Peripatetics: The Art of Walking

Friday, December 31, 2004

When I was working early on in youth ministry, money was very tight. It still is, really, but it's different now. For example, early on it was about how could we afford food. Now it's how can we add afford another dance lesson or softball bat or orthodontia.

And I have some amazing stories from those early days about God's provision. Even as I type them, they don't seem real...they seem like something out of a television show or movie or something. And, I've found in my walk with God, the cliche is true: That truth really is stranger than fiction.

For example, one time we were juggling payments. You know, those bills that you have to make a decision about which one is overdue MORE than the others. Like, the phone will be turned off, but we have 30 days more on the power bill, so the phone is a MUST pay right now. And we were in dire straits as sometimes we missed paychecks and this was one of those times. So, I prayed in my office. About two hours later I get this phone call from a prominant businessman who'd seen his daughter's life change through her involvement in my Bible study. He said he didn't want to give to the ministry, he wanted to give to me, and he couldn't care less about tax write offs or anything like that...he then mentioned that he knew from his daughter's mentioning of prayer requests for our situation. "How much will it take to get you back to even on all your bills right now?" I told him. He wrote a check and had his courier send it over. Thanks, God.

Another time we were in some dire straits due to some medical bills, which concerned my wife a great deal. While I was praying about it, I remembered that I had some valuable baseball cards in our home that I'd collected since I was a kid in the 70's. I'd forgotten all about them ever since we moved into that house, but I looked for them, got them out of storage, went and sold them, paid all the bills. There was even enough left over to eat dinner out at our favorite Mexican restaurant and shop for a new Bible for Tracy that night. She still has that Bible.

One last one: I don't need a car for much...just driving a few miles every day, maybe getting to a meeting a few miles away or whatever. I put maybe 15 miles a day on my car on a busy day. I have had a series of bombs for cars, but they all run, they all get me to where I need to go, and this one even has a CD player in it. I've had 5 cars in the last 9 years, but I've never done without one, and I haven't paid more than $5 bucks for one, either. It might not sound like much, but it's God's way of providing for me.

And God has a history of provision for his children.

Look at the verses in Matthew for today. Yesterday, we saw how, from Mary and Joseph's perspective, the magi show up out of nowhere with lavish and expensive gifts for the Messiah. This poor couple has strangers show up on their doorstep, worship their toddler, and leave very expensive gifts for this couple that only two years ago couldn't afford to make much of an offering at the temple.

While Joseph slept one night, he had a dream. In this dream an angel talked to him and said, "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."

I'm a dad. I know that if I was told to go to take my family to Egypt RIGHT NOW because they were in danger, I'd do everything I could to get that ball rolling ASAP. But I'd also have those "checklist" questions in my brain: "Gotta get on line and order the plane tickets. Gotta pack the bags with A B C D E F G H, etc. Make sure to get the baby's blanket & diaper bag. Gotta have the passports in the backpack through security..."

You get the idea.

Eventually, though, the big questions are going to come up: "How are we going to pay for this trip? How am I going to pay for my expenses living there, especially since I don't know how long I'll be there for?" Money questions.

I'm sure Joseph had them, too. I'm sure he knew people would wonder why this couple would flee from Bethlehem...it was a small town. People would notice. People would talk. They knew this drill first-hand.

But he obeyed...and he went. He trusted God to provide even though he had no idea what the future held.

And, oh, yeah.

That gold...

That frankincense...

That myrrh...

...that those wise men left.

Yeah. That should take care of any financial problems we should have the next couple of years.

Prayer answered. Need provided already.

There's plenty of evidence in the New Testament, especially about birds of the air and lilies of the field, that God provides for His people. He gives them what they need, and usually they receive what they need in abundance.

That's been my experience. It was Joseph's.

So the question today is to ask what is it that you need to trust God to provide on this last day of 2004? And then give Him the problem...

...and experience the peace of an easy yoke. That's the best way to end a year. Or start one. Or live every day during one.

Brent 6:02 AM

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Thursday, December 30, 2004

I'm not much into politics. I try to be informed. I read about the issues. But I get the feeling that it's a system that works around the ideals set forth regarding itself and the people within it take themselves very seriously...and try to keep their political careers afloat more than serving their constituency and eventually getting "real jobs." It's supposed to be, in my way of thinking, a temp job.

Some things have always been...and polticians concerned about their reelection or popularity or whatever. And Matthew 2 shows us that as we begin to wind down our study on Christmas and the "after" portion of that story.

In 2: 1 & 2, we get a new group of people: "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea i the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."

Enter Herod the king. Also known as Herod the Great. He actually built the temple in Jerusalem which Christ knew.

Enter the magi. Wise men. We don't know how many of them there were but they were highly educated and wealthy.

They have a question while they visited Herod: Where was the King of the Jews born? A miraculous sky scene has been going on and we followed it, and we're here and we're ready to worship the King. The Messiah.

Note his reaction in verse 3: "And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."

He was troubled. Why? Wouldn't it be great news? The Messiah was born! Mankind would be redeemed! Oh, wait. He doesn't know about these things yet. He hears the word "King of the Jews" and knows they were already a thorn in his side anyways and now if they get all fired up about a new king...a new leader...they'll be more difficult to govern than they already were and that's very bad for my political career.

So, he gets a bunch of Old Testament experts together and asks them to do some research. Find out about where this king is prophesied about and give me a full report.

They do. Born in Bethlehem. In Judea. About 5 miles south of here. The ruler shall come out of the tribe of Judah.

Herod summons the scribes. He finds out when they started following this star in the heavens. Tells them to go to Bethlehem to find the Child, and when you do, come back to me and get me so I can worship Him, too.

They did. They went to Bethlehem, found the Child (and note they found Him in a HOUSE, now, in verse 11, and they saw a toddler...so they obviously couldn't have been at the stable on the first Christmas) and worshipped Him. They gave him some incredibly expensive gifts, too. Amazingly expensive for a poor peasant couple from the wrong side of the tracks.

And in a dream, God tells the wise me not to go back to Herod, but go home another way.

Isn't it interesting that the words Herod told the wise men were precisely what his reaction should've been? He should've had his scribes go over more details. Find out more about the person and work that had been born in his province. It would've filled him in on an awful lot...and besides, if Scripture is right about this, it's going to be right about the details on the Messiah, right?

But he didn't.

The threat of a new "king" was certainly horrible news. A 36+ year run as leader isn't going to fall by the wayside because some little baby was born that stirs up the stupid masses...not if Herod can help it.

Nope.

He's going to put a stop to this before it gets any further...and more on that tomorrow.

But, at the bottom line, it comes down to Herod thinking he knows better about how to handle things than God does. That he can put a stop to the work of God in the world by getting information from the wise men and be proactive. He thinks he's more powerful than God. It's pride. Pure and simple.

And we have to admit that in many ways we're a lot like Herod. We're threatened by the work of God in our lives. We like to think we have a better handle on the person we date, the way to do the job, the friend we're talking about behind their back, the anger we have at our parents, the education we're getting, the thoughts we're entertaining...whatever...

...than God does.

Truth be told: We don't.

Spend some time today thinking about those areas of your life that "threaten" your "political safety" and take some proactive steps to renew how you think...because God is God and we aren't. And, if He is at work in our hearts and minds and lives and history, well, we can go hard against Him or go easy with Him.

It really is that simple.

Brent 4:30 AM

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Wednesday, December 29, 2004

I love the moment of anticipation.

I loved those moments on Christmas Eve at night, snuggling in my bed, thinking about what Santa might bring the next day or what presents I might get from my family.

I remember my father and I driving to a college football game between two highly ranked teams with tickets going at a premium and we had two on the 40-yard line.

I recall sitting behind the stage about an hour before my wedding, alone, and thinking about my bride-to-be and the ceremony that was about to happen.

I remember the drive to the hospital with my wife in labor.

And all those moments stay with me for a reason. The anticipation is very intense.

So, I can't imagine what emotions Simeon experienced when it was revealed to him that he would not see death until the Messiah was born. He'd lived a long, full life. One in which he was faithful to the Lord when society all around him (even the majority of Israelites) had fallen away from God.

And now, he's been indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who told him he'd see the Messiah in his lifetime. Every day he woke up, and knowing that the Messiah would be a boy and hence would wind up at the Temple at some point, headed to the Temple and waited.

And waited. Watched new parents and waited.

Finally, he finds out Jesus is the Messiah. Mary and Joseph are the earthly parents. Can you imagine what his emotions did at that moment? His heart jumped into his throat and beat faster than it'd probably beaten in it's life. His aged hands shaking with the excitement that God was back at work in human history.

Can you imagine how overwhelmed he was when he held the Messiah? Holding the Redeemer of Israel in his own arms? He probably had tears streaming down his face and a shaky but strong voice said:

"Now, Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word; For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel."

He was ready to die in peace now. Think of that statement. What would you have to see in your lifetime that, once it took place, you could say that you could now die in peace? I can only imagine, but I'd be willing to bet that Moses said it after his 40 year trek in the wilderness (with all the trials and tribulations he went through during that time) as God let him see the Promised Land from the top of that mountain. I'm sure there are other Biblical examples, but I can honestly say that there hasn't been anything that's happened to me that would cause me to say that I could die in peace.

His eyes have seen the salvation of the Lord. That statement alone is staggering. Think of how few people in human history can say it.

And that salvation is for all people.

A bit of background would let you know that this statement would've been difficult for an Israelite to understand fully. They knew that the Gentiles (those that weren't of the nation of Israel) would have some part in the Kingdom of God as the Temple had a place for them, but for the Gentiles to have an equal shot at redemption would've blown their minds. And now Simeon mentions them first by quotiing Isaiah 42:6 & 49: 6.

Jesus will be a light of revelation to the Gentiles. A light to the world that the God of the nation of Israel is the one true, holy and living God. This news was common to Hebrews, but the rest of the world would now get this revelation. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, right? A city on a hill cannot be hidden, right? Somehow...

...someway...

...it all has a tie to the Sermon on the Mount, doesn't it?

And Jesus will be the crowning glory of Israel. The Lion of the tribe of Judah. This little baby will grow up and show the world was Israel was created to be.

And, now all Simeon's anticipation had come to fruition.

Then, he hand the baby back to the stunned parents. They were amazed at these things. Says so right there in verse 33, and I would imagine that it would be tough to stun these two at this point after nine months of angelic visits, shepherd announcements and the like. But they were stunned, and Simeon blessed them, too.

And then he has a few words for Mary: "Behold this child is appointed forthe fall and rise of many in Israel for a sign to be opposed--and a sword will pierce even your own soul--to the end that thoughts from many hearts will be revealed."

This was a different tone than what she had been hearing before, wasn't it. A little more to think about. Most of what she'd been hearing these days had been that her child was a light to the world and salvation and the Child of God. Now, it gets personal: Some folks will understand Him and love him, and some will oppose Him in the strongest terms...and, Mary, it will hurt. Hurt big time. A sword will pierce your soul. You'll have a lot to bear in your liftetime, too.

And Simeon's role is complete.

He walks away from the Temple with that emotion that can only happen once the anticipated moment is complete. He looks back fondly on that moment for the remainder of his life. The moment he'd waited for his whole life, to hold the Messiah. To look in His eyes and on His face and know...

truly know...

that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

I'm sure that Simeon reflected on that every day...and maybe we should, too.

Brent 6:06 AM

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Tuesday, December 28, 2004

One of the most interesting places I've ever visited is Sedona, Arizona. Tracy and I wanted to go to the Grand Canyon as we've only seen it from an airplane, but it was too far a drive for too short of a time. We were at a conference in Phoenix and had the day off.

We told the concierge at the hotel we wanted to go do something and the time frame we had. He immediately recommended Sedona. We had a rented convertible and went to Target to get some driving music (she chose a movie soundtrack, and I found a Kiss CD in a bargain bin), and we were off.

Sure enough, the concierge was very helpful. We saw, and took photos of, some incredible scenery and we took a couple of small hikes to several of the desert rock formations. All very cool and a nice way to spend the day.

Before all of that, however, we went to an area that had several "mom & pop" restaurants and shops which sort of fed off the area's motif, with Native American art in all forms (including a hoop dancing exhibition) and crafts and such. The restaurant we wanted to go to had a bit of a wait so we headed off to browse some shops to kill time.

It was incredible the number of ways you could get your fortune told. We had both taken some psychology classes in college that debunked a lot of fortune-telling as basically carnival games in which the fortune-teller could make observations about you based on the way you dressed or your rings or hairstyle...whatever.

But people were standing in line to get their fortunes told by special cards, or by tea leaves or with a palm reading and several other ways. We thought it'd be fun to do, but it was really pricey so we just listened to others get their fortunes told.

To me, it was all very vague and did indeed remind me of a carnival game. Maybe everyone else was doing it because they wanted to kill 20 minutes before lunch. Maybe they were taking it seriously. I don't know. But people were paying more than I was comfortable with to play a game.

But what if it wasn't a game? What if one of those people wasn't trying to make a few bucks, and walked up to me and told me something about my children? What if I could know that this was true? What would that be like?

That's what happened to this young peasant woman who had been through a great deal in the last year-and-a-half. Everything from angelic visits to both her and her relatives and her husband. Travel to her husband's hometown for a census, and giving birth in the parking lot of a hotel. A visit from some shepherds who she hardly knew, giving her all sorts of things to think about.

And now, here she is, being obedient to the Law by going to the Temple to offer offerings to purify herself from ceremonial uncleanliness:

"And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ."

Now, remember the Holy Spirit had a different role before the death of Christ. God the Father would actually give the Holy Spirit for a temporary stay in people, while after the death of Christ the Holy Spirit indwells each believer continually...in Old Testament times the Spirit was more like a messenger or prophet. And Simeon was the recipient of God's grace, and knew that he would see the Messiah before he died.

Wouldn't that be interesting information to have? We don't know when Simeon was told this, and we don't know all the specifics, but let's say it was only a month previous to this day just for fun. We know he was righteous. We know he was devout. So he was one of those members of the remnant that remained faithful to God while the overwhelming majority of the nation failed to walk with God.

And God told him he wouldn't die before he saw the Messiah.

He'd read the books.
He heard the stories.
He knew the Messiah was a key player in redeeming the Jews from their oppression.

And now he knows that, before he dies, he will see the Messiah. What do you think it was like for him to wake up each and every day? Would this be the day? Every time he bumped into a couple with a baby during that month he would get all excited and wonder if this was the Redeemer. When he went to bed at night, he was probably all disappointed that it didn't happen that day. He probably didn't sleep much or well during however long this span of time was from when he got the information until he would see the Messiah.

This information likely changed the way he viewed everything. Now, the stuff that happened here on this earth didn't seem so important. The Messiah is coming! He'll be here soon! Get ready! God is back at work in our lives in an active way! Makes everything else pale in comparison doesn't it? The Good News'll do that. He probably woke up and got himself to the logical place to look for first-born males...hang out at the Temple. He probably didn't even bother to bathe or get ready. Just wake up, go to the Temple and look for couples with a baby boy. Eventually, one of them will be The Messiah. It changed everything in his life. He now lived urgently.

What's interesting is we have a very similar prophecy given to us by the God-breathed Scripture we call The Bible. It's not a carnival game at all. It is very real: Christ, our Redeemer, will return at any moment (the fancy seminary word I learned for that is that the return of Christ is "imminent"--could happen at any time).

And today, I'm wondering how that fact affects our moment by moment living...How does having God tell us that Christ is returning any minute affect the way we look at life? The way we interact with people? The way we choose to spend our time? The way perceive the events around us in the moment?

He will return.
At any minute.
It isn't a carnival game.
It really is our "fortune" being told.

I feel like I should be living more urgently, like Simeon did. And I feel like I should be living this temporary life in a very eternal way.

What does that look like for you? For me? For us?

More on Simeon tomorrow.

Brent 4:19 AM

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Monday, December 27, 2004

Have you ever noticed how once Christmas is over...man...it's OVER?

Yesterday at church I was already hearing tales of how Christmas decorations were already down. During our worship for the last month we were inundated with special hymns and music involving the Incarnation and yesterday, after a couple of songs during the prelude, they were gone. The radio station that had been playing holiday music since Thanksgiving was back to the regular jazz format.

Man...it's OVER. In a hurry.

We tend to do the same thing with the Christmas story, too. We watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and we go to church and hear stories of shepherds and virgins and wise men (not at our church on that deal, but I'll speak about them later this week) and then it's back to the same-old, same-old ASAP.

But with your indulgences, I'd like to stick with it for a bit. See, the Word does that. It doesn't end with a bunch of smiles and a baby asleep on the hay and the camera fading out slowly and then the credits rolling. Not at all. The story continues.

In Luke 2: 21--24 we have a short little introduction to what the text highlights as a conversation with Simeon about a month later. However, I don't want to get too terribly far away from this introduction:

"And when eight days were completed before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jersusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, 'Every first-born male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord') and to offer a sacrifice adcording to what was said in the Law of the Lord, 'A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.')."

Like I said, it's an introduction to a major portion of the story.

But this introduction highlights what was like for a first century Jewish person who wanted to serve the Lord and grow in their relationship with Him.

Obedience.

Obedience to The Law...and all aspects of it, too.

The Law told them that the proper way to bring a son into the covenant relationship with the Lord was to take the child to the Temple, circumcise him, and name him.

So, that's what this young, Jewish couple did.

The mother of a male child was considered "unclean" for the ceremonies for 33 days after the circumcision. In order to become ceremonially clean, she would offer a burnt offering and a sin offering in the Temple.

In fact, Luke makes sure we know that the verses to support these actions were found in Leviticus 5: 11 & 12: 8 as well as Exodus 13: 2, 12). There's no escaping the reality that first century Jewish life was somewhat of a burden.

They would fluctuate in and out of "cleanliness" and then would have to follow the prescription for a temporary covering of sin. It only lasted as long as the time between going to the Temple.The theological word for that is atonement.

They would go to the Temple, which is some cases would take a bit of time...but even if you lived in the hub of Jerusalem it would still take some amount of time to go and do this every so often.

They would then make an offering prescribed by the Law. This would come at some personal financial cost as well. Even if you were poor it would still cost you a couple of pigeons.

Oh yeah, and it was going to be gruesome and bloody, too. Can you imagine the stench at the Temple due to the continual practice of atonement.

On top of all this, your sacrifice was only acceptable to the Lord if your heart desired the relationship with the Lord.

Did I mention that it was only a temporary deal, too? That you'd have to repeat it as often as the Law prescribed to stay "current?"

Can you imagine what this would do to your life psychologically if you had a desire to walk with God? Let me see if I can help with a true story:

There was a drunk driver convicted of killing someone and was given a huge financial payment in damages...somewhere in the millions. The parents of the deceased waived that huge unpayable sum if the driver would mail in one dollar each once a week for 18 years. He readily accepted as it was financially beneficial for him. After four years, he sued the people for cruel and unusual punishment. Apparently, the constant reminder of his "sin" that came when he wrote out a check for $1 and had to go to the post office each week to mail it (one of the stipulations was that he couldn't do it in advance or arrears, but each and every week) was more than he could bear after completing nearly 1/4th of his punishment.

I imagine it weighed on this young couple, too. We've already learned that Mary and Joseph were righteous...one of the few remnant among Israel after 400 years of prophetic silence from God. And their righteousness was show to us in spades here. We catch a small glimpse of atonement, don't we?

The young couple sacrifices their time to go to the Temple 8 days after the birth. The baby is given a name and circumcised. 33 days later they have to take more time to go to the Temple, make a purchase the poor had to make of two birds, and then physcially sacrifice them and then burn them.

Why did they do this?

Because it was written. And they wanted to be righteous and obedient. This was their lifestyle, and that's what it took. Physical and psychological burdens. But well worth it to them as they could maintain their walk with Him.

Little did they know how different life would become for those that follow God because of the little baby on whose account they were going through all of this additional burden (there were other portions of the Law that didn't go away just because you had a new baby in the house) would change the way people walked with God on a daily basis.

Remember that baby?

The one born in Bethlehem in which the angels told the shepherds they were bringing Good News for all the people?

The one that John, the forerunner, would tell us to "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Remember?

Well, "takes away" has a theological word, too. Propitiation. Takes sin away just like the trash man takes away your trash to the dump. Removes it far from you.

Atonement simply puts a lid over the trash can while it stays in your yard, on your curb, waiting for the trash man.

And that baby would "take away" our sin.

And remove the burden...the yoke.

And yet, sometimes we'd rather try modern-day methods of atonement. As if a modern yoke made of some polyurethane space-age fiber would be any less burdensome.

We're free from that 1st century walk with God thanks to that baby. My encouragement to you as we head to the new year and focus on resolutions, that you'd resolve to walk in that freedom...and enjoy that walk with your Lord and Savior, who brought us Good News.

And it really would've been Good News to them. It should be to us.

Brent 4:56 AM

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Sunday, December 26, 2004

In order to get prepared for the upcoming week of studies, you'll want to read over Luke 2: 21--38, and ask a few questions about the nature of why they were at the Temple, who they met there and what he had to say.

Also, you'll want to read Matthew 2, and make note of the time frame and the method that God used to communicate with people and provided for His people.

I hope you all had a great Christmas!

Brent 4:05 AM

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Saturday, December 25, 2004

The Bottom Line

"And an angel of the Lord said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today, in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Brent 4:35 AM

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Friday, December 24, 2004

Yesterday, we left off at the point where the angel had appeared on that dark, chilly hillside in the Middle East, telling the ragamuffin teenage shepherds that there was good news available for "all the people." Very good news indeed. The best of all possible news.

However, the angel continues in verse 11:

"For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

First of all, we learn that the baby was born TODAY. That puts us in late 5 or early 4 B.C.

The baby was born in the city of David: Bethlehem.

The baby was actually "born." We're not given any indication whatsoever that the baby was born under anything other than the "normal" way a baby is born. We're not given any hint of supernatural incarnations.

The baby was born "for you." Now, it's personal. First, the baby was born for "all the people." He was also born "for me." It's a situation in which "both/and" applies. He was born for everyone. I'm guessing that "everyone" includes me. I'm also guessing that the shepherds worked under the assumption that "everyone" included them as well.

The baby was "a Savior." This implies that we need to be saved from something...that we were in danger. Frankly, these shepherds who were ceremonially unclean almost on a continual basis probably got this in spades. Because they were so "unholy" I would imagine that they would go to the Temple and perform the rites required to make them ceremonially clean (albeit on a temporary basis) so often that they probably understood their inability to save themselves moreso than the average Israelite.

The Savior was "Christ the Lord." I'm intrigued by this as it seems to be an indication of the dual nature of the King: Fully God and fully man. Another case of "both/and." See Christ, which means "the annointed One" and refers to the Messiah, is a title that would highlight his human role on earth. Yahweh, the Hebrew word for Lord in this instance is YAHWEH, which means God. "Both/and." Christ was fully man and fully God.

So, there's an awful lot of information in that sentence...likely more than the shepherds would've been able to process given their state of terror/horror/shock but we can slow down and analyze it a bit.

Anyway, the angel then tells them that they will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a food trough. Isn't it interesting that the angel pretty much assumed this rag-tag bunch of teenagers would want to go see what he was telling them about? So, he handed them clues as to how they would know which particular baby to find: A baby wrapped in cloths and laying where a baby wasn't supposed to be laying.

And then we get a worship service to end all worship services. Can you imagine? A heavenly host suddenly appears to some already shocked teenagers giving them a glimpse of heaven? The volume? The sights, even if they could look at it, must've been blinding? Worship in it's truest sense, direct from what it would've looked like heaven, playing out right in front of them? The shock has now increased exponentially.

And then, utter silence. The angels went away. Back to darkness. Truly a silent night. I'd imagine silence like they've never experienced before given they just got volume like they'd never experienced before. I'd imagine there was a lot of looking at each other by the teenagers.

And, in another understatement of epic proportion in verse 15: "'Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came in haste..."

If you know anything about teenagers when they get excited, I would imagine that the scene was a bit more chaotic than "saying to one another." I would imagine there would've been back slaps and high fives and piggy backing each other and loudness and shouting over one another and forehead slapping and...well...chaos. Chaos with purpose, and controlled somewhat, but chaos nonetheless.

And they went in haste: That's code for an all out chaotic sprint. I'd imagine a lot of serpentine in the mix. Note there's nothing mentioned about the herd of sheep. Maybe they were scared off. Maybe they left one guy in charge and the rest came. That two mile run from that hillside to the city probably was covered in 15 minutes if not less. Young men, in the prime of life, with more adrenaline pumping through them than ever before, probably covered some ground in quick time. And I'm sure manners were forgotten when they hit the small town of Bethlehem too. The ruffians hit town, breathing heavy, asking the locals where to find a baby who had been born.

Getting directions, they come around the house to the stable out back (normal in that culture because so many people traveled with animals that there would be a stable out back--usually attached to the house) and they see a teenage peasant girl and her husband. And a baby in the food trough.

And it says they "made known" what just happened. Again, picture controlled chaos and talking over each other. And laughing by the on-lookers...it's always pretty funny listening to excited teenagers talking to each other. Some things are universal in scope, and I'd imagine formality between the shepherds and the teenage mother went right out the window.

Then we see three reactions:

First, from the on-lookers: They "wondered" at what was told to them.

Second, from Mary: She "treasured" and "pondered" these things. Frankly, I think she was grateful to God for the story. I mean, it'd been a tough nine months on her, with the public scorn of pre-marital pregnancy as well as the doubting by her fiance as well as the overwhelming nature of what she was going to do wearing on her constantly. Now her story had been publicly validated. She isn't crazy. She isn't "loose." She is the earthly mother of the Messiah...honored among all women, even if the message is reconfirmed by theives and vandals.

Finally, from the shepherds: They went back to their job "glorifying and praising God for what they had heard and seen." The only record we get is that they looked at the baby, told their story, stayed for a visit...and then left.

Life went on. But I think life went on deeper and more meaningful than ever before. They probably told this story to their grandchildren. Every time they went past that spot on the hillside with the sheep I feel sure the video went off in their brain of that worship service that Christmas night outside Bethlehem. Life went on, alright, simply with a deeper understanding of it.

Come to think of it, those are the three reactions we usually see at Christmas from people. There are people who wonder about all this hubbub...and that's where it stays. They exchange the gift, raise an eyebrow that says, "Maybe, just maybe, there's soemthing to all this story that ragamuffins tell." And they never make a decision.

Then there's the people who treasure these things and ponder them. Now, I'm not saying Mary did only that as I'm sure she was a woman of action and had a very intimate relationship with Jesus, but some people in our culture simply treasure the facts and think about them, but don't know anything about a relationship with Christ who was born. They fail to deepen in their understanding of Him and they live anemic and boring lives.

Finally, there's the shepherds. Their entire life changed because of a look. They looked upon Jesus and there's not a change anything was ever the same. Sure, there were still sheep and the day in day out work...but now it all had meaning. And I'd bet that they became salt and light among those who believed their story...they probably became the most revered shepherds in that area. "God spoke to THEM directly!" Their opinions were probably widely sought out by the curious and seeking.

And the application is obvious: Which one of these categories would describe you this Christmas?

My hope is that you all have a very shepherd-like Christmas in 2004, everyone. Merry Christmas!

Brent 4:32 AM

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Thursday, December 23, 2004

Yesterday we saw how the shepherds in Luke 2 were anything but well-liked. Just a despised class of young workers, doing what young workers do on a hillside in the Middle East do...

"And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night." Very normal behavior, right? Not expecting much...maybe a wolf or two...spending time with the other shepherds...maybe writing a song or playing instruments (David's pasttimes)...

They were about to step into history. Big time.

The biggest of times.

That's the way it seems to work in our lives, too, right? We're just going along, doing what we always do...and then God steps in and changes everything on less than a moment's notice.

So here these ragamuffins are, on a chilly hillside, doing their jobs. And it was dark. Very dark. Not city dark like I'm used to. I'm talking no light except the fire and able to see the Milky Way kind of dark.

And, in understatement #1: "And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened."

Terribly frightened. Right. And Niagra Falls has a little bit of rushing water.

Dark. Then the glory of the Lord shone all around them. I'm not sure there could be more polar extremes than those...and to say they were terribly frightened, well, I'm not sure that there are words to describe what they felt. Terror. Horror. I'd imagine they hit their faces to shield themselves from the incredible amount of light.

"And then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, (easier said than done at this point, wouldn't you think?) for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;..."

All the people. The good news of great joy would be for all the people. Not just those of the nation of Israel. All the people get the good news. I feel safe in saying that this would've raised some eyebrows in the Jewish young men...and anyone else of Israel. They knew that Gentiles would be accepted by God in some fashion as the Temple had an area for them, so they knew of some level of acceptance by God...but EVERYBODY gets the same good news? Hmmm...

We'll pick up here tomorrow...for Christmas Eve we'll dive into the shepherd's story a bit more...but for today, spend some time thanking God that those of us who have accepted Christ were included in God's plan to save mankind. Spend some time thinking about how your life would be different if you didn't get the good news...I imagine that it would help you be a bit more thankful...

Brent 4:10 AM

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Wednesday, December 22, 2004

I've always been drawn to the underdogs in life.

I loved Rocky Balboa in the movie "Rocky" as he overcame huge odds to beat Apollo Creed.
I always pick the team that isn't supposed to win to pull for if I'm watching a game that doesn't involve my favorite team.
I preferred the Hopi tribe, the small tribe surrounded by the huge Navajo nation, and their cramped, but loving "family."
I really enjoy it when an independent film makes a lot more money than a Hollywood Blockbuster.
I like "mom & pop" stores over huge retail chains.
I like Elisha and his quiet ministry over Elijah and his public one.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

I'm not sure why this is, exactly. But I can't help it. I like the downtrodden and outcasts when they have their moment in the sun. I'm drawn to the downtrodden and outcasts anyway.

And that's why I think I'm especially drawn to the shepherds in Luke 2...especially after I did some homework on them.

See, generally, shepherds in the first century were young. Teenagers most likely. Teenagers with their first job. They sat out on a hillside, away from the family house for days and weeks at a time, tending to the family sheep. Can you imagine? A bunch of teenage guys hanging out on a hillside pretty much unsupervised? Unsupervised, and responsible for the well-being of the sheep. This would include killing attacking animals, like wolves or an occasional bear. Maybe snakes. They were young and rough-hewn.

Because they were in constant contact with sheep and other animals, they were, in Jewish eyes, virtually in a continual state of being "unclean" to go into the Temple.

They were generally in "bands." You know, they would hang out together...and you know how society views teenagers who hang out in groups. The eyebrows of society were continually raised at them. They were often viewed as theives due to their propensity to do whatever it took to keep the sheep fed, watered or protected.

Ragamuffins. Bohemians. Ruffians. Thugs. Hoods. Punks. Pick your name. It applies. They were a despised class of humans.

And this rag-tag bunch will be the first people to get the Good News. The best of all possible news.

And isn't it cool how so many people in the early parts of the Christmas story in Luke 1 & 2 are people society would raise their eyebrows at?

A barren old woman...scorned by society due to her lack of children.
An old priest who got his day in the sun late in life, and even then had to learn a lesson.
A poor, teenage peasant girl.
A carpenter from the wrong side of the tracks, who was probably viewed as an underachiever since he came from the priviliged line of David.
And now, a bunch of thugs become key players.

And I love it when the humble Peanuts character Linus quotes Luke 2: 8--20 when Charlie Brown, another outcast, screams "Can't anyone tell me the true meaning of Christmas?"

And it's the shepherds playing the key role.

Shepherds, being normal. Being real. Simply staying out in their fields on a cold winter night in late 5 or early

Brent 4:00 AM

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Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Again, I often get lost in the modern "mysticism" of Christmas. The Americanized version of pop art always seems to throw halos in places where there probably weren't halos. There are overproduced choral productions and musical interpretations that almost make a false emotion and drama in a place where there was real emotion and drama.

And I think Luke 2 will back me up on this. That chapter is striking in the reality of what my Ryrie Study Bible titles "The Advent of the Son of Man."

It starts off real: "Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth." Caesar Augustus was a ruler from 27 B.C. until 14 A.D. A leader commanded a census. Very normal. Very real.

It continues real: "This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria." He was governor of Syria twice, from 4 B.C. to 1 A.D. Then again in 6 A.D. This was his first census...one taken in 4 B.C. Again. Normal. Real.

The realness continues: "And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. And Joseph went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child." Again. Joseph had to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for the census. In fact, everyone was going to their hometowns. Joseph just happened to head to David's hometown because, well, that's his historical lineage. He took his fiance with him. Normal. Real.

Want some more normal and real? His fiance was with child. They had to travel somewhere between 60 & 80 miles (depending on where they fully started and fully stopped and the precise route)...it would take less than an hour for us today. But can you imagine having to travel by foot or donkey, as a pregnant woman. It's discomforting enough being pregnant (that's what my wife tells me, anyway), and having to travel in a region where the days can get hot, the nights cold, and dusty and long and no clean restrooms along the way...I'll suggest it was a long trip that tried the couple's patience as well as any family members travelling wit them.

Matter of fact: While they were there, Mary's pregnancy came to full term. It was time for her to deliver in Bethlehem.

And I truly love the understatement that comes next: She gave birth to her first-born Son.

Now, I've been in a delivery room with my wife when she gave birth to our children. "Giving birth" is a painful process (even with advancements in modern medicine), and very little romance involved. It is a surgical procedure, plain and simple. And it was then, too. Some things never change. I'm sure there were some women around who helped out, maybe some trained, but I'd imagine there was the raw process of giving birth. Pain. Wailing. The works. Normal. Real.

In verse 7: "she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

No room for them in the inn? Of course not. It wasn't that large of a town...and everyone who has family lineage in that town has returned for the census. Normal. Real.

Wrapped in cloths? Of course. You have to keep a newborn warm. Our modern hospitals even have beds with warmers built right in to help out. Still, in the case of both of my children, they were both bathed and wrapped in blankets with little caps on their heads as soon as this could've been done. Normal. Real.

Lying in a manger? Well, okay...so it isn't normal or real, here. But it is practical. This stable was not out in the middle of nowhere. In fact, it was likely attached to a home or hotel, just around the back where they kept the traveling animals and such. A feeding trough...full of hay...would indeed serve as a practical bedding for the young couple who doesn't have a port-a-crib handy. And it's going to serve as a clue for tomorrow's lesson.

But for today, try to keep in mind that Jesus is NOT the "reason for the season." WE are the "reason for the season." God chose to become a man because it would be a solution to our sin problem. The thing that keeps us from him, He chose to solve.

And that reality is so much more than one verse can encapsulate.

"She gave birth to her first-born son."

And because of that reality, we can enjoy a relationship with Him. God was setting our unreal, abnormal state back into what He would call normal and real. And it started on a cold winter night in late 5 or early 4 B.C. with two middle eastern peasants, having a baby in their hometown (fulfilling Micah 5:2 by the way) because they had to be there for the census.

Very real.

Brent 4:48 AM

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Monday, December 20, 2004

In our study of the Christmas story, we saw what Zachariah and Elizabeth experienced regarding the reality their child would be the forerunner to the Messiah. After a 400 year prophetic silence, God was back at work in human history.

We also looked at the angel's visit to Mary. She would be the mother of the Messiah. This humble peasant girl, willing to obedient to the work of God in her life would have the greatest honor of any woman on the planet. And this would come at great loss of personal reputation in her small town: The girl who got pregnant before she married...and telling the crazy story that she was pregnant by God Himself, with the Messiah in her womb.

Sometimes we forget what Joseph must've been going through. So, let me spend a few minutes telling you some "guy" thoughts.

He's got a fiance. Even if it was a totally arranged marriage (which I doubt), he'd been in the year-long engagement process with her. His thoughts led his emotions, I'm sure. He'd become mentally adjusted to the idea of spending the rest of his life with her. He'd started seeing her in a different light. She'd become beautiful to him in her own way. He'd very likely fallen in love with her. My suggestion is that he was already knew her, fallen in love with her, and then the parents arranged the marriage. It was a small town. A small village. He was in love.

Life was normal. Exciting in it's own way. But normal.

And then his fiance...

...the woman he loves...

...the woman who, to him, is the most beautiful on the planet...

...tells him a story.

Oh, by the way, honey, um, I got a visit from an angel. He said I was going to become pregnant. By the Holy Spirit. And I'm going to be the mother of the Messiah.

I'm not sure I can imagine what was going through Joseph's brain. The story is plausible?

Maybe?

Possibly?

Highly unlikely?

Totally unbelievable?

He must've been hurt. I know I would've been if my fiance came in with this kind of story. Maybe she's going crazy. That would hurt. We could work through it...but it would hurt.

No, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one. She cheated on me? Just thinking about that hurts. But it isn't her style. But no one's above cheating. But it isn't her style. But she IS pregnant. Simplest explanation. She cheated. And now she's caught.

But Joseph loves her.

The thought of breaking the legal engagement would disgrace her. She would get hurt by this public action...and even though he was hurt, the simplest solution would be to dissolve this union privately. Secretly is what's used in Matthew 1:19. See, if it was public, it would've been possible the elders could've had Mary put to death by public stoning (unlikely, but possible). The divorce decree would be disgraceful enough.

Joseph loves her. The thought of her disgraced (or even dying) is even more painful, I'd imagine. Verse 19 says the reason Joseph felt this way: "And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man..."

Righteous man loves woman. Who, in his way of thinking, is either losing it mentally or emotionally, but likely has cheated on him.

He's hurt. But righteous. Thankfully, he was choosing to follow his thoughts. Letting them change his emotions.

And then God steps in.

An angel...this time in a dream...says, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit..."

So, the story she's been telling him is real! She isn't crazy! She didn't cheat! That's a relief!

Or is it?

He will be a Son.
You will name him Jesus.
He will save the people from their sins.
This will fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 7.

Now Joseph has a new reality: The Messiah will grow up in his home.

Life will not be normal. Ever. At all. The promises of God's covenant are coming through the line of David, of which I'm a son, and now it's all happening. New emotions have to be tempered by new thoughts:

Trust Him. Obey Him. Don't let this overwhelm you.

And being obedient meant keeping Mary as his wife.
And being obedient meant no relations with your new wife until after the Baby is born.

But now he could do it and life would never be normal again.

His wife would be even more beautiful. How could she not be? She's chosen by God for the birth of the Messiah.

Life would be even more "real." How could it not be? You've been addressed by God and told you're part of the plan. How could you work with wood the same way ever again? Everything would have more meaning. More urgency. More reality.

It might not work out the way you planned it. That nice, quiet, rural lifestyle. Working the family carpentry business. Getting married. Raising kids. Living life in community. The whole bit.

It would still happen like that. Except all those things would look different. To you. To "us." To "them." People will talk. It will be harder. But it will be deeper. More adventurous.

More real.

And that's the way it works for all of us when God steps in the middle of our normal.

Normal is redefined.

And normal isn't so normal anymore.

When God is active in your life, there's no such thing as "normal." May our lives be anything but normal.

Brent 7:40 AM

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Sunday, December 19, 2004

In order to get ready for class tonight you'll want to read all Luke 2 today.

In verses 1--7, what time clues do you find that would help you determine what the date might be?

In verses 8--20, who do the angels come to? What would the hillside seen "look" like (age of shepherds, landscape, time of day, etc.)? What was the content of the angel's song? What do you think was going on in Mary's mind, given all she'd experienced over the last year? What was the reaction of the shepherds in verse 20?

In verses 21-38, what do you make of Simeon's reaction? What was the content of his song? What was Mary and Joseph's reaction to all this?

You'll also want to read Matthew 1 & 2. Take note of how the Lord ministered to Joseph during this time. Also, note v. 11 of Matthew 2. What is key about where they were and who they reacted to?

See you in class tonight, the last class before 2005!

Brent 4:41 AM

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Saturday, December 18, 2004

Peer pressue.

Everyone experiences it on some level. It starts early in life and continues all they way through...age is irrelevant in this regard. Teenagers often make fun of well-intentioned motivational speakers telling them not to cave into the social pressures. Grown-ups experience it when they want the larger home or the better car to keep up with the neighbors. Empty nesters experience it when they try to outdo each other with stories of grandchildren exploits or vacation trips. Maintaining your values and beliefs is difficult when they're challenged.

We all care what other people think of us.

And that's what happens at the end of Luke 1. Real life people in real life history with real life consequences.

Elizabeth had now gone through nine months of labor with her muted husband (see other entries below for more detail). I'm sure their friends and family were aware of all the details. Zacharias' encounter with an angel. The late-in-life pregnancy. The inability to speak of her husband due to his encounter with the angel. The visit of Mary.

Surely the stories had gone out to trusted friends and neighbors...I'm sure many of them believed these stories and were excited. I'm sure there was a buzz in the community about the prophecies of Scripture fulfilling themselves right in front of their very eyes.

And, as was custom, after the birth of their son, Zachariah and Elizabeth took their son to the Temple on the 8th day after his birth to circumcise him (symbolize his relationship under the covenant) and formally name him.

The excited neighbors suggested to Elizabeth she follow custom, too. Name the boy after his father. A priest of some reknown as well as one who had actually been in the Holy of Holies. What a great name, and what a great way to honor his father! It's a slam dunk. Name him Zacharias.

Peer pressure.

Remember, they'd been instructed by the angel Gabriel to name him "John."

Peer pressure.

It makes sense to name him Zacharias. What father wouldn't be honored that someone would be named after him? It would make it easier on the child, too, to have a name associated with greatness. Why not?

Elizabeth held her ground in verse 60: "His name is John."

The peer pressure heats up. It always does. "But, there isn't any relative named John. That's a weird name. It won't help him. His legacy will be gone. He'll be just another schmoe when he could be SOMEBODY." That's what's in-between the lines of 61. Then they figure to blow it by dad.

Surely Zach will want his blessed child to be named after him, right?

Wrong. He asks for a tablet to write. I'm sure this only highlighted his memory of that day in the Holy of Holies. Still can't speak...but he writes down "His name is John."

Now he can speak. As promised, his discipline ended at that point. And, speak he did. Can you imagine how much he wanted to describe in detail about how much went on in his life and mind during those long nine months? Writing in tablets can only tell so much.

Good thing he didn't fall to peer pressure. In fact, his resistance to peer pressure actually turned others from their way of thinking:

Verse 65 & 66: "And fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. And all who heard them kept them in mind, saying, 'What then will this child turn out to be?'" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

That's the way it works, too. When we are faithful to God, others are drawn to the mystery of that.

Then Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied:

God is here, and redemption is at hand.
Salvation, through the Messiah is here, just like it was written throughout the Old Testament.
We will be delivered.
The Messiah will be holy.
My child will be the prophet of the Messiah.
He will indeed be great.
Just like God said, throughout the Old Testament.

And the child was exactly that.

It's a common theme in the Old Testament: If you are obedient to God, and not the world, you will be blessed with an authentic relationship with Him. If you disobey, there are consequences that result in distance from Him.

It's a common principle in our lives as well.

Brent 7:18 AM

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Friday, December 17, 2004

After 400 years of prophetic silence from God, now, history is cranking back up. There have been two angelic visits over a six month span, announcing that the forerunner to the Messiah will be born to Zacharias and Elizabeth as well as the Messiah will be born, and Mary will be His mother.

It's usually at this point we forget that there are real people in real history with real life staring them in the face. I mean, we have a peasant girl with a story that, if she told it, the hearers would view her as a lunatic. Maybe a heretic. Possibly a blasphemer. She might be branded a liar. Or as a loose woman. She could've been put to death for this. It was a scandal.

We had a "scandal" at my high school when I was a kid. It was a small community, really, and one girl had parents who were out of town for the weekend. She threw a party, and it was going to be the social event of the year as far as I was concerned. I couldn't wait. As fate would have it, my mom and a couple of her friends got wind of the reality, and me and a few of my friends were forbidden to go.

Well, a whole lot of kids whose parents weren't as astute showed up at the party. There was a keg of beer on the deck. The majority of those kids went out on the raised deck...the 2nd floor kitchen door opened out on the deck, which was easily 15 feet in the air. Anyway, the weight of so many kids on the deck pulled the deck away from the house and it collapsed. There were no huge injuries. A broken arm here. A severely sprained ankle there. Cuts and scrapes. It could've been much worse.

The event made the paper. Our school was abuzz of stories about the girl who had the party. Was she going to jail? Was her older brother who purchased the keg? Weren't that guy's parents going to sue her parents? Was the contstruction company at fault? Was it true her parents were kicking her out? You can imagine. It was a scandal in a small community.

And it didn't even involve tales of pre-marital pregnancy from God.

So, it was certainly in Mary's interest to skip town for a while and maybe avoid the inevitable scuttlebutt that was likely to ensue. So, she heads to visit her relative Elizabeth, who lived a bit closer to the big city, in the hill country (verse 39).

She comes into Elizabeth's house (with the six-month mute Zacharias hanging out) and greets her. When the baby in her womb heard the voice of Mary, he "leaped in her womb." Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit-led Elizabeth then speaks. She refers to how blessed Mary is. How blessed her baby is. Both of which are staggering in light of the reality that I would imagine that Elizabeth would've felt that she was pretty blessed herself...and her baby was going to be pretty darn blessed on his own accord. But she understands and is very excited about everything...God at work in history and all.

I love her statement in verse 43: "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" She can't believe that history is unfolding right then and there in her living room. Her Lord is going to be born in about 9 months or so. The mother of the Messiah is standing right in front of her. What did she do to deserve all of this? Again, real people. Real reactions.

She also mentioned that Mary was blessed because she believed the angel. That's pretty funny in light of her mute husband sitting in the room as a living example of what happens when you kinda question what God is up to.

Mary's response is beautiful in verses 46--55. It's often referred to as "The Magnificat" because of the first word in the Latin translation of it, and it's a poem or song...which is why it's usually set apart in different type in your Bible.

She exalts in the Lord.
Her spirit rejoiced in God...who she refers to as her savior.
He regards the humble, and she understands her place in history (generations will count me blessed, in verse 48).
God has done great things and He is holy.

She then goes into a series of references from the Old Testament. There are some 15 allusions and/or quotes regarding the Old Testament and the Messiah in this section...considering it's only 10 verses that's pretty significant. This is the kind of home Jesus would be reared in...the kind of home where the mom rattles off verses like nobody's business as well as the stark reality that she can apply them to life situations. I'd imagine she's had quite a bit of time in the Word at this point, too. Wouldn't you start looking stuff up you were a little fuzzy on if you got a visit from an angel telling you about the Messiah in your stomach? I think she did.

And..she stayed there nearly three months. Do you think over that time she and Elizabeth traded a few stories about what they'd experienced? Do you think they, along with neighbors and friends got excited about the work of God in their midst? About the coming forerunner? About the coming Messiah?

We haven't even talked about Joseph's visit from an angel yet, either. We'll do that tomorrow.

So, today, think about the influence of the Word in your life. Think through how God's Word influences the way you look at your day-in, day-out life. How can we each take God's word and make it a filter for how we interpret the world around us?

Brent 4:50 AM

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Thursday, December 16, 2004

There was a popular movie out a few years back called "Contact." The basic premise is that Jodie Foster played a scientist who spent her entire career trying to contact alien life-forms. Naturally, she was made fun of by her peers and all the odds were against her.

Until...

...the aliens made contact. She was on the hood of her car, listening to the satellite feeds from deep space somewhere out in the desert when she heard a response. She immediately jumped into action, driving like crazy and sending walkie-talkie information to her crew at the home base to make sure they were recording this historical event to "prove" to others what they heard.

Remember, God hasn't spoken prophetically to Israel in 400 years or so...until about six months beforehand, and He spoke to Zachariah. God made contact.

Now, it's going to happen again. In verse 27 we are introduced to some new characters: A virgin, named Mary, and her fiance, Joseph, who happened to be a descendant of King David. They also were from the wrong side of the tracks, Nazareth.

The angel Gabriel speaks to the teenage Mary, addressing her by saying, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."

Mary is confused. Probably startled. The Bible says she was "greatly troubled" and curious as to what this means. I'd suggest we would be, too, if an angel addressed us in this way. Again, very real people in very real history with very real reactions.

As angels are wont to do, he reminder her not to be afraid, and, like before with Zacharias, tells her she'll be a mother, and her baby, too, will have special characteristics:

He'll be named Jesus.
He will be called Son of the Most High.
He will be given the throne of David by God Himself.
He will reign over the house of Jacob.
His Kingdom will have no end.

Now, Mary is no dummy. She's young, but she knows enough about biology to know that she hasn't participated in behavior that would lead to pregnancy, so she asks the angel how this is going to happen. He responds by telling her that it won't be the conventional manner, but rather through an act of God.

He also tells her (Brent McKinney translation upcoming) "And, oh, by the way, your relative Elizabeth is pregnant, too. Remember her, the elderly lady who was barren her entire life? Yeah. She's six months along as we speak. See? God can do anything."

Mary is no dummy. She knows that this pregnancy will cause a scandal in her small town. She knows that no one will believe her story. C'mon. "Hi Mom and Dad! Had a visit from an angel today. I'm preganant. And with the long awaited Redeemer of Israel! Isn't that exciting!" She knew anyone hearing the story would call her a lunatic. And what about Joseph? The big picture: Joseph could have had his fiance killed by religious leaders of the day for her act of adultery if he doesn't believe her story. That's a bit of pressure, don't you think?

Yet, in verse 38, she says, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done according to your word."

Wow.

A teenage peasant girl, just informed that God's will for mankind will involve her, risking life and reputation, tells God's messenger that she's on board with the plan. That God can indeed do anything, and she fully believes it and trusts that all the "side issues" will be taken care of in due time.

Wow.

God has made contact. History is now rolling, just like His Word said it would, toward the redemption of mankind.

We'll pick up here tomorrow, but something to think about: What is going on in our lives that right now, we need to simply tell God that we are His servant, and just do, trusting Him with the consequences and details?

Brent 4:47 AM

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Wednesday, December 15, 2004

On the first day of this study, we focused on how the real people, Elizabeth and Zachariah, lived in real life and how this elderly couple lived a real faith even though 400 years had caused apathy to set in. Yesterday, we saw the greatest day in Zachariah's life got continually better...to become one of the best possible days in all of history.

Some days really are like that. Simply great days. And Dr. Suess describes days like this well in "Oh, The Places You'll Go!":

"Oh, the places you'll go! There's fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winningest winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV."

The problem is that these great days usually come to and end. And usually with a thud. Dr. Suess describes that, too:

"Except when the don't
Because, sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games, too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you."

Yep. Sometimes we can cause those fabulous days to come down with a thud.

Zacharias did that, too.

See, he had just found out that he was going to be a father. And the father of the forerunner to the Messiah. That history was cranking back up, and he would have a front row seat for all of it. In fact, he was in the Holy of Holies, conversing with an angel who told him all that stuff.

And then he brings it down with a thud in verse 18: "And Zacharias said to the angel, 'How shall I know for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.'"

Have you ever said something you wish you could take back right after the words got out of your mouth? Yeah, I think this is a lot like that. Especially based on what the angel says next:

"I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news."

That's code for, "Ahem, Zach, I'm an angel who was just in heaven talking to GOD for crying out loud, and I was told to come here special and tell you all these things, and yet you question God's ability to make it happen due to a little age problem?"

Oh, yeah, and there's a small consequence for this doubt, too. Gabriel continues:

"And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time."

Yeah, I think Zachariah wanted a big do-over.

Apparently, when we have trouble seeing what God is trying to do in our lives, we often take the focus off Him and put it on our own abilities or skills or talents or desires.

And there are consequences...even if they don't result in our mouths not working for 9 months and 8 days.

And, yes, we usually want a big do-over when we look back on it.

So, today's question is to ask what it is that God is telling you to do (or maybe not do) and how are we focusing on ourselves that prevents us from "being the winningest winner of all?" What can we do to change this?

Tomorrow, we'll see another angelic visit, and an entirely different set of people, and an entirely different response.

Brent 4:02 AM

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Tuesday, December 14, 2004

My father had a fish story. A really good one, too. His hobby was deep-sea fishing, and particularly, fishing for marlin...so you'd expect that he'd have a series of stories about the "one that got away." However, his fish story was about one that he actually caught.

First of all, he really did catch a marlin that day. It was 72 inches long and weighed in at 175 pounds. He joked that it was his exact height and weight. Anyway, he stored it in a cooler at the marina in which his boat launched and came home to tell us all about the fish. Needless to say, his intent was to take our family to see his trophy.

When we got to the cooler, the fish wasn't there. My uncles all joked about my dad being a liar and all that, but the cops were called and the whole deal. Turns out, the governor of the state of Florida had caught a fish of some magnitude that day as well, stored in the same cooler, and the feds were on full alert for the stolen fishes. Hours later, the fish were found entered in a marlin tournament for prize money, the theives arrested, and the fish returned to their captors. That marlin still hangs on my sister's wall.

My dad often referred to that day (much to my mother's chagrin) as "the greatest day of his life." I guess we all have great days, too.

We get a look at another great day in Luke 1: 8--25. Remember, Zacharias and Elizabeth were part of a remnant of faithful followers of the Lord against a culture that had strayed from God since they hadn't heard from Him in a prophetic way for over 400 years.

Verses 8--10 give us a background of a great day for Zacharias, the priest. He was serving and chosen by lot to burn incense in the Temple of the Lord. Scripture is a little understated on what an honor this was. There were likely 18,000 candidates for this job, and the lot (sort of God-directed dice, if you will) fell to Zacharias. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, to go into the temple and burn incense in the Holy of Holies.

This was serious business, too. Bells were on the hem of his robe to let those outside the Temple know that he was still moving...because if he did it wrong he would die immediately. They also tied a rope to his ankle, because if he died, no one could go into the Holy of Holies to get him out, either. That's likely why so many people were outside praying at the hour it was being done.

Can you imagine the honor of this day for Zacharias? He will burn incense, literally, before the Lord. One of 18,000. Wow.

He goes in. Bells ringing. Rope dragging. Incense swinging.

And then he catches an angel standing beside the table! He must've been scared witless! Again, scripture does this understated: "He was troubled, and fear gripped him."

He knows that if he does it wrong, he dies. And now something has, at first glance, failed to go according to the prescribed order. Now the greatest day of his life has flashed to become the ultimate worst day of his life. Ugh.

But, in true angelic fashion, the angel starts with "Do not be afraid" (which, I suspect is much easier said than done). He's bringing an answer to prayer. Elizabeth will have a baby, even though she's elderly. The couple will have a son.

His greatest day has gotten even better!

Oh, yes...and not just any son. People will rejoice at his birth. He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will be a member of an elite sect within Judaism that doesn't drink wine or liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit (which, don't forget, in those days, was not "automatic" for Israelites...God chose whom He would bless with the leading of the Spirit). He will turn the children of Israel back to the Lord God. He will be comparable to Elijah, one of the most revered prophets in Jewish history. He will be the forerunner to the Messiah.

His greatest day has gotten yet even better! First, the choice to go in. Second, he will be blessed with a son. Third, his son will be the forerunner to the Messiah.

Wait a minute.

The forerunner to the Messiah. The one that must come according to Isaiah to announce the King of King and Lord of Lords who will redeem the nation. We haven't heard from God in 400 years and now my son will be the one Scripture talks about!

And, that means the Messiah is coming.

History is back in motion from a Jewish perspective.

Wow.

Zachariah is having the greatest of all possible days in his way of thinking. He would be overwhelmed with joy. His mind would be racing. His heart would be beating a mile a minute. The Messiah is coming. My family is part of God's plan to redeem the entire world and usher in His Kingdom. The years of Roman oppression would be over! The King, on his throne! All of history has geared toward this moment! And now it's here...

The great day of Zacharias.

It's really our great day, too, when you think about it.

We'll pick up the story here tomorrow.

Brent 4:43 AM

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Monday, December 13, 2004

There are nativity scenes all over our community. There are plastic ones in neighbor's yards. There are plastic ones in front of businesses. There are ones that are blown up by some sort of leaf-blower type of machine. There's even an on-going "live" one at a local church, complete with all sorts of petting zoo animals.

I'm not against this by any stretch. I think it's pretty cool how a story about peasants born in the Middle East and the baby they nurtured creates all sorts of interest/chaos some 2000 years later. Not a problem at all.

The problem I have is that most of these nativity scenes always seem to involve halos. You know. Halos around the baby. Halos around Mary. Halos around Joseph. It gives the impression that this was some incredibly "spiritual" time in history, when I find that Scripture points to exactly how "real" these events were. Real historical events. Involving real, historical people. Who have real, historical reactions.

In Luke 1: 5, we get our first glimpse at this reality. Right off the bat, we're given a historical time clue: Herod was king of Judea. It's a fact. He was indeed appointed by the Roman emporer and reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. We know where we stand.

We're also given two real, historical people: Zacharias, a priest, and his wife Elizabeth. The Bible notes that Zacharias is from a particular division of priests, and his wife is a descendant of the priesthood of Aaron.

We can also make some observations about them from the next few verses:

They were both righteous before God.
They walked in the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
They were childless.
They were elderly.

This might not seem too odd at first. A couple of childless senior citizens who walked in faith.

But it would've been odd if you got the historical background of this particular situation. See, God had not spoken through a prophet to the nation of Israel in some 400 years. 15 or 20 generations of Israelites had been raised without a prophet and direct revelation from God that was worthy of record.

If you've ever been to Western Europe, you've see what has happened with only about 4 generations of people who have begun to live a life without God: 400 year old cathedrals are now bars or concert halls...or abandoned. The people view Bible stories as they would view Aesop's fables or other fantasies you'd read as a child and then discard as you became "more educated." There are few younger people in the mainline denominations. Any religion, once focus fades from one generation, becomes watered down in the next. And so on. And so on. For 15 or so generations.

But there was a remnant. There always is in Scripture.

A couple of faithful people, who even though God hadn't blessed them personally with children (a terrible humiliation in that culture), walked humbly with their God. As for them and their house, they served the Lord faithfully.

And in our culture that is happening somewhat. It almost seems like there's this commercial Christmas mind-set, complete with obligatory nativity scenes, in which we nod politely at the origins and history of our faith, but we miss out on the authentic walk with God that makes the story able to pierce our souls...change our lives.

And my hope is that this Christmas study will make this time of season as "real" for you as it was for this faithful, elderly couple. Not a story of halos, but a story of people who walk with God in an authentic way, no matter what trends come down the pike or what books happen to list the key steps to a deeper walk or what Christmas movies show us, but rather walking with God His way and His time.

Real people, having a real walk with God, having a life-changing encounter with Him. And that's where we'll pick up the story tomorrow.

Brent 7:27 AM

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Saturday, December 11, 2004

In order to get prepared for class tonight, take some time and read Luke, chapter 1.

Try to make note of the key people, their ages, and their station in life:

Zacharias & Elizabeth: What was his job and her relationship to him? What happened to him in the temple? What was told to him about the child? What was his reaction?

Mary & Joseph: What was their relationship? What was told to her? What was her reaction?

Mary & Elizabeth: Why do you think Mary went to visit her? What was their relationship? What happened to Elizabeth's child?

What was the content of Mary's song?

What was the reaction of Elizabeth's friends at the birth of her child? What significant happened when they circumcised him?

What was the content of Zacharias' prophecy?

If you get this far, you'll be well prepared for class tonight at 6:30! See you there!

Brent 10:01 PM

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Since we're in-between ending the study on Head to Heart and the upcoming study about Christmas, I thought we'd look at some quotes to see if we could get our brains working. Here's one today from C.S. Lewis:

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or another of these destinations."

Do you agree or disagree and why? What would change in our actions towards others if we agree?

Brent 7:23 AM

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Friday, December 10, 2004

Since we wrapped up our study on Head to Heart last Sunday and won't begin our Christmas study until Sunday, I decided to put a few thought-provoking quotes together to let you comment on. Here's today's:

"The disciplines of prayer and Bible study need to be rooted again and again in Jesus himself if they are not to become idolatrous or self-serving. We have often muted Jesus' stark challenge, remaking him in our own image and then wondering why our personal spiritualities have become less than exciting and life-changing."--N.T. Wright, in The Challenge of Jesus.

A couple of questions come from this: How is our prayer life? Our time in the Word? Is it exciting and life-changing? Why or why not?

Brent 6:16 AM

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Thursday, December 09, 2004

Since we ended our study on Head to Heart last Sunday, we've got a few days of quotes to get your thoughts moving. Here's today's quote:

"The more I studied Jesus, the more difficult it became to pigeonhole him. He said little about the Roman occupation, the main topic of conversation among his countrymen, and yet he took up a whip to drive petty profiteers from the Jewish temple. He urged obedience to the Mosaic Law while acquiring the reputation as a lawbreaker. H ecould be stabbed by sympathy for a stranger, yet turn on his best friend with the flinty rebuke, 'Get behind me, Satan!' He had uncompromising views on rich men and loose women, yet both typed enoyed his company.

One day miracles seemed to flow out of Jesus; the next day his power was blocked by people's lack of faith. One day he talked about the Second Coming; another, he knew neither the day nor hour. He fled from arrest at one point and marched inexorably toward it at another. He spoke eloquently about peacemaking, then told his disciples to procure swords. His extravagant claims about himself kept him at the center of controversy, but when he did something truly miraculous he tended to hush it up. As Walter Wink has said, if Jesus had never lived, we would not have been able to invent him."

Philip Yancy in The Jesus I Never Knew

What is it about Jesus that draws your interest? What stories about him make your curious about Him? What makes you uncomfortable about Him? If you were a first-century Jew, do you think you would've been accepting of Him or would you have been His enemy? Why or why not?

Brent 5:08 AM

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Wednesday, December 08, 2004

Since we finished our study of Head to Heart last Sunday, and we don't start the Christmas study until Sunday, here's some food for thought to chew on today:

"I want to grow beyond my childish understanding of God into an adult reality: A faith based on the facts of Scripture and the knuckle grinding reality of a day-to-day existence. I need more than a bedtime story. I need more than a youth group God. I am looking for a savior. A guide. An existential answer to my questions about purpose and meaning. I want true fulfillment in my Christian faith."

--Donald Miller, In Prayer and the Art of Volkswagon Maintenance.

Taking for granted that we all want "true fulfillment" in our Christian faith, how do we grow beyond our "childish understanding of God into an adult reality?" What practical things can we do (or avoid doing) that help us get this true fulfillment?

Brent 4:00 AM

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Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Here's one for today:

“The church, in the Western world, faces populations who are increasingly ‘secular’—people with no Christian memory, who don’t know what we Christians are talking about. These populations are increasingly ‘urban’—and out of touch with God’s ‘natural revelation.’ These populations are increasingly ‘post-modern’; they have graduated from Enlightenment ideology and are more peer driven, feeling driven, and ‘right brained’ than their forebears. These populations are increasingly ‘neo-barbarian’; they lack ‘refinement’ or ‘class,’ and their lives are often out of control. These populations are increasingly receptive—exploring worldview options from Astrology to Zen—and are often looking ‘in all the wrong places’ to make sense of their lives and find their soul’s true home.

In the face of this changing Western culture, many Western leaders are in denial; they plan and do church as though next year will be 1957.”
--George G. Hunter

So, do you agree or disagree and on what grounds? Do you see examples of this in your day-to-day lives? What should the Church be doing to avoid "1957" thinking?

Brent 5:47 AM

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Monday, December 06, 2004

Since we wrapped up our study of "head to heart" last night, I'd like to spend this week with some thought provoking quotes and maybe getting feedback from you guys on some topics. How about the one from Donald Miller in Blue Like Jazz that finished out or study last night:

"The greatest lie I ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me."

If this indeed is a lie, then how does that affect our day-to-day choices? What would you do the same? What would you do differently?

Brent 7:09 AM

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Sunday, December 05, 2004

In order to get prepared for class tonight, it might be a good idea to read through all of the Psalms of Ascent...that's right, Psalms 120--134. It won't take 15 minutes, I promise.

Then, try to describe the main point of each chapter in a word or two or three. Write your choice above the chapter in your Bible. In ink. You won't burn in the Netherworld for writing in your Bible, I promise.

Finally, think through how all these things apply to the process of your spiritual walk in the here in now. This may take some time, but it's a good thing to think about on a rainy Sunday in Dallas and the Cowboys don't play until tomorrow night, I promise.

See you in class tonight!

Brent 4:34 AM

Comments:

your lesson tonight was awesome. absolutely awesome.

posted by

Keila : 7:32 PM

I agree w/ Keila!

posted by

Unknown : 8:12 PM

Saturday, December 04, 2004

I heard a pastor talking about the Christmas story once. The details are vague and fuzzy, like most sermons wind up being in hindsight, but it had something to do with Jesus having to leave the wonder of heaven and come to earth. The point was that it would've had more meaning than we give it, leaving heaven and all.

Conversely, the pastor turned the story to Easter, and how comforting and exciting that it would be for Jesus to go back to heaven.

With all due respect, I think Jesus, in His humanity, was understanding of His role, but somewhat scared about the idea of being crucified. He knew it was God's will, from what we read in John 17...but the beginning of that fearful night is found in John 13: 31.

"When therefore he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him..."

Son of Man is simply a Messianic title (a lot of people get tripped up on that, but I don't feel there's a need to) and Jesus, right after he was betrayed by Judas, says that the glorification of the Messiah is about to begin.

That's odd. Largely because he knew he was going to be put to a brutal and humiliating public death. An odd way for glory, huh? So, the glory of the Messiah is beginning, and God is given glory in the Messiah.

Verse 32 reads, "...if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify him immediately." The notes in my Ryrie Study Bible have a very good explanation of these verses: "In His death Christ and the Father will be glorified. In the resurrection and exaltation the Father will glorify Christ and validate all His claims." I really couldn't say it any better.

Jesus then tells His disciples He won't be with them much longer, and then gives them a new commandment:

That they love one another.

And then closes with a powerful statement: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Not by how well we know the Bible.
Not how often we go to church or Sunday School.
Not how many mission trips we go on.
Not how often we serve other ministries.
Not how often we hang out with the youth group.
Not by our prayer life.
Not by how much we know about the Jesus story.

Nope.

People will know if we're disciples by how much we love each other.

And don't you find it interesting that it follows Jesus telling them about His glory for the Father?

There's a tie there. The events of the next few days would give glory to God, but the events of centuries later would ultimately do so:

That we love each other.

My suggestion is that, in moving from Head to Heart, the end result is should be that others are able to see an inner reality: That our love for God has outward manifestations that will give glory to God. It's circular.

And that circle is the whole point of moving from head to heart. The glory of God.

What are we doing today that shows love...

...for our family...
...for our friends...
...for our pastors and other church servants...
...for our teachers...
...for our employers...
...for our neighbors...
...for whoever...

..., and thereby giving glory to God? That's the question.

Brent 7:17 AM

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Friday, December 03, 2004

Have you ever gone through your life and just felt like there should be...

...more?

More than the normal day at school?
More than the normal classes?
More than the normal interaction with the coach/band leader/extracurricular sponsor?
More than the day-in, day-out interaction with friends?
More than the day-in, day-out interaction with parents?
More than the few bucks you made at work?
More than the boyfriend/girlfriend?

Even worse, have you ever gone through your life and felt like YOU should be...

...more?

I have. I do. I am. I will again.

And I've found the cause of that to be a loss of purpose. I fail to understand my place in the universe. I begin to focus on myself. The things I have to do. The pressures I face. The humdrum stuff begins to take priority. I lose focus.

Notice how many times I used "I" in that sequence.

And how would you feel if, in those myopic moments, Jesus Christ Himself mentioned it? Out loud. In front of your peer group.

That's what happened in Matthew 5 (doesn't it always seem to come back to this chapter?), verse 13--16:

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under a peck-measure, but on a lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who isin heaven."

This follows a section in which Jesus was talking to the multitudes who came out to hear what Jesus had to say. They were expecting a speech from a revolutionary leader...and maybe expecting some sort of address in which the Messiah would announce that it was time to usher in His Kingdom, and the first order of business might be to overthrow the Roman occupying government.

What they got was a "blessing" of all the wrong people in verses 3--12. The meek. The gentle. The mourners. They'd probably been disappointed...and if you notice, all those qualities were "inward" in their focus. Those are all qualities in which the inner self is focused on God.

In short, Jesus told them that Israel was supposed to be one thing, and they were doing a lousy job of it. In fact, the Kingdom will come, just not in the way you think. And, by the way, you're going to have to change a lot. See verses 13 and 14. They're code for "you're not being what you're supposed to be."

Then in verse 16, we see that these inner realities are supposed to have outward results: The glory of God.

The light of the world.
The salt of the earth.

We have a purpose here in this world:

To let inner realities become outward results so those that don't believe will see our lives, and know that God is at work in us and through us.

So...if you're feeling like your life should be...

...MORE...

...remember that you are here to give glory to God.

That's your purpose. Salt & Light...wherever you are, in whatever you're doing...it should have eternal meaning.

How can there be anything MORE than that? So, let's find ways today to glorify God in the moment-by-moment of our lives, okay?

Brent 4:06 AM

Comments:

Just thought that I would say that even though we don't post very often, there are many people who read this on a regular basis....And we love it. Thanks Brent.

posted by

Anonymous : 9:47 PM

that was very encouraging

posted by

Anonymous : 10:28 AM

I am always getting bored of life and I agrre that it is a matter of losing sight of our purpose here to glorify God. I am thankful that we have something to live towards as well. Without God I don't know where I would be.

posted by

Anonymous : 11:06 AM

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Psalm 134 is a nice ending to the "head to heart" study as it gives us the entire reason for the other Psalms of Ascent: The glory of God.

Here's Psalm 134:

"Bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord
Who serve by night in the house of the Lord!
Lift up your hands to the sanctuary
And bless the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
He who made heaven and earth."

I really want to ask this question in light of our entire study: How, exactly do we glorify the Lord (or "bless Him")?

And, to give you a "heads up" on the answer, try reading Matthew 5: 13--16 and John 13: 31--35, both of which discuss the glory of the Lord, and we'll be talking about them tomorrow and Saturday.

Brent 5:35 AM

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Wednesday, December 01, 2004

I call them Pure Life Moments.

Those moments when you can't think you're any more alive than you are at precisely that point in time. They happen when you least expect them and in the strangest places. They happen in the most normal places.

I've had them in hospital delivery rooms.
I've had them just looking at my wife.
I've had them in sports venues.
I've had them in movie theatres.
I've had them riding around in a car with the right music cranked up.
I've had them on beaches.
I've had them on mountain tops.
I've had them in the chair in my living room.
I've had them in New York City.
I've had them in rural Georgia.
I've had them in church.

You get the idea. And, now that I think about it, those moments were always involving other people.

Yesterday, we established the idea that the presence of God in abundance is vital in our sense of community from verse 2 of Psalm 133, and today, I'd like to take a closer look at verse 3. You can read the NASB version from yesterday's entry, but here's verse 3 from The Message:

"It's like the dew on Mount Herman flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life."

Remember, this is a continuing thought on exactly what it's like when brothers and sisters who do life together abundantly is considered "wonderful" and "beautiful." It's like the dew at the top of Mount Herman in Israel. That water eventually flows into Jerusalem and the surrounding area, giving the people of God...

...life.

And life with abundance. It flows from the mountaintop down to us, or in this case, Israel. And it gives us, as a group, abundant life.

In his book "The Celtic Way of Evangelism," George Hunter contrasts the "Roman" way of evangelism with the "Celtic" way. In a nutshell, the "Roman" way says that someone has to believe and then they're invited to come in to the community; the "celtic" way is to invite someone into the community, allow them to see it at work, and then they would want to become part of it.

Hunter describes the way some Irish evangelists accomplished this. They would put together a team of believers and they would all move, as a tribe, near a village. They would then "out-live" those in the village through simply living the abundant life--the dew of Mount Hermon flowing down to us--and then eventually those in the village would be drawn to the love of Christ because they'd seen it at work in the lives of the team.

I know that's an oversimplification of a very detailed process, but the idea is there in that book, and the idea is there in Psalm 133: That if we, as a community of believers, were truly "out-living" the world, they'd beat a path to us in order to get what we have. We wouldn't have to program anything.

They lived out Pure Life Moments as a group of followers of God.

So, the question before us is this: What can we be doing today that helps others see us and our tribe and living abundantly, like the dew flowing into the slopes of Zion?

Brent 4:01 AM

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