November 29

Second Letter to the Thessalonians - 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, 2:1-17, 3:1-18; Acts 18:12-22; Third Missionary Journey - Acts 18:23-28, 19:1-22

There are some verses in 2 Thessalonians that might make one believe that God choses or selects us. A congregation we once attended preached God's Sovereignty to the point and extent that man can do absolutely nothing that God selects us for salvation. Because of their zealous excitement over discovering a "new" truth in the scripture, they even taught this doctrine to the young people of the congregation. One of my children was among them. That child's innocent and believing heart, so wanting to accept what the elders and teachers presented to them, made my precious child miserable because of two concerns that nagged at their soul: 1. Had God selected them? 2. What about others? Is there nothing they could do? Didn't God love everyone? I don't think my child has ever entirely recovered from this teaching. Should my child fall because of this teaching, I plan to hand out some millstones.

I think my child's reaction and questions are the best proof and evidence against this teaching. It goes against the essential fact at the heart of all scripture - God is love and He sent His son for the whole world. I know the Sovereign faction has their way of refuting this. That we don't and can't understand the wisdom of God and God's love and that He sent his son for the whole world that He selected. Somehow, I laugh, they understand the wisdom of God that man can't understand. There was always a conceit to their teaching. It wasn't love.

But I rest secure in one thing - God's love. As does the whole world, whether they know it or not. They rest in God's love. And in land's where people are starving and don't have all of the "blessings" we have and seem closer to God, perhaps its because of their faith and the fact they have too little time to think too much.

I pray for my child. I pray for those who teach our children.

Speaking of wild teachings, we have the introduction of the prayer cloth in Acts 19. "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were take to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." Thus, the prayer cloth. I have a feeling Paul didn't charge for his. Some how these "free gifts" always come tied to a "free will offering." And so it goes.

Lord knows.

November 28

First Letter to the Thessalonians - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, 2:1-20, 3:1-13, 4:1-18, 5:1-28

Test everything.

Test everything. Hold on to the good.

1 Thessalonians 5:21

Ok, good.

Lord knows.

November 27

Second Missionary Journey - Acts 15:36-41, 16:1-40, 17:1-34, 18:1-11

Again, some humanity shows through here. Paul and Barnabas argue and separate. Paul has Timothy circumcised "because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all know that his father was a Greek." Wait a minute, Paul, in yesterday's reading you said, "I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law." Galatians 5:2 And then, again, "Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ." Galatians 6:12 Isn't Paul doing the very thing he said not to do? Am I missing something here?

Lord knows.

November 26 - Thanksgiving Day 2009

Letter to the Galatians - Galatians 1:1-24, 2:1-21, 3:1-29, 4:1-31, 5:1-26, 6:1-18

This is the book where our minister John Risse gets his phrase "the right hand of fellowship." Galatians 2:9 Of course, he uses it as a euphemism for smacking someone who needs smacking.

I like it that all James, Peter and John, the pillars of the church, ask Paul to do is "remember the poor." Galatians 2:10 Service to the poor, not building buildings and setting up programs, seems central to the gospel. The other things we do should be a tool to service. Too often, I think we do things that make us more comfortable. All it takes to serve is willingness and time. they are tools to make us comfortable. If the age of miracles has past so has the age of buildings and tabernacles for God's glory. He sent His son for His glory and His disciples met from house to house. In the end, I think we do what we want to do, what culture encourages us to do, and God forgives us.

A lot of the human character of the apostles exhibited here. They didn't become perfect on the Day of Pentecost. Their examples aren't without fault. In this reading, Paul rebukes Peter from drawing back from the uncircumcised for fear of those Jewish Christians who thought the Gentiles should be circumcised. Then Paul writes a sarcastic, brutal little remark that makes me laugh and consider whether this crass comment is divinely inspired. Of those who want the Gentiles to be circumcised, Paul writes "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves." Galatians 5:12 Ah, Paul, can you tell us how you really feel?

I must watch my own sarcasm and criticism of the congregation I'm apart of - never mind that a preacher mentioned twice in derision in his last sermon people setting in front of their 48-inch flat screen televisions - this in a church populated with various flat screen televisions throughout the building -- there I go again. I must watch my critical eye because Paul lists dissensions in a list of acts of the sinful nature that also includes sexual immorality, idolatry and witchcraft. Galatians 5:19-21 And so it goes.

Lord knows.

November 25

First Missionary Journey - Acts 13:1-52, 14:1-28; The Jerusalem Conference - Acts 15:1-35

Ok, so this doesn't have anything to do with today's reading, but you don't get anything really useful when you google "Christian Pharisee." It just comes out being Pharisee. Hmmm, makes sense really.

In Antioch in the region of Pisidian, the Gentiles seem to receive the good news better than the Jews. It's almost an inherent truth in life that the outsider is more open than those closer to a thing. So it is true here.

In Jerusalem, the question of the moment is whether the Gentile Jews need to be circumcised and follow the law. Note that it is some of the Pharisee believers that push this requirement:

"Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.'" Acts 15:5

"Believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees" - we don't become Christians without some baggage. And the Pharisees bring to their Christianity a bit of their law-conscious rage for correctness. It seems religion has always been plagued by a rage for correctness which I don't think should be confused by a rage for God-likeness or closeness to God.

Lord knows.

November 24

First Gentile Converts - Acts 9:32-43, 10:1-48, 11:1-30; Persecution by Herod Agrippa I - Acts 12:1-25

God, you gotta love Him. So the first gentile he picks isn't just a Gentile, it's a Roman soldier, a centurion. Just goes to show - no matter who you are - if you keep following after God, you'll find Him. Or, better put, He'll reveal Himself to you. God, as the Jews would see it, goes plainly against His law by reaching out to the Gentiles. But He had said that Abraham's seed would be a blessing to all nations. Not only does Jesus not set up a military rule - He reaches out through Peter to the military rulers of the day. Of course, the church questions this. Peter answers and the question is put to rest. It's not bad to have questions, but you must be willing to listen to the answers. Sometimes we question not for answers but simply to question. I admit I'm too often a victim of this in my nature.

Peter at the door is a funny story to me. Ok, James, the brother of John, has been killed by Herod. Peter is in prison and awaits his death. The believers are at the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, praying. Peter knocks and the servant girl recognizes his voice but doesn't open the door, just goes running back to the people. They don't believe he's there. He has to keep pounding on the door. Just funny they've been praying for his release and don't believe there prayers have been answered. A little like when we pray for healing and don't really believe God heals people...[or only through the skill of the doctor, many just pray that God will "help" or "be with" the doctor.]

I believe God can and will do it anyway He wants to! And often, He prefers to be the exception rather than the rule.

Lord knows.

November 23

Persecution and Preaching - Acts 8:1-40; Conversion of Saul - Acts 9:1-31

Once again, God does not color inside the lines.

He seems always to be the exception and not just the rule. How else could we marvel at His exceptionalness? So the promise was to be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, right? Well, why do the Samaritans not receive the Holy Spirit when they're baptized? It requires Peter and John to leave Jerusalem and go to them and lay hands on them to receive the Spirit. Why? Was it more for the benefit of Peter and John than the Samaritans? Did they have to actually see them receive the Spirit since they weren't pure Jews? And why is it that we read so much now about Philip and Saul and Ananias and not the apostles doing the amazing stuff?

The leadership of the church has so quickly moved beyond the apostles. The other example of God coloring outside of the lines is Saul. Ok, now we're going to 13 apostles rather than the prescribed 12. Why? Why couldn't Saul be like Philip and preach and be a disciple? Why does Paul have to be an apostle? An as an apostle, he is definitely an exception. He didn't follow Christ in life. Christ revealed himself to him.

God does things His way. And there's not nearly the nice little tidy pattern that makes us so comfortable.

God's way is exceptional. Lord knows.