Sermon Preview - Sin's Kryptonite Part IV - Lust, Gluttony & Greed

"But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness..."
Matthew 6:33a

     This Sunday we'll be talking about the last of the Seven Deadly Sins and boy are we ending this series with a bang!  This week we are taking on Lust, Gluttony and Greed.  These three represent possibly the biggest stumbling blocks for Christians (especially those in the United States) so get your popcorn ready!

     In our country we are surrounded by a culture of consumerism that lies to us and tells us that bigger and more is always better.  We are fooled into believing that getting what we want will always result in our happiness.  It is these lies that are at the heart of each of these three sins.  Each sin is in one way or another indicative of an out of control desire.  But if these three are so big and bad, especially for Americans, what good news can there be?

     Judging by the above picture you can infer that either the solution has something to do with the Magic Kingdom and Disney World (wouldn't that be fun?) or that we'll be going in a direction that has something to do with kingdoms.  I'm voting for the latter, but you'll have to show up to find out!

Sin's Kryptonite (Part 2 - Wrath)

"In your anger do not sin"

Ephesians 4:26a

          Who doesn't get angry on occasion, right?  Well anger, or more correctly wrath (the feeling of anger acted upon) can become enough of a problem for people that its impact upon human life can be deadly.  Not simply through murder and war, but anger/wrath can even be deadly for the person harboring the emotion!  With such a dangerous predicament on our hands, what can be done to neutralize this deadly sin?  The answer is simple, forgiveness.

          Of course as the saying goes, easier said than done, right?  So what advice does the Bible give us to turn this good advice into practical and helpful practice?  Well if I told you that, then you wouldn't need to listen to the sermon!  Suffice it to say that our faith as Christians definitely offers simple and easy tips toward overcoming anger before we find ourselves being drastically transformed into this guy!

Sermon Preview - Dividing Lines

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…”
Romans 8:22

                Where do you draw the line?  For me it depends on what we’re talking about.  When I’m disciplining my children it’s all about obedience and repentance.  Just do what I ask, and if you break a rule, just say you’re sorry.  It’s so simple that my kids learned at an early age the words “I’m sorry”.  Once we had more than one, they quickly learned “I forgive you” as well.
                But maybe this example is too simple.  I mean my children have me right there telling them what’s right and wrong, and theoretically I’m nice and consistent.  How do we as people of faith, striving to walk a life of discipleship, navigate right and wrong?  This question becomes especially difficult when we can’t agree with one another what is right or wrong!
                No contemporary issue illustrates this quandary more clearly than the current debate over homosexuality.  In theory the Bible is meant to provide that black and white objective clarity, but is it that simple?  Join us this Sunday as we tread lightly but boldly into a sensitive subject with momentous importance.

Sermon Preview - Born Again?

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
John 3:3

                Are you born again?  You have no idea how many times I’ve been asked this simple, yet probing, question.  I was first asked this, during a youth group car wash and I got the sense that my answer would determine whether or not the woman asking would let us wash her car.  I told her I was, even though I had no idea what it meant, in the hopes that she would let us wash her car.  It worked!

                Now that you’ve heard my story of deceit and scandal, the real question is what in the world does it mean to be “born again”.  It’s clear from the rest of the passage that Nicodemus didn’t understand, in the past 2,000 years even sincere Christians have had differences of opinion.  So what was Jesus saying needed to be accomplished if a person wanted to see the “kingdom of God”?

                This week we’ll be tackling this most fundamental question of what is the Gospel (read good news), and how a person would accept/live into that good news.  So join us if you dare, as we continue on our “Summer of All Request Sermons!”

Sermon Preview - Do Animals Go to Heaven?

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…”
Revelation 21:1a

                Not everyone considers them a part of the family, but anyone who’s ever had a beloved pet knows that our four legged, winged, scaled, friends truly are our family members.  And anyone who’s ever suffered the loss of a beloved pet has inevitably found themselves asking the question “do animals go to heaven?”  It’s this very question that we’ll be investigating this Sunday, as we continue our “Summer of All Request Sermons”.

                The first question that needs to be asked, is not whether animals go to heaven, or even if animals have souls, but rather what do we mean (and what does the Bible mean) when “heaven” is mentioned?  I think for most of us, heaven is that place in the clouds where angels live and people play harps!  Or maybe that fantasy land where every dream and desire comes true.  But is that what the Bible means when it’s talking about heaven?

                It would seem that likely once we identify what “heaven” really is (or at least what it could be) that our other questions will simply take care of themselves!  So will Old Yeller be romping in the heavenly fields?  You’ll have to join us this Sunday and find out! 

Sermon Scraps (7/1/12)

Sermon in a sentence (or a few) - 

The conversation about sex is almost non-existent within the church.  This is a travesty and both the church and the world are at a loss because of this.  Scripture is quite open about sex and while it does warn about engaging in sexual immorality there is more to the conversation than simply "no".  The Bible does a wonderful job of illustrating the ramifications of how sexual interactions can be harmful to individuals and communities (physically, spiritually, and emotionally) and we as members of "the church" should do no less.  Ultimately God loves and values us and wants us to have sex, but in ways that won't be damaging and harmful to us and others.

Primary Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

v. 12 "permissable" (Gk. exesti <1832> - it is lawful) - The NIV reading does a good job of distinguishing between the literal translation of the word "lawful" and Paul's likely intended use of the word.  Paul is here quoting the Corinthians and their application of his teaching about freedom from the law under Christ.

v. 12 "mastered" (Gk. exousiazo <1850> - to hold captive, to be brought under power, to be mastered) - Paul again is quoting the Corinthians assertions of freedom and flipping it by claiming that in their freedom they are actually being mastered (held captive) by "sexual immorality".

v. 13 "sexual immorality" (Gk. porneia <4202> - sexual immorality, illicit sexual intercourse) - This word is translated many ways in the Bible (fornication, homosexuality, adultery, idolatry (metaphor) etc.).  It is a difficult word for biblical interpreters to adequately translate but typically means some form of sexual immorality.  In this instance it's likely that Paul is continuing (more broadly) his conversation from Chapter 5, where a man is said to be involved with his step mother.

vv. 13-14 "Food for the stomach and stomach for food..." - Once again Paul uses a quote from the people in the Corinthian church to make a point.  The argument being implied is that just like our stomachs are made for food so our bodies are made for sex.  Paul takes this assertion and claims that both our bodies and the food we eat will cease to exist in their present state in the resurrection.  The argument Paul is making here is that because we are new in Christ, and are already a part of the "body of Christ" we are to act differently with our bodies (e.g. not engaging in sexual immorality).

v. 15 "bodies" (Gk. soma <4983> - body) - While the word typically is understood to literally be the actual substance of a being's physical form, here the apostle is using the word more broadly to encompass the entirety of a person (and even applying it to the spiritual reality of the body of Christ/the church universal).

v. 15 "prostitute" (Gk. porne <4204> - prostitute, harlot) - This word is often used to describe a woman who sells herself for sex.  It is more literally a woman who commits "porneia" (sexual immorality).  Therefore when reading this, it is not necessarily the case that Paul is specifically condemning sex with prostitutes, but rather that he is more broadly condemning sexual activity with those who might (for one reason or another) be described as sexual deviants.

v. 19 "temple" (Gk. naos <3485> - temple, shrine) - The word used here is not a generic term for any temple, but specifically for the temple in Jerusalem.  Furthermore this word is used to describe the most inner sanctuary within the temple, where the essence of God was believed to most fully reside.  Therefore the author is making an especially emphatic statement about the value of the individual and the essence of God residing within.

Sermon Preview: Sex Talk

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.”
1 Corinthians 6:12

                Everybody’s doing it; it’s not so bad, what’s the big deal anyway!  This phrase could be heard coming from just about any teenager, anywhere, about almost any topic.  Today this is less about teenagers and more about all of us, and the topic is all about SEX!

                That’s right, today in church we’ll be talking about sex and specifically sex outside of marriage.  Many people think they know what the Bible/the Church have to say about sex (don’t do it!), but is that really true?  This is the message many have heard from those of us representing people of faith, and sadly not much more.

                That theme of rules (mostly “thou shalt not’s”) and nothing but rules, ends today.  We’ll spend some time talking about what the Bible does say about sex (which by the way is a whole lot), and what that means for those of us who are people of faith.  So buckle your seatbelts and get ready for a wild ride!

Sermon Scraps (6/17/12)

Welcome to the Father's Day edition of Sermon Scraps.  This week our primary text was Matthew 23:1-12 and while Jesus' criticisms were directed toward the scribes and pharisees I suggested that they were equally meaningful for Fathers.

Notes:
v. 2 - "teachers of the law" (Gk. grammateus - clerk, scribe, secretary) - this designation refers to an official position within the temple, in contrast to "pharisees" (Gk. pharisaios - this word is transliterated) which was a sect of Judaism likely begun after the Babylonian exile.  The purpose/significance of the Jesus mentioning the two separate groups is unclear.  Some have suggested that the pharisees were the opponents of the church when Matthew's gospel was being written and therefore the group was included when Matthew recorded this passage.
       - "in Moses' seat" is likely a reference to a stone seat in front of the synagogue reserved for "teachers of the law" who were seen as authoritative teachers.  To sit in another's seat is to succeed said person, therefore to sit in "Moses' seat" is to be seen as a successor of Moses.

v. 4 - This verse (in it's entirety) has more to do with the seeming unwillingness of the "teachers of the law" and "pharisees" to help others in fulfilling the burdens they ascribe than it does with them actually fulfilling the law.  In other words Jesus is criticizing them here for their unwillingness to help others.

v. 5 - "phylacteries" (Gk. phulakterion - fortified place, safeguard, amulet) - the use of phylacteries (a small boxes fastened around one's forehead containing scriptures within) derives from some Jews' reading of Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Sermon Sampler - Please Pass the Salt (6/3/12)

“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?”

Matthew 5:13a

What did Jesus mean when he said that his followers were the salt of the earth?  Was he suggesting some similarity between their purpose and the usefulness of salt?  Probably.  But which of salt’s many uses was Jesus’ likely thinking about?  Salt serves a variety of purposes, and over time (and depending on the region in which you are living) those uses have had more or less emphasis for people.  In the biblical text alone salt was used within sacrificial practices, rites of purification and as a sign of the covenant between God and Israel.  Practically speaking salt can be used to season food, as a means of food preservation, and even is essential for life!

So what was Jesus likely thinking of when he told his audience that it was they who were "the salt of the earth"?  The Message translates the saying accordingly, you are the "salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth."(Matthew 5:13)  It would appear that the translator would like us to think about food seasoning aspect of salt when reading Jesus' words.  If this is the case then we are to understand our purpose as one of adding "God-flavors" to our world, namely our friends, family, co-workers and even community at large.  Of course many of us fall on one end or the other of the flavor spectrum.  We either dump the entire shaker out on our world, or we are clogged up, and are hardly discernible as salt at all.  Balance is key, but the ultimate question from this perspective would be "How am I adding "God-Flavors" to my world?"

In the ancient world, salt was commonly used as a means to preserve food.  While this is not a common means of food preservation any longer, we still use this method in what we call beef jerky.  If we are to be like salt as it preserves food, then we might see ourselves as preserving a world that is liable to rot (as unprepared meat will).  The obvious question then becomes what of the world (and ourselves) are we to preserve?  If you've ever bought "cheap" beef jerky, you may have had the misfortune of getting a piece that is more fat and gristle than actual meat!  This kind of preservation is less than satisfactory, and for many can ruin the entire product.  The same can be said for you and I if we are to serve as salt preserving our world.  The question then should be asked "What of myself and my world is God calling me to preserve?"

While salt as seasoning and food preservation is important, salt is most importantly a vital part of human life.  To have too little salt in one's body can result in a condition known as hyponatremia, which essentially manifests similar symptoms to dehydration.  This image of salt's purpose is especially compelling in a world that longs for the spiritual, is perpetually thirsty, and yet cannot seem to quench it's thirst.  Now the question to be asked is "How am I providing relief to a thirsty world?"

It's important for those of us who read our Bible's in English to realize that when Jesus said "you" the word he used was not only emphatic (like pointing his finger) but was also plural, meaning that he was speaking to all who were listening.  The effect of this is that it is not simply I or you who are salt, but it is all of us.  Our questions now become "How are we adding "God-Flavors to our world?" "What of ourselves and our world is God calling us to preserve?" and "How are we providing relief to a thirsty world?"

I will end this as Jesus began...you are the salt of the earth.

Sunday's Scraps (6/3/12)

Primary Text Matthew 5:13-16

v. 13 - "you" (Gk. humeis - 5210) - the "you" here is plural and emphatic (the word is already implied by the context and so adding the word "humeis" adds emphasis to Jesus' point).
         - "salt" (Gk. halas - 217) - salt has a plethora of uses, and in the Bible alone plays a role in sacrifices, purification rituals, and signs of covenant.
         - "loses its saltiness" (Gk. moraino - 3471) - the word hear can either be translated "to lose flavor" or "to be foolish".  It could be that both meanings are appropriate, as salt that no longer acts like salt (or a disciple who does not act as such) is truly foolish.
         - "good for anything" - the point here is that just like salt, the disciples have an expressed purpose.  If they cease to fulfill their purpose they become worthless.  While no one wants to say that they themselves or another is without value (we as people believe we have intrinsic value), Jesus is making the point loud and clear that their role (and ours as well) as disciples is necessarily about fulfilling a specific purpose and their value as disciples is also necessarily linked.
         - "trodden under food" - technically salt (sodium chloride) is a stable element and cannot cease to be what it is.  That is in it's most refined state.  Having said this, the of the salt in the ancient world would have come from a type of salt marshes and would have contained many other impurities.  It was not uncommon for the salt (sodium chloride) itself to eventually be leached out of the mixture leaving only the impurities behind.

v. 14 - "you" (Gk. humeis - 5210) - once again the plural, emphatic "you" is used to drive the point home.
         - "light" (Gk. phos - 5457) - light is another example of that which exists for a purpose, and in an of itself does not have value, but rather realizes value by fulfilling its purpose (illumine other things).  The light metaphor was one that Israel traditionally understood of itself in it's mission to be a blessing to the nations of the world.  The author is appropriating this imagery and reinterpreting it for the newly emerging Christian movement, which in many ways (necessarily) saw itself as the descendant and inheritor of Israel's mission.

* Both "salt" and "light" have characteristics that are intrinsic to each (respectively saltiness and luminescence).  These symbols fit nicely with the purpose of the author (and of course Jesus) in that the essence of each is not generated by said substance, but rather is necessarily a part of it.  The same is true for the disciples and Christians (the Church) following.  We are not the light, we do not produce the light, but rather have been given the light (gospel, holy spirit, good news, etc.) and are called to share it with the world.  This places in proper perspective the the gift and responsibility every Christian has been given and leaves no room for anything other than humility as one's response.

Sunday's Scraps (5/20/12)

I had a professor once who compared writing a sermon to making a pot roast.  He said that just like in making a pot roast, with a sermon you end up with bits and pieces, peelings and trimmings that don't make it in your final product.  Friends, what you see below are those bits and pieces...enjoy!

Primary Text ( Matthew 5:38-48 )
v. 38 - "eye for eye" - this is a reference to at least three passages in the Hebrew Bible (Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20 and Deut. 19:21).  This recommendation for how to respond to offense or how to punish criminals can also be found in the Code of Hammurabi (circa 1772 B.C.).
v. 39 - "strike" (Gk. rhapidzo) - this word covers a variety of levels and can mean anything from a simple slap all the way up to a strike with a rod or staff!
v. 41 - "two miles" - this command to go a second mile is building upon a common practice of the time where Roman soldiers could legally force any person living under Empire rule to carry their load one mile.  Jesus is therefore building upon this and consistent with the theme of the passage, encouraging his followers to go above and beyond what is required or expected.
v. 46 - "reward" (Gk. misthos) - the Greek here has to do with wages paid for work completed.  An appropriate translation which carries this meaning better might be "paycheck".  The point becomes clearer when one explores what a Christian's "work" might be (see Matthew 28:19 also known as the Great Commission).
v. 48 - "perfect" (Gk. telios) - this word can be translated "perfect, full grown, mature, or complete".  It has much more to do with a relative perfection (a complete version of yourself) than it does some absolute perfection standard (without fault or error).

* Luke's version of the passage (Luke 6:27-36) places Jesus' teaching within the same context but changes the word "perfect" to "merciful".  This is likely the case because both Matthew and Luke are striving to translate Jesus' words (which would almost certainly have been in Aramaic) into Greek.  Therefore the two authors were likely left with a problem not unfamiliar to translation work where the two languages do not have a perfect one to one relationship.

* Potentially formative to Jesus' thinking/teaching on the subject (and Luke's translation) is a Targum (an Aramaic paraphrase read aloud immediately following the Hebrew reading of a passage of scripture) associated with Leviticus 22:26-28 which read "As your father is merciful in heaven, so you must be merciful on Earth."

Sermon Sampler - Flesh Eating Zombies!? (5/6/12)

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:54

Is Jesus seriously talking about flesh eating zombies here?  If you’ve been watching too many late night horror movies, this might be what you think, but I’m voting “no”.  In reality Jesus is using a story familiar to his audience (manna in the wilderness - Exodus 16) and reinterpreting it for a contemporary teaching opportunity.  

The text for this week (John 6:25-60) picks up after Jesus has fed the 5,000 and walked on the water to reach his disciples on the other side of lake. The crowds have caught up with him and begun questioning him.  They ask Jesus what they must do to do what God requires, to which Jesus replies they must simply believe in him (Jesus).  It is at this point that the people ask what sign Jesus will give them to prove he's trustworthy.  They reference Moses, the children of Israel in the wilderness and the gift of the manna (bread from heaven).  Taking the example they use, Jesus proclaims himself to be the true bread from heaven!  Jesus further clarifies that in order to receive eternal life, the people must eat his flesh and drink his blood.  Needless to say this doesn't sit well with many of his listeners (and even some of his followers John 6:66).

Upon closer examination, it's clear that Jesus is not speaking literally, but rather is playing upon the common metaphorical meanings attributed to "flesh" (nature, habits, actions) and "blood" (source of life).  With this understanding, Jesus is encouraging his listeners to become more like him, by taking his nature/habits/actions and life into their being.  It's like the old saying "you are what you eat", if you eat junk you'll become junk, but if you eat good things, then you'll become better yourself.

The author of John's gospel does one more thing with this story, namely teach about the Eucharist (also known as communion).  The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) include what's known as the Eucharistic Institution within their re-telling of the Last Supper (basically Jesus' thoughts and teaching on communion).  John's gospel has no such teaching in the Last Supper scene but rather focuses on foot washing.  This is at least in part because the author places Jesus' teaching and institution of communion earlier in Jesus ministry here in John 6:25-60.  What John's gospel allows modern Christians to do is re-imagine and re-interpret the sacrament of Holy Communion as not simply something reminding us of sin and death, but also a call to discipleship and life in Christ!

So the next time you stumble across a particularly difficult saying of Jesus, that at face value seems to be a "hard teaching", rest assured that God made flesh, the incarnate Son of God likely had more in mind than the simple face value of his words.  Furthermore the next time you break the bread and share in the cup, remind yourself that this symbolic meal is also a call to deeper relationship and life with a living and risen savior!

          

Sunday's Scraps (5/6/12)

This week's primary text was HUGE, so I've tried to pull out the most pertinent nuggets of information I found. If you spend even an hour or two in a good commentary you'll a wealth of additional information, but here's some of the stuff that didn't quite make the cuts:

Primary Text: John 6:25-60
This entire passage serves as a parallel to John's account of Jesus and the woman at the well (John 4:1-26).  In both cases Jesus is making use of the common actions of eating and drinking and teaching about deeper spiritual truths through metaphor.
v. 28 - "works" (Gk. ergon) - the people are looking for works or actions they can perform to please God, this attitude is in direct contrast to Jesus' response in v. 29.
v. 29 - "believe" (Gk. pisteuo) - the Greek word is in the family of the word typically translated "faith" (pistis) and carries a similar meaning.  Jesus is saying that the it's all about their belief in the one God sent (him), not works that they perform.
v. 35 - Jesus exclamation "I am the bread of life." is one of several places in John's gospel where Jesus uses the "I am" (Gk. ego eimi) formula to speak about an aspect of himself common elements.  The list roughly is as follows, Bread (6:35), Light (8:12), Gate (10:7,9), Good Shepherd (10:11, 14), Resurrection & Life (11:25), Truth (14:6), and the True Vine (15:1,5).
v. 37 - "come" (Gk. heko) - the word here means more than simply being physically present.  The word carries a relational nuance and could be translated "seek intimacy" or even "become followers".
v. 41 - "the Jews" - in John's gospel this phrase often is not necessarily meant to be seen as a description encompassing exclusively (or all) Jewish persons, but rather those who set themselves up as Jesus' adversaries.
v. 47 - "believes" (Gk. pisteuo) - this word is in the present active tense and carries a sense of "continues to believe".  The point being that simply believing for a moment is not enough, but rather a present belief that continues indefinitely into the future is what is being described here.
v. 49 - "manna" (Gk. manna) - this word is transliterated from Hebrew into Greek and then again into English.  The word itself literally means "what is it" and expresses the Israelites initial confusion at what they were seeing/experience in Exodus 16.
v. 53 - "blood" (Gk. haima) - the reference here to ingesting blood, was more than disconcerting to Jesus Jewish audience, if taken literally his prescription to drink his blood was directly opposed to Jewish law (Leviticus 17:10-14).
v. 54 - "raise him up on the last day" - this is a clear reference to the resurrection of the dead, a belief that was not adhered to by all Jews (most notably the Sadducees).  Therefore any rejecting the resurrection would have been given further reason to reject Jesus' teaching here.

Sermon Sampler - Love, Marriage & Divorce (4/29/12)

“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife…and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Matthew 19:9

So this is a heavy word coming straight from the mouth of Jesus!  What do we, as 21^st century Christians do with such difficult and seemingly problematic passages of scripture (especially ones uttered by Jesus himself)?  It’s probable, that if you’re like the typical Western 21^st century Christian, you simply ignore such difficult passages and go about your merry way.  While this may be a normal practice, if our goal is discipleship then we must embrace the good news complete with the parts that seem difficult.  Beginning this week we will be looking at passages just like this one, and instead of simply ignoring them (or proclaiming them irrelevant) we will discuss what’s really being said, and what that means for our lives. 


So what do we do with the above passage?  As stated above, it initially appears that we have two choices, either accept a view that at the very least is difficult and at worst could be harmful or reject/ignore a passage of scripture because it seems to no longer fit with our cultural realities.  I would like to propose a third option.  When asked about divorce, Jesus began by speaking about marriage, and how wonderful marriage is meant to be.  As people we have a tendency to focus only on the negative.  Jesus tries to redirect this negatively focused conversation toward a more productive one about the goodness of marriage.  He tries to turn the focus not on the less than perfect reality, but toward a better, more perfect way.  It's only upon further pressing by the pharisees that Jesus weighs in on the divorce question.  When he does speak about divorce his warning comes exclusively to men who under Jewish law had all the power in the marriage relationship.  Furthermore Jesus is clear that the laws concerning divorce were created as a compromise, a type of last recourse, not as an ideal or even good option.


You might be at this point asking "what does this say to those who've been affected by divorce?"  My parents were divorced when I was very young, and I grew up seeing many aspects of divorce with a mother, a father, and a step-father.  I got to experience custody battles, missed visitations, and verbal disputes by my parents right in front of me.  I think anyone who's experienced divorce would agree that divorce is less than ideal.  Having said this, and fully acknowledging the consequences of divorce, there certainly are circumstances where divorce becomes the best of several bad options.  Jesus words in  Matthew 19:1-12  are meant to be more of a reality check for his hearers than they are a law for Christians afterward to adhere to.  He's speaking out against and unjust system that allowed men to capriciously dispose of a wife for little to no reason.


What may be more meaningful to glean from this passage is the spirit of not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  In other words Jesus invites his listeners to focus on the good potential and intention of marriage, not the unfortunate reality of divorce.  The same could very well be applied to our view of the Church, humanity, and ourselves as individuals!  Certainly God created humanity and proclaimed us to be "very good" and despite sin and imperfection God still longs to guide us toward that more perfect path, toward becoming very good!

                

Sunday's Scraps (4/29/12)

Every week pastors around the world put hours into sermon preparation.  Some of this preparation includes biblical study, theological discernment and cultural and historical reading to help establish/understand the context of the passages upon which they are preaching and teaching.  Luckily for their congregations most of this minutia get's left on the cutting room floor!  Some congregants prefer a more in depth look into the Sunday messages, and for those brave few, here it is:

Primary Text: Matthew 19:1-12
*It's important to note that this passage of scripture is echoed throughout the synoptic Gospels ( Mark 10:1-12  and  Luke 16:18 ) as well as earlier in  Matthew 5:31-32 .  Matthew's account of Jesus words includes what has become known as the exception clause ("except for marital unfaithfulness").
vv.1-2 - This teaching passage comes immediately on the heels of Jesus journey from the urban area of Galilee to the more rural setting of Judea, and follows a series of general healings performed by Jesus presumably in the area of the teaching itself.
v.3 - "test" (NIV) is the Greek word "peirazo" which literally means "to make trial of" or "to test".  The word can have negative connotations meaning "to test maliciously, attempting to find fault".  Likely the intended meaning in this passage.
v. 3 - "any and every reason" - Gk. "pas aita" - each and every reason -  In this case it would appear that the pharisees are implying an alignment with the school of Hillel (see below*).
v. 5 - "cleave" - Gk. "proskollao" - to glue upon -  Jesus is here quoting  Genesis 2:24 and the reference to "cleaving" (here and in Genesis) is likely a euphemism for the sexual act.
v. 6 - "joined together" - Gk. "suzeugnumi" - to fasten to one yoke -  Here the marriage relationship is described with a word originally used for farming work.  Essential to a yoke is that both parties fastened to it share the load equally and work in unison with one another.  A beautiful ideal for a marriage as well.  It would appear that Jesus, by quoting this passage, is imagining this metaphor of equality as a part of God's original plan and still valid for marriages of his time.
v. 7 - "command" - Gk "entellomai" - to order or command - The pharisees are claiming that Moses commanded them to divorce their wives.  They are correct that in order for a divorce to be legal there is a command to give a "certificate of divorce".
v. 8 - "permitted" - Gk "epitrepo" - to permit, to allow - Here Jesus points out that while there is a command to fulfill the requirements of a divorce, the act of divorce itself is a compromise.

*Often times the context of a passage, the time it occurred, the time it was recorded, and the culture of the people receiving the message originally, etc. is often crucial in correctly understanding it's message.  This is true with the above passage from Matthew, so here are three things to consider:

1) John the Baptist had been put to death by Herod largely for being critical of Herod's marriage to Herodias.  The criticism had to do with the fact that Herodias had previously been married, then divorced, and then married Herod.  Obviously any public conversation around divorce would immediately bring to mind the cautionary tale of John the Baptist.
2) The pharisee's question likely was based on a dispute of the interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1-4.  There were two major school's of thought on the passage, which dealt with the potential reasons surrounding a divorce (according to Jewish law).  The school of Shammai interpreted the word "indecent" very strictly to mean only unchastity (the wife not being a virgin prior to the marriage).  For Shammai, this was the only allowable reason for divorce.  The other competing interpretation of this passage came from the school of Hillel.  This school interpreted the words "indecent" and "displeasing" very liberally and allowed a man to divorce his wife for a host of reasons (including preparing an unsatisfactory meal).  Hillel's interpretation was more popular (at least with the men) and was likely the school of thought ascribed to by the pharisees questioning Jesus.
3) In Jewish culture at the time, marriage was seen as a business transaction where the man was in a very real sense purchasing his wife.  Furthermore under Jewish law only a man could initiate a divorce, the woman was largely without recourse and certainly could not divorce her husband.  It's important to understand Jesus critical words in light of a system where men were almost exclusively in control (therefore the condemnation would also be directed at those men in control).

Christianity 101: Evangelism - Sharing God's Good News

"...’Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation’”
Mark 16:15

For many the above passage represents a form of what is called “The Great Commission.”  It is Jesus’ final instruction to his disciples, telling them to share the “gospel” with all of creation!  Another way of putting this, is it the basis for all evangelism and evangelistic efforts within Christianity.

So what is this gospel?  What does that word even mean?  And how are we, as regular people, to go about sharing it with all of creation?  I mean we aren’t evangelists like Billy Graham, so how are we supposed to tackle such a huge task?

The word translated "gospel" (Gk. euaggelion) literally means "good news" and is supposed to be just that!  But many struggle with just what the good news is.  To help clear up, just what's so good about the good news the following passage from Romans is helpful. Primarily the good news is that nothing can separate us from God's love!


Sometimes this notion of evangelism or spreading the good news can be controversial.  Often times the word "evangelism" (same Greek word as above - euaggelion) invokes negative images in people's minds.  The problem here is not with the word itself (which again literally means good news) and likely isn't with the content of that good news (that we will never be separated from God's love for us), but certainly has more to do with the methods of disseminating said good news.


Many people think there are only two real options when responding to Jesus command to spread the gospel (good news) to all of creation.  Either the "shout it from the mountain tops" option, which involves telling everyone and anyone all the time about the good news, or the "good neighbor" option which entails being a really good person, but not really talking much about the good news.  It seems that both of these options (in their extreme form) are necessarily flawed and are not truly effective in sharing God's good news of a lasting and transcendent love.  One forces itself upon people, while the other hardly makes itself known.


This is why I would like to offer a third option, namely the "being a friend" option.  All of us have friends, family, and various other connections with whom we have influence and credibility.  These are people that we've built relationships with, who know us, and who are more receptive to our words, wisdom and advice.  It is within these circles that our "good news" will be most effective, and it is with these people that we are chiefly called to share this gospel.  They serve as our evangelism field if you will.


So I ask you, who will you share the good news with today?

Christianity 101: Forgiveness - Our Response to God's Grace

But love your enemies, do good to them…”
Luke 6:35

“I forgive you.”  These three words are God’s response to our sin, thanks to grace.  These three words are also what we are called to say and do in response to all others!  But as the saying goes, easier said than done.

All of us have been hurt.  We’ve all been wronged.  Some of us in terrible, horrible ways!  Yet, God calls us to love and forgive those who’ve hurt us.  But why?  Why would God want you to forgive the very person or people who’ve caused pain and heartache in your life?  Surely if God understood what was done and how bad it hurt, He would understand and not ask this, right?  Wrong.  It is exactly because God does know, and does understand that He calls us to love our enemies (even do good to them) and most importantly to forgive. 

Looking at Jesus' teaching in Luke 6:27-36, it seems clear that he was talking about loving and forgiving not just the people who hurt us a little, but also those who hurt us a lot.  The key is in the word translated "slaps" (Gk. tupto), which can mean a whole host of things including to strike, to beat, and to smite!  Furthermore this one word can imply being struck with a hand, a fist, a rod, or even a whip.  It's clear by this word usage that Jesus had in mind a whole world of possible hurts that could be inflicted.  So again, are you to forgive only those who hurt you a little or all who hurt you?

At this point you may still be asking what's in it for me.  In other words, why should you forgive a person that's hurt you.  A quick look at the story of Jonah illustrates this nicely.  Jonah was called to Nineveh, but because he was angry and unwilling to forgive what they had done to the people of Israel, he went in the opposite direction. This led to Jonah being thrown overboard, and swallowed by a giant fish, only to be spit up on the shores of Nineveh.  The most telling passage may be found here where Jonah essentially would rather die than see good come to the people of Nineveh!  This is all because he's unwilling to forgive them.  

This is why you should forgive.  If you hold a grudge, if you don't forgive, you're not hurting that person, you're hurting yourself.  By not forgiving, you become a prisoner to your own anger.  It is precisely for this reason that God models forgiveness for us (in the person of Jesus) and then calls us to love and forgive everyone, especially our enemies and those who've hurt us!

So will you forgive today?

Christianity 101: Grace - God's Free Gift

“…because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free…”
Romans 3:24

Have you ever felt completely alone?  Have you ever felt totally and utterly worthless and rejected by the whole world?  Have you ever just wanted to be accepted, to be loved simply for who you are?  Well if any of these questions sound familiar, then you’re not alone and I have good news for you.

As people each one of us was created by God to be loved.  Furthermore the love and acceptance of other people, while necessary, will not entirely satisfy our need to be loved.  It is only in finding relationship with the one who created us that we can become truly complete and whole!

While this may sound like some lofty stuff, it’s really not that hard.  God loves you, and has already made possible the way for you to receive and live in that love.  So what are you waiting for?!?   


All of us suffer from a human condition and problem known as "sin."  This word (Gk. hamartia - to miss the mark) is an archery term, and for some builds into the view that the human life is a path that rightly lived should be toward God.  If one deviates from that right path, then to do so would be called sin.  But what if, instead of understanding life as a path or a journey, we see human existence as fundamentally about relationship?  Now sin (hamartia) is no longer deviation from a prescribed path, but rather is anything that gets in the way of relationship.  Sin is anything that gets in between you and God!  So with this understanding sin is what's stopping us from receiving and living in that love of God!

God's answer to the problem of sin comes in the form of Grace (ultimately realized in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus).  Romans 3:21-26, uses legal language like "righteousness", "justified" and "atonement" to talk about God's grace.  But again if we view life, sin, and grace's interaction with the two in relational terms, then God's grace restores relationship that was once broken.  So what is grace ultimately?  It's the solution to the problem of sin.  Grace is a free gift from God given to all humanity in order to forever restore our relationship with God.  If sin is the problem, then grace is the solution.


You were created for relationship.  Ultimately you were made to be in relationship with your creator, and even though sin gets in the way of that relationship, God has offered you a gift (grace) to restore the brokenness of that relationship.  Will you accept that gift today?