b><i>For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. (1 John 5:4 ESV)</i></b></p></blockquote><p>And yet there are those battles we don't realize we are fighting. The reality of not living up to who we are in Christ is real every day. It's clearly inauthentic to deny the struggles. Those hidden faults, those mixed motives - things that would break our heart if we realized them - things that do break others' hearts at times. </p><p>What does it mean to be genuine, authentic, pure, without guile? None of us does it perfectly; we all have hidden sins and mixed motives that make it hard at times to discern what is happening in our "secret places" - which is why David cried out: </p><p></p><blockquote><i><b>But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. (Psalm 19:12-13 NIV)</b></i></blockquote><p>I'm so grateful God hasn't left us without guidance about these sins. Recently in our evening devotional this passage jumped out at me in a new way:</p><p><b style="text-align: center;"><i></i></b></p><blockquote><b style="text-align: center;"><i>I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:10-11 ESV)</i></b></blockquote><p></p><p>Suddenly I realized something about the <i>how</i> of transformation - transformation from the inside out. As I seek Him with all my heart, HE keeps me from straying - even from things that are deep within me, things I don't realize I need to confess. Hiding His Word is not just memorizing scripture, but taking it in, making it part of me. Jesus described it as the word "abiding" in us - making its home in our hearts. As I am increasingly filled with Him and have less space for me, filled with His Word, I find myself changed in ways I didn't realize were within me. Sometimes He allows pressing circumstances to reveal something ugly within me; other times He convicts me of something I've never considered; and there are also those times He changes me by giving me new desires, new "cravings" ... when something that had appeal, that attracted me unhealthily, no longer does, and then I realize that the root of the old desire was sinful all along. I'm convinced that there are even times He changes something without me even being aware - just making me more like Him, as He has promised. I become more authentically the way He created me to be, the way the new heart is aligned toward Him.</p><p>So I'm learning that in order to be authentic, I have to be open to being changed in ways I might not realize need to be changed. There are genuine struggles at unconscious levels. At the same time, it's also inauthentic to act as if there are <i>only</i> struggles. As I walk through the trials of life, God constantly reminds me of who I am in Him - Blessed, Chosen, Adopted, Accepted, Redeemed, Forgiven (<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/eph/1/1/s_1098001" target="_blank">Ephesians 1</a>). Never forgotten (<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/isa/49/15-16/s_728015" target="_blank">Isaiah 49:15-16</a>). Seen by my Creator (<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/gen/16/13/s_16013" target="_blank">Genesis 16:13</a>). Never forsaken (<a href="https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/heb/13/5/s_1146005" target="_blank">Hebrews 13:5</a>). </p><p>The most beautiful thing to me about inviting Him into all of my secret places by seeking Him and making His Word at home in my heart is that I know I will never be cast out. He has already been cast out for me. But He does invite me to join Him there:</p><div><b><i><blockquote>So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. (Hebrews 13:12-13)</blockquote></i></b></div><div>To me, this is the heart of authenticity: Seeking Him, letting Him change me, and being honest with others in the process. I don't have to let fear of man keep me from pursuing this depth of intimacy with God. When I understand His grace, I can resist the temptation to protect myself by locking my heart down, and instead identify with Him, knowing I am already fully known, fully loved, fully accepted, and ultimately will be fully changed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Grasping grace, I can embrace true authenticity: The good, the bad, and the ugly.</div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-73600770440349427022022-07-03T09:28:00.000-05:002022-07-03T09:28:16.686-05:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #12: Who is Worthy?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRfHva8NdcMC-mRHCD-zHmtzKdIylZld2nPlBehtSsaz9k7X3P2qv-VuFI0O8QKc7PB-v3xg1iU8n4m2YPEWI7NLaH4zBhrbCht3hB8SD2o4VgOTKoYtrLqYwUznjQxiHcJP-OQkDwNif7XNRJj6yFIBF9t-ZAAc2KnMNXtwwUpxfy8k/s200/Abide.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRfHva8NdcMC-mRHCD-zHmtzKdIylZld2nPlBehtSsaz9k7X3P2qv-VuFI0O8QKc7PB-v3xg1iU8n4m2YPEWI7NLaH4zBhrbCht3hB8SD2o4VgOTKoYtrLqYwUznjQxiHcJP-OQkDwNif7XNRJj6yFIBF9t-ZAAc2KnMNXtwwUpxfy8k/s1600/Abide.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small; text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: small; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">#6</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#7</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-he-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#8</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_26.html" target="_blank">#9</a>, <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_30.html" target="_blank">#10</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/06/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#11</a>)</i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Following the Sermon, Jesus returns to His "home base" in Capernaum. The disciples are with Him, learning about His approach to ministry. As we walk with Jesus on these encounters, we will see along with them that indeed, as <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2055%3A8-9&version=NIV" target="_blank">Isaiah</a> said, His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span><u>Who is Worthy?</u> </span><span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+8%3A5-13%2C+Luke+7%3A1-17&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-17</a></span></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In Capernaum, Jesus is approached about healing the servant of a centurion - a Roman officer. Remember, the Jewish people were under Roman occupation. They were allowed a measure of religious freedom, but they did not have ultimate autonomy over their own land. It's not surprising, then, that the centurion initially feels the need to send an "advance team" of Jewish elders to appeal on his behalf. These elders add their own commentary to the request - "He is worthy" - explaining that this particular centurion "loves our nation" and had funded the building of the synagogue in Capernaum. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Based on the parallel passage in Matthew, the centurion must have been close by, because he makes his own request - but when Jesus agrees to go, the centurion directly contradicts the appeal of the Jewish elders. "I am not worthy," he says, "for You to come under my roof. Just say the word and my servant will be healed." Jesus is so moved by the man's faith and acknowledgment of Jesus' authority that He calls it out as surpassing the faith He had seen among the people of Israel. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This centurion reflects the heart of Jesus Himself in caring about his servant. He regarded this servant highly (in contrast to much of the standard attitude toward servants in that time); he observed the man's deep pain and suffering (the Greek word indicates the servant was "tortured" by his condition); and he wanted to do something about it. <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-he-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">As we have seen</a>, Jesus' active compassion not only felt the needs around Him, but intervened to make a difference. The centurion wanted to do the same. So he turned to the One whose reputation was starting to precede him - he asked Jesus to intervene.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We have no way to know how much he knew of Jesus' claims. We see no worship (the word translated "Lord" is also used as a general term of honor or respect). We just know two things clearly: </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The centurion had a need, and was drawn to Jesus to meet that need. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The centurion realized that he was "not worthy" of Jesus' presence in his home.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>"He is worthy." </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>"I am not worthy." </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Let's not miss the power of these contrasting phrases. A man, wealthy for his time, and in need of help from Jesus, focuses not on his own credentials but on the power of Jesus. The Jewish leaders are only doing what we all do from time to time, making a recommendation of someone they know to someone who doesn't know the person. And yet the man, in a position of honor within his culture, humbly rejects the accolades given to him. He had faith that Jesus could heal, to be sure, but much more deeply he discerned something about who Jesus was - something that so many of the Jewish leaders missed, despite all the prophecies and preparations for the Messiah. The centurion understood on a deep level the authority that Jesus held within Himself - and Jesus recognized the faith that required. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In this case, His word alone heals the centurion's servant, and then we see in Luke's Gospel that He continues His ministry next by raising from the dead the son of a widow - another case of touching the "unclean" and bringing about transformation. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The truth is, none of us are worthy of a "visit" from Jesus. We are sin-stained, all of us, and He is perfectly pure and holy. Every parent who has tried to scrub a stain out of a white shirt dirtied by a child who couldn't stay clean for five minutes has experienced the idea of the pure being stained by the impure. And yet here we see Jesus walking around on the earth, encountering unworthy humans - and entering into their struggles and challenges in ways that make a difference. He is not stained by us, but His touch does make us clean - from the inside out. </span></p><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></div><div><div style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><p style="color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>) </span></i></p><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Jesus does not place value on "worthy" in a human sense - building big sanctuaries, being on a certain political side, having certain religious practices. Instead, He looks for humble hearts drawn to Him, regardless of how much or how little they know of who He is. He reveals Himself more and more to those with eyes to see and hearts to discern. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a><span style="color: #222222;">)</span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The heart of God is shown in the unexpected encounters of Jesus. A Roman centurion. The dead son of a widowed mother in an out-of-the-way location. God's heart for the vulnerable, the weak, the outcast, the poor, is shown in the way Jesus chose to spend His time. As Adrian Rodgers once said, "The cross didn't change God's heart; it revealed it." Jesus' actions show where God's priorities lie. </span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">) </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Jesus' example is incarnational living. He could have just saved us from a distance - spoken a word, demonstrated miraculous signs in the heavens. Yet He didn't. God's plan from the beginning was to give us Himself in flesh and blood - and through His perfect sacrifice, purify us forever. To clean us from the inside out, to transform us in such a way that we become "salt" in the lives of others, with a purifying and preserving effect and making them thirsty for Jesus. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a><span style="color: #222222;">)</span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This story deepens my fellowship with Jesus as I identify with the "unworthy" centurion, and realize that I am now cleansed to the point that I am actually a temple of the Holy Spirit. I am in awe that His touch has had such a transformational effect in my life. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">While I must practice wisdom, and be in community with believers who can help "wash my feet" (John 13:10), I do not have to fear. I do not have to determine who is "worthy" of an encounter with Jesus. I just have to live out His commandments to love Him and others, bringing truth, grace, and love into every encounter.</span></div></div></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-72631686902324749472022-06-07T20:18:00.002-05:002022-06-07T20:18:48.704-05:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #11: Glimpses of the Kingdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdpJ8o104n7gMOIbsAlq7-wJXa3__Jh9sRWE0uCYV7EcfhFk55CI9lLit8Rjst-f1cT-ID4c5Ahvv46Fd1Xtago_BqmGUCjHTUcqdZkAiyFw7BtzdMJ0txML3eeb8nPy-7oQZslhRgBGbbgxetADHO9nrGVQpU6om50TutU77V7QT904/s200/Abide.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdpJ8o104n7gMOIbsAlq7-wJXa3__Jh9sRWE0uCYV7EcfhFk55CI9lLit8Rjst-f1cT-ID4c5Ahvv46Fd1Xtago_BqmGUCjHTUcqdZkAiyFw7BtzdMJ0txML3eeb8nPy-7oQZslhRgBGbbgxetADHO9nrGVQpU6om50TutU77V7QT904/s1600/Abide.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">#6</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#7</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-he-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#8</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_26.html" target="_blank">#9</a>, <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_30.html" target="_blank">#10</a>)</i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Having just <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_30.html" target="_blank">called the Twelve,</a> Jesus immediately helps them learn to start walking in the new reality of why He called them - to be with Him, to send them out, and to give them authority (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+3%3A14-15&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Mark 3:14-15</a>). Before giving them specific assignments, though, Jesus does what any good teacher would do: He lays out the expectations. Specifically, He begins by breaking down their ideas of what it would mean to follow the Messiah - and gives them glimpses of the Kingdom He is asking them to promote. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Glimpses of the Kingdom (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A1-7%3A29%3B+Luke+6%3A17-49&version=NASB1995" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">Matthew 5:1-7:29; </a><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A1-7%3A29%3B+Luke+6%3A17-49&version=NASB1995" style="font-family: georgia;" target="_blank">Luke 6:17-49</a><span style="font-family: georgia;">)</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Because this blog series focuses on learning to walk as Jesus walked, we won't be looking at every verse of the "Sermon on the Mount/Plain" or the controversies of interpreting a few of them. We won't take up the debate on whether Matthew & Luke present two separate sermons or two versions of one sermon. Instead, we will focus on what is clear: Jesus immediately moves from calling His disciples to teaching them, and in doing so gives them a vision of their calling that would have been quite countercultural to Jewish understandings of the Messiah at the time. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In the Sermon, Jesus provides glimpses of the kingdom – glimpses of what life can be like if we truly embrace</span><em style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> kingdom living now</em><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The best summary of these glimpses of the Kingdom is found in the Beatitudes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><strong style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><span>(Matthew 5:1-12 NIV) - Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying<span style="color: red;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><strong><span style="color: red;">B</span></strong></span><span><strong><span style="color: red;">lessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,</span></strong></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;">Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.</span></strong></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">From start to finish, the Beatitudes are in stark contrast to our natural reaction to a given reality. The Beatitudes turn me on my head and shake me around, so that I find that what seems “upside down” is really “upside right”. In a word, they transform my mind. There's no doubt it would have been the same for the Twelve. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus didn’t call them so they could overthrow Rome - probably an especially surprising truth for Simon the Zealot who would have trained for that specific opportunity. Jesus didn't call them so that they could withdraw from the world, as the Essenes of their day did. Instead, He called them to be part of the prayer He teaches in this very sermon:</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: georgia;"><strong>“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”</strong></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As we learn to walk with Jesus, in order to truly live these words we have to first understand that the typical Western Christian's thinking about being “blessed” is all messed up. Think about it – when you hear someone says “God has blessed me” what are they usually referring to? Not always of course, but in the West that phrase often references material prosperity, or circumstances that have gone the way the person wanted them to go. We have an erroneous idea that challenging circumstances are tests we have to pass in order to get to the blessing. Before we can effectively be part of bringing a glimpse of His kingdom to earth, we have to learn what blessedness really means.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span>The word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">makarios</i> literally means “a sense of God’s approval”. It’s a contentment that comes from doing what is right in His sight and is rooted in right relationship with Him. A.T. Robertson defines it as "happiness identified with pure character" that pictures the "ideal of a world-wide sympathy and of a happiness realized in ministry." The word is used in the opposite sense of “need” to describe a state of sufficiency and fullness. A literal rendering of Psalm 23:1 reads, “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” This is a perfect definition of a state of blessedness. When we are "blessed" we are fully satisfied. Jesus’ words teach me that this blessedness, this satisfaction, comes when I chose holiness over sin, His way over mine, His presence over popularity; when I live congruently with the new creature He’s made me, then I experience true blessedness.</span><br /><br /><span>Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor and theologian who ardently opposed Hitler and the overwhelming majority of churches that gave into Hitler’s schemes. Over time, Bonhoeffer came to see the Sermon as a call to a lifestyle of radical discipleship for all Christians. In his insightful book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cost of Discipleship, </i>he expounds on the Sermon in great detail. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span>Bonhoeffer observes that while the crowds were present, it was His disciples to whom the message was directed. These disciples followed Jesus (like us!) but lived among the people (also like us!) to preach His call to discipleship. Bonhoeffer sees that the very call to follow Jesus led these men into a status of being poor, afflicted, and hungry – a place they might not have been if they had stayed in their businesses and minded their own business. Ultimately, Bonhoeffer sees the Beatitudes as encouragement for those whose call to discipleship has led them to a place of struggle.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span>Yes, Jesus calls the disciples blessed in the presence of the crowd. This becomes a call to all who follow Jesus to live out what He makes us by His promise. For His path to satisfaction and joy has never been a path to more of this temporary, fading existence. Instead His promised depth of satisfaction and joy is directly linked to us bringing a glimpse of His kingdom to this broken, needy world. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></span></p><div><div style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><p style="color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>) </span></i></p><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Freedom for the oppressed. Meeting the tangible needs of people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trading in legalism and accusations for spending ourselves on behalf of others’ needs. Repairing things at a societal level. Enjoying the presence of the Lord. This is true satisfaction and joy. This is true blessedness. The life He gives is blessed in ways I could never imagine in my preconceived ideas of happiness. </span></p><div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a><span style="color: #222222;">)</span></span></i></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not my thoughts, His priorities are not my priorities - and yet when I read these words, I see things as the way they are supposed to be. Living in a fallen world, I too often learn to accept as normal things which are simply "not supposed to be that way." God graciously lets us have a peek at His ways in this extended Sermon, and it is both challenging and incredibly beautiful.</span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As followers of Jesus, we are called to be part of His kingdom in heaven coming down to earth – bringing “up there”, down here. Not in its fullness, and not in a worldly political way, but in a very real, tangible, practical way that expresses our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. To either spiritualize or legalize the Sermon misses the point. What Jesus wants us to do is <u>live </u>it.</span></div><div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (</span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a><span style="color: #222222;">)</span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">What we need in the church is an expanded understanding of all it means to be Christlike. Too often we've limited Christlikeness to moral actions and failed to explore His deeper emotions and motivations. Scripture records Jesus as feeling </span><a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=jesus+compassion" style="background-color: transparent;">compassion</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">, </span><a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Luke+19%3A41" style="background-color: transparent;">sadness</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">, </span><a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Mark+11%3A15-18" style="background-color: transparent;">anger</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">, </span><a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Luke+10%3A17-24" style="background-color: transparent;">joy</a><span style="background-color: transparent;">. He sought the </span><a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matthew+26%3A36-46" style="background-color: transparent;">prayers </a><span style="background-color: transparent;">of others. We see Him resting and eating and walking through the fields. As we </span><a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=2+cor+3%3A18" style="background-color: transparent;">behold</a><span style="background-color: transparent;"> Him, Paul tells us, we are transformed more into His image. Keeping our eyes on Jesus, studying what is revealed in the Gospels about who He was in all His humanity and deity, will help us to know all that it means to be fully human - and we'll be changed in the process. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">If we're believers, we should be on a journey toward Christlikeness. </span>Seeking to be authentic in that process of transformation means we let<span style="background-color: transparent;"> others walk that journey with us.</span></span></div></div></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-12757873098349762742022-05-30T10:06:00.001-05:002022-05-30T10:06:12.404-05:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #10: The Call<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">#6</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#7</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-he-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#8</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_26.html" target="_blank">#9</a>)</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As Jesus' ministry grows, we have seen Him go small - reaching the one woman laying on her sickbed, the one man possessed by a demon. We've seen Him get deeply personal, choosing four fishermen and asking them to follow Him as their leader. We've seen Him reach beyond cultural prejudices to call a tax collector. We've seen groups start to follow Him, looking for miracles and watching Him at work. Now, we see Him once again doing something unexpected: He spends the night alone with His Father, then chooses twelve men from among the crowd. These will become His apostles, the "sent-out ones". But first, they would have to understand the call.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Calling the Twelve: </u>(<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+10%3A1-5%3B+Mark+3%3A14-19%3B+Luke+6%3A12-20a&version=NET" target="_blank">Matthew 10:1-5; Mark 3:14-19; Luke 6:12-20a</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In Luke's Gospel, the order of things is always important, as he sought out to present things in chronological order. It is not surprising then that he alone records that the call was precipitated by Jesus praying all night. We might find this unusual, since Jesus is fully God, but it shows the dependence on the Father that He demonstrated every day of His walk on earth. He is fully God, but He showed us how to live as fully human in relationship to God. As we will see, this time of prayer also models the call He is going to give these twelve men.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He chooses twelve, a number His Jewish followers would immediately understand. There were twelve tribes, each with a leadership structure. He is publicly calling out these men to be leaders. He will spend the rest of His time on earth teaching them what that means and then send the Holy Spirit after He leaves to empower them to fulfill this call. But for now, He lays out the basics for Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, Matthew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Thomas, </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, and Simon the Zealot. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Mark 3:14 records the elements of this call: </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">To be with Him</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">To send them out</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">To have authority to cast out demons. (Matthew also adds that they were given authority to heal sickness.)</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">"To be with Him." The first thing they would have to learn would be the most critical - and in many ways the hardest. To take a group of men, many of whom were used to working at hard physical labor, at least one of whom was a "Zealot" (a Jewish sect trained for revolution), and ask them to learn to "be with Him" - that certainly turned their understanding of the Messiah upside down. And yet, in another sense it was completely in line with the idea of discipleship. Disciples in first century Judaism spent a lot of time with their leader, and learned to model him in every respect. The call, then, is a call to discipleship - and a call to prioritize Jesus above all service for Him and authority from Him. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">We are still learning this lesson today. When God stirs our hearts to desire to serve and minister to others, it is easy to start with the "go". We might seek Him for the "where" and "who", but ministry too often becomes an end in itself. When we use God-given gifts in His authority, we often find more satisfaction in the outcome than in Him. We must consistently learn (and relearn) how to be with Jesus and let Him send us out, giving us the gifts and authority we need to do what He asks us to do - and to be with Him in the process, so that whatever the outcome we have drawn closer to Him and ultimately become more like Him.</span></div><p></p><p><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p><div><div style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>)</span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The life He gives is based on relationship - relationship with Him and relationship with others. Any assignments He sends us to complete must flow from this context of relationship.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">God wants us to prioritize His presence. He wants us to be with Him. As a (fairly) newlywed, I can now more fully understand the picture of Christ and the church that marriage offers. My husband and I love doing things for each other, but even more than that we just love being <u>with</u> each other. To fill a day with tasks and not connect with each other, then point to the marked-off to-do list, is not sufficient. Similarly, all we do in Jesus' name should flow from sitting at Jesus' feet.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span><i style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></i><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jesus modeled what it looks like to be with God first. He spent all night in prayer before calling the Twelve. Everything He did flowed from relationship to the Father.</span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><i style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">If my focus is on being with Jesus, then I will naturally grow in fellowship with God. And since loving God and loving others are two sides of the same coin, I will also grow in love for others. I will learn to see with His eyes, hear with His ears, and feel with His heart - not seeing ministry as an end in itself, but as one part of a lifetime pursuit of being with my Jesus. </span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></div></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-4698066095831999512022-05-26T09:30:00.002-05:002022-05-26T09:30:57.415-05:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #9: Something Greater<p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></p><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">#6</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#7</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-he-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#8</a>)</i></span><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In our last post we saw that Jesus showed Himself to be, at heart, compassionate. As we know from our own experiences, people who are merciful and compassionate draw others to them. They gain a reputation based on their character. Jesus is no different. As Jesus continues His ministry, we see more and more people coming to Him with their needs. We also begin to see the religious leaders feeling threatened by Jesus' presence. Why? Not because of good works (they knew their own Law prescribed such actions), but because from the beginning He made it clear that the religious boxes first century Judaism had placed around the Law were insufficient. Something greater had arrived - and He brought not a challenge to the Law, but a perfect fulfillment of it in ways that kicked down the sides of those boxes and let in the light of Love.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><u>Something Greater</u></b> (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+9%3A14-17%3B+12%3A1-14%3B+Mark+2%3A18-3%3A6%3B+Luke+5%3A33-6%3A11&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Matthew 9:14-17; 12:1-14; Mark 2:18-3:6; Luke 5:33-6:11</a>)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In these passages, Jesus deals with two aspects of the law that the religious leaders knew very well - fasting and the Sabbath. First, in response to a question from John's disciples about why His disciples do not fast, He gives three pictures to help them understand:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">There is no fasting while the bridegroom is present - that happens when he is taken away. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A garment is patched not with unshrunk new cloth - otherwise it would tear. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">New wine must be poured into new wineskins - otherwise the old ones would burst. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Much has been written about this passage, and my purpose here is not to delve into all the details of these pictures. Rather, what we see in Jesus' response is part of the larger message of this section of the Synoptic Gospels: <i>Something new is going on</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Around the same time, Jesus and His disciples are walking through a field on the Sabbath and the disciples begin to eat grain. This prompts an accusation from the Pharisees - they point this out to Jesus and the obvious sense of the passage is that they want to see Him correct them for disobeying their view of the "law". Instead, Jesus challenges <i>them</i> with a story from the life of David - a story of David eating bread that was supposed to be for priests. He reminds them that the priests break the Sabbath in the temple and are innocent. He tells them that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath - and then on another Sabbath, He goes to the synagogue to teach and heals a man with a withered hand. This time the Pharisees' and scribes' accusations remained unspoken but Jesus addresses them directly - asking if it is lawful to do good or harm on the Sabbath, to save or destroy life. Of course, nobody could respond. It was obvious that the One who created the Sabbath was living out the core of its meaning - not a new meaning, but one reflected even by the prophets (see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+58&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Isaiah 58</a>, for example). We see the heart of Jesus in Mark 3:5 as He perceives their attitudes: He is both angry and grieved. Grieved at their hardness of heart. Angry at the unnecessary burdens they have placed on those who would pursue God. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In the midst of these Sabbath exchanges, Jesus says something that I believe is key to understanding all of these controversies: "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here." (Matthew 12;6). Greater than the temple? That was hard for first century Jews to fathom. After the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC, the scattered Israelites longed for their homeland and their temple. Under the authority of Cyrus, a group returned to Jerusalem, ultimately rebuilding the city and the temple. By the first century, King Herod undertook a building project to overhaul and refurbish it. The center of religious life for Jews, the temple was the heart of their worship. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Yet Jesus says something greater has arrived. Greater than the temple. Greater than Jonah or Solomon, as we will see in a future study. As the author of Hebrews points out, greater than Moses or the angels. Jesus Himself is greater than all of this. And He doesn't reject the Law, or expressions such as fasting and the Sabbath. As we will see, He guides us to the law of love for God and others that is at the heart of it all.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></div><div><div style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><i>What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law, but not in the ways people expected. His way of law-keeping prioritizes the glory of God and the good of others. He might not always move and act in ways I expect, but I will be able to see God's heart and others' needs more as I walk with Him.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">God is grieved and angry when people misuse His Word in ways that move us away from love and toward "rules for the sake of rules." He wants us to have what is "greater", not the lesser ritualistic obedience but the deeper heart change He works through the New Covenant.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image?</span><br />Walk in a manner sensitive to His Spirit. Look for where the fruit of the Spirit is at work and join Him in that work. Don't let the expectations of others conform me into something that does not allow His deeper work to penetrate hearts.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></i></div></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">When I am walking with Him, I will be pointing people to Something Greater. This gets me out of the way and allows Him to do what only He can do - and ultimately, that deepens my relationship with Him and with others.</span></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-87727609536337845072022-05-25T10:53:00.007-05:002022-05-25T10:55:28.647-05:00As He Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #8: The Heart of Jesus<p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></p><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">#6</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/05/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#7</a>)</i></span><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As I write this blog post, the world around me swarms with chaos. Yet another school shooting. Painful revelations of abuse, even within churches. Another polarizing election. Shortages that leave people fearful that basic needs won't be met. As with every generation of Christians in every place and every era, it is tempting to say, "Take us now, Lord. We just want heaven." And yet here we are, living in the world. Like the people Daniel prophesied about in <a href="https://biblehub.com/daniel/11-32.htm" target="_blank">Daniel 11:32,</a> we should bring the "but" into our context - "but the people who know their God." We are simply asked to bring glimpses of His kingdom into our here and now. What does that look like? Walking with Jesus, we find the heart of the answer: Compassion. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>The Heart of Jesus: (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+4%3A23-25%3B+Matthew+8%3A2-4%3B+Matthew+9%3A1-13%3B+Mark+1%3A35-45%3B+Mark+2%3A1-17%3B+Luke+4%3A42-44%3B+Luke+5%3A12-32&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Matthew 4:23-25; Matthew 8:2-4; Matthew 9:1-13; Mark 1:35-45; Mark 2:1-17; Luke 4:42-44; Luke 5:12-32</a>)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jesus came with a message He was compelled to share. Matthew tells us He proclaimed "the Gospel of the kingdom." We <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">previously looked</a> at what that message entailed. The Gospel writers do not simply follow Jesus around recording his messages, however. Instead, what we see are vignettes that show us why that message was so compelling - miracles and attitudes that authenticate His words. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">These passages show Jesus healing a leper, healing a paralytic and forgiving his sins, and calling a tax collector to join His fishermen. Mark 1:41 captures the heart of Jesus in one verse: "<i>Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I am willing; be cleansed</i>.'" Jesus didn't act just to show His authority (though it did) or reveal more about His identity (thought is also did). Instead, Mark records that He was "moved with compassion."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">Compassion. This word is the most common emotion attributed to Jesus (<a href="https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2015/the-emotions-of-jesus-part-3-compassion" target="_blank">seven times in the Gospels</a>). </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The Greek word for five of these is </span><i style="color: #222222;">splanchnizomai</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> and in basic English terms it means "to feel it in your gut." Simply put, He personally connected with individuals and their pain - and in every situation, He took action. The same word is used for the attitude of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 and the father of the prodigal in Luke 15. Clearly, Jesus holds compassion up as a commendable virtue that should motivate those who walk in His steps. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">And yet so often, this virtue seems lacking. Sociologists speak of "compassion fatigue" when people face crisis after crisis and lose the ability to feel things so deeply every time. We've all experienced this; just last night I had to put away the bad news and let myself do some light reading just so I could go to sleep. We are human, and we have our limits. But as we continue to walk with Jesus, we find instruction on how to become the kind of person who can be "moved with compassion" in situtations where we are able to take action as Jesus did. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+9%3A9-13&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Matthew 9</a> records Matthew's call. Immediately we see Jesus gathered with <u>other</u> "tax collectors and sinners." Challenged by the Pharisees asking His disciples why, Jesus responds: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i></i></span></span></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire compassion, and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13)</span></i></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">"Go and learn." Jesus instructs them to learn what it means that He desires "compassion" (a different word, meaning "mercy", quoting Hosea 6:6).</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> We too must <i>learn what it means</i> that God desires mercy. Mercy is translated "compassion" in some versions because it means showing "kindness or good will" to those who are in need, "joined with a desire to help them" (Strong's Concordance). Why must we learn what this mean? Because God's desire for mercy means He calls sinners, not the righteous, to repentance. He doesn't need a sacrifice - He IS the sacrifice. What He wants are hearts that see hurts and seek to bring His heart into the world so sinners can be transformed. Hearts like these are only possible by His transformation - as we are given new hearts that are continually made into His image, we will learn the ministry of mercy - and as we are able to make a difference in a specific situation, we will find ourselves moved with compassion, feeling it in our gut.</span></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><p><b><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p></div><div style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><i>What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jesus' heart was characterized by compassion. He saw people, really saw them, and was moved to take actions that made a difference in their lives.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">God sees all of my needs and those around me. He alone never gets "compassion fatigue." He places us in situations where He wants me to see with His eyes, hear with His ears, and feel with His heart of compassion.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image?</span><br />Learning mercy is a process that flows from my relationship with Him. As I keep my eyes on Him and learn to walk as He walked, I will increasingly be focused on people, on relationships, on seeing as He sees and feeling what He feels. This requires intentionality, setting aside timelines and distractions at times. It requires a willingness to be part of the answer to my prayers for others at times. It requires time in the Word and in His presence to be sensitive to His Spirit. It requires silencing the voice of the world so I can better hear the voice of my shepherd. But as I grow in this, I will find that I'm learning mercy, and that active compassion in specific situations becomes my new default.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></i><div style="color: #222222;"></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">None of us can do this alone. The needs are too vast, the challenges are too great. We need the body, with our different experiences and abilities to step into situations. When we are in need we make those needs known; when others are in need we seek to step into that need as He guides us. This dependence on Him and interdependence on each other will deepen fellowship and guide us all to be compassionate Christians - people who, whatever happens, can be the "But the people who know their God..." in every situation.</span></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-78911300697572682192022-05-16T07:32:00.003-05:002022-05-16T07:36:05.286-05:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #7: Ministry in Capernaum<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_25.html" target="_blank">#6</a>)</i></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">After leaving His hometown, Jesus continues His ministry by going down to Capernaum. This town was a trading village and, being on the Sea of Galilee, attracted many fishermen as well as supporting industries. Jesus spent more time in Capernaum and the nearby region than in any other area, but we will see on this first recorded visit that His actions align with the Greek meaning of the city's name: "Village of Comfort." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><u>Jesus Visits Capernaum (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A31-41%3B+Matthew+8%3A14-17&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Luke 4:31-41; Matthew 8:14-17</a>)</u></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Luke's account gives us a chronological account of Jesus' time in Capernaum. Entering the village, He begins to teach on the Sabbath. People recognize the authority of His teaching. He casts a demon out of a man without harming the man, and reports spread throughout the area - an easy task in a trading port. Yet just as His fame begins to increase, Jesus does the opposite of what human nature would suggest. Instead of finding a place for a large crowd, Jesus goes small and gets personal - He enters the home of Simon (Peter) and heals his mother-in-law. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The woman immediately begins to serve those present, including Simon, Andrew, James and John. Apparently this miracle is shared as well, for we then see people coming to Him for healing and for casting out demons, fulfilling prophecies about the Messiah as Matthew's version below tells us. Jesus is comforting many in the "village of comfort." His ministry is growing and His fame is spreading. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">And then He goes small and gets personal again.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><b><u>Jesus calls four disciples (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A18-22%3B+Luke+5%3A1-11&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:1-11</a>;<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1%3A16-45&version=NASB1995" target="_blank"> see also Mark 1:16-45</a>)</u></b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><i style="color: #073763;"><b></b></i></span></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;">Two calls are mentioned in the Gospels - one by the side of the sea and another in the boat out on the Sea of Galilee. Rather than see this as different calls, it seems the Gospel writers view them as part of the same call. This should not be surprising; most of us who walk with Him can relate different stages of developing a relationship with Him and hearing His call over our lives. What seems most significant to me is that Jesus called them at all! He could have ministered alone, completing the work without the distractions that fallen humanity brings. He could have avoided the inevitable conflicts that would come with a diverse group of people from various walks of life. But He doesn't. Instead, He begins to build His church's foundation with four unlikely, rough, burly men who knew how to do one thing well: Fish. </div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;">He also calls them <i>together</i>. These two sets of brothers, these four men, are called <i>together</i>. From the beginning, Jesus meant for His church to be built by people who rely on each other - whose differences become essential, despite all the challenges that brings. At the same time His call is deeply personal. He calls not in a generic, distant sense but in a personal, intimate one. We see this most obviously in the call to become "fishers of men" - calling them where they were, asking them to do something they knew how to do, in a different context. We see it also in a less obvious way. <a href="https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/prayer/arts-and-faith/culinary-arts/biblical-fishing-101-reeling-in-the-first-fishers-of-faith/" target="_blank">Jewish fishermen knew the size of the crew </a>required to catch the hopefully half-ton of fish the boat held: Five. Four to row, and one to steer, supervise the catch, and watch for inclement weather. Based on Jesus' command to "Follow Me", these four fishermen would have known immediately that He would be the one commanding the boat. </div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></u></b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></div></span></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em; text-align: left;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><i>What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </i></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span>His identity and character were revealed in the practical things He did for people (healing Peters' mother-in-law, casting out demons, healing others). He had a message - "repent and believe" - but never expected that message to be heard without corresponding actions. He entered the "village of comfort" to bring the comfort only He can provide.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><span>He has authority over demons, including when and what they say. And yet He is intimately personal - at every stage, in every way, I can expect Him to speak and lead me in ways that sometimes only I will understand. I can expect the voice of my shepherd to be personal and, ultimately, comforting.</span></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image?</span><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><span>Gospel proclamation must be partnered with Gospel actions. Jesus cared </span></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">for people's spiritual needs without ignoring the physical (such as when the demon did not harm the man when Jesus cast him out). </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">Additionally, just as He is personal with me, I should be personal with others. He didn't call with a formula - He didn't minister with a formula - and neither should I.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">Finally, but perhaps most significantly to me, He saw the <u>one</u>. As His ministry grew, He intentionally chose at times to go small and focus on an individual or very small group of people. Years ago, God took me through a season where I had to learn <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2007/01/lessons-from-obscurity.html" target="_blank">lessons from obscurity</a>. I've noticed that many people who have the deepest walks with the Lord have learned similar lessons. I'm learning again through this passage to keep my eyes open for the one.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></i><div style="color: #222222;"></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span>He called us to walk with Him <u>together.</u> The apostles were from different backgrounds, sects of Judaism, social classes. But they followed Him as a group, not separately. Their differences would become essential to the mission of the church as time went on. Whatever He calls me to do, I should look for those He is partnering with me. He doesn't intend me to serve in isolation. He has someone to come alongside - even if it is just one, it will be sufficient for what He calls me to do in His strength and not my own.</span></span></div></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-57563165626814478902022-04-18T15:18:00.002-05:002022-04-18T15:18:09.818-05:00Foot locker faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGy2zG_PISLyFNLLHjgggTMdytzv8BgGB7Z-fjdSSJVIAXo0ygrkpupYm8uqS9B8mGb0OVhWFRIKf02cSLjRQXnMixs-AqaGfyZJqNTxJ59avXvZ9TL9w0aoXungOg4j4rhW5zXBnvxHYJpqWwGM4VW_YZG6CefauVWVViQwjmfqhQjM/s960/FB_IMG_1650223744589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="960" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGy2zG_PISLyFNLLHjgggTMdytzv8BgGB7Z-fjdSSJVIAXo0ygrkpupYm8uqS9B8mGb0OVhWFRIKf02cSLjRQXnMixs-AqaGfyZJqNTxJ59avXvZ9TL9w0aoXungOg4j4rhW5zXBnvxHYJpqWwGM4VW_YZG6CefauVWVViQwjmfqhQjM/s320/FB_IMG_1650223744589.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVgavUCVWVzqHxFFEjindMQfQ9BsRLcFkuCQnIJLQFg8fBzNfFwhsxp4_Q7OxlaASXhr0rA1z-B-6P40RGX5tnJ1AIZx4s0z555k5jSpaYqfa_Yg4WuAD7mawkNimUMlGI-7OA_v016FZ7ijf69mZaCv1OPu4SQG0V8SP_xyj2W3QhQU/s960/FB_IMG_1650223748702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="960" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVgavUCVWVzqHxFFEjindMQfQ9BsRLcFkuCQnIJLQFg8fBzNfFwhsxp4_Q7OxlaASXhr0rA1z-B-6P40RGX5tnJ1AIZx4s0z555k5jSpaYqfa_Yg4WuAD7mawkNimUMlGI-7OA_v016FZ7ijf69mZaCv1OPu4SQG0V8SP_xyj2W3QhQU/s320/FB_IMG_1650223748702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i><b><span style="color: #800180;">2 Peter 1:3-4 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.</span></b></i><br /><p>Look at these two boxes. Which one of them is more like your faith?</p><p>Faith can be like a beautiful, ornate box that we put up on the shelf, look at every now and then and find comfort that it's there, occasionally dust it off, but never really open it to see what's inside. </p><p>Or, Faith can be like a rough looking, beaten up foot locker that is filled with all kinds of beautiful treasures, that when we open it fills our home with beauty and fragrance and faith and hope and love and joy and peace and so much more, like Pandora's box but in a good way. Here's the thing - - foot lockers belong to soldiers. When our faith is something we fight for, and fight with, when we embrace the struggles that come with not getting all of our questions answered, when we walk with Jesus through the darkest places of our life and trust him to lead us through because we simply cannot even see to put one foot in front of the other, when we trust him to guard our heart because we can't even guard our own hearts successfully because they lie to us, our faith may look on the outside like this beaten up foot locker. It's not always going to be pretty, and it's not always going to be comforting to look at. But when we open it up, it fills us beyond imagination. </p><p>I think that's some of what Peter is getting at in these verses. We have no clue really all that is wrapped up in what we have when we are in Christ. He's urging us to find out. If your faith has been like the pretty box, I encourage you to take it off the shelf and let it get beaten up, and open it up and just find out what you're missing.</p><p></p><blockquote><br /></blockquote><p></p>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-34784141359023520432022-04-17T13:29:00.000-05:002022-04-17T13:29:39.036-05:00A Lament on Sabbath<p><br /></p><p>Lament has been defined as "a cry to one who is there". It is an act of faith, because it's a complaint to someone we really believe can help. Holy Saturday is a perfect picture of grief. In between the loss of the one we love, and the joy of the resurrection, lies the stillness, the darkness of grief. I wrote these words to try to capture some of what the women may have been feeling on that Saturday, their Sabbath.</p><p><br /></p><p>A Lament on Sabbath</p><p><br /></p><p>It's over.</p><p>How can it be over?</p><p>He was doing so much good,</p><p>This miracle man,</p><p>The one who healed me.</p><p><br /></p><p>It's over.</p><p>How can it be over?</p><p>He was completely innocent,</p><p>This holy man,</p><p>The one who set me free.</p><p><br /></p><p>It's over.</p><p>How can it be over?</p><p>He was so young,</p><p>This God-man,</p><p>This son of mine.</p><p><br /></p><p>It's over.</p><p>How can it be over?</p><p>Our Messiah, dead?</p><p>This can't be real.</p><p>And yet, we were there.</p><p>We saw the body taken down.</p><p>We saw the stone rolled over the tomb.</p><p><br /></p><p>Why God?</p><p>Why did you forsake him?</p><p>What about the promises,</p><p>The freedom Messiah was to bring?</p><p>To end like this, in a dark tomb.</p><p><br /></p><p>We'll do what we can,</p><p>To care for his body, to show him love.</p><p>Let's gather the spices,</p><p>And go to the tomb.</p><p>We'll need help with that stone.</p>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-14757875889343538062022-02-25T11:44:00.001-06:002022-02-25T11:44:34.173-06:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #6 - Jesus in Galilee <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMrWreE8Eun8Ahvu_t30Dlk4cnhKDwA2VllsoraigF5px5bveEBkguSRUYAVyGFzPLW5zYpssvXGdv28PiJF83EWZjs27DxXh67MuOwtybNJ_Vm289n8XN4UL3IZNMRNmycWaQDhlotuA7ce48k3ULZieS9ep_Gj84WGiWEk7CPfeQnzc=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_4.html" target="_blank">#5</a>)</i><p></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As we proceed on the timeline of Jesus' life, the period between Jesus' baptism and His public ministry included not only His temptation, but another significant event: The arrest of his cousin John the Baptist. John himself knew that Jesus' public presence would mean the end of his own ministry - "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 NASB95). Our journey with Jesus through the Synoptic Gospels begins with Jesus' response, one many of us can relate to in times of family tragedy - He went home.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus in Galilee and Nazareth</span></u></b></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><blockquote><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>(12) Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; (13) and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. (14) [This was] to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: (15) "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES-- (16) "THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED." (17) From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:12-17 NASB95)</i></b></span></blockquote><blockquote><p><b><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">(14) Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, (15) and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15 NASB95)</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="color: #351c75;">(19) But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, (20) Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison. (Luke 3:19-20 NASB95)</span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="color: #674ea7;">(14) And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. (15) And He [began] teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. (16) And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. (17) And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, (18) "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, (19) TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." (20) And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. (21) And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (22) And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?" (23) And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'" (24) And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. (25) "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; (26) and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, [in the land] of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. (27) "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." (28) And all [the people] in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; (29) and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. (30) But passing through their midst, He went His way. (Luke 4:14-30 NASB95) </span></i></b></p></blockquote><p></p><p>Jesus' public ministry began in the region of Galilee. Two cities are mentioned - Capernaum, a coastal town, and Nazareth, his hometown about 60 miles inland. Nazareth's reputation definitely preceded it - the apostle Nathanael captured the sentiment well when he asked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:45-46). Nazareth was a small, poor town, not thought much of even within the Jewish community. Capernaum, by contrast, was a well-known and prosperous trading port - and the home of five of the men Jesus would ultimately call to be apostles. </p><p>Piecing together the timeline from these passages and stories in John not covered in this Synoptic study, we see that Jesus initially traveled back and forth between these towns, and word spread about His message and ministry. While it is important to note this, our focus will be on the passages in the Synoptic gospels listed above. </p><p>Jesus came first with a message - "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel" (Mark 1:15). Mark likes to boil things down to the basics, so it is possible that Jesus' message was more detailed, but Mark includes the most significant "need-to-knows": </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>"The time is fulfilled"</b> - What "time"? The word here is <i>kairos</i>, a Greek word meaning season or period of time as opposed to an exact time. If I ask you "what time is it?", you might say, "10:30". But if I say, "It's time" you would rightly want to know, "Time for what?" Just as there is a "time" for each season of the year, or each season of life, there was also a "time" that had arrived, or been fulfilled. What time would that be? Jesus tells us Himself in the next phrase.</li><li><b>"The kingdom of God is at hand" </b>- God's kingdom - His rule and authority - is now "at hand". The phrase can also be translated, "has been brought near." The time that had arrived was the time for the kingdom of God to be brought near - for God to be <u>present </u>and <u>in authority</u>. </li><li><b>"Repent"</b> - The next phrase seems surprising in light of an announcement of God's authority and presence. To Jews living under Roman rule, a logical command from someone claiming the kingdom of God was present might have been, "Take up your swords and let's go show those Romans there's a new sheriff in town." Instead, the first command to humans that we see recorded from Jesus' lips is simply, "Repent." What is repentance, and why is it so important that Jesus made this His first command to people? "Repentance" was a well-known concept in Judaism. Israel's historians, poets, and prophets had all referred to repentance in the Old Testament writings. At its core, repentance is a <i>turning from</i> sin combined with a <i>turning toward</i> God. Have you ever walked out of your house, felt the air too cold or the weather too dangerous, and then turned around and went back inside? Spiritually speaking, that is what repentance is. In asking them to respond to the news of the kingdom of God by repenting, Jesus is asking them to "turn around" and begin living in a way that is consistent with life in God's presence.</li><li><b>"Believe in the Gospel"</b> - Finally, Jesus' first message asked them to put their faith, their trust, their confidence in something called "the Gospel". While we do see this fleshed out more fully in the Epistles as believing in Jesus' atoning death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, at this point Jesus hasn't died. So, what is the "good news" (the meaning of Gospel) which He wants them to believe? In his powerful book, <i>God is the Gospel</i>, John Piper puts it this way:</li></ul><p></p></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><p></p></span></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Those last words define one foundational part of the good news
that Isaiah foretells. “Your God reigns.” God’s sovereign rule is essential to the gospel. Isaiah foresaw the day when God’s sovereign rule
over all things would break into this world in a more open way and
bring great blessing to the people of God. So when the promised
Messiah came into the world, this is the primary way he spoke the
gospel. “Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and
saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14). <b>In other words, the
reign of God has broken into this world to set things right for the sake
of his people; therefore repent and believe this good news. </b>In fact, if
you do, you are part of his people. In a world so full of brokenness
and sin, there simply can be no good news if God does not break in
with kingly authority. If God does not come with sovereign rights as
King of the universe, there will be only hopelessness in this world. (God is the Gospel, p. 27, emphasis mine).</i></p></blockquote></span></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus next speaks in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30 above). He had healed a centurion's son who was in Capernaum with just a word while in Cana (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A43-54&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 4:43-54</a>) and this became part of the curiosity that people had around Him. "What do you think He will do next? Will that happen here?" they may very well have asked. With Nazareth being His hometown, there may have even been a sense of expecting special favor - after all, He's the "hometown boy" everyone is talking about. We might expect Jesus to walk into Nazareth with words of encouragement, telling them that something very good had indeed come out of Nazareth, and they should hold their heads up high as the hometown of the Messiah. As you can imagine, we would be quite wrong. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus instead directly challenges them with a reading from Isaiah (which would have been selected for Him) and a direct claim to be the fulfillment of the passage. Their unbelief is palpable; every small town-raised man or woman can hear the derision in the question, "Is this not Joseph's son"? (And there was probably sarcasm as well, as some present would have remembered Mary's scandalous pregnancy while engaged to righteous Joseph.) Rather than believe, they mocked. Jesus doesn't back down. He goes deeper into the text by way of two examples: The widow to whom God sent Elijah, and a leper named Naaman who was healed. In both cases, He pointedly calls out their status as non-Israelites; the widow was "of Sidon" and Naaman was "the Syrian." The reaction of the people was swift and shockingly threatening: They wanted to throw Him off the cliff!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why did Jesus start His ministry with such a confrontational message? There are many theories, but to me the simplest is to connect this story with His overall message simplified by Mark: The message of Good News that God has reached into our world with His presence and His authority is not restricted to one group of people. This truth is made more explicit by Matthew's inclusion of Jesus settling in Capernaum after this episode as a fulfillment of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%209%3A1-7&version=NIV" target="_blank">Isaiah 9:1-7</a> - a promise that goes on to include the prophecy Jesus had already fulfilled, as a "child born to us". Th</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">e Servant who brings the Gospel and sets people free also brings Light to the Gentiles - to all nations, not just Israel, and for all people, not just Nazarenes.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Jesus' kingdom is for all who will repent and believe.</span></p><div><span><p><b style="color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p></span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">First, let's not lose sight of the fact that Jesus withdrew when John was arrested. He didn't take it lightly, with platitudes about suffering. He cared enough to be concerned and to "go home", as we noted above. </span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;">Second, Jesus wasn't focused on gaining a following before speaking uncomfortable truths. While we can be sure His message was full of love (because God is love) He didn't shrink back from proclaiming what Scripture makes abundantly clear. </span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">God has <u>always</u> had a heart for the Gentiles (the non-Jewish nations), as His promise to Isaiah makes clear. Jesus' message wasn't a new one; it simply revealed what the Jewish Scriptures had been saying all along.</span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">If I truly want to be conformed to His image, I have to be focused on His priority: the Gospel, specifically the Gospel for <u>all nations</u>. This amazing message of His kingdom and authority is not just for Jews or Nazarenes or Americans - it is for everyone. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Secondly, I have to be bold where truth is clear, not focusing on pleasing people but on pleasing God. Now, I'm not talking about opinions or areas of genuine differences that are still within the limits of Scripture. And I'm certainly not talking about using the Bible as a club to beat people with. Jesus didn't do any of that. He didn't weigh in on the political issues of the day except when He used them to turn people toward eternal truths. And He always spoke truth in love, because He is love.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Relationships matter. Invest in them and let God build them. Again I am drawn to Jesus going home when John was arrested. While some see this solely as an incident that indicated the time had arrived to begin His public ministry, I see it as more. Jesus cared about His cousin and family at a difficult time. He went home. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">At the same time, His experience in His hometown teaches me that fellowship requires unity and takes two sides, not just one. Those who were angry at Him didn't desire fellowship. Sometimes we fight for unity and fellowship and still have to acknowledge that the other person doesn't have the same desire. That's ok. Keep loving, and follow Paul's admonition to be at peace "at much as it depends on you" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2012%3A18&version=NIV" target="_blank">Romans 12:18</a>).</span></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-56427618312013616832022-02-04T09:59:00.002-06:002022-02-04T12:45:56.175-06:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #5 - The Temptation of Christ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFTvWRPCCrQsyrJQex5TlKSOiit8Hy7Di1BChNnUILq6mrRx2CDM_mwqJFY5y0v1FJZgw409PkCjyWIgiKYq2_acJgEvbJ5vgrGRhv67p43fn93YpVE3Azigvx4ZvgkzNEHU4ByKoQlF1x5WvPreZUZ2UiCOcmTpKa_zUmQtQhI5VKQT0=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFTvWRPCCrQsyrJQex5TlKSOiit8Hy7Di1BChNnUILq6mrRx2CDM_mwqJFY5y0v1FJZgw409PkCjyWIgiKYq2_acJgEvbJ5vgrGRhv67p43fn93YpVE3Azigvx4ZvgkzNEHU4ByKoQlF1x5WvPreZUZ2UiCOcmTpKa_zUmQtQhI5VKQT0=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/02/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#4</a>)</i></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As we studied in the last section of Scripture, Jesus began His public ministry with an outward sign identifying with the sinners He came to save and demonstrating utter submission to His Father's will. With the divine seal of approval that followed His baptism, we might expect His next step to take Him into a prominent location from which He would correct all misconceptions about the Messiah and the Kingdom, and call people to follow Him. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We would be so very wrong. Instead, Jesus first ministry assignment would take place solely before the face of God.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Temptation of Jesus</span></u></b></div><div><i style="color: #351c75;"><b><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">(1) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (2) And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. (3) And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (4) But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" (5) Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU'; and 'ON [their] HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" (7) Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL 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 glory; (9) and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." (10) Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" (11) Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and [began] to minister to Him. [Matthew 4:1-11 NASB95]</span></blockquote></b></i></div><blockquote><p><i><b><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: georgia;">(12) Immediately the Spirit impelled Him [to go] out into the wilderness. (13) And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. [Mark 1:12-13 NASB95]</span></b></i></p><p><i style="color: #351c75;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">(1) Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness (2) for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. (3) And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." (4) And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'" (5) And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." (8) Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" (9) And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; (10) for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,' (11) and, 'ON [their] HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" (12) And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" (13) When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. [Luke 4:1-13 NASB95] </span></b></i></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia;"><i><b></b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Gospel writers all emphasize the divine nature of Jesus going into the wilderness. He was "led" (Matthew & Luke) or "impelled" (Mark) by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness. Luke, our chronological historian, tells us that the temptations were ongoing during these 40 days. He also provides the detail that Jesus was "led around" in the wilderness - He wasn't just sitting under a tree, He also wasn't taking a pleasant hike through a forest, what we might think of as a "wilderness" in the West. No, He was walking around a hot, dusty, unforgiving environment. A modern tour company prepares people for the experience today with this description: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">The Judean Desert is marked by </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">barren wilderness, mountains, terraces and escarpments</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"> rather than rolling sand dunes. The final escarpment drops steeply to the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley. The desert is criss-crossed by a number of valleys (wadis) and has deep ravines cutting through the rock. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(</span></span><span style="color: #202124; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.beinharimtours.com/judean-desert">https://www.beinharimtours.com/judean-desert</a>/, emphasis in the original)</span></i></span></p><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Matthew and Luke are also consistent in telling us that Jesus only became hungry after the 40 days ended. God obviously miraculously sustained Him. Reading Matthew alone, we might think the temptations didn't begin until the 40 days ended. However, a parallel reading of Luke informs us that the temptations were ongoing throughout the 40 days. Both Matthew and Luke emphasize three specific temptations, but Scripture is clear that Jesus was tempted in ways beyond the three selected by the Gospel writers for emphasis: </span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: georgia;"><b><i>(14) Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. (15) For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted <u>in every way</u> just as we are, yet without sin. (16) Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help. [Hebrews 4:14-16 NET, emphasis added]</i></b></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus was tempted <u>in every way</u> that we are - either during the 40 day period through temptations we do not see in Scripture, or over the course of His ministry as Satan found other "opportune times" (Luke 4:13) we also are not given. These three, however, are considered relevant enough for God to inspire Matthew and Luke to include them in detail. Jesus Himself is the only possible source for these details, and so we are on the right track if we envision Him pulling aside some of His disciples and telling them, "Let me tell you what happened during those days after my baptism." He was constantly teaching them, preparing them for the calling and ministry He had for them and helping them understand the challenges they would face, both internal and external. Here, we see He isn't asking them to walk through anything He hasn't already faced. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Temptation #1: Physical Need</u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Matthew and Luke both tell us that at the end of 40 days Jesus became hungry, and Satan then put forth a temptation related to that physical need. Hunger is an inescapable reality of being human; all people everywhere have to eat. Satan's temptation puts forth stones and suggests that if Jesus is really who He says He is - the Son of God - He can command them to become bread. It is apparent that Satan is casting doubt on Jesus' core identity. Jesus, however, fights the temptation with Scripture, specifically quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Matthew's account quotes the verse more fully than Luke's - "Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Deuteronomy passage refers back to the manna that God provided in the wilderness. Moses, on the edge of the Promised Land, recalls Israel's history in the wilderness. He reminds them that God humbled them with hunger and gave them manna to teach them that physical needs are not ultimate - we have a deeper need, a spiritual need for the word of God. Jesus, the Word made flesh, fights the temptation by prioritizing the need for the word of God. In so doing, He also underscores that His identity as Son of God is not based on physical realities but on spiritual ones.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Temptation #2: Earthly Power</u></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Matthew and Luke's second and third temptations are flipped, so we will use Luke's chronological account as the second temptation. Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him "all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time," claiming that he had been given the authority over them and could give it to anyone he wished. All Jesus had to do was bow down and worship Satan. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Before addressing Jesus' response, a word must be said about Satan's claim. Some teach that Satan truly was given this power and so those nations have to be "reclaimed". (Some do teach that they were "reclaimed" through the cross.) These teachings fail to take two facts into consideration: </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">1) Satan is a liar (<a href="https://biblehub.com/john/8-44.htm" target="_blank">John 8:44</a>). We can assume that whatever he says is false, even when mingled with truth twisted to his own purposed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">2) God gave His Son the authority to ask Him for the nations as an inheritance (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%202%3A7-8&version=NIV" target="_blank">Psalm 2</a>). Even allowing for the fullness of this promise to only be in place after the resurrection, Jesus was standing on that mountain knowing He had been promised exactly what Satan was offering - and knowing, as He would later teach, that Satan was, and always had been, a liar. (And indeed, Matthew's gospel ends with Jesus asserting that "all authority in heaven and on earth" had been given to Him - far more than Satan's false offer (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A18-20&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 28:18-20</a>.)</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus doesn't address these two facts, however. Instead, He cuts to the heart of what Satan was wanting - worship. He goes back to the first commandment - again quoting from Deuteronomy (<a href="https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/6-13.htm" target="_blank">Deut. 6:13</a>). He refuses to worship and serve anyone but God.</span></p><p><u><span style="font-family: georgia;">Temptation #3: Testing God</span></u></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Finally, Satan takes Jesus into Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and quotes Psalm 91. Again challenging Jesus' identity, Satan suggests that He throw Himself off the temple and let God catch Him. In this temptation we hear a foreshadowing of the mocking Jesus heard at the cross (see <a href="https://biblehub.com/matthew/27-40.htm" target="_blank">Matthew 27:40</a>). Jesus resists the temptation to use <a href="https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/91.htm" target="_blank">Psalm 91</a> in a self-protective way. Instead, He again pulls from Moses' words, this time quoting <a href="https://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/6-16.htm" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 6:16</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">In this passage Moses is reminding the Israelites of when they tested God at Massah, demanding water and questioning whether Moses led them out of Egypt just to die in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds them of that sin and implores them not to repeat that when they cross into the Promised Land. Instead, they should just focus on doing right in the sight of the Lord (Deut. 6:18) and let Him take care of their enemies. (<a href="https://biblehub.com/context/deuteronomy/6-16.htm" target="_blank">See Deut. 6:16-19</a>). In quoting this verse, Jesus is telling Satan that He isn't going to be presumptuous and "test God" just because of a few verses taken out of context; instead, He is going to focus on doing what is right and allow God to be his protector as He sees fit. </span></p><div><b style="color: #222222;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As the Hebrews passage above reminds me, Jesus was tempted "in every way" as we are, yet without sin. This passage tells me some of what that temptation looked like - but not all. As John Piper has said, Jesus' temptations were stronger than ours, not weaker, because we don't resist to the degree He did. We often give in to sin, ending the temptation; He never did. This story tells me I have a Savior who truly has been tempted, and can walk with me through any temptation I might ever face.</span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">While Mark doesn't include the details of the temptations, he does tell us Jesus was "with the wild beasts". Matthew and Mark both tell us that after the temptations, angels came to minister to Jesus. The sense that is given is that God was watching and just waiting to minister to Jesus, healing Him from the challenges He faced physically from "wild beasts", the wilderness, and Satan himself. This shows the Father's heart toward His Son. He could have caused Jesus' certainly-sore feet, fatigued body, and exhausted spirit to heal with just a word, but He sent angels - angels from the realms of glory where Jesus had lived in eternity with the Father. Angels that had to be a reminder of Home in a desolate place that was nothing like the glory He had left. What an amazing portrait of the heart of God. </span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Jesus fully relied on God and His word during times of temptation. This reliance was so thorough that even the passages He quotes are reflective of His present experience. All come from Deuteronomy, when the Israelites were encamped in another wilderness awaiting entrance into the Promised Land. As a Jewish man, Jesus would have known these stories by heart. He would have memorized the Psalms from which Satan drew two of the temptations. Similarly, I need to be steeped in His word to face any temptation. Satan was looking for an "opportune time" to tempt Jesus further, and I can be assured he is always on the lookout for such an opportunity with me. It's not a matter of if, but when, I'll need to apply what I know of His character access His word to a time of temptation. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Leaning on God and knowing His word well will draw me into closer relationship with Him during my times of temptation. It is easy to focus on Satan and the attack during times of spiritual warfare. Jesus' temptations show me that I should keep the emphasis on God and His word. Knowing the He is who He says He is, that I am who He says I am, and that His word is sufficient, will only increase my fellowship with Him. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Physical presence enhances fellowship with others. The fact that God sent angels to minister to Jesus demonstrates that even the God-man Himself benefitted from physical presence. </span></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-722235471001531562022-02-02T14:44:00.003-06:002022-02-02T14:49:15.439-06:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #4 - John the Baptist and Jesus' Baptism<p style="text-align: left;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFTvWRPCCrQsyrJQex5TlKSOiit8Hy7Di1BChNnUILq6mrRx2CDM_mwqJFY5y0v1FJZgw409PkCjyWIgiKYq2_acJgEvbJ5vgrGRhv67p43fn93YpVE3Azigvx4ZvgkzNEHU4ByKoQlF1x5WvPreZUZ2UiCOcmTpKa_zUmQtQhI5VKQT0=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFTvWRPCCrQsyrJQex5TlKSOiit8Hy7Di1BChNnUILq6mrRx2CDM_mwqJFY5y0v1FJZgw409PkCjyWIgiKYq2_acJgEvbJ5vgrGRhv67p43fn93YpVE3Azigvx4ZvgkzNEHU4ByKoQlF1x5WvPreZUZ2UiCOcmTpKa_zUmQtQhI5VKQT0=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_23.html" target="_blank">#3</a>)</i></p></blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As we turn the page from Jesus' boyhood, we have a gap of several years where we do not have a Biblical record of what He was doing. Based on what we know about Jewish culture, Joseph and Mary, Nazareth, and carpenters of the day (which actually functioned more as builders or stonemasons than the woodworkers we think of today), we can reasonably assume that He grew up in a poor, but devout family, learning the Scriptures and Joseph's trade. We know from Scripture He had siblings, so imagining Him working or playing alongside other children is also reasonable. Essentially, He grew up as so many Jewish boys did - and yet as the Biblical record continues into His adulthood, we are faced immediately with the reality that He was not "just" another poor, devout Jewish man.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Ministry of John</span></u></b></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i></i></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><b>(1) Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, (2) "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (3) For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'" (4) Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; (6) and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. (7) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; (9) and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. (10) "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (11) "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (12) "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:1-12 NASB95)</b></i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><b>(1) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (2) As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; (3) THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.'" (4) John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (5) And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. (6) John was clothed with camel's hair and [wore] a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. (7) And he was preaching, and saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. (8) "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:1-8 NASB95)</b></i></span></span></div><div><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div><div><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>(1) Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, (2) in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. (3) And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; (4) as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT. (5) 'EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; (6) AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.'" (7) So he [began] saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. (9) "Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (10) And the crowds were questioning him, saying, "Then what shall we do?" (11) And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise." (12) And [some] tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" (13) And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to." (14) [Some] soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And [what about] us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse [anyone] falsely, and be content with your wages." (15) Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, (16) John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (17) "His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (18) So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. (19) But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, (20) Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison." (Luke 3:1-20 NASB95)</b></span></i></div><div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">John bursts onto the scene and causes quite a stir - not only did he dress funny, but people had to go out of their way to see him. What was the attraction - and more to the point of this study, why did God choose to include this in the Gospels about Jesus? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">First, we must remember that very few people had heard Zechariah's prophecy over John and Jesus. As far as public prophets go, there hadn't been one since Malachi- 400 years earlier. As the prophet Amos had promised, Israel had experienced "a famine of hearing the word of the Lord" (Amos 8:11-13). Though much had happened during this time - spiritually, historically and politically, this was not a wasted season for the people of God - one thing that did not happen was the public proclamation of words from God by prophets. John's witness would have been as rare to them as seeing the aurora borealis in New Orleans! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Second, John's ministry was one of <i>preparation</i>. As promised by the prophets, he came to "prepare the way of the Lord" by preaching the need for repentance and the promise of forgiveness. Yet John's message was incomplete, as even he realized. He was not the light, but came to point people to the light. Unlike other prophets, who gave specific messages pointing far into the future, John's prophetic ministry was different. He was telling people that the long-awaited Messiah wasn't far away - He had arrived! John's ministry thus bridges the Old Testament prophets and the ministry of Jesus - through whom the Lord would now speak (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>).</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The Baptism of Jesus</span></u></b></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #222222;"></i></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><i>(13) Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan [coming] to John, to be baptized by him. (14) But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" (15) But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit [it] at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. (16) After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove [and] lighting on Him, (17) and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." </i></span><i style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">(Matthew 3:13-17 NASB95)</i></b></span></div><div><i style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>(9) In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. (10) Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; (11) and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (Mark 1:9-11 NASB95)</b></span></i></div><div><i style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div><div><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b> (21) Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, (22) and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (Luke 3:21-22 NASB95)</b></span></i></div></blockquote><div><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></i></div><div><i style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">After centuries without a prophet, John came preaching the need for repentance. Many went out to him in the desert, fighting rough terrain to see a rough-looking prophet. Suddenly, the scene zeroes in on one particular candidate for baptism - Jesus Himself, the One about whom John is prophesying, the One for whom John leapt for joy in his mother's womb. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">The perfect lamb of God, asking for a baptism of repentance. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Of course John balked! He recognized Jesus' righteousness and authority. And yet, at the command of the Lord Himself, John baptized Jesus. The facts are clear in Scripture. But the question remains - <u style="font-style: italic;">why</u> was Jesus asking to be baptized? </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;">He tells us the answer Himself in Matthew's account: "<i>P</i></span><i style="color: #222222; text-align: center;">ermit [it] at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." </i><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"> At this time, the right time for Jesus to begin His public ministry, baptism was the appropriate way to "fulfill all righteousness." Knox Chamblin fleshes out this phrase beautifully: </span></span></div><div><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large; text-align: start;"></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large; text-align: start;"></span><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;">The supreme work that the Father requires of the Son (that which above all else is right for the Son to do and which will entail utter submission to the Father’s will) is that He, the Lord’s righteous Servant, save His people from their sins (</span><a class="esv-crossref-link" href="https://www.esv.org/Matt.%201%3A21/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #72abbf; display: inline; line-height: 1.8; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">Matt. 1:21</a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;">) by Himself bearing their iniquities (</span><a class="esv-crossref-link" href="https://www.esv.org/Isa.%2053%3A11/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #72abbf; display: inline; line-height: 1.8; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">Isa. 53:11</a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;">). Jesus’ death for sinners is foreshadowed Here at the Jordan River, as John the Baptist recognizes (</span><a class="esv-crossref-link" href="https://www.esv.org/John%201%3A29/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #72abbf; display: inline; line-height: 1.8; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">John 1:29</a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;">). Unlike the others who came for baptism (</span><a class="esv-crossref-link" href="https://www.esv.org/Matt.%203%3A6/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #72abbf; display: inline; line-height: 1.8; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">Matt. 3:6</a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;">), Jesus had no personal sins to confess. Yet He willingly received “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (</span><a class="esv-crossref-link" href="https://www.esv.org/Mark%201%3A4/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #72abbf; display: inline; line-height: 1.8; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">Mark 1:4</a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;">), a sign that He identifies with the sins of those He came to save (</span><a class="esv-crossref-link" href="https://www.esv.org/2%20Cor.%205%3A21/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #72abbf; display: inline; line-height: 1.8; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">2 Cor. 5:21</a></span><span style="color: #333333; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">). </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/fulfill-all-righteousness">https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/fulfill-all-righteousness</a>, accessed 2-2-2022)</span></blockquote></div><span style="color: #333333; font-size: large; text-align: start;"></span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jesus, then, was baptized by John to demonstrate identification with sinners and utter submission to the Father's will, even unto death. That this humble beginning was accepted by God is evident in the next few verses, recorded in every Gospel in some form. The Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, came from heaven, descended on Jesus, and spoke - apparently once to Jesus ("You are My beloved Son") and once to eyewitnesses ("This is My beloved Son"). we know that at least John saw the dove and heard the message, because he declared it himself after pointing Jesus out and calling Him the Lamb of God: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><b>32 John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God." [John 1:32-34 NASB95]</b></blockquote></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Whether or not others besides Jesus and John heard the voice is not the point. John is giving his own testimony of what he saw, and pointing others to Jesus. From this point, John's ministry would decrease as Jesus' would increase - and John found this completely <a href="https://biblehub.com/john/3-30.htm" target="_blank">appropriate</a>. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What's the point of God saying He is pleased with Jesus? First, let us not forget that, according to Mark and Luke, Jesus heard the voice as a personal word - "in You I am well-pleased". Jesus' ministry would be defined by always doing His Father's will. He was assured that He was doing what pleased God (<a href="https://biblehub.com/john/8-29.htm" target="_blank">John 8:29</a>) and that God always heard His prayers (<a href="https://biblehub.com/john/11-42.htm" target="_blank">John 11:42</a>). To start His ministry with a personal word from God, the Father who had loved Him before the world was ever created (<a href="https://biblehub.com/john/17-24.htm" target="_blank">John 17:24</a>) must have given Jesus, in His humanity, much comfort during the challenging, lonely times.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Secondly, God testifying publicly (at least to John) that "in Him I am well-pleased" is the first of three publicly-heard "voices from heaven" in which God says something significant about Jesus. (The others are found in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+17%3A5-6&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">Matthew 17:5-6 </a>and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+12%3A27-30&version=NASB1995" target="_blank">John 12:27-30</a>). Here, the emphasis is on identity - <u>this One</u> (not someone else) is My Beloved Son - and I am pleased with Him". </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Notably, this same phrase is used later in Matthew 12:18 to show how Jesus fulfilled one of Isaiah's prophecies (<a href="https://biblehub.com/isaiah/42-1.htm" target="_blank">Isa. 42:1</a>):</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #351c75;">"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles." (Matthew 12:18 ESV)</span></b></span></blockquote></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Matthew's use of the same phrase from the Old Testament prophecy makes a direct connection to Jesus as the Messiah, long-promised to the Israelites to whom he writes. It is a reminder to Jews who knew the scriptures that Messiah was chosen, loved, delighted in, and empowered by God's Spirit to bring justice and righteousness not only to Israel but to the nations.</span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><u><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">John spoke of Jesus baptizing "with the Holy Spirit and with fire". This speaks of a promise of the Spirit that the New Testament will ultimately reveal to be an indwelling that empowers us for a life of holiness and service in doing the will of God. Jesus' life will show us what that looks like, but the story of John the Baptist and Jesus' baptism teaches me that just as Jesus did not walk with God in His own strength, neither am I expected to do so. With the call to salvation and mission comes the empowerment through the Holy Spirit. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">God calls people to repentance and offers forgiveness. His heart truly is for all to be in relationship with Him, and He makes the way for that relationship very clear. He also expects fruit consistent with repentance - anything less is hypocrisy. John's message then - and the Gospel message now - isn't about easy believism or behavior modification, it's about life transformation. But the beautiful thing is, just as John's message prepared people to encounter the incarnate Jesus as the Word made flesh, so today God still prepares people to encounter Jesus.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Jesus walked humbly, and stayed focused on pleasing the Father. If I am to walk as He walked, I cannot focus on what others would think ("They are all going to stare at me if I go down to the water") or on people-pleasing. While my life should be above reproach and I should live in an exemplary manner because of the new heart God has given me, my motive should be to please Him in all I do. In case we are tempted to think that "pleasing God" has a ring of legalism to it, let us remember Paul's admonition to the Ephesians: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><blockquote><b><span style="color: #20124d;">8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light - 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth - 10 <u>trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord</u>. [Ephesians 5:8-10 NET, emphasis mine]</span></b></blockquote><p>This tells me that I don't seek to please God to earn His favor. Instead, because I am <u>ALREADY</u> a child of the light, I have the ability to "try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord." My old, incurable, sin-sick heart didn't have this ability - and I found so many ways to run away from even trying, often out of fear that it would be an impossible quest. My story has a lot of darkness in it - and yet Paul reminds me that I am "light in the Lord". I can now learn what pleases Him - not because of me, but because I am in Christ and He now looks at me and sees His Son, the light of the world.</p></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Repentance restores us to right relationship with God, and only then is it possible to be in right relationship with others. Understanding John's call to repentance and the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit is transforming in my relationship with God and others. </span></span></div><p></p>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-85978482015493523652022-01-23T08:11:00.006-06:002022-01-27T14:24:40.348-06:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #3- Jesus' Birth and Early Years<p style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in_17.html" target="_blank">#2</a>.)</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuojRz8HvJkthXZZoASs6ZoFqFZXWxHWJ8ujPAr7K_n9RYysPORPWhUO63V1EGM8-cbD3T9pFwAkBVb-ExjzUQlQT9fOjBUoPcCszQCe58dlq0ebkItEHEdmmaFM_LwdfUNgM7wP-l2n8-XrFqbB83qT6E8vKG25VTuiZRgloziXYT1mo=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuojRz8HvJkthXZZoASs6ZoFqFZXWxHWJ8ujPAr7K_n9RYysPORPWhUO63V1EGM8-cbD3T9pFwAkBVb-ExjzUQlQT9fOjBUoPcCszQCe58dlq0ebkItEHEdmmaFM_LwdfUNgM7wP-l2n8-XrFqbB83qT6E8vKG25VTuiZRgloziXYT1mo=w162-h162" width="162" /></a></div><br /><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"></i><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">If you've been reading the Bible very long or even just attending church regularly, the passages we are looking at today will have a ring of familiarity. This is, after all, the Christmas story! It's tempting when reading such a familiar passage to skim through it, assuming we know the story and the doctrinal truths included in it. That's why I have found a framework or lens for a study to be helpful at times, slowing me down and making me ask more questions as I observe the text. I hope you find these nuggets as rich and encouraging as I did!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><u>The Birth of Jesus </u></b></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i>Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard [this,] he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found [Him,] report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over [the place] where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned [by God] in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:1-12 NASB95)</i></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i>Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were [some] shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This [will be] a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds [began] saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. (Luke 2:1-20 NASB95)</i></b></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We see in these birth narratives far more than just the historical record of Jesus' birth. Our pristine nativity scenes and children's plays capture the beauty of the moment, but the Word of God goes much deeper. As we read these narratives, we see a series of people who <u>encountered Jesus</u> and responded in various ways: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The shepherds </b>realized the revelation was truly from God, and quickly obeyed. They responded in worship and proclamation. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The magi</b> recognized Jesus for who He was - giving Him gifts befitting a king - and responded with worship. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Mary</b> responded in a way every mother understands - she treasured everything in her heart and pondered it. Although it was the Son of God laying in that manger, Mary's heart responded with a mother's love - a bond that would persist to the cross. </span></li></ul><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">Let's drill down a bit into the magi. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Matthew obviously wasn't writing to impress anyone. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">By all accounts the most Jewish of the Gospels and likely written for a group of Jewish Christians, Matthew had nothing to gain, and much to lose, by reminding his audience of the pagan Gentile magicians who traveled far to worship Jesus. Coming as it does on the heels of the </span><a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2011/05/shocking-new-beginning.html" style="background-color: white; color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;">shocking </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">genealogy of chapter 1, Matthew's worship emphasis flies in the face of Jewish notions of the day: Hold those Gentiles who do keep the Law and become "God-fearers" at a distance. No closer than the Court of the Gentiles - that was the practice. Never mind that the Law prescribed that the Gentile who adopted fully the religion of Israel fell under the same religious laws as Israel (see for example Leviticus 17:8) and that Solomon had asked God to hear their prayers (1 Kings 8:41-43). First century Jewish religious leaders excluded Gentiles. Matthew gives them a special place in his Gospel.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The parallels between the magi's authentic worship and Herod's selfish request to worship are obvious. What's less obvious is how shocking the magi's visit really must have sounded on first century ears. Writing to believers who were still learning how to be the church, what it meant to have Jew and Gentile together in one body, Matthew tells us something significant about worship - something shocking.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Look at Matthew's story again. First, the magi were, well, magi. They were basically astrologers. They observed the stars and in this case, saw something unique. Second, the magi hadn't studied the Scriptures closely - they were "in the neighborhood", going to the capital city of Jerusalem, but didn't know that the prophecy for Messiah was that he would be born in Bethlehem. Finally, they don't have offerings that would normally be considered acceptable - no grain, no animals, no blood. They weren't even priests! They would likely not be allowed even in the Court of the Gentiles and would never see the holy of holies.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What they had was an earnest desire to see Jesus. Look again at the only words recorded from their lips, in verse 2: "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">This is worship?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Oh, absolutely. And this is where Matthew has much to teach us. He uses the more liturgical term for worship here - </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">proskyneo</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">. It's the Greek word used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for "worship" or "bow down" - the formal worship in the temple, the bowing down before visible majesty. Interestingly, this word is rarely used in the New Testament. Only in the Gospels (where Jesus was physically present), Revelation (where the throne of God is present), Acts (where the temple was still a place of "worship"), and only twice in the epistles, both referencing the presence and power of God. The New Testament favors the word </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">latreuo</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> for worship - a word meaning serve, perhaps seen most clearly in Romans 12:1: "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Why the change in emphasis? John Piper fleshes this out beautifully in the revised edition of </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Let the Nations be Glad</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> (a must-read for missions enthusiasts). He draws from </span><a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Jhn&c=4&v=1&t=NASB#top" style="background-color: white; color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;">John 4</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> to show that "in the New Testament worship is significantly de-institutionalized, de-localized, de-externalized." He summarizes:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In Himself He would fulfill everything the temple stood for, especially the "place" where believers meet God. He diverted attention away from worship as a localized activity with outward forms and pointed toward a personal, spiritual experience with Himself at the center. Worship does not have to have a building, a priesthood, and a sacrificial system. It has to have the risen Jesus. (p. 217)</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The magi didn't know much, but they knew they were looking for Jesus. Matthew uses the formal word for worship, as they bow down before His visible presence, but the heart and soul of Jesus' later teaching to the Samaritan woman is pictured here with these magi: their shocking worship was just what He came to bring about. He came to create worshippers from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people group.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">None of this is to diminish the role of Scripture and sound doctrine. Regular readers of this blog know how much I emphasize in-depth study of God's Word. Even the magi were sent in the specific right direction (to Bethlehem) by God's Word, not their astrological readings. But I believe we can learn from Matthew that God will meet people where they are, and when they sincerely are seeking Jesus, He will make sure to get them to Him. And He will welcome their worship with open arms as they continue to learn more about Him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">We often treat worship like a task, salvation as a transaction. Matthew's story of the magi reminds us that at the heart of worship lies a heart that seeks to find Jesus. And Matthew lays the groundwork here for a salvation that is a lifestyle - a process that starts, grows, and bears fruit as we continually are drawn to "Him who has been born King of the Jews".</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><u>The Dedication in the Temple and </u></b><b><u>Flight to Egypt</u></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">After the visit of the magi, Scripture records two key events: Jesus' dedication in the temple in accordance with the Law, and Joseph taking his family to Egypt to protect Jesus from Herod's destructive plans and to fulfill a prophecy. These divergent stories in Matthew and Luke have caused confusion and raised questions in the minds of some readers. How could Jesus be taken to the temple if He was in Egypt? How could He be taken to Egypt if He was taken to Nazareth? This is where I believe that the different purposes of the books can be helpful, as well as remembering Luke's uniqueness as the chronological Gospel.</p><p style="text-align: left;">First, only Matthew records the Magi and flight to Egypt. Why? Remember, he is writing (sometimes polemically) to Jews. He wants to make sure Jesus is recognized as King of the Jews as well as a Savior for all peoples, not just Jews. He also is very focused on pointing out ways Jesus fulfilled prophecy. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Second, Luke is interested in telling the story of Jesus as a light for the Gentiles, and of the supernatural work of God in His ministry. The references to the Holy Spirit throughout these early chapters of Luke demonstrate Luke's emphasis from the beginning, and this comes out in the dedication in the Temple. Luke isn't focused as much on their fulfillment of the Law (though he points that out) as he is on the fact that God Himself has now entered His temple, and the Holy Spirit bears witness through Simeon's prophecy. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Luke's reference to "returning to Nazareth" doesn't necessarily mean they immediately returned, nor does it mean that they arrived at Jerusalem from Nazareth (that would make no sense, actually, since Bethlehem was so close and Mary would not have been able to make a long journey just 8 days after giving birth). Matthew actually adds more insight to the story about their return to Nazareth, along with another miraculous warning in a dream. </p><p style="text-align: left;">If the Magi did not appear at the time of Jesus' birth, but some time (within two years) later, then the order of events was likely: Jesus' birth and visit by the shepherds; Dedication in the Temple (returning to Bethlehem); Visit by the Magi; Joseph's dream & Herod's destructive plan (illustrated by the murder of children recorded by Matthew); Flight to Egypt; Return from Egypt and settling in Nazareth. That is the order I have included the passages below.</p><p><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><blockquote><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was [then] called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY [firstborn] MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD"), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS." And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel." And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this [Child] is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed-- and a sword will pierce even your own soul--to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with [her] husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and [began] giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:21-38 NASB95)</i></b></span> </blockquote><blockquote><b style="color: #351c75;"><i><i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. [This was] to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON." Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE." But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, "Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead." So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned [by God] in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. [This was] to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: "He shall be called a Nazarene." (Matthew 2:13-23 NASB95) </b></span></i></i></b> </blockquote><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b>When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (Luke 2:39-40 NASB95)</b></span></i></p></blockquote><p>Again, these passages show people's responses to encountering Jesus: </p><ul><li><b>Simeon</b> saw Jesus as an answer to a promise from God. He realized He was the Messiah, and responded in worship and praise, speaking prophetic words over Jesus and Mary (another type of proclamation).</li><li><b>Anna</b> recognized Jesus for who He was, responding in worship and proclamation. </li><li><b>Herod</b>, however, responded with anger expressed in murderous intentions. He didn't deny the existence of Jesus, but perceived Him as a direct threat and so rejected Him, killing untold numbers of innocent children. </li></ul><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b></b></span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><u>The Boyhood of Jesus</u></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">We know precious little information about Jesus' boyhood, which has led to a lot of speculation and spurious writings over the years. The limited scope of Scripture on this subject is quite significant, though, and provides ample information for us to study.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up [there] according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they [began] looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's [house?]" But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all [these] things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:41-52 NASB95)</i></b></span></blockquote><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Here we see Jesus demonstrating His uniqueness at a young age. Mary and Joseph's frantic search finds Jesus in the temple. He is not preaching; instead, He is listening and asking questions, dialoguing with teachers and giving His own answers. Yet His wisdom and knowledge of the Word were evident. </span><span>Luke ties this event back to the use of "Son of God" in chapter one, when Jesus responds, "Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" The little we know about Jesus' childhood, then, underscores that He is indeed the Son of God. Yet i</span><span>n this final vignette, we see one more response to Jesus; the </span><b>teachers in the temple</b><span> were amazed at His words, but did not recognize Him for who He was nor respond in worship. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the same time, we see that Jesus was indeed fully human. He is not an adult - though as with most 12 year olds, we can start to see the man He will become showing through. He still has growth left - both physical and spiritual. Luke tells us He "continued in subjection" to His parents - submitting to the authority God gave them over Him. Later He would <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%208%3A5-13&version=NIV" target="_blank">marvel at a centurion's faith</a>, in part because the man, well-versed in both being in authority and under authority, recognized Jesus' authority over sickness. For now, though, He had to experience the reality of living under the authority of imperfect humans.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><u><span style="font-family: times;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As noted in the previous posts, I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When we encounter Jesus, we must respond. We must ask God to help us understand the revelation. When we do, we either accept it and worship Him, proclaiming who He is to those around us, or we reject it and fight against Him. The shepherds and magi, Simeon and Anna, Mary & Joseph, show us what responding in worship and proclamation look like. Herod shows us what rejecting Him looks like. The temple teachers show us what it looks like when we fail to recognize the revelation He gives us. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The first missionaries about the Messiah were not the apostles, and missions didn't start at Pentecost. Instead, Luke records that God chose a simple group of people - shepherds - to carry His message that was heralded by angels.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">God could have had the angels proclaim the birth of Christ throughout the world. He could have let everyone see the glorious light and the shining star. Yet He chose to reveal truth to a few, who would spread the word to so many more.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The shepherds were no different than you and I, really. Simply people who were recipients of revelation - and they passed that revelation on to others. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #000099;">"And all who heard it wondered".</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><p><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. - Zechariah 7:10 NLT</i></b></span></p><div></div></blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">This verse captures God's heart throughout the Old Testament - His "special classes" of widow, orphan poor, and foreigner. In the passages we are looking at today, we see that God chose to record encounters with Jesus with three of these four groups - the widow (Anna), the foreigner (magi), and the poor (shepherds, and Mary & Joseph themselves). God's heart is for the weak and marginalized, so much so that He revealed Jesus to them first and entrusted them to share the news that Messiah had been born.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jesus had to be in His Father's house - about His Father's business. If I am going to walk as He walked, I too will need to be focused on what my Father is doing. Additionally, Jesus' example with the temple teachers is one of humility. He although He had to grow in wisdom, He obviously still had an impressive level of knowledge and understanding. Yet Scripture records that Mary & Joseph found Him "listening to them and asking questions". How often do I try to have the answers instead of ask the questions? How often do I speak instead of listen. Jesus' boyhood example calls me to humility - especially when I see Him then returning home, submitting Himself to His parents despite their human limitations. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #222222;">Some say that the Magi's own faith led them to the manger where nobody forced them to worship Jesus. They say this shows the ecumenical nature of all religions and the importance of recognizing the good in them all. </span><span style="color: #222222;">The logic of this argument falls apart when we wonder, if all religions are equal, why the magi would need to come to Jesus at all. If he is right and the magi's own belief system pointed them to Jesus, does this not underscore the supremacy of the Babe, rather than the similarities of all faiths? Simply put, if all religions are equal then there is no need for them to point to Jesus.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br />And yet we see, in many traditions around the world, in many cultures, traces of the Gospel. The villagers who believe that only by drawing a cross on the dirt can they ward off evil spirits. The "peace child" that must be offered to settle disputes between two parties. Don Richardson calls these the "keys" within cultures and religions that point people to Jesus. Often, when these people groups hear the message of the Gospel, they respond eagerly because of the preparation God has put within their cultures. (I'm sure some of you could tell far more stories than I could about this topic!)<br /><br />It is true that no one forced the magi to worship Jesus. But worship Him they did, as Matthew 2 makes clear. They didn't worship Him because He was equal to their traditions. They worshiped Him because He was supreme.<br /><br />Jesus is unique. He draws shepherds and magi into the circle of His love and places them on equal footing. And because He is supreme, He can use people's own traditions to point them to truth, preparing them for the message of Scripture. But let's never confuse that preparation for the ultimate message. Always remember that Jesus is unique and supreme. The magi didn't travelup to two years to worship someone equal to their faith. They traveled 2 years to worship God Incarnate, Immanuel, God with us.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">When I recognize and embrace His revelation, I am drawn deeper into fellowship with Him. As I speak of Him to others, I am drawn deeper into fellowship with those who believe or who are being drawn toward faith by His cords of love.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-79583693696778206272022-01-17T08:47:00.005-06:002022-01-27T14:24:15.755-06:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #2 - Birth Announcements and Responses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2022/01/as-jesus-walked-christ-revealed-in.html" target="_blank">#1</a>.)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqd1wRx1MUbDxzE2QMcGw1OJgoiggCYPHPryntQRiR80AHbkVifBwbVSOd0phASi54LX4msuTJJtxnzXueRd8f3nYnBj2Zs4jmdOt78lsyP4GaXDJ1m-OBxAvXwMAVLz59X-_y523VmqHjYtc-B2l9AxtSbo3NK_xvIMHKAt9Jrr6VEpw=s320" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqd1wRx1MUbDxzE2QMcGw1OJgoiggCYPHPryntQRiR80AHbkVifBwbVSOd0phASi54LX4msuTJJtxnzXueRd8f3nYnBj2Zs4jmdOt78lsyP4GaXDJ1m-OBxAvXwMAVLz59X-_y523VmqHjYtc-B2l9AxtSbo3NK_xvIMHKAt9Jrr6VEpw=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As I learn to live out John's exhortation to "live ... as Jesus did" I find that my view of the Gospels is being transformed. Rather than looking at these books just theologically or historically (though they are both full of theology and historically accurate), I and trying to see these Gospels through a new lens: <i>Why did God think this story important enough to record for all time?</i> After all, John ends his gospel with this intriguing thought: </span></p><blockquote><p><b><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25 ESV</span></b></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">If everything Jesus did was written down, John says, the world couldn't contain it all! Even if this is hyperbole (since he says "I suppose"), the idea remains - Jesus did far, far more than what we see in all the Gospels. It's like the old hymn, "The Love of God" (Frederick M. Lehman), says: </span></p><p></p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To write the love of God above<br />Would drain the ocean dry<br />Nor could the scroll contain the whole,<br />Though stretched from sky to sky.</span></i></div></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Like John and Frederick, I am constrained by limits to try to communicate all that I am learning in this study of the Synoptic Gospels. As we dig into this week's passages, I encourage you to go deeper - you will see far more than I can write here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Miraculous Birth Announcements - and Responses</u> (Luke 1:5-80, Matthew 1:18-25)</span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><b>(Luke 1:5-80 NASB95) In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. Now it happened [that] while he was performing his priestly service before God in the [appointed] order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw [the angel,] and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. "You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. "And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. "It is he who will go [as a forerunner] before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this [for certain?] For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. "And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time." The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked [with favor] upon [me,] to take away my disgrace among men." Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord [is] with you." But she was very perplexed at [this] statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. "For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb! "And how has it [happened] to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. "And blessed [is] she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. "AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered [those who were] proud in the thoughts of their heart. "He has brought down rulers from [their] thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. "HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed. "He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever." And Mary stayed with her about three months, and [then] returned to her home. Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue [loosed,] and he [began] to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child [turn out to] be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: "Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant-- As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old-- Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; To give to His people [the] knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace." And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.</b></span></i></span></p><p><i style="color: #20124d; font-family: times;"><b>(Matthew 1:18-25 NASB95) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US." And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took [Mary] as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.</b></i></p><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As we read the next section of the Synoptic Gospels, we see three angelic announcements and one Holy Spirit announcement related to the miraculous births of John the Baptist and Jesus. </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Zechariah has a vision in the temple while in the holy place, receiving the first word from Lord in 400 years, and learning from the angel Gabriel that his yet-to-be-conceived son is to be the promised forerunner for the Messiah.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Mary has a vision (at least 6 months later) and learns from the angel Gabriel that she will miraculously become pregnant with the Messiah - and that her cousin Elizabeth (Zechariah's wife) is six months pregnant. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Elizabeth experiences the Holy Spirit confirming the presence of the Messiah when Mary visits her. Her unborn child (John the Baptist) leaps for joy and she is filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately recognizing Mary as "the mother of my Lord."</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Joseph has a dream after Mary becomes pregnant, assuring him that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In the responses of these individuals, we see four expressions of worship: </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Elizabeth celebrates the presence of Jesus, pronouncing a blessing on Mary.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Mary sings in awe of God's faithfulness toward Israel and care for the weak, as well as His intimate work in our lives. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Zechariah, after initially <a href="https://wordpress.com/posts/voiceshepherd.home.blog?s=asking+the+right+questions" target="_blank">asking the wrong question</a> and being struck mute, responds with a prophetic song of worship, connecting Jesus to the prophets and looking ahead to the work He will do. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Joseph doesn't say anything, but immediately gets up and follows God in obedience by moving forward with the marriage to Mary.</span></li></ul></div><p></p><p><b><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As noted in the previous post, <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I am seeking to frame my lessons learned, the "what does it mean for me" around four questions to help my theology meet my reality: </span></span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><p><i><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </span></u></i></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Through the various songs and prophetic words, we learn several important facts about Jesus: </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He is great</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He is the Son of the Most High/Son of God</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He sits on the throne of David and reigns over Israel, fulfilling God's promises</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">His kingdom has no end</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He will save His people from their sins</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He is Lord</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He has accomplished redemption. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He is the Sunrise from on high</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">He is the horn of salvation sent: </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To save us from our enemies</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To show mercy</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To remember His covenant</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">To grant us the ability to serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him.</span></li></ul></ul><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">These are all true and each one of worth studying, But when I ask myself "what does this teach me about the life He gives", one thing jumps out: He came "to grant us the ability to serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him" (Luke 1:74-75). Another translation puts it like this; 74 <i>"We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live." (NLT).</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">With our (correct) emphasis on salvation by grace through faith, repenting and turning from our sins and toward Christ, and eternity in heaven, it is often easy to forget that Jesus didn't just come to change our lives in the future - He came to change our days in the here and now. He came so we can serve God without fear of punishment (<a href="https://biblehub.com/1_john/4-18.htm" target="_blank">1 John 4:18</a>), and so that we can walk with Him in holiness and righteousness for the rest of our lives (see also <a href="https://biblehub.com/context/1_peter/1-13.htm" target="_blank">1 Peter 1:13-25</a>). He came not to help me be a better person or to do things that look holy, but to make me holy from the inside out. He came so that His grace could teach me how to deny ungodliness and live a godly and righteous life - by grace, just as I was saved (see also <a href="https://biblehub.com/context/titus/2-11.htm" target="_blank">Titus 2:11-14</a>). The life He gives is a life that does what is right, flowing from a transformed heart.</span></div><p></p><p></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><u>How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </u></i><br /></span><p></p><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">God is intentional in reaching people. </span><span style="font-family: times;">God chose Zechariah through the normal order of things. It was his division's turn, and God chose him. God's will works through circumstances. And yet He also miraculously sent the angels with messages, and the Holy Spirit with a witness to two pregnant women. He spoke to a priest performing religious duties and to a man laying in anguish on his bed. He is intentional to reach us - and it doesn't always look the same! </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">He also knows what we need to know - the truths we need to hear, the information we need to move forward. I love words and information and far too often, I think I need to know more than I do. In reading this story from Mary's viewpoint, I have to wonder why her angel didn't stick around to help explain the situation - it feels like he <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2016/12/when-angel-departs-too-soon.html" target="_blank">departed too soon.</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: times;">Yes, the angel departed just when Mary might have thought she needed him the most. But God had spoken. And it was enough.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u><i>What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? </i></u></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: times;">Although we do not see Jesus directly at work, we see people interacting with God in deep and powerful ways that teach us what matters enough to Him to record it in Scripture. </span></span><span style="font-family: times;">We learn from Zechariah and Elizabeth, who did the right thing despite not having a child, that refusing to put conditions on our obedience matters. </span><span style="font-family: times;">We learn from the contrast of Zechariah ("How can I know?") and Mary ("How can this be/") that asking the right question matters.. We learn from Mary & Joseph that surrender to God matters. These passages help me learn that I should walk with God in obedience, trust, and surrender - even when I am confused or scared. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u><i>How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others?</i></u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Walking with God in obedience, trust, and surrender, will inevitably cause me to cross paths with others who are learning or struggling to do the same. Nobody else could understand what these four individuals experienced. When we see Mary & Elizabeth rejoicing together, praising God for what He did, we see two women with miraculous pregnancies drawing closer to God and each other. When we see Zechariah and Elizabeth united in naming their son John, despite "nobody in the family having that name", we see a couple bonded together in a way that only comes when they believe God together and trust each other. When we see Joseph go and get Mary as his wife, refusing to let the fear of losing his reputation outweigh the clear word of the Lord, we see a couple drawn to each other in a way nobody could understand. Similarly, when I walk with God in obedience, trust, and surrender, I will also frequently encounter others who share parts of my journey that few can grasp. Living in openness and authenticity will allow the Holy Spirit to use my life in the lives of others, increasing fellowship with them and drawing glory to the God who redeems us all. </span></div><div><br /></div></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-64388595114986824212022-01-05T15:17:00.007-06:002022-01-27T14:23:40.362-06:00As Jesus Walked: Christ Revealed in the Synoptic Gospels, #1 - Introductions and Genealogies<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiJ39xBfIg-dHQU8bO9n1T8llusnPmGJD8a5kfTiSE1LPO7T2bi9sbUaIUjAW1Bt7a2uU9B-0dh5MzeV_xYPNdjK-GwGbI_i31BSIiwOdFK1hIFlUX4kPDqjBylHSRPqVbbVdrNDBbMFxl5gqrxIwgynXPEfclgHvLPRxxBqw7BDlgoJs=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiJ39xBfIg-dHQU8bO9n1T8llusnPmGJD8a5kfTiSE1LPO7T2bi9sbUaIUjAW1Bt7a2uU9B-0dh5MzeV_xYPNdjK-GwGbI_i31BSIiwOdFK1hIFlUX4kPDqjBylHSRPqVbbVdrNDBbMFxl5gqrxIwgynXPEfclgHvLPRxxBqw7BDlgoJs=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Over the past few years, as my life transitioned from <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/05/being-body.html" target="_blank">caregiving </a>for a spouse with dementia to being a widow to <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2021/04/longing.html" target="_blank">marrying</a> an amazing, Gospel-centered man, my writing and Bible study has looked very different. I've been in a season of rest, recovery, and renewal - and that has been reflected in hours spent outside just hearing the voice of my Shepherd and letting His Word bring healing and hope to my heart. Throughout this season, though, my heart kept being drawn over and over to the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I knew I wanted to study them in-depth, but it wasn't until He gave me a word and verse for this year that I grasped the emphasis He wanted me to have: Learning to walk as Jesus did.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">As a teacher, I find that I must be a student first, and that my learning is not complete until I share it with others. And so, my goal will be to periodically share what I am learning for anyone who might wish to join me on this journey. As always, my heart is to help increase Biblical literacy by minimizing outside resources and letting Scripture speak for itself. My study presupposes the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture; if you have broader questions about Scripture, please see my <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2015/07/bible-101-question-1-is-bible-inspired.html" target="_blank">Bible 101</a> series.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Introduction and Genealogies</u> (Luke 1:1-4; Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-28)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">For starters, let's learn what the "synoptic" Gospels even are! "Synoptic" simply means "seeing together"; it's a word we use to say that Matthew, Mark, and Luke have a lot in common, as opposed to John which is quite distinct. Of the 161 stories in the Gospels, 25 are unique to John, and his emphasis on the deity of Christ is also notable from the first lines of his Gospel. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, by contrast, focus more on the person and work of Jesus in His humanity. While also noting His deity, they are more biographical whereas John writes with an obvious theological purpose. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were also written decades before John, which means he did not have to repeat stories that his audience would already know from other written sources. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Biblical scholars and church historians agree that generally the letters of the New Testament were written first, with stories about Jesus being oral traditions. As more people came to believe in Christ who had not known Him personally in His earthly ministry, and as more of those eyewitnesses went to be with Him in death, a written account of His story became more essential to the church. We see this clearly in Luke's explanation of his purpose: </span></p><p></p><blockquote><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><b>Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write [it] out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4 NASB95) </b></span></i></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">In this introduction, we learn a few crucial things about the Gospels in general, and Luke's Gospel in particular: </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Many people were compiling accounts of what had happened in the early days of the church.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">These accounts were handed down from those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word "from the beginning."</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Luke decided to investigate everything carefully (unsurprising for a doctor) and record it in consecutive order. (Because of Luke's intentional chronological account, his Gospel becomes the baseline for in-depth study when determining the sequence of events, at least those events recorded in Luke.)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">His purpose was that the reader would "know the exact truth" about what he had been taught. (Luke also wrote Acts, picking up where he leaves off with the ascension of Christ.)</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Matthew and Luke both record genealogies of Jesus, which differ in purpose and emphasis that give us clues as to their distinct audiences and purposes in sharing the story of Jesus. Matthew opens with his genealogy "of Jesus the Messiah," indicating off the bat that his audience is Jewish (as Messiah was a Hebrew term for God's promised anointed One). His purpose seems to be to present a legal argument for Jesus to meet the requirements to be the Messiah, being a Jew ("son of Abraham") and in the Davidic line ("son of David"). </span></div><div><blockquote><b><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #073763;">The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by </span><span style="color: red;">Tamar</span><span style="color: #073763;">, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz by </span><span style="color: red;">Rahab</span><span style="color: #073763;">, Boaz was the father of Obed by </span><span style="color: red;">Ruth</span><span style="color: #073763;">, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by </span><span style="color: red;">Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah</span><span style="color: #073763;">. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of </span><span style="color: red;">Mary</span><span style="color: #073763;">, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1-17 NASB95) </span></span></i></b></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">After the opening sentence, Matthew's specific genealogy is intriguing for many reasons. First, he unexpectedly includes women in the lineage (emphasized above in red) - and women with scandalous stories at that. </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2038&version=NIV" target="_blank">Tamar </a>dressed as a prostitute to seduce her former father-in-law, who had failed to uphold the law by providing a son to marry her and give her a child after the death of her husband. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%202&version=NIV" target="_blank">Rahab </a>was a Canaanite, a former prostitute who helped the Israelite spies who explored the Promised Land. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%201&version=NIV" target="_blank">Ruth </a>was a Moabite, a widow from a country <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2023%3A3&version=NIV" target="_blank">forbidden to enter the temple</a> and yet chosen by God to be King David's great-grandmother. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2011&version=NIV" target="_blank">Bathsheba </a>was David's mistress and later wife, whose son was chosen to be king after David even though he was not the oldest or next in the line of secession. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+1%3A26-38&version=NIV" target="_blank">Mary </a>was a virgin chosen by God to bear His Son - a story so unbelievable her fiance almost divorced her before receiving a direct word from God that she was telling the truth (but I'm getting ahead of myself here...). </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">This inclusion would be shocking to many Jewish readers, not only because women were not accepted as full citizens (their testimony was not allowed for legal purposes, for example) but also because of the nature of the stories included - and perhaps even more for the fact that non-Jews were included in the lineage of their Messiah.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Secondly, Matthew leaves out some connections, selecting instead 14 key "generations" from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the deportation to Babylon, and 14 from the deportation to Jesus. Why 14? Theories abound, and you can certainly research those to your heart's content. However, to stay as closely as possible to what is revealed in Scripture, the simplest answer may simply be that these were the key ancestors in each segment of Israel's history. After all, we are talking about roughly two thousand years from Abraham to Jesus. As an American I don't know all of my family 200 years back, much less 2000 - but even in telling about the history I do know, I give the highlights on each side of the family. Readers of the Old Testament will notice most of these names jumping out as familiar from significant stories (and you can do further research by digging into each one if you are unfamiliar with those stories; just go to www.blueletterbible.com and type in the person's name to find the relevant passages). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Thirdly, Matthew pointedly does not call Joseph the father of Jesus, but instead, the husband of Mary. He thus underscores the virgin birth, a miraculous event that was <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isa+7%3A14&version=NIV" target="_blank">part of the Messianic promise</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">While Matthew's Gospel is targeted to a Jewish audience, his opening lines signal that this is not a typical Jewish document. As we will see, Matthew often comes across as polemic in the way he challenges Jewish presuppositions and takes on the Jewish leaders of the day. He wants the Jewish people to know and follow Jesus, but he is going to be sure they know Him as He really is, not as they may have preconceived Him to be. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Luke's genealogy, by contrast, works backward from Jesus to God. </span></p></div><p></p><p></p><blockquote><p><i><b><span style="color: #073763; font-family: times; font-size: medium;">When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Hesli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. (Luke 3:23-38 NASB95) </span></b></i></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Much has been made of the differences in the two genealogies. However, it is not that difficult to see the likelihood of one being focused on Mary and one on Joseph. Another strong possibility is that one is royal (focusing on the kings and Jesus' lineage as King of Israel) and the other physical (focusing on Him as being Son of Man as well Son of God). Also, neither contains enough names to likely include every single ancestor, especially Luke's going all the way back to Adam! Again, there are many theories about these differences and I encourage you to study more fully if this intrigues you. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I will note one obvious question: The existence of two different names listed for Joseph's father (Jacob in Matthew; Eli in Luke) has breeded questions around inerrancy. However, there were legitimate reasons for a man to have two fathers. The <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deut+25%3A5-6&version=NIV" target="_blank">Levirate marriage laws</a>, for example, would give a man a biological father but legally he would be the son of that man's deceased brother. It was also allowable for a man without sons to adopt a man who married his daughter to carry on the family name; this would give the man two genealogies from a legal perspective. I will not make any conclusions about the reason, but I will say that these possibilities put to rest the question of inerrancy for me. There is an explainable reason for the differences, even if I'm not close enough to the cultural situation to understand it. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The most obvious difference in the two genealogies, however, is not hard to understand at all: Luke takes Jesus' genealogy all the way back to Adam, "the son of God." Since Luke includes Mary's divine conception of Jesus, "son of God" in His genealogy thus has a dual meaning - Adam was the "son of God" by creation, Jesus by miraculous birth (pre-existing as the son of God from eternity, of course). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Lessons Learned</span></u></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">All of this is interesting historically and factually, but what does it mean? What do I learn from this that makes a difference in my life - that helps me walk as Jesus walked? I am seeking to frame my lessons learned around four questions. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A1-2&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 John 1:1-2</a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+1%3A1-3&version=NIV" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:1-3</a>)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+3%3A18&version=NIV" style="white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">2 Cor 3:18</a><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+2%3A6&version=NIV" style="white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">1 John 2:6</a><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others? (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+john+1%3A3-4&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 John 1:3-4</a>) </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Your answers may be different than mine, but anytime we study the Bible we must seek to ask "what does it mean <u>for me</u>" so that it doesn't become just words on a page. Our theology must always meet our reality.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><u><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">What does this story teach me about Jesus and the life He gives? </span></u></i></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The introduction to Luke teaches me that the stories about Jesus are trustworthy. As a doctor, Luke would know how to be meticulous in his research. His goal of ensuring readers know "the exact truth", combined with what I know about the <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2015/07/bible-101-question-2-what-texts-should.html" target="_blank">process of determining the canon of Scripture</a>, lets me know that what I am about to read and study is accurate and trustworthy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The genealogies tell me the basic things I need to know about Jesus - like a good introduction to a biography of someone I may or may not be familiar with, I now have some foundational information. I know that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, and that His ancestral lineage, like mine, is colorful in places. When He came to earth, He didn't come into a perfect family - and that is reassuring. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><u><br /></u></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><i><u>How does this story about Jesus reveal God to me? </u></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">God's heart is for everyone - not just the Jewish leaders or those who have the Law memorized perfectly. The presence of women, even Gentile women and women with "a past", is immediately heartening to me as a woman. I want to know more about a God who would choose for the Messiah to come through a line that includes a prostitute, a Moabite forbidden from the temple, and even a former mistress to a king! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /><u><i>What does this story teach me about walking as Jesus walked, being conformed to His image? </i></u></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: times;">We do not see Jesus at work in these stories, but Luke's words introducing his genealogy "</span><span style="font-family: times;">When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph,..." show me that He was undeterred by the "as was supposed" part of the story. He knew who He was, He knew that there was more to the story than what people in Nazareth assumed, and He lived out of the reality of who He truly was as the Son of God. Likewise, I will face times in my life where I have to lean on what I know to be true, not what others might "suppose". </span><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><u><i>How does this story increase my fellowship with God and others?</i></u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Accepting people from different backgrounds - whether culturally or with different life experiences and struggles than me - is an extension of the heart of God who included these women in Jesus' lineage and didn't whitewash His family tree. I can live more open-handedly toward others when I remember that He knows all about me, too, and didn't write me out of His story. </span></div><div><br /></div>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-74294405805796692462021-11-19T11:20:00.003-06:002021-11-19T11:24:54.580-06:00"Man at War with Man Hears Not"<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">For more than two decades now, I have sought to learn something new every Christmas season. A wise former missionary, now with the Lord, made that challenge during a Christmas Eve service in 1999 and I have learned so much by praying that this familiar season will be fresh to me annually. Sometimes, the "new" has been a reminder. Other times, it has brought about a major shift in how I approach the season. Many times, a song or phrase becomes the catalyst for that year's "new" thing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, listening to a Christmas worship playlist, I kept hearing a lyric in an old hymn that jumped out to me as if I'd never heard it: </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet with the woes of sin and strife,</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The world hath suffered long;</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beneath the angel-strain have rolled,</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two thousand years of wrong;</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And man, at war with man, hears not,</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The love song which they bring:</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">O hush the noise, ye men of strife,</span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And hear the angels sing.</span></p></blockquote></blockquote><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"And man, at war with man, hears not/The love song which they bring."</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Am I the only one who is tired of man being at war with man? Whether wars fought with weapons or with words, whether the battleground is a war zone or a website - I'm just tired of the conflict. Sadly, Christians are not exempt. Ask any pastor how united his or her church was this year, and you will quickly get an earful. Divisions and even judging another's salvation on secondary or tertiary (or even lesser) issues has become increasingly common. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The question that must be asked is - why? Why, in a world that has "suffered long" beneath the angel-borne Gospel cry of the Good News, does man continue to be at war with man? Edmund Sears captured the theological reason profoundly in his hymn, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear": Because we don't hear the love song the angels bring. As Augustine write, we have "disordered loves". <i>We worship the wrong things. </i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Church, we have the most amazing story ever told. For those of us in Christ, we hold the treasure of the Gospel in these jars of clay - these imperfect and yet fully redeemed earthen vessels of our bodies. When we accept the call to salvation, we are given a call to mission, to proclaim this message. In the stations where God has us live out our lives, and in the fields of service where He asks us to meet the practical needs of others with help in one hand and hope in the other, we are to live Gospel-saturated lives. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And yet we settle for so much less. Too often, w<span style="font-size: 12pt;">e drown out the beautiful music of "angels, bending near the earth, to touch their harps of gold" with the noise of the world</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. We elevate the "good" to be the ultimate. We celebrate short-term gains at the expense of the Gospel. We face legitimate problems with natural, human solutions instead of spiritual, biblical ones. And before we know it, we find ourselves "at war with man" - sometimes even other believers, often </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">within our own churches or our own homes. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">So this Christmas season, let's just STOP. Let's listen not to the noise of the news media or social media or people with agendas - let's listen to the voice of the angels proclaiming Emmanuel, God with us. The song singing of a King who left His throne, whose birth was heralded by lowly shepherds and wise men. The One who came to tear down dividing walls to allow us to listen, really listen, to each other.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">Let's "hush the noise, and cease the strife, and hear the angels sing" - as if for the very first time. </span></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4tGVUX3YqI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-37002333787145827832021-10-25T11:21:00.003-05:002022-01-06T13:25:42.965-06:00Aiming in the Dark<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsk02spQuyeOM7-wuZWsz7O-fuEzTYYfMGYTWrED8um5qIdM3lG-pe88MwZADchmgzU9X87FRC_bEYD2GQcOfwcs35NgX0L9BgAjdjnfKHHMbRM4EegoHgf92UC1X_T_Fgo4bYrlA2Yo04R1HleEupb1Rhjy3NEPK_cS3MkFTaRvFoY-M=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsk02spQuyeOM7-wuZWsz7O-fuEzTYYfMGYTWrED8um5qIdM3lG-pe88MwZADchmgzU9X87FRC_bEYD2GQcOfwcs35NgX0L9BgAjdjnfKHHMbRM4EegoHgf92UC1X_T_Fgo4bYrlA2Yo04R1HleEupb1Rhjy3NEPK_cS3MkFTaRvFoY-M=w150-h200" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjhRP9RPQG5TOf_HUy7ngNe3jGoJqSflTkUcL1C8IZJGQkbwje8oc5FZ9QR7f991_-TQfPuPDHV5niwxQFLkuh5vqjer4grwNiRjA6Py22nD4c99fAY_Vb4M3IT13JweWm_FTRvN1DImt15-OOmBGYRCyewep4hpWVzkodP05d7-EwCO8=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjhRP9RPQG5TOf_HUy7ngNe3jGoJqSflTkUcL1C8IZJGQkbwje8oc5FZ9QR7f991_-TQfPuPDHV5niwxQFLkuh5vqjer4grwNiRjA6Py22nD4c99fAY_Vb4M3IT13JweWm_FTRvN1DImt15-OOmBGYRCyewep4hpWVzkodP05d7-EwCO8=w150-h200" width="150" /></a> </div></div><br />Recently, to celebrate our five-month wedding anniversary, my husband and I went to a local archery range. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the sport - but I wasn't anticipating the biggest lesson that has been working its way deep into my bones ever since. <p></p><p>The photo on the left represents my best effort; the one on the right, my husband's. Not that surprising - unless you know that my husband is legally blind, and was shooting from the same distance as me. While he could generally see the target area and the colors, he was unable to "take aim" by sighting along the arrow as I did. He's also not significantly more experienced than me. While he did do archery at the academy for the blind he attended in middle school, he hasn't fired an arrow since. I shot with my brother during his Boy Scout years. We were both essentially newbies. </p><p>Yet I watched in amazement, hearing his solid "thuds" piercing the target while many of mine landed on the floor. I soon realized the difference: While I was focusing on lining up with the target, he was of necessity focusing on the fundamentals. He had absorbed quickly every lesson on how to hold the bow, align the arrow, position his hands, and fire. I had to be reminded multiple times of each basic lesson. </p><p>As I processed this, a spiritual truth began to emerge: When we have times of darkness, of uncertainty, of a lack of clarity about what to do, we will have much better aim when we are solid in our fundamentals. Not every problem we face will have a "chapter and verse" answer from Scripture. Sometimes we have to take what we know to do, line up the "shot", take aim, pull back, and make the decision. Sometimes we will go in a direction and realize we are off target; the fundamentals will help us line up and try again. </p><p>So what are these fundamentals? Certainly, they include the basic doctrines of our faith. Settling questions in times of clarity can help us hold firmly to truth in times of struggle. Those who know me know I don't shy away from these questions - and I don't think you should either. Long ago, I dealt with basic questions about the authority and inerrancy of Scripture; from there I delved into the deity and humanity of Jesus, the Trinity, the attributes of God. To be clear, I didn't have all these questions answered when I started walking with the Lord. The moment of salvation for me was the beginning of a process of knowing and understanding Him. But I did spend several years digging into these questions to settle the fundamentals. If you haven't done so, I urge you to ask the questions. My <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2015/07/bible-101-questions-every-christians.html" target="_blank">Bible 101</a> series is designed to help you gain confidence in God's Word so you can dig in to deeper questions like these. </p><p>Beyond doctrine, however, there are fundamentals that should be part of our Christian walk. Daily communion with the Lord through prayer, worship, and Scripture helps to orient me. I can't even attempt to aim in the dark if I'm not facing the right direction! The dailyness of my relationship with Him keeps me heading in the right general direction, and positions me to receive from His Word general principles or specific truths relevant to my situation. Regular gathering with other believers, sitting under the <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2015/09/bible-101-question-7-word-of-god-in.html" target="_blank">preaching of a Gospel-centered pastor</a>, keeps me from veering off to one side or the other. Those deeper relationships that develop within the body act like the instructor at our class, reminding me of the fundamentals, encouraging or correcting me as needed, and celebrating my successful aim. They can't pull the bow for me, but they can do everything possible to help me aim well. They help me know truth by which I can better discern error. </p><p>As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, the times we feel we are "aiming in the dark" may actually increase. I am convinced this is one way that He helps us understand we are progressing with Him. Just as a parent provides a toddler much more explicit guidelines in decision-making ("you can pick this shirt or that one") than they do a teenager ("what electives do you plan to take?"), so God grows us in our ability to discern and sense His guidance. However, no matter how mature we become, we will never lose our need for the fundamentals. In fact, as our archery class taught me, the dimmer my view of the target, the more important the fundamentals become.</p>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-11398156834314796242021-10-06T15:18:00.001-05:002021-10-06T15:19:06.615-05:00Older Brother Syndrome<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Luke-15-25" id="en-NIV-25614"><i></i></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Luke-15-25" id="en-NIV-25614"><i></i></span></span><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When
he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.</span></i></span><span class="versenum"><b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> </span></i></b></span><span class="text"><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">So he called one of the servants and asked him
what was going on.</span></i></span><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> <span class="text"><span id="en-NIV-25616">‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your
father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ T</span><span id="en-NIV-25617">he older brother became
angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NIV-25618">But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these
years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never
gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.</span></span> <span class="text"><span id="en-NIV-25619">But when this son of yours who has squandered
your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf
for him!’ </span><span id="en-NIV-25620">“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you
are always with me, and everything I have is yours.</span></span><span class="versenum"><b><span id="en-NIV-25621"> </span></b></span><span class="text">But
we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is
alive again; he was lost and is found.’” </span></span></i><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span class="text">- Luke 11:25-32</span></span></i></p></blockquote></div></div><p>I have to confess that some days, it feels like the older brother gets a bad rap. </p><p>All older siblings (like myself) know the inherent "unfairness" associated with being our parents' guinea pig. They get to learn on us ... and mess up on us ... and get a do-over with our younger siblings. In our fallen human nature, it's hard to watch as our siblings have it "easier" than we do. (Of course, sometimes that very "ease" leads to its own problems, since God has created us in such a way that difficulties become part of what shapes us.)</p><p>I don't know about you, but I can go for weeks in my normal routine, my typical "responsible" mode, and then come up against one of those days ...</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>...when somebody drops the ball and it lands in my lap</p><p>...when I am "unfairly" judged for something others do all the time</p><p>...when it feels like I alone am indispensable</p><p>...when everyone else says "no", and my inner sense of responsibility pushes a reluctant "yes" out of my lips</p></blockquote><p>Suddenly on those days I realize, as the words of a song I couldn't find said, "Some days I'm the prodigal/some days I'm the older brother." On my "older brother" days I realize I have more in common with the Pharisees, to whom Jesus was directing this parable and who the older brother represents, than I really want to admit. I find myself seeing the logic of the earlier workers in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2020%3A1-16&version=NIV" target="_blank">Jesus' parable of the vineyard workers </a>- of course they should get paid more, having worked hard all day and not just a couple of hours! </p><p>And then the truth hits me like a ton of bricks: I realize I am <a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/galatians/2/20-21">nullifying the grace of God</a>, not living by faith but living in my own sense of right and wrong, my own strength, my own righteousness. As much as I hate to admit it, there is still some Pharisee in me to be purged out. It might not come out in the form of legalism like we see in the Gospels, but it does rear its ugly head in the form of "older brother syndrome". "I'm the responsible one, I deserve better" is just a subtle form of spiritual pride. </p><p>Ouch! Talk about conviction! Oh, but the wonderful news, as a speaker at a conference once said, is that when we realize something is sin, we know what to do with it! Turn to Jesus in repentance, and allow His love to fill me to the point that I give of myself to others out of love instead of duty. Then walk in a lifestyle of repentance by resisting all forms of that spiritual pride that is characterized by impatience with others who are in a different place than me, by nitpicking small errors, by always having to know or be able to find the answer, by feeling that I am indispensable. Walk in grace, remembering that I could have all knowledge, but without love, I am nothing. </p><div><i>You came for criminals</i></div><div><i>And every Pharisee</i></div><div><i>You came for hypocrites</i></div><div><i>Even ones like me</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you, Jesus. "The cross meant to kill is my victory" - even over older brother syndrome.</div><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TzucPzebZWk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Rosa Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09363353282167354931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-62400641327181767342021-05-04T15:40:00.001-05:002021-05-04T15:40:51.565-05:00Obedience<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #001320; text-align: justify;">After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin</span>. - </b></i><i><b>Hebrews 12:4</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Recently while getting ready for work I was captured by lyrics to a song I'd never heard before: </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">How in the garden He persisted</span></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I may never fully know</span></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fearful weight of true obedience</span></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was held by him alone</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>("Your Will Be Done" by CityAlight) </span></div></blockquote></blockquote><p>I couldn't stop thinking about the truth of this fact: <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'll never know the full weight of true obedience. As I sat down for my quiet time that day, Hebrews 12 immediately came to mind. I read the context and remembered afresh the truth the author is communicating: Jesus is better than what has come before. As part of that, we are called to live out our relationship with Him in specific ways - ways that can feel hard. This section (Hebrews 12:4-13) is primarily about discipline and obedience in the life of the believer. It is instructive that before getting into those exhortations that the author tells us we have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does that even mean? In the context of verses 1-3 exhorting us to keep our eyes on Jesus and the cross He endured, the author clearly is calling us to focus on HIS sacrifice for sin. We haven't given our lives to fight against sin - but HE did. This of course refers to the cross, but also brings to mind His suffering temptations. Many wiser than me have pointed out that Christ's deity and perfection doesn't mean His temptations were weaker than ours - they were stronger. He endured every temptation to the fullest extent possible, because the temptations do not get easier as we resist, they get harder.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I reflected on all of this, I thought of the contrasts between my obedience and His. My best obedience is imperfect and mixed with impure motives; He was perfectly obedient with perfect motives. All of my obedience is carried out in God's presence; His ultimate obedience on the cross was carried out with the Father's face turned away. All of my obedience is covered with grace; His was covered in wrath. And as Hebrews 12:4 says, all my striving against sin doesn't reach the point of bloodshed - but His did. </span></p><div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This life of faith is not an easy one. Don't get me wrong, there are blessings and joys and happiness and incredible benefits of intimacy with God and others that come as we walk in faith. But if we are truly committed to growing and maturing as believers, we will find ourselves constantly challenged at various points to go deeper in our faith. Sometimes that might mean we face a crisis and have to decide how to deal with it. Other times it might mean a challenging ongoing relationship. At times God reveals something in us that is not in alignment with the image of God in which He created us, and challenges us to see things differently and live accordingly. All of these are hard things. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favorite scriptures is Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God,but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." My faith is inextricably connected to the fact that God has revealed things that we can seek and know, that He does not hide Himself from us but that He makes Himself known to us, often to the degree that we seek Him (though being God, he does love to surprise us when we are not even seeking Him!)</span></div><div dir="auto"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://youtu.be/UzhiFXXrwnw" target="_blank">This video</a> captures some of what I've learned about leaning into the hard things of faith and obedience. We face a challenge or an obstacle and we have to choose whether to keep going or not. We have to choose whether to model our walk on someone ahead of us or pick out our own steps and only focus on what's immediately in front of us. We have to decide if it's worth the continued climb... If HE is worth the continued climb. We have to decide whether to keep going or give up. Ultimately, we have to decide how much we can know and how much we have to just trust into His hands, trusting his character in the "secret things." I can guarantee that there'll be surprises along the way, we will slip and sometimes fall, sometimes we will become strong enough to catch ourselves before we fall and sometimes we won't. The important thing is that we are continuing to walk it out with him, getting to the place where we can look at where we've come from and know that only He brought us from there, and that He is worth it all.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't get it right all the time - but I am increasingly learning what it means to walk in the Gospel and prioritize relationship with Him, to love Him and others well. This imperfect believer is falling more in love with Jesus every day. As a result, I'm learning to lean in to the hard beauty of obedience - and when I do, I find myself enjoying unexpectedly beautiful views.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Habakkuk 3:17-19</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though the fig tree does not bud</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and there are no grapes on the vines,</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">though the olive crop fails</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and the fields produce no food,</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">though there are no sheep in the pen</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and no cattle in the stalls,</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I will be joyful in God my Savior.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Sovereign Lord is my strength;</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> he enables me to tread on the heights.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UzhiFXXrwnw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-39617584849231671442021-04-23T13:03:00.003-05:002021-04-23T15:23:53.993-05:00Longing<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdIC9A0DNPg/YFz2UaOMJEI/AAAAAAAAP18/EvvCGP8Kh4UkFZVqCowyaawYsOYjNukRwCPcBGAsYHg/s970/PXL_20210213_135444459.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Picture of Engagement Ring" border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="970" height="136" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdIC9A0DNPg/YFz2UaOMJEI/AAAAAAAAP18/EvvCGP8Kh4UkFZVqCowyaawYsOYjNukRwCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h136/PXL_20210213_135444459.jpg" title="Engagement Ring" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>We, however, are free citizens of Heaven, and we are waiting with longing expectation for the coming from Heaven of a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20, WNT)</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Wait</i>. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There is something in our fallen human nature that doesn't like that word. I don't know about you, but I'd rather hear "no" from God if I can't hear "yes", because "wait" feels Way. Too. Hard. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I've <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2015/06/while-youre-waiting-ministry-in.html" target="_blank">written about waiting</a> before on here, in a different context. I still believe there is much to be learned in general while we are waiting on answered prayers, or guidance, or any number of waitings in life. But these days, I've been walking through this more personally, as I am doing plenty of waiting in light of our upcoming wedding - waiting on wedding appointments, waiting on the day to get here, waiting to experience biblical oneness, waiting on the day we begin our lives together and no longer say goodnight from separate residences. I am learning anew that waiting really is hard! My fiance and I have intentionally chosen to use the phrase "eagerly anticipating" rather than "can't wait" - we want the reminder that this is a positive process, and that we <b>can</b> wait in His strength. But it's still <i>hard</i>. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As Rich Mullins wrote in "<a href="https://youtu.be/FZXJbKA8680" target="_blank">The Love of God</a>" - we are tested and made worthy during life's challenges, but it is all within the love of God. As my fiance and I have intentionally leaned in to the benefits of waiting, we have learned so many things. We have learned that God speaks to us in the longing. We have seen ministry opportunities open up specifically because we were obedient in the waiting. We have learned that it is our flesh that wants to avoid the pain of waiting - just as we tend to want to avoid any suffering - but to avoid suffering means we also avoid the growth. We avoid the very thing that can draw us closer to Him. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As I have leaned into the hard and studied God's word about waiting, I have learned how deeply connected it is to <i>longing</i>. When we "expect something fully", we wait for it with <i>longing</i>. When my parents lived hours away and would come visit, I would hear every door that slammed, every car that drove by, and run to see if it was them. I longed to see them and fully expected them to show up. In the same way, I "fully expect" to walk down the aisle less than a month from now and take covenant vows in front of our covenant community with my groom-to-be. We <u>know</u> this will happen - and yet we long for the arrival of that day. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As I studied the words for <i>waiting</i> in both the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament, I was astonished to learn how deeply these words capture the emotions associated with this season of waiting: </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To fix the eyes and mind on a thing; to "hunt" for it</li><li>To be strong, robust, gathered and bound together</li><li>To wait with patience and trust</li><li>To give unremitting care</li><li>To show one's self courageous</li><li>To be in constant readiness for something</li><li>To expect fully</li><li>To not depart</li><li>To be pained</li><li>To receive to oneself, admit, give access to oneself</li></ul><div>All of this boils down to one thing for me: Biblical waiting is inextricably linked to longing. Simply put, <i>we wait with longing for what is worth waiting on</i>. As we have focused on our upcoming marriage as a picture of Christ and the church, we are learning that wrapped up in our waiting is a picture of the longing the church should have for her Groom. We should wait "with longing expectation"<i> because He is worth it</i>. As we wait, we have been drawn closer into His presence - and we're learning that is indeed the point after all.</div><div> <p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FZXJbKA8680" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">Joy and sorrow are this ocean<br /></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">And in their every ebb and flow<br /></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">Now the Lord a door has opened<br /></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">That all Hell could never close<br /></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"><b>Here I'm tested and made worthy<br /></b></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"><b>Tossed about but lifted up</b><br /></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">In the reckless raging fury<br /></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">That they call the love of God</span></div></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-72308420419222931752021-01-20T15:01:00.001-06:002021-01-20T15:01:55.233-06:00Blindsided<p>Anyone close to me knows that near the top of the list of things that I don't appreciate is being blindsided. Unlike some who prefer to know as little as possible until they have to face something, I can handle just about anything if I have a little heads up and time to process, if we can talk about it, if I know it's coming. I want more information, not less. Unfortunately, life doesn't always cooperate with my preferences. </p><p>Most of the time, my good, good Father prepares my heart for hard things. He whispers ahead of time so I'm not blindsided. He gently guides me toward hard directions. He gives me His peace before, during, and after the storms of life. </p><p>Yet there have been times I have been left reeling - from unexpected phone calls that brought tragic news; from a diagnosis that changed everything; from memories that felt like gut-punches; from shocking facts about people that I had trusted; from the realities of life. I know you have as well. But I have come to realize that there are plenty of good ways that I have been blindsided as well. </p><p>I have been blindsided by grace. God's unmerited favor broke through my defenses, tore down my arguments, and embraced me with His love. I wasn't seeking Him, but He came looking for me. It wasn't logical, and it wasn't fair. I call it "weird grace." One of my <a href="https://youtu.be/wjMvtOQ24ao" target="_blank">favorite songs</a> says, "He's not fair, no He's not fair, when He fixes what's beyond repair, and graces every one who don't deserve." The undeserved nature of grace is the very definition of weird, and the most beautiful way I have been blindsided. </p><p>I have been blindsided by mercy. When I was struggling the most, when my faith was limited to just <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2017/09/when-youre-being-wrecked.html" target="_blank">holding on to John 6:68</a> and getting through the day with Jesus, He never judged me or condemned me. Quite the opposite. His mercy met me where I was, triumphing over the lies of the enemy that screamed at me that my faith was weak. He gave me His Word that told me no, just holding on to Jesus when it doesn't make sense is the victory. </p><p>I have been blindsided by love. When I have struggled the most with sin and simple human frailty, I have felt His love the closest. I have never once sought forgiveness without feeling His arms of love surround me. When I wasn't looking, He brought love near to me and gave me hope for the future. He has pursued me and, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/1tjPjh6vu0wODDvSAhzywQ" target="_blank">"every time I wrestle with His promises He wins my heart all over again."</a> </p><p>I don't think I will ever stop preferring not to be blindsided. But in this new season of life, as I learn to trust that there can be "good surprises," I want to also remember that I have been blindsided in good ways as well. I never want to get over being in relationship with a God who delights to surprise me with grace, mercy, love, and so much more. </p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-42943560528931089402020-07-04T08:00:00.001-05:002020-07-04T19:31:16.517-05:00Unseen Miracles<b><span style="color: lime;"><i>Job 26:14 "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"</span></i></span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">I had a bit of a crisis of faith this week.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">We had an amazing testimony at church, a story of miraculous healing from stage 4 cancer. I fully believe that God does miracles, and hearing their story in a season of grief was a timely reminder of that truth. But when I went up afterwards to thank one of the speakers, I started crying. I knew that my soul needed reminding of visible miracles, but I was still struggling on a level I didn't even realize with confusion, hurt, and even anger at not getting a visible miracle with my husband's dementia. In fact, it felt like the harder I prayed, the worse things got!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">I had a bit of a crisis of faith. Yet as I continued to pray and seek God, I sensed Him calling me to write down some unseen miracles, some of the things that were amazing to our family as we walked through that dementia journey. Here are just a few of them:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">Restoration of relationships</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">Unity among me and his kids over every decision</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">God took away my resentment and helped me to respond in love even when I was exhausted</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;">God gradually changed my heart to trust and not fear his death</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">God perfectly timed the caregivers that were brought to us to be exactly the personality traits that we needed during that time</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">Bob never lost his faith or dishonored God, and grew to love the church in a deep way.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">He remained a worshiper to the very end and the redemption God had done in his life, from a very broken and wounded person with a lot of regrets to someone who just loved Jesus with all that he had, was visible.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">God perfectly timed bringing in hospice to help us when we needed it most.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">We were able to keep him at home which nobody thought we could do at diagnosis.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">We had so much support from our church and my job. Even friends that were just acquaintances before became really close through this process as they walked with us.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.6px;">As hard as it was to lose him two and a half weeks before Christmas, I could see God's hand in it because I was able to have an extended time off to catch up on rest before I had to start back to work. Additionally, the money for caregivers was running out and God knew that was a concern of mine. And, as much as I'd love to have him here right now, I'm glad that we're not having to do dementia caregiving in the Covid world.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">These are just a few of the unseen miracles of our caregiving journey. As I processed this week, I've thought about where I am in life right now. I'm in a season of prioritizing being, of learning to be present, of going slow. Of prioritizing those invisible traits that God cares about deeply, like joy and gratitude and love and faith. For example, I'm responsible for the care of my parents. God makes it very clear in 1 Timothy 5:4 that taking care of parents is our first responsibility when they are older. But, I can do that responsibility grudgingly, with resentment, sparingly. Or I can do it willingly, with joy, generously. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">I really think that part of the second greatest commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves is learning to recognize the unseen miracles that we need to pray for. I think of Joni Eareckson Tada, one of my sheroes of the faith who is a quadriplegic. For 50 years now, she's dealt with people who want to pray for her healing. I read in one of her books that she said she had finally learned how to respond. She says "yes, please pray for my healing. Pray that I would be healed from bitterness, from laziness". She's learned to prioritize the unseen miracles.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">I love this passage in Job, where we hear about a lot of God's visible miracles, and then we are told that these are only the fringes of his ways. They're just the beginning of what he does. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.6px;">I want to rejoice at every healing from stage 4 cancer, every healing from paralysis, every person set free from drug addiction. But I also want to share and hear about unseen miracles. Those things that are sometimes only between us and the Lord, or between the people closest to the situation. I don't ever want to discount them. I want to know more about His ways.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17.6px;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-54050346869168926322020-04-26T16:44:00.001-05:002020-04-26T16:44:40.570-05:00Around the BendI’m not much on speaking publicly. I don’t think well on the fly; I prefer time to weigh my words and to process internally before putting pen to paper. Most of the posts on this blog over the years existed in my head for days or even weeks before I sat down and put them in writing.<br />
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But I’m in a different season now, a season of healing as I walk through this grief process since my husband passed away. And part of that for me, as it is for anyone who loses a spouse, is facing the question of identity. Who am I as an “I”, not a “we”? I don’t mean the core of my identity in Christ. I know that hasn’t changed. And I don’t mean to imply in any way that I was subsumed into my husband’s identity in any unhealthy way. It’s just that in the reality of becoming one, after being married long enough, it becomes hard to tell where you end and the other person begins. You forget who first suggested going to that specific Mexican restaurant.You forget why exactly someone thought it was so important for the kitchen table to be in the bay window instead of in the kitchen. That and thousands of other examples are faced not only by me but by every single person who loses as a spouse. Like no other loss, we literally bury part of ourselves the day our partner dies.<br />
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So this identity discovery portion of my grief journey has been especially daunting to me. I spent four months in anxiety, if not outright fear, about the day that I would wake up and no longer feel married. I felt lost, like he had gone on this incredible journey and I was just staring up waiting for him to come back. I didn’t know how to get past that point, despite continuing to live my life and move forward as best I could.<br />
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Then came Easter weekend. I found myself watching a biography of a Christian musician whose music has ministered to me many times. As I worshiped and prayed with the music in the documentary, I began to experience what only God can do. He began to release that anxiety and fear about identity from me. He began to remind me that there is a core of who I am, not just in Him but who I am as He created me, that has not been lost. The next day on a walk, He continued to speak truth to me, and reminded me that Bob is now part of the great cloud of witnesses Hebrews 12:1 speaks about. But he hasn’t left me here doing nothing; in fact Bob is the one who is now at rest while I continue my race. In the two weeks since, I have felt such peace, and I felt myself moving into more of a healing phase of the grief. Not that the missing him and the sadness or the loneliness is all gone. I’m sure that that will continue at some level for a very long time, and I’m sure that part of me will miss part of him for the rest of my life. But I no longer feel anxious about moving forward, or scared about my identity, or lost. I’ve even started having a sense of anticipation about things that might be different, not only different from what Bob and I experienced together but different for me.<br />
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So yesterday, as I took my parents on our weekly drive to find something nice to look at that meets social distancing requirements, I found myself looking down a lane on a dirt road at the edge of the Ozark National Forest. And somehow, this girl that doesn’t like public speaking and prefers time to put her words together, found herself turning on the camera and recording my first ever video blog. And you know what? It was even a little fun. I hope it blesses you and encourages you as the Holy Spirit leads you in your own journey<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MzQzcee2cpY" width="480"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27374071.post-66007471732009935302019-12-13T17:02:00.000-06:002020-01-07T16:13:36.709-06:00Lessons from Caregiving, #24: The final road<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(This post is part of a series. For previous posts in the series please see</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/05/being-body.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#1</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/05/lessons-from-caregiving-2-power-of.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#2</a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">., <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/05/lessons-from-caregiving-3-shaping.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#3</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/06/lessons-from-caregiving-4-remembering.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#4</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/06/lessons-from-caregiving-5-its-ok-to-not.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#5</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/06/lessons-from-caregiving-6-theres-no.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#6</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/06/lessons-from-caregiving-7-make-sure.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#7</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/06/lessons-from-caregiving-8-actions-that.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#8</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/07/lessons-from-caregiving-9-perseverance.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#9</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/07/lessons-from-caregiving-10-spirit-soul.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#10</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/09/lessons-from-caregiving-11-enough.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#11</a>, </span><a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/11/lessons-from-caregiving-12-last-time.html" style="color: #7c93a1; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#12</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/11/lessons-from-caregiving-13-living-hope.html" style="color: #7c93a1; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#13</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/11/lessons-from-caregiving-14-moments-that_25.html" style="color: #7c93a1; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#14</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/12/lessons-from-caregiving-15-everything-i.html" style="color: #7c93a1; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#15</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2018/12/lessons-from-caregiving-16-living-in.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#16</a>, <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/02/lessons-from-caregiving-17-figure-out.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#17</a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/04/lessons-from-caregiving-18-god-is-my.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#18</a>, <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/04/lessons-from-caregiving-19-surrendering.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#19</a>, <a href="https://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/08/lessons-from-caregiving-20-wrestle.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#20</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/11/lessons-from-caregiving-21-it-gets-messy.html" style="color: #7c93a1; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#21</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/11/lessons-from-caregiving-22-ministry-of.html" target="_blank">#22</a>, <a href="http://surpassingglory.blogspot.com/2019/12/lessons-from-caregiving-23-worship.html" target="_blank">#23</a>)</span></div>
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We're walking the final road in the dementia caregiving journey this week. After we mourn together at my husband's funeral tomorrow, honor his military service at the graveside, and celebrate his life with a meal at our home, I know that I will be entering a new phase of life. Although I'll still provide care for my parents, it will be very different than the intensity required for dementia caregiving.<br />
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As I step into this new phase of life, this blog series is also coming to an end. I know that I have a lot of lessons still to learn and process, and I may very well write about it again in the future. Right now, though, I need to apply what I have been learning at a deeply personal level.<br />
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Over the past 2 1/2 years since diagnosis, I watched my husband surrender to the increasing levels of care required by the disease. His trust in God and by extension in me has been profoundly humbling. The depth of his humility was beautiful. His surrender was complete and total - not in a fatalistic sense, but in a simple, childhood faith way that just knew God would take care of him. I don't know how to trust like that, but I want to learn.<br />
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He also remained a worshiper to the end. Less than 18 hours before he died, he was trying to sing "Amazing Grace" by mouthing the words. Just a couple of hours before he died, the only thing that relaxed him even after medication was listening to a sermon with his daughter. So many people that came through commented on the love of Jesus in his eyes. I want to learn how to worship at that level.<br />
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To the end, he retained his love and concern for others. He wanted to know that I would be cared for and would look back and forth between me and whoever was visiting until they promised to take care of me. His last visit with his kids involved him looking back and forth at them until they promised to care for each other. I want to be others-focused even in my own trials. <br />
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For some time, we've been walking a narrowing road. His world was shrinking, and with it so was mine. Now, he's walked on alone, around the bend in the road. I'm left behind, trying to figure out how to walk on alone - and yet not alone. I have the presence of God, my family, friends, church, and 25 years worth of love from my husband to see me through.<br />
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My husband was generous and open-hearted. He embraced people whatever their background or beliefs. Our family has chosen this poem, from a different religious tradition than ours, that really speaks to what we think he would tell us. Yes, we grieve. Yes, we miss him deeply. But I want to learn how to turn that pain into a pathway for love toward others.<br />
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Thank you for walking this journey with me. I appreciate your prayers as we move forward from here. I'll write again when God guides me - for now, I want to rest, and learn how to apply all these lessons from caregiving. <br />
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<i> MEDITATIONS BEFORE KADDISH - From MISHKAN T’FILAH</i><br />
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<i> When I die give what’s left of me away<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> to children and old men that wait to die.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> And if you need to cry,<br /> cry for your brother walking the street beside you.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> And when you need me, put your arms around anyone<br /> and give them what you need to give me.</span></i><br />
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<i> I want to leave you something,<br /> something better than words or sounds.</i><br />
<i><br /> Look for me in the people I’ve known or loved, <br /> and if you cannot give me away,<br /> at least let me live in your eyes and not your mind.</i><br />
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<i> You can love me best by letting hands touch hands,<br /> and by letting go of children that need to be free.</i><br />
<i><br /> Love doesn’t die, people do.<br /> So, when all that’s left of me is love,<br /> give me away.</i><br />
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