JANUARY 5, 2015

GENESIS 12-15

Abram is called to leave his country and go to the land of canaan.  He takes his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot and all their possessions.  There is a famine in the land so Abram and Lot go to Egypt.  He lies to Pharaoh and tells him Sarai is his sister so that he would bless him.

"When the Egyptians see you, they will say,  'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you."(12:12-13)

Pharaoh rewards Abram well and gives him possessions and servants making him rich.  However, God inflicts plagues on Pharoah's household.  He discovers Sarai is Abram's wife and rebukes Abram and orders him to leave, but let's him keep everything.

Abram travels to Bethel but his and Lot's possessions are so great that the land can't support them so they separate.  Lot goes to the land of the Jordan (Sodom and Gomorrah).  A war breaks out in this land and Lot and his household are carried off.  Word gets back to Abram and he takes 318 of his men and attacks and steals them back along with the possessions of several kings.  The kings are thankful, they bless Abram allowing him to keep most of the possessions, one of which is Melchizadek, King of Salem.

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand."(14:19-20)

The King of Sodom asks for his people but says that Abram can keep the goods, but Abram refuses so that he will not be indebted to an ungodly king.

"I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the throng of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'  

MATTHEW 5:1-26

Large crowds are now following Jesus and so he goes up on a mountainside and begins to teach his disciples. His teaching is the well-known beatitudes, his elaboration is to further explain that the obedience to the law demonstrated by the pharisees is not enough.  His teachings go far beyond the letter of the law to distinguish those that are his followers from the teachers of the law. 

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...let your light shine among men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven...

He then begins to actually define the difference between obedience to the law and actual Kingdom obedience.

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

...it was said...'Do not murder...but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement.

...if you are offering your gift...and remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift...First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while your are still with him on the way...(5:20-26)

JOURNAL:

There is a ton to take in this morning.  From Abram and his acquisition of wealth to the Sermon on the Mount.  The thing that really strikes me is how Jesus is deliberately defining that obedience is not just about obedience. Although it may look the same on the outside, inside it has an entirely different motive. Righteousness is not just about observing the law, it is far greater in that it is about a changed heart, one that is not consumed with self but with loving others. 

Righteousness then goes beyond obedience to motive and the inner workings of the individual.  Jesus is setting up a standard that no man can ever fully attain.  It will allow him to be distinguished as the only true path, while identifying the true motive of the Pharisees.

Jesus is exposing selfishness and hate, in essence pulling the curtain to reveal the heart of pride and evil. His target is not the Romans, it is the teachers themselves. Brilliant...but also a certain death sentence.  He has set his target to Calvary.

“Love, not anger, brought Jesus to the cross. Golgotha came as a result of God's great desire to forgive, not his reluctance. Jesus knew that by his vicarious suffering he could actually absorb all the evil of humanity and so heal it, forgive it, redeem it.”  Richard Foster

Sunday, January 4, 2015

GENESIS 9-11:

Chapter 9 begins with God's blessing to Noah and his sons.  He gives them permission to eat anything that lives and moves.  Regarding man he gives strict instruction not to shed blood.

"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."(9:6)

God then establishes a covenant that he will no longer destroy the earth with a flood.

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (9:13) 

The following two chapters are a genealogy of Noah and his sons.  Chapter 11 includes the tower of Babel and God seeing that there is a need for different tribes and languages. The chapter ends with the introduction of Abram and Sarai and their family.

MATTHEW 4:

Jesus leaves the baptism and wanders into the desert.  After he has fasted 40 days, Satan comes to him and tempts him in 3 different ways.  Using his power for himself, using his relationship and testing God and finally abdicating his position for worldly gain. Jesus final response covers them all...

"Away from me Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"(4:4)

Jesus leaves the desert and settles in Capernaum.  As he is walking beside the Sea of Galilee he comes across Simon and Andrew.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him. (4:19-20)

From there he goes on to call James and his brother John and his ministry begins.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people...Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. (4:23-25)

 

JOURNAL:

Jesus response in the desert seems to provide the foundation of his entire ministry. His actions will never be about himself.  The temptation from Satan is centered around Jesus either manipulating God and his power or abdicating his power in order to take care of his own needs. The temptation is selfishness. It is simply another form of the temptation used on Adam and Eve...start with doubt and use the desires of hunger and power.  Yet Jesus refuses, and quotes scripture in all 3 responses.

How often I have failed this test. I can think of occasions daily where I compromise, don't obey and cave to my own desires over obedience to God. Jesus' obedience is perfect and yet he never uses his power or his perfect obedience as justification to follow desires that are not of God. 

Here I am confronted again with my own sin.  It is also here that I can fall into the arms of a savior who will always strengthen me and never failed in his obedience.  This though becomes a scary road...what will following this path ultimately cost? It cost Jesus everything on earth.  I see here the clutches of my own sin.  I don't want to lose everything.  I don't want to sacrifice and give up everything that is important to me.  

For today, that's not what God is requiring.  Just that I trust and seek in all things.  I realize that in my own power, I will fail every test.  Yet in the strength and power of Christ I can do all things.  Scary...yet comforting.  

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed of hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength."(Philippians 4:12-13)

Saturday, January 3, 2015

GENESIS 7-8:

Noah obeys God and takes into the ark the animals...God shuts the door and floods the earth. After 371 days, Noah, his family and the animals depart from the ark.  Noah makes a sacrifice to God and God makes a pledge to Noah:

"Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.  And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done..."(8:21)

MATTHEW 3:

Thirty years have gone by...John is preaching out in the desert.  Despite his strange and rustic appearance people came out to the desert to hear him preach, confess their sins and be baptized. At the same time many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came out to observe.  John is openly critical of their motives.

"You brood of vipers. Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

Jesus now enters the scene and though John tries to deter him, he demands that John baptize him.

"I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

Jesus is baptized and as soon as he comes up out of the water...

At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 

JOURNAL:

Work, action, doing...it is a blessing and a command from God. Many times, work and taking action are the last things I want to do.  Often the "good life" is represented by not having to work.  Being able to rest, relax and do nothing.  Yet, here in scripture from Noah to Jesus, actions are required. 

Noah is required to build an ark, and then to repopulate the earth.   Noah's reward for a life of obedience to God is enduring the nightmare of caring for animals for over a year cooped up in a wooden boat.  Definitely not material for retirement commercials.  

Jesus' obedience is represented here in his participation in baptism itself. Jesus at the beginning of his ministry, makes a statement, by aligning himself with the strange outcast in the desert and sets himself opposed to the "holy" and revered leaders. He begins to therefore walk the path of rejection and ultimate crucifixion.

I guess this is why we are given a day of rest.  The other six are to be spent working and doing...not what I want to hear, yet the more I obey and do, the more motivated I am to continue.  God created us that way, my body, mind and spirit work best when I am active and engaged. 

"All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today." ~ Pope John Paul VI

Friday, January 2, 2015

GENESIS 4-6:

Chapter 4 begins with the story of Cain and Abel. We see the first evidence of human jealousy and anger.

...but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.  So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.  Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.(4:5-7)

Cain ignores the warning and kills Abel.  He is in turn driven from the land.
Chapter 5 covers the genealogy from Adam to Noah.
Chapter 6 begins the story of Noah and the sinful state of the earth.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time...So the Lord said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the man race I have created - and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground...(5:5-7)

God commands Noah to build an Ark...

Noah did everything just as God commanded him.(6:22)  

MATTHEW 2:

Magi from the east see the star and travel to find whose birth it signals.  They come to King Herod and inquire.  Herod is disturbed and seeks the prophets to find what has been written, they report...

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel."

He has them go to find the child and then report back to him.  The Magi succeed in locating Jesus but are warned in a dream to not report back to Herod.  Joseph is also warned and he and Mary flee to Egypt. Meanwhile Herod orders that every child two and under in the Bethlehem area be killed.

JOURNAL:

Jealousy: resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another's success or advantage itself. Mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry, unfaithfulness,etc., as in love or aims. Vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.

God warns Cain that sin is crouching at his door and it desires to have him.  Yet Cain is so consumed with Jealousy and anger that he pursues the only alternative that will relieve his anger...to destroy Abel...this pattern continues to the point that even Herod a King is jealous and fearful of a helpless baby.

I have two cats, watching them play is so entertaining.  Seeing how they hide and wait and then pounce...yet when I think that this is how sin pursues me, it becomes very disturbing.

I think it begins with doubt. It all starts when I start questioning God's love for me. I then start looking around to see who seems to have the love that I desire. We see it in the Garden, when doubt over God's love prompts Eve and Adam to disobey. The jealousy leads to rebellion and anger and ultimately all sorts of atrocities.

If I really think about it, subtle forms of jealousy infect all parts of my heart and life.  Anytime I wish for something better, wish a situation was different, or long for something I don't have...it's sin in the form of jealousy creeping at my door. God tells Cain he must rule over it...thankfully Christ conquers all that for me.  I must believe that God loves me and is the answer to all my longings, all my doubts and all my fears.

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."(Hebrews 13:5)

Thursday, January 1, 2015, New Year's Day

GENESIS 1-3:

It Begins...the first 3 chapters cover the creation and the fall.  Everything is dark until God speaks, the first creation is the light.  Upon creation of the earth and the animals God gathers the dust and creates Man. In all his wonder, God sees that...

"It is not good for he man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him"...But for Adam no suitable helper was found.  So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs...Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man...Adam and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame.

MATTHEW 1:

The chapter begins with the genealogy of Jesus.  Verse 18 starts the story with Mary's immaculate conception and Joseph's struggle to deal with his future wife being pregnant.  

Because Joseph was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (1:19-20)

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"(1:23) 

JOURNAL:

Happy New Year!  So it begins...2015, while it is only a Man made date, it still has the feel of a clean slate as if all things are truly forgiven and all things are possible.  Yet I know that even today, this morning things will unravel, perfection will not be attained.  As both of these books begin...everything is good, all seems well.  Yet it falls apart, Adam and Eve can't obey and Jesus is eventually crucified as the people trade his freedom for the murderer Barrabas. But I have to ask...is that not the point all along?  It seems absurd that God would create something so good and perfect only to allow us to mess it all up.  Yet he does...

So while I begin the year with great hopes and renewed conviction of all the great strides I will make, I must also refer back to scripture and know it is somewhat of a flawed hope.  Perfection will never be attained, my great efforts will never achieve true righteousness.  I am back to the same place I've always been.  A flawed man, a sinner, whose only redemption is the perfect God who loves me.  

Yet, that is perfection. That is the strange, unexplainable beauty of the Gospel...man's failure and God's redemption.  I can take joy in the fact that God, makes it perfect.  Therefore I can say...Happy New Year!

"God loves You! So do I! Make it a great day!