Philippians 4:2-9
Romans 15:1-13
Has someone in authority ever called you on the carpet in public? Was it someone you really respected? Did you deserve it? How did you handle it internally? Was Christ your righteousness, or were you defensive and needed to have yourself a pity party for a little while?
I’ve been imagining a little what it must have been like when Epaphroditus brought back Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. He’s calling out Euodia and Syntyche before the whole church because somebody let Paul know that they were not in sync. In his gentle way he is still admonishing them, and urging them to seek agreement in Jesus. We don’t really know how the story ends, but I can guess. I’m going to guess that this disagreement between the two of them starts to look small when they compare it to standing with Paul in times of persecution (Acts 6&7) and in struggling against opponents (1:27). It is obvious that Paul esteems these women, and has no doubt about their belief, their faith and growth, and their labor for the advancement of the gospel.
It could be that the next couple of verses are applicable to the same situation. Let’s reverse some order just for fun, and put verse 4 at the end of 5-7, like this:
“Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Paul could have added whatever is “gracious” to his list of virtues in this letter. It is certainly a trait we need in our dealings with each other.
I absolutely cannot close out this week’s lesson without stressing “but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” [v.6] Without Him, without His Spirit, there can be no reconciliation, no virtue, and no true gratitude. We are constantly told in His Word that we don’t have because we don’t ask. May we be constant seekers of peace, and the virtues Paul reminds us to practice.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Week 6 and a half...
This weekend I attended the Living Proof Live Conference in Richmond where Beth Moore gave her usual uplifting message and the worship was 9,300 strong! I wanted to share something that I gleaned from her teaching which coincided with our study in Philippians that I’ve been mulling over in my heart.
The Scripture Beth taught from this weekend was John 1. In our Philippians study for Chapter 3 we learned that Paul said forget our past accomplishments and run the race set before us—don’t look behind.
Wouldn’t you know it—Beth’s whole teaching was on eight things we need to go back to—Number 1 being Back to the Word. Then she compared John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1, reminding us that Christ was before the beginning (Number 2, Back to the genesis). If we ever looked back in the race, we would see Christ cheering us on at the starting line as He will be leading us on to the finish line! We don’t need to look back! We can confidently forget our sin and earthly entanglements we have been forgiven of (Number 3, Back to the exodus—even our own exodus!), and run the race set before us!
I am more excited about studying God’s Word than ever (and I was pretty excited before)! Our Father wants us to know Him, and to know Him, He sent His Son. We study Jesus, and we will know the Father. Number 4, Back to the ultimate exegesis, Christ, will be the path to relationship with our Father and with each other. Getting Back to grace and truth, and getting Back to the Gospel (Numbers 5 and 6) will set us free, because the Truth dispels darkness. Then we can believe that we can receive one blessing after another (Number 7, Back to one blessing after another) because our Father does not give His children stones—He gives them the Bread of Life.
Then we need to go Back to the future (Number 8). We need to win that race, go for that prize! Christ is coming again in all the fullness of His glory, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord! Hallelujah! And He will say, “Well done! You kept your eyes on Me, My good and faithful servant!”
The Scripture Beth taught from this weekend was John 1. In our Philippians study for Chapter 3 we learned that Paul said forget our past accomplishments and run the race set before us—don’t look behind.
Wouldn’t you know it—Beth’s whole teaching was on eight things we need to go back to—Number 1 being Back to the Word. Then she compared John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1, reminding us that Christ was before the beginning (Number 2, Back to the genesis). If we ever looked back in the race, we would see Christ cheering us on at the starting line as He will be leading us on to the finish line! We don’t need to look back! We can confidently forget our sin and earthly entanglements we have been forgiven of (Number 3, Back to the exodus—even our own exodus!), and run the race set before us!
I am more excited about studying God’s Word than ever (and I was pretty excited before)! Our Father wants us to know Him, and to know Him, He sent His Son. We study Jesus, and we will know the Father. Number 4, Back to the ultimate exegesis, Christ, will be the path to relationship with our Father and with each other. Getting Back to grace and truth, and getting Back to the Gospel (Numbers 5 and 6) will set us free, because the Truth dispels darkness. Then we can believe that we can receive one blessing after another (Number 7, Back to one blessing after another) because our Father does not give His children stones—He gives them the Bread of Life.
Then we need to go Back to the future (Number 8). We need to win that race, go for that prize! Christ is coming again in all the fullness of His glory, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord! Hallelujah! And He will say, “Well done! You kept your eyes on Me, My good and faithful servant!”
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Week 6 - Partners in Pressing On
Week 6 – Partners in Pressing On
Philippians 3:12-21
Hebrews 12:1-17
I just love the partnership language that Paul uses in Philippians, as does the author of Hebrews, with regards to “pressing on.” “Let us run,” “join me, brothers,” we eagerly await,” “our citizenship,” “we may share,” all indicate that they are fully engaged in the blessed process of striving for the prize at the end of the race—the glory of the resurrected Christ at the last day. As in any race, we must not be distracted by either the comforts that would keep us from the hardships of the race or the discomforts that would keep us from persevering. Our eyes must be focused on the end, the prize, and the reason we are even in the race at all.
The one thing I love about the races described is that they are not competitive races. I haven’t heard of too many races in which the runner goes it alone. When I worked at the local high school the track team had practices in which the team members had individual practice runs. They were probably trying to beat their own best times. In the end though, they would vie in a group against team members from other schools for the ultimate title.
Let’s envision what a non-competitive, partnering race would look like:
This past week there was a sad occurrence in the family of one of my friends and coworkers. She lost her two-week-old niece, a result of a premature birth because of complications in the pregnancy. Because of social networking (Facebook) many people around the country were able to pray for her brother’s family during their tragedy. While the last weeks of pregnancy and the birth and illness were very stressful, the experience has brought the parents closer to their Father, a miracle only He can perform. Please take time to read the father’s thoughts after Baby Carolina’s death this week. I’m sure you will be touched, as I was, to think of how the body of Christ can minister to this hurting family from so far away. Please pray for His provision for them.
Baby Carolina Rae's Blog
Philippians 3:12-21
Hebrews 12:1-17
I just love the partnership language that Paul uses in Philippians, as does the author of Hebrews, with regards to “pressing on.” “Let us run,” “join me, brothers,” we eagerly await,” “our citizenship,” “we may share,” all indicate that they are fully engaged in the blessed process of striving for the prize at the end of the race—the glory of the resurrected Christ at the last day. As in any race, we must not be distracted by either the comforts that would keep us from the hardships of the race or the discomforts that would keep us from persevering. Our eyes must be focused on the end, the prize, and the reason we are even in the race at all.
The one thing I love about the races described is that they are not competitive races. I haven’t heard of too many races in which the runner goes it alone. When I worked at the local high school the track team had practices in which the team members had individual practice runs. They were probably trying to beat their own best times. In the end though, they would vie in a group against team members from other schools for the ultimate title.
Let’s envision what a non-competitive, partnering race would look like:
- Learning that self-discipline and self-control do not mean self-dependence! Jesus is the Captain, he steers the course, makes the path straight and gives us energy to go on. (v. 21, kata thn energeian, “by the power,” or “according to the energy)…
- Not looking behind at past accomplishments, spiritual growth spurts, or obedience to the law—it just slows us down…
- Runners lean forward, stretch out as they run toward the mark, and encourage others to follow their example by word and deed…
- As they run, they keep their eyes on the mark, the Captain, who is constantly moving toward His goal of final glory, ruling over all the earth, bringing all into final ultimate citizenship and bestowing bodies that will no longer tire from running the race.
This past week there was a sad occurrence in the family of one of my friends and coworkers. She lost her two-week-old niece, a result of a premature birth because of complications in the pregnancy. Because of social networking (Facebook) many people around the country were able to pray for her brother’s family during their tragedy. While the last weeks of pregnancy and the birth and illness were very stressful, the experience has brought the parents closer to their Father, a miracle only He can perform. Please take time to read the father’s thoughts after Baby Carolina’s death this week. I’m sure you will be touched, as I was, to think of how the body of Christ can minister to this hurting family from so far away. Please pray for His provision for them.
Baby Carolina Rae's Blog
Friday, August 20, 2010
Week 5 - Partners in Glorifying Christ
Philippians 3:1-11
Acts 6:8-7:60
Do you have any strange habits that you fall into when you are around your family? I now live back on the farm where I grew up, about two-tenths of a mile from my mother. My husband and children tell me that whenever I walk into her house my dialect changes. I’ve wondered why that happens. Is it because I think she will understand me better? It shouldn’t be that—my mother is well read and quite intelligent. Is it because I feel like a child? I don’t think so—I’m over fifty now and pretty secure in my role as daughter, wife, and mother myself. Maybe it’s that I want to fit in, conform, avoid ridicule and be accused of becoming uppity, or citified in my speech—too good for the farm. Ahh, maybe I’m getting a little closer to the truth.
Since I was on vacation last week, I struggled a bit with the lesson. It was difficult to concentrate for long periods of time, or to hog the computer, or to get up super early the way I do at home. I also struggled because when Paul used the word “dogs” to describe a group of people, all of my commentaries point to the Judaizers as the culprits. That may be so. As I continued to study, I saw all of us in that category. I see all of us in danger of adding things to the gospel to help guarantee our salvation, and refusing to examine the motives or the attachment to the advancement of the gospel in those actions. Let me explain.
I’m sure that in Paul’s day the Jewish Christians could have felt that they had one up on the Gentile Christians. They were children of the promise! They could trace their ancestry all the way back to Jacob! They were the chosen people of God. They had the Law, the Scriptures, and the Prophets. They had been through the years of the great Kings and they had been through the years of exile and famine. I am sure to own all of that and Christ, too, would be an amazing amount of spiritual wealth. Paul put into perspective, though, when he called it crap. That is pretty much what he did. Even today when I meet a Jewish Christian I think how neat it must be to have all that heritage and Christ, too. But Christ is all that matters.
We need to be very careful about our earthly identifications. We all have them. I knew a friend once who told me she was a Democrat and a Methodist and she could never change—as long as her parents were alive she was going to follow the family pattern and not make waves. Some of us are proud to be Baptists, Presbyterians, Joneses, or Rosencrantzes, but it doesn’t bring us one step closer to eternity. Who do we want to be found partnering with upon Christ’s return? The Spirit of the living God, or the Methodists, Baptists, or Rosencrantzes?
It seems that every generation has its “dogs.” We all succumb to the fleshly need to belong to some kind of group, to identify ourselves with people who are like us. There are major problems with this. Do you realize that the protestant church today remains divided by race, socioeconomic class and age more than any other religion? What is wrong with this picture? Do we constantly feed this monster by dividing ourselves up into programs and groups in our churches that cause age separation? Do we provide opportunities for men and women to be separate? Adults and children? Young people and older people? Do we provide activities that only the wealthier can afford to participate in? Do we invite our neighbors to church in spite of their color, distance from church, programs we lack that we think they need?
Oh how we need to go back to our need for Christ and Him alone. Examining our motivations and our need for His all-consuming grace. We need to remember that Paul was Saul the day that Stephen shared the whole gospel before him and was stoned to death, but that was not the day Christ chose to reveal Himself to Saul. If we are obedient to do what we are asked to do for Christ, He will be faithful to do what He has promised—to draw people unto Himself. It is not up to us to ask anyone to conform to a specific church or standard, but to look to the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He will provide the answers they need to follow Him, without jumping through external hoops that mean nothing.
But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Acts 6:8-7:60
Do you have any strange habits that you fall into when you are around your family? I now live back on the farm where I grew up, about two-tenths of a mile from my mother. My husband and children tell me that whenever I walk into her house my dialect changes. I’ve wondered why that happens. Is it because I think she will understand me better? It shouldn’t be that—my mother is well read and quite intelligent. Is it because I feel like a child? I don’t think so—I’m over fifty now and pretty secure in my role as daughter, wife, and mother myself. Maybe it’s that I want to fit in, conform, avoid ridicule and be accused of becoming uppity, or citified in my speech—too good for the farm. Ahh, maybe I’m getting a little closer to the truth.
Since I was on vacation last week, I struggled a bit with the lesson. It was difficult to concentrate for long periods of time, or to hog the computer, or to get up super early the way I do at home. I also struggled because when Paul used the word “dogs” to describe a group of people, all of my commentaries point to the Judaizers as the culprits. That may be so. As I continued to study, I saw all of us in that category. I see all of us in danger of adding things to the gospel to help guarantee our salvation, and refusing to examine the motives or the attachment to the advancement of the gospel in those actions. Let me explain.
I’m sure that in Paul’s day the Jewish Christians could have felt that they had one up on the Gentile Christians. They were children of the promise! They could trace their ancestry all the way back to Jacob! They were the chosen people of God. They had the Law, the Scriptures, and the Prophets. They had been through the years of the great Kings and they had been through the years of exile and famine. I am sure to own all of that and Christ, too, would be an amazing amount of spiritual wealth. Paul put into perspective, though, when he called it crap. That is pretty much what he did. Even today when I meet a Jewish Christian I think how neat it must be to have all that heritage and Christ, too. But Christ is all that matters.
We need to be very careful about our earthly identifications. We all have them. I knew a friend once who told me she was a Democrat and a Methodist and she could never change—as long as her parents were alive she was going to follow the family pattern and not make waves. Some of us are proud to be Baptists, Presbyterians, Joneses, or Rosencrantzes, but it doesn’t bring us one step closer to eternity. Who do we want to be found partnering with upon Christ’s return? The Spirit of the living God, or the Methodists, Baptists, or Rosencrantzes?
It seems that every generation has its “dogs.” We all succumb to the fleshly need to belong to some kind of group, to identify ourselves with people who are like us. There are major problems with this. Do you realize that the protestant church today remains divided by race, socioeconomic class and age more than any other religion? What is wrong with this picture? Do we constantly feed this monster by dividing ourselves up into programs and groups in our churches that cause age separation? Do we provide opportunities for men and women to be separate? Adults and children? Young people and older people? Do we provide activities that only the wealthier can afford to participate in? Do we invite our neighbors to church in spite of their color, distance from church, programs we lack that we think they need?
Oh how we need to go back to our need for Christ and Him alone. Examining our motivations and our need for His all-consuming grace. We need to remember that Paul was Saul the day that Stephen shared the whole gospel before him and was stoned to death, but that was not the day Christ chose to reveal Himself to Saul. If we are obedient to do what we are asked to do for Christ, He will be faithful to do what He has promised—to draw people unto Himself. It is not up to us to ask anyone to conform to a specific church or standard, but to look to the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He will provide the answers they need to follow Him, without jumping through external hoops that mean nothing.
But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Week 4 – Partners in Service
Philippians 2:12-29
1 Kings 19
Just out of curiosity, I looked up the definition of the word “partner.” I found a couple of things that were interesting in the English dictionary without even having to do a word study. These are the ones I liked the best:
How can we be illuminators for Christ, shining for him in a crooked and perverted generation? Life hasn’t changed much since Paul’s time, has it? Our generation is still crooked and perverse. Evil still abounds. Yet Christ’s redemptive work is still being done through us, through His church, each and every day. Sometimes the task seems overwhelming. We must remind ourselves that advancing the gospel is hard work. Neither God nor Christ represents any kind of laziness. The Father and Spirit are always at work; He never sleeps. It was rarely reported that Jesus slept.
One theme I find dominating Paul’s letter to the Philippians is that furthering the gospel of Christ is hard work, and it takes a team—a unified team. Hard work was considered normal for Paul. In addition to traveling, preaching, teaching and writing letters of encouragement and instruction, he could fall back on making tents in order to meet his needs. The man was hardly idle. He also worked hard at mentoring and building relationships he could depend on to carry on his work in his absence. This is an extremely important detail—that as much as Paul loved the churches he was planting—it did not have to be him that kept them alive. It was the Spirit of the living God, and he was always pointing the converts to Christ, Him crucified, and the Spirit who dwelled in them richly to carry them through to the day of Christ.
In studying for this week’s lesson, I got sidetracked writing for my other blog, lamenting the darkness of the world and the lack of hard work for Christ. Sometimes I tend to concentrate only on the encroaching darkness rather on the light we shine. Then I remember places like Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Kenyan slum, and I recall the advancement of the gospel there. I remember how in the midst of the poverty over two hundred children are being educated and fed, and the number of converts is growing. I remember how AIDS education is helping the community and the weekly support group is meeting their spiritual needs. I know in my heart that there are places all around me and all over the world where Christ is bringing redemption until His return, and we need to partner with Him to continue the work he began until He comes in glory.
If we are not working hard to advance the gospel, if we are coasting on the grace He has so wonderfully poured out upon us on the cross, what exactly are we saying to our wise and generous Father who has bestowed the most wondrous gift imaginable upon us—an inheritance of such magnitude that we cannot possibly imagine, but can only see through a glass darkly?
If our hearts are not burdened by our sin of putting idols of this age before our Heavenly Father, if we cannot love our brothers and sisters, or our neighbors, and live in unity, if we do not care for the plight of the poor or hungry, if we do not shun evil and love good, we will be in serious trouble on that last day of Christ that Paul talks about.
Last week we read Isaiah and Paul together. Read Moses and Paul together:
His people have acted corruptly toward Him; this is their defect —they are not His children but a devious and crooked generation. [Deut 32:5]
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. [Phil 2:14-15]
The Rock—His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true. [Deut 32:5]
Hold firmly the message of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn't run in vain or labor for nothing. [Phil 2:16]
So we do need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We need to pray for God to work His will and His way in us right up to that last day, to keep us faithful to Him. We are to be diligent to work together as partners with Him, and with each other, and with our leaders who are in authority over us. Then we can be like Timothy and Epaphroditus who Paul praised to the Philippians, and set them up as examples worthy of emulating. Paul is in essence telling the Philippians, “these are my good and faithful brothers and soldiers in Christ who have suffered for the gospel with me.” He is giving testimony to the Philippians about their service so that their confidence in them will be as high as he can offer it.
Praise be to God for those who have gone before us as examples of faith in Him.
1 Kings 19
Just out of curiosity, I looked up the definition of the word “partner.” I found a couple of things that were interesting in the English dictionary without even having to do a word study. These are the ones I liked the best:
- a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate.
- a player on the same side or team as another
- to serve as the partner of
- silent partner
- a person associated with another or others as a principal or a contributor of capital in a business or a joint venture
How can we be illuminators for Christ, shining for him in a crooked and perverted generation? Life hasn’t changed much since Paul’s time, has it? Our generation is still crooked and perverse. Evil still abounds. Yet Christ’s redemptive work is still being done through us, through His church, each and every day. Sometimes the task seems overwhelming. We must remind ourselves that advancing the gospel is hard work. Neither God nor Christ represents any kind of laziness. The Father and Spirit are always at work; He never sleeps. It was rarely reported that Jesus slept.
One theme I find dominating Paul’s letter to the Philippians is that furthering the gospel of Christ is hard work, and it takes a team—a unified team. Hard work was considered normal for Paul. In addition to traveling, preaching, teaching and writing letters of encouragement and instruction, he could fall back on making tents in order to meet his needs. The man was hardly idle. He also worked hard at mentoring and building relationships he could depend on to carry on his work in his absence. This is an extremely important detail—that as much as Paul loved the churches he was planting—it did not have to be him that kept them alive. It was the Spirit of the living God, and he was always pointing the converts to Christ, Him crucified, and the Spirit who dwelled in them richly to carry them through to the day of Christ.
In studying for this week’s lesson, I got sidetracked writing for my other blog, lamenting the darkness of the world and the lack of hard work for Christ. Sometimes I tend to concentrate only on the encroaching darkness rather on the light we shine. Then I remember places like Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Kenyan slum, and I recall the advancement of the gospel there. I remember how in the midst of the poverty over two hundred children are being educated and fed, and the number of converts is growing. I remember how AIDS education is helping the community and the weekly support group is meeting their spiritual needs. I know in my heart that there are places all around me and all over the world where Christ is bringing redemption until His return, and we need to partner with Him to continue the work he began until He comes in glory.
If we are not working hard to advance the gospel, if we are coasting on the grace He has so wonderfully poured out upon us on the cross, what exactly are we saying to our wise and generous Father who has bestowed the most wondrous gift imaginable upon us—an inheritance of such magnitude that we cannot possibly imagine, but can only see through a glass darkly?
If our hearts are not burdened by our sin of putting idols of this age before our Heavenly Father, if we cannot love our brothers and sisters, or our neighbors, and live in unity, if we do not care for the plight of the poor or hungry, if we do not shun evil and love good, we will be in serious trouble on that last day of Christ that Paul talks about.
Last week we read Isaiah and Paul together. Read Moses and Paul together:
His people have acted corruptly toward Him; this is their defect —they are not His children but a devious and crooked generation. [Deut 32:5]
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. [Phil 2:14-15]
The Rock—His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true. [Deut 32:5]
Hold firmly the message of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn't run in vain or labor for nothing. [Phil 2:16]
So we do need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We need to pray for God to work His will and His way in us right up to that last day, to keep us faithful to Him. We are to be diligent to work together as partners with Him, and with each other, and with our leaders who are in authority over us. Then we can be like Timothy and Epaphroditus who Paul praised to the Philippians, and set them up as examples worthy of emulating. Paul is in essence telling the Philippians, “these are my good and faithful brothers and soldiers in Christ who have suffered for the gospel with me.” He is giving testimony to the Philippians about their service so that their confidence in them will be as high as he can offer it.
Praise be to God for those who have gone before us as examples of faith in Him.
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