Thoughts on House Bill HR1592
Mood:  irritated
Topic: MyWords::RE::RandomStuff

Before I leap headlong into this issue, there are three peripheral observations that I would like to make---disclaimers, if you will ...

1. I am not a fan of polarized politics, especially when political values and faith become muddled, regardless of whether that muddling occurs on the right or on the left. Though I do not always agree with the values and beliefs of the sixteenth-century Anabaptists, I do deeply admire them, and I dislike Emperor Constantine and Eusebius of Caesarea because of their contributions to the intersection of Christian faith with political coercion. I also dislike Yorkshire Terriers ... but that has nothing to do with politics or religion.

2. I am annoyed by the fact that the Hate Crimes Bill is repeatedly represented as a Republican versus Democrat issue. Twenty-five Republicans voted for the bill, and 14 Democrats voted against it. Why must everything be painted in terms of such polarities?

3. I am honestly undecided about the validity and viability of the bill. My initial thoughts are that it seems unnecessary and that such laws should occur at the state and municipal levels---not at the federal level. At this point, however, my personal verdict is still out.

Now, for my more substantive thoughts ...

House Bill HR1592 specifically legislates against "violence motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim." The primary reaction from politically-conservative evangelical Christians has been against the possibility that pastors or other religious leaders might have their freedom of speech limited by the fact that they might inadvertently incite or be accused of inciting potential or actual violence against homosexuals. That is, pastors may not have or may not feel as if they have the freedom to describe homosexual behavior as sinful.

Notice the content of these reactions carefully: Across the board, every negative reaction that I have read from evangelicals has to do with a fear of not being able to speak out against homosexual behavior.

(For the record, I do believe that homosexual behavior falls short of God's design for humanity and that, when addressing a text of Scripture that relates to homosexual activity, a pastor must describe such actions as sin. At the same time, without exception, homosexual persons should be treated with grace and mercy, as individuals created in the image of God.)

What I want to ask is this: Has no one noticed the full wording of this document? Allow me to cite the bill again---"violence motivated by the actual or perceived ... religion."

Religion ... that is, what someone believes and practices in relation to God. 

Here's what I don't understand: Evangelical spokespersons seem far more concerned with protecting their right to speak against homosexual behavior than with protecting their right to speak against other religions.

When I proclaim that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, excluding all other paths and labeling as "false" all other faiths, I am in some sense speaking against other religions. So, if indeed this bill had the power to limit what a proclaimant of Scripture is able to say---and, please let me be clear, I am still not convinced that this bill could ever actually limit such proclamation---isn't the inclusion of "religion" more significant and more dangerous than the inclusion of "sexual orientation"? Has the moral issue of homosexuality become more significant to us than the centrality and exclusivity of Jesus Christ?

If so, this troubles me deeply.

The wrongness of homosexual behavior is, as I understand Holy Scripture, rooted in God's self-revelation in Genesis 1:26-28---in the truth that our creation as male and female is somehow rooted in the hypostatic unity of the threefold God. The sinful nature of sexual relationships outside the marital union of a woman and a man is, therefore, rooted in the nature and identity of God. This identity has been particularly and consummately revealed to humanity in Jesus Christ. As such, the right to proclaim the exclusivity of God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ is far more significant than the right to recognize the sinfulness of homosexual behavior.

I do not deny the need to recognize homosexual behavior as sinful; I do question the choice to focus on this right above and beyond the need to recognize Jesus Christ as the exclusive redeemer of humanity.

Am I the only one bothered by this? 

Reflections on Faith video from James W. Fowler seminar
Mood:  bright
Topic: MyWords::RE::RandomStuff

I've used this video clip a couple of times to help students to reflect on various meanings and forms of faith, especially in classes that I've taught related to James W. Fowler's faith-development structure. Click here to see the video.

 

Theology quiz
Mood:  a-ok

I usually despise online quizzes, but I really liked this one (though I don't think I have quite as many affinities with Tillich as the quiz suggested, the rest are right on) ...

You scored as Karl Barth. The daddy of 20th Century theology. You perceive liberal theology to be a disaster and so you insist that the revelation of Christ, not human experience, should be the starting point for all theology. Karl Barth 73% Paul Tillich 60% John Calvin 53% Anselm 53% Martin Luther 47% Jonathan Edwards 47% Friedrich Schleiermacher 40% Jürgen Moltmann 40% Charles Finney 40% Augustine 33% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Oh man, I knew I was missing something
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: MyWords::RE::RandomStuff

Study materials for Luke 1:57ff
Mood:  energetic
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

1:22: No blessing, because of doubt. (Z'khar-Yah should have spoken the blessing, "May the LORD bless you"---but he can't.

1:39-42, 64-68: Belief leads to blessing! But, instead of asking God to bless his people, in every case, the people are blessing God! The blessing is not a word or sentence; the blessing is a baby, a person. Jesus is the blessing. "Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord"---cf., Numbers 6, "this is how I will place my Name on Israel." The last verse of the book, they're in the temple again, "blessing God." The blessing of God became flesh, engraved his Name upon his people in Jesus Christ. Wow! What's more: Final verses of Luke, Jesus lifts his hands and blesses them! This is the priestly blessing! It's finally given! The blessing that Zechariah could not give because of unbelief is finally given by Jesus himself! He has become the blessing of God.

1:57-58: So many parallels here to the language of Genesis---both Semitic and Septuagintal---regarding Isaac! In case of firstborn sons, it was common for family members to stay with family each night until the naming and circumcision.

1:59: He received his name, his identity, on the day of his circumcision. "Yah-Chanan" is "Yahweh has given grace."

1:63: Pinax is used here, wood and wax writing tablet often used by tax collectors.

1:68: "Visited" comes from Hebrew paqad, visitation for the purpose of deliverance.

1:69: "Horn," as in ox horn and in battle horn---the same for these people! An animal's horn was used for battle horn, so it came to symbolize strength and power.

1:71-72, 76: Again, renewal of Abrahamic covenant seems to be implied. "Mercy" may imply chesed.

1:78: "Morning star," cf. Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 11:1-10. 

Notes for December 10
Mood:  d'oh
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

Building Your Own Jesus 2

> Last week, “Tear down your idols—Yahweh never forgets.”

> Live in the joy of God’s ONE GIFT.

> To help us get in the mood of thinking about “gifts.” [GIFT GUIDE]

à There is ONE GIFT God most wants to give us; what stands in the way is idols.

à Idols: Joining the Name of God with my agenda instead of his … refer to selves as “Christian,” yet there are things that we would not give up if Jesus asked us to [habits/lack of forgiveness/activities] … claim that Jesus’ purpose is that, if only you do what he wants, you’ll always have wealth and convenience … join Jesus with political policies … consumed with our purchases instead of the one who gave his life to purchase us—compared to this ONE GIFT, all these others are about as worthwhile as flamingo poop.

àà These temptations aren’t only today: In first century … Essenes: Expected God to send someone to destroy the religious leadership in Temple, to purify … Zealots: Expected God to destroy the Romans … Sadducees: Expected God to reveal himself in and through the Temple … Pharisees: Expected God to reveal himself by keeping all the traditions that had been added to Torah.

àà Jesus refuses to fit into any of these categories … he is God enfleshed, and God has always refused to fit neatly into our categories: I AM WHO I AM.

> This God has ONE GIFT that he wants to give us.

DILEMMA

> How do I receive God’s one gift?

TEXT: LUKE 1:26-56

> Temple: We expect that/Few people expect Galilee, partly because seemed backwoods but it’s a place with a high population of non-Jews! [Only place where it’s hinted that Galilee: Isaiah 9:1-2: Point is that God’s light can reach to the darkest places.] … not top ten most likely places for God to show up.

> Nazareth: Fewer than 2,000 people, probably around 500: Strong Jewish community, two miles: Remains of a funeral cult, decorated skulls, worship dead.

> Gabriel: “Hero from God”: God sends a hero.

> “Virgin betrothed”: Marriage occurred in two phases … At 13, betrothed: Committed to one another, only broken by divorce/… didn’t live together until a year or so later, beneath canopy, wedding blessings, a week of feasting.

> She is in the time of waiting for the wedding … she stands as symbol for Israel at this time, waiting for Messiah/for us, waiting for return of Jesus. WAITING FOR GOD’S GIFT.

> “Joy to you, grace-filled one!”/“Blessed …”: God has given something of himself to you./“FEAR NOT … God’s grace has found you.”

à Then comes the shocking news: “You will conceive in your womb”: Only other place this phrase occurs is three times in writings of Hippocrates.

à Y’hoshu-Yah: “Yahweh saves.”: King: But Israel is larger than anyone expected and his kingdom runs deeper than any human realm.

à Mary’s first words: “How?”: No sexual relations with anyone … she had waited … God himself is her reward.

à “Holy Spirit … power of Highest overshadow”: [Ex40:34-35]: TABERNACLE: Tiny glimpse of God’s glory … word they used to describe was “bright cloud”: Later rabbis, SHEKHINAH, “dwelling.” God’s glory around us all the time, cannot see, once in while … rip in space-time continuum.

à “You will become tabernacle where Most High is revealed.” [“Highest” … Melchizedek … “nothing impossible with God.”]

> She knows what people will think, whisper … she has a child, months before her wedding.

> Yet she says: “I am the Lord’s slave-girl. May it be unto me according to your word.”

> Elisabeth: “Filled with …”=Equipped for specific, God-chosen purpose, to encourage Mary.

> 1:46: “My life makes God bigger.” How?

à 1:47: Rejoices regardless of pain/1:48: Sees beyond this moment: “all generations”/1:49-56: God shatters and scatters those that think they’re strong, he lifts up those that know God is strong.

> And what is the ONE GIFT that he gives?

CONSIDER AS WE SING A COUPLE OF SONGS

RESOLUTION

> The one gift God gives to Mary … wants to give to you … HIMSELF.

> Not in sense of bearing God incarnate … but Christopher. [REPROBUS: “How can I serve?” HERMIT: “Do what you can where you are, carrying across the river.” One day, a small child approached the river and asked to be carried across. The giant began to comply, only to learn that the small boy was far heavier than any other passenger he had taken. The child revealed that he was in fact Jesus Christ, and that his unusual weight was due to the fact that he bore the sins of the world. The boy then baptized the giant in the river, and he acquired his new name Christopher, Greek for "Christ-carrier" (christo-phoros)]

> God offers you the gift of himself, the gift of being a Christ-carrier.

APPLICATION

> God does this for those who know their own weakness and who live to make God bigger.

> ONE LEGO ALONE IS WEAK AND USELESS … LEGO ONLY BECOMES USEFUL WHEN IT BECOMES PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER. SAME WITH YOU.

> CANDLE OF HOPE [God never forgets], CANDLE OF COMFORT [God is strong].

> I AM WEAK, BUT I LIVE TO MAKE GOD BIGGER.

Research notes for Luke 1:26-56
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

Parallels Between Abraham and Luke's Presentation of Christ-Event

The more I read Luke's Gospel alongside the Septuagint rendering of Genesis, the more parallels I see---intentional ones, I'm quite certain---between Luke's presentation of Jesus and the Abraham epic in Genesis.

To wit ...

> Opens with a couple old, obedient---yet childless (Gn11:28-30)

> At a holy place, with altar, YHWH promises the impossible, a child (Gn12:6-7; 13:14-18). The man doubts (Gn15:2-3).

>  An exact parallel may be found between Lk1:32 and Gn14:19, 22, where the odd phrase "Most High" appears as a circumlocution for the Divine in Luke and as a description of God in Genesis.

> YHWH reaches to those presently outside his covenant (Gn16:10-15).

> God establishes covenant in blood both individually (Gn17; cf. Last Supper) and through "blood trail" (Gn15; cf. cross).

> Gn18:14 parallels Lk1:37 (but also cf. Jer32:17).

... there are others, but it seems that there is in Luke's Gospel a conscious desire to parallel the Abraham epic, suggesting that Luke understands Jesus to be renewing and fulfilling the covenant that God made with Abraham.

1:26-28: Galilee was not a respectable region; Nazareth was a small town, with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. Jewish betrothal included two steps, the payment of bride-price (Dt22:23; cf. Jewish tradition in Mishnah Kethubim 4:4-5). Gavri-El shows up again ... one wonders, how many virgins did Gabri-El visit that night, waiting for one who would say, "Yes." Typically, betrothal began when a girl was 13, with the wedding when she was 14. "Lord is with you" echoes Septuagint of Jdg6:12, with "Fear not" paralleling Jdg6:17. "Son of David," of course, indicates eligibility to rule Israel. Since Mary was pre-married, she had no social status; yet, God's representative greets her as "favored one." Verse 28: "Joy to you, graced one" = "Rejoice, you are about to receive a gift." "Blessed" = God has knelt before you.

1:29-33: "Conceive in womb" is an odd phrasing that is paralleled three times in Corpus Hippocratorum, lending limited creedence to the thought that Luke was a physician. "Y'hoshuah," "Yah saves." He is ruler of Israel---but Israel is bigger than anyone imagined, and his rule runs deeper than any human kingdom.

1:34-38: "Know," of course, implies intimate love. "Holy Spirit will arrive, and Power of the Highest will overshadow": "Overshadow" hints at Shekhinah (cf. Ex40:35). An interesting text from Jewish tradition: "At that time, pains and birth-pangs will come upon the woman in childbirth, the Shekhinah. ... When her womb opens, she will bear two Messiahs, ... and the Serpent will pass from the world" (Ra'Aya Mechemna 3:67-68). Nothing is impossible for God---God has lost none of his power. "The Lord's slave-girl": Wow! What a phrase! She knows that this will ruin her life; yet, she says, "Let it be."

1:39-45: "Filled with Holy Spirit"=Equipped for a specific, God-chosen task; in this case, to encourage Mary. "Blessed is she who trusted."

1:46-56: "Slave" in v.48 echoes v.38. Verse 50 echoes Psalm 103:17.Verse 46, literally, "My life makes God bigger!" Verse 48: She sees beyond her immediate circumstances; future generations will bless her. Verses 51-52: He has scattered those who thought they were powerful and lifted up the ones who knew they weren't. The promise to Abraham of offspring filling the earth continues---it is being fulfilled in ways that Mary probably doesn't even imagine yet.

Message schedule for December through April
Mood:  down
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENINGS

Learning Resources
Holy Bible (New American Standard Bible or English Standard Version)
The End of Time (Nashville, TN: LifeWay/Serendipity House, 2005)

MAIN IDEA                WEDNESDAY    SUNDAY    PREPARE
01. When Jesus Finally Shows Up
Revelation 1:1-8            December 13    December 17    Pages 1-16

02. The Son of Man?
Revelation 1:9-20            December 20    December 17    Pages 17-22

January 13 PAINTBALL  eleven AM at
INCREDIBLE PAINTBALL 71st AND MEMORIAL

03. A Bunch of Old Letters I
Revelation 2:1-29            January 10    January 7    Pages 23-28

04. A Bunch of Old Letters I
Revelation 3:1-22            January 17    January 14    Pages 29-34

05. Who’s On Your Throne?
Revelation 4:1-11            January 24    January 21    Pages 35-40

06. Opening the Will
Revelation 5:1-14            January 31    January 21    Pages 41-46

                            January 28    Family Time
07. Opening the Seals
Revelation 6:1-17            February 7    February 4    Pages 47-52

08. Seeing the Crowds
Revelation 7:1-17            February 14    February 11    Pages 53-58

09. Heavenly Horns I
Revelation 8:1-13            February 21    February 18    Pages 59-64

10. Heavenly Horns II
Revelation 9:1-21            February 28    February 25    Pages 65-70

11. Book of Bitterness
Revelation 10:1-11            March 7        March 4    Pages 71-76

12. Trampling the Holy City
Revelation 11:1-19            March 14    March 11    Pages 77-82

13. Heaven’s View of Christmas
Revelation 12:1-17            March 21    March 18    Pages 83-88

                            March 25    Family Time

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP CELEBRATIONS
DATE        TEXT        THEME                    
January 7    Luke 3:1-18    “This year, how will I prepare the Lord’s way in my life?”        

January 14    Luke 3:19—4:13    To be God’s beloved means you will be tempted.                

January 21    TimothyPaulJones at Wheaton College

January 28    Luke 4:14-31    To be God’s beloved means you will be rejected.                

February 4    Luke 4:31—5:11    To be God’s beloved means you will clearly see your own sin    

February 11    Luke 7:18-50    John the Baptist—Disappointed because of where God’s left him    

February 18    Luke 8:27-56    Innocent Pig-Farmer—Disappointed because of what God has taken    

February 25    Luke 9:1-36    Disciples—Disappointed because the Kingdom doesn’t show up when or how they expected            

March 4        Luke 10:1-42    Kingdom where you didn’t expect
Festival of Purim (Celebration of Jews’ rescue through Esther)                

March 11    Luke 13:31—14:35 Kingdom in a party            

March 18    Luke 15:11-32    Kingdom in a child come home

March 25    Luke 16:1-31    God’s kingdom has bad karma    

April 1        Luke 19:30-48; 22:1-23 Triumphal Entry and Death
Festival of Pesach (Passover), April 3                            

April 8     Luke 23—24     Risen Jesus in the ordinary

Notes for December 3
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords
BUILD YOUR OWN JESUS!—Part 1
MOTIF > The problem with Jesus is that he seems so distant.
> Everybody got your Lego® building block? Build your own Jesus! …
> Pathetic mess … What can we build that compares to God—more vast than universe—wrapping himself in a tiny embryo that blossoms beneath the heart of a peasant girl? Who grows … dies … rises?
> Yet we try to build our own Jesus all the time: (1) Misguided prophet? (2) Jesus Seminar, a brilliant teacher? (3) Jesus patron of whatever political side we prefer? Jesus lived in a world in which, if this had been God’s plan, he should have been. What many Jewish persons wanted was precisely a political-military Messiah—and Jesus refused: “Give your taxes to Caesar, give to God what is God’s.” (4) Cuddly Jesus who never quite makes it out of the manger? (5) So benevolent that my sin is okay?
> In every case … building Jesus we can get hold of, serve our needs … goes back to golden calf.
> We end up with pathetic mix, nothing worthy of worship.
> Next couple of months … Jesus for who he really was and is … shatter our expectations.
DILEMMA > Most times, we build own Jesus because we can’t see how or where God is working.
 … can’t see how God is alive, … Jesus is still in the grave.
 … can’t see how God is working in nation, … his purpose to making country what we think it ought to be.
 … can’t see how God is working against sin, … assume he’s okay with sin.
> How can I know what on earth God is doing, here and now? You can’t—at least how can I know he’s doing something?
> Go back before Jesus was born, when people were waiting/wondering, “What is God doing? Anything?”
TEXT
> Luke 1:1-25 > 1:1: “Taken in hand”: Several Gospels … Mark/two versions of Matthew/perhaps two or three others that report different incidents from Jesus’ life.
 How many of these end up in New Testament? Why these four? [Connected to eyewitnesses]
 1:2: “eyewitnesses [autoptai: “saw-it-myself”] … servants of the Word”: they were not masters of the Word.
> 1:3-5: Luke: Physician, traveled with Paul: “investigated”: Now … reporting to “Theophilus”: A type of person, “God’s friend.”: Gentile [TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE] who worshiped Israel’s God: “What does all this mean for me?”
 Locates it in the context of history … not “once upon a time,” but “in Herod’s days.”
ZECHARIAH’S done all he should—it seems God has forgotten, he’s weak, broken-down, seems abandoned: GOD ALWAYS APPEARS FIRST TO THE BROKEN: Get idea that those to whom God reveals himself … mighty, powerful: BROKEN [Who in your world is broken?]
> 1:5-10: “Zakhar-Yah”: “Yahweh never forgets.” He is about to find truth of his own name.
> Text parallels God’s call of Abraham and Sarah [righteous, no children]—God appeared and established a covenant, create people to glorify himself. This parallel: GOD IS ABOUT TO ESTABLISH COVENANT AGAIN, RECREATE PEOPLE FOR HIS GLORY.
 He’s priest: Abijah, eighth of 24 groups … all served during three great festivals … two weeks each year … probably Shavuot, “feast of tabernacles,” rejoicing because God has brought a great harvest.
 1:8-10: “Lot”: 18,000 priests, … offer incense once in lifetime … in, incense on altar, bow, pray—“May the merciful God enter this Holy Place and receive with pleasure his people’s offerings"— come back. [IMPORTANT! Video]
 Incense symbolized prayers of Israel going up, smoky-sweet scent ascending to heavens.
 Holy event … bells on hem [Ex28.33] … on Yom Kippur, rope … “heard priest tinkling, everything okay.”
> 1:11-17: Angel! Suddenly, tinkling a lot more. “Fear not” = “Stop tinkling.” Angels always say! Why? … Not Tinkerbell, fearsome … angelic beings: Six wings/ man, lion, ox, eagle/flaming swords … you’d tinkle too!
 “Prayer”: Not for child … seems to have given up … for Israel’s redeemer.
 Life is to be God-focused life, “wine or strong drink”: Times of joy with others … to be drunk on Spirit. “Filled with Spirit”: Empowered for a specific task.
 “Elijah”: Prophet! For decades … Israel has been “non-prophet” (2Ba85:1-3; 1Mac4:46; 9:27; 14:41)
 Where God is acting, homes are healed.
1:18-23: CRUCIAL QUESTION: “HOW SHALL I KNOW THIS?” GOD, YOU CAN’T DO IT THIS WAY! HE HAD CREATED HIS OWN IMAGE OF GOD! “How can I know God is acting here and now? I want a sign.”
> How many times do you and I say this, “How shall I know?”: Give God advice! God calls you to do something … “How shall I know! How can you pull this off, God?”  “God, you’ve forgotten me … how …?”: Forgets truth of own name, Zakhar-Yah.
> “I AM GABRIEL!” [GANDALF]: “Give you a sign”: … utterly silent as you wait for God to act. BE SILENT AND WATCH GOD WORK.
 Only supposed to take a minute … evening sacrifice … supposed to speak blessing: “May the Lord bless you ….”: CHARADES: “Five letters? You feel sick? Lips?”
> Returns home … waits in silence—with joy, gladness, pleasure … John is not virgin-born … as much as it may be traumatic to think of two 80-year-olds being intimate.
> Elisabeth: Hides five months, until no one can deny she’s having a baby … maybe Elisabeth doesn’t quite believe it. So waits in silence—Zechariah still cannot speak, yet this too is God’s grace, to cause him to consider—yet in joy: “The LORD has taken away that for which others ridiculed.”
RESOLUTION > How can I know? “God, I can’t see! I don’t know what you’re doing!” Be silent, wait with joy to see what God is already doing. Already, God was working in lives not only of Zechariah and Elisabeth, but a relative of Elisabeth’s named Mary, her fiancée Joseph.
> In what areas of your life:“God, how shall I know this?” (1) Keep worshiping … (2) silently watch … (3) with pleasure … within God’s standards for life, God wants you to rejoice. WAIT IN SILENCE, IN JOY, TOGETHER. CENTRAL PROBLEM: More concerned with WHAT GOD IS DOING than with WHO GOD IS: “God, I want to know you.”
> Why? Z’khar-Yah: “God has forgotten—so I’ll make my own Jesus”::So many idols, expectations for what we think God should do and be. What God did with golden calf? SMASH JESUS
[ CANDLE OF HOPE: Z’KHAR-YAH]
APPLICATION > Something you’ve prayed for … don’t feel God’s presence … this week, … times when you don’t see God working … worship/watch in silence/find joy … Z’khar-Yah!

December messages
Mood:  not sure
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

I haven't blogged sermon notes in a while. I've had to do some significant reevaluating of a lot of the way I do things. The visual-throwaway theme for December is Lego(r) blocks. The true theme is still holding on to God when God fails to fulfill our personal expectations.

December 3: What Happens When You Give God Advice (Luke 1:1-25)

Luke has based his account on eyewitness testimony, both written ("set their hands to," v. 1 ... Gospels According to Mark and Matthew, perhaps Gospel of Peter and Roman documentary records) and oral ("handed down to us," v. 2 ... teaching traditions and other accounts).  

"Theophilus" ("God's friend") is probably a type of person---a Gentile God-fearer, now also a believer in Y'hoshuah as Moshaikh. How does all of this fit? "Eyewitnesses, even the servants of the Word," should be the translation, not two different groups.

In verse 5, the style switches noticeably here, from a Roman history to a very Septuagintal style (egeneto, for example, as a connection between sections).

The name Zechariah means, "Yahweh never forgets." Jewish priesthood was organized into twenty-four groups. All 24 groups served during the three Great Festivals. The rest of the year, each group served for two separate weeks each year; Abijah was eighth, serving around the celebration of harvest inJune ( Shavuot or Pentecost).

Zechariah and Elisabeth done everything right; married within priestly families, "righteous" (v.6)---yet life hadn't turned out how they'd planned. In morning and evening, a burnt offering was offered, as well as incense.

Every priest (Exodus 28) had bells on his robe; when atonement was made on Yom Kippur, there was, tradition tells us, a rope attached to his leg, in case he had to be pulled out. There were 18,000 priests; each priest did this once in a lifetime (Mishnah Tamid 5.2-6.3). The large number of people waiting suggests the evening sacrifice. The incense was a symbol of prayer, smoky-sweet scent ascending into the heavens. As it was offered, people prayed, "May the merciful God enter this Holy Place and receive with favor the offering of his people"---with the "offering" being not only incense and meat but also prayers. The officiant dropped the incense on the altar, prayed, and withdrew himself; so, Zechariah's long time in the temple was odd.

John was to be specially dedicated to God, perhaps a Nazirite---a prophet like Elijah. For centuries, Israel had been a non-prophet organization (2 Baruch 85:1-3; 1 Maccabees 4:46; 9:27; 14:41). Luke 1:17 lets us know that, where God reveals himself, homes are healed.

"I want a sign!" Zechariah says. The angel says, "Be silent for a while and watch God work."  

When he emerged from the Temple, he was to say, "May Adonai bless you and keep you ... " (Numbers 6:24-26)---but he couldn't.

1:24-25: Elizabeth hides until no one can deny she's having a baby.

December 10: God Loves You and Wants to Mess Up Your Life

 

December 17: What Happens When God Comes to Visit

This is Hanukkah. I will likely light candles and talk about the story of the oil in the Temple, with the reminder that the light never stops shining. 

 

December 24: Shepherd-God

 

December 31: Dancing in the Silence

 

Notes for Sunday, August 27
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

Romans 4:1-5

> It was through Abraham that God called Israel to be his special possession. [Nomad with a wandering in his soul: "My father was a wandering Aramean": GOD RENOVATED ABRAHAM'S LIFE] 

Genesis 12:1-3

> [Retell story.]

JUST AS REASON FOR OUR RENOVATION ... REASON FOR ABRAHAM'S RENOVATION > Repetition [Five times, barakh]: Look closer at "blessing": ["Bless you": Middle Ages: Soul left ... "blessings"=better health, better job, better situation]: REAL MEANING: Knee, to give part of oneself

> Why does God bless Abraham? Enjoy life more? Go to heaven when he dies? Go to Promised Land? No!

> Both times he speaks of blessing Abraham, something else immediately follows: "All peoples of the earth ... blessed through you."

> Has God blessed you?

> Romans 4:6-8: If you're a believer God has blessed you; God has placed his Spirit within you. In fact, Spirit and blessing go together: Isaiah 44:3; Galatians 3:14; Ephesians 1:3

> Why has God blessed [given something of himself to] you?

> WRONG IDEA: God has saved me so that I can go to heaven; God has blessed me so that my life can be easier. [RESULT OF CONSUMER-DRIVEN SOCIETY: Dish-soap/Hemorrhoid medication/Magic Bullet ... "buy this product and people will think you're sexy" ... God becomes a product to get me what I want ... What if God isn't a product? What if what you want isn't what it's all about? What if God gives himself to us precisely so that we can give ourselves to others?]

> Are we known for blessing others in the Name of Jesus Christ?

> God did not save me so that I can go to heaven someday; God saved me so that I can be the evidence of heaven here and now. [Revelation 21:2]

> Ephesians 2:6-7: Wherever you are, there is a heavenly place, if you are a Christian.

> How heavenly are you? Your home? Your work?

> RANDOM ACTS OF GRACE [Someone you don't know, give something of yourself that they will perceive as a blessing {swift kick} Tip,pay for someone's gas, let someone in front of you, wash windshield ... this is nothing but a reminder for you to do what God calls us to do all the time ... email]

_____

STRUCTURE OF TEXT

Romans 1: Torah of Nature [all people, focus on Gentiles]

    Romans 2: Written Torah [Jews alone]

        Romans 3: All people are equally under power of sin

    Romans 4: Abraham shows that it is faith alone that can save [Jews alone]

Romans 5: Adam shows that it is faith alone that can save [all people, focus on Gentiles]

> Abraham: It was through him that God chose the Hebrew people as his special possession.

[[[MAY MOVE THIS SECTION TO NEXT WEEK > Sign of covenant: Circumcision: Jewish believers ... to show you're God's people, you must be circumcised [Torah]/Gentile believers ... Can't we just do a secret handshake?  God called Abraham when Abraham was 75 and made covenant with him about ten years later; he wasn't circumcised until he was 99. Yet Scripture says he was declared righteous when he believed God's covenant--Paul: "Aha! This shows it is faith alone!" More specifically, Jews claimed special privilege because Abraham was their father; Paul says Abraham is father of all believers.]]]

 

Random Thoughts that Will Most Likely Make it Into the Romans Series
Mood:  irritated
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

Warning label for Bible

Attempts to make perfect environment: Lord of Flies, Summerfield, USA, Another brick in the wall

Me in doctor’s office

Romans 4: Must help people see the broad sweep of Israelite history. Here's how: SINNERS (ADAM, Noah), SHEPHERDS (ABRAHAM, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph), SLAVES OF EGYPT (PHARAOH), SERVANTS [SENT] OF YAHWEH (MOSES, Joshua), Dissatisfied with God as King (Judges), SUBJECTS OF THEIR OWN KING (Saul, DAVID, Solomon), Dissatisfied with God as God (Divided Kingdom), SLAVES OF BABYLON (NEBUCHADNEZZAR), SUBJECTS OF FOREIGN KINGS (NEHEMIAH through Bar-Kokhba rebellion in Second Century CE) 

Introduction to Romans 5, emphasizing the real nature of faith: Last time I went to McDonald's ... workers not working ... "Why aren't you ... ?" ... Sign: "Have fun, make friends, work when you want to." That's what they were doing. Another story: If someone gets on plane and tell them parachute will make their life more comfortable, they will become frustrated; if you tell them that--though it will cost them much--it will save their live, they will carry it with joy. Similarly: We don't tell the truth about faith.

Notes on Romans 3 for August 20, 2006
Mood:  chatty
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

Last two weeks: Thanks/God's disguise

MOTIF
> How bad am I? How far do I fall short?
> "The Hitler Scale" [Hitler/Bin Laden/Simmons/Binks>> <<Warren/Teresa/Graham/Yoda]
> "Good Enough" video
> As long as we stay on "good side," we think we're okay.
-> Even Christians: "Well, yeah, this attitude is wrong, but y'know there are worse things I could be doing." Or end justifies means: Scream at kids/break speed limit to get to church on time. 

DILEMMA
> Problem: Two sorts of people: (1) Jesus has forgiven me! Everything's okay!>Fails to see God as holy, good/(2) Constant guilt>Fails to embrace God's grace.
> This was problem in Rome:
--> (1) Jewish believers: Saved by grace,  showed it by keeping Torah [WHAT IS TORAH?] ... if you didn't obey Torah, you were not in God's grace ... wanted Paul to say: "Gentiles [non-Jews], if you've really trusted Jesus, you must keep all the Torah." Didn't see fullness of God's grace.
--> (2) Gentile/Greek believers: Saved by grace, so nothing was necessary ... as long as Jesus is your God, nothing more is needed ... wanted Paul to say to Jews: "Ignore your ancient Torah!" Didn't see fullness of God's goodness/holiness.
> Paul refuses: Torah is important, shows separation between God and humanity/In fact, even Gentiles have Torah/Never tells Jewish believers to stop keeping Torah/At the same time, Torah is not standard by which God judges--Jesus Christ.
>  "Okay, we're all equally guilty. So, how bad are we?"

TEXT
Romans 3:9-31
> "What, then, does this amount to? That we Jews stand on a higher plane than the nations? No! For we have already established one verdict for Jews and Greeks."
> Paul uses legal terminology [2-3 witnesses]: Nature, human experience ... Scripture [Psalms, hymnal].
> Paul describes the darkness: You don't look for God, and everything you do is tainted--at some level--with sin. v.13: Rottenness, death, poison
> [Wad from magazine in Denver]: Even in doing right, my first motive was to preserve myself, my second motive was to glorify God ... sometimes, glorifying God doesn't even make Motive #2.
> If you were to dig to the depths of your soul, this is what you'd find.
> What would you do if no one would ever find out? What would you do if not even God would find out? What would you do if no one--not even God--would ever find the body? That's who you really are.
> There is darkness in my heart that no one around ever sees, that I do everything I can to deny, but that God sees clearly.
3:17-18: "Way of peace": It's this darkness that steals our peace/Problem: "No fear of God.">"To be more concerned with what God thinks and what God could do than what anyone else might think or do."
3:19-20: Our darkness runs so deep that outward keeping of laws--whether Torah or sense of right in hearts--cannot show that we are right with God.
> It is possible to keep Torah/rules and still to be filled with darkness and sin.
> "Silenced": Legal term that meant, "Objection overruled." Any objection you have is overruled by the fact that there is a darkness in human heart that runs deeper than any law can touch.
3:21-24: God's standard--"God's righteousness"--is not revealed to the world through the rules we keep but through Jesus Christ whom we trust.
> "Through trust in Jesus Christ": Trust, life-pledge [not intellectual belief, not simply repeating words of prayer, not joining church, not certain steps ABC]
> Not "Hitler Scale," but absolute standard of perfection of God in Jesus [3:23, Jesus is God's glory] ... merging our lives with life of Jesus, trust Jesus ... not perfect, but orientation [focus] of life becomes, "How can I be like Jesus?"
3:24-26: How can God do this? "Propitiation": God's wrath at sin poured out on Jesus [God the Son], God took his own punishment, for all who trust ... also, in Old Testament, the mercy seat [ark of covenant] ... place where God is most present.
> "Are you saved?" "From what?" We are saved by God from God.
> v. 25: "Demonstrate justice": endeixis: Legal charges brought against someone who has claimed to have rights that she or he doesn't actually possess. We have claimed right to run our own lives.
3:27-31: This is the ONE WAY to know God--not one for Jews, one for Gentiles.
> Appeals to Jewish Scriptures: v.30: Shema Yisrael YHVH elohenu YHVH echad. If there is one God, known to us in Jesus Christ, there must be one way to know this God.
> In this way, Torah is established. Whether Jews or Gentiles, we see truth about our sin, truth about why we feel guilty, truth about why we must do what is right--because we were created to be like Jesus.

RESOLUTION
> How bad are we? What matters most is not our worst but God's best.
> In cross, God takes his stand at darkest point of our darkness. God's best--Jesus Christ--descends to the point of hell itself.
> Why? [$100 bill] ["If I ... how much is it worth?" {Ps139:14}]

APPLICATION
> Your value doesn't depend on how clean you are; it depends on who created you. That's what cross is about.

Research notes on Romans 3
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

The logic of the book thus far flows something like this ...

1. I bring a message of victory [euangelion], and I'm not ashamed of this message.

2. The habits of the Gentiles begin with unthankfulness and violate nature-the Torah that's inscribed on the human heart.

3. The habits of the Jews-as found in Torah-are good, but Torah is not the standard by which God judges humanity. If God judged humanity by Torah, every human being would be condemned. After all, the Jewish people haven't carried God's name perfectly.

4. Circumcision-an outward demonstration of your inner allegiance to the God of Israel-isn't what identifies you as a follower of Jesus. What identifies you as a follower of Jesus is the presence of God's Spirit in your innermost self.

5. It's still a wonderful thing to live by the Jewish Torah-and just because breaking one law breaks all of them doesn't mean that, if you commit one sin, you might as well commit them all.

6. Being the recipient of God's Torah doesn't make Jews any less guilty than Gentiles.

 

The Jews want Paul to say, "The Gentiles must show their faith in Jesus by keeping Torah." Gentiles want Paul to say, "Torah doesn't matter at all-no one needs to keep it."

 

The intent of Romans 3:9-10 seems to be: "What, then, does this amount to? That we Jews stand on a higher plane than the nations? No! For we have already established one verdict for Jews and Greeks: They are all under the dominion of sin. This is not only the verdict of nature [Romans 1] and of human hypocrisy [Romans 2] but also the verdict of Scripture. As it stands in Scripture, 'There is no one righteous-not even one.'" At this point, Paul quotes from the Jewish Scriptures, demonstrating his allegiance to his Jewish heritage as well as the fact that his teaching is in keeping with the Jewish Scriptures.

 

3:19: "Silenced," when used in the context of Greco-Roman legal systems, is equivalent to our clause, "Objection overruled." Which is to say: "Whatever Torah says, it says to those in Torah [Jews], that your objection [that Gentiles are somehow worse, that you have kept the Torah so you're better] may be overruled."

 

3:20: Keeping Torah is good-but even the Jewish Scriptures tell us that Torah is not the standard God uses to judge us.

 

3:21: That's why God has established a way to become right with him that doesn't depend on Torah. By Torah-which shows us the separation between God and humanity-we see that, if we can't keep these outward rules, how can we possibly obey God's desire perfectly not only outwardly but inwardly. This is clear throughout the Jewish Scriptures.

 

3:22-26: God gives his own righteousness to every person who trusts into Jesus-"all, there is no distinction." Just as righteousness is available to all, so sin affects all, for all fall short of divine glory. Jesus was the propitiation (hilasmos)-the bloody, sacrificial satisfaction of God's wrath-for humanity's sin. (In the Septuagint, some form of hilasmos [propitiation] typically translates kippur, "covering over," "atonement." This term is typically used in conjunction with the Mercy Seat on the Ark of the Covenant, sometimes as a cognate form such as kapporeth.) Notice that "cross," being an offensive word, is avoided when possible. Humanity is saved by God, from God. God's wrath was poured out on Jesus to avenge God's righteousness. He had passed over-"without punishment or remission"-humanity's sin for so long, demonstrating that Jewish sacrifices were symbols of what humanity deserved, not actually leading to forgiveness. By trust-by setting one's heart on Jesus-a human being becomes right with God. Now, endeixis has occurred, a vindication of God's righteousness. Wow! Endeixis is rich in meaning. In Classical Greek, it's a legal term and refers to the prosecution of someone who has acted like she or he had rights that she or he did not actually possess. What's more, it was specifically used in Achaia (where Paul writes Romans from) to refer to people who visited a holy place after engaging in asebia (impiety); it is precisely asebia that-according to Paul-God's wrath is directed against in Romans 1:17-20! (See http://www.stoa.org/projects/demos/article_law_glossary?page=28&greekEncoding=UnicodeC and http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-dgra/0466.html .)

 

3:26: In Greco-Roman thought, "just" meant "fair" or "equitable." Thus, God can be both equitable to all people (because all people are equally condemned) and still justified in saving some (because not everyone trusts in Jesus Christ).

 

3:27-31: How then can either of you-Jews or Gentiles-brag about anything? Faith is what makes you right with God. This is "Torah rooted in faith": Now, we do what we believe to be right not in place of faith but precisely because of faith. "If indeed God is one"-if it is true that Shema Yisra'el YHVH elohenu YHVH echad, there must be one basis of salvation for Jews and Gentiles. Now, when you keep Torah, you keep it as an expression of faith in Jesus; in this, Torah expresses God's deepest desire for his Word to Israel.

 

Righteousness is both passive (God causes us to be righteous in Jesus Christ) and active (as a result, we do what is right).

Thoughts about Romans 3
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

> It doesn't matter how filthy a hundred-dollar bill becomes--it still is worth $100.00. And you would likely take it, even if it's filthy, because its value doesn't depend on how clean it is. It depends only on what it is (well, that, and on the trustworthiness of the USAmerican government, but their integrity doesn't rate very high on my list and that would ruin the illustration, so I likely won't mention that.)

> Most of us, whether we admit it or not, live by what I call "the Hitler Scale"--a scale of goodness with Hitler at one end, then Richard Simmons and PeeWee Herman and Osama Bin Laden, until at the other end you get to Mother Teresa. We figure that, as long as we're close to the middle, we're okay. At a roller-coaster, there's always a specific height--a standard. It doesn't matter if you miss it by one inch or three feet; you still miss it. Jesus Christ is God's standard; it doesn't matter how far you miss it, you still do.

> I may use this one, from Charles Schultz ...

We still identify power with bigness: big names, big headlines, big weapons, big bank accounts. These are the powerful movers and shapers of our society, our selves, our world. But are they really? Try this exercise before you answer. It's an exercise that Charles Schultz, the creator of Peanuts, devised before he died.

[You might want to actually have your people write these answers down on a sheet of paper]

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How'd you do?

Schultz's point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one: [This time, you might want to break your congregation down into small groups and give them a couple minutes to answer these questions with each other.]

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier?

The lesson of the Peanuts creator Charles Schultz is this: The people who make a difference in your life, the people with the greatest power in your life, are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.

They are the ones that care. They're the ones that love you the most. They are the ones that empower you.

> Story of Jake Porter is interesting, from the perspective of our strength and God's strength.

 

Notes for second in Renovation of the Soul series from Romans
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

RENOVATION 2 [ROMANS]

Motif

> Rachel and snake: Keeping rules isn’t enough.

Dilemma

> People get idea that Christian faith is about rules … if not, what is it about?

Text

Romans 2:1-7 > Immediate background: AD 49: Claudius’ decree/AD 54: Return

> Larger background: 1,600 years earlier, God rescued Israel/Gave gift through Moses: Torah [“Guidance,” “Instruction,” first five books]—613 mitzvoth, rules about what should be eaten, how to build house, worship/Called to KEEP RULES … Not burdensome, but gift of God’s guidance.

>> PROBLEM: We read OT and see lists of antiquated rules [LAWS STILL ON BOOKS]

à Purpose of Torah: For Israel, to show that—just as God is different from humanity—they were different from nations around them … show separation from nations so nations would be drawn to God of Israel.

à That’s why: Israel revered Torah KISSING OF SCROLL/(“Oh, how I love your Torah”): 5-to-10 years old, Beth-Safar … memorized Torah [hold portion of Bible].

> When Jews left in 49, church in Rome was mostly Jews and Gentiles who embraced both Messiah and Jewish customs (“God-fearers”).

à When they returned in 54, … many more Gentiles—many couldn’t care less about Jewish Torah, Word of God.

> Lord’s Supper: Potluck dinner … Gentiles: Bring ham, purchased at idol temple.

à Jews who accepted Jesus as Messiah: “I cannot believe you’re eating that—that’s forbidden in Torah! You mean, there are church members who haven’t been circumcised [sign of God’s covenant]? You are outside God’s grace”/ “Who cares what Torah says?” / “Torah is Word of God!”

à What’s worse: Some Jews: To be saved from wrath, not only must you accept Jesus—you must show that you’ve trusted Jesus by KEEPING THE RULES, even if … Gentile.

Chapter 1 > Jews: “Yes, that’s exactly what Gentiles are like! Go Paul!”—and probably correctly so!

Chapter 2 > “You who judge: You’re just as bad! You do same things as Gentiles” Suddenly, silence. “No, we don’t. We’ve kept rules!”

à PAUL NEVER TELLS THEM TO STOP KEEPING RULES—Jewish people were still called to show God’s holiness by keeping Torah, Gentile believers were still free to keep Torah as spiritual discipline … Paul’s point: Torah is not the standard that God uses to judge humanity.

2:1-3 à “Judge” means “to declare that someone is beyond God’s grace”—what Jewish believers were saying about Gentiles.

2:4-7 à When you do this [2:4], you “despise God’s grace—then, [2:5] “store up wrath for day of wrath.” >> Jews: Day of wrath was for Gentiles.

READ 2:8-16.

2:9-10 à The Word of God came first to Jews, then to Gentiles … Gospel … wrath.

2:11 à “No partiality” = “You are all in the same boat, and the boat is sinking.” Every person is equally outside God’s grace.

2:12-15 à Every person—with or without Torah—has broken what laws they do know.

2:16 à God will judge humanity and his standard is not Torah—“by Jesus the Messiah.”

READ 2:17-24.

>> Principle behind this: If you break any Torah [2:23], you are guilty of breaking it all. [“Just go ahead and break it all”? Rom6] … if you break part of God’s commands, you are infinitely guilty—even if we keep it outwardly, none of us keeps God’s will perfectly in our hearts.

2:24 à “God’s name is blasphemed among nations because of you.” >> Nm6:22-27: “Suym my name” >> cover, disguise >> “I will go into the world in the disguise of Israel.”

à God placed his name in Israel so all the world could see that he is holy and real. Every time they failed, God’s name [infinitely holy and beautiful] was tarnished and defiled.

>>> In Ten Commandments: “You shall not carry my name in vain.”

Resolution

> If keeping rules isn’t what it’s about, what is it about? You are God’s disguise.

à How does this apply? Addressed to religious people: “God’s name is blasphemed…”= in other words, “God is disguised in you … but people have the wrong idea about God because of you.”

Application

à We disguise God’s presence too well—when people look at us, they don’t know any more than before about what God is like. … we carry God’s name in vain.

à Not because God doesn’t want to be known, but because God longs to be known and loved not because of what he can do … because of who he is. With few exceptions, God reveals his presence through ordinary … yeast, seed, treasure buried … shepherds, tiny nation, tiny baby.

à After someone spends time with you, do they have a better idea of what Jesus is like? How well do you carry God’s name?

>> 2:4: Kindness … repentance.

*****

IN DEVON, CONNECTICUT - it's illegal to walk backwards after sunset
IN JONESBORO, GEORGIA - it's illegal to say, "Oh boy!"
IN ZION, ILLINOIS - it's illegal to give cigars to cats or dogs
IN FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY - it's illegal to shoot off a policeman's tie
IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - it's illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket
IN BEXLEY, OHIO - it's illegal to put a slot machine in an outhouse
IN HARTHAHORNE, OKLAHOMA - it's illegal to allow a hypnotized person to be a model in a display window
IN UTAH - it's against the law to fish from horseback

Research into Romans 2
Mood:  not sure
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

Here's my distillation of several sources, including Barth's and Barrett's commentaries, Word Biblical Commentary, and Keener's New Testament backgrounds commentary ... 

It would be good to mention the Jewish way of looking at the world--"Jews" and "nations." 

Probably, after hearing Romans 1, some Jewish persons in the church were saying, "Yes, that's exactly what the Gentiles are like. Paul is taking our side!"--they don't see themselves in the list of vices found at the end of chapter 1. The person described here is saying, "I am the exception." To this, Paul replies, "There are no exceptions."

Paul's argument has a major premise (2:1), a minor premise (2:2), and a conclusion (2:3). He creates an imaginary opponent for the sake of making his point.

2:2: "We--the Jewish people--know that God's condemnation of people who do the things described in chapter 1 is righteous." 

2:4: "Think lightly of God's goodness" = "You don't see the full picture of God's goodness--it not only is an expression of love for you but it can also become an expression of wrath." 

2:5: The "day of wrath" or "day of the Lord" is a phrase from the prophets (see, e.g., Is2:11-12; Ezk30:2-3, etc.), indicating the time of God's vengeance. Many Jews expected that Gentiles would be wiped out at that time.

2:5, 8: The words for "wrath" form an inclusio with Romans 1:18-19.

2:9-10: "Jew first, then Greek" is not only true when it comes to the Gospel but also when it comes to wrath. 

2:12-16: The logic here is that the more truth you know, the higher the standard to which God will hold you. Keeping the Torah for the sake of your soul's salvation profits nothing, because God knows that--even if you keep the rules in your flesh--your heart still strays. Romans 2:14-15 is addressed to Gentile believers.

2:17-25: Interestingly, the very word "Jew" means "praise" "If you think it's your 'Jewishness' that makes you righteous, remember that there are Jews who steal, etc." It is not enough to be an excellent Jew, to trust in the righteousness of Jewishness. It is necessary to associate oneself with something more perfect even than Jewishness.  "What's more, if you transgress any part of the Torah, your keeping-the-law is turned into breaking-the-law." In AD 19, four Jews persuaded a Roman nobless to give a large sum of money to the Temple in Jerusalem, but they kept the money and used it for themselves. As a result, Caesar Tiberius threw all Jews out of Rome (Jospephus, Antiquities, 18:81-84). "Circumcision is valuable only if you keep the Torah"; that is, when it comes to salvation, the only way circumcision would matter is if you perfectly kept the whole Torah--and nobody's done that (Gal5:3).

2:26-27: Keeping God's Torah is something bigger, something more, than any human being can see.

2:29: What matters is how God sees ("praises") the person--not how others see him or her.

Renovation of the Soul (Romans 1:16-32) Life-Message Notes
Mood:  not sure
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords
MOTIF

> [Chris Louvier]

> That’s what Romans is about … Jews/Gentiles: “We don’t need people who aren’t like us”: Paul’s answer: You need a renovation of the soul. Here’s how God wants to renovate your souls—if your souls have truly been renovated you will love one another.

> You know that your soul needs renovation: People you can’t forgive, habits can’t kick, feelings that keep coming back … evidence of your need.

> Different sorts of renovation: (1) SURFACE RENOVATION: Paint, carpet. (2) TOTAL RENOVATION: Sometimes, something deeper … can’t simply be adapted … from perspective of present needs, it’s dead [that’s what problem was in Pre./Ch. Wing]. So, for the sake of new life, the old had to be destroyed.

> We’re like that: Not: layer paint, carpet—many have tried that already [stop behavior, church for few weeks, read book, complete class]: Not enough.

> Why? [Ep2.1] What we need isn’t one more program to add to our present existence; we need new life.

> Ro1.16-17: “Gospel … dynamis [life-giving power] … It’s through faith that the righteous live.”

DILEMMA

> PROBLEM: EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE LIFE, DEATH DOESN’T STAY DEAD: I’d like to think … have faith … suddenly, death to life … there’s a sense in which this is true … it’s as if some of that death remains in us … that’s why “live” … the process of moving from death to life is a process, painful and difficult … total renovation.

--> [Chaplain … finding out about what happens when someone’s heart stops … as followers of Jesus, this is what is happening in our lives … God is transforming—renovating—us from death to life … painful process, not easy. TOTAL RENOVATION]

> What it requires isn’t only some point in past when we recognize Jesus as Lord … day-by-day, drawing our life from God (Dt30.20).

> When we don’t … death creeps back in … it doesn’t stay dead. That’s what’s happening in Roman church.

> Romans 1-2: Here’s what the old—the dead—looks like! Stay away from it!

> Let’s look at Paul’s words, look for life.

TEXT

> Ro1:18-32

1.18: WRATH: Why does sin anger God? HOLY … also: He sees his plans/and what sin does. [two weeks ago, RickWh and I …]

1.19-20: TRUTH REVEALED IN THEM: Every human knows that there is a life greater than what they’re experiencing [sunset, stars, sea—Is6.3, “whole earth”] … refuse to see that this is the truth of God in every person. Jewish rabbis: Sheva mitzvoth b’nai Noach, there is Torah written on the soul of every human: (1) worship one true God, (2) do not murder, (3) do not steal, (4) sexual relationship belongs within marriage relationship, (5) speak respectfully about God, (6) do not consume blood, (7) do not lie.

--> Yet, even these, humanity ignores; therefore, “without excuse.”

1.21: Notice humanity’s first sin, first result of denying God: “They were not thankful.”

-->All humanity’s problems of sin and death begin with this one: Not thankful. [Eve and Adam … the trees God had given/Israelites … manna/In Promised Land … one God].

--> Every sin begins with a refusal to be thankful for what God’s given us/how God’s created us.

1.22-27: Paul describes homosexual practice—which, at its root, is a refusal to be thankful for the fact that God created us male and female. [This is a good gift, wonderful gift.] God intends for relationship of husband and wife to reflect his love for his people, the way that God loves us—in intimate closeness and communication, of two becoming one not merely at the level of bodies but of soul: “Let Us make humanity in our image, male and female.”

--> God chose his love for humanity to be reflected in male/female—this stands at the core of our being … which is precisely why the powers of death and darkness try to crowd out God’s glory in this part of people’s lives.

--> For God creating us male and female, we should be thankful, rejoice in this.

--> To choose anything else is to be unthankful.

1.24, 26: This angers God—God gives the worst punishment he can give: He lets people keep sinning … he lets them continue until all the pleasure is gone, nothing left but the pain. [CSL: God lets them live forever in “the horrible freedom that they have demanded.”]

1.28: By this point, Christians in Rome were feeling pretty good about themselves: “We must be living in God’s life! After all, Paul’s mentioned idol-worship and homosexuality”—the Jews in this congregation had never done these things; most Gentiles had, but they’d left them behind.

--> Then, Paul says: “Here’s the evidence of the worst sort of death, darkest results of unthankfulness—‘never should be done’” (1.28).

1.29-31: Gets quiet, because we see ourselves in these.

--> Unthankful for what we possess (“greed, envy”): Live in a world of greed. [Kid {screaming like a ____ … didn’t know sold souls to devil so young these days} messing with my spiritual life … “Why need?” “Because I don’t have it!”] Magazines show us perfect houses, and we become unthankful for the home we have. Billboards show perfect cars, and we become unthankful for the vehicles we have. An entire industry—credit cards—has capitalized on making us so unthankful that we will spend money we don't have on things we don't need to impress people we don't even like. (Average balance moved from $3,000 in 1990 to nearly $8,000 today, with 2005 being the first year in which Americans as a whole actually spent more than they earned.) I'm not saying it's wrong to use credit card or buy new car or look at larger house. I am saying that, much of the time, our motive isn't because we need this or that but because we are unthankful for what we possess.

--> Same commercials … unthankful for the people in our lives: TV producers parade perfect bodies across the screen, and we become unthankful for the spouse that God has given us—or, if unmarried, unthankful for the fact that God in his goodness has said, “Wait.”

-->--> Not only lust [greed] but also … ["murder, fighting, malice, gossip, backstabbing, deception, ... disobedient to parents"]: We may not murder someone in the body, but we are more than willing to do it with words. Again, it is a failure to be thankful. When someone talks down another church member, you are not thankful for that person. (You don't have to be thankful for what they do.) When your words tear down someone in your family—your spouse or children—you are not thankful for them. (There are put-downs and negative comments we'll make to family members that we wouldn't dream of speaking to someone else. When was the last time you told your spouse, children, parents ... "I am thankful"?)

--> Unthankful for God’s grace: “unforgiving” [How thankful you are for God’s grace is shown by how much grace you show to others]

RESOLUTION AND APPLICATION

> Renovation begins with three words: “THANK YOU, GOD.”

Thoughts that I thought while developing sore butt-muscles by riding a horse in the Rocky Mountains
Mood:  lyrical
Topic: MyWords::RE::RandomStuff

Oh, Lord,
I stare at the mountains that surround me
—distant summits streaked with snow—
and my soul quakes in awe.
In this moment, I am touched by a truth
that I have never known before—
or perhaps I have always known it
and I am only now still enough
to voice the truth that
my soul has always known.
The truth is simply this:
You look upon these mountains
all the time.
There has never been a moment
when their grandeur was hidden
from you.
Long before any human gaze meandered along their stony parapets,
these peaks swirled through your presence
like fish swimming through a sea of gold.
And not only these rocky cliffs but a million millions of others,
mountains buried in the hearts of oceans unexplored,
scattered on the surfaces of planets unknown,
bursting from the burning cores of galaxies unnamed.
And not only mountains but seas and sunsets and stars,
cosmic rainbows painted in colors unseen by human eyes,
formed of substances unfathomed by human minds.
And I wonder …
How do you bear the beauty that forever brushes
along the hem of your robes
without being reduced to tears?
How do you touch these thousand hills
without gasping in sheer wonder
at what you have made?
How do you feel the hummingbird flittering
across this, your footstool,
without bursting forth
in thundering peals of mirth?
And then it occurs to me …
What if the droplets of dew that dissipate so quickly
beneath the weight of my shoe
are tears of joy divine?
What if the bursts of breeze that ripple the leaves
in this grove of white-barked aspens
are the gasps of a God who still bears the heart of a child?
What if the thunder that peals
between these mountain peaks
is the laughter of God?
What if you are weeping and gasping and laughing
at this, your creation, all the time?
And I see that the real question is not,
“How can you bear the beauty that spins
amid your splendor?”
The real question is this:
“How do I bear the glory that swirls
around me in every moment,
while I stand here numb,
unaware that—as I skip across this,
your footstool—
infinite splendor is erupting
all around me
all the time.

Thoughts about Romans 1
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: MyWords::RE::God'sWords

I didn't post last week's message notes, so--if you weren't at church--you missed it when it comes to Romans 1:1-17. The following are my musings on Romans 1:16-32.

"Renovating your soul" will, I think, be the imagery that ties together the next three messages. Chris Louvier--one of our more colorful church members and a fellow believer whom I love deeply--gave me this idea when I was describing the renovations that are proceeding at church. "If only it were that easy to renovate this building," he said, patting his chest. Yes, if only my soul could be restored to its purpose in a series of sure-fire steps that can be sketched out in blue and white and accomplished in a specific number of weeks.

When renovating a building, sometimes it's possible to slap on some paint, fix a few doors, add some carpet, and go on. But, sometimes, the structure simply can't be adapted, and it must be demolished and rebuilt. There's a sense in which the old Preschool and Children's area was dead--dead to the very purpose for which it was built. So, for the sake of new life, it had to be destroyed.

Humanity is like that.

The difficulties in our souls run too deep to be solved by slapping on some paint--stopping one or two specific behaviors, going to church for a few weeks, reading a certain book, completing a certain class. We try this not only in spiritual lives but in the rest of our lives. Magazines tell us a certain number of steps we follow to solve our difficulties--but it doesn't work. You know this: You've tried to stop this or that habit or solve your life's problems in quick and easy steps--and you've ended up right back where you started.

Our souls are dead to God, dead to the purpose for which he created us (Ephesians 2:1-3). What we need is not simply a new layer of paint or carpet; what we need is life. The problem is, new life doesn't come easily. The process of moving from death to life is difficult.

Working as a hospital chaplain and witnessing chest compressions for the first time ... this movement from death to life is difficult, traumatic, even violent.

It's that way with your soul.

We'd like to believe that, somehow, the new life of God magically happens through a few easy steps--and that might be the case, if all that we needed was a layer of paint or some new carpet.  But our difficulties run deeper than that. By nature, though our bodies may be alive, we are dead to the things of God. 

We don't need one more program in our present lives--we need new life ... and not just in one moment when we trust in Jesus Christ. We need renewal of life every moment, to draw life from the Source of Life in every instant of every day (see Deuteronomy 30:19).

That's why Paul says, "It is the dynamis [life-giving power] of God. ... The righteous--people who are right with God--live by faith" (Romans 1:16-17). Faith is not something that happened in the past, when you first trusted in Jesus. If you are a believer, your faith is a process of drawing new life from God in every moment of every day, allowing him to tear down the old, dead stuff left over from your old self and restoring it with new life. If this doesn't happen, the old--the dead--creeps back in. That's what's happening in the Roman church: Gentiles and Jews aren't getting along, both of them are allowing the old, dead ways to slip in, and it's ripping them apart.

So, what Paul does in Romans 1-2 is to tell us, "Here's what your old, dead self looks like! This is the opposite of new life--the real life, life in God."

So, let's look at these words--and, in the process, look for God's life.

Romans 1:18-32

God is filled with wrath against the death that he sees in the human soul. Why? Because of his love. God sees how sin tears people apart in their relationships and in themselves; God also sees the life that he has planned for us, and it fills God with wrath.

Every human being knows instinctively that there is some life greater than what they're experiencing. That longing within us--the longing, the emptiness in us, when we look at a sunset, at the sea, at the stars--is evidence that there is someone greater than ourselves.

There is a problem, though (1:21): All the problems of sin and death begin with one simple wrong ... a failure to be thankful. This is where every sin begins. Eve and Adam were not thankful for what God had given; they wanted something more. The Israelites headed to the Promised Land weren't thankful for manna; they wanted something different, something more. Once they got into the Promised Land, they weren't thankful for the one God that they had; they wanted more gods. In every case, sin begins with a failure to be thankful. This is the evidence of the death within us--a failure to be thankful. We live in a world that constantly whispers to us, calling us to refuse to be thankful for what God has given to us.

Unthankfulness is the basis of sexual sin. Paul describes homosexual practice here in very explicit terms. Why does so much tie into our sexuality? Why is that such a big deal to God? When God created us, he created us "male and female, in his image." The beauty of that relationship between a husband and wife is supposed to reflect the faithful love that God has for humanity. When someone chooses a homosexual relationship, it begins with a failure to be thankful for the fact that God created us male and female. 

At this point, the readers were probably feeling pretty good about how they were doing in the life of faith. "We don't do this! No death in our lives."

But, then, Paul begins to describe the end result of death creeping into our lives, the result of unthankfulness.

"Greed and envy": TV producers parade perfect bodies across the screen, and we become unthankful for the spouse that God has given us. Magazines show us perfect houses, and we become unthankful for the home we have. Billboards show perfect cars, and we become unthankful for the vehicles we have. An entire industry--credit cards--has capitalized on making us sufficiently unthankful that we will spend money we don't have on things we don't need to impress people we don't even like. (Average balance moved from $3,000 in 1990 to nearly $8,000 today, with 2005 being the first year in which Americans as a whole actually spent more than they earned.) I'm not saying it's wrong to use a credit card or buy a new car or look at a larger house. I am saying that, much of the time, our motive isn't because we need this or that but because we are unthankful for what we have.

Child in store ... "Why do you need this?" ... "Because I don't have it." 

"Murder, fighting, malice, gossip, backstabbing, deception, ... disobedient to parents": We may not murder someone in the body, but we are more than willing to do it with words. Again, it is a failure to be thankful. When someone talks down another church member, you are not thankful for that person. (You don't have to be thankful for what they do.) When your words tear down someone in your family--your spouse or children--you are not thankful for them. (There are put-downs and negative comments we'll make to family members that we wouldn't dream of speaking to someone else. When was the last time you told your spouse or children or parents ... "I am thankful"?)

"They refuse to understand, break promises, heartless, unforgiving": What Paul places as the lowest, darkest point of unthankfulness is to be unforgiving. Why? If you are a believer--living in the life God, experiencing his forgiveness--your thankfulness for God's forgiveness is shown outwardly by how you forgive others.

By this point, those in Rome who thought they were pretty righteous, thankful, full of God's life ... well, what Paul wanted was for them to look within themselves and to see those dark places where death was still present. Paul wanted to challenge them to live in faith--this begins with thankfulness, the capacity to be thankful for Jesus Christ, thankful for the life he's given us, thankful for the people around us. The life of faith begins with, "Thank you."