I don’t know exactly how it is when the women get together but when the fellas get around each other away from it all the stories start flowing. Anytime spent on a tour bus with a rock band will verify this. It’s sort of like a locker room on wheels. Complete with the locker room smells.
This makes me wonder if that ever happened with Jesus and the disciples when they were having some downtime or traveling by boat. When you factor in the percentage of the 12 that were fishermen, you know the stories would be great.
Forget about the Disciples though, can you imagine the stories Jesus could tell? Being God and all he wouldn’t be exaggerating or lying and the great news is that He wouldn’t need to. We know from the parables that He was a great storyteller. I would have LOVED to have been there.
“Jesus, tell us about that time you scared the life out of Balam. Do his face right when the donkey started talking.” It should be assumed that since Jesus is God He would be really good at doing impressions. Putting myself in that place, it would have been kind of frustrating to not be able to bring in the whole talking Donkey in Shrek to make it even more funny. But being supernatural and all, it would also be supposed that He was supernaturally funny.
“And that time when you wrestled Jacob. C’mon you had to let him win for a while. Show us the move you did that got the hip injury.” The Disciples couldn’t have known about pro wrestling, but we can rest assured that being omnipotent and all, Jesus would have. Which leads me to believe that it was the figure four that Jesus did on Jacob. (Did you think Hulk Hogan really invented that move?)
And knowing guys, especially a group that includes brothers, you can certainly see how this would have given way to their own wrestling matches. Of course there would be the “oh I could so take you” between the guys, but one would think that nobody ever said that to Jesus. (Even if they thought it, which would have been the same thing since Jesus seemed to know what they were thinking)
Of course, there would be some serious guy questions. “So Jesus, tell me a little about Gomer. I’m still fuzzy on the reasons behind the whole Hosea thing, but after all you put him through, please tell me that at least she was hot. “
“And what up with Elijah and the chariot of fire thing? Wouldn’t that require some sort of cooling system to keep from scorching his tush? Did you push the walls of Jericho down or did you blow them down” (kind of like in Goldilocks)
I mean seriously if I've got the God of the universe in His earth suit at a party, plant yourself right next to Him. You're bound to have the time of your life.
SIDEBAR: If you’re sitting beside Jesus and he was reading the Word; technically he is quoting himself. Which is to say He wrote it. So whether he was reading it or telling it, in essence both would be The Word.
I like thinking about this stuff because it reminds me that Jesus , the God Man, who is called “The Word” by John was there through it all. I don’t think I ever articulated it but I think I used to believe that when the New Testament happened, it did away with the Old Testament completely. Almost like I thought that when Jesus came, that he was sort of tagged in and replaced the other God. (what’s up with the wrestling references. I swear I don’t watch it)
Jesus Himself said He didn’t come to do away with the law but rather to fulfill it. He came to be the reality of the shadows that were the law, to be the real thing instead of the pictures that the law painted.
There is a movement afoot that we should only pay attention to the Words in red in the Bible. The point being that we should focus only on the words that Jesus specifically said from His human mouth while walking the earth. I personally find this approach a bit scary in that I believe all scripture is God breathed. That He wrote it. And so even the black letters are in fact the words of Jesus and thus the Word of God.
I believe this is why it’s so important to rightly divide the Word as Paul said to Timothy. Not just the epistles, not just the gospels, not just the new or old testament, but the whole counsel of Gods Word. It’s why this series is so very important.
We talked about the dispensations last week. About how to rightly divide the Word. This week we’re going to look at the whole counsel of the Word. I don’t have to make something up, the Bible itself tells us how to approach the Bible.
We’re going to take some specific examples, and ultimately I’m going to give you some ideas on how to read the Bible based on my personal experiences, and on how the Bible itself says to approach it.
We’ll do this at 7:30 at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at the Factory.
Darren
PS- THE RECORDING PROBLEM FROM THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS HAS BEEN FIGURED OUT. SO THIS WEEK WE’LL BEGIN RECORDING AGAIN. HOWEVER IF YOU MISSED LAST WEEK, I WROTE OUT THE TEACHING IN TEXT FORM AND IT IS LOCATED AT: I COVERED THE DISPENSATIONS AND WHY IT MATTERS. WE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND. I THINK I’VE GOT IT SUMMED UP FAIRLY WELL HERE. www.darrentyler.blogspot.com
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Rightly Dividing The Word- Text form
We had some problems with our recording the last couple weeks. I really felt like what I talked about last week was important enough to try and recreate it in written form.
It's long. I warn you in advance. I'm sure most folks won't have the desire to read it all, but pray about it and see if God would lead you to take some time and go through it. I believe it's important. Especially for those who have misunderstood what I'm saying about not studying the Bible. (I've gotten your emails:)
forgive the typos. i wrote it all in one setting from memory.
INTRODUCTION:
In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul tells Timothy that He should be diligent in dividing the Word rightly.
Dividing it, a word that means to cut straight. To handle it properly. The Bible is so huge (and using the analogy from Hebrews of it being “meat”) it’s almost like a gigantic roast. You can’t just pick it up and eat it all at the same time. You’ve got to divide it, cut it up into bite size pieces so to speak.
It’s interesting to note that we’re to divide the Word rightly, and that Hebrews 4 promises us that the Word will divide us as well. It divides us up between the soul and spirit. The soul, that part of you and I that is what relates to people. Our personality. The spirit is the part of us that relates to God. There are things that are in our soul that have to be divided by the Word away from the spirit.
There are things that I would justify in my own behavior simply based on the thought of “that’s just who I am. “ We all have our battles and our struggles but there appears to be a movement that suggests that I have to live authentically because that’s just who I am. But going to the Word allows me to let that stuff be divided and made clear to me that it is sin. It’s sin that has been covered by the blood and forgiven, and sin that according to Galatians 5 will reap a harvest or corruption if I continue it.
Whether it’s a temper that I say is “just me being honest, just who I am” or if it’s sexual perversion on which I say “that’s just who I am, I have to live authentically” I have to let the Word speak into me and let it divide my soul and spirit. If the Word has something to say about it, then that is where I must come down on the struggle. I must let the Word be the judge of me and not me be the judge of the Word.
GOOD TIME TO TAKE A BREAK….
AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOGRAM.
If you approach the Word as just a book of theology or like a normal piece of literature, you really miss the point. It’s bigger than that. It’s much more sophisticated and creative. It’s much more supernatural than that.
Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the author of our salvation. This book, this Bible, is that story that he authored. At my church we're going through the entire Bible from the big picture. I love the name of the series. It's called "The Story". That's exactly what the Bible is. The story of our salvation, authored by a best selling author... Jesus Christ himself.
This story is divided up into several segments, or as Paul called it in Ephesians, dispensations.
There are many folks who believe that the term “rightly dividing” the Word refers to us knowing specifically about the dispensations. I’m not 100% sure that is what it’s talking about, but it is good for you to know, to understand about the dispensations.
Paul said that he (meaning you and I) are under the dispensation of Grace. God has spoken in different methods at different times that theological types call dispensations. When you look at them from the 30,000 foot view it’s almost like the story unfolds like this:
You and I desperately and imperatively need a savior. But on the whole, the human race has said we don’t need a savior. If given enough time, or ingenuity that we can make it on our own. And throughout history that story has played out perfectly and you can see it in the dispensations.
1. INNOCENCE – GENESIS 1-2
There are those that would say we just need to get back to the simpler time. The time of innocence. Adam was brought into the time of innocence. A time of purity. There was no sin nature. A loving God placed Adam in a loving environment. Love is not forced and it requires a choice. For Adam to love God back it required him to have an option. God did not force Himself on Adam and He does not force himself on us. That tree was the one thing that God said not to do, it was the one choice that Adam had and of course He chose the tree and we know the consequences.
At that point, all of creation groans Paul tells us. We’re in a fallen condition.
And so the idea of having an innocent environment didn’t work. Man, with no sin nature, still managed to blow it even in the most pristine of conditions.
2. CONSCIENCE- ADAMS FALL TO THE FLO0D
The idea of live and let live. We see that in much of society to this point. This idea that we can let our conscience be our guide. God told Cain that if you do well, you shall live. Of course we see exactly how that went. You can’t live by your conscience. As that dispensation came to an end we see exactly where mans conscience gets society. Right before the flood God declared that mans imagination was evil continually.
And at the end of this act, God says the whole world has to be cleaned up. A cosmic “redo”
#3 GOVERNMENT- NOAH TO TOWER OF BABEL
The idea of innocence didn’t work, and the conscience thing blows up so it’s now time to give government a try. God was given the command to govern, but here is a guy that can’t govern himself personally how is he ever going to govern politically. That’s a problem we see today even in our own government.
Ultimately we see exactly how this goes as it crescendos with the Tower of Babel. A tower that was built with bricks and pitch. Pitch was slime. The ultimate government project: solid ideas covered with with slime.
No matter what your political affiliation, no matter who your guy or girl is for what office they’re running for, they’re flawed. They’re not going to be perfect.
#4 PROMISE- BABEL THROUGH THE EXODUS
God made a grand promise to Abraham. A promise of a beautiful tomorrow. Sounds a little like what we hear today with the promise of change. If we can just live on the idea of the great beautiful tomorrow. We hear it blasting at us from presidential campaigns. "Change you can believe in."
God said let’s let that play out for a few hundred years. God promised Abraham this amazing nation. This grand life. He only asked him to not go down into Egypt which is always a type of the Word in scriptures. And what happens? Famine hits the land, Abe freaks, and goes right to Egypt where he picked up a slave girl by the name of Hagar. Hagar with whom he would later conceive a son named Ishmael. And the rest as they say, is history.
Abraham failed miserably and ultimately his descendants are going to spend a few hundred years working in the hot baking sun of Egypt as slaves themselves.
And so the age of promise comes to a close.
5- THE LAW- MOSES THROUGH JESUS- FROM MT SINAI TO MT CALVARY
So we can’t make it work with Innocence, nor with Conscience, nor with Government, nor with Promise maybe if we just had a list of things to do. Perhaps if we had 10 of them.
Which brings us to the next dispensation, The Law.
If we just knew how we were supposed to do it. If we just had a set of laws that we could keep then we could make it work. Even on that first day when Moses brought down the law, they were already breaking it, dancing around a golden calf. Moses broke those tablets that first day, symbolizing that they had already broken the law.
The law was never meant to be kept though. It was always meant to show us that we couldn’t keep it. That we indeed were not good enough. Paul called it our school master. I had one of those teachers, maybe you did too. Mine was German, tall, walked with a limp and was meaner than two snakes.
She was a constant reminder that I was not good enough. She made it crystal clear that my penmanship was never going to measure up to the standards she had set forth. And she reminded me with a yard stick that hurts on the wrist much more than you would suppose.
I can not keep these rules, I can not be good enough. I am cosmically screwed.
When you’ve been to a theme park with little kids you see these signs that say you have to be a certain height to get on the ride. When you’re 8 years old it’s a constant reminder that you’re not tall enough. But what if you had a booster seat? What if you had something that made you taller?
# 6 GRACE- MT CALVARY TILL NOW-
What if you had Grace?
Once your realized that innocence, conscience, government, promises, or keeping a bunch of rules isn’t going to work, what are you left with? You’re left with the answer. You’re left with Grace.
This is the dispensation that we’re living under right now Paul tells us. That God loved the world so much that he gave His only son to pay the price. If the wages of sin is death, Jesus cashed the check. By Grace you are saved Paul tells us. We admit we need a savior. We admit we’re not good enough.
We played out all those other scenes and they didn’t work out, it leaves us with the only answer. With Grace.
#7 TRIBULATION- 7 YEARS- YET TO COME
There are those who would still reject this amazing gift. And it brings us to a dispensation which is yet to come. Rev 6-19 describes it and you and I don’t want to be anywhere near it.
God in his Mercy is setting things in the world right. Even in the middle of His wrath being poured out onto the Christ rejecting world there is mercy. There are 2 prophets who will be killed and raised again from the dead, preaching the gospel. The whole world will watch.
There will be 144,000 Jewish men who are indestructible preaching the gospel.
At one point angels will fly through the atmosphere preaching the gospel.
You want to see some action? You want to see signs? Jesus said it is a wicked person who asks for a sign, and He’s going to give it to them. And he’s going to give them a chance for salvation too.
Ultimately the ones that are left. The ones who after God showing Himself real, live and in person who still reject Him after that. They are the ones who would say I will not have you Lord over me. God will not force them, He will give them what they want.
#8 THE KINGDOM PERIOD. – 1,000 YEARS.
After that dispensation, we see the Kingdom period. It’s a very specific thousand years of peace on earth. Believers will be on earth ruling under Jesus. Those that were saved and survived the tribulation period will be there. They’ll be repopulating the earth. The Bible says that men will not study war. It says that if a person dies at 100 during that period it will be like they died as a baby. The conditions for humanity will be perfect.
At the end of that period. Satan will be released one more time. Nobody knows for sure why, but I think we can safely speculate. There are those born during that period that haven’t had the chance to choose. Those that weren’t alive during the dispensation of Grace. They must have the chance to choose God. Love demands a choice. As crazy and unfathomable as it seems, there will be those who will not choose the Lord.
It says that they along with death, Hades and Satan himself will be thrown into the lake of fire forever..
Which brings us to the final dispensation.
#9 NEW CREATION PERIOD
People are allowed to play out their fantasies. They’re allowed to get a first hand look at the “well if I had it this way then I could make it work” thoughts. If I can just see God if I can just get back to the Garden, If I can just get the right government in place, If I can just let my conscience guide me, and on and on we can go.
We get to the final scene of a new heaven and a new earth coming together. We finally get that the only conclusion is receiving Christ as my personal Lord and savior that I am clothed with His righteousness and not my own. We get to see that is the ONLY way it works. We get to see that we really did need Him all along. And we get to see that He was there for us all along.
We just had to take the scenic route.
CONCLUSION:
That’s the whole sweeping story. The Bible from 30,000 feet.
The reason we need to get this isn’t so we can be “right” and can win theological arguments. 2 Tim 2 :13 (the verse right before rightly dividing the word) says we’re to avoid those kinds of arguments anyway.
The reason it’s important to know how to rightly divide the word is so we won’t be ashamed. Not ashamed here on earth or not ashamed when we stand before Jesus.
You can understand that the reason we don’t have to go to church on the biblical Sabbath was that during the dispensation of the law. Paul says we don’t let people judge us on the days of the week, festivals, etc. We would know that if we were trying to go to church on Saturday to obey that dispensation that we aren’t supposed to walk more than 100 yds on the Sabbath so we couldn’t go to church at all.
You can understand that
You won't waste your time with silly stuff like making sure you're hair is short enough or that you have to dress in suit and ties to "look your best" for God. You won't throw your money into crazy places based on false promises of getting rich. You won't beat up your brothers and sisters in condemnation nor will you allow someone to do it to you.
You won’t waste your time with useless arguments.
You won’t be ashamed.
It's long. I warn you in advance. I'm sure most folks won't have the desire to read it all, but pray about it and see if God would lead you to take some time and go through it. I believe it's important. Especially for those who have misunderstood what I'm saying about not studying the Bible. (I've gotten your emails:)
forgive the typos. i wrote it all in one setting from memory.
INTRODUCTION:
In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul tells Timothy that He should be diligent in dividing the Word rightly.
Dividing it, a word that means to cut straight. To handle it properly. The Bible is so huge (and using the analogy from Hebrews of it being “meat”) it’s almost like a gigantic roast. You can’t just pick it up and eat it all at the same time. You’ve got to divide it, cut it up into bite size pieces so to speak.
It’s interesting to note that we’re to divide the Word rightly, and that Hebrews 4 promises us that the Word will divide us as well. It divides us up between the soul and spirit. The soul, that part of you and I that is what relates to people. Our personality. The spirit is the part of us that relates to God. There are things that are in our soul that have to be divided by the Word away from the spirit.
There are things that I would justify in my own behavior simply based on the thought of “that’s just who I am. “ We all have our battles and our struggles but there appears to be a movement that suggests that I have to live authentically because that’s just who I am. But going to the Word allows me to let that stuff be divided and made clear to me that it is sin. It’s sin that has been covered by the blood and forgiven, and sin that according to Galatians 5 will reap a harvest or corruption if I continue it.
Whether it’s a temper that I say is “just me being honest, just who I am” or if it’s sexual perversion on which I say “that’s just who I am, I have to live authentically” I have to let the Word speak into me and let it divide my soul and spirit. If the Word has something to say about it, then that is where I must come down on the struggle. I must let the Word be the judge of me and not me be the judge of the Word.
GOOD TIME TO TAKE A BREAK….
AND NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOGRAM.
If you approach the Word as just a book of theology or like a normal piece of literature, you really miss the point. It’s bigger than that. It’s much more sophisticated and creative. It’s much more supernatural than that.
Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the author of our salvation. This book, this Bible, is that story that he authored. At my church we're going through the entire Bible from the big picture. I love the name of the series. It's called "The Story". That's exactly what the Bible is. The story of our salvation, authored by a best selling author... Jesus Christ himself.
This story is divided up into several segments, or as Paul called it in Ephesians, dispensations.
There are many folks who believe that the term “rightly dividing” the Word refers to us knowing specifically about the dispensations. I’m not 100% sure that is what it’s talking about, but it is good for you to know, to understand about the dispensations.
Paul said that he (meaning you and I) are under the dispensation of Grace. God has spoken in different methods at different times that theological types call dispensations. When you look at them from the 30,000 foot view it’s almost like the story unfolds like this:
You and I desperately and imperatively need a savior. But on the whole, the human race has said we don’t need a savior. If given enough time, or ingenuity that we can make it on our own. And throughout history that story has played out perfectly and you can see it in the dispensations.
1. INNOCENCE – GENESIS 1-2
There are those that would say we just need to get back to the simpler time. The time of innocence. Adam was brought into the time of innocence. A time of purity. There was no sin nature. A loving God placed Adam in a loving environment. Love is not forced and it requires a choice. For Adam to love God back it required him to have an option. God did not force Himself on Adam and He does not force himself on us. That tree was the one thing that God said not to do, it was the one choice that Adam had and of course He chose the tree and we know the consequences.
At that point, all of creation groans Paul tells us. We’re in a fallen condition.
And so the idea of having an innocent environment didn’t work. Man, with no sin nature, still managed to blow it even in the most pristine of conditions.
2. CONSCIENCE- ADAMS FALL TO THE FLO0D
The idea of live and let live. We see that in much of society to this point. This idea that we can let our conscience be our guide. God told Cain that if you do well, you shall live. Of course we see exactly how that went. You can’t live by your conscience. As that dispensation came to an end we see exactly where mans conscience gets society. Right before the flood God declared that mans imagination was evil continually.
And at the end of this act, God says the whole world has to be cleaned up. A cosmic “redo”
#3 GOVERNMENT- NOAH TO TOWER OF BABEL
The idea of innocence didn’t work, and the conscience thing blows up so it’s now time to give government a try. God was given the command to govern, but here is a guy that can’t govern himself personally how is he ever going to govern politically. That’s a problem we see today even in our own government.
Ultimately we see exactly how this goes as it crescendos with the Tower of Babel. A tower that was built with bricks and pitch. Pitch was slime. The ultimate government project: solid ideas covered with with slime.
No matter what your political affiliation, no matter who your guy or girl is for what office they’re running for, they’re flawed. They’re not going to be perfect.
#4 PROMISE- BABEL THROUGH THE EXODUS
God made a grand promise to Abraham. A promise of a beautiful tomorrow. Sounds a little like what we hear today with the promise of change. If we can just live on the idea of the great beautiful tomorrow. We hear it blasting at us from presidential campaigns. "Change you can believe in."
God said let’s let that play out for a few hundred years. God promised Abraham this amazing nation. This grand life. He only asked him to not go down into Egypt which is always a type of the Word in scriptures. And what happens? Famine hits the land, Abe freaks, and goes right to Egypt where he picked up a slave girl by the name of Hagar. Hagar with whom he would later conceive a son named Ishmael. And the rest as they say, is history.
Abraham failed miserably and ultimately his descendants are going to spend a few hundred years working in the hot baking sun of Egypt as slaves themselves.
And so the age of promise comes to a close.
5- THE LAW- MOSES THROUGH JESUS- FROM MT SINAI TO MT CALVARY
So we can’t make it work with Innocence, nor with Conscience, nor with Government, nor with Promise maybe if we just had a list of things to do. Perhaps if we had 10 of them.
Which brings us to the next dispensation, The Law.
If we just knew how we were supposed to do it. If we just had a set of laws that we could keep then we could make it work. Even on that first day when Moses brought down the law, they were already breaking it, dancing around a golden calf. Moses broke those tablets that first day, symbolizing that they had already broken the law.
The law was never meant to be kept though. It was always meant to show us that we couldn’t keep it. That we indeed were not good enough. Paul called it our school master. I had one of those teachers, maybe you did too. Mine was German, tall, walked with a limp and was meaner than two snakes.
She was a constant reminder that I was not good enough. She made it crystal clear that my penmanship was never going to measure up to the standards she had set forth. And she reminded me with a yard stick that hurts on the wrist much more than you would suppose.
I can not keep these rules, I can not be good enough. I am cosmically screwed.
When you’ve been to a theme park with little kids you see these signs that say you have to be a certain height to get on the ride. When you’re 8 years old it’s a constant reminder that you’re not tall enough. But what if you had a booster seat? What if you had something that made you taller?
# 6 GRACE- MT CALVARY TILL NOW-
What if you had Grace?
Once your realized that innocence, conscience, government, promises, or keeping a bunch of rules isn’t going to work, what are you left with? You’re left with the answer. You’re left with Grace.
This is the dispensation that we’re living under right now Paul tells us. That God loved the world so much that he gave His only son to pay the price. If the wages of sin is death, Jesus cashed the check. By Grace you are saved Paul tells us. We admit we need a savior. We admit we’re not good enough.
We played out all those other scenes and they didn’t work out, it leaves us with the only answer. With Grace.
#7 TRIBULATION- 7 YEARS- YET TO COME
There are those who would still reject this amazing gift. And it brings us to a dispensation which is yet to come. Rev 6-19 describes it and you and I don’t want to be anywhere near it.
God in his Mercy is setting things in the world right. Even in the middle of His wrath being poured out onto the Christ rejecting world there is mercy. There are 2 prophets who will be killed and raised again from the dead, preaching the gospel. The whole world will watch.
There will be 144,000 Jewish men who are indestructible preaching the gospel.
At one point angels will fly through the atmosphere preaching the gospel.
You want to see some action? You want to see signs? Jesus said it is a wicked person who asks for a sign, and He’s going to give it to them. And he’s going to give them a chance for salvation too.
Ultimately the ones that are left. The ones who after God showing Himself real, live and in person who still reject Him after that. They are the ones who would say I will not have you Lord over me. God will not force them, He will give them what they want.
#8 THE KINGDOM PERIOD. – 1,000 YEARS.
After that dispensation, we see the Kingdom period. It’s a very specific thousand years of peace on earth. Believers will be on earth ruling under Jesus. Those that were saved and survived the tribulation period will be there. They’ll be repopulating the earth. The Bible says that men will not study war. It says that if a person dies at 100 during that period it will be like they died as a baby. The conditions for humanity will be perfect.
At the end of that period. Satan will be released one more time. Nobody knows for sure why, but I think we can safely speculate. There are those born during that period that haven’t had the chance to choose. Those that weren’t alive during the dispensation of Grace. They must have the chance to choose God. Love demands a choice. As crazy and unfathomable as it seems, there will be those who will not choose the Lord.
It says that they along with death, Hades and Satan himself will be thrown into the lake of fire forever..
Which brings us to the final dispensation.
#9 NEW CREATION PERIOD
People are allowed to play out their fantasies. They’re allowed to get a first hand look at the “well if I had it this way then I could make it work” thoughts. If I can just see God if I can just get back to the Garden, If I can just get the right government in place, If I can just let my conscience guide me, and on and on we can go.
We get to the final scene of a new heaven and a new earth coming together. We finally get that the only conclusion is receiving Christ as my personal Lord and savior that I am clothed with His righteousness and not my own. We get to see that is the ONLY way it works. We get to see that we really did need Him all along. And we get to see that He was there for us all along.
We just had to take the scenic route.
CONCLUSION:
That’s the whole sweeping story. The Bible from 30,000 feet.
The reason we need to get this isn’t so we can be “right” and can win theological arguments. 2 Tim 2 :13 (the verse right before rightly dividing the word) says we’re to avoid those kinds of arguments anyway.
The reason it’s important to know how to rightly divide the word is so we won’t be ashamed. Not ashamed here on earth or not ashamed when we stand before Jesus.
You can understand that the reason we don’t have to go to church on the biblical Sabbath was that during the dispensation of the law. Paul says we don’t let people judge us on the days of the week, festivals, etc. We would know that if we were trying to go to church on Saturday to obey that dispensation that we aren’t supposed to walk more than 100 yds on the Sabbath so we couldn’t go to church at all.
You can understand that
You won't waste your time with silly stuff like making sure you're hair is short enough or that you have to dress in suit and ties to "look your best" for God. You won't throw your money into crazy places based on false promises of getting rich. You won't beat up your brothers and sisters in condemnation nor will you allow someone to do it to you.
You won’t waste your time with useless arguments.
You won’t be ashamed.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Conduit July 21- Digging Deep In The Underwear Drawer
I don't know if you can relate to this but I think I frustrate my wife because I have plenty of clothes in my closet and drawers but I seem to wear the same 4-5 things over and over again.
My wife has just undergone the semi annual clothes purge from my closet. Some lucky Hispanic gentlemen are usually the lucky recipients of this purge after they end up in the Tyler garage sale.
The problem isn't so much that I don't have options. The problem isn't even that I don't necessarily like the options. (with notable exceptions such as the silk boxers and button down dress shirts) The problem is more about easy access.
You see, my wife is very good at keeping up with the laundry. So when I wear something, chances are it's going to be washed, dried, and back in rotation in a matter of a couple days. So when I head to the closet those are the things at the front or on top. I might be inclined to dig down 2-3 shirts or jeans, but no more than that.
The underwear drawer it not a dissimilar situation. Don't get me wrong. Like every guy I've got the actives and the reserves, but I've definitely got my "go to" and again normally it's on the top of the drawer. (the notable exceptions being the afore mentioned silk boxers)
My dad tells a story about his favorite yellow shirt disappearing soon after he and mom got married. A crime that has my moms fingerprints all over it, although she was never prosecuted. She had motive and access. It would have been an open and shut case in any court of law.
It seems to indicate that this is a timeless problem. I'll bet that Adam would have worn the same fig leaves over and over again if it weren't for how itchy leaves can be when they dry up. And I assume animal skins would go putrid at some point but I digress.
My desire to not dig deep isn't so much about laziness as it is about hassle. Easy access, simply execution and I'm off to the races.
As we approach these next few weeks of how to approach the Bible we're definitely going to dig deep. It occurs to me that a supernatural text written by a supernatural God would require supernatural assistance in getting it inside of you.
Tonight we're going to talk about rightly dividing the Word. 2 Timothy clearly says that we should know how to rightly divide the Word. Hebrews tells us that the Word should divide our spirit and soul. But what does that mean? How on earth do I divide the Word? It seems that it means we should just "understand" it, but it actually says "divide". What meanest these things?
We'll talk about it tonight. Bring your Bible and a shovel. We're going to dig deep.
See you tonight at 7:30pm at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at the Factory. Philip Peters will be leading worship.
Blessings,
Darren
PS- IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION- I got an email from a friend who was concerned that I am advocating not knowing the Word yourself and allowing others to be the ones who teach it to you. Due to their specific religious upbringing that seemed to be what the email indicated. Just to be clear: I am NOT advocating that in the least. Quite the contrary. I'm suggesting that just studying for the sake of head knowledge isn't the point. Getting the Word in you, meditating on it, keeping it in your hearts, etc all require diligence and time in the Word. We are, and will continue to be a gathering that is dedicating to searching the scriptures verse by verse and finding Jesus Christ there.
My wife has just undergone the semi annual clothes purge from my closet. Some lucky Hispanic gentlemen are usually the lucky recipients of this purge after they end up in the Tyler garage sale.
The problem isn't so much that I don't have options. The problem isn't even that I don't necessarily like the options. (with notable exceptions such as the silk boxers and button down dress shirts) The problem is more about easy access.
You see, my wife is very good at keeping up with the laundry. So when I wear something, chances are it's going to be washed, dried, and back in rotation in a matter of a couple days. So when I head to the closet those are the things at the front or on top. I might be inclined to dig down 2-3 shirts or jeans, but no more than that.
The underwear drawer it not a dissimilar situation. Don't get me wrong. Like every guy I've got the actives and the reserves, but I've definitely got my "go to" and again normally it's on the top of the drawer. (the notable exceptions being the afore mentioned silk boxers)
My dad tells a story about his favorite yellow shirt disappearing soon after he and mom got married. A crime that has my moms fingerprints all over it, although she was never prosecuted. She had motive and access. It would have been an open and shut case in any court of law.
It seems to indicate that this is a timeless problem. I'll bet that Adam would have worn the same fig leaves over and over again if it weren't for how itchy leaves can be when they dry up. And I assume animal skins would go putrid at some point but I digress.
My desire to not dig deep isn't so much about laziness as it is about hassle. Easy access, simply execution and I'm off to the races.
As we approach these next few weeks of how to approach the Bible we're definitely going to dig deep. It occurs to me that a supernatural text written by a supernatural God would require supernatural assistance in getting it inside of you.
Tonight we're going to talk about rightly dividing the Word. 2 Timothy clearly says that we should know how to rightly divide the Word. Hebrews tells us that the Word should divide our spirit and soul. But what does that mean? How on earth do I divide the Word? It seems that it means we should just "understand" it, but it actually says "divide". What meanest these things?
We'll talk about it tonight. Bring your Bible and a shovel. We're going to dig deep.
See you tonight at 7:30pm at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at the Factory. Philip Peters will be leading worship.
Blessings,
Darren
PS- IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION- I got an email from a friend who was concerned that I am advocating not knowing the Word yourself and allowing others to be the ones who teach it to you. Due to their specific religious upbringing that seemed to be what the email indicated. Just to be clear: I am NOT advocating that in the least. Quite the contrary. I'm suggesting that just studying for the sake of head knowledge isn't the point. Getting the Word in you, meditating on it, keeping it in your hearts, etc all require diligence and time in the Word. We are, and will continue to be a gathering that is dedicating to searching the scriptures verse by verse and finding Jesus Christ there.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Conduit July 21- How To NOT Study The Bible
Why is it that the Bible can seem so overwhelming? If it’s so important and so crucial to my walk with the Lord, then why does it have to be so hard? How is it possible that it can seem so boring?
I personally believe that the Bible itself isn’t the problem, but that it’s our approach to it. I use the word study a lot when referencing the scriptures. When I went to Bible College, we “studied” the Bible. We were memorizing stuff, learning the history of the divided kingdoms, and impressing ourselves with all the knowledge we were gaining. Knowledge that the Bible itself says “puffs up”.
Think with me for a minute.
The Bible gives us all kinds of great advice on how to approach it and oddly enough “studying it” is not on the list.
When you go to Psalm 119, which is the longest chapter in the Bible, it is actually about Gods word. Read through that and see if you can find the word study. We are commanded to keep, obey, consider, learn, neglect not, rejoice, meditate, long for, be consumed with, trust in, and seek the Word. But not one time are we told to study it.
Joshua was admonished to let not the Word depart from his mouth, to keep it.
David said that Gods Word was a lamp for his feet.
Jesus referred to the Word as “seeds” in his parable of the sower.
I could go on but there are multiple pictures, images and descriptions of the Word and how we’re to handle it.
But keep looking and you’ll only find the word “study” around 4 times depending on the translation less. Reducing it to studying it seems to miss the point
John 5:39 Jesus admonishes the Pharisee’s about studying the Word looking for eternal life and missing the point that Jesus was the one that the Word they were studying was pointing too. Read it in context. He is not giving them a ringing endorsement for that approach to the scriptures.
2 Timothy 2:15 Is the clarion call to study the Word. It’s one that I’ve leaned on and quoted before. Except that the original Greek word isn’t study. It’s “spoudazo”. It means to be diligent, to exert yourself. It’s usually translated as “endeavor” or “diligent” and only once translated as study.
Solomon did say that he studied the word but in Eccl 12:12 he says that study makes you weary. Anyone who has fallen asleep studying for a test can give a hearty amen!.
John says that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is the Word. If I’m looking to build my relationship with my wife, the last thing on my list is to “study” her.
My approach to the Bible is looking for Jesus. Whether it’s in the types and shadows of the laws, the genealogies, or the prophecies He is there. Jesus himself said it all pointed to him. When He encountered the two disciples on the road to Emmaus it says that He took them through the Word and showed them how it all pointed to Him. And I love this part; it says “there eyes were opened”.
Finding Jesus in the Word opens your eyes. Let’s look for him. And as we do, we’ll continue to be blown away by Him, and grow in our love for Him.
My prayer is that when we get through this series, that you’ll have a new appreciation for just how amazing God is. So join me as we learn how to NOT study the Bible. Let’s not make this semantics, let’s approach the Word as the Word itself tells us to approach it.
Monday night at 7:30pm at Journey Ecclesia.
Blessings,
Darren
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com
www.conduitmission.org
I personally believe that the Bible itself isn’t the problem, but that it’s our approach to it. I use the word study a lot when referencing the scriptures. When I went to Bible College, we “studied” the Bible. We were memorizing stuff, learning the history of the divided kingdoms, and impressing ourselves with all the knowledge we were gaining. Knowledge that the Bible itself says “puffs up”.
Think with me for a minute.
The Bible gives us all kinds of great advice on how to approach it and oddly enough “studying it” is not on the list.
When you go to Psalm 119, which is the longest chapter in the Bible, it is actually about Gods word. Read through that and see if you can find the word study. We are commanded to keep, obey, consider, learn, neglect not, rejoice, meditate, long for, be consumed with, trust in, and seek the Word. But not one time are we told to study it.
Joshua was admonished to let not the Word depart from his mouth, to keep it.
David said that Gods Word was a lamp for his feet.
Jesus referred to the Word as “seeds” in his parable of the sower.
I could go on but there are multiple pictures, images and descriptions of the Word and how we’re to handle it.
But keep looking and you’ll only find the word “study” around 4 times depending on the translation less. Reducing it to studying it seems to miss the point
John 5:39 Jesus admonishes the Pharisee’s about studying the Word looking for eternal life and missing the point that Jesus was the one that the Word they were studying was pointing too. Read it in context. He is not giving them a ringing endorsement for that approach to the scriptures.
2 Timothy 2:15 Is the clarion call to study the Word. It’s one that I’ve leaned on and quoted before. Except that the original Greek word isn’t study. It’s “spoudazo”. It means to be diligent, to exert yourself. It’s usually translated as “endeavor” or “diligent” and only once translated as study.
Solomon did say that he studied the word but in Eccl 12:12 he says that study makes you weary. Anyone who has fallen asleep studying for a test can give a hearty amen!.
John says that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is the Word. If I’m looking to build my relationship with my wife, the last thing on my list is to “study” her.
My approach to the Bible is looking for Jesus. Whether it’s in the types and shadows of the laws, the genealogies, or the prophecies He is there. Jesus himself said it all pointed to him. When He encountered the two disciples on the road to Emmaus it says that He took them through the Word and showed them how it all pointed to Him. And I love this part; it says “there eyes were opened”.
Finding Jesus in the Word opens your eyes. Let’s look for him. And as we do, we’ll continue to be blown away by Him, and grow in our love for Him.
My prayer is that when we get through this series, that you’ll have a new appreciation for just how amazing God is. So join me as we learn how to NOT study the Bible. Let’s not make this semantics, let’s approach the Word as the Word itself tells us to approach it.
Monday night at 7:30pm at Journey Ecclesia.
Blessings,
Darren
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com
www.conduitmission.org
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Conduit July 14- How To "Study" The Bible
When you get saved you’re offered many helpful steps to make your Christian walk complete. Going to church, praying every day and in some more ambitious circles you should really begin tithing immediately so as to have someone called the devourer rebuked and to avoid what those pesky canker worms and locusts will do to you.
And for sure you’ve got to read your Bible. Read it every day you’re told.
This is a great piece of advice except that to the uninitiated the Bible can be somewhat of an overwhelming tome.
Imagine with me that you’ve never heard of the Bible. That you’ve never heard the stories with the flannel graph characters from the well meaning Sunday school teacher with a mustache and floral print dresses. (the floral dresses if it was a female the mustache if it was either)
Imagine with me that you’re reading it for the very first time. What would it look like for you?
For starters it’s really long. I mean REALLY long. It’s got like 1, 000 pages. And even more it’s in small print and just to make sure your eyes roll completely back into your head, it’s in two columns!
Then you realize in a hurry that there are no “points”. Christian books are supposed to have points or for the more sophisticated they have “steps”. Usually they’re numbered and range anywhere from three to ten steps or points and with a few notable exceptions twelve. But the Bible doesn’t have any of that. It’s got chapters, and verses, but they don’t seem to serve any other purpose than to locate that statement you really liked about being successful and have your breadbaskets full. (never mind that bread has so many carbs)
There are all kinds of seemingly unhelpful information about whether or not my boil is clean or unclean and a command on how to properly go to the bathroom outside.
There is that one book full of really wise things that are bite sized and suitable for framing. Kind of like Gods very own “successories”.
There are definitely some exciting moments with drama, adultery, and intrigue. It’s kind of like a new NBC series but with robes. You got a guy who becomes king and for sport kills his neighbor and takes his hot wife. There’s that one about the dude who marries a hooker who constantly cheats on him and yet God still tells him to stay with him. And of course that great one about the guy who was super hero strong but after being seduced by a buxom young hottie gets his hair cut off and in a Shakespearean final act he kills himself and all of the enemies in one act.
There are those short books with strange names towards the middle with titles like Habukakuk and Haggai with images of beasts with twelve heads that drink blood for who terrify cities and for whom mothers take their children off the streets.
And then there are the genealogies. I mean seriously have you read a genealogy? Meshuickansianaianrama the son of Reahoboamaninian begat Hababukiareaianwho dwelt in the valley of Meshiuknian which is by the Jordan. Maybe the reason they don’t use last names in the Bible is because the first names are just too long?
As you hit about ¾ of the way you get to what appears to be Chapter 2, but it’s in fact a different section. It’s called the New Testament. The only “testament” that I’ve ever actually seen before was my “last will and testament”.
The New Testament is pretty cool except the part where they kill the hero. You’re not supposed to kill the hero. I mean seriously. Oh wait. Whew. He rises from the dead. What a twist. Normally if the hero dies he would wake up and realize it was all a dream.
If you can make it all the way to the end you find that part with all the beasts again. Sounds vaguely familiar. Almost like that stuff from those books in the middle. And then there’s that hero guy again who rose from the dead. He seemed so peaceful, and now he’s got the fire, the sword and he flies. He really is a hero. He just needs a cape. It’s kind of like Batman but with a horse.
I certainly am not trying to offend anyone. If you’ve known me or been around me at all you know of my love for the Bible. I believe it is Gods perfect word, perfectly recorded for you and me. There are reasons it’s written the way it is. God does not make mistakes.
The Bible can seem very daunting. It can seem very complicated, hard to understand. Whether you’re a new believer or have been around the church block a time or two, the Bible is the one thing you want to be passionate about, and yet it can be the very thing you fail at most often.
Maybe that’s because it isn’t meant to be “read” as much as it was to be searched. Maybe it wasn’t supposed to be memorized as much as we are to meditate on it. And maybe, just maybe we need the help of a higher power to completely get the beauty and sophistication that is the Bible. Perhaps God wrote the Bible this way because He knew we would have to depend on Him to fully grasp it.
I love it enough that we’re going to spend some time in the next couple of weeks talking about how to approach the Bible. I hate to use the word “study” it because that word is used very rarely in the New Testament. But for lack of a better words we’re going to learn how to “study” the Bible.
I hope you can make it. I’m going to share some of my own tools of the trade and the ways that I personally approach it. I’m hoping you can bring some of your thoughts and suggestions as well.
See you Monday night at 7:30 at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at The Factory.
Darren
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com
www.myspace.com/conduitbiblestudy
And for sure you’ve got to read your Bible. Read it every day you’re told.
This is a great piece of advice except that to the uninitiated the Bible can be somewhat of an overwhelming tome.
Imagine with me that you’ve never heard of the Bible. That you’ve never heard the stories with the flannel graph characters from the well meaning Sunday school teacher with a mustache and floral print dresses. (the floral dresses if it was a female the mustache if it was either)
Imagine with me that you’re reading it for the very first time. What would it look like for you?
For starters it’s really long. I mean REALLY long. It’s got like 1, 000 pages. And even more it’s in small print and just to make sure your eyes roll completely back into your head, it’s in two columns!
Then you realize in a hurry that there are no “points”. Christian books are supposed to have points or for the more sophisticated they have “steps”. Usually they’re numbered and range anywhere from three to ten steps or points and with a few notable exceptions twelve. But the Bible doesn’t have any of that. It’s got chapters, and verses, but they don’t seem to serve any other purpose than to locate that statement you really liked about being successful and have your breadbaskets full. (never mind that bread has so many carbs)
There are all kinds of seemingly unhelpful information about whether or not my boil is clean or unclean and a command on how to properly go to the bathroom outside.
There is that one book full of really wise things that are bite sized and suitable for framing. Kind of like Gods very own “successories”.
There are definitely some exciting moments with drama, adultery, and intrigue. It’s kind of like a new NBC series but with robes. You got a guy who becomes king and for sport kills his neighbor and takes his hot wife. There’s that one about the dude who marries a hooker who constantly cheats on him and yet God still tells him to stay with him. And of course that great one about the guy who was super hero strong but after being seduced by a buxom young hottie gets his hair cut off and in a Shakespearean final act he kills himself and all of the enemies in one act.
There are those short books with strange names towards the middle with titles like Habukakuk and Haggai with images of beasts with twelve heads that drink blood for who terrify cities and for whom mothers take their children off the streets.
And then there are the genealogies. I mean seriously have you read a genealogy? Meshuickansianaianrama the son of Reahoboamaninian begat Hababukiareaianwho dwelt in the valley of Meshiuknian which is by the Jordan. Maybe the reason they don’t use last names in the Bible is because the first names are just too long?
As you hit about ¾ of the way you get to what appears to be Chapter 2, but it’s in fact a different section. It’s called the New Testament. The only “testament” that I’ve ever actually seen before was my “last will and testament”.
The New Testament is pretty cool except the part where they kill the hero. You’re not supposed to kill the hero. I mean seriously. Oh wait. Whew. He rises from the dead. What a twist. Normally if the hero dies he would wake up and realize it was all a dream.
If you can make it all the way to the end you find that part with all the beasts again. Sounds vaguely familiar. Almost like that stuff from those books in the middle. And then there’s that hero guy again who rose from the dead. He seemed so peaceful, and now he’s got the fire, the sword and he flies. He really is a hero. He just needs a cape. It’s kind of like Batman but with a horse.
I certainly am not trying to offend anyone. If you’ve known me or been around me at all you know of my love for the Bible. I believe it is Gods perfect word, perfectly recorded for you and me. There are reasons it’s written the way it is. God does not make mistakes.
The Bible can seem very daunting. It can seem very complicated, hard to understand. Whether you’re a new believer or have been around the church block a time or two, the Bible is the one thing you want to be passionate about, and yet it can be the very thing you fail at most often.
Maybe that’s because it isn’t meant to be “read” as much as it was to be searched. Maybe it wasn’t supposed to be memorized as much as we are to meditate on it. And maybe, just maybe we need the help of a higher power to completely get the beauty and sophistication that is the Bible. Perhaps God wrote the Bible this way because He knew we would have to depend on Him to fully grasp it.
I love it enough that we’re going to spend some time in the next couple of weeks talking about how to approach the Bible. I hate to use the word “study” it because that word is used very rarely in the New Testament. But for lack of a better words we’re going to learn how to “study” the Bible.
I hope you can make it. I’m going to share some of my own tools of the trade and the ways that I personally approach it. I’m hoping you can bring some of your thoughts and suggestions as well.
See you Monday night at 7:30 at Journey Ecclesia in Building 8 at The Factory.
Darren
www.darrentyler.podomatic.com
www.myspace.com/conduitbiblestudy
Friday, July 11, 2008
It’s that time! It’s time for hundreds of thousands of Christians to gather together in the dusty fields, converted farms and theme parks of America. It’s time for thunderstorm cancellations; for oppressive heat; for dehydration. It’s time for cold showers; no showers; porta potties and sleeping in tents, hotels and campers. It’s time for Christian festivals!!!
Of all the really great stuff to experience at this uniquely American Christian event called a Christian festival is the uniquely American Christian vendor. I know that Jesus had large crowds that would gather around him but I wonder if he knew what he was missing by not allowing vendors to set up their tents at his gigs.
The vendors at the festivals are a great place to enhance your walk with the Lord by properly accessorizing your faith. After all is un accessorized faith any kind of faith at all?
The T-shirts are the main items you find and they’re just great. There are usually slogans like “a blood donor saved my life” or “tree hugger” with a picture of someone hugging a cross or one of the new hot title: “global warming” with a picture of a globe on fire and a caption that reads “don’t be here when things really heat up”
The idea is that people will become so overwhelmed by the sheer cleverness of our slogans that they will be compelled to engage us in a dialogue and this will in turn allow us to win souls. Peter said we should be ready to give an answer whenever anyone asks us about our faith, and these T-shirts will certainly cause folks to ask some questions. (not sure if they’re the right questions, but questions nonetheless)
I’m personally a big fan because it takes away all the pressure and burden of living a life sacrificially in service and loving our neighbors and replaces it with this really easy solution.
Not to be outdone, There are the trinket people. Of course there are the key chains and necklaces, but that’s not the good stuff. For instance for Fathers day you might want to purchased the ash trays with a picture of Jesus in the bottom looking up at you to sort of scare you from smoking and candles that smell like Jesus. Seriously there is a candle that is made with Psalm 45:8 as the recipe. It says that Jesus garments will smell like myrhh, aloe and cassia. Light this candle up and your whole house will smell like Jesus.
Every year there is a sort of unofficial competition among my people to find the best item from a vendor at the tents. Recent winners have included Christian Poker Chips , The Nativity Egg Timer, Wash Away Your Sins Bubble Bath, and Bobble Head Jesus. The all time favorite of mine and winner for best in show would have to be the product that was made out of hexagon steel nuts that you wore around your neck with carved sayings in them that were titled with no sense of irony at all: “Jesus Nuts”. I don’t know how to promise you enough that I am not making that up.
I guess it never really occurred to me that Jesus was commercially viable. I'm thinking it never occurred to him since he lived his life without even a house, let alone money. I mean I know He's rich now what with the streets paved in Gold and such. But maybe He knew something that tends to allude us here on earth. Maybe mixing commerce and the gospel is just not meant to be.
I understand the irony of what I'm saying when you consider my day job. It kind of freaks me out just a bit to think about it too much. But I think it's worth asking the questions. At what point did ministry become a career choice and not a calling.
Pragmatically I tell myself that money is needed to cover the expenses, to pay the bills, etc. I don't have the answers. Sometimes I'm afraid of what the answer might be, but I guess it's about time I find out.
Of all the really great stuff to experience at this uniquely American Christian event called a Christian festival is the uniquely American Christian vendor. I know that Jesus had large crowds that would gather around him but I wonder if he knew what he was missing by not allowing vendors to set up their tents at his gigs.
The vendors at the festivals are a great place to enhance your walk with the Lord by properly accessorizing your faith. After all is un accessorized faith any kind of faith at all?
The T-shirts are the main items you find and they’re just great. There are usually slogans like “a blood donor saved my life” or “tree hugger” with a picture of someone hugging a cross or one of the new hot title: “global warming” with a picture of a globe on fire and a caption that reads “don’t be here when things really heat up”
The idea is that people will become so overwhelmed by the sheer cleverness of our slogans that they will be compelled to engage us in a dialogue and this will in turn allow us to win souls. Peter said we should be ready to give an answer whenever anyone asks us about our faith, and these T-shirts will certainly cause folks to ask some questions. (not sure if they’re the right questions, but questions nonetheless)
I’m personally a big fan because it takes away all the pressure and burden of living a life sacrificially in service and loving our neighbors and replaces it with this really easy solution.
Not to be outdone, There are the trinket people. Of course there are the key chains and necklaces, but that’s not the good stuff. For instance for Fathers day you might want to purchased the ash trays with a picture of Jesus in the bottom looking up at you to sort of scare you from smoking and candles that smell like Jesus. Seriously there is a candle that is made with Psalm 45:8 as the recipe. It says that Jesus garments will smell like myrhh, aloe and cassia. Light this candle up and your whole house will smell like Jesus.
Every year there is a sort of unofficial competition among my people to find the best item from a vendor at the tents. Recent winners have included Christian Poker Chips , The Nativity Egg Timer, Wash Away Your Sins Bubble Bath, and Bobble Head Jesus. The all time favorite of mine and winner for best in show would have to be the product that was made out of hexagon steel nuts that you wore around your neck with carved sayings in them that were titled with no sense of irony at all: “Jesus Nuts”. I don’t know how to promise you enough that I am not making that up.
I guess it never really occurred to me that Jesus was commercially viable. I'm thinking it never occurred to him since he lived his life without even a house, let alone money. I mean I know He's rich now what with the streets paved in Gold and such. But maybe He knew something that tends to allude us here on earth. Maybe mixing commerce and the gospel is just not meant to be.
I understand the irony of what I'm saying when you consider my day job. It kind of freaks me out just a bit to think about it too much. But I think it's worth asking the questions. At what point did ministry become a career choice and not a calling.
Pragmatically I tell myself that money is needed to cover the expenses, to pay the bills, etc. I don't have the answers. Sometimes I'm afraid of what the answer might be, but I guess it's about time I find out.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Conduit July 7- Waterworld?
We went “swimming” on vacation. A lot. Of course this is different than the water aerobics class at the Y or the competitive swimming for the Olympics. This swimming is the kids in the pool with yours truly as their own aqua servant, launching pad, flotation device and personal swim coach. That was just at the pool.
The funny thing is my kids would have been 100% content to hang around the pool. But seeing as how we have a pool in our neighborhood that is quite large I reminded them that if Daddy wanted to hang out at a pool all week there was no need to drive 468 miles.
And so it was that I would drag them down to the beach where they would have fun, but with the constant longing to get themselves back to the pool so Daddy could throw them some more. (I was literally throwing them 5-6 feet in the air in canon ball formation, which meant I got a fairly sufficient upper body workout)
And so it was, water in the pool, water at the beach and for good measure it rained a couple days so water from above. With the humidity there was water in the air around which for a man of my size means water from inside. Our entire vacation was water centric. In fact I’m quite convinced that if my kids saw that stupid movie Water World with Kevin Costner that they would think that is a fine way for the world to end; in water.
Time lapse….
As I sat down to write this at 11pm on Sunday night there was a special on CNN about clean drinking water around the world. I find it completely ironic that I’m sitting here writing about an absolute excess of water while this show was on in the background. I put my computer down and watched for a while. I needed to sleep on it.
There are 1 billion people in the world right now without access to clean drinking water. That’s the entire population of the Americas. The guy from UNICEF was heralding as a success the fact that just under10 million children died from diseases derived from unclean water. To get your mind wrapped around that number, realize that the population of Georgia, including Atlanta, is 9.3 million. So we could add Nashville to that picture and still be just under 10 million people.
It just reminded me that what we are doing at Conduit is important, and that the picture of what we’re doing is so appropriate. Not that you need reminding, but our name denotes being a pipe or conduit of Gods resources, power, and ministry from a place of plenty to places in need.
Jesus so often spoke in terms of water. At the last day of the Feast of Tabernacle, the last day of the water pouring ceremony that reminded the people of Israel of their time in the desert when water came from a dry rock, Jesus stood up and said That if anyone was thirsty they should come to him and drink, and that from them would flow rivers of living water. It said he spoke this of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 7)
Joel referred to the Holy Spirit as the former and latter rain. (Joel 2)
So what does it mean to be a conduit of the Holy Spirit to the World? To us in America where we have so much water that we vacation in it, we have no concept of this, but water is life. The absence of water means death from the most simple of means. Behind Malaria, the number 2 killer in the world is diarrhea brought on by water born illness. Something you and I look at as an inconvenience and a sickness that we make funny child hood songs about is the number 2 killer in the world. It ought not to be.
And so it is that Conduit is bringing water both literally and spiritually to the World. Jesus told the Pharisee’s in Matthew 23 that they shouldn’t focus all their energy on things like tithing and forget justice and mercy. He told them they should tithe but to keep justice and mercy on the front of their minds. He said that in the middle of the “woe unto you” chapter.
I don’t say that to bring guilt upon anyone. I don’t say that to get you to send Conduit money. I just know that we all (including me) need reminding of stuff we already know. If you haven’t been a Conduit of Gods resources lately, maybe ask Him today where he would like to you to stand. Where you can stand to release the life giving water of the Spirit or where you can release the life giving resources.
We do offer a simple solution if you’re feeling led right now. Conduit is a ministry that is devoted to this very thing. I have no idea who gives money. I believe that’s the way it should be. If you feel led you can go to www.myspace.com/conduitbiblestudy and click on the donate now link. We clean out the account once a month and send the money directly to our ministry partners who are on the front lines of justice and mercy.
But don’t just stop with the money. Don’t write a check and mark it off your list. Be the Conduit of the Spirit, of the rivers of living water. There are people all around who are desperately thirsty. You don’t have to go hand out tracts, or take some fancy witnessing class, just Love them, be kind to them, feed them, SHOW them God.
TIME LAPSE>>>
I’m so glad to get back in the saddle tonight. Hebrews 7 talks about that mysterious man Melchizedek. Paul holds up Melchizedek as something basic that we should all know about. The question is; why? What on earth for? Genesis 14 tells the story about this guy and that’s the last mention of him for 1,000 years till David makes mention of him in Psalm 110. If Paul hadn’t said that it would be quite easy to just skip right over him and get to the fun stuff with Abraham and Moses.
After tonight you’ll have a good grasp on who this guy was, what He represents, and probably most importantly why it even matters. If every word of Scripture is inspired and I believe it is, then Uncle Mel is an important guy to understand.
So tonight at 7:30! Journey Ecclesia at Building 8 in the Factory.
The funny thing is my kids would have been 100% content to hang around the pool. But seeing as how we have a pool in our neighborhood that is quite large I reminded them that if Daddy wanted to hang out at a pool all week there was no need to drive 468 miles.
And so it was that I would drag them down to the beach where they would have fun, but with the constant longing to get themselves back to the pool so Daddy could throw them some more. (I was literally throwing them 5-6 feet in the air in canon ball formation, which meant I got a fairly sufficient upper body workout)
And so it was, water in the pool, water at the beach and for good measure it rained a couple days so water from above. With the humidity there was water in the air around which for a man of my size means water from inside. Our entire vacation was water centric. In fact I’m quite convinced that if my kids saw that stupid movie Water World with Kevin Costner that they would think that is a fine way for the world to end; in water.
Time lapse….
As I sat down to write this at 11pm on Sunday night there was a special on CNN about clean drinking water around the world. I find it completely ironic that I’m sitting here writing about an absolute excess of water while this show was on in the background. I put my computer down and watched for a while. I needed to sleep on it.
There are 1 billion people in the world right now without access to clean drinking water. That’s the entire population of the Americas. The guy from UNICEF was heralding as a success the fact that just under10 million children died from diseases derived from unclean water. To get your mind wrapped around that number, realize that the population of Georgia, including Atlanta, is 9.3 million. So we could add Nashville to that picture and still be just under 10 million people.
It just reminded me that what we are doing at Conduit is important, and that the picture of what we’re doing is so appropriate. Not that you need reminding, but our name denotes being a pipe or conduit of Gods resources, power, and ministry from a place of plenty to places in need.
Jesus so often spoke in terms of water. At the last day of the Feast of Tabernacle, the last day of the water pouring ceremony that reminded the people of Israel of their time in the desert when water came from a dry rock, Jesus stood up and said That if anyone was thirsty they should come to him and drink, and that from them would flow rivers of living water. It said he spoke this of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 7)
Joel referred to the Holy Spirit as the former and latter rain. (Joel 2)
So what does it mean to be a conduit of the Holy Spirit to the World? To us in America where we have so much water that we vacation in it, we have no concept of this, but water is life. The absence of water means death from the most simple of means. Behind Malaria, the number 2 killer in the world is diarrhea brought on by water born illness. Something you and I look at as an inconvenience and a sickness that we make funny child hood songs about is the number 2 killer in the world. It ought not to be.
And so it is that Conduit is bringing water both literally and spiritually to the World. Jesus told the Pharisee’s in Matthew 23 that they shouldn’t focus all their energy on things like tithing and forget justice and mercy. He told them they should tithe but to keep justice and mercy on the front of their minds. He said that in the middle of the “woe unto you” chapter.
I don’t say that to bring guilt upon anyone. I don’t say that to get you to send Conduit money. I just know that we all (including me) need reminding of stuff we already know. If you haven’t been a Conduit of Gods resources lately, maybe ask Him today where he would like to you to stand. Where you can stand to release the life giving water of the Spirit or where you can release the life giving resources.
We do offer a simple solution if you’re feeling led right now. Conduit is a ministry that is devoted to this very thing. I have no idea who gives money. I believe that’s the way it should be. If you feel led you can go to www.myspace.com/conduitbiblestudy and click on the donate now link. We clean out the account once a month and send the money directly to our ministry partners who are on the front lines of justice and mercy.
But don’t just stop with the money. Don’t write a check and mark it off your list. Be the Conduit of the Spirit, of the rivers of living water. There are people all around who are desperately thirsty. You don’t have to go hand out tracts, or take some fancy witnessing class, just Love them, be kind to them, feed them, SHOW them God.
TIME LAPSE>>>
I’m so glad to get back in the saddle tonight. Hebrews 7 talks about that mysterious man Melchizedek. Paul holds up Melchizedek as something basic that we should all know about. The question is; why? What on earth for? Genesis 14 tells the story about this guy and that’s the last mention of him for 1,000 years till David makes mention of him in Psalm 110. If Paul hadn’t said that it would be quite easy to just skip right over him and get to the fun stuff with Abraham and Moses.
After tonight you’ll have a good grasp on who this guy was, what He represents, and probably most importantly why it even matters. If every word of Scripture is inspired and I believe it is, then Uncle Mel is an important guy to understand.
So tonight at 7:30! Journey Ecclesia at Building 8 in the Factory.
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