5/29/12- Pleasing God

¹⁸ Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! ²⁰ As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19,20)

(Epps- 19th century- John Knox confronting Mary Queen of Scots)


Thoughts: Today went to John Knox's house.  John was known for his many confrontations with Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.  But when Mary first arrived in the country, John Knox fled towards England to escape her wrath.  But he turned around.  Doubtless he had received advice to flee for his own good and the good of his cause.  But Knox not only turned around but he went to Holyrood to meet the queen in an effort to convert her to Reformed thinking (she was a devout catholic).  Mary, on the other hand, made every effort to try to please people, and it often led to disastrous results.  She married her first cousin- in an effort to have a Stuart heir - but he ended up being murdered.  Her third marriage was to Lord Boswell who assisted in her husband's marriage and was still married in catholic eyes- so she married him in a Protestant service.  But she made the catholics mad by not getting permission from the pope for the marriage and having a Protestant service.  The Protestants had been given some power by Mary, but they were not happy either.  Lincoln said you can't please all the people all the time.  The apostles said they must please God rather than man.  It was the regent of Scotland who said at Knox's funeral, "Here lies a man who fears no man."  May that be true of us. 


Prayer: Give me grace and strength and insight to please you, Lord, above all others.  

5/28/12- Knox and the sufficiency of scripture

¹⁵ and how from infancyyou have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

(2 Timothy 3:15-17)

(Ben Sloan with Statue of John Knox in St. Gile's Cathedral in Edinburgh- part of the Presbyterian church of Scotland)

Thoughts: The statue of John Knox above is pointing to the Bible.  That is what Knox did- and it changed the world.  In many ways the Scottish Enlightenment owes its emphasis on education to Knox who, within a generation, accounts for doubling the literacy rate in Scotland to 97% so that the people could read scripture.
   The dispute with the Catholics was that they believed that their expert- the Pope- had the ability to discern God's will apart from scripture.  Knox, Calvin, Luther and the like said that the scriptures were sufficient to give us all we need to know to find God's will.  The "thoroughly equipped" of 3:17 points to this.  Karl Barth said that this is not just a matter of dogma- but a matter of practice- lived out by looking to the scripture to find God's will- and obeying the scripture when we would rather not. The scriptures are the witness to Jesus Christ- the embodied Word of God.  If we do not listen to them- and wrestle with them- struggling to submit our desires to the simple meaning of scripture- then we deceive ourselves.  In fact, one might say, if we do not believe that the scriptures are sufficient for finding God's will, then we can choose what we do not want to do in them with the illusion that we do not have to heed or listen to them.  The scriptures are not authoritative if they only have an advisory capacity.  As someone said, "The Ten Commandments are not Ten suggestions."  But they are only suggestions if we may get others to tell us that such things as lying or adultery or taking a day of rest are not helpful or necessary for obtaining the blessing of God. 

Prayer: Help me to rest and count on the sufficiency of the Bible for understanding your will for me, O Lord. 

5/26/12 Knox's three tests

The Lord disciplines those He loves.  (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6)


These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁹ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
(Revelation 2:8b-10- Christ's words to the church in Pergammum). 

 ² I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. ⁶ But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:2-6- Christ's words to the church in Ephesus).

(Jan Steen- 1675 "A School for Boys and Girls")


Thoughts: Knox said in the Scots Confession that there is a false church (a synagogue of Satan as above- with false apostles 2:2) and a true church.  It is not that the true church is a perfect church- far from it.  But the difference is that the true church repents. If the church stops repenting, its love dies (as happened in Ephesus).
   Knox (Scots Confession chapter 18)and Calvin agree that there are signs that show us where a true church is:
1) Right Preaching of the Word of God- always seeking to reform to God's Word not our own thoughts- which can be and often are self-deceived.
2) Right Administration of the sacraments- The sacraments are not secondary to the Christian life.  In America's love with individualism, we need to hear the need for common baptism and communion.  We can't do communion over the internet, and baptism takes more than one.  We also, however, do not need to elevate the sacraments to the basis for salvation.  Salvation comes by grace through faith- not by grace through sacrament. The outward act is not enough- it is a visible symbol of God's invisible grace.  If we only emphasize the outside we become like the Pharisees.
3) Right discipline- "where vice is repressed and virtue is nourished."  That is, the church must encourage each other not only by inspiring, but also by pointing out in frank love, where we fail.  America desperately needs a church that is not overly harsh- but is full of grace and love but also points out wrong.  We know a school without discipline may teach reading, writing, and arithmetic but it will not teach it well.  A school is also to teach kids how to listen, how to follow instructions, how to respect others.  The picture above by Jan Steen (which I saw in the National Gallery in Scotland) is a picture of a school gone wild- which is useless- even as a babysitter.  A church that is unable to say anyone or anything is wrong is headed in the same direction. It is important to be able to speak the truth in love- in love- but not muting the truth.  


Prayer: Help me Lord.  Help me by loving me, and love me by disciplining me- even if it hurts.  

5/27/12- Knox on Reforming the Church

Sanctify them by the truth- your word is truth. (John 17:17- a verse that influenced Knox's conversion to Christianity).

(John Knox pointing to the Bible)

Thoughts:
  John Knox was one of the great Reformers, and his statue is in Geneva next     to Calvin's as a person who stood up for truth in a day of immorality and the decadence of the church.  Knox was born in Haddington, Scotland.  He was ordained a catholic priest, but studied under George Wishart who had accepted the doctrines of Tyndale and Luther that no human being had the right or power to determine what was moral or blessed by God apart from or contrary to God's written Word in scripture.  In the name of the "experts" of their day, the people were discouraged from reading and interpreting the Bible for themselves.  The experts of the day were keeping the people biblically illiterate saying it was impossible to rightly understand scripture if we didn't know all the nuances- and we should not take what the scripture says at face value.
    Wishart was burned at the stake for standing up for sola scriptura.  Knox was put in a French Galley ship as a slave-rower for three years.  Knox later fled to Geneva and studied under John Calvin.  Knox spoke of Geneva as "the most perfect school of Christ that was ever on earth since the days of the apostles."  Knox became Chaplain to the young king of England.  Knox was invited back to Scotland in 1555, and in 1560 at the Treaty of Berwick, Scotland officially became Protestant and catholic France was forced off Scottish lands and the English influence prevailed.
    Knox was fiery for his time, but without his zeal the church would not have been reformed.  It could be argued that Knox did not seek to leave the catholic church, the catholic church tried to imprison or kill him and those who followed in his ways.  He was part of a remnant of believers, persecuted for their faith- who stood up for what they believed.  He did not seek to simply change the church according to some ideal.  He sought to enable the church to reform to be more like the church of scripture.  The motto of the Reformation was not simply semper reformanda (ever reforming), but ever reforming according to the Word of God.
    Today, there is vast skepticism; attacks on the scripture in pseudo-scholarship; and a vast illiteracy of what the Bible says.  No one needs to defend God or the Bible- but we also do not need to shrink into the shadows before the skeptics whose faith is but a shadow.  The church in America is at a crossroads.  It could shrink to be like the church in Europe who has bought into biblical skepticism and unbelief in the power of God.  Or we could explode like a live shoot from a stump and once again be light and salt in a dark, tasteless world.  The power is not found in an idea but in God- and God's power is not found apart from obedience, repentance, and reforming to His Word. 


Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to be true to you.  Let me not waver- despite the criticism and skepticism of many- against you or your Word. 
     

5/25/12- Going Home

How lovely is your dwelling place, 
    Lord Almighty!
² My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God. 
³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar, 
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God. 
⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you. (Psalm 84)

 (Galloway Tartan)

    Today I am travelling with some folks from my church to another spiritual homeland.  I have been to Israel and to some of the places Paul visited in Greece, Turkey, and Italy.  But today I will be traveling to the home of my ancestors- and home of the origins of American Presbyterianism- Scotland.
     242 times the word "Home" is used in scripture.  It is a powerful word with powerful emotions attached to it.   In the pilgrim's Psalm it says, "Even the sparrow has found a home."  God has a place for us.  Our real spiritual home is found not in some physical country- but in God.  Yet the physical can point to the spiritual.  When we worship God- when we pray and sing to Him- it is like being where we were meant to be- the place of acceptance and love- home.  Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms- if it were not so I would have told you. 
I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also."  So today, seek to be home with God. 

Prayer: May I find my rest, my peace, my strength, my home in you, O Lord. 

Song: Going Home. (click)

5/24/12- Perseverance in Love

 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:12-14)

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  (James 1:2-4) 

Thoughts: Today is my 32nd wedding anniversary.  Looking back, I can see God's hand leading us through thick and thin- keeping us together.  It is a combination of love and perseverance that has brought us contentment and joy.  We've been through three seminaries, seven moves, three children, eleven hospital stays, detached retina, cancer, some really lean times when we wondered what we would eat- and some really fat times when we were sitting on top of the world.  Kay has put up with a ton and has partnered with me the whole way. There were tremendous romantic times and other times when we had to swallow our pride just to stay together. But we called on God in both, and He has sustained us.
     Perhaps this is how it should be with God and His bride- and our relationship to both.  There are times when God and the church inspire, encourage, uphold, help, strengthen, and infuse grace into us. But there are other times when we may feel abandoned, alone, far away.  But a relationship with God and His Church- like any relationship requires a growing love and perseverance.  If we persevere through the trials- we will find maturity and contentment at the end- and joy in the journey.  Pilgrim's Progress is a great book that reminds us that our pilgrimage here will have ups and downs- but faithfulness in love and perseverance are a key.
    Looking back over the years- I am so glad that Kay and I are together.  There is a deep joy and contentment in our relationship.  It is the same with our relationship with God.  

Prayer: God grant me a growing love for your and a perseverance that enables me to find contentment through the trials- being well fed or hungry; plenty or went; sickness or health.  

Q. 36. What benefits in this life accompany or derive from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
A. The benefits that in this life accompany or derive from justification, adoption, and sanctification are: the assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, and growing and persevering in grace to the end of our lives. 

5/23/12 Graduation and sanctification

(NIV)Ephesians 4:14-16
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Thoughts: If the doctor told you that your child should have some elective surgery to make them feel better- but they could live without it- but there was a 50% chance your child wouldn't make it, would you give them the surgery anyway?  I doubt it.  Yet at tonight's Bacclaureate service the speaker quoted a study that said of regular church going students with a 3/5 highschool gpa- 50% quit going to church within 18 months.  Perhaps they are tossed about by every wind of doctrine they hear and by the schemers who would love for these young people to join them in alcohol and drub abuse.  Yet we pay tens of thousands of dollars to put our children in harms way.  The mind is a terrible thing to waste, but so is the soul.  All of us need to seek to grow our faith- and we do that in part by connecting with the body- the church.

Prayer: Help our graduates and me to grow more in grace and less in selfishness.