7/13/12- The Mercy of the Gospel

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.⁷ You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must rid yourselvesof all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹ Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.¹³ Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

(1998 poster of Les Miserables)

Thoughts: Just watched Les Miserables (1998 version).  The homeless thief, Jean Valjean, was welcomed into the bishop's home.  There Valjean tried to steal the bishop's silverware and hit the bishop.  When Valjean was caught and brought to the bishop, the bishop said he had given him the silverware and even said he had forgotten the candlesticks- giving them to him.  Then in private the bishop said he had purchased his soul and that Valjean should keep his saying that he would be a "new man." Valjean was changed. The miserable people- were not the very poor, but the evil people who could not enjoy the life God had given them- and could not show mercy.   

    This passage is full of mercy- there is no Greek, Jew, circumcised, or uncircumcised.  The gospel- of compassion and kindness- that elicits us to forgive each other as God forgives us- has grabbed Paul and changed him.  He reminds us the power of God transforms the old "disobedient man" into someone full of love and grace.  

Prayer: Thank you Lord, that we do not need to walk in the ways of sin, but in the ways of kindness. 

Putting the Trash Out

Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming.  (Col. 3:5,6)

We have been raised with Christ (vs.1), so we are above the grave.  The grave is full of things that are unholy. Jews could not touch a dead body, lest they become unclean.  So we are unclean when we who are raised go back to the grave- like things that pull down our soul.  There are really only two sins mentioned here in different ways: sexual immorality and greed.  Both want what is not ours to have.  Both start with lust and evil desires.  Both spurn contentment with what God has given us.  Both put ourselves in God's place as if we know better.  So, in a sense both sexual immorality and greed are idolatry.  Both put earthly desires ahead of heavenly desires.  And yes, both are prevalent in western culture today.  Our recessiin is fueled by greed-- too much debt.  America is known as the country that peddles pornography and adultery and has distinguished itself in many states and some churches by saying homosexuality suddenly is no longer a sin.  Sodom and Gomorrah are visible examples of this passage, for God's clear wrath came upon them.  Jesus told us to "remember Lot's wife" ( Lk- 17:32).  Lot's wife had a hard time not going back to her city's old ways.  She didn't want to leave so many friends and things behind.  It is hard to put these things to death, but we should not fool ourselves into thinking it is impossible.  Jesus own life shows us it is possible. 

Prayer: Help me, O God, to put to death a lust for more and more.  Help me grow in trust and contentment in you.

7/9/12 Dead to Earth- Alive to Christ

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life,appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Diving Bell- Having to swim down to go up. 


Thoughts: These verses contain the classic Christian theme that you have to go down in order to go up- and if you go up- you don't want to go down again. In former days divers made use of a diving bell.  One would dive down and then come back up to get air inside the bell.  Going down allowed the diver to be safe and breathe.  In order to obtain eternal life, we must be willing to die- to humble ourselves; to deny ourselves.  In some ways criticism, persecution, worldly failure are not enemies to our souls, but enemies to our pride.  They are means that help bring us down to our selves in order to be brought up to God.  Too many are trying to hold onto the temporary floats of this world.  Christians are born into a different world, and we do not need to try to hold onto the old one  We are not to long for more and more of the world, but for more of Christ's presence- even His appearing.  Those who hold tightly to this world- and more and more of it- will find it hard to long for Christ to come.  But this world is not our home. 


Prayer: Help me, Lord to be willing to be humbled in order to rise up. 

Ascetisim apart from God is Value-less

²⁰ Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.


Thoughts: Legalistic law keeping and spiritual pride seem to go together.  The Pharisees were ascetics about external things- but they had little mercy, were quick to judge, and their heart was not humble before God.  Here Paul is complaining about a kind of Pharisee-like practice that was coming back.  We must always be on our guard again just keeping the Law, spiritual pride, and judgmentalism.  Amazingly, Paul says that ascetic practices don't have value for restraining sensual indulgence.  He is indicating that simply restraining ourselves by our own power and ability- without God's mercy, grace, and help means little.  Sensual indulgence should be resisted, but not by common sense or our own strength.  Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.  


Prayer: Help me to resist sensuality relying on your grace, mercy, and power Lord. 

7/5/12- The Day After Freedom

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Thoughts: Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, "We must all hang together or we will assuredly all hang separately."  
This is also a great principle of the Church.  United we stand, divided we fall.  Yet there are many who seek to divide the church in order to achieve their own ideal.  Our common enemy, evil and sin, is always lurking a the door- like a roaring lion looking to devour those who stray away.
    The Church is not a perfect place, nor a place where everyone agrees.  We put up with a lot in patience and love in order to further the kingdom of God.
     We must also adhere to our constitution- our basic document- the Bible.  To stray from this in the name of any ideal means our demise.  We have seen this in the Church for the last thirty years in America.  It is the truth that sets us free.  Ignoring the truth or skirting around the truth does not frees us- but traps us.  Covering up the truth and excusing untruths take much more energy than following the truth- keeping our eyes on the northern star- our true north- Jesus.  
     It is time to be honest with ourselves.         
It is time to get honest with Jesus- humbling ourselves before His truth- His person- His love.  In humbling ourselves we put up with each other and hang together. 


Prayer: Help us, O Lord, to balance a thirst for truth with grace and patience with each other.  Help us to know it is your truth that frees us, but it is patience with each other that preserves us.  

7/1/12- The Mediary

¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. (Colossians 2:18)

(Cross as a bridge to God)


Thoughts: I once went to Cuba to visit and encourage the Presbyterian churches there.  I got to speak to the head of a voodoo church there ("African religion" they called it).  He spoke of the difference between the African animalistic religion and Christianity and was convinced that he had chosen the best of both worlds.  He was convinced that we are too low to approach the Almighty God, so we must use intermediate spirits- angels (or demi-gods)- to link up to Him.  Some of this still exists in those who think that they must pray to the saints in order to get to God.  But this is a false humility.
It is true that we are dead in our sins- but God makes us alive to Him (regeneration).  Through Jesus, our only needed mediary, we can approach God in prayer-in His name and for His sake.  The cross bridges the gap between us and God.  
    Several times in scripture good angels refuse to be worshiped (Rev. 19:10; 22:9).  Only Satan- the evil angel asked Jesus to worship Him (Mt. 4:9)- and Jesus answered by saying to worship God alone (Mt. 4:10).  Hebrews 1 tells us that Jesus is greater than the angels- who are ministering spirits sent to serve believers (1:14).  There are about 300 references to angels in the Bible. It is clear that part of the angelic duty is to bring glory and worship and praise to God (so they sang Gloria in excelsis Deo at Christ's birth).  Interestingly in our secular culture there has been a huge rise in attention to angels (someone said one in every ten songs has a mention of an angel), and Time and Newsweek have had articles about them in the last few years.  But good angels are not mediate spiritual beings- but only different spiritual beings that serve God by serving us.  


Prayer: Thank you Lord for allowing me to approach you with confidence because of Jesus.  

6/28/12- Not the Externals

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. ¹⁹ He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:16-19)

(Human body- ligament system)


Thoughts: Religion often focuses on external and measurable observation: steps to take, paths to trod, things to do, eat, days to observe.  Christian faith focuses on the Head- Christ- and our relationship with Him.
    The Colossians believers were being discouraged and judged by Jewish practitioners and gnostic heretics who wanted to simply focus on everything else but Christ.  They turned their attention to ascetic practices- dietary laws and special holidays- and then superstitiously to the worship of spiritual beings besides Christ.  Today too- in our especially secular church and secular world- there are those who would have us focus on life- by focusing on diets, on holidays (secular of course).  Even some good Christians think that if they only avoid drug and alcohol abuse and come to church on major holidays (Easter, Christmas, Mother's Day, maybe July 4th?), then they have satisfied the requirements of being a good believer.
    This is NOT, as some have tried to make it, a license to say what we eat and drink do not matter- and we may therefore abuse our bodies freely.  This is NOT  a warrant for breaking one of the Ten Commandments about taking a Sabbath.  In our crazy, super-rushed world, we need a day of rest and focus.  It is about saying that we are not condemned to hell for not observing these secondary things all the time.  The externals are not unimportant, but they are not the main thing.  We do not go to heaven by observing any external law.  Our relationship to the Head pulls us into heaven.  


Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to focus on you.  May my relationship with you be pure and true.