2/12/13- Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras?

Be not drunk on wine, but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

Thoughts: In some countries today is "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras in French) and in others (Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand) today is "Shrove Tuesday",  Shrove is the word for confession.  In the English speaking countries sometimes Shove Tuesday is called "Pancake Day."  Pancakes were eaten to get rid of the rich foods that were often given up for Lent (sugar, fat, milk, meat-like bacon).
Unfortunately, what has happened- especially in the secular world of the west- people simply regard today as "Mardi Gras" meaning time to overindulge.  So many overindulge in eating and drinking and partying today.  Of course, you don't have to think too hard to recognize that sin is a sin any time.  It is not that God waives sin's consequences because we want Him to do so.  It is not like an "eat drink and be merry for tomorrow" you will have to fast for Ash Wednesday idea.  Many Protestants refuse to practice Lent because of such abuses.  Certainly many in the Reformed faith saw Lent as doing more harm than good because of its abuses.  For us, however, Lent can be a blessing and a tool to draw closer to God.  If we are drawn closer to God by a period of stricter religious practice, that is a blessing.  Every now and then I hear someone say at Christmas time- "I wish it were Christmas all year round- because people are kinder and more generous."  Lent is only a tool- but it is a reminder that our goal is to draw closer to God each day.

Tomorrow begins a daily devotional on Lent (on this blog) with a missions theme: "Declare God's Glory- Be a Missionary."

Prayer: Help me to draw closer to you each day, Lord.  Keep me from abusing the good gifts and tools you give me.

Peter Bruegel the elder- "The Fight Between Carnival and Lent" 1559

2/11/13- Identity of Christ

¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:13-19) 

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23 quotes from Isaiah 7:14)

Thoughts: In Jesus Christ we see God- as complete in human form as we could possibly see Him. When the believers saw Jesus they believed in Him.  Thomas fell down in worship- and Jesus accepted it.  Even the demons testified to His divinity as He expelled them.  The unbelieving religious leaders tried to kill him because they believed he claimed to be divine and claimed to do divine things like forgive and heal.
In the passage above it is clear that Jesus Christ is:
1) The Savior- (vs. 13)- rescuing us from the "dominion of darkness"
2) The Forgiver (vs. 14)- rescuing us from our sins.
3) He is the image of the invisible God- Like a sacrament- the visible form of God's invisible grace.  He is like a picture of God- in one place and moment- fully identified as God. 

4) He is the firstborn of creation- before all things (15 & 17)- He is eternally  begotten. 

5) He is the Creator (16)- Creation was by and for Him.  That is about as divine as you can get.
6) He is the Sustainer of all things (17)- He holds things together.  Without His grace and love creation disintegrates- the polarized flee from each other.  He also holds us together when we cannot hold ourselves together. 

7) He is the Head of the Church- not the minister/priest/elder/archbishop/pope.  It is His Church.

8) He is the firsborn from the dead- as He is the firstborn of creation.  He is the first to be raised and stay raised (eg. Lazarus was raised but then died again). 

9) He created all powers and is supreme over all (16,18)- thrones, powers, authorities- have no power but by Him- even Pilate who crucified him had no authority over Him that was not given by Him. 

10) The fullness of God dwells in Him- (19)- God did not halfway live in Him- but fully. 

11) He is the Reconciler- (20)-bringing God to humans and humans to God as ultimate priest. 

12) He is the Peace-maker- through His blood on the cross. He not only brings us together, He seals the deal by paying our penalty making peace with God.  We have peace with God through the Prince of Peace.  

What else could Paul say?  He was trying to say as clearly as he could- that Christ is not just a man, not just a half-man/half-God, but fully human and fully divine. 

Prayer: You are worthy O Lord- to receive our worship- our glory and power and wisdom and wealth and praise.  You are the Lamb who was slain to bring us peace.  May I worship you in all my words and deeds this day.  

We confess the mystery of His two natures, divine and human, in one person. We reject any understanding of the communication of attributes that must result in a blending of the two natures such that Jesus Christ is neither truly God nor truly human. We insist upon sufficient distinction between the two natures to preserve the truth of the incarnation, that Jesus Christ is indeed Immanuel, God-with-us, not one who used to be God, nor one who has merely been sent from God. Rather, in His coming we have seen God’s glory, for Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being and in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. The divinity of the Son is in no way impaired, limited, or changed by His gracious act of assuming a human nature, and that His true humanity is in no way undermined by His continued divinity. This is a mystery that we cannot explain, but we affirm it with joy and confidence. (Essential Tenets- The Fellowship of Presbyterians)

2/10/13- The Divine and Human Together

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3)

Thoughts: Jesus is the imprint of God.  He is the mirror image (His radiance)- the exact representation of what God is like.  This is not so much about the physical shape of God as the moral and spiritual shape of God.  Jesus shows us God's love- coming down for us, sacrificing for us, teaching us about good and love, showing us how to live what he taught.  But Jesus is more than an image according to Hebrews 1:3.  He also is the one who sustains all things.  He is seated at a position of power- at the right hand of the Father.   Jesus is divine imprinted on humanity.  As such He is not less human, nor less divine.



We confess the mystery of His two natures, divine and human, in one person. We reject any understanding of the communication of attributes that must result in a blending of the two natures such that Jesus Christ is neither truly God nor truly human. We insist upon sufficient distinction between
the two natures to preserve the truth of the incarnation, that Jesus Christ is indeed Immanuel, God-with-us, not one who used to be God, nor one who has merely been sent from God. Rather, in His coming we have seen God’s glory, for Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being and in Him the fullness
of God was pleased to dwell. The divinity of the Son is in no way impaired, limited, or changed by His gracious act of assuming a human nature, and that His true humanity is in no way undermined by His continued divinity. This is a mystery that we cannot explain, but we affirm it with joy and confidence.

2/9/13- Jesus Glorified in His divinity and humanity

 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." (Jn. 8:58)

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,  and he will bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:10-11) 

Thoughts: Jesus is glorified in His being divine- sitting at the right hand of the Father, and having every knee in heaven-earth-and under the earth bow to Him (Phil. 2).  Jesus is glorified on earth as the One whose great love shown above all human actions by sacrificing Himself for us.  In His humanity, Jesus suffered for the sins of many bearing their sins as a guilt offering.  So God is glorified and the "Lord's will prospers."  Isaiah 53 says God will give make Him great for His sacrifice.  What the tenet below affirms is that Jesus is glorified- not just in His divinity, but also in His humanity.  Jesus is worthy of honor in every aspect.

Prayer: May I honor you in your living and dying, your divinity and humanity, Lord.

B. Incarnation
This is the second great mystery of the Christian faith, affirmed by all Christians everywhere: that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human. As to His divinity, He is the Son, the second person of the Trinity, being of one substance with the Father; as to His humanity, He is like us in every way but sin, of one substance with us, like us in having both a human soul and a human body. As to His divinity, He is eternally begotten of the Father; as to His humanity, He is born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. As to His divinity, His glory fills heaven and earth; as to His humanity, His glory is shown in the form of a suffering servant, most clearly when He is lifted up on the cross in our place.

2/8/13- Church-Orphanage-College

 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;

    you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
    you are the helper of the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)

Thoughts: A little discourse off the familiar path:   I have a story about National Signing Day that hits close to home. Kenyon Brown grew up in the Chapin/Little Mountain area until middle school. He was a straight A student at CMS. He told my wife (who taught him social studies) that he wanted to be a medical doctor- but didn't know how he could. Lots of our kids and youth knew him at school and also Melinda Rogers helped tutor him at the HUB and became very close to him. However, his father had left him and his mother had some other problems- eventually being evicted from her trailer. Kenyon and his brother and sister were going to live with his grandmother who already had 12-15 in her small trailer. The social worker asked if LMPC could help recommend him and get him into Thornwell Home for Children- which we did. Every now and then I would touch base with Kenyon as would Kay and the whole Rogers family- we saw him play football one night for Clinton High. He said he really liked Thornwell a lot and was keeping up with his studies. I told him we would not forget him- and would pray for him.
Last Wednesday- National Signing Day for Division 1-A schools (when top recruits sign their letter of comittment to their college football teams). Eric Rogers announced that Kenyon had signed with Presbyterian College on a scholarship as a defensive back. On the way home I was listening to the local sports radio- and guess what? They were reading Presbyterian College's recruits- and Kenyon's name was read. Kenyon's brother didn't stay at Thornwell- but came back and got involved with the wrong crowd. But Kenyon is shining. I like to think the Church helped- through the founding of Thornwell by a Presbyterian minister in 1875 and for emphasizing a strong Christ-centered ministry today, and our church and individuals plugging in to make a difference in the lives of young people like Kenyon.

This Sunday is Scout Sunday. We see young people like Grayson Hermelin as their patrol leader shining, and Cody Millager finishing his eagle project of benches for our playground/preschool and also professing his faith and being baptized. We see a strong youth program that is taking 19 to our presbytery's senior high retreat in a few weeks. No program is perfect, but when souls are being energized and blooming right before our eyes with salvation and hope we are seeing the hand of God.  

Prayer: Today we pray for Kenyon that you will lead him making his rough places smooth, being a father to the fatherless.  Help us as your people to care for those in need.  

Youtube of Kenyon Brown's signing day from Clinton High School

2/7/13- Born for Us

⁴ But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, (Gal. 4:4)

⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6,7) 

Thoughts: That God cared enough to come down in human form is an amazing miracle.  Christ is the Word incarnate- God made flesh.  We see who God is by His humanity.  God does not leave us but comes down for us.  God did not abandon us but comes to suffer for us.  He was born by and cared for by a woman- and was born into the problems of life.  He accommodated and submitted Himself to the life.   Christians believe this essential tenet- that Jesus was not just a good man or a good teacher, but God in the flesh- born for us.  Certainly, the witness of the New Testament gospels is that Jesus claimed divinity.  He claimed eternity ("Before Abraham was-I am"). He showed His power over nature (calming the storm, getting taxes from a fish, multiplying bread for the hungry). He claimed to be the way to eternal life ("I am the way the truth the life"- Jn. 14:6).  He claimed to forgive sins- for which they tried to stone Him.  He claimed that He was the Messiah- for which His hometown neighbors sought to throw Him over the cliff. He claimed to be the eternal Son of the Father- with a special relationship.  At His trial the high priests tore their robes claiming that He blasphemed God by claiming to be God.  Even as He died He claimed power to forgive, power to give life to the thief beside Him, and a special relationship with the Father.  The carol says, " Born that we no more may die.  Born to raise the sons of earth- born to give them second birth."  That God was born is finally confirmed that He is raised from the dead- not an ordinary feat.  To the early Christians- Christ is the Word who was with God, was God, and became flesh (John 1).  


B. Incarnation
This is the second great mystery of the Christian faith, affirmed by all Christians everywhere: that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human. As to His divinity, He is the Son, the second person of the Trinity, being of one substance with the Father; as to His humanity, He is like us in every way but sin, of one substance with us, like us in having both a human soul and a human body. As to His divinity, He is eternally begotten of the Father; as to His humanity, He is born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. As to His divinity, His glory fills heaven and earth; as to His humanity, His glory is shown in the form of a suffering servant, most clearly when He is lifted up on the cross in our place.

2/6/13- Christ Became a Slave to Death to Set Us Free

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14,15)

Thoughts: Christ became not only human, but He suffered as a slave to death in order to free us from death.  Without Christ we are indeed slaves to death and to the fear of death (Heb. 2:15).  We cannot escape the Grim Reaper without Christ.  How many things do we do to avoid this slavery that we cannot escape? We diet- eating right to have good productive and long lives; We exercise- and continually read and hear about our need to move, stretch, push and sweat. We go to the doctor- to get the medicines we need to escape pain and to live longer. But ultimately no matter who we are, how much we have (or don't), how much we know (or don't) we are held captive and must come before the master of death- which is evil itself.  It is the ultimate wrong that life is extinguished- and so the one "who holds the power of death- is the devil."  But Christ faced death for us in order to free us from the sting of death (1 Cor. 15:56-57).  Death is still something we face, but we face it not as a brick wall, but as a doorway to a better life.  It is like Jesus made a "secret" escape route from the prison of death- and we need to know as we head toward the brick wall that there is a way out- belief in His making a way (the cross).  Christ became a prisoner of human life and human death in order to make an escape route for the prisoners.  The prison no longer is the ultimate end for us- there is release!  Part of our job is to tell others where that escape route is- pointing to the cross.  

Prayer: Thank you for sharing in our humanity, Lord.  Thank you for coming down to set us free from the slavery and prison of death and evil.  


B. Incarnation
This is the second great mystery of the Christian faith, affirmed by all Christians everywhere: that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human. As to His divinity, He is the Son, the second person of the Trinity, being of one substance with the Father; as to His humanity, He is like us in every way but sin, of one substance with us, like us in having both a human soul and a human body. As to His divinity, He is eternally begotten of the Father; as to His humanity, He is born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. As to His divinity, His glory fills heaven and earth; as to His humanity, His glory is shown in the form of a suffering servant, most clearly when He is lifted up on the cross in our place.

"O For a Thousand Tongues" - He sets the captive free! (Click for song/video)