Ephesians 1 – 3
In entertainment wrestling (WWE) there is a character called John Cena. Presently he is the defending champion and has been on numerous occasions. As he enters the ring, he announces, “The Champ is here!” He is considered the golden boy of the organization. Disliked by some fans but admired by many, including several youth. In his popularity, he always wears the same designed t-shirt representing his motto “hustle, honor and loyalty”. These are good qualities, as youth and some adults try to emulate his actions. But not just in this scenario, many people place others and objects as their central figure. This week we have the fortune of starting one of my favorite books of the Bible, Ephesians. This letter, written by Paul, is in contrast to some of the prior books we have read. Paul, in this letter, is not writing to redirect a serious problem or deal with false teaching. He instead is writing to encourage the church to continue to develop and move towards establishing its self with Jesus Christ as the center. To accomplish this, Paul’s first three chapters are focused on identifying Jesus Christ as the focal point or “CHAMP”. The apostle made clear that “ALL” things run through Christ as God planned it. The last three chapters describe how individually, as believers we are supposed to carry ourselves. In viewing today’s reading; what would your t-shirt say and who would you be emulating?
As stated, the first three chapters are focused on laying down the foundation and benefits of having Jesus intervene for the church. Paul reminded the Ephesians of how believers profited from Christ’s actions. Here are some of the things we should carry on a banner for our Champion: Jesus is our:
Brother – Through Him we are adopted into God’s family. (1:5)
Savior – He purchased our freedom through his sacrifice. (1:7)
Master – God’s plan, everything will come under the authority of Jesus Christ. (1:10)
Conqueror – We were saved by God’s grace through Jesus conquering the grave. (2:4-6)
Peace maker – Jesus brought unity and the wall of indifference was knocked down. (2:14-16).
Foreman – Through Jesus, we are directed in our actions to give glory to God. (3:10-11)
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Lamentations is a neglected book. It was most likely written to be prayed or sung in worship services devoted to asking God's forgiveness and seeking restoration to a convenant relationship with God. Lamentations was written by Jeremiah and holds some very important key theological concepts.
Such concepts as...
a. It offers compelling prayers of confession, renewed hope, and dependence on God's grace.
b. Affirms God's faithfulness and never-ceasing mercy.
c. Affirms that prayers of confession and petition are the means for restoring a broken relationship with God.
d. Affirms that the "day of the Lord" is the day God comes to judge sin.
The key passage in Lamentations is 3:19-24. It states:
"Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him."
I love verses 22-23. They bring joy to my heart. I hope they do the same for you. In fact,
I have a song I like to sing related to these verses. Ask me and I will sing it for you.
Such concepts as...
a. It offers compelling prayers of confession, renewed hope, and dependence on God's grace.
b. Affirms God's faithfulness and never-ceasing mercy.
c. Affirms that prayers of confession and petition are the means for restoring a broken relationship with God.
d. Affirms that the "day of the Lord" is the day God comes to judge sin.
The key passage in Lamentations is 3:19-24. It states:
"Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him."
I love verses 22-23. They bring joy to my heart. I hope they do the same for you. In fact,
I have a song I like to sing related to these verses. Ask me and I will sing it for you.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Sunday, June 05 2011
Galatians 4 – 6
Hello to all, today we conclude the book of Galatians. This letter, written by Paul, once again focused on the negative impact of false teachers on new believers. The Judaizers spread false doctrine that in order to truly be saved, Gentiles not only had to believe in Christ Jesus but also had to comply with Jewish Law and rituals. These same false teachers also attempted to minimize Paul’s authority to preach the Gospel.
To counter these acquisitions, Paul spent time providing a history of why he was an authority on Jewish Law and how Jesus Christ chose him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. In the letter, Paul goes through a process of explaining why the Law (the old covenant) was no longer the standard. He stated its purpose of providing guidance on how to live, its ability to convict people of their sin and how it drives people to have faith in Christ. Paul, however; continued to reemphasize that salvation could only be obtained in placing your faith in Jesus Christ (the new covenant), not by your own actions. The apostle proceeded to use Old Testament scripture and common life illustrations to support his stance on salvation.
For the remainder of the letter, Paul desired for the Galatians to avoid believing in the false teachings that emphasized customs over faith. He as well wished for the people to embrace the freedom that comes with believing in Christ but not to abuse it by engaging in sinful behavior identified in (v. 5:19-21). Instead, Paul gave other virtues we are to display (v. 5:2-23).
In applying this book to our daily lives, we need to be aware of people who influence our walk with Christ. We need to always remember that our salvation is based off of our faith in Jesus, not by rituals or traditions. We however perform certain actions because they exemplify Christ. We are to be the peacemakers, we are to show forgiveness and have compassion, we are to display self-control in what we watch, listen to, consume and say, we are to practice being faithful to Jesus and our commitments to others and finally we are to follow the greatest commandment, to love God and our neighbors.
Hello to all, today we conclude the book of Galatians. This letter, written by Paul, once again focused on the negative impact of false teachers on new believers. The Judaizers spread false doctrine that in order to truly be saved, Gentiles not only had to believe in Christ Jesus but also had to comply with Jewish Law and rituals. These same false teachers also attempted to minimize Paul’s authority to preach the Gospel.
To counter these acquisitions, Paul spent time providing a history of why he was an authority on Jewish Law and how Jesus Christ chose him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. In the letter, Paul goes through a process of explaining why the Law (the old covenant) was no longer the standard. He stated its purpose of providing guidance on how to live, its ability to convict people of their sin and how it drives people to have faith in Christ. Paul, however; continued to reemphasize that salvation could only be obtained in placing your faith in Jesus Christ (the new covenant), not by your own actions. The apostle proceeded to use Old Testament scripture and common life illustrations to support his stance on salvation.
For the remainder of the letter, Paul desired for the Galatians to avoid believing in the false teachings that emphasized customs over faith. He as well wished for the people to embrace the freedom that comes with believing in Christ but not to abuse it by engaging in sinful behavior identified in (v. 5:19-21). Instead, Paul gave other virtues we are to display (v. 5:2-23).
In applying this book to our daily lives, we need to be aware of people who influence our walk with Christ. We need to always remember that our salvation is based off of our faith in Jesus, not by rituals or traditions. We however perform certain actions because they exemplify Christ. We are to be the peacemakers, we are to show forgiveness and have compassion, we are to display self-control in what we watch, listen to, consume and say, we are to practice being faithful to Jesus and our commitments to others and finally we are to follow the greatest commandment, to love God and our neighbors.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Today we finish reading the book of Jeremiah. These last few chapters are judgments on the nations around Judah. Judgment is declared against Egypt, the Philistines, Moab, Edom, Ammon, Lebanon, Syria, and two Arab clans (Kedar and Jazor). It is a picture of the future.
Today we see these very same nations at odds with Israel. More and more everyday the nation of Israel is feeling the pressure of being surrounded by their enemies. Everyday the Arab nations are becoming bolder in their talk of driving Israel into the sea. God judges the nations that curse Israel. He did it in Jeremiah's day and He will do it in our day.
It is awesome to know that the God who loves Israel with an everlasting love also loves us (His children) that same way. We can rest in the truth that God has a plan for us now and in the future. His love is wide, deep, and forever.
Today we see these very same nations at odds with Israel. More and more everyday the nation of Israel is feeling the pressure of being surrounded by their enemies. Everyday the Arab nations are becoming bolder in their talk of driving Israel into the sea. God judges the nations that curse Israel. He did it in Jeremiah's day and He will do it in our day.
It is awesome to know that the God who loves Israel with an everlasting love also loves us (His children) that same way. We can rest in the truth that God has a plan for us now and in the future. His love is wide, deep, and forever.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
May 29, 2011
Galatians 1 – 3
I was fortunate to attend my wife’s nephew’s graduation this week. As the ceremony started the audience was reminded, “by the powers that be”, that the event was a formal occasion. Rules and expectations were established. Tradition was to be enforced. My wife, who attended the same high school, noted minor differences in procedure but held that it was pretty much the same way. As the event proceeded, a young man with Downs Syndrome came across the stage to receive his diploma. He proceeded to do a little dance and show his joy at his accomplishment. While it took all the school personnel on stage to get him refocused and redressed his classmates first, then the audience began cheering and clapping, sharing in the young man’s joy. So much for tradition. I later asked my wife’s nephew whether the young man or anyone got into trouble for the celebration. He replied “NO”, for that student was the heart of our senior class. Tradition and procedures were not important to these students because they realized what they and this young man had accomplished and the new life they would all start.
So how does this pertain to today’s reading, as we start the book of Galatians? In the first three chapters of this letter, written by the Apostle Paul, he once again had to defend his authority and authenticity of the Gospel he preached. He as well had to deal with false teachers, known as Judaizers. These people taught that Gentiles had to follow Jewish Law and customs in order to be truly saved. Throughout this letter, Paul will reemphasize the “Good News” that salvation was through faith in Jesus Christ and not in performing traditions to follow the Law. Just as with the students who broke from traditions and procedure to celebrate an accomplishment and new beginning, we to should be mindful of our own new beginning. Our salvation is based on faith in Jesus; not our adherence to old customs.
From the beginning, Paul set the stage of urgency. He uncommonly skipped over his remarks of thanksgiving after the greeting and launched into the problems. Throughout the chapters, Paul confronted allegations from the Judaizers that dealt with: 1) his preaching being unauthentic and inspired by man, 2) His being unaware of Jewish customs and 3) how the Jewish Laws were still the path to salvation. To rebuke this teaching, chapters 1 and 2 addressed his past and how God chose him and gave him revelation to the Gospel. Paul laid out a timeline showing his knowledge and zeal in Judaism, his conversion through Christ intervention and how he was inspired by Jesus, not by man or other apostles, to preach the word.
Throughout chapters 2 and 3, Paul tackled the key problem of the allegations from the Judaizers. Paul remarked that he even challenged the Apostle Peter’s hypocrisy when dealing with how salvation was obtained. Paul asserted that the Gospel was about salvation coming solely through faith in Jesus Christ, not adherence to the Laws. He used the patriarchal image of Abraham to emphasize how it was through faith in Christ (God’s promise to us) not our actions that brings about salvation. If the reverse was true then Jesus’s sacrifice was made in vain. Paul went further to explain that the purpose of the Law was to come alongside the Messiah and convict believers of their sins. There were two other purposes for the Law. The first was to give guidelines on how to live and the second was to drive us to have a relationship and be dependent on Jesus Christ.
To conclude chapter 3, Paul wanted the Galatians to understand, along with what we should take from it, that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are all children of God. Despite being Jew or Gentile, black or white, Baptist or Pentecostal, we are all able to receive God’s promise of freedom when we place our faith in his son Jesus and not by our own actions.
I was fortunate to attend my wife’s nephew’s graduation this week. As the ceremony started the audience was reminded, “by the powers that be”, that the event was a formal occasion. Rules and expectations were established. Tradition was to be enforced. My wife, who attended the same high school, noted minor differences in procedure but held that it was pretty much the same way. As the event proceeded, a young man with Downs Syndrome came across the stage to receive his diploma. He proceeded to do a little dance and show his joy at his accomplishment. While it took all the school personnel on stage to get him refocused and redressed his classmates first, then the audience began cheering and clapping, sharing in the young man’s joy. So much for tradition. I later asked my wife’s nephew whether the young man or anyone got into trouble for the celebration. He replied “NO”, for that student was the heart of our senior class. Tradition and procedures were not important to these students because they realized what they and this young man had accomplished and the new life they would all start.
So how does this pertain to today’s reading, as we start the book of Galatians? In the first three chapters of this letter, written by the Apostle Paul, he once again had to defend his authority and authenticity of the Gospel he preached. He as well had to deal with false teachers, known as Judaizers. These people taught that Gentiles had to follow Jewish Law and customs in order to be truly saved. Throughout this letter, Paul will reemphasize the “Good News” that salvation was through faith in Jesus Christ and not in performing traditions to follow the Law. Just as with the students who broke from traditions and procedure to celebrate an accomplishment and new beginning, we to should be mindful of our own new beginning. Our salvation is based on faith in Jesus; not our adherence to old customs.
From the beginning, Paul set the stage of urgency. He uncommonly skipped over his remarks of thanksgiving after the greeting and launched into the problems. Throughout the chapters, Paul confronted allegations from the Judaizers that dealt with: 1) his preaching being unauthentic and inspired by man, 2) His being unaware of Jewish customs and 3) how the Jewish Laws were still the path to salvation. To rebuke this teaching, chapters 1 and 2 addressed his past and how God chose him and gave him revelation to the Gospel. Paul laid out a timeline showing his knowledge and zeal in Judaism, his conversion through Christ intervention and how he was inspired by Jesus, not by man or other apostles, to preach the word.
Throughout chapters 2 and 3, Paul tackled the key problem of the allegations from the Judaizers. Paul remarked that he even challenged the Apostle Peter’s hypocrisy when dealing with how salvation was obtained. Paul asserted that the Gospel was about salvation coming solely through faith in Jesus Christ, not adherence to the Laws. He used the patriarchal image of Abraham to emphasize how it was through faith in Christ (God’s promise to us) not our actions that brings about salvation. If the reverse was true then Jesus’s sacrifice was made in vain. Paul went further to explain that the purpose of the Law was to come alongside the Messiah and convict believers of their sins. There were two other purposes for the Law. The first was to give guidelines on how to live and the second was to drive us to have a relationship and be dependent on Jesus Christ.
To conclude chapter 3, Paul wanted the Galatians to understand, along with what we should take from it, that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are all children of God. Despite being Jew or Gentile, black or white, Baptist or Pentecostal, we are all able to receive God’s promise of freedom when we place our faith in his son Jesus and not by our own actions.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
May 22, 2011
2 Corinthians 11-13
Throwing Down the Gauntlet
As with the days of the knights, Paul is taking off the gloves and throwing down the gauntlet. Within these final chapters (11-13), Paul directly confronted the major issues of the letter, false teaching, defending his authority and spiritual immaturity.
In chapter 11, Paul began by reemphasizing the need for believers to focus purely on God and to not be swayed by false doctrines and teachers. This was the idea of the “pure bride” (v.2-3). Ironically, in viewing our own time we are still confronted with this as recently as yesterday. A pastor persuaded many people to believe that May 21, 2011 at 6:00p.m., the rapture was to take place. There were many who spoke out against this prediction based on biblically truth. Matthew 24:26-44 is Jesus, “THE AUTHORITY”, telling the disciples the end of time is not for man to know but to be watchful and live accordingly. We must be as alert to false teachings, as Paul was back then. From (11:11-15) Paul made known that as Satan disguises himself, so shall his servants. So remain vigilant.
In continuing our reading, Paul begins to layout his credentials for his authority to preach. He laid out several factors that distinguished him from the rest, such as: diligent hard work, imprisonment, physical torture, a stoning, several shipwrecks and long journeys with constant endangerment. Paul informed the Corinthians that he was not boasting about his own efforts but rather how God had sustained him through these trials and his weaknesses. The apostle went further as he noted how God spoke to him is his moments of physical affliction. Paul informed the believers, that God made known that His grace is all we need and that His power works best in our weakness (v.12:8-10). What a glorious thing to hold on to day by day.
In concluding today’s reading, Paul desired for the Corinthians to understand that he passionately cared about them. He wanted them to know he was not weak in comparison to other speakers but diligently chased after them, because he was invested in their maturity towards following Christ. Paul warned them that on his next visit he would openly deal with those who did not heed his corrections. To end, Paul illustrated the behaviors we should display towards others who are falling into deception: stand strong in your faith, rely on God’s grace, be vigilant to deceivers and perform redirections firmly but with love. Paul made a key point in (v. 13:10), that we should remember. A mature believer would rather use God’s truth to build/strengthen fellow believers as opposed to tearing them down.
Throwing Down the Gauntlet
As with the days of the knights, Paul is taking off the gloves and throwing down the gauntlet. Within these final chapters (11-13), Paul directly confronted the major issues of the letter, false teaching, defending his authority and spiritual immaturity.
In chapter 11, Paul began by reemphasizing the need for believers to focus purely on God and to not be swayed by false doctrines and teachers. This was the idea of the “pure bride” (v.2-3). Ironically, in viewing our own time we are still confronted with this as recently as yesterday. A pastor persuaded many people to believe that May 21, 2011 at 6:00p.m., the rapture was to take place. There were many who spoke out against this prediction based on biblically truth. Matthew 24:26-44 is Jesus, “THE AUTHORITY”, telling the disciples the end of time is not for man to know but to be watchful and live accordingly. We must be as alert to false teachings, as Paul was back then. From (11:11-15) Paul made known that as Satan disguises himself, so shall his servants. So remain vigilant.
In continuing our reading, Paul begins to layout his credentials for his authority to preach. He laid out several factors that distinguished him from the rest, such as: diligent hard work, imprisonment, physical torture, a stoning, several shipwrecks and long journeys with constant endangerment. Paul informed the Corinthians that he was not boasting about his own efforts but rather how God had sustained him through these trials and his weaknesses. The apostle went further as he noted how God spoke to him is his moments of physical affliction. Paul informed the believers, that God made known that His grace is all we need and that His power works best in our weakness (v.12:8-10). What a glorious thing to hold on to day by day.
In concluding today’s reading, Paul desired for the Corinthians to understand that he passionately cared about them. He wanted them to know he was not weak in comparison to other speakers but diligently chased after them, because he was invested in their maturity towards following Christ. Paul warned them that on his next visit he would openly deal with those who did not heed his corrections. To end, Paul illustrated the behaviors we should display towards others who are falling into deception: stand strong in your faith, rely on God’s grace, be vigilant to deceivers and perform redirections firmly but with love. Paul made a key point in (v. 13:10), that we should remember. A mature believer would rather use God’s truth to build/strengthen fellow believers as opposed to tearing them down.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, May 19th
There is no one like God. Who is His equal? Job 39 is a continuation of a list of questions given by God to Job that started in chapter 38. The questions are rhetorical. The point; to help Job (and you and I) remember that He is God and we are not.
Job 40 shows Job silent in God’s presence. Job says that he will place his hand over his mouth. Just the same way that Princes used to do in the presence of Job. (29:9)
This makes me think; how often am I silent in the presence of a Holy God. I sing… I “pray”… I talk about Him; but when I look back I realize that I do not find myself in the position of stillness and silence before him.
I’ll just be honest; I would hate to have to go what Job went through. However I would love to know God in the way that Job knows him towards the end of this book. Truth be told though, I’m not sure I can have one without the other. Lord help us to embrace our times in the valley.
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