Think '11 is the annual theology conference at College Park. The speaker this year was D.A. Carson, and the topic was some selected Biblical texts, which make up his book Scandalous.
* A quote from his dad: "A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text." Scripture must be taken in context.
* "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." -Matt. 16:24. "Taking up our cross" is not fully understood today. It is not just something tough that goes on (e.g. the loss of a family member). The cross was absolutely shameful in that day. It meant you were literally about to die. Do I really want to be His disciple? If so, I must daily die to myself and my needs, and follow Him so radically to the point of shame and ridicule.
* Servant leadership. The "servant" of Jesus' servant leadership is often highlighted. It's important to remember that He was still the disciples' leader and He demanded high levels of obedience while still serving them. Also, if I ever get to a "high position" in a church, ministry or work, it will be critical to not do some service for others while actually getting pretty comfy in my position and subconsciously expecting to be served the rest of the time.
* We must not confuse the gospel with the entailments of the gospel. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength" is of utmost importance. Loving our neighbors as ourselves is as well. But these are not the gospel. Becoming more focused in our lives, being more productive and being joyful are not the gospel. There are "Christian" movements where this is becoming the gospel and it will not be long before those movements will degrade into a strictly moralistic institution where God can't be found. We are all sinners (Ro. 1:18 - Ro. 3:20) and the gospel is that God the Father sent Jesus the Son down to this earth as fully man and fully God. He lived a sinless life, and died a substitutionary death for us.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
How do we see light when it's dark?
This is not a how-to post. This is not six easy steps. This is just processing/journaling/blabbing.
It's really easy to look at someone in a tough spot and see exactly what they need to do. It's really easy to see someone who struggles with singleness and tell them they need to find their identity in God. It's easy to tell someone who's unemployed that God will provide. It's not challenging to tell someone who's plagued by recurring sickness that God is right there with them, and He hates to see His children in pain.
First of all, those are weak and pithy statements that help me deal with the reality of God's sovereignty. Second, who's to say that that's really the issue? But I diverge just slightly...
My real question is, what do you do when you're the person in the difficult situation? What do you do when it seems all you hear is lies? When the bleak just continues to get bleaker? When it's dark around you and try as you might and see God's goodness, it's as though you can't find it? When, as my pastor says, all you seem to see is the "dark side of God's sovereignty."
I'm not sure.
I have plenty of good things to do: cling to the Word, pray without ceasing, spend time in fellowship, continue to generously give, serve others, yada, yada, (other Christian-ese word here), etc. All great things. All necessary things for a true relationship with our heavenly father. But I just don't think the answer is in the "do".
I'm not sure of the answer. I think it involves wiping away the scales of sin that can cloud our vision and begin seeing God again as He truly is. He is my Heavenly Father and I am His child. Having children has helped me see this even clearer and understand how big of a deal that is. There are not many (if any) world religions whose deity claims to view his followers as his children. Yet God claims this. Having a gentle yet strong father in my life has probably contributed to this clarity as well.
Jesus even says, "You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14) He is our friend. That's hard to wrap my head around.
I'm still not sure of the answer, but I know that the answer is not in the "why" question. That will never satisfy. The answer is in the "who" question and that's Jesus.
For more on that, check out: http://www.yourchurch.com/sermons/sunday-message/ and click "I Choose to Bless:...." under the Series tab.
It's really easy to look at someone in a tough spot and see exactly what they need to do. It's really easy to see someone who struggles with singleness and tell them they need to find their identity in God. It's easy to tell someone who's unemployed that God will provide. It's not challenging to tell someone who's plagued by recurring sickness that God is right there with them, and He hates to see His children in pain.
First of all, those are weak and pithy statements that help me deal with the reality of God's sovereignty. Second, who's to say that that's really the issue? But I diverge just slightly...
My real question is, what do you do when you're the person in the difficult situation? What do you do when it seems all you hear is lies? When the bleak just continues to get bleaker? When it's dark around you and try as you might and see God's goodness, it's as though you can't find it? When, as my pastor says, all you seem to see is the "dark side of God's sovereignty."
I'm not sure.
I have plenty of good things to do: cling to the Word, pray without ceasing, spend time in fellowship, continue to generously give, serve others, yada, yada, (other Christian-ese word here), etc. All great things. All necessary things for a true relationship with our heavenly father. But I just don't think the answer is in the "do".
I'm not sure of the answer. I think it involves wiping away the scales of sin that can cloud our vision and begin seeing God again as He truly is. He is my Heavenly Father and I am His child. Having children has helped me see this even clearer and understand how big of a deal that is. There are not many (if any) world religions whose deity claims to view his followers as his children. Yet God claims this. Having a gentle yet strong father in my life has probably contributed to this clarity as well.
Jesus even says, "You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14) He is our friend. That's hard to wrap my head around.
I'm still not sure of the answer, but I know that the answer is not in the "why" question. That will never satisfy. The answer is in the "who" question and that's Jesus.
For more on that, check out: http://www.yourchurch.com/sermons/sunday-message/ and click "I Choose to Bless:...." under the Series tab.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
PSALM 100:3
"Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture."
Self-made man (or woman). Ha! The phrase is ironic. First, God has made us from birth. He has made us exactly who we are. "What do you have that you did not receive?" (I Cor 4:7). We think because we "put ourselves through school" and have such wonderful gifts and talents that we are responsible for amazing things. Ha! "It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves." Second, we get nowhere in life alone. From a practical standpoint, anywhere we go in life is with others. Parents, friends, family, teachers, mentors, co-workers, bosses and others help shape us, develop us and encourage us.
"We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." I can't imagine how God feels when I sit on this earth and fawn over my "gifts". It's preposterous and ridiculous. Inconceivable really. It's like Nebuchadnezzar: "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence and by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:30). That did not initially turn out too well for him. Or Herod in Acts 12: "On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, 'The voice of a god and not of a man!' And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." His fate was even worse. Why do I always compare my strengths to others' weaknesses, totally neglecting their strengths altogether?
Oh Lord, please correct me and change me. So what's the solution? Praising God. Having an accurate view of the height of God's grandeur. This does not mean I grovel and just call everything about myself poopy, but that He is so mighty and holy and awesome that I do not really even think about myself that much. It's that my thoughts are occupied first with Jesus, then others, then myself. J-O-Y (Jesus-Others-You). Help this verse to be known deep within me:
"Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations."
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture."
Self-made man (or woman). Ha! The phrase is ironic. First, God has made us from birth. He has made us exactly who we are. "What do you have that you did not receive?" (I Cor 4:7). We think because we "put ourselves through school" and have such wonderful gifts and talents that we are responsible for amazing things. Ha! "It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves." Second, we get nowhere in life alone. From a practical standpoint, anywhere we go in life is with others. Parents, friends, family, teachers, mentors, co-workers, bosses and others help shape us, develop us and encourage us.
"We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." I can't imagine how God feels when I sit on this earth and fawn over my "gifts". It's preposterous and ridiculous. Inconceivable really. It's like Nebuchadnezzar: "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence and by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:30). That did not initially turn out too well for him. Or Herod in Acts 12: "On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, 'The voice of a god and not of a man!' And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." His fate was even worse. Why do I always compare my strengths to others' weaknesses, totally neglecting their strengths altogether?
Oh Lord, please correct me and change me. So what's the solution? Praising God. Having an accurate view of the height of God's grandeur. This does not mean I grovel and just call everything about myself poopy, but that He is so mighty and holy and awesome that I do not really even think about myself that much. It's that my thoughts are occupied first with Jesus, then others, then myself. J-O-Y (Jesus-Others-You). Help this verse to be known deep within me:
"Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations."
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