The Value of Life from the Giver of Life

And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image. (Genesis 9:5-6)

Thoughts: Today there is a devaluing of human life.  Part of this devaluing is not recognizing that we are more than just a collection of molecules- but a human soul.  Part of this devaluing is a forgetting that there is a Giver of Life- and each life is a precious gift.  For many the main value of life is not the human, but what the human can do for others, or the cost of a human life.  In 2011 a cost of a human life by the EPA was valued at $9.1 million; the FDA at $7.9 million, the DOT is $6.1 million.  Yet there are some that say the value of a human life is less than zero if it is in the womb.  This was the meaning of a New York law allowing abortion up to the time of birth.  Literally a woman could be in labor- with the baby trying to get out and the woman ask that the baby be killed for any and every reason.  Virginia tried to pass similar legislation and Rhode Island tried to as well.  But the devaluing of human life shows in euthanasia.  But the value of a human soul is lost.  In Genesis Moses was given a covenant by God.  But here it reminds us that God, as the Creator of life, values life.  The reason is that "God made man in his own image."  In other words- there is a bit of the Creator imprinted on each of us.  Brunner  and Barth describes the image of God as the ability to form complex spiritual and loving relationships- like loving God and loving others. Love is a mystery that is hard to predict or control.  We cannot predict how another human being will love or even how we will love that human being.  Killing destroys the ability to love, and destroys the image of God.  Human life is invaluable because we cannot duplicate it.  Each person is unique- with unique DNA, fingerprints, eye prints and more.  We need to respect the unique value of others.    

Prayer: Lord, help me to value others and value your image in them.  

What is Wrong- Ultimately

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.  (1 John 3:4)

Question 11. What is sin? Sin is closing our hearts to God and disobeying God's law.

Thoughts: God is the great planner and director.  Because He not only made us but He loves us, He gives us directions to live by for our own good.  When we close our hearts to God- we close our hearts to our designer.  When we sin we are going against His directions- His Law.  In contrast, if we can listen to God there is joy, hope, and grace.  God gives us a way to listen by sending His Son (the living Word), and sending His scriptures (the written Word). 
     How do we know what sin is?  How do we know what right or wrong is?  It is not what is socially acceptable- or what the majority think (in the 1930s the majority of Germans thought the Jews should be killed).  It is not what the experts think.  Sometimes even experts can be wrong (think theories like Spontaneous combustion, steady-state universe, or the blank-slate/tabula rosa theory).  If there is not ultimate law-giver then there is no ultimate right or wrong.  But if there is, then there is such a thing as sin and also the contrast- good.  God is therefore the definer of good- and we should listen to Him. 

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to listen to you and to find my hope in you. 

Why Doesn't God Do Something About Evil?

16Never again will they hunger,

and never will they thirst;

nor will the sun beat down upon them,

nor any scorching heat.a

17For the Lamb in the center of the throne

will be their shepherd.b

He will lead them to springs of living water,c

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:15-17)

Thoughts: Why doesn't God do something about evil?  We all know there is wrong and a lot of badness in the world.  But rarely does our world use the word "evil" anymore- because we don't want to judge between right and wrong or heaven and hell.  Yet, deep down we know there is evil- in murders, torture, things like the holocaust, or rape.  The news can actually magnify evil so that a little bit of evil can be well known by all.  The other part is that our technology- instead of slowing evil often enhances it.  So bombs are more powerful (even nuclear); so pornography is spread more rapidly with cell phones and the internet. 
    Yet we must be careful to define what evil is.  Evil is not a positive force, but a negative one.  It is the absence of good just as darkness is the absence of light.  In that sense, evil is parasitic upon the good (no one would know what evil was if there was no good- and we only recognize evil when good is absent). 
     But why doesn't God do something?  He has made us with the ability to say no to Him.  We are not robots or simply controlled by fate.  God gives us time to repent- and He desires that we all repent and come to the truth (2 Peter 3:9).  So God is much more patient and gracious toward our evil than we are. 
     God has done something in that He came to experience evil- and He did on the cross in the person of His Son-Jesus.  God knows what it is like to have evil done to the innocent. 
     Yet, one day God will stop evil.  Evil is limited by Jesus even now.  But at the end of history, He will wipe every tear and there will be no more mourning or death or pain or hunger or thirst.   God will one day end all evil, hurt, and harm.  That day is coming.  In the meantime- He showed us and taught us how to live in the face of evil in the person of Jesus who turned the other cheek.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to be on your side and not on evil's side.  Let me trust in you and wait patiently until evil is demolished.  

     

Who Made God

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Thoughts: I began a class with 4th-8th graders and asked them to ask me, as their pastor, any question they would like about God, the church, or anything.  The most common question (and the question I most expected) was "Who made God?"  There are many facets to this question.  
Other religions have a god behind god.  So the ancient Greeks had the Titans.  The Egyptians had Nun and Naunet giving birth to Ptah; or Ymir and Oden to the Norse gods.  
But Judeo- Christian thought has no primordial or primeval god behind God (though some have tried to impose a primordial chaos or a goddess Sophia- but there is no biblical evidence of that).  The God described by the Bible is a God with no beginning and no end- the Alpha and the Omega.  He is, as 1 Timothy says, "The eternal immortal God."  
       I asked the children if they could think of the highest number in the world- not a million or a billion, or a quadrillion because you can always add just one more.  Someone said, "Infinity"  and the beginning would be negative infinity.  Numbers are not designed to have a beginning or an end.  God as a person is designed to not have a beginning or an end either.  The vastness of space seems to not begin or end, but it is nothing compared to God Himself.  The infinity, immeasurability and eternity of God all seem to compliment and support each other.  Time is a limited way we measure a small part of eternity (a year is how long the earth takes to go around the sun- but the universe and galaxy are much bigger than this orbit).  Einstein says if we could go far enough away and get a strong enough telescope, we could see light coming from the earth- so that we are looking at the past.  The light we see from the sun is over 8 minutes old.  So God can see the past, the present, and we mgith add because He knows all variables- the future.  No one made the God who sees all time and is beyond all time and space.  He is not limited by time or space. 

Prayer: Lord, Help me to appreciate your power and love.  

Baptism Replaces Circumcision

11In Him you were also circumcised in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. 12And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.

13When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, 14having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!  (Colossians 2:11-14)

Thoughts:  John Calvin did an excellent job of founding and linking the sacrament of baptism on and with the Old Testament rite of circumcision.  They both are initiation rites into the people/family of God. Both represent cleansing.  Circumcision is a rolling away of the uncleanness (Joshua 5:8,9) while baptism is cleansing.  Both are covenant/promise making events.  Both are done in obedience to God and to elicit God's blessing and favor.
    In Colossians 2 links circumcision to baptism- "In Him you were also circumcised...in baptism."  Circumcision was not necessary in the New Testament because its meaning and its rite was replaced with baptism.  This also opened the initiation/cleansing/covenant rite to both men and women.  In the Old Testament obviously only males were circumcised.  In the Inter-testamental period, converts were circumcised if they were boys and baptized if they were girls. But in the New Testament the rite and the people were unified- in one Lord, one faith, one baptism. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for calling me, claiming me, making a covenant with me in baptism.  

The Example of Baptism

13At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

15“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. (Matthew 3:13-15)

Thoughts:  The one born of a virgin did not need to have his sins cleansed.  The one who was both God and human did not need to have covenant bond between him and God- He embodied that bond.  But the one thing baptism did for Jesus is it bonded him to those who would be baptized in his name after him.  It bonded him to the church by example.  It was just fitting.  He was made, among other things, to be bonded to the church in baptism- so it was fitting to do it.  It also "fulfilled all righteousness" about baptism ("this way").  God was submitting to His own demands and commands.  He wasn't saying, "Y'all do this to be good" and then not doing it himself.  It was part of being a righteous leader.  So why did Jesus get baptized?  He got baptized for us- to set us an example; to indicate it is important; to accommodate Himself to His own ordinance.
    But there is also a bit more.  It is why baptism is not just something we have to do, but it is a real and present blessing of God.  God is able and should bless us.  He is alive and seeks to be near us.  Obedience is a first requirement for God's blessing, but it is not alone.  When Christ was baptized he heard the Father's voice saying, "This is my Son whom I love with Him I am well pleased."  Is that not blessing enough?  But there is more blessing- the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove.  In other words God was especially present with Him- and everyone knew it.  It is not so visible with us who are baptized after Him.  But the Father is pleased and the Spirit comes upon us too.  Baptism is a sign of the Spirit's coming upon our lives and drawing us to Himself.  Baptism is an ordinance to do, but a sacrament to receive and accept. 

Prayer:  Lord, baptism is a fitting blessing for us.  Help us this week to appreciate it and to grow in its appreciation.   

To God be the Glory

Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all to the glory of God. 

Thoughts: So Dabo Swinney said after he won the national championship that no one thought they would do this (probably including themselves).  He said that no one could imagine to even write a story like this.  It is not wrong, when the unusual happens to look for an invisible hand.  Perhaps God brought this about so we could see He still does the unusual- and also some recognize God's help. 

Prayer: Lord, let me honor you whether I win or lose.  May you be glorified in my life- whatever happens. 

All In

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been perfected, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14) 

Thoughts: If someone makes a decision to be a half-Christian, or a "kinda" Christian, they will be frustrated.  God wants us to honor Him as Lord not just part-time- but all time.  Baptism is a symbol of this.  We don't want our sins to only be half washed away or half forgiven.  When we are driving a car we don't want to be half- focused.  When we are on our journey of life we need focus too.  There are many distractions, and we naturally leave our focus.  Joy and peace in the Christian life is only found when we are all in.  Jesus told us- for our own good to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). 

Prayer: Lord, help me to surrender all and be all in for you.  

Ordination to Ministry in the Bible

1Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“Take Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, 3and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”

4So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 5And Moses said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.”

6Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. 7He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. 8Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. 9Moses also put the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded him.

Thoughts: Ordination is a special thing in the Old Testament.  It is a calling- God is the One telling Moses to make Aaron a priest and Aaron responds.  It is a cleansing and setting apart- there is a lot of washing and a sacrifice in this ordination service to indicate that 1) everyone needs cleansing- even priests but especially priests; and 2) it is a holy work and the priest is called to be cleansed and holy to do it.  The whole community was to gather around to see it (vs. 3).  It is not done in a corner, and Aaron is honored in the midst of his people.  The ones who serve God are called to be honored.  It is a noble task (1 Tim. 3:1).  But it is a call not just to be honored.  It is a call to serve, to pray for, to lift up the people to God and lift up God to the people.  

Prayer: Lord, may those who enter the ministry take the call seriously and earnestly as a holy calling from you. Equip them with everything they need to do your work. 

A New Creation

"If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation- the old has passed the new has come."  2 Corinthians 5:17

Then I saw let down from heaven a new heaven and a new earth... Rev. 21:1; 2 Peter 3:13

Thoughts:  There are many nuances to Paul's admonition that those in Christ are new creations.  Jesus said it is like being born again.  So there is a fresh start- a new life with God and the old way of life is gone.  We become adopted and our passports would read "citizens of heaven."  In this sense we are made new- like the blind seeing.  Certainly at the beginning of the new year, it is a good time to think of re-starting and renewing our commitment to God.     
   But in a kingdom sense, we are also part of a new heaven and a new earth.  There are those who emphasize this coming only at the end of history, or taking this literally as a physical new earth and heaven.  But heaven came down to earth in Jesus, and the world is not the same.  Eternal life does not begin after you die- but the minute you are born again.  We get to taste a part of the kingdom now.  But more than this, we look forward to false views of life- on earth and heaven going away and seeing clearly (not through a mirror dimly) so that the new heaven and earth is made complete at the end of old earthly history.   For now we get a spiritual glimpse into eternity, but we will eventually get a full view at the end when creation is re-created.  All the false values and false securities are erased and the person and love of God are seen as the true center of things.  When we become new creations- it is a part of the re-making of earth and the re-making of heaven.

Prayer:  Lord, let me not take your ability to change me and to change my world for granted.

Daniel B. Holeman's image of new heaven and new earth