Month: August 2012

Posted on

Year in the Bible, Quarter 2, Week 8

It seems like so long ago we read about people like Noah and were reading some of the gospels of the New Testament. But then I look at a calendar. It hasn’t been all that long–only a matter of months. We began Year in the Bible back in March, and late March at that. It’s exciting to look back and think about all we’ve been able to read and all that we’ve learned from God through the scripture.

We’ve done so much and we’re not even halfway!

As I write that sentence, I realize some may interpret it negatively, as some sort of depressing statement of fact. We’re only halfway? We still have to so far to go? Sure, you could read it like that. But I read it in light of that first paragraph. I feel like I’ve learned so much and the experience has been great and if God can do so much with just these last several months, what will he do with the whole year?

So I say again, with excitement, we’re not even halfway!

For this week though we’re more than halfway through both 2 Samuel and Romans. It’s a lighter week as we finish off with a shorter section from the Old and we keep our pace with Romans. We’ve had sermons the last few weeks going along with readings from Romans and I hope that has helped those who have had the chance to be there in worship.

Enjoy this last week of familiar readings since next week we shift gears and begin into the Minor Prophets and go from a couple months of reading Paul to to reading the letters of Peter.

One more note, as I mentioned last week the focus passage for week 8 covers readings from week 7. Sorry for my confusing actions. I just wanted to reiterate that point so you don’t pull it up and think you’re going crazy. It’s me.

Posted on

Making progress through Samuel and Romans

So we’ve finished the first half of 2 Samuel and it has read much like a soap opera. We have David’s contested rise to power, political maneuvers, adultery, murder, and high risk confrontations. And that’s just the first half. Hope you enjoy the second.

Prophet Nathan rebukes David for adultery with Bathsheba, Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld

I wanted to talk more about Nathan’s rebuke of David this past week, but I made a bit of a mistake. In writing a focus passage for next week, I misread the chapter breakdowns and focused in on chapter 12, which actually falls during this week. So week 8 of Year in the Bible will have a focus passage from week 7. My apologies. At least it will be easy to make sure you’ve read that part.

As I had mentioned yesterday, I’d love to hear any feedback about what we’ve been reading. Romans is a long letter that we’ll be finishing next week, but 1 & 2 Samuel taken together is another long block of that goes together. Given that we’ve spent so much time in them, I’d love to hear what is standing out most to you. Each week’s focus passage begins by asking what stands out to you. So I’m asking that in regards to four weeks. What has jumped out from Paul’s letter? What are you learning from 1 & 2 Samuel and seeing David become king? Whether you want to send me a reference to a verse, a few sentences, or a long essay as an answer, I’m open to it all.

I hope as you read you are taking something away from it.

Posted on

Difficult Times in Romans

This week’s reading for Year in the Bible goes through four chapters of Romans, which cover some difficult territory. We read passages about God’s absolute sovereignty and his election, and Paul struggles with the fate of his own people, Israel. In reading other materials this week I came across a discussion on these texts.

Over at the site Near Emmaus the author, Brian LePort, cites the book The Story of Romans: A Narrative Defense of God’s Righteousness in referring to two essential arguments from Romans. One is that it is the same God of the Old Testament, the God of Israel, that is now calling Gentiles to himself. Secondly, this does not mean God has been unfaithful to Israel.

This is certainly in the mind of Paul. If God is not faithful to Israel, how can we then trust that he’ll remain faithful to us? With this concern he writes defending God’s ways and I think you can see the way he aches for fellow Jews who do not confess Jesus Christ.

How have you dealt with these difficult passages of Romans? What has stood out to you? What have been your reactions in regards to Israel? When you come across hard passages, how do you proceed?

I’d love to hear your thoughts–comments, questions, anything.

Posted on

Undignified Worship

In chapter six of 2 Samuel David celebrates “with all his might” as he dances before God. There is plenty to say about this passage, such as the energy we should devote to the worship of God or the importance of spouses to share certain commitments and priorities, which is not the case in David’s wife, who criticizes her husband for such an act.

But instead of that, I’ll take it mainly as an excuse to post another video from David Crowder – Undignified. It’s taken from 2 Samuel 6:22. David’s wife, Michal, communicates her displeasure that her husband is dancing around in his underwear looking foolish. Michal actually despises David in her heart for doing so. In response David doesn’t apologize for such an action instead says that he “will become even more undignified than this” (2 Sam 6:22a NIV).

We don’t worship God because it looks good. David finds joy in God and cannot rejoice reservedly. He has to worship with all his might as he dances before God. If that means he finds himself contemptible, so be it. He’ll become even more undignified if that’s what it takes to worship God.

Posted on

Why am I even reading the Bible?

Losing steam in your time in God’s word as the summer is wearing on? Losing sight of why we are even doing it? Here’s a good video with D.A. Carson to remind us of the importance of reading the Bible, and even goes into a bit of why we should not. Enjoy.

Posted on

Walking along “Romans Road”

Making our way through Romans reminds me of something I learned as a kid that is called “Romans Road.” It is meant to be an evangelistic tool that uses several verses taken from throughout Romans to tell the story of what God has done for us. It goes something like this (you’ll find some versions that vary a bit):

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

The wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23a

But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23b

God demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

We see our fallen condition, sin, and its consequence, death. And there is nothing we can do about it. But Christ takes that consequence on himself, dying for us, and gives to us his righteousness and eternal life. All we must do is place our trust in him. In Christ we are no longer guilty, for there is no condemnation in him.

It summarizes nicely a lot of what Paul writes, but it is good to remember that this is just a selection of the book, and if it said it all, Paul probably wouldn’t have gone on to write the entire letter. But it tries to lay out our sinfulness and hopeless condition apart from the saving work of God. In the end, Jesus is the only hope for this world.

We should not forget that emphasis–for the world. Jesus’ death is not only something for me personally, but it is a cosmic event that changed all of creation. His death and resurrection change everything, and as Paul writes in his opening, Jesus is now declared to be Son of God and is the judge over all the earth. In his humility and sacrifice he has been glorified and given the name that is above all names. The world is truly a different place because of the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I hope this helps you better understand some of what Paul is writing to the church in Rome. These are also some great passages to commit to memory, if you’re in the market for some new memory verses.

Posted on

Being defined by more than our performance, reflections on the Olympics

Like so many, I have found myself watching the Olympics as we all do when it rolls around every four years. It is an odd thing how many sports that hold absolutely no interest for me during the intervening years can captivate me for the span of a few weeks. Will I continue to follow water polo, volleyball, or track and field? No. But have I been watching it? Yes.

As exciting as it is to watch, I can’t help but think that the athletes must be under tremendous pressure and could be so easily tempted to see their value and worth as directly correlated to their medal haul. They train for years for one event that can be over in just a matter of seconds. That sounds like an awful moment. If I stick this landing, I am good. If I can be the fastest, I’ll be remembered and will make someone proud. But what if I fail?

Maroney’s landing, taken from USA Today.

Just seconds determines the way you are seen. Fractions of a second dictate whether your years of dedication and sacrifice are worth it. Do we remember fourth place finishers (or even silver medalists)? Are teams that bow out in early rounds of tournaments received back home the same way as if they had lifted the nation with victory? Is US Gymnast, McKayla Maroney, who was seen as a lock for gold on the vault, but who fell in her landing dropping her to silver, going to be able to shake the disappointment? These are mere moments that are allowed to define entire lifetimes.

In an article on USA Today on women in the olympics an IOC member made this statement, “If you’re successful, they don’t care about your gender, they care about whether you won gold, silver or bronze for your country. No one is talking negatively about gender here, they are talking about success.” In a statement about the progress of women she reveals what still is a difficult truth. What matters is success.

Paul in Romans pushes against this notion. It is not our success that matters. We can’t let our works define us. If we are going to allow one event to determine our worth, if we want one moment to define us, let it be the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us. We can’t live under the burden of performance and demands of perfection, like those of the law. On the cross Christ put to death those demands. So now in Christ we can benefit from his perfection. If one moment should define us, let it be the cross.

Posted on

Story So Far Q2 Week 6, Lessons from 1 Samuel

Saul Attacking David, Guercino, 1646

We’ve made our way through all of 1 Samuel and there are clear lessons learned about authority. It begins with Israel not content to have God as their king and preferring to be like everyone else. They want an authority over them they can see and so they plead to have their own human king. Samuel tries to dissuade them, but even as God allows for it, the situation in choosing Saul makes it clear that this is from God. Even in having another authority, the king, we are to understand where the true authority lies. This king Saul makes the greatest errors when he doesn’t accept this truth. He thinks since he is king, he can takeover for God and for God’s servant Samuel. When he acts as though he is in charge, Saul makes great mistakes and loses God’s blessing.

David is then anointed to be the next king. His job is to do the opposite of Saul: to seek the Lord in all things and lead Israel as one whose authority is found in God. He is not one, as we’ll see in 2 Samuel, who does this perfectly. But when he does make errors that are unfortunately similar to Saul’s, David recognizes the voice of God in others, repents, and brings himself back into a position of humility, even as a king.

If a king, with so much power and authority, still must seek God in all he does, how can we not follow suit. Following the example of David doesn’t mean we’ll be perfect, but it does mean that when we stumble, we know where to turn. Saul relies on himself, David relies on God.