6.28.2011
6.15.2011
God is Beyond Time
As Solomon falls away from God, in the latter part of his life and rule, this story unfolds:
1 Kings 11:14–22
God would have prevented the rising of Hadad if Solomon would have held true...
but as Solomon did not hold true, this past reference is realized. As Solomon sinned, the past was revealed, the past was even altered according to God's working. God is beyond time...
Our lives can define, even change, history. Our choices have effects in years gone by, simply because God is beyond time.
1 Kings 11:14–22
God would have prevented the rising of Hadad if Solomon would have held true...
but as Solomon did not hold true, this past reference is realized. As Solomon sinned, the past was revealed, the past was even altered according to God's working. God is beyond time...
Our lives can define, even change, history. Our choices have effects in years gone by, simply because God is beyond time.
11.23.2009
11.10.2009
Theology According to Mars Hill [Rob Bell's]
I visited the Mars Hill Church website, and was carried off to the "What We Believe" section. In conversation and study, I tend to be curious of what others believe about God and Scripture and such, and I was pretty impressed with this "Doctrinal Statement" by the guys at Mars Hill. God's Word to us is in narrative form, and it seems fitting to have your Doctrinal Statement presented in same fashion.
TAKE A LOOK:
“We believe God inspired the authors of Scripture by his Spirit to speak to all generations of believers, including us today. God calls us to immerse ourselves in this authoritative narrative communally and individually to faithfully interpret and live out that story today as we are led by the Spirit of God.
In the beginning God created all things good. He was and always will be in a communal relationship with himself-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created us to be relational as well and marked us with an identity as his image bearers and a missional calling to serve, care for, and cultivate the earth. God created humans in his image to live in fellowship with him, one another, our inner self, and creation. The enemy tempted the first humans, and darkness and evil entered the story through human sin and are now a part of the world. This devastating event resulted in our relationships with God, others, ourselves, and creation being fractured and in desperate need of redeeming.
We believe God did not abandon his creation to destruction and decay; rather he promised to restore this broken world. As part of this purpose, God chose a people, Abraham and his descendants, to represent him in the world. God promised to bless them as a nation so that through them all nations would be blessed. In time they became enslaved in Egypt and cried out to God because of their oppression. God heard their cry, liberated them from their oppressor, and brought them to Sinai where he gave them an identity and a mission as his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, a holy people. Throughout the story of Israel, God refused to give up on his people despite their frequent acts of unfaithfulness to him.
God brought his people into the Promised Land. Their state of blessing from God was intimately bound to their calling to embody the living God to other nations. They made movement toward this missional calling, yet they disobeyed and allowed foreign gods into the land, overlooked the poor, and mistreated the foreigner. The prophetic voices that emerge from the Scriptures held the calling of Israel to the mirror of how they treated the oppressed and marginalized. Through the prophets, God's heart for the poor was made known, and we believe that God cares deeply for the marginalized and oppressed among us today.
In Israel's disobedience, they became indifferent and in turn irrelevant to the purposes to which God had called them. For a time, they were sent into exile; yet a hopeful remnant was always looking ahead with longing and hope to a renewed reign of God, where peace and justice would prevail.
We believe these longings found their fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, mysteriously God having become flesh. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted and set captives free, proclaiming a new arrival of the kingdom of God, bringing about a new exodus, and restoring our fractured world. He and his message were rejected by many as he confronted the oppressive nature of the religious elite and the empire of Rome. Yet his path of suffering, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection has brought hope to all creation. Jesus is our only hope for bringing peace and reconciliation between God and humans. Through Jesus we have been forgiven and brought into right relationship with God. God is now reconciling us to each other, ourselves, and creation. The Spirit of God affirms as children of God all those who trust Jesus. The Spirit empowers us with gifts, convicts, guides, comforts, counsels, and leads us into truth through a communal life of worship and a missional expression of our faith. The church is rooted and grounded in Christ, practicing spiritual disciplines and celebrating baptism and the Lord's Supper. The church is a global and local expression of living out the way of Jesus through love, peace, sacrifice, and healing as we embody the resurrected Christ, who lives in and through us, to a broken and hurting world.
We believe the day is coming when Jesus will return to judge the world, bringing an end to injustice and restoring all things to God's original intent. God will reclaim this world and rule forever. The earth's groaning will cease and God will dwell with us here in a restored creation. On that day we will beat swords into tools for cultivating the earth, the wolf will lie down with the lamb, there will be no more death, and God will wipe away all our tears. Our relationships with God, others, ourselves, and creation will be whole. All will flourish as God intends. This is what we long for. This is what we hope for. And we are giving our lives to living out that future reality now.”
TAKE A LOOK:
“We believe God inspired the authors of Scripture by his Spirit to speak to all generations of believers, including us today. God calls us to immerse ourselves in this authoritative narrative communally and individually to faithfully interpret and live out that story today as we are led by the Spirit of God.
In the beginning God created all things good. He was and always will be in a communal relationship with himself-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created us to be relational as well and marked us with an identity as his image bearers and a missional calling to serve, care for, and cultivate the earth. God created humans in his image to live in fellowship with him, one another, our inner self, and creation. The enemy tempted the first humans, and darkness and evil entered the story through human sin and are now a part of the world. This devastating event resulted in our relationships with God, others, ourselves, and creation being fractured and in desperate need of redeeming.
We believe God did not abandon his creation to destruction and decay; rather he promised to restore this broken world. As part of this purpose, God chose a people, Abraham and his descendants, to represent him in the world. God promised to bless them as a nation so that through them all nations would be blessed. In time they became enslaved in Egypt and cried out to God because of their oppression. God heard their cry, liberated them from their oppressor, and brought them to Sinai where he gave them an identity and a mission as his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, a holy people. Throughout the story of Israel, God refused to give up on his people despite their frequent acts of unfaithfulness to him.
God brought his people into the Promised Land. Their state of blessing from God was intimately bound to their calling to embody the living God to other nations. They made movement toward this missional calling, yet they disobeyed and allowed foreign gods into the land, overlooked the poor, and mistreated the foreigner. The prophetic voices that emerge from the Scriptures held the calling of Israel to the mirror of how they treated the oppressed and marginalized. Through the prophets, God's heart for the poor was made known, and we believe that God cares deeply for the marginalized and oppressed among us today.
In Israel's disobedience, they became indifferent and in turn irrelevant to the purposes to which God had called them. For a time, they were sent into exile; yet a hopeful remnant was always looking ahead with longing and hope to a renewed reign of God, where peace and justice would prevail.
We believe these longings found their fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, mysteriously God having become flesh. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted and set captives free, proclaiming a new arrival of the kingdom of God, bringing about a new exodus, and restoring our fractured world. He and his message were rejected by many as he confronted the oppressive nature of the religious elite and the empire of Rome. Yet his path of suffering, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection has brought hope to all creation. Jesus is our only hope for bringing peace and reconciliation between God and humans. Through Jesus we have been forgiven and brought into right relationship with God. God is now reconciling us to each other, ourselves, and creation. The Spirit of God affirms as children of God all those who trust Jesus. The Spirit empowers us with gifts, convicts, guides, comforts, counsels, and leads us into truth through a communal life of worship and a missional expression of our faith. The church is rooted and grounded in Christ, practicing spiritual disciplines and celebrating baptism and the Lord's Supper. The church is a global and local expression of living out the way of Jesus through love, peace, sacrifice, and healing as we embody the resurrected Christ, who lives in and through us, to a broken and hurting world.
We believe the day is coming when Jesus will return to judge the world, bringing an end to injustice and restoring all things to God's original intent. God will reclaim this world and rule forever. The earth's groaning will cease and God will dwell with us here in a restored creation. On that day we will beat swords into tools for cultivating the earth, the wolf will lie down with the lamb, there will be no more death, and God will wipe away all our tears. Our relationships with God, others, ourselves, and creation will be whole. All will flourish as God intends. This is what we long for. This is what we hope for. And we are giving our lives to living out that future reality now.”
6.22.2009
Regrets
I remember sitting and listening to a youth group leader give a talk many years ago—probably at least ten years by now. He shared how at that time, he had recently spoken to an older relative, and in that encounter he asked the older man what he thought about his life.
The man said, "I have no regrets."
I remember the youth group leader share how we should live without regrets... how on the Cross Jesus not only took away our Sin, but he took away guilt, and shame, and regret. That is wonderful news. But it doesn't seem "real" sometimes because in my life I don't feel it experienced. One of the most haunting areas of my life is my regrets. I don't at all regret situations that I have been in, or grades I've made in school, and I don't regret what others have done (or haven't done) to me. But I regret a great deal what I have done to others, and how my poor and selfish decisions have hurt others.
"But I am a worm and not
a man,
a reproach of men and
despised by the people."
Ps. 22:6
I do have hope that there is redemption... here, and now.
"I would have despaired
unless I had believed
that I would see the
goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living."
Ps 27:13
The greatest hope of all is that one day, we will live perfectly. There will be no sin, no pain... "no curse" (Rev. 22:3). We will be glorified into a state of perfection... and I can't wait for that day. We will be redeemed, together, with all those that we have hurt, those we have cast aside and forgotten, those with whom we have regrets.
But I am sorry for these regrets. I wish I did not have them; I wish I could say like that man did, those years ago: "I have no regrets." But as long as I am me, I will be unable to say such a thing.
The man said, "I have no regrets."
I remember the youth group leader share how we should live without regrets... how on the Cross Jesus not only took away our Sin, but he took away guilt, and shame, and regret. That is wonderful news. But it doesn't seem "real" sometimes because in my life I don't feel it experienced. One of the most haunting areas of my life is my regrets. I don't at all regret situations that I have been in, or grades I've made in school, and I don't regret what others have done (or haven't done) to me. But I regret a great deal what I have done to others, and how my poor and selfish decisions have hurt others.
"But I am a worm and not
a man,
a reproach of men and
despised by the people."
Ps. 22:6
I do have hope that there is redemption... here, and now.
"I would have despaired
unless I had believed
that I would see the
goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living."
Ps 27:13
The greatest hope of all is that one day, we will live perfectly. There will be no sin, no pain... "no curse" (Rev. 22:3). We will be glorified into a state of perfection... and I can't wait for that day. We will be redeemed, together, with all those that we have hurt, those we have cast aside and forgotten, those with whom we have regrets.
But I am sorry for these regrets. I wish I did not have them; I wish I could say like that man did, those years ago: "I have no regrets." But as long as I am me, I will be unable to say such a thing.
6.19.2009
4.11.2009
The Cost of Following Jesus
In Matthew 18:18–22 we get a glimpse at what the cost is to follow Jesus. If you really want to follow the Lord, you must consider the result. Jesus says that we will be hated by this world. Hated! We will not be famous, respected, loved, accepted... by this world. In fact, following Christ absolutely brings about a life of suffering and despair. But there is no other way to be a Christian—the "Christianity" that we know and which the world uses to define us, is not true. It is not even a reflection of what the word "Christian" should be—a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Just yesterday I heard an atheist on the radio say that "Christians do not believe what they say they believe; they 'worship' on the Sabbath and praise a God whom they have no passion for, or connection with at any moment for the rest of the week.
I don't want this to define me. I don't want this to define me.
Thus, we must count the cost (Luke 14:28). The first man approaches Jesus—he takes the initiative (Matthew 8:19). This man was overcome with excitement and zeal to follow Jesus. Jesus responded, "foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (v. 20). In essence, Jesus replied to the man's zeal by saying, you will lose everything, there is no worldly comfort in following me. All you get is Me, the only comfort you will find is My presence and word. But you will have no home... for you will never find your true home on this earth. And what was the man's reply? He had none...
With this first man we see that following Christ—being a [genuine] Christian—is not marked by zeal, or emotion. Discipleship is marked by consistency and longevity. Where is your heart? Are you a "Christian" because you can get "excited" about Him during worship music? Or, are you truly following the Lord of Lords, who calls you to leave everything to follow Him?
This first man is the plant that quickly sprouted, but had no root and was burned and killed in the scorching sun (Mark 4:5–6). Do you get excited about Jesus during camps, and retreats, and D-Now, and Summer Mission Trips, etc. etc., but rarely have any intimacy with Him otherwise? Are you really seeking Christ, or merely an emotional experience?
After this first man, we see the response of another to follow Jesus. The man said, "please let me go bury my father, then I will come follow you" (v.21). Most likely the guy's father was not literally dead, but instead, the man had strong ties with his family and wanted to wait to receive his inheritance. Once he had solidified some connections, and built up some security, then he would follow Jesus.
This man is the seed that fell amongst thorns (Mark 4:7). The things of this world are distracting him and preventing him from following the Lord. Jesus' reply to him was, "Follow Me... let the dead bury their own dead" (v.22). Jesus said, those who are attached to this world, even with wealth, or success, or sex, of family, or pleasure, or happiness, or vacations, or any other thing, they are still dead. The only life worth anything is one that is entombed to the teaching and way of Christ. Any other life has no life at all.
Are you one of these men? Or are you truly following the Lord? If you're honest with yourself, then you're probably just like me—too comfortable to let go of the things of this world; too prideful to bow low to Christ; too much attached to this world to to consider growing close to the God who tells us to forsake this world.
Just yesterday I heard an atheist on the radio say that "Christians do not believe what they say they believe; they 'worship' on the Sabbath and praise a God whom they have no passion for, or connection with at any moment for the rest of the week.
I don't want this to define me. I don't want this to define me.
Thus, we must count the cost (Luke 14:28). The first man approaches Jesus—he takes the initiative (Matthew 8:19). This man was overcome with excitement and zeal to follow Jesus. Jesus responded, "foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (v. 20). In essence, Jesus replied to the man's zeal by saying, you will lose everything, there is no worldly comfort in following me. All you get is Me, the only comfort you will find is My presence and word. But you will have no home... for you will never find your true home on this earth. And what was the man's reply? He had none...
With this first man we see that following Christ—being a [genuine] Christian—is not marked by zeal, or emotion. Discipleship is marked by consistency and longevity. Where is your heart? Are you a "Christian" because you can get "excited" about Him during worship music? Or, are you truly following the Lord of Lords, who calls you to leave everything to follow Him?
This first man is the plant that quickly sprouted, but had no root and was burned and killed in the scorching sun (Mark 4:5–6). Do you get excited about Jesus during camps, and retreats, and D-Now, and Summer Mission Trips, etc. etc., but rarely have any intimacy with Him otherwise? Are you really seeking Christ, or merely an emotional experience?
After this first man, we see the response of another to follow Jesus. The man said, "please let me go bury my father, then I will come follow you" (v.21). Most likely the guy's father was not literally dead, but instead, the man had strong ties with his family and wanted to wait to receive his inheritance. Once he had solidified some connections, and built up some security, then he would follow Jesus.
This man is the seed that fell amongst thorns (Mark 4:7). The things of this world are distracting him and preventing him from following the Lord. Jesus' reply to him was, "Follow Me... let the dead bury their own dead" (v.22). Jesus said, those who are attached to this world, even with wealth, or success, or sex, of family, or pleasure, or happiness, or vacations, or any other thing, they are still dead. The only life worth anything is one that is entombed to the teaching and way of Christ. Any other life has no life at all.
Are you one of these men? Or are you truly following the Lord? If you're honest with yourself, then you're probably just like me—too comfortable to let go of the things of this world; too prideful to bow low to Christ; too much attached to this world to to consider growing close to the God who tells us to forsake this world.
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