God’s Stereo

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Pete

I wouldn’t describe myself as an audiophile . . . not really a connoisseur of high fidelity music reproduction . . . but I sure prefer stereo over mono . . . I like hearing music out of two separate channels rather than out of a single source. When you’ve got it set up right, there’s something about hearing the separation of the right and left channel that enhances the overall delivery of the music . . . especially when you’re sitting in the sweet spot . . . that spot in between the speakers where the blend is just right. This morning, reading Psalm 19, I’m reminded of God’s stereo . . . His “two channel delivery” of His glory and goodness . . . His duo speaker delivery of worship inducing revelation . . . and the sound? . . . the sound is out of this world!

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.   (Psalm 19:1 ESV)

Look up . . . look way up . . . and behold your God! His glory is openly displayed for all who have eyes to see. God’s immeasurable might and His creative craftsmanship are faithfully presented, day in and day out, for those who will pause and take in the artistry. Every day is a dissertation of the presence and power of God . . . each night, an encore revealing more of His multi-faceted attributes. Creation, says the psalmist, is a speech without words . . . a voice that is silent . . . and yet a sound which is undeniably present. But creation is but one channel of God’s stereophonic revelation to a world He so loves . . .

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple . . . More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  
(Psalm 19:7, 10 ESV)

After looking up, open your Bible and look down. After hearing the wonder of God through world He has fashioned, behold the ways of God in the Word He has inspired. The Psalmist says that the “sound” from this other “speaker” of God’s revelatory stereo system is perfect . . . and sure. That the lyrics are right . . . pure . . . clean and forever enduring . . . and, above all, are true. To pause to listen to God’s revealed word is to know a reviving of the soul . . . an imparting of wisdom . . . a rejoicing of the heart . . . an enlightening of the eyes. The quality of content is such that it is to be valued above everything else . . better than gold. And it is sweet . . . oh, so sweet . . . delighting the soul’s palette awakened by the Spirit within.

Yeah . . . I sure prefer stereo over mono. That it has pleased God to make known “His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature . . . in all the things that have been made” (Rom. 1:20), is wonder enough . . . but that He would then, through His Holy Word illuminate the minds of mortal men to know, in some measure, the mind of God and ways of God, is privilege and blessing beyond comprehension.

And for those with eyes to see . . . ears to hear . . . and clean hands to receive . . . the “sound” of this dual-channel system of revelation is soul-stirring . . . the sweet spot is glorious! And the response?

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.   (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

When we catch the glory . . . when we encounter the living word . . . what can we do but present to Him our own stereophonic offering . . . words of praise . . . meditations of awe, wonder, and worship. Desiring that God would delight in the feeble music He hears from our closets . . . that He too might encounter the sweet spot of hearts tuned to His grace. As unimaginable as it is, that it would please Him as we seek to be God’s stereo.

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Standing in God’s Way

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Pete

Sometimes all you need is a little bit of clear direction . . . and a not so clear threat of consequences . . . to get you going. I once had a boss who made it pretty clear that “the train had left the station” and “if you weren’t on the train then you were going to be under it!” Ok, maybe lacked a bit in sensitivity training, but he got the message across pretty well, “Don’t get in the way of what we’re doing!” It came to mind this morning as I was reading another wise man conclude, “Who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

The thought of standing in God’s way is kind of ridiculous. Using my old bosses picture, it’s like going head to head with a locomotive. It’s like opening up an umbrella to hold back an avalanche. It’s like building a sand wall to restrain the ocean’s tide. Just can’t be done . . . no way to “win” . . . and yet, though with good intentions, I wonder if sometimes we don’t find ourselves standing in God’s way.

Acts 10 is pivotal in the history of the church. Talk about your “thinking outside the box!” So far, the church was essentially comprised of converted Jews . . . those who, through the calling of God and the revelation of the Spirit, believed that Jesus was the risen Christ, the promised Messiah. They were those who had responded to the light of God’s Anointed coming first as a suffering Savior and had received by the faith the promise of sins forgiven through Jesus’ finished work on the cross. They were the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob . . . possessors of the promises of God. As such, while they might have believed that through Abraham there might be a blessing for all nations (aka the Gentiles) they weren’t prepared to rub shoulders with them.

Enter Cornelius, “a centurion of what known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God” (10:1-2) aka “a Gentile”. Though “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and a stranger to the covenants and promises” (Eph. 2:12), God, by His grace, had planted a seed of faith in this man . . . had awakened within him a fear of the God of Israel which, in turn, manifested itself in righteous pursuits and active prayer. And through this foreigner, God was about to shake the foundations of the young and growing body of Christ.

Enter Peter . . . you gotta’ love Peter! Praying Peter who falls into a trance . . . and sees heaven opened up . . . and a “wild game banquet” laid out before him . . . and when told by the Lord of heaven to “Rise, kill and eat”, responds only as Peter could, “By no means, Lord!” (10:9-14) Really? Saying “no” and “Lord” in the same sentence? Yeah, really . . . but that’s a whole different lesson and application. Bottom line . . . Peter is taught not to call “unclean” that which God has made clean . . . and is then told by the Spirit to go to Cornelius’ house (Jews don’t do Gentile parties) . . . where Peter preaches the word . . . the Gentiles receive the word . . . the Spirit descends just as He did at Pentecost.

But when word gets back to “the circumcision party”, they criticize Peter because he “went to uncircumcised men and ate with them” (11:1-3). Peter’s response in a nutshell? . . .

“If then God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17 ESV)

And it’s got me thinking. For all I think I know about God . . . and about how I think the gospel works . . . and doesn’t work . . . and how I think church should be done . . . and how it shouldn’t be done . . . I wonder if, sometimes, I don’t try to hold back an avalanche with an umbrella . . . instead of being open to God working in ways outside my comfort zone. I’m not talking about going extra-biblical . . . but perhaps about being just a bit surprised by a God who is so much bigger than the theological box I’m tempted to try and put Him in. About listening and watching more . . . and concluding less. About being mindful of the possibility of standing in God’s way . . . and instead, wanting to be quicker to fall silent and glorify a God who does it His way (11:18).

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A Piece in the Puzzle

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Pete

If he were on the radar, he’d be a blip. If he were in a class picture he’d be the one in the back row mostly obscured by those in front of him. If he was part of the varsity team, he’d be the water boy. If he was a piece in a puzzle, he’d be part of the sky in the center. But this morning, I have to thing by the Spirit’s leading, he is the brightest blip on my radar. A devout man . . . a man trusted by the Lord enough to be visited in a vision . . . a man in such relationship with the risen Christ that he’s comfortable engaging in a conversation . . . a man so submitted to Jesus that, when Jesus asks him to do something, he does it . . . a man who the great apostle Paul would be indebted to for eternity. Enter from the back row, Ananias.

You get to Acts 9 and there’s a sense of anticipation as you prepare to again take in the story of Paul’s dramatic conversion. At that time he’s Saul . . . “of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless” (Php. 3:5-6) . . . on a mission . . . letter of authorization in hand . . . ready to clean out the synagogues of Damascus of any who are “belonging to the Way” (9:2) . . . to bring them back bound . . . and, as appropriate, to exterminate them. But the hunter becomes the hunted. The capturer becomes the captive. And Paul meets Jesus on the road . . . a light from heaven . . . a voice from the skies . . . and Saul is facedown before the risen Christ whom he has persecuted. And when he arises, he who has finally seen the way, is blind and is told to go take a “timeout”. And for three days, though he has been brought into marvelous light through the sacrifice of Christ and the grace of God, he is allowed to sit in darkness that he might fast and pray and think . . . oh, so much to think about.

Paul’s the guy . . . he’s the center of the story . . . he’s the star player . . . it’s his biography that people will buy and talk about for centuries to come.

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”   (Acts 9:10-12 ESV)

Out of the blue, we’re introduced to this disciple from Damascus. This is his “15 minutes of fame.” And in that “15 minutes” he captures a number of “records” which will are inscribed forever in heaven’s “hall of fame”. The first to know of the risen Christ’s claim on Saul’s life . . . the first to hear of the marching order that would define Saul’s mission . . . the first disciple of Christ to go and seek out Saul rather than run from him . . . the first to lay hands of blessing on Saul (though many would have liked to have laid their hands around Saul’s throat) . . . the first to call Saul “brother” . . . the first to witness the Holy Spirit coming upon Saul. And then . . . he’s gone . . . vanished . . . not mentioned again in Holy Scripture save as a piece of the puzzle in Paul’s testimony (Acts 22:12-16). But what a piece!

And as I’m thinking about Ananias, I’m thinking about those things which are done for Christ which, if noticed at all, are quickly forgotten. Service done in obedience to the risen Lord which never makes the front page. Supporting roles played according to God’s sovereign plan which, if they get any billing at all, are on the last page in the fine print. But acts of obedience which can have eternal implications. Pieces of the puzzle which, though blending into a much bigger picture, are ordained of God . . . and put in place through the Spirit’s leading . . . in order that the purposes of God might be fulfilled.

Oh, that I might be content to be a blip . . . that I might be faithful as a water boy . . . that I might be available to be a piece in God’s puzzle, placed where He determines . . . not for my “15 minutes of fame” . . . but for His glory alone . . . amen.

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On Stage or In Secret

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Pete

That I’m pretty comfortable being a “front man” is not a surprise to anyone who knows me. I don’t think I long for the limelight, but I am pretty comfortable being up front and center. Since I was a little kid, I’ve had opportunity . . . pre-salvation and post-salvation . . . to be on stage . . . to be on the platform . . . to be at the front of the class . . . to do what I do in front of others. But, while I think that being “on stage” is tied to my calling, I’m also reminded this morning that it can be a dangerous place . . . or, at least, lead to a dangerous place.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”   (Matthew 6:1 ESV)

As Jesus continues His sermon on the mount, He addresses acts of righteousness . . . giving, praying, fasting. All good stuff . . . but, Jesus reminds His listeners, there is a right way and a not so right way. There is a “how” factor and a “why” factor that, while potentially missed by men, is taken note of by the Father. Acts of righteousness can be done “on stage” in order to be seen by men or, they can be done “in secret” where only the Father sees.

On stage giving to the needy is proceeded with trumpet blasts heralding that someone who has lots is about to freely (and publicly) part with some of his treasure for the sake of the . . . wait for it . . . bring the orphans before his feet . . . for the sake of the “less fortunate.” On stage, the busiest street corner is found to set up the prayer platform . . . a bit of clearing of the throat . . . a bit of clasping of the hands together . . . pull out the dictionary of theological big words . . . and, at the top of your voice, let ‘er rip. Fasting? On stage, make sure you send away the makeup lady . . . gaunt, you want gaunt . . . look hungry . . . help others to know what a sacrifice it is to undertake such a righteous discipline. “On stage” the returns are immediate . . . the praise of others.

But, says Jesus, be careful of the stage . . . instead get “in the secret.” Giving? Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Praying? Find a room . . . close the door . . . just you and the Father . . . and raise your heart and voice. Fasting? Anoint your head (aka comb your hair, I think), wash your face, no one should know. The reward? Stored up in heaven . . . a prize determined by the Father, who sees in secret, and promises to reward those who do what they do for Him, and Him alone.

There’s a time to be on stage . . . but even there, it’s the “in the secret” stuff that the Father notices . . . that the Father delights in . . . that the Father who sees in secret rewards.

Important for me to check my heart from time to time. To examine if my Christian walk is being influenced by a temptation to perform for an audience of men or if it is a Spirit-driven pursuit for the pleasure of an Audience of One.

Yeah, I’m ok being on stage . . . if that’s God’s desire. But oh, how I want to learn more and more to operate in secret.

“And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”   (Matthew 4:4b, 6b, 18b)

My reward . . . His glory . . .

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From Sighing to Singing

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Pete

You don’t have to read very much into Psalm 13 before you not only sense the desperation, but also find some connection where you relate to the despair. Anyone who’s ever gone through an extended time of testing or trial finds themselves, I think, saying, “Been there.” Four times the psalmist cries out to heaven, “How long?” You’ve forgotten me, Lord . . . how long? You’re hiding Your face from me . . . how long? I’m consumed by sorrow . . . how long? My enemy is winning . . . how long, O Lord, how long!?! Deep sigh! But you keep reading and the sighing turns to singing.

Not exactly sure what’s happening in David’s life as he writes this . . . perhaps it’s that season when he’s on the run from King Saul. Crazy King Saul, set on destroying David, relentlessly pursues him. Not only does David not really have the resources to repel the king and his army, but David is also constrained by his loyalty to “God’s anointed” and to the “anointed’s God”. Even on those occasions when David had opportunity to do Saul in, he refuses to harm the one set on the throne by God. And so, it goes on and on and on . . . day in, day out . . . same trial, new twist and turn . . . a roller-coaster ride . . . a ringer he’s being run through. How long, O Lord, how long?

“Consider me,” David cries, “Answer me . . . Light up my eyes . . . or I’m done . . . and my enemies win.” David just needs to know that God’s got him on heaven’s radar . . . he wants some indicator that God’s engaged in his situation . . . he needs something to restore his physical strength, something to restore his inner strength. And so he asks. He lifts his eyes towards God’s throne . . . He looks above while everything below is coming apart . . . and he simply asks . . . engaging the God of the universe in this struggle on earth. And, in that simple encounter, a mind-blowing dynamic kicks in . . . the sighing turns to singing.

“But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.”    (Psalm 13:5-6 ESV)

Though it might be a little while yet before God deals with the Saul thing, in that moment, the Spirit of God intercedes with the spirit of David and David’s “how long” morph’s into “how amazing!” The Spirit shores up David’s soul as He assures him afresh that the faithfulness of God’s steadfast love, which David has known in the past, is the same steadfast love he can trust in for the future. The Comforter reminds David that the salvation he has already known is just a deposit on the salvation that God is yet to come . . . that the work begun will be completed . . . that the call placed on his life, will be fulfilled.

And so amidst his “how long” despair, a pilot light is lit in his heart. In the presence of God, his heart starts to rejoice at every recollection of the faithfulness of God he has known . . . the Spirit floods his mind with every blessing he has received and David is reminded that a bountiful past is a deposit on beyond imagination future. And the pilot light of remembrance and encouragement becomes a flame or praise and worship . . . and David sings to the Lord.

I’ve been there . . . so many have been there . . . sighing that turns to singing. Not because of anything that has immediately changed as a result of prayer’s pleas, but because in that moment of quiet despair . . . in the time of being still, and knowing that He is God . . . just in the privilege of being able to “dump” before God in the holy of holies and ask repeatedly “how long” and plead with Him for some help . . . just in that encounter, God so often responds with an inner calm . . . the still, small voice of the Spirit applying the balm of remembrance and of reassurance . . . the promise that God is present, and knows, and that the “how long” will not be forever. And in that encounter there is a joy . . . a rejoicing . . . yes, and even, sometimes, singing.

I will sing to the LORD!

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Home Is Where The Throne Is

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Pete

It came at me from two different readings this morning . . . one in Acts, the other in the Psalms . . . different contexts, same truth. And so, because of the repetition, it’s causing me to pause and reflect . . . and become a bit homesick . . .

First encounter with the phrase, Stephen’s stirring defense before the high priest and council in Acts . . .

Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Did not My hand make all these things? (Acts 7:48-50 ESV)

And then I moved to Psalm 11, and there David, led by the Holy Spirit, pens these words for his song,

The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; His eyes see, His eyelids test, the children of man. (Psalm 11:4 ESV)

Observation: The Lords throne is in heaven . . . the Lord’s throne IS heaven. Implication: The earth is but a footstool . . . a temporary one at that . . . this is not the center of the universe . . . nor is this the ultimate prize to contend for. Application: My home is where His throne is . . . that’s the prize . . . that’s the destination that’s been punched into my internal GPS.

A throne . . . a place where a King dwells . . . a seat where a Sovereign sits . . . an atmosphere filled with the majesty of the Most High. I try to imagine the glory and realize that I really can’t. I know it will be bright . . . for my King dwells in unapproachable light (1Tim. 6:16). I imagine it to be loud . . . as myriads upon myriads of angels shout with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” — what does thousands upon thousands of angels calling out at the top of their voices sound like? I imagine it to be a choral room unlike any every constructed or inhabited . . . the acoustics perfect . . . the choir beyond counting . . . the joyful noise in perfect pitch and harmony . . . the song, a new song, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9) . . . “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! ‘”(Rev. 15:3).

And so I’m reminded heavens where it’s happening . . . and where it’s going to happen. This world is not my home . . . home is where the throne is.

I guess that’s why Paul encourages me to seek the things that are above . . . to set my mind on things that are above and not on things on the earth (Col. 3:1-2). Its way too easy to lose perspective . . . too natural to get fixed upon the horizontal . . . rather than recognizing the vertical . . . oh, and that reminds me, this morning I also read about Jacob having a dream of a ladder which was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven . . . Jacob too, needed to be reminded to look up . . . to look WAY UP!

And what’s most amazing, is that I have access to that throne . . . permission to enter the courts of unimaginable majesty . . . an invitation to come, and to draw near, to His seat of sensory-popping glory . . . garments provided, through the blood of Christ, fit for entrance upon holy ground as I encounter His very presence . . . and a reminder, a quiet reminder, that the best is yet to come . . . that home is where the throne is.

Thank you, Father.

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Just As He Said

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Pete

I kind of like the way Genesis 21 begins. Somewhat understated, actually . . . kind of matter of fact . . . almost with an air of “what else did you expect?” about it. But it jumps off the page . . . it’s one of those bottom-line statements . . . a bit of rock-solid truth worthy of planting my feet upon . . .

The LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as He had promised. (Genesis 21:1 ESV)

Not a lot of fanfare . . . no trumpets blaring . . . no confetti and streamers falling from the sky . . . just a bit of laughter — laughter of joy, laughter heavily seasoned with awe, laughter ascending as a sweet smelling aroma of adoring worship to the throne of God (21:6). A baby at her bosom . . . Jehovah having visited her, just as He said . . . the God of creation, creating life in an old, worn-out women, just as He promised.

Just as He said . . . just as He promised. Sounds so simple . . . so easy . . . so, “why didn’t you just trust and believe?”

But, if I’m doing the math right, it had been 25 years since this chosen couple of God first heard the promise. Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran . . . where he had first heard God’s promise that he would become a great nation (12:3-4). Now, as he learned to change diapers, he was 100 years old (21:5). It had been 15 years earlier that “Operation Hagar, Plan B” has been conceived . . . literally . . the 14 year old son of an Egyptian maidservant a constant reminder (but not for long) at how desperate they had become to try and help God make good on His commitments. Sounds foolish . . . but think about . . . 25 years . . . waiting on the promise! Who’s going to throw the first stone? Not me!

But time is our nemesis, not God’s.

If there’s anything I can take away from the biography of Abraham and Sarah, it’s that God will do just as He says . . . just as He promises.

Mine is to know the promise . . . believe the promise . . . and trust in Him during the time of it’s fulfillment. To not be discouraged when doubts arise . . . to not be derailed when my impatience causes me to question . . . to not quit the race because I tried to take a dumb short-cut. But, like Abraham, to keep going back to the Father with my, “Really LORD? When LORD?” . . . to return to His word . . . and believe His word (15:1-6).

Simple . . . not easy . . . but true . . .

Just as He said . . . just as He promised. That’s how my God operates. Amen?

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The Answer Is . . .

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Pete

It’s one of those penetrating questions. Not a complicated question . . . in fact, the answer is sort of a no-brainer. However, the implications of the answer are such that it gives occasion to pause and reflect . . . to consider the implications of the answer . . . to noodle on what difference the answer makes if I were to truly believe the answer.

I’m reading in Genesis 18 this morning. Though God has long ago promised Abraham and Sara they would have a son . . . nothing! Though God has covenanted to provide Abraham with descendants beyond counting, so far, not one. Time passes . . . and no “tummy” forms on Sara. They get so desperate trying to figure out how God is going to fulfill His promise that they take matters into their own hands, Sara insisting that Abraham father a child through her maidservant, Hagar . . . bad idea.

So, in Genesis 18, the Lord appears to Abraham for the express purpose of hand-delivering a post-dated birth announcement, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son” (18:10). Sarah’s eavesdropping outside the tent . . . hears the conversation . . . and laughs. Not laughs as in “Wow! This is great! Ha, ha, ha . . . who would have thunk!” No, she laughs as in, “Yeah? Really? Heh, heh. Not only am I past my prime . . . I’m past my secondary . . . and tertiary, as well. Menopause is but a faint memory. And Abraham’s no spring chicken himself. Really? Will I really know the joy of bearing a child? You’ve got to be kidding. Heh, heh, heh.”

You can’t blame her. Time has a way of eroding “the dream”. At some point you just need to get real. Cue the question . . . time to get unreal!

The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18:13-14 ESV)

That’s the question that caught my attention this morning . . . “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Not a lot of choices when it comes to potential answers . . . I’m thinking just two. Not a lot of choices, really, if God is God . . . I’m thinking just one. So why’s it even necessary to ask the question?

Because sometimes it’s a struggle for a barren woman to connect the promises of God with the empty crib in the baby’s tent. Because sometimes its hard to wait on God’s timing when we have our own ideas of how things should play out. Because sometimes, while we believe nothing’s too hard for God, we don’t really believe God wants to act. Because sometimes we just want to lean to our own understanding. And so, though maybe not out loud like Sarah, we snicker to ourselves and say, “Really?”

That’s when we need to be reminded of the question . . . that’s when we need to stop obsessing over ourselves and our situation and re-focus on the LORD . . . that’s when we need the Spirit to ask us again, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” And that’s when we need to say firmly, “No!” Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). With God all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). “For all the promises of God find their Yes in [Christ]. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory” (2Cor. 1:20).

God is able . . . period. As to His purposes . . . His timing . . . those I need to leave to a God for Whom nothing is too hard. And then, by His grace, I can laugh . . . laugh with joy . . . laugh with wonder . . . laugh knowing that I can trust in the Lord, acknowledging Him in all my ways, confident He will direct my paths.

Is anything too hard for God? The answer is . . . ?

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Uneducated, Common Men

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Pete

Did they cringe when they heard that name again? Was it like nails being dragged on a chalk board to hear His name declared with boldness as the power behind the miracle? They thought they were done with Him. Sure, there was the empty tomb . . . and all the rumors that were flying in the weeks after that fateful weekend . . . but, I wonder, did they think that they were done with Him? But now, they were once again confronted with Jesus Christ of Nazareth . . . it was “deja vu all over again.” Here they were . . . hastily gathered together as a council . . . father-in-law and son-in-law at the forefront . . . current high priest and former high priest . . . learned men . . . men of privilege . . . men of understanding . . . men of influence and power. And before them? . . . Uneducated, common men.

The first part of Acts 4 is a classic showdown. On one side of the room, the religious establishment . . . each holding a degree at “Rabbinical U” . . . PhD’s in the things of God . . . having climbed the ladder and reached the top . . . the movers and shakers of the synagogue movement . . . the top of the food change . . . the big kahunas. And before them, Peter and John . . . blue collar types . . . fishermen . . . laborers . . . high school graduates, at best. They are way out of their natural element . . . instead of being in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, they were arrested on Solomon’s portico at the temple in Jerusalem . . . instead of mending nets, they are preaching the power of faith in Jesus . . . declaring the power of resurrection . . . asserting that a risen Christ is actively engaged with broken people . . . calling for repentance “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (3:20) . . . proclaiming that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name given among men by which we must be saved” (4:12).

So there they stand, fishermen before learned men . . . nobodies before somebodies . . . rank and file before the commanders and chief . . .

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 ESV)

They may have been infuriated by hearing the name of Jesus again . . . they may have scoffed at the ridiculous notion of resurrection . . . but they were blown away by the boldness of these men. They marveled . . . even, perhaps, admired the manner with which Peter and John responded to their questioning. Answering with such clarity . . . with such confidence . . . with such conviction. Laymen with nothing more than the basics in Scripture training, referring to the prophets as though it were second nature . . . identifying the risen Jesus as the foretold cornerstone (4:11).

And that was the other thing the council recognized . . . they recognized that these two rag tag commoners had been with Jesus. Perhaps they recalled seeing them with Jesus during His itinerant ministry . . . maybe they remembered their faces during that chaotic day of His arrest, trial, and crucifixion . . . but I wonder if, in addition, there was something about them, as they stood before the council, that just exuded Jesus. After all, disciples become like their teachers . . . servants eventually take on the characteristics of their masters. Yeah, I imagine that there was something about these two fishermen . . . the words they spoke . . . the manner in which they spoke . . . indicators that they were filled with the Holy Spirit (4:8) . . . the evidence, written all over them, that they had spent quality time with Jesus. These uneducated, common men.

O’, that this uneducated, common man might be so bold . . . the he might be so filled with the Spirit of God that the Son of God would be recognized . . . and that it might be for the glory of God . . .

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Altars As Anchors

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Pete

How important are anchors? Solid fixtures that we can tether ourselves to that provide stability . . . things we can latch onto when life gets a little chaotic . . . structures put in place that help re-establish our equilibrium. And I’m thinking worship can be one of those anchors in our lives . . . a touch point which, whenever we return to it, helps get our legs back underneath us . . . our internal GPS reset . . . our feet set again on solid ground. It’s Abram’s journey into the promised land that’s got me thinking about altars as anchors.

Faithful Abram has heeded God’s call . . . a call founded on the promise of an inheritance . . . a call to leave his country and go . . . a call to be going without knowing exactly where the going was to. And Abram responds to the promise . . . “so Abram went, as the Lord told him” (Gen. 12:4).

And as they enter the land of Canaan, the Lord appears to Abram and says, “Abram, this is it . . . this is the place of promise . . . the place where I will establish you as a great nation . . . the place where I will bless you . . . the place where I will establish you so that in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (12:7, 2-3). And Abram’s response to this revelation?

So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (Genesis 12:7 ESV)

From there, Abram moves deeper into the land. Walking, literally, on the promise of God, he again lays done another anchor . . .

From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. (Genesis 12:8 ESV)

As Abram tastes the reality of God’s promises . . . as he experiences the reality of God’s presence . . . as his feet come in contact with the solid ground of God’s place . . . he responds with an offering. He builds an altar . . . a place of sacrifice . . . a place on earth that acknowledges the God of heaven . . . a place where the heart’s desire is to propel a sweet smelling aroma to the portals of heaven . . . that the blessing of the day might be tethered to the God of tomorrow.

And there He calls upon the name of the LORD. There He cries out to the God of the journey . . . praising Him for the land He has seen . . . invoking His continued favor as He continues, by faith, to explore the land He will one day possess. As the smoke arises . . . as Abram’s voice is lifted up . . . I imagine awe and worship. “Who am I, Lord that I should know such favor? Who am I, that I should stand amidst such promise? I am nothing . . . but You! . . . You, O God of my calling . . . You are everything . . . I worship You!”

The next time I read of Abram at an altar, calling upon the name of the Lord, is in Genesis 13 . . . after a little “side trip” to Egypt. Talk about your precarious time . . . Abram heads into “the world” in order to meet his basic needs as famine strikes Canaan. There, because of His deceit and deception, he ends up losing his wife to the courts of Pharaoh. There, by the grace and sovereign purposes of God, his wife is protected . . . and Abram is prospered . . . and they leave Egypt. And Abram returns to his anchor . . . to “the place where his tent had been at the beginning” . . . “to the place where he had made an altar at first” . . . “and there Abram called upon the name of the LORD” (13:3-4).

The altar, an anchor . . . the place of worship, a tether to the throne of God . . . the offering of the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips, a means of re-gaining some equilibrium in chaotic life circumstances. O’ that my altars would be many . . . that my offerings would be frequent . . . that my feet would be set on solid ground . . . that He might be receive all the glory . . .

Posted in Genesis | 1 Comment