Thursday, December 10, 2015

Touching Base, Part 290

13 Dec 15
Series: What Would Peter Preach at Christmas? Part 1
Down... But Not Out!
(Mark 14:53-72)


This three-part series will help us look at some of the key prophetic texts that Peter would have been aware of concerning the coming of the Messiah. In 1 Peter 1:10-12 we see that Peter is very much aware of OT prophetic texts that spoke of the coming of the Messiah. We encourage you to use this tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal God time as a resource to help you pray and interact with the Word of God!

With some biblical texts we have more of a heart, and emotional connection than others. Think of the text that was read at a funeral of a loved one. Or perhaps a verse someone gave you when walking through a difficult season. Perhaps when you were a child you memorized a text that is embedded in your memory to this day. Certain texts bring back memories, emotion and certain places in our backstory.

In your groups, share that unique verse in your life in you have one.

In our series, “What Would Peter Preach at Christmas”, I think one prophetic text that might surface for Peter above others is Daniel 7:13-14. Why? My guess is that it is a text that would remind him of a place, and powerful emotion. Let me explain.

The Context: Mark 14:53-72

It is in this context that we find a reference to Daniel 7:13,14. Most of us know the context - Jesus has been arrested, the Jewish council is quickly and corruptly trying to get a case against Him. They are even stirring up false witnesses. The drama reaches its emotional apex in 61-63.

Note the sounds (v.63)… the high priest was ripping mad. Why would the high priest tear his garments?

By tearing his clothes, probably his inner garments rather than his official robes, the high priest showed that he regarded Jesus’ bold declaration as blasphemy. To him, Jesus’ words dishonored God by claiming rights and powers belonging exclusively to God.

What did Jesus say? (V61-62)
Jesus unequivocally answered, “I am.” No, not “I am Canadian!”
I am … the Christ – “Christ” means Messiah, the anointed One.
I am… the Son of the Blessed . The title “Blessed One,” found in this sense only here in the New Testament, is a Jewish substitute for “God”.

But then, note what Jesus says in v.62 after he says “I am”. Jesus did not refer to Himself as “a son of man,” but as “the Son of Man.” Jesus’ use of the phrase with the definite article “the” is consistent throughout the gospels.

How does the definite article make the difference? The definite article refers to a person, place or thing that is unique. Notice what Jesus says to clarify this definite article … “seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

What does Jesus do?
By using the definite article, Jesus was directing attention to the divine-human figure prophesied in Daniel 7:13–14 that they, as Jews, would know about. I am that Son of Man! That Son of Man that has eternal sovereignty over everything. The reason the high priest was ripping mad was because of what Jesus was claiming.

(It seems that Jesus is also referring to Psalm 110:1 when he speaks of being at the right hand of Power. The right hand was reference to authority and honor. Perhaps you can drill down deeper into this text. I think Peter would also preach this text!)

So why do I think Peter might preach this text and the larger story at Christmas? Well let me ask another question. Where is Peter while Jesus is on trial? What is Peter busy doing? Do you see the contrast?

Peter did the exact opposite of Christ.

• We see Jesus declaring His identity which leads to His death. You have Peter denying his
identity that leads to his shame.
• We see Jesus filled with courage, Peter controlled by fear.
• We see Jesus answering with integrity. Peter is lying and betraying his integrity.
• We see Jesus being faithful. Peter is being faithless.
• We see Jesus sticking with His mission that would bless the world. We see Peter thinking
of himself.

Imagine Peter finding out later what Jesus was doing at almost the precise moment he was denying Christ? He would never read Daniel 7:13-14 the same way again. It would stir emotion and memories and he would think of where he was and what he was doing when Jesus was drawing on this prophetic text to declare His identity.

But here is another twist to this story. Within just a few days, Peter would discover that the Son of Man would reach into his own broken, defeated life and restore him. This prophetic text was not just intellectual fodder, academic fiber, but heart-healing truth, hope-giving words, a life-nurturing text, a mind-blowing reality.

He is the Messiah, the Son of God/Blessed, Son of Man - Thus no breach is beyond God’s reach.

This is the story of Christmas. God reaches into a fallen world, not just a fallen Peter - we have all fallen - and through Jesus, God reaches to us in our powerlessness and redeems, restores, and heals. He is the Messiah, Son of God, the Son of Man!

Take time to read the Christmas story and thank God that in Christ, God reaches out to us in our brokenness to restore. He can because He is the Messiah, Son of God, the Son of Man!

Mark Kotchapaw

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Touching Base, Part 289

6 Dec 15
Series: Living in the Margins, Part 10
When the Lion Licks His Lips.
1 Peter 5



During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Last week Amanda talked about the four P’s in suffering. This week as we move into the last chapter of 1 Peter we want to unpack the all-important truth that, when we suffer, it is so important that we Draw Near to Draw Strength. The tendency may be to do the exact opposite but Peter reminds us that to do the opposite is to end up being the lion’s lunch!

Who do we need to draw near to?
Text: 1 Peter 4:19- chapter 5

Draw near to God (v.4:19)

The verse answers the question, “How do I suffer according to God’s will?” Answer - Draw near to God.
Entrust means to,
• To give someone something in trust.
• To leave a deposit with someone
Soul refers to a person’s total self. In suffering I entrust/deposit my total self into the care of God.
Easier said than done?

Do you draw near to God when suffering or tend to pull away? Suffering can either attract us to or distract us from Christ.
Pray into the issues that can keep us from drawing near to God.

Draw near to those you lead (v.1-4)

Yes, a whole message could address church leadership but for our purposes I want to broaden the application. Peter is addressing church leaders that are leading in a context of suffering. Remember Amanda’s message from last week? These folks are not lying in a hammock reading the latest best-seller. The hammock has flipped and they are face down on the ground.
Peter is admonishing the leadership to draw near to people who are face down on the ground. He is saying draw near, engage, enter in, speak in, love and embrace the suffering. This is a principle for all leadership but not the specific leadership descriptions he gives for the leaders he is addressing in his context.
Elders - means to protect
Shepherds - The shepherd image illustrates feeding, it includes caring, leading, guiding, and protecting
Overseers- the Greek term suggests “keeping watch over.”
(As a side note I am deeply grateful for a great Elders’ team at Bethel. This past week many of them were out on “assignment” shepherding the flock. Your elders are Chris Rusk (chair) Amos Cohoe, Ken Vissers, Ron Dickey, Doug Brown, Brian Marchant, and Dave Dempster.)

You cannot elder, shepherd or oversee from a distance - it demands engagement, drawing near. Like I said above - this is a leadership principle that applies across the board to all that lead. We all lead in some capacity, in some context where suffering exists.

Are you willing to set aside the agenda at times for the pain that surfaces in the context of your leadership?
As a leader, does other people’s pain make you draw near or draw away?
Have you ever been in a group and watched a leader ignore the surfacing pain by a group member? Staying on agenda meant someone’s plea for help went un-noticed. What damage was done?
How does this inform you to pray for your leadership context?

Draw near to your leaders and your peers (v.5a)

Note the encouragement for the younger to draw near - subject yourself to the leadership. The “younger “was probably a reference to most everyone else in the church because often elders were literally the older demographic of the church. Note that “all of you” are to draw near. The word used here is humility. The posture of humility draws people near to one another. Pride creates isolation.

So what is the picture Peter is painting? A community that draws near for strength in the face of suffering. That strength comes in a tight community where we minister to one another. But here is the really good news. Note 4:19 and the rest of what Peter says (5b-v10). It is precisely this kind of community that,
• God gives grace to (v.5b)
• God gives relief to (v.6,7)(when we are together in community, we can cast our cares on God. Sometimes we need others to help us cast)
• God gives protection to (v.8,9,10)

On this last point - Who does the lion have for lunch? In the context, I would suggest it is those who suffer alone, those who isolate versus engage, those who try to carry their own burden without the help of the body. In context, one of the ways we resist is we stand together in community.

From Sunday, do you remember how Peter could relate to this issue of being alone in his suffering and being the lion’s lunch?

Draw near to draw strength! Remember the real lion is the Lion of Judah who will one day have the prowler for lunch… once and for all! Until then, draw near to draw strength!

Mark Kotchapaw

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Touching Base, Part 288

Series: Living in the Margins
Part 9 -
Suffering: The Pilgrim’s Progress
1 Peter 4


During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Perhaps you used last week’s TB as a prayer tool in your Life Group or in your personal prayer time. Well, this week’s TB might help you walk out some of what you prayed into last week. Peter moves into the next section with, “therefore”, in other words now that I have said what I have said, here are some of the “so what’s”! Here are some ways you can flesh this out. In other words the WHO, referring to God and all He has done (v.3-12) needs to make a big difference in HOW you and I live. FAITH HAS FEET, and Peter is about to get somewhat specific in what that can look like. Use Peter’s instruction to help shape your prayer time and discussion time this week.

TO BEGIN: DISCUSS THE DISCUSSION
Sharing with others when we are suffering can be difficult and it is important to not make any assumptions about peoples’ experiences, either OF suffering, or what suffering is. It is also a very vulnerable thing to share with others. Discuss with the group how you would like to discuss this topic and confidentiality. Below are a few options for beginning the conversation.

- Perhaps you trust each other enough to share something that you (and your spouse, if applicable) struggled through.
- If that feels too vulnerable, maybe begin by discussing what gets in the way or hinders people sharing suffering.
- Different Types of Suffering (using the list below as a springboard, it is not exhaustive nor as clear-cut as each category)
1) Suffering that happens as a direct result of sin & disobedience.
2) Suffering that happens as a result of living in a broken world (sickness, natural disasters…)
3) Suffering that doesn’t make any sense (to us), but just happens. Think Job.
4) Any others?

This passage is particularly addressing those who have suffered BECAUSE they are living their life in a Christ-like way. To use Peter’s words: you are STRANGE to the world and they will mock you for it. Can you think of any examples where you have suffered or been mocked, made fun of, excluded, or marginalized for your faith?
- BE SPECIFIC HERE (it helps build traction with what those choices look like)
- If you have not had this experience, be open with this as well (and non-judgmental with others as they share) and maybe file this question away for further contemplation

READ 1 PETER 4 - Notice anything that draws your attention? Take a minute or two and share questions or observations.

Opportunities for Prayer:
1) Purpose. What is the purpose of suffering, specifically for those who are Christ followers?
“Therefore, arm yourselves with the same purpose…” Notice in our passage how Peter starts off his discussion on suffering, using a military expression AND creating intentionality toward it. Another way of saying this would be: prepare yourselves with the same way of thinking, or the same attitude”: “make yourselves ready with the same intention.” Cultivate the thinking and the expectation that you will suffer. To quote one commentator: “Like soldiers preparing for battle, believers should prepare themselves for suffering.”

What do you think Peter’s command to be of “the same attitude of Christ” meant? Name specific characteristics of Christ that His disciples can imitate that are different from the world. (Use 1 Peter 4: 7-11 as a start.) Have each individual share situations in which acting out of this character might apply and then have someone (or a few pray in the following way)
- thanking and praising Father, Son & Spirit for those specific characteristics
- asking with specificity (by characteristic) and BY NAME that each individual would become like Christ

2) Posture. What is our attitude to be in suffering?
Recall the verses from Proverbs 3, “Trust in the Lord, and lean not on your own understanding.” We may struggle with the WHY of suffering, or how to interact with God when we are suffering. Rather than share with one another the questions that suffering provokes in you, I’d suggest the following:
- Read Psalm 22 OR 62 OR 38 OR 86 (whichever resonates more deeply)
- Pray out of the psalms – putting into your own words for God the questions that come up for you as you think about sufferings or hardships in your life.

3) Practice. How do we live this out?
- Within the body of Christ. Peter spends some time in verses 7-11 reminding the readers of the behavior
- As we live in the world. What decisions and actions that we as Christ followers make can make us different from the world? Use this time to pray for courage to act like Christ.

4) Praise – comes through purpose (intention to suffer as Christ did), which changes our posture (to TRUST in God’s character & purposes, even though we don’t understand) by addressing our mind and affections, which results in a changed practice of living (the way we live with each other and in the world), and that is the praise (glory) of God.

It is only with the Spirit’s help that a suffering human finds him or herself praising God in a time of fiery trial. End with a worship song together, or praising the names and qualities of God.

Amanda

Excellent books for further studies:
• Keller, Tim. Walking with God Through Pain & Suffering
• Lewis, C.S. The Problem of Pain

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Touching Base, Part 287

22 Nov 15
Series: Living in the Margins
Part 8 - Did You Draw the Sword this Week?
1 Peter 3:8-22


During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Relationships are complicated at times, yes? Relationships play such a pivotal role in our sense of peace, happiness, joy or anxiety, stress and frustration. In our text today, Peter reminds his audience that regardless of the context, Christ followers are to respond in grace, not power. I want to encourage you to pray through this text today. You can be pretty-much guaranteed that there is some relationship out in your personal galaxy that needs a little grace, perhaps a touch from the grace-giver Jesus.

Text: 1 Peter 3:8-22
Big Idea: The greatest and most powerful Christian distinctive is not the exercise of power; it is the offer of grace (grace not power)

To see where Peter probably learned this lesson in a powerful way, check out John 18:1-11. You can also check out Luke 22:47-53 for more detail.
Note the contrast of responses:

Peter – Power – he drew the sword, self-determined, self-protecting, giving to someone what they deserve, hasty, impulsive, visceral.
Jesus – Grace – showing favour, good will, acting in a contrary way – meaning opposite in nature, direction or meaning.

Anybody wrestle with this?

Question: How do I draw on grace, not the sword?

1. Let God do His work in you (v.8) (maturity)

There is just no way that we can act in grace unless we have experienced God’s grace in our own lives. A grace response is a supernatural response. A power response is a very natural response. Note the operating assumption of v8- it is that God is at work in their lives deepening and maturing their unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, tender heart and humility of mind. The ask of v9 will seem ridiculous unless God is at work in their hearts.

Ways to pray
- Pray through these characteristics of healthy relationships that Peter lists.
- Add to your list as you pray.

2. Embrace your calling (v.9) (calling)

Go back to the scene in John 18. Who repaid evil for evil? Who did what was contrary (meaning opposite in nature, direction or meaning)?

How comfortable are we with this calling to bless others?
How does this play out in 2015?

Peter is not saying grace is giving the other person permission to do “whatever” to you. Grace is not repaying evil for evil, reviling for reviling. It is not saying roll over and let yourself be the center of someone’s bullseye. Your tender heart, humble mind, brotherly love are to shape your posture - grace.

Have you ever seen two Christians that don’t understand their calling to bless draw the sword on each other? How does that escalate the problem?
How does drawing on grace de-escalate the problem?
Think of our relationships with non-believers. When they draw on power against us and we draw on grace what is the contrast? What is the difference?
Pray into the need for healing in relationships where both sides have drawn on power and drawn blood.
Pray for Jesus to clean up the mess (like he did for Peter) that we can make when we forget our calling.

3. Watch your words and works (v.10-17) (integrity)

Read through these verses and note references to words and references to works (behaviour). Sometimes all you need to see or hear to understand if someone understands their calling and the big idea is to hear their words and see their works.

Are your words and works in alignment with your calling (i.e. to bless by drawing on grace not the sword)?
I don’t know about you but my words and works are most vulnerable to looking more like Peter than Jesus when someone else has drawn the sword.
Pray that your words and works will line up with our calling to bless.

Some in the group may need to take some time to repent of toxic words they have spoken over people that have been anything but a blessing. I bet Peter had a few choice words that lined up with his works when he did a little cosmetic surgery to Malchus.

Some in your group may need to be prayed over because toxic words have been spoken over them either by other brothers and sisters or non-believers. Our words and works need to be in line with our calling to bless.

4. Keep Jesus in full view (v.18-22) (model)

J.M.E. Ross wrote that verse 18 is “one of the shortest and simplest, and yet one of the richest summaries given in the New Testament of the meaning of the Cross of Jesus”

Note how contrary (means opposite in nature, direction or meaning) Jesus acted. I got to think that Peter not only thought of the cross but he thought of the ear incident when thinking about Jesus’ contrary behavior.

“We Christians must seek to communicate in a way that is shaped by the One who sends us, and therefore by the pattern of the Incarnation, the Cross, and the Holy Spirit. The manner in which Jesus was sent should shape the manner in which we are sent and the manner in which we speak.” (Christianity Today, Oct 2015 edition)

For comments on verses 19,20 see below. Yes, there is great mystery in why Peter inserts this here. I might ask him when I see him.

Notice the reference to baptism in v.21. Why mention baptism here? Baptism represents a complete break with one’s past life. As the flood wiped away the old sinful world, so baptism pictures one’s break from her old sinful life and her entrance into new life in Christ and a whole new way of living- not drawing the sword/power but grace. We are called to bless!

How to pray? We need to think about WDJD (what did Jesus do) to fully grasp the radically contrary way we are to respond to our broken world.

The more I think about what Peter is saying, the more I realize that grace is power, the Kingdom-of-God-kind of power that redefines how we impact the world around us. Remember the ultimate act of grace - the cross - was the ultimate act of power - “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor. 1:24)

Go bless the world!

Mark Kotchapaw

COMMENTARY ON 1 PETER 3:19,20

There are two primary views to this passage:

a) The first view speaks of Christ ministering through Noah, as he spoke to the rebellious men during the flood. Noah was said to be a preacher of righteousness (2 Pet 2:5). Support for this interpretation is seen in 1 Peter 1:10–12 as it says the Spirit of Christ ministered through the former prophets.

This would encourage the saints who were suffering for righteousness because Christ was rejected even through Noah. Only seven were saved by his preaching and that was Noah and his family. Therefore, what is happening to Peter’s audience has happened since the beginning of time. God saved those who were righteous, Noah and his family, and judged the lost and rebellious. Though persecuted for righteousness, the Christians Peter wrote to would ultimately be saved and the unrighteous judged.

b) The second view is that Peter is talking about Christ visiting Hades during his three days in the grave. In the spirit, Christ went to Hades, the abode of the dead, while his body was in the grave. While there, he spoke to the spirits in Hades.

Evidence for this view is the word spirit is not typically used of humans but of demonic spirits or angels. It would seem that Christ is there declaring victory over those spirits who had worked in leading the world astray in the days of Noah (Gen 6:2). Also, another evidence is the fact that Christ immediately went to Paradise, not Heaven, after his death (Luke 23:43). Paradise in the Old Testament was part of “Sheol”, where all the dead were located, both the righteous and the unrighteous (Luke 16:22–26).

Many would say these spirits are mentioned in Genesis 6 as angels who cohabitated with women during the time of Noah, creating giants, or Nephilim, in the land that conquered the societies (Gen 6:1–4). Other Scriptures seem to support that these demons were judged and kept in the prison of hell (a compartment in Hades) unlike other demons that roam the earth. We see support for this in Jude 6 and 7. Therefore, Christ would have been proclaiming a “public” victory over these demons that were active during the early stages of earth (Colossians 2:15).

This would have encouraged the saints because even though evil permeated the early world through the work of demons, the ultimate victory was in Christ. He defeated all powers and principalities in his death and resurrection (Eph 4:8–10).

Christ proclaimed his victory even to those who persecuted the righteous in the days of Noah. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).

Therefore, these believers could trust that even though they are suffering, the ultimate victory has already been won in Christ.

(Source - 1 Peter: How to Live as Pilgrims in a Hostile World, Greg Brown)

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Touching Base - Part 286

During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Think of a relationship where you do not have power or a position of influence but you want to have an influence for Christ. For some it might be a marriage, others a friendship, a family dynamic, a work-related context. You actually might have power and position, but because of your faith, your views are disregarded, your faith perhaps mocked and you feel very much in the margins. How can you get people to take your faith seriously? How can you have influence?

In our text today, Peter is addressing a particular situation where the wife of a non-believing husband is in the margins, no power or position of influence in that culture for the wife, yet Peter is encouraging her to have a spiritual influence. In fact before Peter raises the issue of marriage he has already addressed the Christian’s relationship with the government and in the work place. These are all contexts where they can have influence for Christ but have neither the power or the position - in other words they are in the margins. Guess what? We can find ourselves increasingly in the same situation. In the margins wondering how can we have influence?

How do people without power or position have influence? Influence for God! We encourage you to pray and discuss your way through the following principles that Peter outlines.

Big Idea: Tune In For Influence

1. Tune in to your audience for influence v1.2 (Mark)

Note that in all three scenarios, government, work and marriage Peter encourages them to be subject. This is a tune-in word. The idea is that we subject ourselves to the wishes, rules, desires of those we are in relationship to. If I am subjecting myself to the government I am tuned in to the laws of the land that have been set before me and I live in accordance with those laws. If I am in the work place, Peter says we are to be subject, tuned in to our bosses, subject to their expectations, the job description laid out for me. In this third context, the wife of a non-believing husband is to be subject to her husband. Tuned into his frequency, love language, understand his temperament. The woman might say- “ this is what I would like but I will submit myself to Him and do it his way.”

- What is the objective in our text? (v1,2)
- How challenging can it be to tune in to the person we are trying to influence?
- Here are some questions to ponder as you think of the context you find yourself in.
- How do they receive love?
- If you know them well enough you might know what their love language is.
- Do you need to step down from being the moral police for that person and let the Holy Spirit do His job?
- Have I prayed intentionally for this relationship?
- If I were that person I was trying to influence would I want to follow the Jesus they see in me?
- How hard is it in these kinds of relationships to lay aside my rights or preferences and subject myself to the ways and wishes of the person I am trying to influence for Christ?
- How hard can it be to “bite” my tongue and just demonstrate in conduct my love for that person?
- When is it appropriate to speak up? Note 3:14,15

This was no small task for the woman in this context. Dominant among the elite was the notion that the woman was by nature inferior to the man. Peter is saying if you want to have influence for Christ, it won’t be because you have power or position but because you have related in a way to your non-believing husband that helps them see, and experience the love of Christ.

Note - You will see in v.7 that Peter addresses the perfect context. My notes are at the end of this TB for further reflection. Of course none of us are in that perfect context; we live in a broken world, where influence for Christ does not come easy.

Take some time to pray into this principle of influence. Pray specifically for the people you want to have a spiritual impact on. Pray for understanding and insight into who they are and how you can relate to them in a way that will demonstrate the love of Christ.

2. Tune in to your heart for influence (v3-6) (Rhonda)

Said another way, this is the principle of influencing from a hidden place. Read the text - Peter is addressing women who not only influence from the margins in society, but who also face the huge challenge of influencing from the margins in their own homes.

Why do we need to tune in to our hearts for influence, and what exactly does that mean??

Verse 4 says “but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” Peter is challenging his audience to influence people for Christ, to attract people to Christ, not through external means, but rather to influence and attract them to Him because of the life that comes from within. To attract them (unbelieving husbands) but also to remember that this principle applies to everyone, to attract them by the adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit.

What is "letting my adorning be the hidden person of the heart, the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit?” Here are a few phrases I gleaned from several different commentaries about this passage - words/phrases like

Meek
Tranquil
Patient
Humble
Courteous
In submission to the will of God
Not insistent on one's own rights
Not pushy
Not selfishly assertive
Not demanding one's own way

In contrast they used words/phrases like:

Vain
Proud
Self-asserting/promoting
Obstinate
Presumptuous
Self-willed


One commentary drew a connection between a gentle, quiet spirit and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 – 23):
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

Would you not agree that this kind of inner health and attractiveness is to describe both men and women in all of our relationships?

The ‘beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit’ is about being in a place of surrender to God so that He has permission to live His life through me without hindrance. To be so surrendered to Him that I don't get in the way of Him loving through me; that I don't get in the way of His fruit being seen in me. So surrendered that my pride, my selfishness, my vanity, my agenda, my "rights", my demands, my anger gets set aside so that Christ can be seen in me and others will be drawn to Him because I lift Him up with the way I live my life. Jesus calls us to let Him live His life through us so that the fragrance of His Spirit in us is beautiful, is attractive, is like adornment; HIS adornment.

I want to quickly ask, "How effective will I be in influencing someone (spouse, child, grandchild) for Christ if my inner person is (insert the opposite of what it should be) Even if I say and do the right things, if my heart isn't right, (pride, anger, unforgiveness), my influence will be compromised.

Take some time as a group to pray for heart health in our relationships where we want to make a spiritual impact. What do I need to repent of that could be hindering my witness?

Tune in for Influence!
Mark and Rhonda

V.7- Comments
This is a Christian marriage where the gospel has impacted both parties.
Notice the counter-cultural way the husband loves the wife- showing honour. In the first-century context such honour was typically unidirectional, flowing from those with lower status to those with higher status. Given this reality, the call for a husband to honour his wife would have struck a countercultural chord. Such behavior on the part of a husband toward his wife would have questioned the status systems that were assumed and defended in first-century Greco-Roman culture. Even further, the author states that for husbands to neglect this kind of behavior is to run the risk of their prayers being hindered (1 Pet 3:7). There are hints in this text of mutual submission that Paul talks about in Ephesians 5.

Note – “weaker vessel” - While in Hellenistic culture such weakness was taken as a description of a woman’s nature, moral and intellectual as well as physical, the point here is not to highlight women’s spiritual or moral weakness — 3 :1–2 counters such an idea — but rather their lesser social and physical capacity. In keeping with Christian tradition, that meant that they must be given the special consideration accorded those of lesser social and physical capacity, since they too are precious in God’s eyes.

(For further info, see The Church In Exile, Lee Beach)

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Touching Base - Part 285

25 Oct 15
Series: Living in the Margins
Part 5 - Faithful Presence
1 Peter 2:18-25

During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Like the recent TBs, this one is also a prayer guide. And while the sermon isn’t about prayer, the Big Idea does fit well with the theme of prayer.

Consciousness counts. That’s the Big Idea.

Of course consciousness matters. To be unconscious is a decidedly unproductive state. We can hardly imagine what a state of unconsciousness might be like because, by its very nature, we are not aware when we are lying on the street after falling off a bike. But consciousness is a continuum. Sleep is not as profound as a coma: you’re hopefully rousable, and can often remember some events of the night.

Consciousness in the sense of being aware and mindful of something – like being conscious of your appearance – is also a continuum. In our text this Sunday, 1 Peter 2:18-25, Jesus’ most headstrong and impulsive disciple calls us to be “mindful of God” (something he probably had to learn), to be conscious of Him and His attributes and claims even as we go about the day-to-day activities of being employees.

While not a substitute for clearly expressing our thoughts to God verbally, is not the state of being mindful of God minute-to-minute a form of prayer? What does the term “contemplative prayer” mean?

Like many passages in 1 Peter, the chunk from 2:18-25 starts with practical instruction and then goes into the big theological reasoning backing it up. Practical: Servants (employees) respect your bosses even if they are crooked, since enduring unjust suffering is valuable (v. 18-20). Transition: Do this since it’s your calling and Christ is your example of this kind of behaviour (v. 21). Theological reasoning: Christ is sinless, didn’t engage in crookedness even when up against it, and didn’t threaten when under extreme pressure. He died, was wounded, and is now your Overseer (v. 22-25).

This passage not only tells us how to act as employees, but also completely how to live as exiles on the margins. And this is the very same thing as telling us how to live as Christians in the world. The two are the same: we’re not expected to be at the center, not asked to change the world per se, and shouldn’t anticipate wielding power in the traditional sense. Actually, what we can expect is suffering. And then Peter tells us how to conduct ourselves when that inevitably happens.

Pray for your boss. And not only for “the good and gentle, but also [for] the unjust” or crooked (from the Greek scolios, meaning crooked, like scoliosis of the spine).

The consciousness of the Christian matters. The key to verse 19, which tells us to endure unjust suffering, is the little phrase, “being mindful of God” or “because you are conscious of God”. That’s the only way enduring sorrow can be sweet and seemly to God. The verse is nothing without that little bit; without it, the verse would be merely masochistic or about encouraging martyrdom in the distasteful sense. Consciousness counts.

Now here is where it gets interesting. This is where it gets really practical.

A book (a bit dry) by a sociology professor at the University of Virginia, James Davison Hunter, overhauled my personal view of this. Rooted in scripture, he says the 21st-century Christian should not be simply “defending against” the world’s culture, or trying to be “relevant to” it, or even striving for “purity from” it. Instead, we should practice “faithful presence within” it. This is a stance that can be exercised best by sojourners and exiles, just like Peter’s audience. And this is exactly what Peter is suggesting. It is a consciousness that is both glorifying to God and intensely practical. The servants/employees of 1 Peter 2:18 were surely being instructed to practice Faithful Presence as they worked for crooked bosses. This theology is “an acknowledgement of God’s faithful presence to us and that his call upon us is that we be faithfully present to him in return”.

“When Christ was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (v.23) This state of consciousness was practiced by the Son of God Himself.

Did Peter know what he was talking about? The above verse is likely based on his actually witnessing Jesus’s behaviour before the High Priest, even as Peter was thrice denying he knew Jesus.

Practicing faithful presence while conscious of God’s faithful presence to us – entrusting yourself to him who judges justly – is a stance that should pervade all our prayer.


Eric Prost

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Touching Base - Part 284

18 Oct 15
Series: Living in the Margins
Part 4 - Squish Squash
(1 Peter 2:1-22)


During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

I think one of the biggest issues for believers is to truly live out of the identity that we have in Christ. Think about it, if we saw ourselves and others as God sees us, how would that change how we live and act in human relationships?

This past Sunday we continued our series in 1 Peter, by looking at chapter 2:1-12. The big idea was, our God-given identity needs to be the truth that shapes us. The tension is that the squish (pressure of culture) and the squash (shape we are formed into) can cause us to live out of the wrong identity. This was happening in the community of faith Peter was addressing. On your own or in a group walk through this text and use it to direct not only your discussion, but also your prayer time.

The result of living out of the wrong identity (v.1)

How I am with people tells me a lot about what identity I am living out of. We speak, act and live in ways that reflect how we answer the question, “Who am I?” I will embrace a lifestyle consistent with who I truly believe myself to be. What were some of the toxic ways they were hurting each other? What are other toxic ways we hurt each other when we live out of the wrong identity? This verse shows that they have experienced the squish squash of culture!
Pray into this as God leads your group. Perhaps repentance and forgiveness are key issues here.

Note that in v.2 Peter contrasts the passions of the world (v.1) with what should be our true passion - the word. Now Peter demonstrates in Christ what being shaped by the word of God looks like.

Our example of living out of the right identity (v.4-8)

According to v.4 how is Jesus described?
How do men view him? V.4a
Scan this text (v.4-8) and look for other words or phrases that would describe how men viewed Jesus. I developed this on Sunday, so this might be a test of your memory.

Now note the opposite in this text. What does v.4b say? Do you see how opposite this is?
Chosen - selected versus rejected
Precious - seen of great value as opposed to an offense that is rejected - literally meaning to throw away.
What else in v.4-8 develops how Jesus is seen in the sight of God the Father?

Now here is the big question - What identity did Jesus live out of? Did his God-given identity shape him and speak into his spirit or did the voice of culture shape him?
Pray into this at this time if it is appropriate. Take some time to thank God for Christ’s example of being faithful to his true identity. Praise Christ for his obedience, focus and surrender to the voice of the Father, not the voice of the crowd.

I think this whole tension is seen in the contrast of what the Father said of Jesus at His baptism and what the crowd said of Jesus during His public ministry.

The Father said“This is my beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased.”
The crowd said “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Our challenge to live out of the right identity (v.4-11)

So why would Peter say what he says about Jesus? V.5 tells us. We are like living stones who experience this tension – the voice of the Father versus the voice of the crowd.

Voice of the Father - Note the key statements that demonstrate how much the Father values his children.
Living stones, spiritual house, holy priesthood, chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation. These are Old Testament truths now being applied to the Jewish and gentile Christ followers.
Note the adjectives - they all speak of value and importance. They all reinforce how precious this group of Jews and Gentiles are in the sight of God.
Note the nouns - Note that they refer to community, relationships!

Identity is not just how I see myself but how I see others in the church. And that affects how I relate. Would I be malicious, deceitful, hypocritical, envious, slandering if I understood corporate identity?

Would I be indifferent, mean, segregating if I understood that the person I was talking to is considered part of the holy nation, royal priesthood, spiritual house?

Voice of the crowd - The voice of the crowd in Peter’s context was mean, marginalizing, cruel, demeaning and defeating. Peter is reminding them that just like Jesus we can experience rejection, but it is possible to live out of the identity God has given us. Our God-given identity needs to be the truth that shapes us!

How might these statements about identity shape how you can pray for each other, Bethel and the big C Church in Kingston?

Some examples
Spiritual House - the word spiritual reminds us of the great work God has done in our hearts - born again, received mercy, have a living hope.
Royal Priesthood - Royal speaks of being a king - special. Priesthood references servants, people who serve.

Are you living out of your God-given identity? Does it shape you?
Two tests from the text. This might give you and your group lots to pray into.

Test of relationships
Check out v.1 - If malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander reflected test scores then I would suggest they get a big fat F! What do your relationships with other believers indicate about what identity you are living out of?

Test of mission
Note v.10-12.
Those living out of their God given-identity burn brightly.
Jesus served with excellence not because he listened to the crowd, but because of the voice of the Father.

Keep your head up this week. Culture may want to squish and squash you into an identity that is very contrary to what the Father has spoken into your life. May God’s identity with which He has blessed you, shape you in all you do think and speak!

Mark Kotchapaw


Thursday, October 8, 2015

Touching Base - Part 283

11 Oct 15
TOUCHING BASE 283
Series: Living in the Margins
Part 3 -
When the Who Makes a Difference in My How!
1 Peter 1:13-25

During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Perhaps you used last week’s TB as a prayer tool in your Life Group or in your personal prayer time. Well, this week’s TB might help you walk out some of what you prayed into last week. Peter moves into the next section with, “therefore”, in other words now that I have said what I have said, here are some of the “so what’s”! Here are some ways you can flesh this out. In other words the WHO, referring to God and all He has done (v.3-12) needs to make a big difference in HOW you and I live. FAITH HAS FEET, and Peter is about to get somewhat specific in what that can look like. Use Peter’s instruction to help shape your prayer time and discussion time this week.

Anticipate (v.13) - Therefore, preparing your minds for action….

To prepare is to plan in advance. We all prepare at the simplest level, i.e. packing my daily lunch, to the more complex level, planning for a strategic meeting. Note that the mind is to be prepared, not for just pie-in-the- sky, up-in-the-clouds thinking but boots on the ground - FOR ACTION. In other words we ANTICIPATE, we look ahead (with a keen mind) to the path we are setting out on. One way we can do that each and every day is through prayer. Note v.17 where Peter talks about calling on the Father.

Principle - It is what you do before the moment that helps prepare you for that moment!
Think of a situation coming up this week - How will you respond differently if you anticipate? What do you need to be aware of, how can you best “pack” for that meeting, altercation, project? How can you pray about that right now?

Differentiate-…. and being sober minded….

Sober means to not be drunk. Peter is using this idea figuratively, referring to intoxicating thoughts, inebriating thinking patterns. Faith that has feet not only anticipates, but differentiates and distinguishes between Drink’n Think’n and Godly Thinking! Note the references to Drink’n Think’n in v.1:14b, 18; 2:1,11; 4:1-5. Anticipate a situation coming up this week. How will you respond differently if you differentiate between Drink’n Think’n and Godly Thinking? How might this inform you on how to pray?

Concentrate - … set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Set means to stand in a specified place or position. Note where we are to stand? You cannot read this without noting context. Our footing needs to be on what God has done (see v.3 these people have been born again and received mercy), is doing (v.2 we are recipients of grace and mercy, v.3, living hope is something that God fills our hearts with today) and will do (v.4-9 and v.13 speak of what we look forward to). In other words we need to concentrate, set our hope fully on all that God has, is and will do! For our faith to have feet we need to stay focused, concentrate, be fully committed to keeping God’s truth in clear view. Note in the text that it is clearly the word of God that defines for us what God has, is and will do for us. (v.22-25) How can you pray for each other in this area of focus? How challenging is it to set your hope FULLY on all God has, is and will do?

Appreciate- v14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,…

Note the statement “passions of your former ignorance.”. I think we would agree that not all passions are equally tempting. Sometimes the passion might have the most power over us is our history with that passion. Unless we appreciate and understand where we are most vulnerable, we may be prone to fail.

Anything we have history with, a past with, may represent an issue we need to be extra cautious of. “Conform” literally means to give the same shape, to comply with. With this understanding would it be fair to say that previous passions have a mold, a shape that they often want to entice us to go back into, a certain mold when it comes to thinking, acting, relating? Agree? We need to appreciate our areas of vulnerability that are unique to us. Faith that has feet is not naive to how old “lovers” may try to seduce us.

Think of a situation coming up in the next few weeks. How will you respond differently if you appreciate your area of vulnerability? How can your prayers be shaped by this point that Peter is making?

Saturate (v.15-16) - …but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.

“In all your conduct” is a pretty all inclusive statement. Faith that has feet realizes that God’s truth impacts every area - total saturation in terms of practically living it out, even with those old “lovers” that may want a pass on being reigned in. Jesus certainly was the example of holiness, where holiness impacted all areas of His life and where holiness was a result of being empowered by the Spirit. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 4:18? “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,…”
Read Matthew 4:1-11 and see Jesus’ holiness in action. Satan’s temptation did not reveal an area in Jesus life that was unyielding. Note his use of the word of God. Take some time to thank Jesus for his example of living a holy life - 100% yielded to the Father!

Congregate (v.22) - Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,…

Often when we think of walking out our faith we think of one set of feet, the (un)holy trinity - me, myself and I . However in order to walk out our faith we need other feet, other sets of eyes and ears and voices in our lives. Peter is addressing a community, people walking out faith issues together in a pretty hostile world. If you are in a group setting, discuss how your community (congregate) helps you walk out your faith. Take some time to thank God for people in your group or outside your group who have been instrumental in helping you put feet to your faith.

Faith has feet. As we anticipate, differentiate, concentrate, appreciate, saturate and congregate, we can live out of the account (v.3-12) that God has asked us to draw from.

Mark Kotchapaw

Friday, October 2, 2015

Touching Base - Part 282


4 Oct 15
TOUCHING BASE 282
Series: Living in the Margins
Part 2 -
Lucy’s Dilemma
1 Peter 1:3-12


During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

What would you say to a person (on Sunday we called her Lucy) whose expectations have been crushed by the weight of reality? Do we say, “Pray and God will turn it all around?” “You deserve better so expect better.” “Suck it up Lucy and live with the bitter pill of your reality.” What does Peter say to a group of believers who might say “we did not sign up for this!” Peter’s audience are not living where they want to live, they are Jews scattered across the Roman Empire. Their RBC account might be floating belly up, but there is another account that Peter reminds them of, an account that speaks of their true wealth. This account reminds them of their true riches regardless of life circumstances. Let’s pray together into this all important issue for ourselves and those around us. As you pray think about this question, what account are you living out of?

Text: 1 Peter 1:3-12

V.3—12 Note that Peter starts right off with telling them WHO, not what, is praiseworthy. We live in a WHAT-focused world, but this is a WHO-focused account. He does not tell them things will turn around, although they might, but that is not his point. His point is to remind them of their wealth. As a group or alone, take some time to review v.3-12 and discuss key terms that describe this account that Peter is talking about. How would you describe it? How is the WHO described? What is our response to be? What did the prophets think of the WHO? Also think about how this account is so different than the account our culture lives out of, which is focused in on the WHAT! For example, where the original audience was concerned, their world did not extend to them a lot of mercy, their identities were beaten down and their hope was, for the most part, dead. That account amounted to pennies. Once you have discussed, pray back v3-12 with words of thanks and praise. Here are some definitions of some of the key words:

Mercy -- mercy refers to God’s unmerited favor toward sinners in their hopeless condition. One of the big differences in this account is that what is in it, is what God has put in it. The other account often represents what I have earned, worked for, think I deserve etc.

Born Again -- this can be a politicized phrase in our current day, but biblically it means a radical change of state, referencing a change of spiritual state reminding them of their new identity. Their first birth brought them into a world of chaos and injustice. Their second birth brought them into the Kingdom of God. Their first birth reminds them that the world has crushed them and circumstances have demoralized them, but their second birth reminds them of their new spiritual identity - something Peter will touch on later.

Living Hope -- note that this is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Contrast this with their dead hope. For many today, what represents a dead hope?

Inheritance that does get moldy (my words) -- note the cumulative emphasis Peter gives to this by using three key adjectives to describe this inheritance.

Guarded -- The word guarded is a military word. Another exciting aspect about this account and our future inheritance is that God is guarding us for it. As you could imagine, many of these persecuted Christians were kept from their earthly inheritance because of the “scattering” (1 Pet 1:1) or because it had been taken by the Romans. Some had even died for the faith, and therefore, could not receive the earthly inheritance of their fathers or grandfathers. However, the believer’s inheritance is different. God is guarding us for it.

LUCY'S DILEMMA!


On Sunday we talked about Lucy. Lucy represents people who have put all of their hope in the wrong account and experienced huge disappointment. Her expectations were for a full account but her reality is that it is loose change. Take some time to brainstorm on her dilemma. What does she feel, think, how does she act? How radically would her heart change if she was able to live out of the account that Peter is talking about? Got any Lucys in your life? Take some time as a group to pray for these folks. These may be believers or non believers who are living out of the wrong account.

Be blessed by God, not stuff! Live out of the right account.

Mark Kotchapaw

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Touching Base - Part 281


27 Sept 15
TOUCHING BASE 281
Series: Living in the Margins
Part 1 -
The Journey of Sea Glass
1 Peter 1:1-2


During our series, Living in the Margins, based on the book of 1 Peter, we are going to be turning our Touching Base into a prayer guide. This aligns with how we want people to be growing at Bethel. Being prayerfully engaged is one of the marks of a disciple, it characterized Jesus’ life and ministry and is essential as we learn to walk with Jesus. We encourage you to use this prayer tool in your Life Groups, and in your personal prayer time.

Peter writes to a group of believers (Jews and Gentiles) who have been scattered from their homeland (Israel) because of persecution. He writes as one who can identify with their hopelessness because he could tell his own story of being in a place that did not feel like home, a place where he would have thought God had forgotten about him. Remember Peter’s denial and how Peter wept? Exile - a place that is foreign, not our home - can take on many different faces. Peter wants to remind them that God Works in the Waves! Waves of turbulence, waves of unsettledness, waves that crash upon our lives and wash us up on to the shore. In your prayer time today use the language of Peter to shape how you pray.

“Elect” -
This is a word that means to be elected or chosen. There has been much theological reflection on election. However, let’s not allow the mystery of theology to rob us of the practical application of this timeless truth. Election means that God encountered us, we encountered him and He called us to Himself. Every believer like Peter (see John 1:42) has a story to tell about that encounter. Take some time to reflect on your encounter with Jesus when you first came to Christ. Use this as a time to thank God and praise Him for pursuing you and calling you to Himself.

“Exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” -
Here is the tension we all face: we sometimes move in our prayers from praise to pondering - “What, God, are you doing?” “Why, God am I walking through this?” “What purpose could there possibly be for me in this?” We experience the “waves” of life and wonder, is God really working? If we are elected, then why are we exiled?

Peter’s audience had been scattered, dispersed because of persecution. Exiled literally means to live as a foreigner in a place in which that we are not used to being. It is a place we can end up in because of disobedience or because, like Peter’s audience, culture is not Jesus-friendly. Take some time in prayer to reflect on where God has you these days. What is your “Pontus”, what is your “Bithynia”? Express that tension of elected-but-at-times-feeling in-exile-to-God.

“According to the foreknowledge of God the Father” -
Now in your prayer, acknowledge that while where you are might be a surprise to you, it is definitely no surprise to God. Foreknowledge means “to know beforehand”. It is a word that refers to the intimacy of God. It’s interesting that Peter refers to God as Father, and fitting when you consider the intimacy of this word foreknowledge. Only God has this capacity in the sense of how Paul is using it here. This, to me, is a fascinating aspect of God’s attributes. God sees how His perfect sovereignty and our choices result in where we find ourselves today. Why don’t you take a moment to praise Him for this attribute, but also to express your questions and ponderings on this aspect of God?


“…in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling of the blood” -
Note where Peter goes. It is exactly God’s foreknowledge that enables Peter to say what he does next. God Works in the Waves! Sanctification means that God shapes us, purifies us to reflect Jesus. This comes through obedience as we are in the “waves”, and this obedience and relationship with Jesus is made possible because of what God did in Jesus on the cross - “… and for sprinkling of the blood:…” Here are some questions to ponder as you go to prayer:

- Have you ever experienced exceptional spiritual growth because you walked through a very foreign experience, something you never saw coming but it grew you?

OR

- Have you ever experienced exceptional spiritual atrophy because you walked through a very foreign experience, something you never saw coming and it wrecked you?

Why not tell God very specifically how you want Him to work in the waves of your life these days? List for Him the areas you know He is showing you that still need some sanctifying, that still don’t look to much like Jesus.

“May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.”
Grace refers to the good will of Jesus and peace means to be free from worry. Certainly, Peter’s audience could have been, and probably many were, gripped by worry and wondering about the good will and grace of God. If you are praying in a group why not take some time right now to speak words of blessing over each other? We all have exile chapters, seasons where the waves are unrelenting. Let’s do as Peter does here and bless our brothers and sisters in Christ with our words.


May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you!
Mark Kotchapaw



Friday, July 24, 2015

Touching Base, Part 280

26 July 15
TOUCHING BASE 280
Series: The Book, Part 13
Too Many Stop Signs
Acts 15:1-21


This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.


Our message Sunday July 26th was on Acts 15:1-21, with the Big Idea that we need to “Build Bridges, not Barriers.” Early in June this year, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its report after being asked to tell Canadians about the history of residential schools and their impact on Aboriginal people and how the process of reconciliation needs to take place.(1) This touching base references an online document titled, “What we have learned: Principles of Truth and Reconciliation.” I strongly encourage every Canadian to take a couple of hours and read it. The link can be found in the endnotes of this TB. The other things I write about come from things I have learned at Constance Lake, and from speaking with local writer and author Bob Wells.

The direct link between the Big Idea - Build Bridges, not Barriers - and the report is that massive barriers were built in Canada between the Aboriginal peoples of Canada and non-Aboriginal people of Canada. The report calls this barrier that was built, “cultural genocide”, and I quote from the report: “It was a cultural genocide. People were beaten for their language, people were beaten because ... they followed their own ways." (2)

Residential schooling started in the 1860’s under Prime Minister Sir John A MacDonald. This of course was in the day when getting a letter from Ottawa to Vancouver took 6 weeks. It did not take long before the Canadian Government asked the churches of Canada to run the schools for them. Aboriginal children were then sent to schools far away from home. Having the churches run these schools often meant what took place at these schools was done in a religious way. From visits to Constance Lake First Nation I have noticed that the community is deeply spiritual - I have only met one person who would consider themselves an atheist - the rest all believe in God, or are theists. Can we begin to picture, then, what it must have been like for children who were aware of spiritual things, and in some cases, Christ followers, to attend a school run by the church, where there would be cultural genocide? In many schools, this created deep spiritual abuse, creating huge barriers between Aboriginal children, their parents, and God.

Of course there would have been times when godly Christ-following believers did not spiritually abuse children. My mentor’s parents, who now live in the Kingston area, were asked to run a residential school in Red Lake, Ontario. They reported to me that the parents were grateful for the care they were able to provide as it allowed the parents to do trapping in the wintertime, which required them to travel. However, these positive testimonies are not the norm. The report recognizes that the “central element of the education provided at these schools would be directed towards the destruction of Aboriginal spirituality.(3) One residential school survivor, Mary Courchene, reports “Their only mandate was to Christianize and civilize; and it’s written in black and white. And every single day we were reminded.” (4)

The abuse, however, was more than spiritual. Students were also often punished for speaking their own native language.(5) The education had nothing to do with Aboriginal culture or teachings, but what has taught was that the only good people on earth were white Christians.(6) There was abuse with food, where not only students were forced to eat food of little nutritional value, they were also forced to eat their own vomit after throwing up the school’s food.(7) Nor will be ever know how many students died in residential schools: “The most serious gap in information arises from the incompleteness of the documentary record. Many records have simply been destroyed.” (8)

I could go on what the reports of abuse stated in the document I am referencing, but I think I also need to share with you information from the stories I have heard while visiting Constance Lake and the effects of residential schooling I see there.

When children are raised at schools hundreds of kilometres away from home, they rarely get to see their parents. One of the effects of not being raised by their parents is that children do not learn how to properly be parents themselves. Students who went to residential school had no choice but to do their best with their own children, with next-to-no training. These students are now Elders in Constance Lake, and many are in their eighties. From my limited perspective, they don’t seem angry, but have deep grief over what happened at the schools.

Their children, however, seem much angrier. They are angry that their parents did not have what they needed to provide for them and their siblings. In order to cope with this enormous emotional wound, many people who never went to residential school, but who are living through its effects, have turned to alcohol and drugs as a way of self-medicating the pain. The next generation, and the next generation after that, are the children and youth we serve in our youth and day programs in the community. These children know very little about their own culture, and other than the odd word; they are unable to speak Cree, their native language. The youth we work with do not always use drugs because they are angry but because they are very available and accessible and for many youth, drug use is normal within their families. This, of course, causes even more social problems.

Am I angry? Yes, I’m very angry, and I’m very sad that even though we live in Canada, a land that proclaims freedom, many of our Canadian Aboriginal people are still suffering from the damage caused by Non-Aboriginal (Canadian) people.

In the 1980’s the churches began to apologize for the harm caused at residential schools, including the destructive impact of missionary work.(9) Most of us will remember that in 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, with the full support of Parliament, apologized on behalf of Canada.(10)

How do we continue to reconcile? From the report: “In 2015, as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada wraps up its work, the country has a rare second chance to seize a lost opportunity for reconciliation”.(11) One of the greatest ways you can help Canada reconcile is to know and understand the issues. Read, listen, dig into this issue and draw your own conclusions. As believers we can pray through this issue. Those of us who have opportunities with Canadian Aboriginal people need to spend our energy listening, and creating respectful relationships.(12) Lastly, on October 19th consider voting in our federal election for the party that you believe is going to best serve the Aboriginal people of Canada.

Thank you for taking the time to read this TB. If you have any questions I would be happy to speak with you. Again, for further reading and information please see the link below. Let’s build bridges, not barriers.

Fred Grendel
fred@kingston.net

1 “What we have learned: Principles of Truth and Reconciliation” found online at http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Principles%20of%20Truth%20and%20Reconciliation.pdf, p.99
2 Ibid, p107
3 Ibid, p27
4 Ibid, p46
5 Ibid, p52
6 Ibid, p53
7 Ibid, p59
8 Ibid, p60
9 Ibid, p98
10 Ibid, p99
11 Ibid, p113
12 Ibid, p126

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Touching Base - Part 279

21 June 15
Series: The Book
Part 8
Standing in the Breach


This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.

I’m a psychiatrist, and sometimes in my clinic distressed patients will wonder why God is doing this to them, or say God doesn’t care. I might then ask how they imagine God and what He is up to. Invariably, the view of God is one-dimensional and quite nebulous – a receptacle to pour anger and bitterness and blame into, but nothing more. He is, then, a God who serves an immediate purpose but is otherwise not real or relevant.

The Big Idea in the sermon this Sunday is the opposite: God is real and relevant. And, perhaps paradoxically, we’re going to use some of the more unusual and obscure parts of the Bible – the prophets – to emphasize the relevance and reality of God.

The world of the Old Testament prophets is a different world from ours. Isaiah walked around Jerusalem naked and barefoot for 3 years to illustrate how the Assyrians would carry off the rebellious. Jeremiah strapped a wooden yoke on to represent Judah’s oppression by Babylon. Ezekiel burned and scattered his hair and lay 390 days on his left side and 40 days on his right to bear the guilt of the people.

Question: How do we make sense of this? Can this be relevant to the 21st century? Think of a time in history you have either lived through or know about that seems so foreign as to be seemingly irrelevant now.

Many of us might think of a prophet as someone who foretells the future. That isn’t much of the story here. Or we might think of an Old Testament prophet as someone who is given a message by God to give to the people at large – the prophet as intermediary between God and the people. Usually this message is one of warning and coming judgment because of the people’s behaviour. This view is accurate and certainly a major role of most prophets.

Question: Think of examples in the OT of prophets and their messages. The delivery system goes, God-prophet-people. (Think: Jonah)

The prophet has another major role, however; one that is often overlooked. It’s when the delivery system goes in reverse: people-prophet-God. The prophet delivers his message of warning to the people, but then turns to face his boss and, as an intermediary in the opposite direction, asks, prays, persuades, and urges God Himself to change His mind. The Jewish scholar and theologian, Yochanan Muffs, has written brilliantly about this in Love & Joy (1992).

Read Genesis 20:1-7 and 18:22-33.

Abraham was a prophet (Genesis 20:7) and prays in this way for Abimelech. He then boldly petitions God about destroying the city of Sodom, and gets God to say He’ll relent if there are 50, then 45, then 40…right down to 10 righteous people within its walls.

Read Exodus 32:7-14 and Numbers 12:1-13.

The prophet Moses’ whole life was seemingly one long series of prayers, petitions, cunning arguments, and pleadings for God’s wrath to be withheld. He’s quite good at it. Psalm 106:23 records, “Therefore he [God] said he would destroy them – had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him.” Samuel is another prophet who does this often.

Question: What do these concrete and gritty stories tell us about God? Is He a nebulous and amorphous being who is unknowable? Or is He only too real?
Question: How can a human seem to change the mind of God?

When we come to the “major” prophets, a slight change occurs. After a list of His people’s sins, God says to Jeremiah, “As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me…” (Jeremiah7:16). Don’t attempt the usual petitions, God says. In fact, abandon that prophetic role, don’t try it. “Do not pray for the welfare of this people” (Jeremiah 14:11). Poor Jeremiah.

Even later, in Ezekiel, God says, “And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).

When defending an ancient city, when the wall had given way to the enemy’s onslaught and a hole – a breach – appeared, someone would stand in it to defend those inside from the attackers. The wall for Israel was their faithfulness in keeping God’s law. If that gave way, God’s wrath could be expected to pour through. The prophet stood in the breach and protected the people with his petitions. He did not argue their innocence; he argued their guilt, but asked for God’s mercy. See Thomas Leclerc, Introduction to the Prophets (2007), p45.

Finally, after so much failure and sin, in Ezekiel 22, God cries out, rhetorically, “Who will stand in the breach?” An answer is hardly expected. But then a hand goes up at the back of the class and quietly these words come in response: “Lo, I come to do your will, O God.” (Psalm 40:7-8/Hebrews 10:7).

Read the parable of the vineyard and the tenants in Luke 20:9-16.

The “heir,” the beloved son of the vineyard’s owner is finally sent, and He stands in the breach once for all. In the parable he is killed. In history, He is, too. He stood in the breach to protect the sinners from God’s punishing wrath. The petitions and arguments of the prophets were over. Judgment had been delayed over and over because of the prophets, but justice never served. So then Jesus stood in the breach.

Does the God of the prophets sound real? Yochanan Muffs writes this of Moses’ petitions on behalf of the Israelites: “Other gods would not have been moved by such…a human argument. But a God who turns toward man and is interested in man’s destiny and in man’s reaction to His commandments leaves Himself open…” (12-13).

Does the God who stood (and died) in the breach sound relevant? A God who is interested in the destiny of human beings did indeed leave Himself open – to the possibility that His own Son would willingly stand in the breach.

Eric Prost
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net


CARMEN’S CORNER

While we don’t know a huge amount about Ezekiel, here is one way the venerable International Standard Bible Encyclopedia sums him up… Ezekiel was one Busy Man(!):
- Mystic and Visionary (his book opens with his “visions of God”; see also ch. 8-10. 37:1-10, Ch. 40-48)
- Member of the Elijah School – could Elijah have been carried away by a fiery chariot similar to the one described by Ezekiel (Ch.1)?
- Sound in body and mind: this was no recluse, but a man preaching in his time and place, among the exiles (Ch.1)
- Herald of individualism: this prophet not only calls for repentance, but repentance for personal sins (Ch. 18)
- Deuteronomic reformer: he emphasized the need for worship at the Jerusalem temple (Ch. 20) and denounced leaders for allowing the people to go astray on hilltops with occult shrines (Ch. 34)
- Priest: he condemned the nation for despising the “holy things” (Ch.22) but also spoke of a renewed temple and sacrifices (Ch. 40-48)
- Internationalist: why condemn your own people when you can also let ‘er rip again Tyre and Egypt as well, and remind Israel that aliens will have rights they are not being given now (Ch. 28, 29, 47)
- Herald of National Renewal: he proclaimed God’s gracious plan to bring back his dispersed people (Ch. 11, 34, 36)
- Poet and Dramatist: his vivid message was created using many literary forms, dramatic devices, allegories and poetry (Ch. 4, 5, 15, 17…)
- Prophet of the Word: he was told to “eat” the very words of lamentation and woe which he would speak to the people, absorbing them into his very being (Ch.2)

Not too shabby for a young man initially carried away to Babylon at the age of 25, just one in a crowd of thousands!

RESOURCES

NEW Leclerc, Thomas L. Introduction to the Prophets: Their Stories, Sayings, and Scrolls. (New York, 2007)

NEW Muffs,Yochanan. Love and Joy: Law, Language, and Religion in Ancient Israel. (New York, 1992)

Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.

Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.

Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)

Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp

Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?

Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.

Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?

Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Touching Base - Part 278

14 June 15
Series: The Book
Part 7
4 Guys and a Text!


This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.

Today we move into the section of Scripture called the Prophets. There are “major” and “minor” prophets, making up 17 books in all. We are looking today and next week at the Major Prophets. You can see the book shelf below to see what material we have covered and where we are going.

NOTE:
In the Hebrew Bible these books are known as the Latter Prophets. The term ‘latter’ speaks primarily of their place in the Canon rather than their chronological position. These prophets are sometimes called the “writing prophets” because their authors wrote or recorded their utterances. There were other oral prophets like Nathan, Ahijah, Iddo, Jehu, Elijah, Elisha, Oded, Shemaiah, Azariah, Hanani, Jahaziel, and Huldah who left no records of their utterances. Mostly because of their size, the Latter Prophets are subdivided into the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Daniel), and the twelve Minor Prophets. These prophets ministered during the History section of the Old Testament. Regarding the Major Prophets, Isaiah ministered from about 740-700 BC. Israel was taken into captivity by Assyria in 722BC. Jeremiah ministered from 627-585 BC. He witnessed the capturing of Judah by Babylon in 605 BC. Ezekiel lived in the superpower Babylon and ministered from 590s-570s BC. Finally Daniel lived in Babylon from 605–538 BC.



What do four Major Prophets have to do with us? Perhaps quite a bit. When you look at one of the Hebrew names for prophet, “nabi’ “ you see that it means to declare or announce. That is exactly what the four Major Prophets did. Prophets were to proclaim the Mosaic Law to the nation. Sometimes this involved judgment, warning, words of comfort and peace. Sometimes their words were predictive (they foretold the future).

The prophets declared God’s instructions in two basic ways: word and symbol. Usually the prophets presented God’s word orally (e.g., Jer. 7:1–8:3) or in written form (e.g., Jer. 36:1–32) to varying types and sizes of audiences. Jesus was the ultimate prophet (check out Hebrews 1:1-4).

So how do we relate to the prophets? What do we have in common? When you read the New Testament you quickly discover that we, as Christ followers, are to be proclaimers and presenters, announcing God’s truth. No, we are not prophets in the same way as in the Old Testament. God chose specific ways in those days to communicate. Hebrews 1 demonstrates that that was then and this is now! (See more on this in Carmen’s Corner.) However, we are to announce and speak out God’s word. Check out 1 Peter 3:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:14-17. Note Peter’s clear instruction in how we are to give an answer.

Big Idea: We are to proclaim the word.

What is it like for you to speak out God’s truth in the marketplace, in your family, in a close relationship? Some would say it is HARD! Highly Antagonistic Resistant Dialogue. Read the following references for the four Major Prophets and see if their context was HARD!
- Isaiah - Read Isaiah 6:1-6 - How is God described? If you read the context - the first 5 chapters - you will discover that the Israelites are Unholy, Unholy, Unholy. The exact opposite of the character of God and His message. Isaiah had his work cut out for him.
- Jeremiah - Read Jeremiah 38:1-6- Why is he in the mud?
- Ezekiel - Read Ezekiel 2:1-7, about his call to ministry. How are the people described? HARD?
- Daniel - Read Daniel 6, but note v.5. Note how antagonistic the people were to the law of God!

Discuss the various contexts where you have opportunity to speak out the Word of God. Can you relate at all to the four Major Prophets? If so, in what way? Do you find the Canadian context becoming “HARDer”?

Listen to how a pastor from Australia describes the changing spiritual landscape of his country. See any parallels?

“…the ministry remains interesting in a changing world. I have been reading and thinking lately that the climate for Australian Christians is changing quite a lot. The catch phrase is that it is no longer Athens but Babylon, and that we are now in a hostile culture that doesn't tolerate or interact with Christians, but detests them. We are now seen as misogynistic and homophobic and intolerant and therefore a social evil to be eradicated. The uncovering of massive child abuse by the Catholic Church in the royal commission doesn't help the perception either. This all makes for interesting days for the preacher, pastor and church leader. How do you navigate church when Christendom is most definitely dead? All of a sudden Daniel and 1 Peter and the language of Exile is all the more poignant.”

With the encouragement from Scripture to proclaim the word, yet with a HARD spiritual landscape, we can experience great tension.

What are you learning in that tension as you attempt to speak out God’s truth with gentleness and respect?

Here is one thing I am learning in speaking up in the public arena:

I wrestle at times with fear, and with pride - not wanting to be labeled as “misogynistic and homophobic and intolerant and therefore a social evil to be eradicated”. I need to get used to the new labels, the new pushback, the new categorization of being a Christ follower. On top of that, my pride sometimes makes me hesitant to speak up as readily as I should. I am not ashamed of Jesus, but sometimes ashamed of those who follow Jesus. Sometimes the labels that Christians get stuck with are well deserved. However, I realize that at other times, those labels are coming from people who truly despise the words of Jesus and all the message of Christianity represents.

That’s my journey. How about yours?

Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net

CARMEN’S CORNER

There is some controversy in the Church today about the whole notion of prophets and prophetic gifts. Some, called “Cessationists”, believe that certain spiritual gifts (such as prophecy and prophets in the Old Testament sense) have come to an end, for the following reasons:
 As Mark mentioned above – “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…” (Hebrews 1:1)
 We now have the complete Bible with all His teachings (as well as those of the apostles He Himself trained)
 Jude (Jesus’s half-brother) also reminds his readers that the faith we believe “was once for all delivered to the saints”, i.e. in the case of doctrine, there is nothing new under the sun – we have it all.

So for those reasons (and more which space here doesn’t allow), they argue that there is no reason at all for God to have to speak through an Old Testament-type prophet anymore. 2 Timothy 3:16 confirms this, telling us about the sufficiency of Scripture for teaching, for reproof, and so forth.

Now, on the other hand are those who believe that those spiritual gifts still exist (“Continualists”) for the following reasons:
 There are people in Scripture who clearly weren’t Jesus’ twelve apostles, but who demonstrated these various spiritual gifts (the Seventy in Luke 10, Philip the Evangelist’s four daughters in Acts 21:8-9, and many more)
 In a few places (1 Cor. 13:8-12, Eph 4:11-13) Paul indicates that the gifts will not pass away until the “perfect” has come. He is ostensibly referring to the return of Christ and the fulfilment of everything.

So since the early church experienced the fullness of God’s spiritual gifts, and everything is not yet complete, they reason, we have no reason to think God’s gifts don’t continue today, and will until Christ returns.

So which is correct? You decide! :-) This, like some other biblical issues such as eschatology, is a secondary issue. Good Christians can debate it, but must not divide over it, okay?

Here’s one thing we can ALL agree on though: there are some today who suggest that prophecy can be “learned”, and that because you’re “learning” how to listen to God, it’s okay to make mistakes. This is a truly unbiblical position since Deuteronomy clearly tells us that the prophet, since he or she is speaking GOD’S words, will never make a mistake (because our omnipotent God who gives that word is incapable of making mistakes!) In fact, people were warned not to be afraid of those who prophesied falsely, and even to put them death at the time. I think what Moses was saying there is that this is Serious Business, and I guarantee that if it does still exist, God won’t make mistakes. Amen?!

RESOURCES

Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.

Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.

Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)

Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp

Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?

Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.

Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?

Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Touching Base - Part 277

Series: The Book - Part 6
“28:28”
(Job 28)


This is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build community because God's Word needs to be discussed in community.

We continue our Spring and Summer series called The Book. Over the next several months we are going to be teaching out of all the sections of the Bible and seeing how it’s put together, seeing common threads that connect the books of the Bible to make up The Book.

Last week Amanda introduced us to the Wisdom/Poetical books. Please see her Touching Base as she explained the different genre and themes we find in this section of Scripture. One thing you will note is that in this section the heart, emotion, and experiences rise to the surface. Combine that with the rich imagery of this section and you have a very engaging, relevant section of Scripture that enriches our theology. The individual seeking God is equipped with some great tools to cultivate the innermost sanctuary of the human heart.

Our text this morning is Job 28. Job probably does not need much in way of introduction but just in case read Job 1:1-12.

Before we jump in, think about the following.

To be human means to know what it is like to desire, crave, and thirst.

What desires are often at the forefront of our culture?
What does our culture say about desire?

Our big idea this morning is, Awe God, Not Stuff! Awe means to revere, value, uphold. Now think of the opposite, Awe Stuff, Not God! What is more true in our culture and why?

Text: Job 28

V.1-11 Read this section and answer the following questions.
- Is this a picture of people awing God or awing stuff?
- What is the stuff of this chapter? ( read 12-19 for the complete list)
- What imagery is the writer (Job) developing?
- Describe the effort and energy being expended?
- What image resonates with you?

Job is using the material (i.e. gold, copper) to illustrate stuff. No doubt you can make a quick list of stuff our culture goes after. But think about the stuff that is not material yet people crave. Here is my list, add to it.
• love
• acceptance
• validation
• revenge
• approval
• recognition
• success
• control
• pleasing someone

Some of what I have listed and all of what Job lists is not bad in and of itself. However, there is a problem that Job wants to point out.

V12- Note that at the summit of collecting stuff, man is left without wisdom. What is wisdom?

In the OT it involves both knowledge and the ability to direct the mind toward a full understanding of human life and toward its moral fulfillment. Wisdom is thus a special capacity, and necessary for full human living.

Do you understand the problem? People can have stuff, attain stuff, be buried in stuff but be wisdom poor.

Note where the writer leads the reader to discover the answer.

V.12-22
What do we learn about wisdom?

V.23-28
Who knows where it is?
Who embodies wisdom?
How I summarize 28:28 is, Awe God, Not Stuff!
Fear is defined as genuine faith expressed in, and animated by, a reverential awe, this is the basic meaning of the biblical idea of the fear of God.

The fear of the Lord provides a pervasive orientation throughout the Psalms and Wisdom Books. It is one of the major themes of the Poetical Books. God Himself is the true treasure.

Note that Job has been stripped down to his socks! But, he realizes that he is the richest man in the world because He has God. He doesn’t have God as a means of getting stuff. He doesn’t fear God so that God will somehow grant him a bank account full of what He desires. God Himself, by Himself, is the Treasure. And like Job points out in v.23-27, His qualifications far surpass anything we can dig out of the earth!

Take some time to reflect:

Has stuff gotten in your way of seeking the true treasure?
How do you help your kids keep stuff from becoming the ultimate treasure?
How do you know in your heart when you have crossed the line? How do you know when stuff has become an improper priority in your life?
If you were stripped down to your socks, would you feel rich?

Take some time to thank God that He Himself is the Treasure! Choose to be a 28:28 follower!

Oh ya… one more thing- If God embodies wisdom, then guess what Jesus represents? Check out 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.

Mark
If interested in joining or starting a small group contact our Director of Worship and Discipleship Amanda Van Halteren amandavh@kingston.net

CARMEN’S CORNER

Did you know that Job is considered the oldest book in the Bible, for a few reasons? For one, there are no priests present yet, only Job himself making sacrifices on behalf of his sons. For another, we can look at the nature of the Hebrew language it was written in. Some call it “Paleo-Hebrew”, a type of Hebrew predating that which we see in the rest of the Old Testament. In fact, some have suggested that Job might have been the first book written ever.

One controversial issue surrounding this book in recent years is whether or not Job is the story of a man who actually lived, or simply an allegory meant to help us understand the sovereignty of God (a bit like Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress).

Personally, I think he lived, and the reason for it is because of another Bible text, Ezekiel 14.14. In it, God tells Ezekiel that the peoples’ sin is so bad, that even if Noah, Daniel and Job themselves were there, their combined righteousness would be unable to save Judah and Israel! Obviously, God wouldn’t use the non-existent righteousness of a fictional character to talk about how the people could be saved.

So here, then, is another important principle to remember: Scripture always interprets Scripture! In order to best apply Scripture to our lives, we must have knowledge of its whole sweep, not just the gospels or the parts we like. Amen?

RESOURCES

Arthur, Kay. Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch (New Inductive Bible Study Series) Harvest House Publishers, 2002. ISBN: 978-0736908054. Begin at the beginning - Creation, marriage, sin, civilization. Then learn about God's continuing lovingkindness and faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they let Him down.

Geisler, Norman L., and Thomas A. Howe. When Critics Ask : A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992.

Grudem, Wayne et al. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well (p. 40). Crossway. Kindle Edition.)

Koukl, Greg. How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians today? Available at the Stand to Reason website at http://www.str.org/articles/how-does-the-old-testament-law-apply-to-christians-today#.VTpOJSFVikp

Longman III, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament. Baker Books, 1998. Answers 3 questions: What are the keys to understanding the OT? Is the God of the OT also the God of the NT? How is the Christian to apply the OT to life?

Redford, Douglas. The Pentateuch. (Vol. 1, Standard Reference Library: Old Testament). Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing, 2008.

Schreiner, Thomas. 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law. Kregel Publications, 2010. (ISBN 978-0825438912) – all that Law… what still applies to us? What doesn’t? Why or why not?

Zacharias, Ravi and Vince Vitale. Why Suffering?: Finding Meaning and Comfort When Life Doesn't Make Sense. FaithWords, 2014.