I went up and went to a leaders' training at Vineyard this morning. I feel quite conflicted about this whole thing. I am a reluctant leader. MP spoke to that in several ways. The chief being courage. I have little innate courage. It's all I can do to get any at all. I tell myself I do not want to be a leader but really it is because leading takes courage. It is in short supply with me. A lot of what I do in life is the work to increase my courage.
The second chief problem is why anyone would want to follow me, take me as any kind of guide? The main answer to that is my firm belief that it is not about me, it is about God. The more I can be like Paul said, strong in my weakness the better God gets the glory. I do not want to be a distraction to get in God's way. I think it often works.
I am studying John 15:1-8. The concluding verse says that God gets the glory in our doing good work and being his disciples. God calls us to do good works and that involves leading. Whether I like it or not God calls us to lead, to be courageous.
MP quoted some pithy stuff. One that I have used a lot is to the effect that anything worth doing is worth doing badly. In my words, if I feel the need is great so much so that I will do it, no matter how badly I do it, it is better than it not being done at all. Was it Spurgeon, who upon being criticized by a lady in her church about how badly he evangelized, responded, "Better how badly I do it than to how you do not do it at all."?
Another way to put it is I am OK with trying and failing or trying and not doing it perfectly. To wait until I get it together would be never to do it at all. My Kegan's Marriage Alpha classes are like that. We are actually getting proficient at it.
Now that is funny that I say that. We thought this last one went so well only to find after the last class there were some serious problems. It seems we were not on the alert like we should have and the prisoners did some illegal stuff. So pride goes before the fall. I have to not take things for granted. Prison rules are very serious and these guys are pretty devious.
But one of the things I felt God telling me was that I should take Tuesday off from Life Group and go use my ticket to watch baseball. I'm sure no one will agree that is what God is saying. Is is courage or simple bullheadedness? heh
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Jeremiah 15
Frederick Buechner is a great source of pithy sayings: "There is no event so commonplace but that God is present within it; always hidden, always leaving room to recognize or not to recognize him."
Jeremiah 15 continues God's condemnation of his people and the prophesy of their destruction. Some are making life hard on Jeremiah (v.15). But some seem to be listening (v.19).
God says do not encourage them. If they ask "where shall we go?" (v.2) you tell them there are four destinies: (1) death, (2) sword, (3) famine, and (4) captivity. Only one of four brings life and that a life of slavery in a different land. Jeremiah has no encouragement for them.
We begin to see asides that show Jeremiah's suffering. He does not like his position (v.10, 15). God does not relent from his awful calling. But he tells him he will support him (v.20). They will eventually take you seriously (v.11), no doubt when it is too late.
It is interesting to note that this is encouraging reading after it has all occurred to those who find themselves in the lands of their deportation. They are the survivors, in captivity. But this will show them, those who believe, that God is after all in control. This has not happened because of the strength of the Babylonian gods.
So when God promises them they will return back to the promised land they can have hope. They have basis to believe and hope. Some did believe and eventually went back to become God's chosen again. But many got comfortable in the new land, adopted the culture of their overlords, and lost their identity of God's people. That is sad.
But even when God punishes us it is good to know He is in charge.
Jeremiah 15 continues God's condemnation of his people and the prophesy of their destruction. Some are making life hard on Jeremiah (v.15). But some seem to be listening (v.19).
God says do not encourage them. If they ask "where shall we go?" (v.2) you tell them there are four destinies: (1) death, (2) sword, (3) famine, and (4) captivity. Only one of four brings life and that a life of slavery in a different land. Jeremiah has no encouragement for them.
We begin to see asides that show Jeremiah's suffering. He does not like his position (v.10, 15). God does not relent from his awful calling. But he tells him he will support him (v.20). They will eventually take you seriously (v.11), no doubt when it is too late.
It is interesting to note that this is encouraging reading after it has all occurred to those who find themselves in the lands of their deportation. They are the survivors, in captivity. But this will show them, those who believe, that God is after all in control. This has not happened because of the strength of the Babylonian gods.
So when God promises them they will return back to the promised land they can have hope. They have basis to believe and hope. Some did believe and eventually went back to become God's chosen again. But many got comfortable in the new land, adopted the culture of their overlords, and lost their identity of God's people. That is sad.
But even when God punishes us it is good to know He is in charge.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Are you listening?
Jeremiah speaks so long because they are not listening. I have heard of preachers who said they would preach the same thing until his people finally listened.
Chapter 14 opens with the mention of drought. Sound familiar? Drought should bring us back to God. We beseech God for rain. Do you ever think to look to see if you have anything to repent of? Was it John (maybe James) who said we ask and we do not receive because our hearts are not right? Our prayers c an be blocked because of our unrighteous behavior.
verse 7: "Although our sins testify against us, O LORD act for your name's sake."
Let us come humbly before God. We got a very small shower yesterday. Today they are predicting a big storm. We need a good half inch of rain. And then we need more next week.
Jeremiah prophesies sword and famine for the people of Israel all the while the other prophets are prophesying eternal peace and rain in abundance (13).
We think in this nation could never be invaded like that. But plenty of other nations have thought the same thing throughout history. Can we be destroyed by sword or famine?
Jeremiah was praying for Judah. But then God says do not pray for them, I will not listen (11).
God would have to clearly speak before I would take that as applicable to me. In fact I believe the whole Bible speaks of God's great mercy. I believe that other examples, such as the story of the book of Jonah, show that God would have relented even now if the people would have repented. Just as God repented from the evil he meant to do to the people of Nineveh he would have now done for Judah if they only repented.
But we should not presume on the grace of God. Rather let us endeavor to praise, love and obey God in all we do.
Chapter 14 opens with the mention of drought. Sound familiar? Drought should bring us back to God. We beseech God for rain. Do you ever think to look to see if you have anything to repent of? Was it John (maybe James) who said we ask and we do not receive because our hearts are not right? Our prayers c an be blocked because of our unrighteous behavior.
verse 7: "Although our sins testify against us, O LORD act for your name's sake."
Let us come humbly before God. We got a very small shower yesterday. Today they are predicting a big storm. We need a good half inch of rain. And then we need more next week.
Jeremiah prophesies sword and famine for the people of Israel all the while the other prophets are prophesying eternal peace and rain in abundance (13).
We think in this nation could never be invaded like that. But plenty of other nations have thought the same thing throughout history. Can we be destroyed by sword or famine?
Jeremiah was praying for Judah. But then God says do not pray for them, I will not listen (11).
God would have to clearly speak before I would take that as applicable to me. In fact I believe the whole Bible speaks of God's great mercy. I believe that other examples, such as the story of the book of Jonah, show that God would have relented even now if the people would have repented. Just as God repented from the evil he meant to do to the people of Nineveh he would have now done for Judah if they only repented.
But we should not presume on the grace of God. Rather let us endeavor to praise, love and obey God in all we do.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Life Group - First John
We are going through First John in Life Group.
In the context of John's exhortation to rethink their relationship to God I was thinking about how selfish I was as a boy/young man. I never put myself in any one else's position. I only thought about myself. I rationalized it that I was insecure or some other psychobabble. But that's just another way of saying I am only looking out for myself. I was afraid of doing anything that might get me laughed at.
That is probably why I never understood dramatic novels. Action books I could get. But I never got Hardy or Dreiser and so on. It's probably a good bit of why I never understood girls/young women. I never tried to see things from anyone else's position. I was all about getting my own needs met.
Anyway. I was thinking, why did God bring up in my mind some old instances of my hurting people because of my insensitivity in the far past? I realized God wanted me to see I am not far from that younger selfish person. I am still a selfish person.
John says we know we are with God if we love one another. How do we know we love one another? When we do good things. If our conscious bothers us we can look at the good things we have done and ignore our conscious. God is greater than our conscious. He knows all things.
If we see our brother in need and do not help him how does God's love live in us? We cannot see our brother's need if we do not step out of ourselves and put ourselves in his place. Someone can walk right by us. If we are too busy thinking about the next thing we are going to do to pay attention to what is going on around us we can miss the obvious.
John is thinking mostly about physical need. But it can be emotional or psychological. I would not try to impose myself into someone's emotional stuff without being asked. But if God shows me things I can take the time to pray, to intercede for them. This gets me out of my selfishness and closer to God.
In the context of John's exhortation to rethink their relationship to God I was thinking about how selfish I was as a boy/young man. I never put myself in any one else's position. I only thought about myself. I rationalized it that I was insecure or some other psychobabble. But that's just another way of saying I am only looking out for myself. I was afraid of doing anything that might get me laughed at.
That is probably why I never understood dramatic novels. Action books I could get. But I never got Hardy or Dreiser and so on. It's probably a good bit of why I never understood girls/young women. I never tried to see things from anyone else's position. I was all about getting my own needs met.
Anyway. I was thinking, why did God bring up in my mind some old instances of my hurting people because of my insensitivity in the far past? I realized God wanted me to see I am not far from that younger selfish person. I am still a selfish person.
John says we know we are with God if we love one another. How do we know we love one another? When we do good things. If our conscious bothers us we can look at the good things we have done and ignore our conscious. God is greater than our conscious. He knows all things.
If we see our brother in need and do not help him how does God's love live in us? We cannot see our brother's need if we do not step out of ourselves and put ourselves in his place. Someone can walk right by us. If we are too busy thinking about the next thing we are going to do to pay attention to what is going on around us we can miss the obvious.
John is thinking mostly about physical need. But it can be emotional or psychological. I would not try to impose myself into someone's emotional stuff without being asked. But if God shows me things I can take the time to pray, to intercede for them. This gets me out of my selfishness and closer to God.
Jeremiah
When was the last time I read through Jeremiah? I cannot remember when. This book is so depressing. It is hard to read it straight through and not start not paying attention.
Right now I'm in chapter 13. Fortunately this is one chapter a day.
Prophets tend to use illustrations. They tend to be weird and unusual.
Here God tells Jeremiah to buy a cloth girdle (or belt). Then he is told to go the Euphrates (kinda far away) and bury it. Later he goes and digs it up and finds it ruined (duh!!).
This a garment worn close to the body. God was close to his people. Yet now they are worthless, just like this garment.
Then he describes an image with many wine jugs. The jugs describe the people of Judah. Then he smashes them against each other, like he says they will have their heads smashed after they get drunk.
Can Ethiopians change the color of their skin or leopards change their spots? Can you do good when you're taught to do wrong?
God is saying they are confirmed in sin and will not repent.
Jeremiah is told to tell them their sin has been seen by God. God will not have grace this time.
Jeremiah is unrelenting in his images of the destruction that is about to happen to God's people. I guess no one took him seriously at the time. But it is hard to read.
Right now I'm in chapter 13. Fortunately this is one chapter a day.
Prophets tend to use illustrations. They tend to be weird and unusual.
Here God tells Jeremiah to buy a cloth girdle (or belt). Then he is told to go the Euphrates (kinda far away) and bury it. Later he goes and digs it up and finds it ruined (duh!!).
This a garment worn close to the body. God was close to his people. Yet now they are worthless, just like this garment.
Then he describes an image with many wine jugs. The jugs describe the people of Judah. Then he smashes them against each other, like he says they will have their heads smashed after they get drunk.
Can Ethiopians change the color of their skin or leopards change their spots? Can you do good when you're taught to do wrong?
God is saying they are confirmed in sin and will not repent.
Jeremiah is told to tell them their sin has been seen by God. God will not have grace this time.
Jeremiah is unrelenting in his images of the destruction that is about to happen to God's people. I guess no one took him seriously at the time. But it is hard to read.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Prophesy
As I am reading Jeremiah thinking about prophesy I remembered a cherished hero of mine David Wilkerson. Wilkerson thought of himself as a prophet in his last couple of decades. That makes a lot of people uncomfortable.
David Wilkerson died suddenly, tragically, well if you can call dying at age 79 tragic. But he did not die of old age diseases. He died in an auto accident. He was driving without his seat belt on. His wife was with him and had her seat belt on. She survived with few injuries. This has got to be hard on her, survivor's guilt. I guess this is his first wife, the one that survived advanced cancer more than once. Surely everyone thought he would survive her.
Prophets make people uncomfortable. I have talked to two church leaders who made faces when I mentioned how much I admired Wilkerson.
James Dobson, Jim Wallis, and Chuck Colson are three other major Christian leaders who have entered into the prophetic realm.
I wondered about the wisdom of Dobson getting into the arena because his ministry to families would be affected. I think it was affected but he obviously felt the risk was worth it.
Wallis always makes me uncomfortable. Yes i admit to avoiding him. I guess you could add Jesse Jackson into Christian leaders who work to be prophetic voice in the political arena.
All these people get criticized and ridiculed. If you feel called to be a prophet it comes with the territory. But we should avoid listening solely to the critics and see what they say and judge for ourselves. It makes us uncomfortable but it is the only way we really have the right to say anything.
Having said that this country needs honest God fearing, God obeying Christians to speak out prophetically about our nation, our culture, our political leadership, and so on. And we need to listen. I think church leaders feel uncomfortable because they also might be the object of prophetic statements. Just as Jesus spoke out against the hypocrisy of religious leaders so to our present leaders may deserve criticism.
Jeremiah too spoke with dangerous honesty. There were other prophets and clerics trying to shout him down, assuring people that all was well and God was with them. Jeremiah worked to get them to repent because he said God would punish them if they did not. We still know what Jeremiah said because he turned out to be right. The others turned out to be false so their prophecies have been forgotten.
Prophesies today do not have the strength of scripture. Some may be correct. Others, as someone mentioned last night may no mean what the original speaker thought they meant. Usually they will only partially be fulfilled in our time, like the prophets of the Old Testament. They had partially fulfillment at the time but many were also about the Christ to come, centuries later.
But we should listen to current prophets, those who say things we like and those that make us uncomfortable. It can help us to remain humble. We need to allow it to correct us. Of course the Holy Spirit has to confirm in our hearts what we hear or read. We need to be careful to not go with every wind of doctrine.
I probably need to read and listen to our modern prophets myself.
David Wilkerson died suddenly, tragically, well if you can call dying at age 79 tragic. But he did not die of old age diseases. He died in an auto accident. He was driving without his seat belt on. His wife was with him and had her seat belt on. She survived with few injuries. This has got to be hard on her, survivor's guilt. I guess this is his first wife, the one that survived advanced cancer more than once. Surely everyone thought he would survive her.
Prophets make people uncomfortable. I have talked to two church leaders who made faces when I mentioned how much I admired Wilkerson.
James Dobson, Jim Wallis, and Chuck Colson are three other major Christian leaders who have entered into the prophetic realm.
I wondered about the wisdom of Dobson getting into the arena because his ministry to families would be affected. I think it was affected but he obviously felt the risk was worth it.
Wallis always makes me uncomfortable. Yes i admit to avoiding him. I guess you could add Jesse Jackson into Christian leaders who work to be prophetic voice in the political arena.
All these people get criticized and ridiculed. If you feel called to be a prophet it comes with the territory. But we should avoid listening solely to the critics and see what they say and judge for ourselves. It makes us uncomfortable but it is the only way we really have the right to say anything.
Having said that this country needs honest God fearing, God obeying Christians to speak out prophetically about our nation, our culture, our political leadership, and so on. And we need to listen. I think church leaders feel uncomfortable because they also might be the object of prophetic statements. Just as Jesus spoke out against the hypocrisy of religious leaders so to our present leaders may deserve criticism.
Jeremiah too spoke with dangerous honesty. There were other prophets and clerics trying to shout him down, assuring people that all was well and God was with them. Jeremiah worked to get them to repent because he said God would punish them if they did not. We still know what Jeremiah said because he turned out to be right. The others turned out to be false so their prophecies have been forgotten.
Prophesies today do not have the strength of scripture. Some may be correct. Others, as someone mentioned last night may no mean what the original speaker thought they meant. Usually they will only partially be fulfilled in our time, like the prophets of the Old Testament. They had partially fulfillment at the time but many were also about the Christ to come, centuries later.
But we should listen to current prophets, those who say things we like and those that make us uncomfortable. It can help us to remain humble. We need to allow it to correct us. Of course the Holy Spirit has to confirm in our hearts what we hear or read. We need to be careful to not go with every wind of doctrine.
I probably need to read and listen to our modern prophets myself.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Identity in Christ
Identity of a Christian
Who we are and how we should live. Christians have little idea of who they are supposed to be.
We are called not to be self centered nor seek after honor.
Mat 18:1-5 About this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (2) Jesus called a child over and had the child stand near him. (3) Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. (4) But if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5) And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me.
Mat 20:20-28 Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, doing homage, and asking something of him. (21) And he said to her, What wilt thou? She says to him, Speak the word that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand and one on thy left in thy kingdom. (22) And Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which *I* am about to drink? They say to him, We are able. (23) And he says to them, Ye shall drink indeed my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on my left, is not mine to give, but to those for whom it is prepared of my Father. (24) And the ten, having heard of it , were indignant about the two brothers. (25) But Jesus having called them to him , said, Ye know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and the great exercise authority over them. (26) It shall not be thus amongst you, but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant; (27) and whosoever will be first among you, let him be your bondman; (28) as indeed the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Much of the focus on Jesus’ identity is explicit.
Mar 8:27-29 Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "What do people say about me?" (28) The disciples answered, "Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah. Others say you are one of the prophets." (29) Then Jesus asked them, "But who do you say I am?" "You are the Messiah!" Peter replied.
Mar 15:39 A Roman army officer was standing in front of Jesus. When the officer saw how Jesus died, he said, "This man really was the Son of God!"
The primary witness of Jesus identity is not that of humans but of the Father.
Joh 5:30-40 I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my will, but the will of him that has sent me.
(31) If I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is not true. (32) It is another who bears witness concerning me, and I know that the witness which he bears concerning me is true. (33) Ye have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth. (34) But I do not receive witness from man, but I say this that *ye* might be saved. (35) *He* was the burning and shining lamp, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. (36) But I have the witness that is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given me that I should complete them, the works themselves which I do, bear witness concerning me that the Father has sent me. (37) And the Father who has sent me himself has borne witness concerning me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor have seen his shape, (38) and ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom *he* hath sent, him ye do not believe. (39) Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me; (40) and ye will not come to me that ye might have life.
Joh 7:28-29 As Jesus was teaching in the temple, he shouted, "Do you really think you know me and where I came from? I didn't come on my own! The one who sent me is truthful, and you don't know him. (29) But I know the one who sent me, because I came from him."
Identity is a major theme throughout the sermon on the mount.
Blessed are the poor and blessed are the meek both have to do with the rejection of arrogance and the understanding of our need for God. The first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit is an allusion to Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
The third speaks of the meek. And seems to allude to Psalm 37:11
Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Two different Greek words are used here but in the original Hebrew these are the same word. This word is often used as a title for God’s people. We are those who need God’s intervention and we know it. Our identity in Christ means that when things are not perfect the first thing we do is come to God in prayer. “Help!” is a very good prayer. When things are good the first thing we do is give thanks to God for the good times.
The other beatitudes deal with our attitude and behavior. “Hungering and thirsting for righteousness” “merciful” “pure in our hearts” “peacemaker”. In the deepest part of our heart their must be honesty, good will and desire for good relations both with God and with people. We are not to be deceiving, malicious, and violating boundaries.
These are lofty goals. We are to desire to achieve them. Can we achieve them? I think Jesus expected us to try. But he did not expect us to do it alone.
How do we make these changes in ourselves? We are going to deceive ourselves into thinking we are doing better than we really are. We can rationalize self aggrandizement. We are the ones in control on the change. So we deceive ourselves. We mean well but we let ourselves off the hook when doing these things seems to hard. Blaise Pascal put it, “Our own interest is again a marvelous instrument for nicely putting out our eyes.”
The Sermon on the Mount is not legalism. The sermon tells people who they are and what they are to do.
Later in the sermon he called them salt of the earth and a light to the world. This is our identity fellow saints as we follow Jesus’ challenge.
Let us seek to understand it and live it.
I’m not sure what to think of this but some philosophers said it was easier to live a virtuous life than to live a vice filled life. Seneca, a Roman philosopher who lived at the time of Christ said, “The road to the happy life is an easy one, The maintenance of all virtues is easy, but it is costly to cultivate the vices.” Was he right?
We are to take on the character of God. He loved his enemies. Are we to do less? We take our identity from God. After all we were made in his image.
The sermon on the mount tells people who they are and what they are to do. Identifying ourselves as Christians is more than believing the right things.
The call to discipleship is clearly a call to a new identity.
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.
The gospel of John focuses on identity perhaps even more than the other three. John uses the word “remain” throughout and it has multiple meanings. John saw the Spirit of God descending and remaining on Jesus. When the to disciples of John asked Jesus where he was staying, what they said literally means, “Where are you remaining?” He remained and they remained with him. Jesus remained in the Samaritan village for two extra days. Jesus remained with his Father and we his disciples are to remain with him too.
Joh 6:27 Don't work for food that spoils. Work for food that gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because God the Father has given him the right to do so."
This is the food that remains.
Joh 8:31-32 Jesus therefore said to the Jews who believed him, If ye abide in my word, ye are truly my disciples; (32) and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
By remaining they find freedom. Jesus’ word remains in them they become disciples, know the truth, and the truth sets them free.
Who we are and how we should live. Christians have little idea of who they are supposed to be.
We are called not to be self centered nor seek after honor.
Mat 18:1-5 About this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (2) Jesus called a child over and had the child stand near him. (3) Then he said: I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. (4) But if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (5) And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me.
Mat 20:20-28 Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, doing homage, and asking something of him. (21) And he said to her, What wilt thou? She says to him, Speak the word that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand and one on thy left in thy kingdom. (22) And Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which *I* am about to drink? They say to him, We are able. (23) And he says to them, Ye shall drink indeed my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on my left, is not mine to give, but to those for whom it is prepared of my Father. (24) And the ten, having heard of it , were indignant about the two brothers. (25) But Jesus having called them to him , said, Ye know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and the great exercise authority over them. (26) It shall not be thus amongst you, but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant; (27) and whosoever will be first among you, let him be your bondman; (28) as indeed the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Much of the focus on Jesus’ identity is explicit.
Mar 8:27-29 Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "What do people say about me?" (28) The disciples answered, "Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah. Others say you are one of the prophets." (29) Then Jesus asked them, "But who do you say I am?" "You are the Messiah!" Peter replied.
Mar 15:39 A Roman army officer was standing in front of Jesus. When the officer saw how Jesus died, he said, "This man really was the Son of God!"
The primary witness of Jesus identity is not that of humans but of the Father.
Joh 5:30-40 I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my will, but the will of him that has sent me.
(31) If I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is not true. (32) It is another who bears witness concerning me, and I know that the witness which he bears concerning me is true. (33) Ye have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth. (34) But I do not receive witness from man, but I say this that *ye* might be saved. (35) *He* was the burning and shining lamp, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. (36) But I have the witness that is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given me that I should complete them, the works themselves which I do, bear witness concerning me that the Father has sent me. (37) And the Father who has sent me himself has borne witness concerning me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor have seen his shape, (38) and ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom *he* hath sent, him ye do not believe. (39) Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me; (40) and ye will not come to me that ye might have life.
Joh 7:28-29 As Jesus was teaching in the temple, he shouted, "Do you really think you know me and where I came from? I didn't come on my own! The one who sent me is truthful, and you don't know him. (29) But I know the one who sent me, because I came from him."
Identity is a major theme throughout the sermon on the mount.
Blessed are the poor and blessed are the meek both have to do with the rejection of arrogance and the understanding of our need for God. The first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit is an allusion to Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
The third speaks of the meek. And seems to allude to Psalm 37:11
Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Two different Greek words are used here but in the original Hebrew these are the same word. This word is often used as a title for God’s people. We are those who need God’s intervention and we know it. Our identity in Christ means that when things are not perfect the first thing we do is come to God in prayer. “Help!” is a very good prayer. When things are good the first thing we do is give thanks to God for the good times.
The other beatitudes deal with our attitude and behavior. “Hungering and thirsting for righteousness” “merciful” “pure in our hearts” “peacemaker”. In the deepest part of our heart their must be honesty, good will and desire for good relations both with God and with people. We are not to be deceiving, malicious, and violating boundaries.
These are lofty goals. We are to desire to achieve them. Can we achieve them? I think Jesus expected us to try. But he did not expect us to do it alone.
How do we make these changes in ourselves? We are going to deceive ourselves into thinking we are doing better than we really are. We can rationalize self aggrandizement. We are the ones in control on the change. So we deceive ourselves. We mean well but we let ourselves off the hook when doing these things seems to hard. Blaise Pascal put it, “Our own interest is again a marvelous instrument for nicely putting out our eyes.”
The Sermon on the Mount is not legalism. The sermon tells people who they are and what they are to do.
Later in the sermon he called them salt of the earth and a light to the world. This is our identity fellow saints as we follow Jesus’ challenge.
Let us seek to understand it and live it.
I’m not sure what to think of this but some philosophers said it was easier to live a virtuous life than to live a vice filled life. Seneca, a Roman philosopher who lived at the time of Christ said, “The road to the happy life is an easy one, The maintenance of all virtues is easy, but it is costly to cultivate the vices.” Was he right?
We are to take on the character of God. He loved his enemies. Are we to do less? We take our identity from God. After all we were made in his image.
The sermon on the mount tells people who they are and what they are to do. Identifying ourselves as Christians is more than believing the right things.
The call to discipleship is clearly a call to a new identity.
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.
The gospel of John focuses on identity perhaps even more than the other three. John uses the word “remain” throughout and it has multiple meanings. John saw the Spirit of God descending and remaining on Jesus. When the to disciples of John asked Jesus where he was staying, what they said literally means, “Where are you remaining?” He remained and they remained with him. Jesus remained in the Samaritan village for two extra days. Jesus remained with his Father and we his disciples are to remain with him too.
Joh 6:27 Don't work for food that spoils. Work for food that gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because God the Father has given him the right to do so."
This is the food that remains.
Joh 8:31-32 Jesus therefore said to the Jews who believed him, If ye abide in my word, ye are truly my disciples; (32) and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
By remaining they find freedom. Jesus’ word remains in them they become disciples, know the truth, and the truth sets them free.
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