Precious

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Pete

Psalm 116. Wasn’t on yesterday’s reading plan, but it was the psalm of the day. I prayed it over a daughter of the King last night shortly before she went home to be with her Savior. And, like the songwriter, I too declare,

I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.

(Psalm 116:1 ESV)

After almost two weeks of keeping vigil as Sue’s fearfully and wonderfully made body underwent an orderly and peaceful shutdown of all it’s God created systems, our family was able to give a final kiss and say to a beloved wife and mother, “See you later. We’ll miss you so much!”

Someone’s eyes were always on Sue. She was rarely left alone and even then but for a few minutes. We watched and wept. We remembered and rejoiced. We said goodbye and we gave God thanks for such a precious gift and wonderful love.

But we weren’t the only ones with eyes on Sue.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.

(Psalm 116:15 ESV)

Not gonna romanticize death. It’s not precious. It’s a symptom of the brokenness and separation that has entered our world because of man’s sin and rebellion against God. But death has lost it’s sting and is a defeated foe. Now serving as but a transport for those who have trusted in the shed blood of Jesus to atone for their sin and to restore the hope of eternal life for which they were created.

But His saints are precious. Precious in the sight of the LORD are His saints. Highly valued in His eyes are those owned as His people. Prized are those purchased by the blood of His Son. Splendid are those who have heard the Shepherd’s voice and responded, “Yes, Lord!”

His saints are precious in His sight. In life and in death. During the days of seeking first the kingdom, and during the days of preparing to go home. During the days of seeking, by His grace, to serve Him faithfully, and during the days of surrendering, by His grace, our souls trustingly.

Every day He has numbered. Every day comes with the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Every day He sees from heaven. And every day, especially those days when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He doesn’t let us out of His sight.

More than just some pie-in-the-sky, sweet-by-and-by sentiment. It is the sure hope of the believer.

And so, amidst sorrow there is joy. Weeping is accompanied by wonder. With the separation comes the anticipation. And, the grief is cloaked in gratitude.

What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD . . I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.

(Psalm 116:12-13, 17 ESV)

Though last night was painful, still it was precious.

Because of grace. For His glory.

Posted in Psalms, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Dad, Are You Watching?

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Pete

Managed to get some time in my study this morning and catch up on my reading plan. Good to get some quiet time and listen. Word of God speak.

But didn’t get to my computer until early evening. Kind of the way our days have been going lately.

As I was catching up in the psalms, the following verses caught my attention and gave me something to chew on.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love.

(Psalm 33:18 ESV)

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry.

(Psalm 34:15 ESV)

Something about knowing you’re being watched that can be kind of intimidating . . . especially if you have something to hide!

But there’s also something about knowing you’re being watched that can act as a source of courage and comfort. I remember my kids when they were little getting ready to try something new. Something they thought was kind of risky and dangerous like jumping into the deep end of the pool by themselves. They’d walk to the deep end. Stand by the edge. Survey the leap they were about to take. Remind themselves that they were pretty sure they’d be able to swim back to the edge. And then, as a final safety check they’d look over at me and say, “Dad, are you watching?”

I was. And all systems were a go. Splash! Into the deep end they went . . . all by themselves.

Life can kind of be like a series of “deep ends.” Something new you have to experience comes along. Something hard or dangerous or simply something you don’t want to have to do. But you know you gotta.  Others have done it, so can you.

So you get ready. You know God’s promises are sure and that you really can do all things through Him who strengthens you (Php. 4:13). You know that His grace really is sufficient so that His power is made known in your weakness (2Cor. 12:9). And so you’re ready to take that next step. But you still want to look up and say, “Dad, are you watching?”

The songwriter twice reminds me, Yes, He’s watching.

Behold the eye of Abba Father is on those who fear Him. on those who have placed their hope solely in the eternal promise of His steadfast love. The eyes of our Father are locked on His children, fully knowing how scary it is to charter into unknown and unpleasant territory. And He hears their cry.

As I was chewing on the blessedness of being watched by my heavenly Father, a segment from an old (like really old) Gaither DVD came to mind (pardon Michael English’s fashion faux pas). “His is eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me,” they sing over and over again. It brought a smile to my face and a bit of joy induced lightness to my heart. If you have a couple of minutes click here to sit back and enjoy it.

Yeah, getting a bit of time in the Word and a bit more time on my computer has been a refreshing pause today. Now, back into the pool.

By His grace. For His glory.

 

Posted in Psalms | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Why I Haven’t Been Posting Lately

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Pete

Sent out the following e-mail this evening.  Explains why I haven’t been posting for the past few days.

——————-

Hey Folks

While I’m sending this out to as many folks as I have emails for, please feel free to forward this email.

As many of know, Sue’s brain cancer reappeared September 2015.  After almost a year of chemo therapy treatments—none of which were successful in arresting the cancer’s growth—last August Sue started infusion treatments targeted at curtailing symptoms and managing quality of life.  Since then we have seen steady decline, first every few months, then every few weeks, and recently, it seems daily.  This past weekend it became evident that the time had arrived for those treatments to cease and for us to prepare for Sue’s “home stretch.”  I say “home” because the Scriptures say that for those who have trusted in Jesus and His redeeming work on the cross and have enjoyed the blessing here of being in a relationship with the Creator, that when death comes, to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him. 

(2Corinthians 5:6-9)

In fact, the Bible says that for those who know Jesus, while to live is Christ, to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).  Life here has been so good!  But to depart and be with Him is far better.

These truths have been our reality for all our married lives and is the hope we both have as we anticipate soon a temporary separation as Sue goes home to be with Jesus.

And so, this past Monday home hospice was engaged.  We are set up to care for Sue and keep her comfortable for whatever time remains this side of heaven.

We are so thankful that the Lord spared Sue 5 ½ years ago when the tumor was first discovered so traumatically while we were in Santa Cruz.  So thankful for three successful craniotomies back then and for what was almost 4 years of cancer free living since.  So thankful that, for the most part, the treatments Sue has had to go through have been relatively low impact.  And so thankful that Sue never lost that “peace that passes understanding” as we’ve trusted in the Lord with all our hearts and found that truly, His grace is sufficient.

All the girls, their husbands, and our two grand-kids are home now.  Melissa is due with her first baby in three weeks . . . we’re trusting the Lord with this as well.

Anyway, I wanted you to know our situation.  So many of you were with us through the ordeal 5 ½ years ago and many of you have remained a part of lives since then.

Thanx for the care and concern you’ve shown and the prayer cover you’ve provided.   Sincerely appreciated.

Trusting in His grace.  Wanting to live for His glory.

Pete

 

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Mighty Mammon vs. Almighty God

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Pete

It’s one of those foundational pieces of counsel that, by God’s grace, has stuck with me over the years. Long ago I was offered a bit of sage advice: Beware, our possessions have a way of possessing us. We may buy things, but all too easily those things can end up owning us.

We want to get our money’s worth and so they consume our leisure time. They break down and need fixing, so we increase our investment in them (either money and/or time) and thus, need all the more to make sure we get a good return. And so, it’s not unusual that what our stuff demands can have a way of stealing from what our Lord deserves.

And so, perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising if, from time to time, God allows tests to come our way to reveal something of how tightly we hold on to stuff. Opportunities that require decisions to be made that reflect the degree to which we pursue mighty mammon or have subjected it to Almighty God. I’m thinking that, at least in part, such was the case for some fresh out of slavery Israelites . . .

The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for Me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for Me. . . . And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.”

(Exodus 25:1-2, 8 ESV)

First thing that hits me is a sense of wonder and awe that my God is a God who desires to dwell in the midst of His people. Chapter 25 launches a series of detailed instructions concerning how to build the tabernacle–a sanctuary upon which God would descend so that He might dwell among men and women. A place where some measure of God’s infinite glory might be known. A place where, through designated representatives, ordinary people might approach an extraordinary God. A place which would demonstrate the separating nature of God’s holiness and yet a place where that separation could be spanned through the blood of reconciling atonement.

Be still and know afresh that our God desires to dwell in the midst of His people. Our God is an awesome God!

But then I noticed this little challenge at the beginning of these instructions. Moses was told to gather from every man “whose heart moves him” the materials necessary for the tabernacle’s construction. Gold, silver, bronze, colored yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for lamps, spices for anointing oil, precious stones.

So, where are a bunch of just liberated slaves from Egypt going to come up with such stuff? Well actually, they were loaded with this kind of stuff. In addition to the flocks and herds they had accumulated while living in Goshen, when they left Egypt it says that they were told to ask the Egyptians “for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians” (Ex. 12:35-36).

God’s people left Egypt with a lot of stuff. Those who had once been considered the property of others were now in possession of a lot of property. They were loaded! They possessed designer label things that they never could have imagined owning. They were decked out with gold and silver and jewelry, the likes of which they had never had access to before. For some it must have felt like they were finally receiving what was owed to them after so many years of hard labor. And now, says the LORD, as your heart is moved, give it up. Let go of it and hand it over for the building of a place where I might dwell in your midst.

So many of the gods of Egypt had been trounced during the time of the plagues, and now, one more was to be dealt a death blow–mammon.

I’m thinking this was a test. The people had already said they’d obey God (Ex. 24:7), but would that obedience find it’s way to their wallet? Here they are packing the plunder of the world they had been rescued from and now they’re being asked to give of it freely that God might have a place among them. Would their possessions posses them? Or would they find that they really could not serve two masters, that it was impossible to serve God and to serve wealth (Matt. 6:24)? Stay tuned . . . the answer is revealed in a few pages.

But for now, it’s less about the Israelites and more about me. How am I doing with the world’s treasure that’s in my possession? The stuff freely given by the God of my deliverance? Does it own me? Or, by God’s grace, am I acting as a faithful steward over it? Am I seeking to build my bank account and fill my storeroom with stuff? Or, am I desiring, above all things, to know the God who longs to dwell in the midst?

Hmmm . . . worth noodling on . . .

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

O, that our possessions would not posses us. But that all we have, and all we are, would be His and His alone.

Because of grace. For His glory.

Posted in Exodus | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Abundant Goodness

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Pete

It’s not the conclusion that the world would expect. Add it all up, and those outside the kingdom wouldn’t understand the songwriter’s math. The cause and effect equation just would not compute for most. But for David it wasn’t as much about what was seen but what was unseen. His state of mind less dictated by the chaos created by the circumstance but formed more through the calm available by knowing who was in control. So even when his world was kind of crashing down around him, the psalmist could still extol God’s abundant goodness.

Don’t know exactly what was going on in David’s world that inspired Psalm 31, but there was a lot!

As David takes inventory in his song he recounts how he is getting hammered from all sides. He writes of great affliction from without and of an equally great distress of soul within (31:7). He is spent with sorrow, overwhelmed by sighing. His strength is failing as if his bones are wasting away(31:10). He’s a reproach to his neighbors and an object of dread to his acquaintances. When people see him on the street they walk in the opposite direction (31:11). Externally, his adversaries plot against him (31:13). Internally, the weight of the knowledge of his own iniquity crushes him (31:10). Add it up and we’re talking what seems to be an unbearable mess. But David goes to a different place.

Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the children of mankind!

(Psalm 31:19 ESV)

Abundant goodness? Really? Yeah, really!

Not just about what was happening. But David takes stock of life’s reality in the greater of context of God’s immensity. His God was a God of refuge, thus David would own Him as rock and fortress (31:3-4). His God had proven Himself as unfailing redeemer and so David would commit his spirit into God’s faithful hands (31:5). He cried out to God, asking Him to incline His ear, because He knew that His God saw his affliction and was not unacquainted with his grief (31:7).

He could trust in His God during this trial because he had been “wondrously shown His steadfast love” in previous trials (31:21). David had known before that feeling of, seemingly, being cut off from the Almighty’s sight. But he also recalled how, in fact, heaven had heard and responded to his previous pleas for mercy and cries for help (31:22).

And so, it does add up. It does compute. We can “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2) because we know our Father has stored up abundant goodness for those who fear Him. We can “consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” because “nothing will separate us from the love of Christ” and that in “all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:18, 35-37).

Do the math and the result is always the same: abundant goodness!

Love the LORD, all you His saints! The LORD preserves the faithful . . . Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

(Psalm 31:23:a-24 ESV)

By His grace. For His glory.

Posted in Psalms, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do Not Fear the Fear

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Pete

They are standing at the base of a mountain that seems to be exploding before their very eyes. A cloud hangs over the mountain creating a thick darkness. The ground trembles under their feet, as the thunder reverberates over their head. The light show atop the mountain is unlike anything they’ve ever see–hard to tell whether the peals of lightning are descending upon it or ascending from it. As they look up all they can see is smoke atop the mountain. It envelopes everything while it ascends as if from a kiln. The whole upper portion of the mount seems to be on fire. And then, there’s that sound out of nowhere. A trumpet sound that grows louder and louder and louder. So what is it? It is the presence of God.

God had told Moses to gather the people, consecrate them, and have them stand at the base of the mountain on the day “the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all people” (Ex. 20:11). And so he did. And they did. And God did. And the experience was beyond awe inspiring. It was downright drive you to your face terrifying.

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”

(Exodus 20:18-19 ESV)

Understandable response, I’m thinking. Kind of sensory overload, I’m thinking. A sense of the Almighty’s holiness and my lack thereof, I’m thinking. A mediator makes sense, I’m thinking. Moses, you go and we’ll stand way over there, I’m thinking.

And how does Moses respond? Do not fear the fear.

Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin.”

(Exodus 20:20 ESV)

Do not fear. Really?!? Is that the best Moses has for them? Forget that the mountain is exploding under your feet. Ignore the fact that heaven is descending before your very eyes. Relax!

And yet, Moses says, God has orchestrated this so that you’ll learn to fear. Ok, that’s not making a lot of sense. Or is it?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10) and it is a fountain of life (Prov. 14:27)–real life, abundant life, eternal life. So whatever God does that helps “instill a deep and reverent awe within you” (MSG) is of great benefit. The fear of the LORD turns one away from evil (Prov. 16:6), it quenches the innate propensity to sin. And while we could never atone for our sin–our sin ultimately having been dealt with once and for all through the cross of Christ–where sin’s temptation is refused, access into the presence of God is maintained.

 And so, says Moses, fear not that which God uses to test you so that the fear of Him might be before you.

God is love. He is perfect love. And perfect love casts out fear (1John 4:18). And so, through this passage this morning, I’m encouraged to not be afraid of any trial or testing that God uses to further reveal Himself. I am to refuse to run and hide from whatever struggle is permitted that I might be reminded afresh that He is all-powerful and I am not, that He is all-knowing and I am not, that His steadfast love and faithfulness are sufficient even when my own resources are not. I’m not to fear that which reminds me He alone is awesome.

He wants us at the base of the mount. He wants us to behold His glory as we abide in His presence. Sometimes it may involve some shaky ground and a lot of scary stuff. But we are not to fear the fear.

The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.

(Proverbs 19:23 ESV)

By His grace. For His glory.

Posted in Exodus | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

My People

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Pete

If I had lived back then, and known then what I know now, I probably would have distanced myself from them.

If they were the only church in town back then, I’d probably have either started my own church with those of “like mind” or just worshiped at home with my family on Sundays.

If they weren’t the only church, then I’m pretty sure I’d go to a church where my church would never have invited their congregation over for an inter-church potluck fellowship. Where their elders wouldn’t have been asked to participate in the local ministerial. Where their bloggers wouldn’t have ended up on my feed.

In short, I’d probably wouldn’t have wanted to be associated in any way with the people from that church, the First Church of Corinth.

Thank God I’m not God. ‘Cause God calls them My people.

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. . . . And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are My people.”

(Acts 18:1, 8b-10 ESV)

We know from Paul’s letter to the believers at Corinth that those saved in Acts 18 eventually became pretty much a textbook church. A textbook on how NOT to do church. How not to maintain unity, creating partisan schisms within the church. How not to maintain purity, overlooking sin under the banner of grace. How not to maintain good visibility in the community, as they sued each other in pagan courts of law.

And the list goes on. Dabbling with idolatry in the world. Recklessly promoting drunkenness and derision around the Lord’s table. Though they were to be one body with many gifts coming together for one purpose, instead, during meeting they acted as self-promoting lone rangers creating chaos and confusion. Like I said, probably not a gathering I’d want any association with, much less want to attend.

But as I read in Acts this morning I was struck by the Lord’s instruction to Paul. Stay with these baptized believers, the Lord says. Hang with these redeemed souls who, by faith, have believed and received the message of the Christ crucified. Instruct those forgiven through the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

Paul, there’s no more important place for you to be over the next 18 months (18:11). No greater work you could be doing than to love on them and teach the word of God among them.

Why? Because they deserved it? Because of how well they’d turn out in a couple of years? Because of how they’d model the victorious Christian life? Nope! None of these. But because, says the Lord, they are My people.

Paul got it. He leads with it in his letter.

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus . . .

(1Corinthians 1:2-4 ESV)

This rag-tag bunch of slow learners were the church of God. They had been set apart as holy, robed in the righteousness of God’s Son. They didn’t need to earn their stripes, they were already called saints, already adopted as children, and already sealed with an eternal guarantee that what God had begun in them God would complete in them. It was grace that brought them safe thus far and grace would lead them home.

For all their faults they remained faultless in Christ. For every blunder, for every insane maneuver, for every cockamamie implementation of how the church should function, they remained the bride of Christ. One day to be presented to their glorious Bridegroom “in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

Not to say that they were given a pass on growing in faith and maturity. Not that they would be excused from bearing witness for Christ in how they gathered. In fact, they were corrected. They were rebuked. They were disciplined.  Some even “slept” and had been taken home. But even that, because God had already, at great cost, claimed them as His own. Declaring them to be forever more, My people.

O that the church would love the church . . . the whole church. Those who get it and those who we think not so much. Those who align with our systematic theologies and ministry philosophies and those who don’t. Those who do Sundays like we do and those who do it different.

Maybe, because God has claimed all believers, even those like the Corinthians, as My people, perhaps I too need to see them more as my people.

Because of grace. For God’s glory.

Posted in Acts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Looking in All the Wrong Places

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Pete

Paul was nothing if not bold. It was one thing to proclaim the kingdom in a synagogue. Another to take it to the streets and engage people in discussion in the marketplace. But to stand in front of a crowd of full-time philosophers would, I imagine, take things to a whole new level. To address those who did little but hang out and listen to the TED Talks of the day could have been, I think ,a bit intimidating. And then, choose the topic “Making the Unknown God Known?” Well, like I said, Paul was nothing if not bold.

So having spent a bit of time walking the streets of Athens, his heart becoming increasingly vexed as he saw the city full of idols, Paul accepted the invitation to the Areopagus, to Mars Hill, philosopher central. But rather than speak against all the inanimate objects of worship he had encountered, he chose instead to speak in defense of one of them. He drew attention to an altar bearing the inscription, “To the unknown God.” And Paul, in effect, says, “Let me tell you about Him.”

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”

(Acts 17:22-25 ESV)

Religious men, focused on the divine. Seeking men, ready to hear whoever they thought might have the latest insight on connecting with the deities. Yet blind men. For all the gods they had discovered, there remained One who was still a mystery. For everything they had learned to bow before, there was still a hole, still something missing. Something they sensed might be filled by an unknown god.

So how come? How come these askers weren’t finding any real answers? Why weren’t these seekers finding? Why, though they kept knocking, did the door remain shut? Because they were looking in all the wrong places.

They thought God was something that they needed to discover rather than Someone who had purposed to reveal Himself. That somehow He had to be defined within what they could conceive. That He’d be happy to dwell wherever they determined to build Him a house. That, though God, He somehow needed them to meet His needs. Thus, they made gods fashioned after their own imagination and wisdom. Having set themselves as the center of the universe, they looked out from themselves to find the divine–looking in all the wrong the places.

Instead, they needed to look around and ponder, “Who made the world?” They needed look in the mirror and ask, “What manner of creative power enabled me to be so fearfully and wonderfully made?” They needed to look up and wonder, “Who rules as Lord of heaven and earth?” And, having done so, they’d have realized that a god who is truly God has no needs. That a god who is truly God cannot be represented by anything made with human hands. That a god who is really God doesn’t need mortal men to service Him. That a god who is really God “makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make Him” (MSG).

And what grabbed me especially this morning is that while this unknown God patiently waits to be known His overflowing grace pours out from heaven as “He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Even while mankind determines to worship idols of their own making; to follow the religions of their own convenience; and to service gods who in the end they hope might benefit them. Even to these, God extends abundant common grace.

Because my God is a longsuffering God, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2Peter 3:9). Ready to take His place as the unknown god beside myriads of lesser gods while His Spirit moves through His ambassadors to call men and women to Himself.

My God seeks to be the known God. His existence made known through creation. His nature made known through His Incarnate Son. His love made known through the cross. His redemption made known through the gospel.

Our is a God who has gone to great lengths to reveal Himself and be known. We just need to stop looking in all the wrong places.

And that too, will be by His grace.

So that in all things He might receive the glory.

Posted in Acts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Bereans

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Pete

In the circles I traveled as a young believer they were lifted up as the gold standard for sermon follow-up. Though their time in Scripture’s spotlight was pretty brief, they’ve had a long lasting impact when it comes to being an example of what to do with teaching that sounds new or, perhaps, doesn’t quite align with what you’ve believed. What to do when somebody opens the word of God and seems to shed some light you haven’t seen before. They are the Bereans.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed . . .

(Acts 17:10-12a ESV)

Paul and Silas ended up in Berea because they weren’t welcome in Thessalonica. In Thessalonica, those who thought they had a handle on God’s revelation hit the wall after three Sabbaths of meetings with Paul the itinerant rabbi . That’s all, three weeks. Three weeks of listening to Paul and Silas reason and explain from the Scriptures why the Messiah had to be a suffering Messiah and why the Jesus they proclaimed was the promised Anointed One. Three weeks during which some believed and received the gospel’s message and started following Christ by following Paul.

But also three weeks of growing jealousy among those who thought they had the corner on truth and that they should be the ones being followed (17:5). The religious elite didn’t like an alternative view presented to the way they had divided the Scriptures. And they really didn’t like that their influence was being undermined by these strangers with their strange teaching. And so they ran Paul and Silas out of town.

Enter Berea. That’s what Paul and Silas did, they entered Berea. And there too they went to the place where the Scriptures were revered and taught. There too they proclaimed the gospel. There too they reasoned from the Scriptures concerning the Christ. And there too some believed.

But there in Berea, unlike Thessalonica, the Jews, the religious leaders of Berea I take it, took a different approach to what was being taught. A “more noble” approach the Holy Spirit says. A higher approach based on a lower self-image. A more fair-minded approach unencumbered by trying to protect some sense of self-worth. A more open approach unrestricted by self-righteous know-it-all-ism. There they patiently tested the teaching rather than arrogantly trashing it.

The Bereans eagerly received the word as it was opened before them. They were open to what these traveling preachers were proclaiming. More than that, they were jazzed to consider afresh what it was the prophets were trying to foretell. And so, they leaned in. They took notes. And then? Well, it’s the “then” that makes these Bereans the gold standard. Then they opened up the Word and investigated the Scriptures themselves to see if what was being taught was something worth being caught.

Though the passages being preached were familiar, they didn’t consider that they knew it all. While they held their own convictions concerning God’s revelation, they were humble enough to recognize that they may not have had the full counsel of God completely figured out. Though this new teaching on the nature of Messiah’s deliverance didn’t quite align with what they’d always thought, they were open to taking it in and then working it out. And so, they’d go away and, with open eyes and open hearts, they’d open the Scriptures and trust the Holy Spirit to open their understanding.

How we need to be like the Bereans. Not that we should expect new revelation, but that we might be open to different interpretation and/or application. That when the word is preached in a way that maybe doesn’t quite align with what we’ve always believed, unless there’s a reason to suspect the preacher or teacher, we eagerly receive the proclamation of God’s word and then take it away and do our homework to see if perhaps God has graciously provided another gem for us to mine and place in our Scripture treasure chest.

To be sure, there are some foundational truths for which we too need to be ready to run people out of town if they proclaim a lesser Christ or a different gospel. But maybe for many of the things we tend to stop our ears at, we’d be better off to be like the Bereans even if it doesn’t alter our opinion. To humble ourselves. To recognize the propensity for bias and cry out, “Word of God speak.” To examine the Scriptures for ourselves to see if these things are so. To be like the Bereans.

Because of God’s grace. For God’s glory.

Posted in Acts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My Father’s House

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Pete

Not gonna lie . . . kind of like our place. I like coming home. I like hanging out in our house. I like the floor plan. I like how it’s been furnished. I like how it’s been decorated. I think that, while it’s nice, it’s certainly not ostentatious. In fact, I like it cause I think it’s pretty practical and functional. And, it’s always felt warm and welcoming to me. A place where I can relax and recharge.

Yeah, I like being at home. Few places I’d rather be. But David nails one of those “few places” in his song this morning.

O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells.

(Psalm 26:8 ESV)

I love my Father’s house. I like hanging out where the glory of His presence rests.

Every time I enter, it too feels like I’m coming home. A warm and welcoming place. A safe haven. A place where strength is renewed.

Has nothing to do with the floor plan, the furniture, or the features. But has everything to do with the foundation and the materials used to build it.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

(Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV)

My Father’s house, the place where His glory dwells, has nothing do with “sacred buildings.” Has nothing to do with brick and mortar. Not about the color of the windows or the stuff on the walls. Nothing to do with some inanimate structure, regardless of how ornate it might be.

Rather, it’s a living structure. Its centerpiece the living Son of God. Second Person of the Triune God. God incarnate. The promised Messiah. The suffering Servant. The one and only Savior. The Christ who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

According to the Scriptures . . . note that. While Christ is the living cornerstone of my Father’s house, the Scriptures are its living foundation. The word of the apostles and prophets. Not just ancient writings preserved on paper and ink (or cell phones and tablets). But the living word of God. Alive through the active agency of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who is able to take the Scriptures and awaken the dead souls of men and women through them. To open wide the hard hearts of sinners with them. And to plant a living seed. A seed which, upon finding good soil, will grow and bear much fruit.

Yeah, my Father’s house is a living house. Built upon it’s living Head, founded upon His living Word. But what really makes it feel like home, is that it’s made with living stones.

. . . you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house . . .

(1Peter 2:5 ESV)

That’s why I love the habitation of God’s house. Because the glory is found in a place made up of people like me–sinners saved by grace, infused with the Spirit of God. Imperfect building materials deemed holy and made righteous in Christ. A place decorated with living trophies of grace, of all sizes, shapes, and different dispositions, yet all reflecting some facet of the manifold wisdom God. A living, functioning body, each member with differing gifts in differing measures, but all serving to build the house where God longs to dwell. A family growing together making up Abba’s abode. Brothers and sisters, crazy aunts and uncles, sometimes hard to get along with siblings, but all being made ready to be presented as a spotless bride before her adoring Bridegroom.

Living stones. All being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

That’s my Father’s house. That’s where the glory dwells.

O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house . . .

Not gonna lie . . . kind of like God’s place. Kind of like coming home.

By His grace. For His glory.

Posted in Ephesians, Psalms | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment