Luke 11 :: If You Can't Say Something Good...

Luke 11

I was no different than most kids I know.  When I was a kid my mom used to tell me, "If you can't say something good, don't say it at all."  I may have even thought, at one point, that this was one of those "bible verses" that aren't found in the bible.  But Jesus didn't seem to follow this teaching.  At the end of Luke 11, Jesus appears to be fed up with the religious leaders.  His harshest words up to this point are not given to a thief, a prostitute or a murderer.  Nope.  They have been reserved for good, religious people - the Pharisees.  These were the ministers of the day.  As a pastor today, I must look closely at these words that Jesus had for these people.

Check out the list of warnings Jesus gives to these strict, religious people:

• Hypocricy - v39-41
• Inequality - v42
• Pretentiousness - v43
• Impossible Demands - v46
• Intolerance - v47-51
• Exclusiveness - v52

Did you know that Pharisees were originally a group of normal, laymen, who desired to separate themselves from impure things and people?  I believe that their original intent was not much different than the small group of guys who go and meet for breakfast every week to help ensure that each one is living the standard to which Christ calls us.  Eventually these men became leaders in their faith.  Once there they began to impose on people things that Jesus never meant to be imposed.  I am blown away by the intensity in the words of Jesus.

All of us struggle with each of these things, don't we?  We can't really cast stones at the Pharisees because our own behavior often looks very similar.  Underneath the strong language of Jesus, is a man with a very deep connection to the people the Pharisees are offending.  The value that those people have to Jesus is what causes him to be so stern.  I see a bit of a momma-bear image at the protection Jesus has for the poor and the vulnerable.  This has been consistent in the life of Jesus from the very beginning.

How are we to respond?  Are we advocates for the poor and the suffering?  Are we standing up for the rights of people who cannot stand?  Are we creating opportunities for everyone to come to Jesus, in spite of their bondage to sin today?

Remember that Luke is the same man, who in Acts 15, recorded James' speech to the Jerusalem church, where he said “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. (19)" 

Romans 3:25-26 :: How and Why

Romans 3:25-26 (The Message and TNIV)
Reading Plan

25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (TNIV)


These two verses explain to us how God was able to make things right with people in Christ and also why He had to sacrifice His son.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement.  Some of the older translations render hilasterion (sacrifice of atonement) as a "propitiation" which would carry with it a sense turning away the wrath of God, but that doesn't appear to be how the people in Rome would have understood it, especially the Jews in the crowd.  For the Jew, hilasterion referred to the "atonement cover" of the ark.  The ark was the symbol of the presence of God for the Israelites, and sacrificial blood from animals would be sprinkled on the cover as a means of forgiveness of the sins of the people.  While "propitiation" leans toward the wrath of God being the central force that needed to be appeased, "atonement" places forgiveness of sins at the forefront.  Both agree that Jesus was the trigger for cleaning our sin-slate and reconnecting with God, though.  How does your rendering of this verse could impact your actions and how you see God?

He did this to...  The rest of this passage explains why God had to give His own Son as a sacrifice.  In the time prior to Jesus, God didn't punish sins with full severity.  Because of His mercy, He "passed over" the sins because there had not been an adequate sacrifice to atone for them.  By doing this, He acted against His character of holiness, which would have required a sacrifice.  By sending Jesus, He gives Himself as that sacrifice.  STUNNING!  The God of this universe chooses to give his people a bit of a pass for their sins, and then steps up to the plate and takes their sin on Himself.  Can you feel the weight of this?  His name was on the line here.  We tend to see God in the Old Testament as a God of Wrath and destruction, but that just isn't the case.

As I grew up as a Christ-follower, I was taught that Jesus' death was an appeasement of the wrath of God and instead of me absorbing that wrath, Jesus took it for me.  While this is true, this is not the only analogy for the sacrifice and only holding to that view can create a very judgmental view of sin and others.  I have come to see other analogies that serve to give me a more robust understanding of the event we celebrate on Sundays.  In Christ,

• God reconciles us - a relational view of our reconnection to God.
• God adopts us - a family understanding of things being set right between us.
• God sanctifies us - a cultic phrase implying a cleansing of our sin.

To see the various analogies active in this passage broadens our view.  If God is only appeasing His wrath in this passage, then we miss the grace and mercy.  If God is simply offering forgiveness of sins, we miss the severity of the sin and the violation against God that sin is.  To understand both balances our view of God and necessitates the "atonement cover" as a means to provide an appeasement and an atonement for our sins.  This is huge.  Understanding this keeps us balanced in our view of God in our world today.

Did I go to academic today?  What was the primary cause for Jesus' death that you learned in the past?  Was one more dominant?  If so, how did that impact the church where you learned from?  

Matthew19::Divorce

Matthew 19

Have you ever read something, knowing that you had the opportunity to post something and you could hardly make it through because you were so excited to write about what you were reading? Yeah, that's not me this morning.

Jesus' teaching in chapter nineteen is difficult. It's difficult to discuss when over 2/3 of marriages in our culture end in divorce. I hope you know that I do not take this subject lightly, nor do I expect the teaching to sit well with everyone who reads these words. I do, however, want to respond to what I read in the first twelve verses this morning.

The Pharisees were badgering Jesus again, hoping to catch him in a slip-up when it comes to the letter of the Mosaic Law. They ask if it's legal for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. These were not honest, broken people who are struggling in a marriage that exhibits nothing but heartache, anger, frustration, pain, etc.. These were men with an agenda - and the agenda had nothing to do with marriage.

Jesus responds directly to these men. There is no need to be sensitive, no need to be compassionate and no need to be empathetic. He states the letter of the law emphatically back to them. A man and woman were made for a union that was not intended to be broken by anything. Concessions were made because of our hardheartedness, not by God's design. If there is infidelity in the marriage, there is wiggle room when it comes to divorce. If there is not, it doesn't appear so according to the law. It is important to remember that permission is a concession, not part of God's plan. There you go. You have your answer to all your questions. You can call Elin Woods and tell her that she has permission to divorce Tiger.

How are we supposed to respond to this? What if we weren't Christians when we got married, are we still bound to the same "laws" that govern a Christ-follower? What if one spouse is not a Christ-follower? What if there is abuse? What if we just can't get along? What if...what if...what if...what if? I realize that we can come up with all kinds of scenarios to fit our situation and make our situation sound different and more justified. The bottom line is the bottom line, though...isn't it?

Based on my reading of this passage, I know that divorce is not God's plan. Period. It's not his plan in ANY situation. If we divorce, we fall short of God's plan for our marriage. If we divorce, we miss the mark that was intended. If we divorce, we sin. In eight days, we will read a chapter that explains what happened to that sin. We will see how ugly our divorce was in the eyes of the Father. We will see what our divorces cost. The price tag on our divorce is no different than the price tag on my slander, or my gossip, or my lust, or my jealousy, or my...or my...or my... If you have never been through a divorce and feel like you've got a special place in God's little world because of your "faithfulness," remember that the log in your eye might just be blocking your view. If you have been divorced, I hope you know that the Father has not left you or turned his back on you. He still has plans for you and His purposes in you do not have to be thwarted because of a failure on your part OR a failure on the part of your spouse.

If it's a struggle right now and you don't see hope, it's still there. Father can redeem the most dire of situations and breathe life into any relationship. If you have been wronged or violated, you have every right to be angry, hurt, upset and maybe to even leave, but God might have something larger in store for you. If you have wronged or violated your spouse, you screwed up. Yes. But it's not the end of His relationship with you. Father wants you...He wants your heart. He wants to redeem you through humility. Don't give up.

I realize that it's hardly fair to open up a subject like this, but I wanted to remain faithful to my commitment through this book - read and open up what stands out to me. I know I could have studied more and brought more to the discussion. I could have probably been more sensitive or more definitive in spots, but this is where I am and what I felt like sharing. I'd love to hear some of your thoughts. We are not Pharisees trying to trick you, but we would love to hear your heart regarding this sensitive subject. What has Father taught you?