tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36144802670996537402024-03-12T23:48:44.931-07:00DIEU's CROSSIt is the theologian's burden to think and reflect critically and constructively in accordance with and in humble submission to the Truth and the Gospel of Jesus Christ on behalf of the Church, for the Church, and for the evangelization of cultures.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-42743339330312883102020-04-11T05:23:00.000-07:002020-04-11T05:23:33.652-07:00Easter: Peace and Forgiveness<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Christ is risen! We are celebrating this. So in our gatherings there
is a lot of great music, there is a celebratory spirit, there is a lot of
optimism, and there is so much joy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, this was not the mood on the first Easter. Instead of
joy, there was a lot of chaos. There was a violent earthquake (Matt 28:2). The
soldiers guarding the tomb were scared because they saw a man whose “appearance
was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matt 28:3). They were
so afraid that they shook and became like dead men (28:4). Mary Magdalene was
frantic that Jesus’ body was gone (John 20:1), so she ran to Peter and John who
also did not understand what was going on (20:9-10). Mary felt extreme grief
that she stayed in the tomb, and mistook Jesus as the gardener who stole Jesus’
body (John 20:15). The religious leaders became scared of the news of the
resurrection, so they instructed the guards to spread false news that the
disciples took Jesus’ body (Matt 28:11-15). Many the people heard the news of
the resurrection, which was why the disciples asked the stranger on the road: “<span style="background: white;">Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not
know the things that have happened there in these days?” (Luke 24:18).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aside from chaos, there was a lot of fear. On resurrection day,
the guards became afraid (Matt 28:4), the women who came to the tomb even
trembled and remained mute (Mark 16:8). Even the disciples were afraid (Matt
28:10), and they have good reasons. For the disciples, the resurrection was not
good news. It was bad news, particularly because the religious leaders accused
them of stealing a dead body in order to propagate a story of resurrection! In
the eyes of the religious leaders and the pious Jews who were so eager to have
Jesus crucified, the disciples violated so many laws: touching a dead body,
desecrating a tomb, teaching about resurrection (the Sanhedrin would have been
furious), and spreading blasphemy. We must remember that Jesus got killed for
blasphemy. The disciples were so afraid that they stayed together “<span style="background: white;">with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders”
(John 20:19).</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are very spoiled today because we only face Easter with all its
joyful and victorious overtones, but the early disciples were suffering. The
resurrection for us today means life, but for the disciples, it meant their
death. Whether the resurrection was true or false, it meant that they were
doomed to be pursued by the religious leaders. For them, since dawn, they were
feeling anxious about their life. The irony of all these is that Jesus allows
them to experience such an uneasiness for the entire day! Jesus appears to them
only in the evening. Let us read John 20:19-23<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text"><span style="color: black;">On the evening of that first day of the week, when the
disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish
leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, </span></span><span class="woj"><span style="color: black;">“Peace be with you!”</span></span><span style="color: black;"> <span class="text"><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">20 </span></sup>After he said this, he showed them his hands and
side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text"><sup><span style="color: black;">21 </span></sup></span><span class="text"><span style="color: black;">Again Jesus said, </span></span><span class="woj"><span style="color: black;">“Peace be with you! As the Father has
sent me, I am sending you.”</span></span><span style="color: black;"> <span class="text"><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">22 </span></sup>And with that he
breathed on them and said, </span><span class="woj">“Receive the Holy
Spirit.</span> <span class="woj"><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">23 </span></sup>If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are
forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus appeared to the disciples in the midst of their confusion and
fear. I actually like this passage because I think Jesus was trying to
re-orient them. So far, the resurrection was bad news to the disciples, but
Jesus wants them to understand that the resurrection is good news! Instead of
feeling confused and afraid, what they should experience is peace (John 20:19,
21). The disciples did not understand the resurrection, but Jesus wanted them
to understand its meaning and significance in their lives. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So what is the resurrection about?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The
resurrection is about Jesus’ PRESENCE <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“J</span></i><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">esus came and
stood among them” (John 20:19)</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is no greater comfort when we are faced with confusion, fear, or
sorrow than God making Himself present beside us or among us. Most people, when
suffering, feels abandoned by God. They feel as if God has left them alone.
What they need is not entertainment that can drown their sorrow, or friends who
can make them forget realities, or substances that can numb their emotions.
What people need in times of fear is the presence of God Himself. And this was
precisely what Jesus gave the disciples. I like the description about what
happened to the disciples when Jesus showed up: “</span><span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20). </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Depression is real. Fear is real. Confusion is real. The feeling of
being alone is real. But God is also real. He never fails to show up in our
deepest pains. He never fails to come to us when we need Him. It can be granted
that sometimes Jesus can be late, like in the first Easter, but He will show up
anyway. Easter is the assurance that Jesus shows up when we need Him the most. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">… bringing
PEACE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Peace
be with you” (John 20:19, 21)<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is peace? In Hebrew it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shalom</i>,
which means wholeness. Peace is the experience of comprehensive happiness, when
everything is at the right place. It means that every aspect of our life is
well. It does not mean the absence of pain or struggle; but it means
contentment and happiness in the midst of struggle. It is the experience of
satisfaction in life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For sure, the disciples did not have peace. They were confused and
terrified. They were anxious about their future. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But most of all, they did not have peace because they were so broken as
a group and as individuals. Peace is possible only when we are right with God,
right with others, and right with ourselves. Unfortunately, the disciples were
not right with God because they knew deep in their hearts that they abandoned
the Messiah, the Anointed One, right when He needed them. They disciples were
not right with one another; in fact, the probably could not look at each other
because they knew that each one of them failed. Maybe they were blaming one
another. Maybe they were looking down at each other, particularly at Peter, who
denied Jesus three times. They were not right with themselves, because they
knew they have failed miserably. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The disciples were feeling condemned, accused, guilty, and ashamed. They
did not have peace. But Jesus came to them precisely to offer what they needed.
He said, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21) twice. The resurrection is about
the coming of Christ to bring peace to our broken lives. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">… as a
result of PARDON of sins<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="woj"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“If
you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven” (John 20:23)</span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We can experience peace—or wholeness—only if we experience forgiveness.
Let us remember that the disciples felt guilt and shame before God for their
sins. They also felt ashamed with one another, because they were not faithful
to their Master and supportive of each other. They felt ashamed of themselves,
because they were not able to live up to their own confessions. The night
before Jesus was crucified, one of the conversations among them was this (Matt
26:33-35):<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peter said,
“Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">34 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Truly I tell
you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you
will disown me three times.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">35 </span></sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But Peter declared,
“Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the
other disciples said the same.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am sure that this particular conversation was still fresh in the minds
of the disciples. The memory serves as biting judgment against them. Judas
hanged himself because of his guilt, and the disciples felt the same heavy
guilt. So when Jesus came to them and said, </span><span class="woj"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“If
you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven” (John 20:23), he was
offering them a way out. He is saying that He has already forgiven them, but
they need to forgive each other and forgive themselves. They can only
experience peace if they accept God’s forgiveness and if they also learn to
forgive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus did not only give them hope for themselves. Jesus has given them a
mission to preach forgiveness and lead others to experience forgiveness. Our
mission is to find others who have no peace, and lead them to experience the
peace that comes from forgiveness. The resurrection is for us, but also
for others through us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Conclusion
<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is the resurrection for the disciples? It is about Jesus’ PRESENCE
bringing PEACE that comes from PARDON of sins. My prayer is that at Easter,
each one of us will experience this. May Jesus come and visit our homes. May
Jesus come and manifest Himself today so that those who have no peace might
experience peace, and those who need forgiveness might also be forgiven. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-51587549114096693442020-04-11T05:04:00.000-07:002020-04-11T05:36:51.492-07:00Easter and the Holy Spirit<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For
many of us, it is easier to pronounce "Christ is risen" when things
are going well, or when we are experiencing the happiness of life. We think of
the resurrection as a message of victory; therefore, we think of it as a reason
for celebration. But this means that celebrating the Easter can be a bit
awkward when life is not turning out very well. This is especially true right
now that the world is facing a pandemic that has already claimed thousands of
lives and continues to bring anxiety to the heart of everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today,
as we think of Easter--which is about life--we are being confronted by the
reality of death. As Christians, we face the paradox of believing in
the God of life while surrounded by forces of death. We audaciously proclaim
victory while struggling with a powerful enemy. Today, at Easter, we express
the joy of the past while living in a painful present. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So,
what is it about Easter that makes us so confident and bold in the here and now
of April 2020? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First,
we must realize that most of the New Testament books were written
during the time of persecution. The biblical writers were not writing in the
context of wellness. Their situation was actually very bad. The Roman empire
sought for their cruel and undeserved deaths. The threat to their life was even
more imminent--near--than our struggle with the coronavirus today! They were
living in a period where homing missiles were invented to obliterate
Christians! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This
means that the New Testament writers were writing the message of resurrection
to a group of people whose love ones have been killed and were themselves in
great danger of dying. This means that the message of Easter is precisely for a world of
death, suffering, turmoil, fear, and anxiety. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This
2020, I would like to highlight one specific aspect of Easter that is most
often neglected: THE LIFE-GIVING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Easter is
not just about Jesus Christ; it is also about the Holy Spirit who made the
first Easter possible. Let us look at two verses: "<i>The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead</i>, lives in you" (Rom 8:11, NLT), and
"[Jesus] suffered physical death, but <i>he was raised to life in the
Spirit</i>" (1 Peter 3:18, NLT). The work of the Holy Spirit is to give
life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is
the message of Easter: The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is active
in the world today to give and sustain life! In the same way that God breathed
life into Adam's nostrils (Gen 2:7) and in the same way that He breathed life
into the vast army that stood at the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel's vision
(Ezek 37:1-14), He is sustaining life on the planet right now! If the Holy
Spirit is not in the world, we all would have already died: "If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life
would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust" (Job 34:14-15, NLT).
This means that although
there are deaths in the midst of the pandemic, there are also many recoveries.
Yes, there are deaths, but majority still keep their lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Samuel
Rayan wrote: “The Spirit’s outpouring is there on all struggles
against oppression, on all movements for justice, equality and freedom, on all
strivings for a sane, human and gentle history” (<i>Renew the Face of the
Earth, </i>32). What does this mean? This means that if the Spirit is the life-giving Spirit, then he
is actively working precisely where there is death, oppression, struggle, pain.
Because the Spirit's work is to give and sustain life, He is active where and
when forces of anti-life are active and evident! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This
further means that the best way to celebrate Easter--when the Spirit raised
Jesus from the dead--is not to gather around and sing celebration songs to
remember a glorious past. The best way to celebrate Easter--as the people of
God--is to participate in the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit in the world.
So what we must be asking today are these: How can I participate in the
Spirit's work of sustaining the life of babies who have no access to milk? How
can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the poor who
have no food? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life
of the elderly who has no one to rely on? How can I participate in the Spirit's
work of sustaining the life of the vulnerable, the oppressed, the abused?
In short, what are the implications of the fact that "<i>the Spirit of God, </i>who
raised Jesus from the dead, <i>lives in you</i>" (Rom 8:11, NLT)? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today,
we celebrate Easter. We celebrate the fact that the Spirit who raised Jesus
from the dead and whose work is to give and sustain life is actively working in
the world today. Yes, the Holy Spirit is at work! This is our message of hope.
But Easter, is not just an event that reminds us of hope. It is an event that
demands us to participate, in our puny capacities as humans, in the life-giving
work of the Spirit. This is our responsibility as worshippers of the risen
Christ! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He
is risen! Let us worship Him responsibly.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-20901540343562320972018-02-21T18:05:00.001-08:002018-02-21T18:05:57.166-08:00Love Will Keep Us Alive<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">One of the
styles of group Bible study I learned when I was in college, especially when
dealing with stories, is to roleplay. Everyone would read a particular story together,
and the facilitator would ask the question: “If you were in the story, who
among the characters would you be?” This approach is both interesting and
fruitful, because members will realize the perspective of the different
characters of the story. By putting one’s self in someone else’s shoes, we
begin to understand what people think, feel, and do. We will try to do this in
the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among
robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now
by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed
by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and
saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed,
came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to
him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him
on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next
day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying,
‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come
back’.” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">From this
parable, let us deal with three sets of characters with three different
reflections on love and keeping alive. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">The
Robbers, Levite and Priest:</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Love of
Ourselves Keeps Us Alive</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The first
set of characters includes the robbers who beat the man and left him half-dead
on the road, along with the priest and the Levite who passed by the other side
when they saw the needy man. These three characters in the parable model the
first paradigm of love and life: “<i>my love of myself keeps me alive</i>.” The
robbers did what they did maybe because they were also destitute. Maybe they
were doing what they were doing because society does not give them
opportunities to work honest livelihood. Maybe they were the uneducated and the
skill-less, who can only scavenge for food by taking them from others. As human
beings, they needed to eat. They may have had spouses and children waiting at
home for them to bring back food. It was because they love themselves and their
loved ones that they were willing to do whatever it takes to keep themselves alive.
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Both the
priest and the Levite did not help the man because they also wanted to protect
their own lives. In particular, they were afraid of violating the law of God
stipulated in Numbers 19:11-13, “Whoever touches the dead body of any person
shall be unclean seven days… <b><sup> </sup></b>Whoever touches a
dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse
himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person
shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on
him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him.” This command is
especially scary for those who serve in the Temple, like the priest and the
Levite. Essentially, if they touched the man on the road—which may already have
died—they would be cut off from the temple and their responsibilities as holy
men for a week. In a sense, not touching someone who is bleeding and not moving
on the road is the wisest and the most logical thing to do! They love
themselves and their ministries at the temple, so they wanted to keep
themselves clean. The robbers <i>pursued</i> their love interests, while the
Levite and priest <i>protected</i> their love interests. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Loving
ourselves is not essentially evil. We need an appropriate self-love and
self-concern. We need to take care of ourselves, eat, shower, and sleep.
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1152) stated that the highest and fourth degree of
love is love of self for the sake of God. What is wrong is love of self for the
sake of self. When we love ourselves because we want to honor God with our
lives and continued service, then love of self is godly. What is wrong is love
of ourselves at the expense of the lives of others. Love of ourselves becomes
wrong if for the sake of keeping ourselves alive, we take advantage of and hurt
others, and if for the sake of keeping ourselves alive, we willfully disregard
the needs of others. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">The
Samaritan: </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Our Love
Keeps Others Alive </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The second
character is the Samaritan. He models the second category of the relationship
between love and survival: <i>our love keeps others alive</i>. It was the
Samaritan’s active and intentional reaching out to the half-dead man that saved
the man. Without someone capable of loving, the man would have died. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The fact is
this: there is always someone relying on our love for their continued
existence: the parent who sacrifices his or her career in order to take care of
their children; the parent who works double shifts or two employments just to
support his or her children’s education or special needs; the parent patiently
enduring back pain in order to care for the kids, and whose rewards are none
other than sweet smiles; the family bread winner who works hard in order to
bring food to the table; the son who continues to support and care for his weakening
parents; or the daughter who puts off romantic relations to support her family.
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What
enables people to do these things? The answer is simple: love. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Love was
why Schindler saved the Jews, why Mother Theresa helped the poor, why Bruce
Willis chose to remain and detonate the nuclear warhead on the asteroid, and
why Jack saved his beloved Rose from sinking. Whether we like it or not, and
realize it or not, the lives of others are dependent on our ability to love and
extend love to them. In <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/02/i-wanna-know-what-love-is.html" target="_blank">I Wanna Know What Love Is</a>, we discussed the fact that
the world is full of unloved people; here, we must realize that the world is
full of dying people. It is our capability to love that will enable them to
live. It is when we are compassionate and merciful to others that we can help
others to remain alive. The Dalai Lama once said, “Our prime purpose in this
life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">The
Half-Dead Man: </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Others’
Love Keeps Us Alive </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The final
character in the parable is the half-dead man. He was a hopeless man, lying on
the road, and was totally at the mercy of others. His survival depended
entirely on the love that others might show him. He was a man with several
counted breaths left, and only someone’s attention and help can prolong the
function of his respiratory system. He was a man in deep need of pity and
compassion. It was only someone capable of loving the unlovable who can save
him from his coming demise. I can imagine that when he recovered from his
near-death experience, his thoughts were simple: it was through the love of
another that he was alive. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">We are all
recipients of love. One of the primary reasons we are alive right now is
because we have been recipients of many people’s love, attention, and care. We
are recipient of God’s love: “You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me
together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and steadfast love,
and your care has preserved my spirit” (Job 10:11-12). God’s love keeps us
alive, even when we deserve death. But more than just physical life, God grants
us eternal life: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life. <b><sup>17 </sup></b>For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved
through him” (John 3:16-17).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">We are
recipients of our parents’ love. We are alive today because our parents had
sleepless nights when we were newborns. We are alive today because of their
endurance and sacrifices. We are alive today because of their patience and
understanding. We are alive today because they did not give up on us. We are
alive today because they loved us so much. The parable of the prodigal son
illustrates very well that even though children do hurtful things and break
their parents’ hearts, they are still loved: “While he was still a long way
off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him
and kissed him” (Luke 15:10).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">We are
recipients of others’ love. It is because of the love of others for us that we
are alive. We are all recipients of somebody’s love, and we are alive today
because of them. But we must also remember to love back. Our lives are
dependent on others, but others’ lives are also dependent on us. In this world,
we are not only meant to <i>be</i> loved; we are also meant <i>to</i> love. We
are not mere recipients of love, we are also givers of love. There comes a
point in our lives when we are just flickering lights, ready to be snuffed out
at any moment, and it is at the mercy of others that we our fires are still
burning today. But there are times when we see someone—a coal separated from
the batch of burning coals—and what remains in him is but a tiny ray of light,
just sufficient to catch anyone’s attention. This coal needs someone to stretch
their hands to bring them back to the group to be rekindled to life. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love will keep us alive, <i>together</i>,
because we need each other. It is in loving and being loved back that we can <i>both</i>
continue to live.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the third entry for the Love series. The first is <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-one-that-you-love.html" target="_blank">The One that You Love</a>, followed by <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/02/i-wanna-know-what-love-is.html" target="_blank">I Wanna Know What Love Is</a>. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-88240336607235965282018-02-11T20:23:00.002-08:002018-02-11T20:23:47.684-08:00I Wanna Know What Love Is<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Last year,
I saw a Facebook post saying that “Valentine’s Day is cancelled.” The post is
humorous, but there is also a tinge of bitterness or loneliness implied in it.
Whether we care to admit it or now, the so-called season of love can be a cause
of pain to some, reminding them of their unfulfilled desire for intimate
relationships. It is not an exaggeration to claim that in the month of
February, many are silently singing the words that Mick Jones penned in a song
released in 1984, <i>I Want to Know What Love Is: </i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I wanna know what love is</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I want you to show me</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I wanna feel what love is</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I know you can show me</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Everyone
wants to feel loved. In fact, many are willing to give up literally everything
for love. The <i>Passengers, </i>a sci-fi romantic movie illustrates this
(Spoiler alert!)<i>. </i>The setting is a shuttle coursing through space
heading to a new habitable planet. The 5,000 people aboard should be in
suspended hibernation for 120 years, but because of a system failure, one of
the passengers woke up 90 years before they reach their destination. For
several months, he was living a lonely life alone on the ship. Then he
discovered that he has the knowledge and tools to wake up someone else from
among the 5,000 people sleeping to accompany him. In particular, there was a
lady among the sleeping passengers that he is quite affectionate with. The
problem is this: if he wakes her up, she will most likely die with him before
they reach the new planet, thus depriving her of the new life she hoped for
when she left Earth. But he is already dying of loneliness. Should he wake her
to accompany him even if it means ultimately killing that person?<i> </i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The world
is filled with people whose hearts are longing to be loved. Buried deep down is
the desire to know what it means to be loved, to be cared for, to be noticed,
to be appreciated, to be embraced, and to be accepted. Our world is full of
heartbroken women who always gets dumped by her lovers, disfigured men who can
only fantasize about having a girlfriend, children with abusive fathers or
uncaring mothers, high school students who are invisible to their teachers and
classmates, young children who never had birthday cakes, old parents put in a
home for the aged because their children have careers to prioritize, and even
churchmates who do not even get a “Hi” from someone from the congregation. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">The
Unloved </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">One of the
most tragic stories in the Bible that depict one who was so unloved is the
parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The first part of the parable
is disheartening: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he
fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him
half dead. <b><sup>31 </sup></b>Now by chance a priest was going
down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.<b><sup>32 </sup></b>So
likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the
other side” (Luke 10:30-32). The travelling man was quite unfortunate. He
was violently attacked by robbers, who did not care about him at all. He was
dismissed by religious pilgrims even though he was obviously in pain and in
need of care. The man represents the world’s unloved, and many in the world
today resonate with him. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">First,
he is a victim of his circumstances. </span></i><span lang="EN-US">He seemed to have travelled alone.<i> </i>There
is no indication in the passage that he was in a group. This itself is very
revealing, because this most probably means that the man was poor. Although he knew
that journeying alone is dangerous, he did not have a choice because he did not
have money to hire people to accompany him. No one wished to escort him for
free. Love is not free. Companionship is bought at the right price.
Companionship is a luxury of those who are able to give back in return. Because
the man was poor, no one wanted to be with him. How many are in the world like
him? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Secondly,
he is a victim of violence</span></i><span lang="EN-US">. Robbers came and stripped him even of his clothes, beat him and left
him half-dead. He had company for a short while, but these companions only
surrounded him for what can be taken from him. There are many in the world like
him. They are children abused by their parents or relatives, serving as
punching bags or outlets of rage and disappointments in life. They are children
at school bullied by other students. They are servants of the rich, enslaved to
work. They are prostitutes who receive embrace only because of the pleasure
they bring to their customers. They are offenders and sinners who only get
attention by being topics of gossip and scorn. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Thirdly,
he is a victim of discrimination. </span></i><span lang="EN-US">The man was clearly suffering on the road where people can see him. But
those who pass by chose to avoid him, even going the other way in order to be
far from him. There are reasons for their actions. The man was bloody. He was
smelly. He was half-dead, and therefore, a cause of religious impurity upon
touching. He was needy. He had nothing to give but trouble. He was nothing but
a burden. So those who passed by decided to pay him no attention. There are
many like him in the world today. They are the poor who are not invited at the
table reserved only for the important guests. They are the smelly beggars who
are not welcomed to step in our homes. They are the OFWs who are mistreated by
their bosses because they are considered lowly in status. They are the
not-so-good-looking and the janitor who are eating alone in the cafeteria
because no one wants to sit with them. They are the street children and people
who are treated as eyesores. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Fourthly
he is a victim of people’s apathy</span></i><span lang="EN-US">. It is normal and natural for a human being to be appalled by violence
and to feel sympathy to those who suffer. But the half-dead man in the story
received no sympathy. He was a recipient of radical indifference from extremely
individualistic people. The irony of the story is that the things the man did
not need were not given to him (violence and discrimination) but the things
that he needed the most were withheld from him (sympathy). I can imagine that
while the half-dead man was lying on the road, seeing all the people passing by
and paying him no attention, he was singing in his head: “I wanna know what
love is / I want you to show me / I wanna feel what love is / I know you can
show me.” There are many people in the world like the man. They are those who
suffer that we see on the television, but are not receiving any prayer of
blessing. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Who will
love the unloved? This is the crucial question. Who will rescue the perishing,
care for the dying, snatch people from sin and the grave, weep over the erring
one, and lift up the fallen? Who will hold the blind man’s hand, feed the
hungry, visit prisoners, kiss lepers, and invite sinners into their lives? The
world has many unloved people. But this is also because there are many who do
not love. The number of unloved people is related to the number of people who
are incapable of loving. The number of homeless people is related to the number
of families that are inhospitable. The number of hungry people is related to
the number of people who are unwilling to feed others.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">The
Unlikely Lover </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Fortunately,
the story continued. A Samaritan came along. He noticed the man on the road,
gave him attention, took care of his wounds, and accompanied him to the doctor.
He was not like the Levite and the teacher of the law who probably prayed for
the man when they saw him. There are times when spiritual prayer is precisely
what is NOT needed, because what is needed is in the realm of the physical.
James wrote: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily
food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,”
without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James
2:15-16). There are many times when prayer is just not good enough.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The least
expected to help was the one who helped. Samaritans and Jews did not get along
very well. The Jews did not like the Samaritans because the Samaritans were
mixed races. They were Jews who married non-Jews. In the <i>Harry Potter</i>
world, they were looked down as muggles by the purebloods. On the other hand,
the Samaritans did not like the Jews for their judgmental attitude and extreme
sense of self-righteousness. The Jews viewed the Samaritans as pigs; the
Samaritans viewed the Jews as dogs. But in the parable, it was the Samaritan
who showed love for his enemy: “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to
where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. <b><sup>34 </sup></b>He
went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he
set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.<b><sup>35 </sup></b>And
the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper,
saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I
come back’” (Luke 10:33-35).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Jesus was
most probably intentional in making the least expected person to be the one who
showed love. The good Samaritan was patterned after Himself. Throughout His
life and ministry, He was portrayed, over and over again, as one who showed
love to the unlovable. Being a prophet with high moral standards, He was the
most unlikely person to forgive the woman caught in adultery and defend her
from her accusers (John 8:1-11). Being a holy man, He was also the most
unlikely person to allow a woman who lived a sinful life touch him (Luke
7:36-38). Being the king, He was the most unlikely person to accept children in
His presence (Mark 10:13-16). Being a teacher of the law, he was the most
unlikely person to violate the law and touch a man with leprosy (Luke 5:12-16;
cf. Lev 13:45-46; Num 5:2-3). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Like these
unlovables, we too have received God’s love. The parable of the Good Samaritan
is greatly similar to Paul’s thoughts in Romans 5:6, 8, “For while we were
still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly… God shows
his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Notice how Paul describes us: weak (“powerless,” NIV), ungodly, and sinners.
Like the man who left Jerusalem to go to Jericho, we left His holy city. We
have become tired of God, and we wanted to try other cities. We left the city
of God where the temple of sacrifice and forgiveness is. Instead of staying in
the city of God, we decided to move to the city of destruction. Just with this
decision and action, we have become ungodly sinners (Rom 5:6, 8). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But the
moment we left the city of God, we were like sheep without a shepherd. The
journey away from the city of God is truly a downward journey. We immediately
met robbers along the road to our own Jerichos. We were beaten, stripped of our
joy and dignity, and left behind to die alone among stones and thorns. In a lot
of sense, we were the ones who invited the calamity upon ourselves. We should
not have left Jerusalem, the city of God. But there we were: hopeless half-dead
men and women on the road. We are half-dead and unable even to cry for help. On
that road, we lie bruised and bloody—ugly and smelly. With these, we were
certainly unlovable. There was nothing in us and about us that can demand
attention from others. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Little did
we expect that the One who would notice us, help us, care for us, and make
sacrifices for us—is the God, the recipient of our animosity and the One we are
all trying to run away from. Paul says, “While we were enemies we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Rom 5:10). God came down from
Jerusalem to the rocky and warm road to Jericho. He left His holy city to look
for those who needs to experience love: “For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). He stopped precisely where
we were, and picked us up with His own hands. Paul wrote: “For while we
were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly… God
shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us” (Rom 5:6, 8).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, the parable does not only teach us
about God’s love for us. Jesus told the parable because He wanted us to learn
how to love in the same way that God loves us. At the end of the parable, Jesus
asked: “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man
who fell among the robbers?”<b><sup> </sup></b>When the teacher of the law
responded: “The one who showed him mercy,” Jesus said to him, “You go, and
do likewise” (Luke 10:36-37).</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>This is the second entry for the Love series. The first one is entitled "<a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-one-that-you-love.html" target="_blank">The One that You Love</a>."</i></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-82988979554571534792018-02-05T06:16:00.000-08:002018-02-05T06:16:11.494-08:00The One That You Love<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the saddest movies I have watched is <i>Toy Story 3</i>,
where Woody and his friends felt abandoned because they were slowly discarded
by their owner, Andy. The movie starts with reels of Andy always playing with
his toys, but Andy goes to college—basically growing too old for his toys. So,
even though Andy was unwilling to give them up, the toys are given away to their
new owners in the end. The point of this is simple. Time can create a wedge
between us and the things that we once loved. We can grow cold in our
relationships with anyone or anything. We can be like any other kid who loves
her new toys, but only for a while. She may be very excited about a toy for a
few days, but she will ultimately leave them behind to look for something more
interesting or exciting. Paul warns us against this sort of situation through
his letter to his disciple Timothy: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But understand this, that in the
last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of
self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but
denying its power (2 Tim 3:1-5).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Paul’s description of the last days is very grim. People
will continue to love, but the object of their love will be things found in
creation. People will prefer creatures over the Creator. Three idolatrous loves
are the focus of the passage: love of self, love of money, and love of pleasure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First, according to Paul, people will be <b>lovers of
themselves</b>. Whitney Houston’s hit song <i>The Greatest Love of All</i> actually
promotes this. The song starts with a great note: “I believe the children’s our
future,” so we might be led to think that it is a song about awesome love.
Unfortunately, to our dismay, the chorus ends with these lines: “The greatest
love of all is easy to achieve / Learning to love yourself – is the greatest
love of all.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">People love themselves. This is very true today. Without a
doubt, our era is one of the most narcissistic eras in the history of the
world. The new English word “selfie” was coined in this era. Last year, I
unfriended my neighbor from my province because my Facebook newsfeed was
littered with her face. She takes delight in taking selfies almost every hour.
Technology today provides several platforms for people suffering from <i>Kulang
Sa Pansin</i> (KSP) or <i>Attention Deficiency Syndrome </i>(ASD) to be
noticed. People today are lovers of themselves. They seek attention,
recognition, and appreciation. People’s sense of self-worth are measured by the
number of likes and reactions they get from a Facebook post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Imagine if you visit someone’s home. He is single and living
alone. You look around and notice that there is particular section in the
receiving room, for everyone to see, that is filled with pictures, awards,
travels, and even records of their good deeds. There is even a picture of him
at the very center of all these things. It is basically like a shrine to
idolize, worship, and promote himself. It is placed in the receiving area
precisely so that people who come to the house can see everything and make
comments. So you think to yourself: “Wow! This guy has a lot of ego!” Well,
this is now called a website or a Facebook wall. People might be embarrassed to
create a physical shrine for themselves, but they are shameless in creating
online shrines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Secondly, Paul says that people will be <b>lovers of pleasure</b>.
This is also related to the love of self. Several surveys have been conducted
about the greatest pleasures in life, and the results include: squeezing a
pimple, cleaning your earwax, chocolate, bacon, a long bath, shopping, food,
and sex. Among the three loves in the passage, it is love of pleasure that is
contrasted with love of God. It seems, therefore, that the greatest competition
for loving God is the love of pleasure. The temptation is to prioritize what we
want over what God wants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thirdly, people will be <b>lovers of money</b>. The reason why this
is not a good thing is found in the two other passages in the New Testament
where love of money is mentioned. First, in Luke 16:1-14, after talking about
the parable of the shrewd manager, Jesus affirmed that “no servant can serve
two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money”
(16:13). Immediately after Jesus said this, the next verse reads: “The
Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and
they ridiculed him” (Luke 16:14). People who love their money are easily
prone to reject Jesus’ words about money if their interests clash with the
kingdom’s. The second passage is 1 Timothy 6:6, 9-10, “Godliness with
contentment is great gain…<sup> </sup>But those who desire to be rich
fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful
desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of
money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that
some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Very clearly, Paul’s concern is that love of money can cause people to fall
into many temptations. Worse, love of money is the root of all evil. It has
historically brought faithful Christians to wander from the faith and cause
numerous afflictions upon themselves. In the parable of the sower, those who
are sown among thorns are described as “those who hear the word,<sup> </sup>but the
cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires
for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mark
4:18-19). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The picture 2 Timothy 3:1-5 paint is extremely grim.
Thankfully, the chapter does not end in verse 5. It actually goes on to sing a
better tune in the next few verses. Paul wrote: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You, however, have followed my
teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my
steadfastness… <sup>14 </sup>But as for you, continue in what you have
learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it <sup>15 </sup>and
how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus (2 Tim 3:10, 14-15).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These verses are a breath of fresh air. Paul says to
Timothy, his disciple, that the world will turn sour and people will be lovers
of themselves, of money, and of pleasure—except him. Timothy is the only hand
whose palm is up when everyone else have their palms down. In 3:14-15, the
reason why Timothy is different from the rest of the world is revealed: “But as
for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing
from whom you learned it <sup> </sup>and how from childhood you
have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make
you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Timothy is different
from the rest of the world because he is a believer of Jesus Christ. Moreover,
he has a life deeply grounded in the Word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We must be different. We are not narcissistic; we love God.
We are not lovers of money; we are sacrificial. We are not lovers of pleasure;
we are the masters of our selves. In a narcissistic and ego-centric world, do
we love God more than ourselves? In an economically-driven world, do we love
God more than money? In a sensual world, do we love God more than pleasure? Can
God say the same words He spoke about Job for us: “Have you considered
my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless
and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8). What is it
that we love? Who is it that we love? Oscar C. A. Bernadotte wrote a beautiful
hymn with words that should be the heart of everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’d rather have Jesus
than silver or gold;<br />
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;<br />
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;<br />
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Than to be the king
of a vast domain<br />
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;<br />
I’d rather have Jesus than anything<br />
This world affords today.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’d
rather have Jesus than men’s applause;</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’d rather be true to His holy name.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-12063085854432421512018-01-28T20:04:00.000-08:002018-01-28T20:04:37.868-08:00Persecution to Proclamation <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Paul was
born in Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 22:3; Phil 3:5). He was a Roman citizen by
birthright (Acts 22:28). At the age of 12, he became the disciple of Gamaliel (Acts
22:3), a Pharisee “who was honored by all the people” (Acts 5:34) and had
considerable influence among the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:38-40). Even the Jewish
historian Josephus lauded Gamaliel for his knowledge. Under his tutelage, Paul
became an expert in the Hebrew Scriptures. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">As the
disciple of Gamaliel, Paul was also a Pharisee (Phil 3:5). This fact is very
important if we are to understand who Paul (Saul) was and what he did before
his conversion. The origin of the Pharisees may be traced during the
intertestamental period (the in-between 400-year period between Malachi and
Matthew) or the so-called Second Temple period, referring to the time when the
temple rebuilt under the leadership of Zerubbabel stood since the end of the
Babylonian exile to the end of the Jewish revolt in AD 70. After the
Babylonians conquered Palestine came the Persians, then the Greeks, then finally
the Romans. The Jewish people were under colonial oppression for a long time.
The Jews, having realized that they were being punished by God for their sins,
desired to return to the covenant that God instituted by obedience to the Law.
In short, they learned from the errors of their ancestors and wanted to live
holy lives. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Along with
the Sadducees, Essenes, and the Zealots, the Pharisees emerged as a holiness
movement in Israel. The Pharisees were unique in that they devoted themselves
to a detailed observance of the Law and brought it to all spheres of everyday
life. They were so religious in keeping the Law that they would rather die than
disobey. Because of this, they were very legalistic. They imposed the Law to
its every letter. This was why they questioned Jesus about not washing His
hands before He ate (Mark 7:1-5) and attacked Him when He healed on Sabbath day
(Mark 2:23-26). Moreover, they tended to separate themselves from sinners for
fear of contamination. Their whole agenda includes political aspirations. They
believe that the Romans (or Gentiles) occupying the promise land were polluting
or defiling it. Hence, they wished for the defeat and expulsion of the Romans
so that the land would be holy again. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">All of
these values were inherited by Paul from Gamaliel. Since one of the goals of
the Pharisees was to obey the Law to the letter and to expel contaminating
powers in the land, Paul was very zealous in persecuting New Testament
Christianity. He believed with all his heart that he was doing God a favor by
uprooting a new blasphemous group in Israel. He allowed (or maybe even
instigated) the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58; 8:1). He admitted that he was a
persecutor of the church (Phil 3:6). According to Luke, “a great persecution
broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were
scattered throughout Judea and Samaria… Saul began to destroy the
church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and
put them in prison” (Acts 8:1-3). Again, for Paul, he was doing the right and
godly thing. He hated the gospel for godly reasons. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">By God’s
grace and providence, Paul was transformed. He was given a new beginning by the
Lord Jesus Christ. He was converted on the road to Damascus, recorded in Acts
9:1-15, NIV</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing
out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high
priest <sup>2 </sup>and asked him for letters to the synagogues in
Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the
Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to
Jerusalem. <sup>3 </sup>As he neared Damascus on his journey,
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. <sup>4 </sup>He fell
to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><sup><span lang="EN-US">5 </span></sup><span lang="EN-US">“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting,” he replied. <sup>6 </sup>“Now get up
and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” <sup>7 </sup>The
men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but
did not see anyone. <sup>8 </sup>Saul got up from the ground, but
when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand
into Damascus. <sup>9 </sup>For three days he was blind, and did not
eat or drink anything.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><sup><span lang="EN-US">10 </span></sup><span lang="EN-US">In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias.
The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. <sup>11 </sup>The
Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a
man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. <sup>12 </sup>In
a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him
to restore his sight.” <sup>13 </sup>“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard
many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy
people in Jerusalem. <sup>14 </sup>And he has come here with
authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” <sup>15 </sup>But
the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to
proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of
Israel.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">God asked
Paul, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). This question can be asked of us
as well. Notice that Saul’s life was transformed on the road to Damascus. He
was given a radically new beginning. He was a persecutor, but God called him.
God referred to him as: “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my
name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel”
(Acts 9:15). This was what he had truly become! After his eyes were opened, in
just a few days, “at once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is
the Son of God” (Acts 9:20). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The change
was so sudden that even people did not believe it! “All those who heard him
were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem
among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as
prisoners to the chief priests?” (Acts 9:21). Even the disciples did not believe
him: “When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they
were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple” (Acts
9:26). They probably that it was a conspiracy so that he can further penetrate
the church.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Here are
few observations about the transformed life of Paul:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">First, from
being a persecutor, he now became the persecuted: “the Jews conspired to kill
him” (Acts 9:23); “they kept watch on the city gates to kill him” (Acts 9:24);
and “they tried to kill him” (Acts 9:29). Change in Christ does not guarantee a
life in a bed of roses. Godly transformation upsets the world and its ungodly
rulers. There are no magical protection properties when we live the life that
we are called to have. Paul’s life bears testimony to this. He was threatened,
arrested, imprisoned, beaten, flogged, tossed by winds and waves, persecuted,
oppressed by his fellow Jews, falsely accused, and so on. He did not get
wealthy. He no longer enjoyed a great position among the religious leaders. He
did not even have a home for his own. He worked as a tentmaker in order for him
to eat. He experienced a lot of suffering because he was transformed. <i>His
new beginning was from a life of socio-political favor to hostile
marginalization.</i> The same goes for us. As Mark 4:35-41, we will face
frightening and deadly storms even when we have jumped on the boat with Jesus. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Secondly,
the transformed life may contain years of silence or inactivity. Immediately
after his conversation, Paul evangelized (Acts 9:20). But he was met with
violent opposition too, so he fled to Tarsus. This was not a shameful thing to
do. No one accused Paul of cowardice. Sometimes the best response is to retreat
in order to be come back later for more fruitful work. According to scholars,
the length of time between Acts 9:20 and 11:25 is nine years! He was mightily
introduced in Acts 9 only to fade to almost non-existence until Acts 13. We may
have these years too. Perhaps we are even in these years right now. We have
started as passionate workers of the kingdom, then because of oppositions and
personal doubts, we have fled to our own Tarsus, the place of our births and
comfort zones. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Thirdly,
even transformed men and women need an encourager. Paul fled to Tarsus, and he
stayed there until someone looked for him. This was the role of Barnabas, “the
son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36): “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look
for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch” (Acts
11:25-26). Even God’s called servants can be discouraged. Even the most zealous
church worker can run away. Paul needed someone to bring him back and assist
him as he re-integrates himself again in the community. Not all of us are Pauls
in the church. Not everyone truly love to go out and evangelize. But we can be
Barnabases to the Pauls that we know. Instead of stifling their passion with
our criticisms, would it not be better if we tap their backs once in a while? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Fourth,
people who encountered Jesus become proclaimers. This was the life of Paul. He
was a passionate proclaimer of the gospel. He braved winds and forests, angry
mobs and protesting opponents, dangerous seas and open roads, because he took
upon himself the task of making Jesus Christ known. The New Testament offers
many stories in which the first response of the people to their encounter with
God is proclamation: the shepherds who spread the word about the birth of Jesus
(Luke 2:17), the Samaritan who spread the word about Jesus (John 4:28-30), the
healed leper who praised God in a loud voice (Luke 17:15), and the disciples
filled with the Spirit “declaring the wonders of God” (Acts 2:11). Our
encounter with God, the transformation we experience, and our proclamation and
witness of the gospel are interrelated. God forbid that the transition we
experienced in life are from alienation from God to a gradual detachment from
God, from a passionate rejection of God to an impassionate relationship with
God, from opposition to neutrality before God, from being recipients of the
gospel to being further recipients of the gospel, or from a critical observer
to an appreciative observer. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">We should
all have Paul’s attitude: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is
the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to
the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Rom 1:16). We proclaim the gospel to our
own Jews, our own people and family members; then to the Gentile, our neighbors
and schoolmates and workmates. We do this together, as a church. Peter’s
description of the church is apt: “You are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you
may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). This is who we are as believers and what we are
as the body of Christ.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We may conclude this article by highlighting the
three stages of Paul’s life after he was given a new beginning by God, and
evaluate ourselves and see where we are right now in our Christian lives. The
church is filled with people in the different stages. First, some are in <i>the Acts 9:20 stage</i>. These are the newly
transformed and are on fire to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are
probably only a handful of these in our churches. Secondly, some are in <i>the Acts 9:30-11:25 stage. </i>This is the
stage of silence and inactivity. Because of fear or just plain disobedience to
the call of God, we have run away back to our Tarsuses, where we are
comfortable and safe. These are the nine years of fading into non-existence, as
if God has never called us in the first place. Majority of church goers are in
this stage. Thirdly, some are in <i>the Acts
11:26 stage</i>, where people begin to be involved back in the mission and
ministries of the church. Because of a Barnabas who encouraged us, we have
renewed our commitment to God and His call. My hope is that all of us come to
this stage. However, this stage is only temporary. Our goal is to be at <i>the Acts 13:2-3 stage</i>, where we are sent
from and by our local churches to proclaim the gospel of salvation with
boldness and authority in our Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts
1:8).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222;">(This is the fourth manuscript in the New Beginning sermon series. The <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/forget-past-forge-future.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">first</a>, <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/wandering-to-winning.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">second,</a> <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/faulty-to-forgiven.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">third</a>, and <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/greed-to-generosity.html" target="_blank">fourth</a> are also available in this blog.)</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-57042502200017593322018-01-24T05:59:00.000-08:002018-01-24T05:59:33.360-08:00Greed to Generosity<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">One of the
most important topics of our time is our relation with money. Commenting on our
human situation today, Dewi Hughes is spot on in saying that “the
widespread consumerism and materialism
of the culture—expressed above all in our incessant advertising—seduces many
people into making extravagant decisions about major purchases like houses and
cars and smaller things like recreation, eating out, vacations, etc.; and the
result is that most families are financially pressed in spite of enormous
wealth.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Everywhere in the world, money is increasingly becoming more accessible to many
people and families. The abundance of malls, shopping centers, restaurants and
entertainment places indicates that investors believe that we have money to
spend. The problem is that even though we are earning more money than ever
before, we still feel hard-pressed and may be under huge debts. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In one of
the episodes of the television series <i>The Big Bang Theory</i>, Rajesh
Koothrapali got a new girlfriend who was more in love with his money than with
him. His parents learned about it and gave him a video call. His father,
exasperated by his son’s stupidity, asked him to choose between his girlfriend
and his allowance. Rajesh’s response is this: “You’re going to make me choose
between the woman I love and the money I have very strong feelings for?” Like
Rajesh, we all have strong feelings for money. This is not a problem only for
modern humanity. In the first century, Paul already warned Timothy: “The love
of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered
away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim 6:10). But
there is hope for us. God is able to transform His people. Our inappropriate
love of or concern about money may be replaced by lavish generosity. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This was
what happened to Zacchaeus, and this can happen to all of us as well. His </span>story
was recorded by the historian Luke: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. <b><sup>2 </sup></b>A
man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was
wealthy.<b><sup>3 </sup></b>He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he
was short he could not see over the crowd. <b><sup>4 </sup></b>So he
ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-figtree to see him, since Jesus was coming
that way. <b><sup>5 </sup></b>When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up
and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your
house today.”<b><sup>6 </sup></b>So he came down at once and welcomed him
gladly. <b><sup>7 </sup></b>All the people saw this and began to mutter,
“He has gone to be the guest of a sinner” (Luke 19:1-10, NIV).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was no profession in the New Testament that was more
disdained than being a tax collector. The attitude of the religious leaders
toward these people was negative, and they were very vocal about it. In fact,
several times in the Gospels, the terms “tax collector” and “sinners” went
together (Matt 9:10-11; 11:19; Mark 2:15-16; Luke 5:30; 7:34; 15:1). In several
other passages, tax collectors are grouped together with other heinous sins.
The Pharisee at the temple prayed: “<span lang="EN-US">God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers,
adulterers—or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11). Jesus lumped the sins
of unbelieving pagans or Gentiles together with tax collectors (Matt 18:17).
Elsewhere, Jesus grouped tax collectors with prostitutes in terms of the
difficulty in entering the kingdom of God (Matt 21:31-32).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why was there such a negativity against tax collectors in
the times of Jesus? First, tax collectors were Jewish people working for the
Romans, the enemies of the Jews. Therefore, they were considered as traitors to
their own people. Instead of fighting against the Romans, they were helping
them and were becoming rich in the process. Secondly, nobody wanted to pay
taxes to the Romans, especially because they were oppressive. Thirdly, it was
common knowledge that tax collectors cheated the people they collected from.
They would collect more than what was required and keep the extra for
themselves. When Jesus gave an advice to a tax collector, he said: “Don’t
collect any more than you are required to” (Luke 3:13), signaling that it was common
knowledge or assumption that they are cheaters. So finally, tax collectors were
resented because they were extremely wealthy and enjoying lavish lifestyles at
a time of oppression. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, so imagine the even
greater amount of animosity the people felt about him. Zacchaeus himself
confessed that he indeed cheated people (19:8). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, was Zacchaeus always a cheat? I am inclined to say
NO. The nature of his work gave him the opportunity to cheat. Perhaps he was
like many godly men and women who started in their work with no intention to
abuse their positions at all. No one applies to a job with the intention of
cheating. Rather, when we apply for jobs, we earnestly desire to be productive
and helpful. Perhaps Zacchaeus was like a young Filipino who zealously aspired
to become a policeman with the goal to help his fellow citizens. Perhaps he started
as a tax collector with a vision to be a different kind of tax collector.
Perhaps he started with a vision to change the image of tax collectors in the
minds of people by staying godly. I don’t believe that people are naturally
evil from the beginning. People progress from being good to being downright
evil or callous in their ways. I think Zacchaeus started cheating in small
scales because of fear. After all, he was still a God-believing Jew. But the
more wealth he accumulated, the more he wanted more; and the more he wanted
more, the more he became steeped in his greedy deeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The nature of humanity is that we want more. John D.
Rockefeller, an American oil industry business magnate and industrialist in the
early 1900s, was once considered the wealthiest person on earth. He was once
asked “How much is enough?” and his response was a very short: “Just a little
bit more.” Discontent seems to be a part of our fallen human DNA. Greedy people
will always think that they lack abundance, no matter how much money they are
receiving in comparison to the past. There is always something better to buy,
something bigger to accumulate, something grander to own. The irony is that the
more money we have, the more things we think we should buy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Leo Tolstoy
once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with
his lot. He wanted more of everything. One day he received a novel offer. For
1000 rubles, he could buy all the land he could walk around in a day. The only
catch in the deal was that he had to be back at his starting point by sundown.
Early the next morning he started out walking at a fast pace. By midday he was
very tired, but he kept going, covering more and more ground. Well into the
afternoon he realized that his greed had taken him far from the starting point.
He quickened his pace and as the sun began to sink low in the sky, he began to
run, knowing that if he did not make it back by sundown the opportunity to
become an even bigger landholder would be lost. As the sun began to sink below
the horizon he came within sight of the finish line. Gasping for breath, his
heart pounding, he called upon every bit of strength left in his body and
staggered across the line just before the sun disappeared. He immediately
collapsed, blood streaming from his mouth. In a few minutes he was dead.
Afterwards, his servants dug a grave. It was not much over six feet long and
three feet wide. The title of Tolstoy's story was: How Much Land Does a Man
Need?</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Greed has two interrelated forms: it takes and it withholds.
In the case of Zacchaeus, it was primarily taking other people’s money.
Christians may not be struggling with stealing. If there are Christian thieves,
their number is certainly small. However, the sin of withholding is probably
something that many of us are still struggling with. In the book of Malachi,
God’s complaints against the Israelites were precisely because they were
withholding from God: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to
give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord” (Mal 1:14)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are
we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. <b><sup>9 </sup></b>You
are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me” (Mal 3:8-9)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We may not be cheating our neighbors, and therefore think
that we are not struggling with greed and the love of money. We may not be
taking people’s money for our own sake or stealing them like tax collectors.
But we are no better than tax collectors who steal from others if we are
withholding from God what belongs to Him in tithes and offerings. My hope is
that we experience a new beginning like the one experienced by Zacchaeus. The
story continues to narrate: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and
now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody
out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” <b><sup>9 </sup></b>Jesus
said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man,
too, is a son of Abraham. <b><sup>10 </sup></b>For the Son of Man
came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:8-10).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The transformation that happened in Zacchaeus’ life is
astonishing. Looking closely at the story, Jesus actually did nothing apart
from entering Zacchaeus’ house. Jesus did not preach a sermon. He did not
rebuke the tax collector. He did not quote the Scriptures in order to teach
Zacchaeus. Jesus did nothing. He just entered the house. But lo, and behold,
Zacchaeus spontaneously stood up and made statements that would have shocked
everyone in the house. He became a completely different man, totally
transformed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What happened? I think the answer is simple. He
was touched by grace. He experienced the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
experienced what it meant to be a recipient of grace. He knew that He did not
deserve to have Jesus in his house. He knew that he did not deserve the
attention Jesus gave him. He was always a man condemned by the religious
leaders. He was always shunned by everyone. But from Jesus, he felt received.
Although there were no utterances of forgiveness from Jesus, the fact that
Jesus entered his home was a mighty evidence for Zacchaeus that he was accepted
by Jesus. Zacchaeus was transformed from being greedy to being generous. If
being greedy means both taking and withholding, being generous means not taking
and not withholding. This was precisely the transformation that happened to
Zacchaeus. Like him, we have already experienced God’s lavish grace and the
acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ. The question that remains is: Have we
already been transformed like him too?
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222;">(This is the fourth manuscript in the New Beginning sermon series. The </span><a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/forget-past-forge-future.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">first</a>,<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222;"> </span><a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/wandering-to-winning.html" style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">second, </a>and <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/faulty-to-forgiven.html" target="_blank">third</a> <span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222;">are also available in this blog.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Hughes, “The Whole Church as a
Transformed and Transforming Society,” 50.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <a href="http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/greed.htm">http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/greed.htm</a></span>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-71928305476268240272018-01-14T02:23:00.000-08:002018-01-14T02:26:30.270-08:00Faulty to Forgiven <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">David’s life was a series of ups and downs. His story in the
Bible begins in 1 Sam 16, when he was anointed by the prophet Samuel to replace
Saul as the king of God’s people (1 Sam 16:1-13; Ps 78). This did not mean that
he was immediately crowned as king. He was probably 10-12 years old when he was
anointed. Two years later, he served as the king’s musician (1 Sam 16:14-23).
Five years after he was anointed, he defeated Goliath (1 Sam 17:1-54). Ten
years later, he was appointed by Saul as a commander of his army and was very
successful in battles, earning Saul’s daughter Michal in marriage and also
Saul’s jealousy (1 Sam 18:6-30; 19:9-17; 2 Sam 6:20-23). He was almost killed
by Saul so he fled, hiding and pretending to be a crazy man in order to stay
alive (1 Sam 21). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He became king, finally, thirty-two years after his
anointing. He was named king of Judah (2 Sam 2:1-7), then of Israel (2 Sam
5:1-5; 1 Chron 11:1-3). Then he re-conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites (2
Sam 5:6-16). As king, he accomplished many great things. After defeating the
Philistines, David brought the ark back to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:1-19; 1 Chron
13:1-14; 15:1-16:43), which earned him God’s wonderful promises (2 Sam 7:1-29).
Second Samuel 8:1-18 lists his victories and officials. He is portrayed as a
just and merciful king, pardoning and befriending Saul’s son Mephibosheth (2
Sam 9:1-13). Then he defeats the Ammonites (2 Sam 10:1-19). For 13 years, from
the time he was made king (from ca 993-980 BC), his life was filled with
victories. However, this rose-colored history changed in 2 Samuel 11. The story
is tragic:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent
Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They
destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in
Jerusalem. <b><sup>2 </sup></b>One evening David got up from his bed and
walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman
bathing. The woman was very beautiful,<b><sup>3 </sup></b>and David sent
someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the
daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” <b><sup>4 </sup></b>Then
David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with
her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then
she went back home.<b><sup>5 </sup></b>The woman conceived and sent word
to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><sup><span lang="EN-US">14 </span></sup></b><span lang="EN-US">In the morning David wrote a letter to
Joab and sent it with Uriah. <b><sup>15 </sup></b>In it he wrote,
“Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him
so he will be struck down and die.” <b><sup>16 </sup></b>So while
Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the
strongest defenders were. <b><sup>17 </sup></b>When the men of the
city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell;
moreover, Uriah the Hittite died </span>(2 Sam 11:1-5, 14-17, NIV).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The unthinkable happened. The man of victory over armies was
defeated by his own self. It seems unfathomable that he would fall in such a
dramatic way. But the honesty of the Scriptures is unmistakable. Good and godly
men and women are not temptation-proofed. Even the most faithful lover of God
can sin. David, full of wisdom as a military strategist, was also stupid,
thinking with his penis. David’s lips that were full of praises were also full
of deceit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fact, David’s story is so shocking because he is not only
portrayed as having one fault. The story reveals that David had many faults.
First, he was not where he should be (11:1). It was the season of war and he
was in his palace, getting up from bed in the evening! Secondly, when he saw
naked Bathsheba he stared too long. Like a hot-blooded male member of human
species, he was deeply attracted to beauty and wanted to possess her. Thirdly,
he abused his power as king to summon Bathsheba to his palace (11:4). She did
not really have a choice but to comply to the summons. It was either obedience
or death for her. Fourthly, David slept with her and sent her away after
purifying herself (11:4). He did not realize that their one-night affair led to
her being pregnant (11:5). So, fifthly, David schemed against Urriah twice. He
wanted to cover up his sin and shift the responsibility of impregnating
Bathsheba to Urriah. When his plots to make Urriah sleep with Bathsheba failed,
David ordered his general—Joab—to send Urriah to his death. David committed
both adultery and murder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also, the story is full of irony because David is portrayed
in the Bible as one possessing a godly heart. When Samuel went to the house of
Jesse to choose the king, David was chosen by God because of his heart: <span lang="EN-US">“The Lord does not look at
the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). God Himself testified
concerning David: he “a man after my own heart; he will do everything I
want him to do” (Acts 13:22).</span> Unfortunately, it was also David’s own
heart that was attacked by the tempter. No matter how good his heart was, it
was still vulnerable to temptations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">David also thought that he had covered his tracks very well.
However, God knows everything. God is smarter than we are. He sent His prophet
Nathan to confront David:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I
anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of
Saul. <b><sup>8 </sup></b>I gave your master’s house to you, and
your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all
this had been too little, I would have given you even more. <b><sup>9 </sup></b>Why
did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in
his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took
his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites </span>(2
Sam 12:1-9, NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nathan’s direct confrontation forced David to make a
decision. He could have birthed another sin—the sin of denial—but he chose to
utter the most gallant statement of his entire life: “I have sinned against the
Lord” (2 Sam 12:13). In Hebrew, David only said two words: <i>hatati Yahweh. </i>These
two simple words would have the biggest impact in his life. Here lies his
difference from king Saul, who sought to rationalize with God and defend what
he did (1 Sam 15:20-21). Unlike Adam, David offered no excuses, no alibis, no
blaming of Bathsheba. He dealt with his own self and sin—with boldness—and
faced the reality that he was at fault. His heart is portrayed vividly in Psalm
51 (NIV), a psalm he wrote after Nathan confronted him: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have mercy on
me, O God,<br />
according to your unfailing love;<br />
according to your great compassion<br />
blot out my transgressions.<br />
<b><sup>2 </sup></b>Wash away all my iniquity<br />
and cleanse me from my sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><sup>3 </sup></b>For
I know my transgressions,<br />
and my sin is always before me.<br />
<b><sup>4 </sup></b>Against you, you only, have I sinned<br />
and done what is evil in your sight;<br />
so you are right in your verdict<br />
and justified when you judge…<br />
<b><sup>7 </sup></b>Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;<br />
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.<br />
<b><sup>8 </sup></b>Let me hear joy and gladness;<br />
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.<br />
<b><sup>9 </sup></b>Hide your face from my sins<br />
and blot out all my iniquity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><sup>10 </sup></b>Create
in me a pure heart, O God,<br />
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.<br />
<b><sup>11 </sup></b>Do not cast me from your presence<br />
or take your Holy Spirit from me.<br />
<b><sup>12 </sup></b>Restore to me the joy of your salvation<br />
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me…<br />
<b><sup>17 </sup></b>My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;<br />
a broken and contrite heart<br />
you, God, will not despise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The immediate response of Nathan to David’s confession was
surprising: “<span lang="EN-US">Then David said
to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied,
‘The Lord has taken away your sin’” (2 Sam 12:13). </span>After
all of Nathan’s passionate speech and God’s denunciation of David’s sins,
Nathan’s response was quite unexpected. I would not have been surprised if
Nathan said that it was already too late and that God had already abandoned him
like his predecessor Saul. David would have readily accepted if this were God’s
punishment for him. After all, he knew that he had sinned against God big time.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">David did not even ask for forgiveness. He only confessed
what is truth and what both God and Nathan already knew. Then he was forgiven
just like that. The immediacy and unexpected forgiveness that happened to David
was precisely what happened to Jacob and Isaiah as well. Jacob asked the man of
God to bless him, but the man asked him, <span lang="EN-US">“What is your name?” (Gen 32:27). This sounds like a simple question,
but it was actually a question that deals with the core of Jacob’s identity.
Jacob means “deceiver,” and the man of God wanted him to admit who he is, a
deceiver who victimized his own family: his brother Esau, his father Isaac and
his brother-in-law Laban. When Jacob said his name and therefore admitted his
faults, the man responded: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel
(Gen 32:28). The story of Isaiah in the presence of the holy Lord narrates the
same confession-forgiveness sequence. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean
lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have
seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” <sup>6 </sup>Then one of
the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken
with tongs from the altar. <sup>7 </sup>With it he touched my mouth
and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and
your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:5-7, NIV)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In relation to what we are required to do, does God’s
forgiveness sound cheap? I am grateful that it is. Otherwise, no one can afford
it. I am grateful that God’s forgiveness is just a prayer away, that a contrite
heart is all that God wants, that confession of what He already knows is enough,
and that God is willing to restore me in His loving embrace. This was what the
apostle John wrote about much later: “<span lang="EN-US">If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). </span>The
whole point of Nathan’s fiery charge against David was not to punish him, but
to bring him to his senses. God confronted David not for him to be left feeling
extremely guilty and ashamed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We can find parallels between our lives and that
of David. We all have faults (plural). David may have struggled with lust, but
others might be struggling with food, desire for attention, and other things.
Everyone has weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We may be strong against naked men
or women, but we may be weak regarding gossiping, judgmentalism, slander,
apathy and other attitudes that destroy other people. The good news is that
people who have faults can receive forgiveness. God’s healing, restoring grace
is available for those who are willing to face God with the same painful
honesty about ourselves. This is the greatest step towards a rebuilt life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(This is the third manuscript in the New Beginning sermon series. The <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/forget-past-forge-future.html" target="_blank">first </a>and <a href="https://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/wandering-to-winning.html" target="_blank">second </a>are also available in this blog.)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-44074847200236577892018-01-07T00:40:00.000-08:002018-01-14T02:24:22.928-08:00Wandering to Winning<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Joshua was
first mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 17, when the Amalekites attacked the
Israelites in the wilderness on their way to Mount Sinai. In the story, Joshua
was already portrayed as Moses’ trusted assistant: “</span>The Amalekites came
and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to
Joshua, ‘Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekite’” (Exo
17:8-9). <span lang="EN-PH">Moses seemed to have
been fond of Joshua that he actually took Joshua with him up to Mount Sinai on
his sixth climb to meet God: “</span>Then Moses set out with Joshua his
aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God” (Exo 24:13). <span lang="EN-PH">Joshua stayed with Moses at Mt Sinai
for forty days, and went down with Moses: “</span>Moses turned and went down
the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his
hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.<b><sup> </sup></b>The
tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on
the tablets. When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said
to Moses, ‘There is the sound of war in the camp’” (Exo 32:15-17). <span lang="EN-PH">It seems therefore that Joshua was
with Moses when Yahweh inscribed the law in stone tablets. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Joshua
served Moses’ young aide all throughout Moses’ leadership: “</span>Moses would
return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the
tent” (Exo 33:11). He was very protective of Moses’ role leadership over the
Israelites and was jealous for Moses’ sake (Num 11:29). As Moses’ assistant, it
was proper that he was a member of the 12-man scouting party Moses sent to
Canaan (Num 13:16-14:38). When Moses died, he succeeded him as the leader of
the Israelites (Deut 31:7-9; 34:9). <span lang="EN-PH">This is not surprising because </span>Joshua was actually a very
remarkable man of God. He was described by God as “a man in whom is the spirit
of leadership” (Num 27:18) and one who “followed the Lord wholeheartedly” (Num
32:12). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What fascinates me in Joshua’s life is the fact that even
though he was great in the eyes of God, he still suffered a lot with the people
of Israel. He was there in Egypt as a slave. He was there the very day the
Israelites left Egypt. He was a part of the wandering people of God in the
wilderness. He experienced the difficulties and scarcity of the desert. He
experienced the scorching sands of the wilderness, and its lack of resources
necessary for human survival. He experienced eating manna for 40 years, every
day. He experienced and saw with his own eyes God’s blessings and punishments.
He saw, and probably buried, thousands of people in the wilderness. As Moses’ assistant,
he knew how rebellious and ungrateful the Israelites were to God. Like <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Joshua, with all his good credentials, was a wanderer for
forty years. His life may be the mirror of ours. We may be good men and women
but still in the desert, not because of our own fault, but because we belong to
an ungodly group of people. We might be suffering and stuck in scarcity because
of our own families. We might be experiencing the death of our own spirits
because of our friends. We might be experiencing a lot of toxicity because of
our workmates or school mates. We might be experiencing an asphyxiating
pressure because of our loved ones. Our potentials might be being suppressed
because of our leaders. We might be feeling discouraged because of others. We
can be like Joshua, the righteous man of God among a crowd of mockers, pulling
us down with them in their steady descent to the cradles of hell. Even
righteous people wander in the wilderness—not by their own choice—but as the
consequence of their belongingness to a group. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nothing is more depressing than to realize that you are
doing the best you can only to be dragged down by your group. This was the life
of Joshua for 40 years. He was suffering as an innocent. He was wandering in
the wilderness of death, surrounded by people whose expertise was in grumbling.
The journey was already exhausting, but being with nasty people added to the
suffering. The journey from Goshen to the promised land is only about 900
miles, which they could have walked in four months, maximum. In fact, they
reached Mt Sinai, which was about than halfway through, in just 44 days. But
the journey lasted for forty long years, not while eating ice cream in the
desert, but in suffering and death. For Joshua and the Israelites, they could
almost see their destination. It was just right in front of them, but they
could not move forward. They were trapped in their hellish routine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Never in his entire life would Joshua have expected to
experience victories. The odds were against him. Although he was the new leader
of the Israelites, the Israelites were still the Israelites. They were the same
rebellious, stiff-necked, doubting grumblers like in the time of Moses. If I
were Joshua, I would not be expecting much from the same people who were the
very reason for his 40-year wandering. It was not as if he joined another group
of more reliable and godly people. He was basically in the same place,
surrounded by the same group of people who weighed him down. He knew the Israelites
very well that the task given to him was challenging. He saw how the people
regarded God and Moses, and he was most probably not optimistic about his
dignified new leadership role. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the miracle of miracles happened. After 40 years of
wandering in defeat, Joshua tasted two victories immediately after taking the
leadership from Moses. They were able to cross the Jordan river and defeat
Jericho without much effort. They have been trying so hard to enter the promise
land in the last 40 years, and the land seemed almost impenetrable. But Joshua
and the people crossed the Jordan river and defeated their first city within a
month’s time. In the span of one month, Joshua experienced a change from being
a defeated wanderer to a winning warrior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How did this happen? What changed? What was different? We
can observe two things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, in both crossing Jordan river (Josh 3:14-17) and
conquest of Jericho (Josh 6:2-7), the priests holding the ark of the covenant
were leading the way. Gone were the days when the Israelites relied on their
own wisdom and strength. Gone were the days when the scouts led the way. It was
a new era: one characterized by unreserved (and even foolish) trust and
confidence in God. Can you imagine how foolish it was to send priests carrying
the ark of the covenant to walk ahead while crossing a river? Can you imagine
how foolish it was to send priests carrying trumpets to lead the way in sieging
a fortified city? They allowed God to lead them, and this gave them victories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Secondly, immediately after entering the promise land,
Joshua led the people to be circumcised in Gilgal and celebrate the Passover
(Josh 4:19-5:12). Circumcision was the sign of the covenant between God and the
Israelites, so Joshua was leading the people to renew their covenant with God.
Most of the people who entered the promised land were not there when the
Israelites made the covenant with Yahweh at Sinai forty years ago. They have
broken their covenant of worship and faith in Yahweh in their repeated
disobedience and grumbling in the wilderness. One of the first things Joshua
did was to renew the covenant between the people and Yahweh. The way forward is
to return to covenant relationship with God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These two things are what we should do today if we want to
transition from being a wanderer to a winner. We must make sure that our
covenant with God is renewed every day. We must make sure that we are in
relationship with Him. This is the foundation of all that we are as Christians.
Also, we must allow God to lead the way for us. We must renew our faith in God
and be confident in His wisdom and grace that will carry us through life. In
the words of Proverbs 3:5-6, we must <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trust
in the Lord with all your heart<br />
and lean not on your own understanding;<br />
in all your ways submit to him,<br />
and he will make your paths straight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[This is the second sermon in the series New Beginnings. The fist sermon is <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2018/01/forget-past-forge-future.html" target="_blank">here</a>.]</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-18683328047781750662018-01-03T06:09:00.000-08:002018-01-07T00:42:02.694-08:00Forget the Past; Forge the Future<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If we are to describe our last
year in one word, what would it be? Would it be success, failure, busy, lazy,
challenging, joyride, stressful, chill, change, constant, love, sorrow, heartbreak,
excitement? The thing is that whether we have had a good or challenging year,
we are all going to leave last year behind. Last year is already the past. This
is both a scary and a beautiful prospect. For some of us who have had a good
year, there is no assurance that we will have another abundant 2018. For those
of us who have had a difficult year, we are looking forward for a better one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The common image in Filipino
comics that describes the changing of the year is an old man being replaced by a
new baby. There is a new beginning, almost from nothing. The new year affords
great opportunities to start again. The apostle Paul, reflecting about his life
as a missionary of the gospel, has written one of the most important set of
verses in the whole New Testament about what it means to put the past behind as
we look forward to the future. This is one of my favorite passages: Philippians
3:4-14 (NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If someone else
thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: <b><sup>5 </sup></b>circumcised on
the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a
Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; <b><sup>6 </sup></b>as
for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the
law, faultless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><sup>7 </sup></b>But
whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of
Christ. <b><sup>8 </sup></b>What is more, I consider everything a
loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose
sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain
Christ <b><sup>9 </sup></b>and be found in him, not having a righteousness
of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith
in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of
faith. <b><sup>10 </sup></b>I want to know Christ—yes, to know the
power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming
like him in his death, <b><sup>11 </sup></b>and so, somehow,
attaining to the resurrection from the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><sup>12 </sup></b>Not
that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my
goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took
hold of me. <b><sup>13 </sup></b>Brothers and sisters, I do not
consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting
what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, <b><sup>14 </sup></b>I
press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our primary verse is this: “But
one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is
ahead” (3:13). These two complement each other. When we look at the life of
Paul, the message is very clear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Forget the Past</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Paul’s first advice is to forget
what is behind. Typically, Paul’s advice is interpreted from a negative
perspective. Paul is thought to be admonishing that we should leave our
experiences of troubles behind and forget all of these. We should forget both
the offenses of others against us and our own self-inflicted failures. To a
certain degree, Paul was probably thinking of these when he was writing the
letter. He had the right to say these things, because his past was not a rose-colored
story of righteousness and success. He was once a blasphemer, violent, and
persecutor of the church (1 Tim 1:13). People persecuted him. People stoned
him. He was undeservedly punished. He was a recipient of envy and scorn, even
from those he ministered with (the Corinthian believers). He was tossed and
battered by the angry sea. He was accused of all sorts of things, arrested, and
beaten. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So Paul’s words may be understood
as a challenge that if we have been violent blasphemers of our faith, defiling
the name of God in the process, we should leave that behind in the coming year.
If we have experienced suffering because of persecution, misunderstanding,
envy, and others, we should forget about these things and leave them behind. We
may have been criticized, talked about negatively, pushed aside, neglected,
offended, not respected enough, rejected, or whatever, we are being asked to
forget and let go. We should let go of the thoughts of vengeance or bitterness
or unforgiveness. We are to leave behind the sufferings of the past year, both
self-inflicted and caused by others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, I think Paul’s main
thought in the passage is about forgetting our sufferings. In fact, when we go
back and read verses 4-6, Paul enumerated a few things that he can boast about
himself. He was talking about his achievements. It seems to me that Paul’s
primary message in Philippians 3 is that if we are to forget something, we must
concentrate on forgetting our past achievements. We are entering the new year.
We may have accomplished this and that, we may have achieved this and that, we
may have received this and that, we may have done this and that, but it is time
to forget them and move on. We may be tempted to live in the glories of the
past and lose sight of the greater work that is in front of us. We might become
conceited about what we have accomplished in the past and develop spiritual
pride and superiority complex over others. Paul says in verse 7: “I once
thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless” (NLT).
Let go of the past, and strain toward what is ahead, because as Paul wrote, “I
do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it” (3:13). There is so much
more to do. We have not even reached half of our task and goal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Forge the Future</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Paul wrote his letter to the
Philippians, he was in prison. He was probably aware that he was almost at the
end of his life. He had an inkling that the Roman empire would not leave him
alive. We can sense that he was torn: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Now as always
Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. <b><sup>21 </sup></b>For
to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. <b><sup>22 </sup></b>If
I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet
what shall I choose? I do not know! <b><sup>23 </sup></b>I am torn
between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is
better by far” (Phil 1:20-23). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whatever the outcome of his
imprisonment would be, Paul’s attitude was exemplary. He was discerning that
the end for him was very near, but he still admonished that we should all
strain toward what is ahead. What is ahead might be death and other many forms
of suffering for the sake of the kingdom, but Paul says, strain toward it
anyway! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We must forget about our past
accomplishments and consider everyday as a new start, because our goals are yet
to be achieved. We cannot be content with our past victories. We cannot be
content with our historical record, but must strive to break them. We must move
toward even more victories, more accomplishments, and more labor. There is no
time to be complacent. Our victories in the past should pale in comparison to
the victories of tomorrow, so that when we look back, we can laugh and scorn
our old selves and say, “How foolish of the old me, thinking that this was the
meaning of success.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, and more importantly, we
should learn why Paul talked about forgetting what is behind and straining
toward the future. Why should we forget our past accomplishments behind? What
is the goal that we should strain toward? The answer is found in verses 7-10:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But whatever
were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. <b><sup>8 </sup></b>What
is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider
them garbage, that I may gain Christ <b><sup>9 </sup></b>and be found
in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but
that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes
from God on the basis of faith. <b><sup>10 </sup></b>I want to
know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation
in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let us leave our victories
behind. What truly matters is our deepening relationship and knowledge of Jesus
Christ. So what if we have earned more money last year? So what if we have been
promoted at work? So what if we have served a thousand hours in our ministries?
Paul says that these are garbage, because what we should really gain is Jesus
Christ (Phil 3:8). He is the goal that we should strain toward. All our efforts
should be concentrated on knowing Him, in experiencing the power of his
resurrection, in participating in his suffering, and becoming like Him in his
death (Phil 3:10). Forget the past, leave it behind, and strain toward our
goal, Jesus Christ. He is the true crown of righteousness for us. Our destiny
and purpose is not predicated on what we do, but on who we are with. Our desire
for this new year must therefore be to get closer to God, to know Him more, and
to have Him manifested in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is what our 2018 as disciples of Jesus
Christ should look like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[This is first of the sermon series entitled New Beginnings.]</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-54909453147257599792017-05-12T06:29:00.000-07:002017-05-12T06:29:44.784-07:00The Nature of Christian Work<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A hymn that I learned to sing in college says, “We’ll work
till Jesus comes.” Because there is such a thing as Labor Day, this post deals
with the nature of Christian work. The passage we will meditate upon, however,
is not quite conventional. In fact, at first sight, Luke 8:1-3 does not seem to
offer much about the nature of Christian work, but actually, it offers three
fundamental things about Christian work that all Christians should know about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus traveled about from one
town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of
God. The Twelve were with him, <sup>2 </sup>and also some women
who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called
Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; <sup>3 </sup>Joanna
the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many
others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Unnamed and Unpaid </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the interesting things about this passage is the fact
that apart from the three named women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna—all
the other women are unnamed. The only description we have from the text about
these workers are that they are “some women” (8:2), “many others” (8:3), and
“these women” (8:3). Many of these active workers who travelled with Jesus
“from one town and village to another” (8:1) were basically unnamed. Maybe
there were so many that it was simply too tedious to write all of their names.
Maybe they were coming and going because they had obligations elsewhere so they
were not really prominent. Maybe they had quiet and shy personalities that made
them less noticed. Whatever the reason was, there were many women workers who
accompanied Jesus who remain unknown to us today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is one of the natures of Christian work: anonymity.
Majority of the workers of the kingdom are unnamed heroes. These are workers
who are unrecognized and unappreciated. They are nameless, faceless, and
invisible. They are hiding behind the curtains, unwilling to receive the
spotlight. But they are there, doing the work of the kingdom alongside those
who are under the spotlight. To be honest, given our fallen human nature, it is
hard to be nameless. We feel that it is unfair to be unrecognized. It is
hurting not to be appreciated. It is hard not to desire recognition,
appreciation and applauses. But if we listen to the words of Jesus, this was
precisely what He wants us to do: “Be careful not to practice your
righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will
have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do
not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on
the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received
their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left
hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in
secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”
(Matt 6:1-4).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Help and Support </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The passage says that these nameless women followed Jesus
wherever He went and “were helping to support Him and the disciples” (Luke
8:3). The Greek word used for support is <i>diakoneo, </i>which literally means
“to serve.” The word can actually refer to any activity or ministry, which is
why even scholars have yet to reach a consensus about what specific kind of
service these women were doing. What is crucial, however, is that while Jesus
and the disciples were preaching, teaching, and healing, the nameless women
served in other ways. While Jesus and the disciples were fulfilling their
roles, these women were also fulfilling theirs. This was what Paul admonished
about in Romans 12:6-8, “We have different gifts, according to the grace
given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in
accordance with your<sup> </sup>faith;<b><sup> </sup></b>if it is serving,
then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then
give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is
to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Rom
12:6-8).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The word <i>diakoneo</i> is very important, particularly
because it means serving in whatever way is needed. Furthermore, if we compare
these unnamed women to the named male disciples, we actually see such striking
contrasts, which also enables us appreciate the lives of these women. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>First, the women stepped back and out when it was needed.
</i>In contrast to their self-effacing attitude, we see the disciples who were
already at the forefront arguing with each other about who was the greatest
among them: “<span lang="EN-PH">They came to
Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were
you arguing about on the road?’ But they kept quiet because on the way
they had argued about who was the greatest (Mark 9:33-34; also 10:35-41).</span>
The women disciples stayed behind the curtains and served silently and joyfully
even without being recognized, while the disciples who were already seen by
other people were still competing for even greater status. The women did not
compete with the disciples for prominence and recognition. They did not occupy key
roles where people can see them. They were serving behind the scenes. They were
invisible to many people. The women exemplified the true meaning of <i>diakoneo,
</i>because<i> </i>to serve is to do anything that is needed to be done without
being recognized.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Secondly, the women stepped up and in when they were
needed.</i> Again, <i>diakoneo </i>means serving by doing whatever needs to be
done. The contrast with the disciples is again striking. In Luke 9:1-3, when
Jesus was welcomed by the people, the disciples were at the forefront while the
ladies were at the background. But the moment Jesus was arrested, there was a
reversal of roles. The disciples went at the back (in hiding!) and the women
stepped out. Apart from John, the disciples were nowhere near Jesus at the
crucifixion, but women were “near the cross” (John 19:25). The disciples were
nowhere to be found when Jesus was laid down in the tomb, but “the women who
had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his
body was laid in it” (Luke 23:55). It is customary in Jewish culture that when
someone dies, the family members and closest friends should bury him or her. In
the case of Jesus, the disciples were too afraid to even honor Jesus in His
burial. His burial was handled by a not-well-advertised disciple Joseph of
Arimathea, and surprise: unknown women. The disciples were unwilling to visit
the tomb for fear of the Jews, but the very first thing the women did as soon
as Sabbath was over, was to visit the tomb to serve the body of Jesus (Luke
23:56-24:1). These women were not afraid of the religious leaders. They did not
care for their lives so long as they can serve Jesus even in his death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What does <i>diakoneo </i>mean? To serve wherever, whenever,
and whatever is needed to be done, especially the things that nobody wants to
do. This is the comparison: the disciples were at the forefront during the
glory days of Jesus and the women were only working behind the scenes; in
Jesus’s humiliation, the disciples were hiding and the nameless women were the
ones so courageous at the forefront. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Out of their Own Means</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The women were not only unnamed and were willing to perform
whatever service is needed wherever and whenever the needs arise, they were
also helping in the ministry of Jesus “out of their own means’ (Luke 8:3). They
were helping Jesus according to their own capacity. They did not rely on the
help of others in order to help Jesus. They did not look at the wallet of
others, but looked into their own purses, and they helped out of their own
savings. We see this sort of story in Moses. When God called him, Moses was
very reluctant because he did not see himself as a man of many talents and
capabilities. But God asked him a very simple question: “What is that in your
hand?” (Exo 4:2). God was not looking for something that Moses did not have. In
fact, God used Moses in accordance to what Moses already had: a simple staff.<i>
</i>This was the same with the women who served with Jesus. They served out of
their own means. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like these unnamed women, our required capital in serving is
not much. These women were not the richest or even the most socially
influential. In fact, as Herman Henstrickx commented, “these women came mostly
from the lower and poorer strata of Jewish society and that they combined what
economic resources they possessed to offset the cost of Jesus’ itinerant
ministry. They majority of them were probably single (unmarried women, widows,
divorced women and, with less certainty, former prostitutes) for only women of
single status enjoyed some personal and economic independence.”<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
These women did not have much. They served out of their own small means. This
is another meaning of <i>diakoneo, </i>serving not only whenever, wherever and
whatever is needed to be done, but also however one might be able to do it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Conclusions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Imagine a job hiring where the recruitments conditions are
that you will not be recognized; in fact the company does not even want to know
your name; you will stay at the background and are not allowed to compete for
attention with the big guns; you will work hard but you will not be getting any
applause; you will not be paid, and most importantly; you will need to use your
own money and resources in order to work. Then there is a big PS: Be prepared that
when your bosses do not show up for work, without previous notice you will be
required to do their abandoned responsibilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not many people are willing to work under these harsh
conditions. There is no earthly gain. There is only sacrifice. In fact, most of
the times, these people hear more criticisms and suggestions about how they
might do their job better, than hearing words of encouragement and
appreciation. But this is the life of service and work that we are called to do
as Christians. The church is recruiting unnamed and unpaid supporters who would
minister out of their own means. These are the people who would be involved in
the harvest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br clear="all" />
</span><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Herman Henstrickx, <i>The Third Gospel for the Third World</i>,
vol 2B (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1998), 113-7.</span><span lang="EN-PH"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-87206302768490134272017-05-12T06:04:00.000-07:002017-05-12T06:04:41.462-07:00Easter: Peter Reinstated<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The Easter
story deals with hope when it presented the transformed lives of the disciples.
The death of Christ rendered them hopeless, but the resurrection gave them
hope. The resurrection also deals with faith in the story of Thomas the
doubter. Thomas’ faith in Jesus Christ was shaken because of Jesus’ death, but
Jesus appears to Him to restore His faith and confidence in Him. In this post,
the greatest of the triad—love—will be highlighted. This is just proper,
because if at the cross God showed His love for us, during the resurrection
days, God asked about our love for Him. The reading is from John 21:15-17</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">When they had finished breakfast, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more
than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He
said to him, “Feed my lambs.” <b><sup>16 </sup></b>He said
to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said
to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to
him, “Tend my sheep.” <b><sup>17 </sup></b>He said to him
the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was
grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love
me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I
love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Do you
love me more than these? (15:15)</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The setting
of John 21:15-17 is that of a breakfast over fish (21:12). It was in the
context of this communal gathering that Jesus opened His mouth and directed a
question to Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than
these?” (15:17). I can imagine the tension here. The question was
addressed only to Peter, not to the whole crowd. Jesus locked His eyes on to
Peter and asked him of his love for Him in the presence and hearing of the
other disciples. This must have been a very awkward moment. The disciples all
knew the not-so-distant-blunder of the outspoken Peter. They can remember how
Peter publicly declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you!”
(Matt 26:33-35; Mark 14:29-31; John 13:37; 15:12-13), and also how Peter also
publicly denied Jesus Christ three times (Matt 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke
22:54-62; John 18:16-18, 25-27). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus’
question to Peter was like a knife wrenched in his heart, but the fang of the
question was probably intended by Jesus. The question about our love for God is
not a private question between God and us only. There is no such a thing as
secret love for God. God asks the question of our devotion to Him in the presence
of our close friends and family members. The question stings painfully because
like Peter, these close friends and family members are the ones who know us and
our blunders. To answer the question in public is scary, because the eyes and
ears of many are attentive to us. But there is no other way. God demands that
our love for Him be made public and for the world to see. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The first
question is very interesting. What do the “these” refer to? Leon Morris argues
that the “these” does not refer to the other disciples. Jesus was not asking if
Peter loved Him more than how the other disciples love Him. Rather, “these”
refer to the fishing paraphernalia. The question, therefore, is “Do you love me
more than fishing?” It sounds like a simple question, but it actually is quite
profound. Jesus was asking Peter about his future. It was a question of Peter’s
way of life. It was a question of career choice.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-PH"> Was Peter going to be a fisherman
or an apostle? Let us remember that the disciples went fishing at the
instigation of Peter (John 15:3). This is interesting because for one week, the
disciples locked themselves in the room (John 20:19, 26), and the story of John
21:1-14 was the first time in the resurrection narratives that the disciples
voluntarily went out, and their purpose was to fish. It would appear that Peter
was going back to His old career as a fisherman. They no longer feared the
Jewish leaders because the act of fishing symbolized that they have returned to
their old lives and have moved on. Their Jesus experience and commitment were
over. When Jesus asked “Do you love me more than these?” He was asking if Peter
loved Him that He would go back to His calling to be a fisher of men (Matt
4:19). When Peter said “Yes Lord, you know that I love you,” the immediate
response of Jesus was, then “Feed my lambs” (John 15:15).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Do you
truly love me? (15:16)</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">It seems
that Jesus was not satisfied with Peter’s affirmation, because Jesus asked
Peter again: “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?” (15:16). Again, it is
good to remember that Jesus’ questions to Peter were in the presence of the
disciples. If the first question created an awkward atmosphere, the fact that
Jesus asked the same question to Peter might have further thickened the air.
But Jesus had the right to ask the question again, because Peter did not really
answer Jesus’ question in the first instance. This is more obvious in the
original Greek manuscripts:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH"> Jesus: “Simon, son of
John, do you love (<i>agapas</i>) me more than these?” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Peter: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (<i>philo</i>)
you.” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love (<i>agapas</i>)
me?” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Thus, the
reason Jesus asked Peter the same question again was that Peter did not answer
Jesus’ question in the first place. Jesus was asking if Peter love Him in an <i>agape
</i>way. <i>Agape</i> is the kind of love that God has for humanity. It refers
to God’s faithful love—a love that never lets go. It is love that is willing to
make a sacrifice for others to the point of death (Rom 5:8; 1 John 3:16). Jesus
was asking Peter if he had this kind of love for Jesus. But as we see in 20:15,
Peter actually avoided the question and literally said, “Yes Lord, I have a
brotherly affection for you.” Basically, Peter said something like: “Yes Lord,
I love you but not the kind of love that you are expecting from me.” Jesus was
bro-zoned by Peter! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus asked
Peter again because Peter’s response was disappointing. Jesus wanted him to
love Him with all his heart, soul, body, and mind (Matt 22:37), but Peter’s
commitment was limited. In fact, Peter was actually shameless, because his
response to Jesus’ second question was the same as the first one: </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you
love (<i>agapas</i>) me more than these?” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Peter: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (<i>philo</i>)
you.” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love (<i>agapas</i>)
me?” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Peter: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (<i>philo</i>)
you” (John 15:15-16).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Maybe the
reason Peter responded in this way was because He no longer dared to be
arrogantly sure in front of others again. He was afraid that He would fail
again. He knew himself better now. He once proclaimed his undying commitment to
Jesus in front of the other disciples, and he failed miserably in fulfilling
his words. So this time, in the presence of the disciples, He did not dare to
be so sure again. But you know what, it was precisely what Peter did not want
to say that Jesus wanted to hear. Jesus wanted to hear from Peter his
confession again. Jesus was challenging Peter to be so valiant again. He wanted
Peter to express the same level of devotion for Him before his denials. Jesus
was challenging Peter and us today if we can love Him in the same way that He
loves us.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Do you
love me? (15:17)</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus was
not satisfied even after asking Peter twice, and receiving Peter’s response
twice too. In John 20:17, it says that “He said to him the third time, “Simon,
son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to
him the third time, “Do you love me?” Jesus was a persistent
stalker. He asked the same question a third time, and but what was Jesus’ focus
this time? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">It would
appear that Peter’s love and commitment to Jesus has turned somewhat cold when
Jesus died. He no longer had the same passion as before for Jesus Christ. He
went back to fishing and when asked if he loved Jesus, he responded that he
loved Jesus as a brother or friend. Something happened to Peter’s love when
Jesus died. He lost his motivation. He lost his zeal. He lost his vigor. He
lost the fiery love that he once had for Jesus. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The third
question is actually probably the most important. Whether we like it or not,
Peter did not want a crucified Messiah. He was expecting a victorious political
king. This is why when Jesus said that He would suffer and be killed, Peter
rebuked Jesus sternly (Matt 16:22; Mark 8:32). Peter loved the Jesus who was
popular and was going to be the political liberator of the nation of Israel.
Peter wanted a victorious Lord, not a failed revolutionary. Peter wanted a
Lion, not a Lamb. Again, his actions of going back to fish and his affirmation
that he loved Jesus only as a brother indicate that something has changed in
his heart. Jesus’ third question asked Peter if he still loved Him even though
He was not the person Peter wanted and expected. Jesus was a crucified Messiah.
Would Peter still follow Him? Would Peter love Him even though He was not the
man he wanted? </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Conclusions
</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus asked Peter three times. The same questions apply to us today. In
the first question, Jesus is asking us if we love Jesus more than we love our
career and our future and is comfortable for us. In the second question, Jesus
is asking us if we love Him the way He loves us. In the third question, Jesus
is asking if we love Him as He is, even though He does not respond to our prayers,
even though He seems silent, even though He is not granting our deepest
desires? We have expectations about God and how He should work in our lives,
but these expectations often fail. Do we love Jesus the way He is?</span>
</span><br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br clear="all" />
</span><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-PH"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-PH" style="color: black;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-PH"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Leon Morris, <i>The Gospel of
John </i>(rev. ed., Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 767-72.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-59054758735090658732017-04-27T07:14:00.000-07:002017-05-01T20:20:46.872-07:00Easter: Forty Days Later<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like the disciples, we have heard the good news that Jesus
has risen from the dead. Death is unable to have a grip on Him. If, according
to Paul, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:26), then death is
already destroyed. “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:54), so
that we can taunt death and its powerlessness: “Where, O death, is your
victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55). God “gives us victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:47). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the good news of the resurrection. This was the good
news that the disciples heard on the first Easter. But the question is this:
How did the disciples receive the good news of the resurrection? How did the
first Easter affect the lives of the disciples from the time Jesus rose from
the dead up to the day He ascended to heaven? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let us look back at the gospel stories and narrate what
happened:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Day 1 Morning </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 5.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 3.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:1-2</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 388.35pt;" valign="top" width="518"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Women saw the empty tomb, and reported to the disciples
that Jesus’ body was stolen. “While the women were on their way,” the chief
priests conspired against Jesus’ resurrection (Matt 28:11-15).</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 3.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-indent: -72.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:3-9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 388.35pt;" valign="top" width="518"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Peter and the disciples went to the tomb. The disciple who
went inside “saw and believed” (20:8). Peter ran, saw the empty tomb and went
away, “wondering to himself what had happened” (Luke 24:12).</span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 3.0cm;" valign="top" width="113"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:10-18</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 388.35pt;" valign="top" width="518"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The disciples went home. Mary stayed and Jesus appeared to
her. Mary went to report to the disciples: “I have seen the Lord” (20:18).
People who heard the women’s testimonies did not believe them (Mark 16:11). </span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Day 1 Afternoon and Evening</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 5.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Luke 24:13-35 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“That same day… two of them were going to a village called
Emmaus” and Jesus appeared to them. They recognized him when He broke bread.
“They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem… they found the Eleven… ‘It is
true! The Lord has risen’” (24:34). But the disciples “did not believe them
either” (Mark 19:12-13).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Luke 24:36-40<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself
stood among them” (24:36). He showed His hands and feet (Luke 24:40).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:19-23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“On the evening of that first day of the week…, Jesus came
and stood among them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Later…</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven… he rebuked them for
their lack of faith and the stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him
after he had risen” (Mark 16:14).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Day 8</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-indent: -72.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 5.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:26-29<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“A week later,” Jesus appeared to the disciples. Thomas
was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared last time and he did not
believe (20:24-25). Thomas saw Jesus and said: “My Lord and my God!” (20:28).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Days between Days 9 to 40</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 5.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:30-31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of
his disciples.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 21:1-14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the
Sea of Tiberias” (Sea of Galilee). The disciples were fishing. They did not
recognize Jesus (21:4). “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his
disciples” (21:14).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 21:15-19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus reinstated Peter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="123"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 21:25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 381.25pt;" valign="top" width="508"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Jesus did many other things as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Day 40</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus appeared to the disciples in Galilee, as He said to
the women (28:10). The Great Commission pronounced (Matt 28:16-20; Mark
16:15-20). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The resurrection changed everything. This is particularly
true in the lives of the disciples. But if we think that the changes were
dramatic and instantaneous, we are wrong. We realize that the good news of the
resurrection was gradually understood and received by the disciples. They heard
the good news early Sunday morning, but they were not able to fully appropriate
it in their lives immediately.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mark 16:11 indicates that people did not believe the
testimonies of the women.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mark 16:12-13 tells us that the disciples did not believe
the testimony of the two disciples who walked and ate with Jesus in Emmaus
(Luke 24:13-35).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 19:19 vividly portrays that they were still afraid of
the Jews even though they already heard that Jesus was raised from the dead.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mark 16:14 records that Jesus had to appear to the disciples
and “rebuked them for their lack of faith and the stubborn refusal to believe
those who had seen him after he had risen.”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 20:26-29 narrates the unbelievable story of Thomas
still doubting even after a week!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John 21:1-14 reveals that the disciples went back to Galilee
not to be “fishers of men” (Matt 4:19; Mark 1:17), but to return to their old
profession as fishermen.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If I were Jesus, I would have been really mad at the
disciples. But Jesus is patient. Luke writes that Jesus “appeared to
them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God” (Acts
1:3). What does this mean? It means that the disciples are very slow in
appropriating the good news of the resurrection. It required 40 days for them
to finally understand it. It required 40 days until their lives were fully
affected by the resurrection. The good news of the resurrection was a good
news, true, but it was a good news that has yet to permeate their mind, heart,
and life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let us ponder for a moment: How many days or years does God
need in order for us to fully understand and appropriate one simple good news?
It is amazing that on the very day that Jesus was risen from the dead, the
disciples were still afraid of the Jews (John 19:19). This might be the same
with us. On the very same day that we have received the good news, we immediately
forget about it, and live our lives as if nothing happened. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The post-resurrection stories reveal, once again, the sharp
contrast between human stubbornness and God’s remarkable grace. In the words of
the Psalmist, we can only marvel at the fact that “the Lord is compassionate
and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Exo 34:6; Num 14:18; Deut
4:31; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 145:8). The post-resurrection stories re-enact the
relationship between the Israelites and Yahweh: “They refused to listen and
failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked
and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery.
But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and
abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them” (Neh 9:17). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
forty days that Jesus spent with the disciples might be more meaningful than we
think. There seems to be a connection between the experience of the Israelites
in the wilderness and the experience of the disciples. We need to remember that
“the Israelites have moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the
men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not
obeyed the Lord. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the
land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with
milk and honey” (Josh 5:6). If in the Old Testament, God used forty years to
kill stiff-necked and disobedient Israelites so that they would not enter the
promised land, in Jesus Christ, He spent forty days so that His stubborn
disciples might be reinstated into the kingdom and receive the promised Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:4-8). He stayed with them. Jesus was patient, not wanting anyone to
perish. He wanted His disciples to be able to enter the place which He was
preparing for them: in His Father’s house which has many rooms (John 14:1-2).</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-36902407373952303472017-04-27T06:52:00.000-07:002017-04-27T06:52:33.082-07:00Easter: One Week Later<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the post <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2017/04/easter-marys-transformation.html" target="_blank">Easter: Mary’s Transformation</a>, the primary question was: “What was the immediate effect of
the resurrection to the disciples?” Emphasized there was the transformation
miracle brought about by the resurrection to Mary Magdalene on the morning of
the resurrection. By looking at John 20:11-18, we highlighted that because of
the resurrection, Mary experienced three changes: from mourning to joy, from
being muddled to crystal clear clarity, and from being a magnet to a
missionary. In this post, the question is: “What was the effect of the
resurrection to the disciples one week after the resurrection day?” John
20:26-29 (ESV) will provide us the answers:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A week later his disciples were
in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked,
Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” <b><sup>27 </sup></b>Then
he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your
hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><sup>28 </sup></b>Thomas
said to him, “My Lord and my God!” <b><sup>29 </sup></b>Then Jesus told
him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the story indicates, it has been “a week later” (20:26).
Interesting here is that there seems to be nothing exciting going on with the
disciples a week after resurrection day. In fact, there are striking
similarities between what was happened happening on the evening of the first
week of Easter (John 20:26-29) and what happened on the evening of the
resurrection day (John 20:19-25). As John 20:19-25 (ESV) records, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the evening of that first day
of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear
of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and
said, “Peace be with you!” <b><sup>20</sup></b> After he said
this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were
overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” … <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><sup>24 </sup></b>Now
Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the
disciples when Jesus came. <b><sup>25 </sup></b>So the other
disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see
the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my
hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:19-25) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What are the similarities between these two narratives? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 605px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>JOHN 20:19-25</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>JOHN 20:26-29</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“On the evening of the
first day of the week” (20:19) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“A week later” (20:26)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“with the doors locked”
(20:19) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“doors were locked” (20:26)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thomas’ doubt and unbelief
(20:25)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Stop doubting and believe” (20:27)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Jesus came and stood
among them” (20:19)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Jesus came and stood among them” (20:26)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“He showed them his hands
and side” (20:20)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Reach out your hand and put it into my side”
(20:27)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Peace be with
you!” (20:19, 21)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 227.0pt;" valign="top" width="303">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Peace be with you!” (20:26)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Phobia (20:19, 26) </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Both narratives indicate that the doors of the room the
disciples were staying at were locked: “with the doors locked” (20:19) and
“doors were locked” (20:26). In 20:19, the reason is explained as “for fear of
the Jewish leaders.” It seems, therefore, that nothing has changed in the lives
of the disciples even a week after the resurrection. They were still inside the
same room, with the same locked doors, with the same fear. Jesus’ appearance to
them a week earlier did no benefit to them. They were still plagued with fear.
The contrast is unmistakable: Jesus’ tomb is open and empty but the house where
the disciples were was locked and full. They left the empty tomb of Jesus
(20:10) and entered another dark tomb. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This may sound familiar for some of us. Jesus is already
risen from the dead. Like the disciples, we know this as a fact. But we are
still in our homes, locked up inside for fear of death! We left the empty tomb
to enter into our own seclusion and self-imprisonment. We left the tomb of
resurrection to enter our room of death. We left the tomb of victory to enter
our room of defeat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Perplexity (20:25, 27)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The narratives also indicate that even after a week, in addition
to fear, one of the disciples still did not believe the resurrection of Jesus.
Thomas was quite clear: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my
finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe” (20:25), which was why Jesus’ words to him was a stern: “Stop doubting
and believe” (20:27). Thomas’ unbelief is particularly upsetting because he had
no reason not to believe. He followed Jesus for several years, and he saw how
Jesus raised several people from the dead: Lazarus (John 11:1-44), the son of
the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-15), and the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:41-42,
49-55). For sure, Thomas had heard Jesus speak the words, “I am the
resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). But after all of these first-hand
experiences of Thomas, he still did not believe the possibility of Jesus’
resurrection. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thomas remained in his unbelief, doubt, and lack of faith
even after being with Jesus for several years. In Thomas, we see the example of
someone who remains unaffected by the truth of the gospel even when he belongs
to the same group of disciples. Thomas remained in his unbelief even though he
was surrounded by believers who passionately testified about the truth of the
resurrection. He was surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1). For
whatever reasons, he chose not to believe. He chose not to be affected. He
chose to persist in his lack of faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In fairness to Thomas, he was not alone in his unbelief. In
fact, Mark 16:14 says, Jesus “appeared to the eleven themselves as they
were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief
and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw
him after he had risen.” All the disciples were guilty. Quite interestingly,
Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith throughout His time with
them. In the gospel of Matthew, for example, Jesus rebuked the disciples on
this matter five times, saying “O you of little faith” (6:30; 8:26; 14:31;
16:8; 17:20). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Presence (20:19, 26)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those of us who are parents know very well how to be
frustrated with our children who do not seem to know how to listen and obey. My
wife is a lot stricter than me at home. At home, I am the good cop and she’s the
bad cop. But even though she can yell at Heloise, our daughter can still not
listen to her mom’s instructions. She can tell her to put her toys in the toy
basket, only to see the toys still scattered on the floor after having already
showered. She would be furious, and would actually pack all of her toys and
hide them. Finding something undone and unchanged after so many attempts to
change things is discouraging and infuriating. I could only imagine Jesus’
frustrations when He saw the disciples still unchanged. In John 20:19-21, on
the evening of the first day, He already gave them peace. He already forgave
them. He already showed Himself to them so that they would believe and be
strengthened. And yet Jesus came one week later only to hind them to have reverted
to their old fears and doubts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Intriguingly, if the circumstances of the disciples were
similar in the week after resurrection day, Jesus’ approach to the disciples
was also similar to His first appearance to them: “Jesus came and stood among
them” (20:19, 26). In short, He made Himself available to them again. Jesus’ patience
is actually noteworthy. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He died,
Jesus prompted the disciples to pray, but when He returned from praying, He
found them sleeping. But He did not give up and prompted them to pray again,
but the result was the same as last time: He found them sleeping. Then this
cycle happened again and for the third time. Jesus did not give up on His
disciples. The weakness of the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane is
displayed again after the resurrection, because Jesus found His disciples again
in their weaknesses. Like in the Garden of Gethsemane, He came to the disciples
and found them in the same state He found them last time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The statement is very simple: “Jesus came and stood among
them” (20:19, 26), but this sentence highlights Jesus’ act of giving the
disciples another chance to experience renewal and restoration. God is a God of
second chances, or of many chances. Jesus came again. The reality for many of
us is that we need the visitations of God in our lives many times before we are
truly transformed! This is true in the lives of the disciples. Actually, after
Jesus appeared to the disciples in John 20:26-29, He appeared again to them a
third time John 21:1-14. Here, when Jesus appeared, what were the disciples
doing? They went back to being fishermen instead of being fishers of men (cf
Matt 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10). But Jesus appeared to them over and over
again, giving them the opportunity to believe and be transformed: “He presented
himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them
during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Peace (20:19, 21, 26)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What happened when Jesus came and stood among the disciples?
Both narratives say that Jesus’ first words to them were “Peace be with you”
(20:19, 21, 26). Jesus appeared to them not with words of fiery condemnation or
words of disapproval or words of exasperated grievances. No. Jesus’ words to
the stiff-necked, stubborn, dull disciples were of peace. Jesus appeared to His
disciples not to make them feel guilty. In fact He knew that His mere presence
would make them feel guilty and ashamed, so His first words contained a message
of peace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus comes to His broken, ashamed, guilty disciples to
restore them. In fact, we learn through the gospels that the succeeding
appearances of Jesus to the disciples were moments where He lavished grace upon
them: He forgave and reinstated Peter (John 21:15-19), commissioned the
disciples (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20), and promised the Holy Spirit (Acts
1:8). God’s grace is amazing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is something profound in these visitations of Jesus
Christ. He is teaching us that He comes precisely for those who are plagued by
fear. He comes precisely for those who are filled with doubt. He comes
precisely to those who are broken and shattered. He comes precisely to those
who are suffering. He comes precisely to those who are in need of forgiveness
and peace. He comes to those who are tortured by shame and guilt. He comes to
those who have heavy burdens. He comes to those who are hopeless. Even in the
resurrection, Jesus’ words ring true: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but the sick.<b><sup> </sup></b>I have not come to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32, NIV). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Conclusions </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus
was risen from the dead for us. But like the disciples, it is possible that the
resurrection of Jesus has not yet affected our lives or that the effect of the
resurrection in our lives was only momentary. Maybe we are still living in fear
of death. Maybe we are still in doubt. The good news for us is that the
transforming power of the resurrection is not only available on Easter Sunday.
Jesus comes in the lives of people who have failed in their relationship with
God. Jesus comes to give us peace. Jesus comes to restore us. This is His
grace: He gives us a lot of chances until we get it. He gives us chances until
we finally believe. He gives us chances until we are freed from fear. He gives
us a lot of chances until we have peace.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-28504886135379619132017-04-27T06:23:00.000-07:002017-04-27T06:23:51.340-07:00Easter: Mary's Transformation <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Christ is risen! As Peter said, “It was impossible for death
to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:24). Death is unable to have a grip on Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The resurrection is a huge part of the doctrines of the
Christian church. We make a big deal out of it every year. But why? What’s the
big deal about the resurrection? There has got to be an if/then relationship.
If Jesus rose from the dead ... then what? What are the implications of the
resurrection? Of course, from a wider perspective, the resurrection has a huge
implication to our salvation and future hope. As Paul eloquently wrote, “If
Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your
sins” (1 Cor 15:14, 16, NIV). However, considering the fact that 1 Corinthians
15 deals with the resurrection of the body, which will happen sometime in the
future, Paul’s hopeful message seems so far away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It could not be that the importance of the resurrection is
only found in the future, when we die. It could not be that the victory of the
resurrection is only for the dead. Surely, the resurrection has something to
say about how I am living right now. What are the effects of the resurrection
to someone like me existing now? If Jesus Christ rose from the dead, does that
affect what I plan to do every time I get up in the morning? If Jesus rose
from the dead, does it affect my situation at school or what’s going to happen
at work tomorrow?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My interest in the here and now prompted me to ask: “What
immediate transformation miracle the resurrection of Jesus had in the lives of
the disciples?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reading the resurrection narratives, particularly those that
happened early in Easter morning, one of the people in the gospels whose life
was immediately transformed by the resurrection was Mary Magdalene. Her story
can be read from John 20:10-18. Considering the fact that Mary Magdalene came
to visit the tomb “while it was still dark” (20:1), the events in the passage
may have unfolded at the same exact time when many Christians are still at
church during a Sunrise Service. So what was the impact of the resurrection of
Christ to His followers on Sunday early morning? We are well-aware that the
disciples were disappointing in this aspect, because we read in John 20:19 that
on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, even after hearing from Mary
Magdalene that Jesus has already risen (20:18), the disciples remained in their
fear (20:19) and doubt (Thomas, 20:24-25). Although the transforming power of
the resurrection was experienced by the twelve disciples in the evening, there
was still twelve to fourteen hours of lag time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, what transformation did Mary Magdalene experience in the
light of the risen Lord? John 20:11-18 narrates Mary Magdalene’s mutation akin
to a caterpillar wrapped in her own cocoon, bursting forth forth as a beautiful
butterfly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Mary the Mourner </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first portrayal of Mary Magdalene is not actually
exemplary. The record says: “Then the disciples went back to their homes. But
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into
the tomb” (20:10-11). Basically, Mary Magdalene was portrayed as a
mourner, weeping her heart out while standing outside the tomb (20:11). The
disciples already left (20:10), but she remained, not to do anything grand or
helpful, but only to cry (20:11). The disciples probably left her there because
she was a bit hysterical and her cries have become annoying to the ears. No one
was able to console her, so it was best to leave her alone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is obvious that Mary Magdalene loved Jesus very much. In
fact, she was among the earliest followers and supporters of Jesus Christ. Luke
8:1-3 talks about women who followed Jesus in His ministry, which included Mary
Magdalene: “Soon afterward [Jesus] went on through cities and villages,
proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the
twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil
spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven
demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household
manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their
means.” Mary Magdalene loved Jesus very much because she was a recipient of
Jesus’ healing and deliverance (8:2). Jesus was her savior from a life of
bondage, suffering, humiliation, scorn, and marginalization. Because she was
demon-possessed, she was not able to live a good life. She was looked down
upon. People suspected that she was a great sinner, which was why she was
possessed by demons. She lived a miserable life, with no one showing attention
and love to her. So when she encountered Jesus who took notice of her, and
helped her, she was full of gratitude. She was used to a life with Jesus. So
when Jesus died, she was absolutely devastated. She was a mourner who lost a
beloved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Mary the Muddled</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps due to her emotional turmoil, Mary was not able to
recognize Jesus in 20:14-15: “She turned around and saw Jesus
standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. <sup>15 </sup>Jesus
said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you
seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if
you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him
away’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus question to Mary was profound: “Why are you weeping?”
The point of the question is simple: the Lord has already risen, but she was
still crying. She was still a woman of the past, still grieving because of what
happened to Jesus Christ. She still did not get and understand the words of
Jesus Christ when He was alive. She was not yet transformed by the
resurrection. Her mind was still in disarray. She even thought of Jesus as the
gardener who hid the body of Jesus Christ. For her, the only logical
explanation for the missing body of Christ is because it was moved, either by
friends or enemies. The possibility that Jesus has risen from the dead never
crossed her mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">People who have not yet heard the story of the resurrection
are still mourning and muddled. Mary Magdalene was both grieving and confused.
This is also the story of people who have no faith in Jesus Christ and in His
resurrection. They are trapped in their sorrow over death and are still full of
questions. Without knowing the resurrection, our lives remain unchanged by its
reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Mary the Magnet</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like a sudden twist in a movie, the story says that Mary
Magdalene finally recognized Jesus: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She
turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means
Teacher)” (20:16). This part of the story is a major turning point. Her
knowledge that Jesus has risen from the dead immediately changed her. She was
no longer weeping. She was no longer muddled. There was such clarity and
confidence in calling Jesus, “Rabbi!” Her first response was not a confused,
“Who are you? Why do you know my name?” It is amazing that Mary knew with
absolute certainty that it was Jesus who called her. This is a story that is in
stark contrast to the story of the calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-9). It took
three times for the priest Eli to recognize that it was God who was speaking to
Samuel (3:5, 6, 8). Mary Magdalene, on the other hand, immediately knew it was
Jesus in the first instance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Big change: Mary was no longer muddled. But what happened
next? Apparently, Mary was so excited about the resurrection of Jesus that she
held on to Him. This is why 19:17 says: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling
to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father’” (20:17). For Mary to cling
to Jesus is quite understandable. In fact, since she met Jesus Christ, she has
been clinging to Him. For several years, she followed Jesus Christ and had
never left His side (Luke 8:1-3). Even when Jesus was at the cross, when the
disciples were nowhere to be seen, Mary Magdalene was among the women who were
around Jesus: “standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's
sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). Mary was a
clinger! She was a very needy person. When she lost Jesus Christ in His death,
it was hard for her, so when she realized that Jesus was alive, she literally
clung to Him. She was a magnet who attached herself to Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Mary the Missionary </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mary’s plan was to never let go of Jesus again. However,
Jesus had another plan. The story continues: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not
cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my
brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the
disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’—and that he had said these things to her”
(20:17-18). Mary’s plan was to remain with Jesus; but Jesus’ plan was to send
her. The resurrection turns Christians into missionaries, not magnets. There is
a time to be Mary, but the resurrection calls us to be Marthas (Luke 10:38-42).
This was precisely what Mary Magdalene did. It was probably with great
difficulty, but she still left the presence of Jesus Christ and announced the
good news to the disciples (20:18). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If we look at the gospel narratives, that Jesus sends people
out from His presence to become witnesses is a part of His grand design for
those who encounter Him. Throughout the gospels, Jesus did not gather a lot of
people to Himself. Instead, He sent people away. He sent the man He healed of
leprosy away: “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses
commanded, as a testimony to them” (Matt 8:4, NIV; Luke 11:14). He sent
the healed paralytica man away: “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go
home” (Mark 2:11). He sent the forgiven adulterous woman away: “Go, and from
now on sin no more” (John 8:11). In all these passages, Jesus did not want
the people to cling to Him. Instead, He sent them away as a testimony to
Himself. Even the Samaritan woman at the well was not invited to follow Jesus
Christ. She left the company of Jesus in order to tell others about Him (John
4:28-30). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Conclusions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We can be petrified in our sorrows. We can be muddled
because of our circumstances. But we can be transformed by the resurrection of
Christ and become missionaries. We are not called to stay in or around the
tomb. We are not called just to stay with Jesus Christ. We are called to be
sent to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. This is an important
resurrection transformation. The problem with us is that we can become clingy,
emphasizing our daily devotions and alone time with God. But let us not forget
that the first resurrection miracle of transformation resulted in a follower of
Jesus Christ turning into a missionary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-16791880109444575252017-04-15T07:40:00.000-07:002017-04-15T07:49:53.436-07:00Lent: Jesus' Triumphal Entry 2<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week. On Friday,
the whole world will commemorate the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the
cross. It is amazing how such a gloomy week begins with a triumphalist event
when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. The account is so important that it
is actually recorded in all four gospels (Matt 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-10; Luke
19:28-40; John 12:12-19). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And when he had said these
things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. <sup>29 </sup>When
he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called
Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, <sup>30 </sup>saying, “Go
into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt
tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. <sup>31 </sup>If
anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has
need of it.’” <sup>32 </sup>So those who were sent went away and
found it just as he had told them. <sup>33 </sup>And as they
were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the
colt?” <sup>34 </sup>And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” <sup>35 </sup>And
they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus
on it. <sup>36 </sup>And as he rode along, they spread their
cloaks on the road. <sup>37 </sup>As he was drawing near—already on
the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to
rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that
they had seen, <sup>38 </sup>saying, “Blessed is the King
who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the
highest!” (Luke 19:28-38)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Luke 19:28-38 is definitely a story of celebration, jubilation,
and the exaltation of Jesus as King and Messiah. The use of a colt which no one
has ever sat (19:30) points to the fact that Jesus was entering Jerusalem with
a sacred purpose (see Num 19:2; Deut 21:3;1 Sam 6:7). Even the fact that they
had to borrow the donkey was actually giving a political signal (19:30-34).
This was just common practice. When a political figure is arriving at a town,
they would often borrow a mount to ride (see Gen 49:10-11). The actions of the
people also indicate that they saw Jesus as a royalty, and they welcomed Him as
such: “They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus
on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road”
(19:35-36). This spreading of cloaks was a Jewish custom of paying respect to
royalty, something which their ancestors already did for King Jehu (see 2 Kings
9:12-13). So the people were conscious of the fact that Jesus was king entering
Jerusalem. They were even shouting praises to Him as king: “Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, with all these festivities going on, Jesus’
reaction was quite extraordinary: “When he drew near and saw the city, he
wept over it” (19:41). Why did Jesus weep? Amidst all the attention and praise
He was receiving from the people, why was the first recorded reaction that of
grief? The clue to answer these questions is found in what Jesus did
immediately after entering Jerusalem. Hence, in this post, we need to look at
the four gospels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>House of Robbers</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Luke 19:45-46; Matthew 21:12-13</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the gospels of Luke and Matthew, the first thing Jesus
did after entering Jerusalem was to visit the Temple. This is where we find our
first clue why Jesus wept upon seeing Jerusalem. First, Jesus wept because
Jerusalem has become a city that has forgotten its identity. The Temple was
supposedly the place instituted by Yahweh as the place of forgiveness,
cleansing, and even communion with God. In fact, as soon as the Temple was
constructed, Solomon dedicated it to the Lord as a place of prayer, where
people may come in their needs (2 Chron 6:12-42). Truly, it was a “house of
prayer” (Isa 56:7). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The problem was that Jesus found the Temple not fulfilling
its purpose: “And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who
sold, saying to them, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be a house
of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers’” (Luke 19:45-46). How
could Jesus not weep? The people have forgotten the sanctity of the Temple and
its purpose. They have forgotten to honor and prioritize God for the sake of
perishable monetary gains. The merchants were robbing God of the glory and
attention that belong to Him. They were robbing God of His place in the Temple.
The Temple has become a marketplace for profit, not a sanctuary for healing. It
was filled with more merchants than worshippers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The desecrating act of the people to the Temple is quite
surprising, considering how, in the history of Israel, the Jews even used
violence just to maintain the sanctity of the Tempe. In 168 BC, when Antiochus
Epiphanes desecrated the Temple by offering a pig in it as a sacrifice, the
people of Israel organized a massive revolt. In AD 4, at the instigation of the
priests, two young boys toppled down a golden eagle placed by the Roman empire
on top of the Temple, which led to the death of the youths. Both these stories highlight
the fact that the people of Israel valued the sanctity of the Temple. The Jews
did not like any foreign thing to desecrate it. Unfortunately, during the time
of Jesus, it was the Jews themselves who desecrated the Temple. Jesus wept
because the center of religious life, and the very core of Jewish faith, has
become corrupt. Jesus wept because the people have forgotten their own history.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>House of Fruitlessness</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Mark 11:13-14</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the gospel of Mark, Jesus’ actions at the Temple were
just mentioned in passing (11:11). Mark actually emphasized the fact that after
entering Jerusalem, Jesus cursed a fig tree (11:13-14). This is actually an
important part of gospel, especially when understood in the light of Luke
19:29, which narrates that Jesus passed by Bethpage and Bethany, places which
literally meant “House of Unripe Figs” and “House of Many Figs.” It would seem
as if Jesus was going to Jerusalem to find out whether Jerusalem was either a
house of unripe figs or a house of many figs. And when we read of Jesus finding
a fig tree that does not even have a single fruit, Jerusalem is portrayed
neither as a house of unripe figs nor a house of many figs, but a house of
fruitless figs. Jesus wept because He found Jerusalem a fruitless city. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The parable of the talents immediately come to mind, which
is precisely the parable that Jesus told His disciples right before His entry
to Jerusalem (Luke 19:11-27). Jesus is the master who just returned from his
journey, wanting his servants to report to him (19:15). At least in the
parable, there were two servants who the master commended for their fruitful
stewardship. But it would appear that in Jesus’ accounting of Jerusalem, the
holy city was like the third servant who kept the talent away in a handkerchief
(19:20), and was called a “wicked servant” (19:22). The servant was sent for
punishment (19:24-27) in the same way as the fig tree withered (Matt 21:19). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>House of Ignorance</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>John 12:20-34</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the gospel of John, what happened immediately after the
Triumphal entry was that some Greeks came hopefully to see Jesus (12:20). Upon
hearing the request of the Greeks, Jesus’ response was simple: “The hour has
come for the Son of man to be glorified” (12:23), then went on to describe how
He would die (12:24-33). Jesus disappointed the disciples, the Jews, and the
Greeks, because His glory is found not in being seated on a throne, but in
being hanged on the cross. His exaltation is found not within the mountain of
God, but outside the city on another mountain called Golgotha, the place of
skull (Matt 27:33). His glory is found not in His entrance to Jerusalem, but in
His exit from the city, while carrying the cross (Matt 27:31-35). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus wept because He found Jerusalem as a house of
ignorance. They did not understand Him and God’s purposes. Jesus said,
“I, when I am <i>lifted up</i> from the earth, will draw all
people to myself” (John 12:32; see also John 3:14 and 8:28). His glory—His
being lifted up—is not on a horse or a donkey, but on a wooden cross. The cross
is the throne from which Christ governs the world! Revelations 19:11-13 also
gives a beautiful picture of the glory of Jesus Christ: “Then I saw heaven
opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is
called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes
war.<sup> </sup>His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head
are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but
himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name
by which he is called is The Word of God.” The one riding the horse is
portrayed as a victorious king, returning from battle, which is probably why
“he is clothed in a robe dipped in blood” (Rev 19:13). But whose blood is on
His robe? It is His own blood. His glory is found in His sacrifice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus wept when He saw Jerusalem because the people did not
understand: “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make
for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:42). Like in
His exasperation with His disciples, He was asking: “Do you not yet
understand?” (Mark 8:21). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Conclusions </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus
wept because Jerusalem has become a house of robbers, a house of fruitlessness,
and a house of ignorance. His earthly ministry was almost at its end, and He
only had seven days left before His death, but the people for whom He came to
save still remained in the dark. His heart was truly crushed. He was in deep
anguish. But here is the good news: Jesus entered Jerusalem precisely for these
kinds of people. He did not come for the righteous, but for robbers, the
fruitless, and the ignorant. It is probably true that Jesus suffered deep
anguish as He saw Jerusalem and its people, but His heart was also filled with
compassion for them. He entered Jerusalem precisely for them. He enters the
cities of our own lives, full of uncleanness and helplessness—and He comes to
save.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-13027572849462437852017-04-15T07:21:00.000-07:002017-04-15T07:49:21.837-07:00Lent: Desires of the Eyes<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">This is the
third sermon on the series of the temptations of Jesus Christ in the
wilderness, interpreted in 1 John 2:16. In <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2017/03/lent-desires-of-flesh.html">The Desires of the Flesh</a>, it was
highlighted that Satan’s temptations appeal to our natural human appetites and
needs. In <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2017/03/lent-pride-of-life.html">The Pride of Life</a>, what was underscored was the fact that Satan’s
temptations appeal to our human sense of dignity and honor. This post will deal
with the third temptation, which in the words of 1 John 2:16, are temptations
related to “the desires of the eyes.” In the wilderness narrative, the
temptation was actually very simple: “The devil took him to a very high
mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And
he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship
me’” (Matt 4:8-9, ESV).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Three
things can be said about the third temptation of Jesus. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">First,
it’s about Belongings</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Owning
property is not essentially bad. The eighth commandment, “You shall not steal”
(Exo 20:15; Deut 5:19) was given precisely to protect private property. Even
though “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Ps 24:1; 1 Cor 10:26),
the Lord has given humanity dominion over creation as stewards (Gen 1:28).
Hence, it is not wrong to own something. It is not wrong to own dresses, or
homes, or food, or anything that sustains and promotes human life and
well-being. Owning property is not wrong. It is our attitude about property
that may be right or wrong. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span lang="EN-PH">It is
important to have a proper view of ownership and property.</span></i><span lang="EN-PH"> We live in a world with a twisted
mentality of ownership and a terrible concept of having. In fact, our view of
having is so deranged that even interpersonal relationships are seen in terms
of owning and having. It is quite appalling, but we unconsciously say things
like: “I have a wife” or “I have children” or “I have friends” or “I had sex.”
The language we use reflects a terrible mindset that we own even people. The
language insinuates that people become our property and we can treat them as
our possessions. It is alright to say that we have houses, land, money or cars,
but when we use categories of having to speak about our interpersonal
relations, something is terribly wrong. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span lang="EN-PH">Moreover,
it is important to give material things their appropriate value.</span></i><span lang="EN-PH"> Satan’s temptation is very simple:
the temptation to value <i>earthly</i> <i>possessions</i> more importantly than
God’s <i>divine</i> <i>purposes</i>. Satan’s temptation was for Jesus to consider
material things above everything else. Jesus Himself warned against this
attitude: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and
where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt 6:19-20). Jesus later on in His
ministry again asked rhetorically: “What will it profit a man if he gains the
whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matt 16:26; Mark 8:36). Satan’s temptation
was for Jesus to exchange the eternal for the material. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">There are
stories in the Bible where people have failed because of how they valued
material things. Saul disobeyed God and His purposes because he was blinded by
the value of property: “Now go and strike Amalek and devote to
destruction all that they have… But Saul and the people spared Agag and
the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the
lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was
despised and worthless they devoted to destruction… (1 Sam 15:3, 9). Saul
valued the wealth of the Amalekites and taught that he can justify himself
keeping them if he offers some of these things to God. Saul’s sin cost him his
throne. Then we have the story of Achan who was blinded by “the devoted things”
from Jericho (Josh 7:1), which led to God’s anger and punishment: “Israel has
sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they
have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put
them among their own belongings” (Josh 7:11). Achan valued the beautiful and
valuable devoted things of Jericho, which caused the death of his entire
family. It was a poor bargain. He exchanged his family’s life over a few golden
articles. We see these stories repeated in Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27), Ananias
and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11), the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21), and the rich young
man (Matt 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30). They all portray ungodly
attitudes about possessions and material things. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The Bible
admonishes us not to attach too much value in materials things. The command not
to covet (Exo 20:17) is included in the Ten Commandments. To covet is to yearn
to have something. We are commanded—not encouraged—to not covet. As long as we
do not have a strong yearning for material possessions, even though we are
tempted in relation to them all the time, we should be alright. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Secondly,
it’s about Beauty</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Satan’s
temptation not only appealed to material possessions, but also to our human
nature to appreciate and value beauty. Imagine if you were Jesus, who was shown
“all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.” The temptation would have been
very real and appealing. Whether we care to admit it or not, we like beauty.
People do not desire ugly things. Those who study culinary arts do not only
learn how to cook but also learn food presentation. Restaurants not only appeal
to our sense of smell but also to our sense of sight. A beautifully presented
food is more appetizing than a sloppily prepared plate. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">God created
us to appreciate and love beauty. It is a part of our DNA to prefer the
beautiful over the ugly. In movies and other forms of entertainment, the
beautiful is always related to the good and the ugly to the bad. Handsome and
gentle-looking actors always get the protagonist roles and the vicious-looking
actors always play the bad guys. There is something about beauty that appeals
to us. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Beauty
evokes a sense of admiration and excitement. Beauty has the power to create a
desire in us, and because this is true, it is a powerful avenue of temptations.
The world offers a lot of “eye candies.”
Visual adverts in television, billboards, newspapers, and websites all appeal
to our love of beauty, even to the point that even television adverts use
half-naked women to promote ice cream! Billboards advertising shirts, pants and
all sorts of products are filled with beautiful men and women. It is ridiculous
how a billboard about a shoe brand has two-thirds of it occupied by a
half-dressed lady<i>.</i> Why do advert agencies do this? The answer is simple:
they are appealing to our love of beauty.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Several
Bible stories actually illustrate the power of beauty in temptations. Eve ate
the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was because she “saw that
the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes” (Gen 3:6).
Similarly, Achan was tempted to take the devoted things of Jericho because of
their beauty: “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of
Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful
cloak from Shinar,… I coveted them and took them’” (Josh 7:20-21). Saul
disobedience was because he was blinded by “the best of the sheep and of the
oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good” (1
Sam 15:3, 9). David was led to adultery because when he saw that Bathsheeba
bathing naked, he saw that “the woman was very beautiful” (2 Sam 11:2).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">It is
amazing how beautiful things can lead us to sin, and we can be so oblivious
about it. Again, love of beauty is not wrong. We are created to admire beauty.
What is wrong is making decisions in the light of what is appealing to our
eyes. It is good to remember that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor
5:7). What is wrong is making decisions in accordance to beauty and
aesthetics. It is good to remember that
“the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward
appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). What
is wrong is love of beauty without love of righteousness, or love of beauty at
the expense of righteousness. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Finally,
it’s about Beholding</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Satan’s
temptation was grounded in a very simple showing: “The devil took him to a very
high mountain and <i>showed him</i> all the kingdoms of the world and their glory”
(Matt 4:8). The temptation was all a matter of showing on the part of the
tempter and looking on the part of the tempted. This sounds so simple and
ordinary that it absolutely insults the intelligence of the tempted. We can
even think: “Who would fall for such a simplistic temptation?” The basic
reality, however, is that temptations start off in seemingly ordinary ways: a
married man who saw a beautiful young lady, a young man who saw a small picture
on the side of the browser, a penniless woman who saw an expensive item in the
store, and so on. It starts with just simple looking to elaborate sinning. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Of course
looking is not sin in itself, but looking can become the starting point of sin.
Going back to the Bible examples already cited here, the sins of the characters
are related to their response when they looked and saw. Eve ate the fruit of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil was because she “saw that the tree was
good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes” (Gen 3:6). Achan was
tempted because he “saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200
shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,<sup> </sup>then I
coveted them and took them” (Josh 7:20-21). David was led to adultery because
when he saw Bathsheeba bathing naked, he <i>saw</i> that “the woman was very
beautiful” (2 Sam 11:2). Lot’s greed was prompted by what he saw as the greener
pasture: “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well
watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of
Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and
Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other” (Gen 13:10-11). The
disobedience of Lot’s wife, which also led to her being turned into a statue of
salt, was because of looking (Gen 19:26; cf 19:17).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The eye is
an important human body part, but it is also a fertile ground for temptation
and sinning. Jesus said that “the eye is the lamp of the body” (Matt 6:22).
Whatever we see affects our soul or inmost being. What we see affects our
emotions, like how watching movies make us happy or sad or scared, or looking
at a beautiful woman and our sexual desires are aroused. Whatever we look at
affect our decision-making. The things that we see affect our lives more than
we realize. This is why Jesus taught, “if your eye causes you to sin, tear it
out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with
two eyes to be thrown into hell” (Mark 9:47). We cannot claim that we can
look at things because they do not affect us anyway. The reality is that things
that we see infect our minds and they stay there! It is very hard to forget
something that we have already seen. This is why the Psalmist said, “I will not
set before my eyes anything that is worthless” (Ps 101:3). As the song
says, “Oh be careful little eyes what you see…” We also cannot claim that it is
alright to keep looking as long as we keep a clean heart. This is like saying
it is alright to possess a sex toy as long as we are not using it. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">Conclusions</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-PH"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is not wrong to have belongings. It is not wrong to appreciate
beauty. It is not wrong to behold something. But these things can be used by
Satan to tempt God’s people. Our eyes are God’s gifts. They are the instruments
through which we see the abundant beauty in the world. But let us be reminded
that our eyes can become Satan’s entry point in our lives. What we must do is
imitate Job, who said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes” (Job 31:1).
These are beautiful words containing a vow to the Lord to not profane his eyes
by looking at ungodly things or stare at sights that lead to sin. Instead of looking
at the things of the world, the writer of Hebrews offers an alternative: “Since
we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us
run with perseverance the race marked out for us, <b><sup> </sup></b><i>fixing
our eyes on Jesus</i>, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Heb
12:1-2, NIV).</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-16175223235827425492017-04-06T07:22:00.000-07:002017-04-15T07:49:39.121-07:00Lent: Jesus' Triumphal Entry <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Luke
19:28-44 begins with this statement: “After Jesus said this, he went on ahead, going
up to Jerusalem” (19:28). So what did Jesus just say? He just told the parable
about “a man of noble birth” who “went to a distant country to have himself
appointed king and then to return” (Luke 19:11), and which ended with this
statement: “But those enemies of mine who did not want to be king over
them—bring them here and kill them in front of me” (19:27). When the disciples
heard these statements, coupled with the fact that they were entering
Jerusalem, they probably thought that the time has come for Jesus to sweep away
the Romans and reclaim His rightful throne as the Messiah as soon as they enter
Jerusalem. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
disciples were even greatly delighted when Jesus called two of them, and said,
“I am sending two of you ahead, OK?” (19:29c). The other disciples who were
seeing this should have been further hyped up. They knew something really
momentous was about to happen. The instruction given to them was very clear:
“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied
there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here” (19:30). The
instruction that the colt has never been ridden points to the fact that it
would be used for sacred reasons. For instance, the instruction to the
Israelites was that the red heifer (a young female cow) to be used in
ceremonies of cleansing was to be one that had never bore a yoke (Num 19:2;
Deut 21:3). Another instance is the cart on which the ark of the covenant was
to be carried had to be one which had been used for any other purpose (1 Sam
6:7). When the disciples heard Jesus’ instructions, their suspicion about Jesus
as the Messiah who will start something awesome at the capital was further
intensified. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Even the
fact that they had to borrow the donkey was actually giving a political signal.
This was just common practice. When a political figure is arriving at a town,
they would often borrow a mount to ride. For the people, it was such a
privilege to have their horses or animals be used by a king or a prince or a
general or a famous teacher riding to town (see Gen 49:10-11). This is how we
can understand the next verses: “If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying
it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ Those who were sent ahead went and found it just
as he had told them.<b><sup> </sup></b>As they were untying the colt, its
owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They replied, ‘The Lord
needs it’” (19:31-34). And just like that, they obtained a colt. For the
owner of the donkey, he was being given a rare privilege to have his animal
ridden by an important person. Again, for the disciples, the fact the Jesus
asked them to borrow a colt meant that Jesus thought of Himself as someone
important riding into town. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">If Jesus’
most immediate parable pointed to a king exercising authority and dominion, His
command to secure an unridden donkey pointed to both a sacred task and a
political statement. If we add the fact that they are now entering the royal
capital city of Israel, we can understand how the disciples felt excited.
Everything seemed to be in place. It was very clear to the disciples that Jesus
was coming in to Jerusalem as the returning king. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Even the
people were thinking precisely what the disciples were thinking. Their actions
indicated that they saw Jesus as a royalty, and they welcomed Him as such: “They
brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on
it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road”
(19:35-36). In other passages, “the people took palm branches” (John 12:13)
“while others cut branches of trees and spread them on the road” (Matt 21:8).
In Luke, the people “threw their cloaks” and “spread their cloaks on the road”
(19:35-36). This spreading of cloaks was a Jewish custom of paying respect to
royalty, something which their ancestors already did for King Jehu: “They
quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps.
Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!” (2 Kings 9:12-13).
So the people were conscious of the fact that Jesus was king entering
Jerusalem. They were even shouting praises to Him as king: </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Blessed is
the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Blessed is
the king of Israel!” (John 12:13)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Hosanna to
the Son of David!” (Matt 21:9)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
disciples, maybe walking alongside Jesus Christ, were really overjoyed. Their
thoughts were being confirmed by the people. It was obvious that the people were
thinking the same thing as them. Surely, this was a divine affirmation. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">With all
these festivities going on, Jesus’ reaction was quite extraordinary: “As he
approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it” (19:41). Why did Jesus
weep? Amidst all the attention and praise He was receiving from the people, why
was the first recorded reaction that of grief? The clue to the answer is found
in 19:29, where Jesus is said to have passed by Bethpage and Bethany, places
which literally meant “House of Unripe Figs” and “House of Many Figs.” It would
seem as if He was going to Jerusalem to find out whether Jerusalem was either a
house of unripe figs or a house of many figs. And when we read of Jesus finding
a fig tree that does not even have a single fruit, Jerusalem is portrayed
neither as a house of unripe figs nor a house of many figs, but a house of
fruitless figs (Matt 21:18-19; Mark 11:13-14). Jesus wept because He found
Jerusalem a fruitless city. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But also,
Jesus was weeping because like His words to Peter, He found that the citizens
of Israel did not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns
(Mark 8:33). When Jesus was entering Jerusalem, what Jesus was thinking was
different from what the disciples and the people were thinking. “As he
approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it,” and said, ‘If
you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it
is hidden from your eyes’” (19:41-42). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Obviously,
Jesus wept because He saw that Jerusalem was barren. But He was also grieved
because the people of Israel were looking for peace. He knew that they felt
oppressed. He knew that they were crying out for freedom. He knew their hearts’
desires. He knew that they wanted peace more than anything else. When they saw
Jesus Christ, they saw a faint ray of light, that maybe the Messiah has come to
bring peace. This was why they shouted: “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
(19:38).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But Jesus
was grieved. In response to their shouts for peace, He said: “If you, even you,
had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from
your eyes” (19:42). At least the people and Jesus Christ were thinking about
one same thing: peace. The difference was on how such a peace will be obtained
for them. The Jews were looking for peace, but for them, true peace meant the
overthrow of their political oppressors. They did not recognize that the path
of peace is through self-less sacrifice, not revengeful rebellion. The peace
the Jews envisioned was a peace obtained through shedding the blood of their
enemies. They did not recognize that the path of peace is through the blood of
the Lamb. The peace they were looking for is achieved through violence; the
peace that Jesus brings is achieved through sacrifice. The peace the Jews wanted
was the absence of external control. They did not recognize that the kingdom is
about submission to the will of God. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What the
disciples were thinking was different from what Jesus was thinking. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">What the
people were thinking was different from what Jesus was thinking.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The irony
is that when the Prince of Peace went to Jerusalem, they opposed Him with
violence. In the words of Jesus, they “did not recognize the time of God’s
coming” to them (Luke 19:44). What Jesus did in Galilee and Samaria—healing the
sick, setting people free from oppression (of demons), preaching the kingdom,
and offering forgiveness—these are the same things that He wanted to do for the
people of Jerusalem. But unfortunately, the people did not recognize the time
of God’s coming in their midst. The people had their own agenda, and they were
not willing to listen and obey God’s agenda. They preferred to follow their
corrupted visions of salvation, so they were blind when God was acting in their
midst. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The same is
probably true about us. We have our own agenda. We have our own desires. We
want to achieve these things and we want to use Jesus to attain them. But Jesus
retaliates. He escapes our grasps. He moves in His own mysterious ways. But
even in the midst of all these misunderstandings and misjudgments, God shows
His lavish grace. He still brings peace to violent people.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">He entered
Jerusalem to bring peace, because it was peace that the people were looking
for. Five days from now, we will celebrate Good Friday, when we will
commemorate what He did to “reconcile to himself all things, whether things on
earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the
cross” (Col 1:20). This is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, for even though
the people did not understand Him, and the people did not receive Him, and the
people crucified Him, and yet in His love and mercy, He willingly went to the
cross (Isa 53:7; Acts 8:32) so that through Him, we have peace with God (Rom
5:1).</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">The number of people was quite astonishing. How did such a great number
of people gather? John 12:17-18 explains: “The crowd that was with
him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead
continued to spread the word. <b><sup>18 </sup></b>Many people,
because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet
him.” </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-49972884445632915202017-03-30T22:54:00.000-07:002017-03-30T22:56:20.274-07:00Lent: Pride of Life<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This post is the second in the series of sermons on
the three temptations of Jesus Christ in the wilderness, juxtaposed with 1 John
2:16. The first sermon, <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2017/03/lent-desires-of-flesh.html">Desires of the Flesh</a>, highlighted the fact that the
tempter appeals to our basic human appetites and needs to lead us to sin.
Because the temptations are related to our human appetites and needs, they are
actually difficult to discern and overcome. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This second sermon will deal with the second temptation
of Jesus Christ, which John referred to as “the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
Matthew 4:5-7, ESV, records the second temptation: </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The devil took him to the holy city and set him on the
pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down, for it is written,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">‘On their hands they will bear you up,<br />
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><sup> </sup></b>Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You
shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">One of the lessons I have never forgotten is from my
Doctrine of Holiness class from fifteen years ago. Rev. Randy Lingenfelter
commented that everyone has pride. The fact that we check ourselves in the mirror
before leaving our homes reveals that we want to appear presentable to other
people. He said that this is an evidence of pride. I agree with him. Everyone
possesses a lingering amount of pride. This means that pride is not altogether
evil. Without pride, we would all be dirty and smelly. In the first temptation
of Jesus Christ, Satan appealed to His human basic appetites and needs. In the
second temptation, Satan again appealed to our human sense of dignity.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In the Syriac and Arabic manuscripts, the translation
is “the pride of the age.” What is it that drives people today? What do people
want to achieve in life right now? What characterizes success today? It would
not be an exaggeration to say that there is a feeling of unrest and
un-accomplishment among peoples of the world today. This is partly because we
compare ourselves to others, resulting in self-pity, discontentment, and
careless busyness. But it is also partly because we live as people trying to
feed our pride. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In 2015, the estimated annual income of Filipino
families is Php267,000.00. If compared to 2006, when the annual average income
was Php173,000.00, there was actually a 35% increase over the last ten years.
But do Filipinos feel as if they are wealthier and are saving more? I highly
doubt it. There is a widespread discontent and desire for more. People still
feel that they are poor, but why? Dewi Hughes is right: “The widespread
consumerism and materialism of the culture—expressed above all in our incessant
advertising—seduces many people into making extravagant decisions about major
purchases like houses and cars and smaller things like recreation, eating out,
vacations, etc.; and the result is that most families are financially pressed
in spite of enormous wealth.”</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span lang="EN-US">In short, people feel that they are poor because they are proud.
They want to compete with their neighbors and friends, because their pride
won’t allow them to not enjoy the same things the people they know are
enjoying. Once, a salesman became very successful by using one line to sell to
his customers: “Let me show you something several of your neighbors said you
couldn't afford.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Temptation about Public Life </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Interestingly, temptations related to the pride of
life are temptations that involve our public life. Most of the times, we are
tempted in relation to our private lives, and we want to hide the sins that we
do. People watch pornographic videos while doors are locked and the curtains
are closed. Shoplifters steal very discreetly. Big time robberies are committed
by people wearing masks. Corrupt politicians stealing the government money do
so in secret, making sure to remove trails leading to them. When people commit
fornication and adultery, they do so in a carefully planned way so that they
remain hidden from the world. Sins of lust are committed in secret or in the
dark. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">But the temptations related to the pride of life are
different. These are public sins. We do them while others are around, inviting
everyone to see them. They are things done in the open. This is the temptation
to show off what we already have. First, <i>it is the temptation to display
one’s glory and achievements.</i> In Filipino homes and offices, it is not
uncommon to see certificates, diplomas, trophies and medals hanging in walls,
displayed for everyone to see. This has a name: “The WOW! Wall.” Honestly, I
have never felt comfortable doing this, which is why I never put these things
in display. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Secondly, it refers to<i> the temptation to show off
our wealth.</i> A popular Filipino story I heard when I was young was about a
young lady went to the market wearing a huge gold ring on her finger. She would
intentionally raise her hands to point at things in the market in order to show
off her ring. In one of the stores she entered, a merchant happily assisted
her, but when the merchant realized that the lady was just showing off, he
began to smile from ear to ear. The young lady was shocked, because she saw
that all the teeth of the merchant was made of gold. Jeremiah 9:23 warns us
about showing off: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the
mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches.”
Thirdly, this also includes <i>the temptation of public display of religiosity.</i>
Jesus warned His followers about this as well: “Beware of practicing your
righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them” (Matt 6:1).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Greek word used in 1 John 2:16 is <i>alazoneia</i>,
which means boasting. Boasting seems so simple, but why was it given that much
attention in the temptations of Jesus Christ? Considering that there are other
seemingly bigger sins out there, why would the second temptation be related to
boasting? Is boasting really such a big thing? Paul actually writes the
seriousness of this sin in Romans 1:28-30, “God gave them up to a debased
mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all
manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,<b><sup> </sup></b>slanderers,
haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to
parents.” This means that boasting is a product of a debased mind or corrupted
mentality. In short, boasting is done by crazy people! This is all the more so
because if this temptation is related to the things we do in public, radical
shamelessness is a necessary requirement if a person is to commit it. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Temptations about Power </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Looking closely at the three temptations of Jesus, the
second temptation is quite unique. The temptations related to the desires of
the flesh and the desires of the eyes are related to things that Jesus did not
have: food and wealth. Quite simply, Jesus was hungry and poor. But the second
temptation is a temptation related to what Jesus already had. As the Son of
God, He had the power and capacity to call for angels to help Him. Satan was
right. In fact, the whole temptation narrative actually ends with a note that
angels did come to help Him: “the devil left him, and angels came and
attended him” (Matt 4:11). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">So what is the temptation all about? The temptation
about the pride of life is related to the things that we already have, and we
are tempted to show them or use them for our advantage. This is the temptation
to use our authority, positions, social status, economic status in a way
advantageous to us. There are many examples: a teacher using her authority to
extort money from students, a policeman using his authority to accept bribes, a
businessman using his money to evade the law and social responsibilities, a
parent using his authority to abuse his children, a muscular student using his
strength to bully other students, a leader using his power to siphon money from
the company, a manager using his authority to delegate all works to his
subordinates while he plays <i>Clash of Clans</i> at the office. The examples
can go on and on. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Jesus refused to use His authority over the angels of
heaven in order that He might have a graceful landing when He crazily jumps
from a high place. He refused to take advantage of what He had at His disposal.
Paul alludes to this characteristic of Jesus in Philippians 2:5-7 (NIV), </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who, being in very nature God,<br />
did not consider equality with God something to be
used to his own advantage;<br />
rather, he made himself nothing<br />
by taking the very nature of a servant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Temptation about Preponderance </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Moreover, the second temptation of Jesus was also
about enjoying more than what He was currently experiencing. Satan’s words can
be paraphrased as: “You are not getting the treatment you deserve. Are you not
interested in enjoying more benefits than what is currently available for you
right now?” These are the whispers of the tempter to us as well: We deserve
more. We deserve a better status. We deserve greater things than what we are
enjoying right now. We deserve better! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This was the same tactic that Satan used to tempt Eve
in the Garden of Eden: “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5, ESV). Satan
was telling Eve that there was a better status and greater knowledge that was
available for her. She deserved to enjoy greater benefits. The means to achieve
greater knowledge was right there at the Garden, ready to be picked, so Eve did
not really need to wait. The pride of life is the desire to have more than what
we currently have. In essence, this is a good thing: the desire to be better is
godly. But it is precisely this desire that Satan uses to appeal to us so that
we might sin. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Israelites in the wilderness also fell because of
this desire. They complained to Yahweh because they were hungry, and God
provided them manna (Exo 16:1-36). But they soon got tired of eating manna, and
began to complain again: “The rabble that was among them had a strong
craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that
we had meat to eat!<b><sup> </sup></b>We remember the fish we ate in Egypt
that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the
garlic.<b><sup> </sup></b>But now our strength is dried up, and there is
nothing at all but this manna to look at” (Numbers 11:4-6, ESV). Again, the
desire was to enjoy life a little better. It is amazing how the simple desire
for preponderance can lead many to sin. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Moses’ demise is also related to pride. He desired
greater respect and honor. Numbers 20:2-12 records the story where because his
authority and leadership were questioned by the Israelites, he decided to take
the glory that should belong to God for himself. He was tempted to raise his
status in the eyes of the Israelites by using God’s own miracle. This was why
God told him: “because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel
at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did
not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel… <b><sup> </sup></b>
you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land
that I am giving to the people of Israel” (Deut 32:51-52). Ironically, Moses’
desire for greater authority was precisely his downfall.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Why does Satan use this trick to tempt humanity? The
answer is because this temptation is very effective even for the holy ones. In
fact, this was the temptation that was actually potent even to Satan himself.
It is so effective that Satan himself became a victim of this temptation.
Isaiah 14:12-15 (ESV) writes: </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“How you
are fallen from heaven,<br />
O Day Star, son of Dawn!<br />
How you are cut down to the ground…<br />
<b><sup> </sup></b>You said in your heart,<br />
‘I will ascend to heaven;<br />
above the stars of God<br />
I will set my throne on high;<br />
I will sit on the mount of assembly<br />
in the far reaches of the north;<br />
<b><sup> </sup></b>I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;<br />
I will make myself like the Most High.’<br />
<b><sup> </sup></b>But you are brought down to Sheol,<br />
to the far reaches of the pit.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It would do us a great deal to remember that the sin
that resulted in Moses not receiving the fruits of his 40-year sacrifice and
labor with the Israelites, the expulsion of Satan from heaven, and the
banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden came through the temptation
to be better or have a better status in the eyes of people. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Conclusions</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The first temptation tells us that Satan appeals to
our natural human appetites and basic human needs to lead to sin. The second
temptation tells us that Satan appeals to our public image, to use what we
already have, and our desire to be better. Make no mistake about it: to have a
good face in public is good, to use whatever we have is good, and the desire to
be better is good. But let us remember that all these three things can be and will
be used by the tempter to tempt us to sin.</span>
</span><br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br clear="all" />
</span><br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
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<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Hughes, “The Whole
Church as a Transformed and Transforming Society,” 50.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-65882668454800793552017-03-25T07:15:00.000-07:002017-03-25T07:15:06.039-07:00Lent: Desires of the Flesh<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Forty days of Lent is patterned after the forty days of
prayer and fasting in the wilderness, which ended with the temptations of
Satan. Although the whole season of Lent is meant to prepare us to commemorate
Jesus’ sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, because of its relation
to the temptations, Lent can also be observed as a time of reflection about our
Christian journey and the temptations we face as we live in our own
wildernesses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The three temptations of Jesus represent humanity’s greatest
temptations. We face these temptations on a daily basis. Jesus shows us that
unless we are victorious over these temptations, we cannot effectively begin
our ministries of sacrificial service. The wilderness is a place of tampering,
so that we are prepared to carry our own crosses. The temptation narrative is
recorded in Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV), which was interpreted later on in 1 John 2:16
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty
days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and
said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to
become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,<br />
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Then the
devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the
temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down,
for it is written,</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“‘On their hands they will bear you up,<br />
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Jesus said
to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord
your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said
to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”<b><sup>
</sup></b>Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is
written,</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“‘You shall worship the Lord your God<br />
and him only shall you serve.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus faced three temptations, and they can be categorized
in the light of 1 John 2:16 as the desires of the flesh, the desires of the
eyes, and the pride of life. This post will only deal with the desires of the
flesh, and is related to the first temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:2-4: “After
fasting forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry. The
tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these
stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not
live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">It is
Neutral! </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The story
says that Jesus stayed in the wilderness and fasted for forty days and forty
nights. Naturally, he was very hungry. In the Philippines we often joke that
when we are hungry, everything—including our seatmates—looks like yummy fried
chicken. Beware of people staring at you with great intensity especially around
12 noon and six in the evening! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">It is
fascinating that food was chosen by Satan in the temptation of Jesus, of all
the possible temptations he can devise. If John interprets the first temptation
as related to the desires of flesh, why was temptation using food used as the
prime example? If we are dealing with the desires of the flesh, there are other
worse pleasures such as sexual desires. Paul enumerates some of the more common
desires of flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, “the works of the flesh are evident:
sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, <b><sup> </sup></b>idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries,
dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things
like these.” These are the big desires that plague humanity and it would have
been helpful if Jesus’ temptations show us how Jesus overcame these big
desires. Unfortunately, the temptation story has chosen to talk about food! God
chose to talk about food. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">So the
question is: Why food? Temptations in relation to food sound so simple. In actuality,
however, in the Bible, important turn of events have been influenced by
people’s decisions and attitudes about food. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">First, Adam
and Eve disobeyed God because of food. Their simple act of eating the fruit of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil changed the entire course of human
history. It was because of eating that they were banished from the Garden. It
was because of eating that death entered into the world. It was because of
eating that humanity right now is suffering. In fact, because the first sin is
about eating, the punishment of sin is also related to eating: “</span>Because
you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which
I commanded you… cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of
it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it
shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By
the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for
out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return”
(Gen 3:17-19).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">Secondly,
iIf we look at the story of the Israelites, their first sin against God after
being delivered from Egypt was related to food: “</span>And the whole
congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in
the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to
them, ‘Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the
land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for
you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with
hunger’” (Exo 16:2-3). <span lang="EN-PH">The
Israelites became very impatient and doubted God’s abounding love because of
lack of food and water in the wilderness. They questioned God’s intentions,
God’s power, God’s provision, God’s integrity, and God’s concern form them—all
because of food! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">We cannot
underestimate how something so apparently neutral can actually affect us, our
decisions and actions. Sometimes we are mentally and emotionally prepared to
deal with the big temptations related to sexual immorality, stealing, murder,
anger, and others, but we are left vulnerable in the small and seemingly
insignificant temptations in life. This is where Satan gets us: temptations in
the seemingly ordinary facts of life like eating, sleeping, taking care of the
body, work, etc. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">It is
Natural! </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The first
temptation of Jesus also points to the fact that Satan appeals to humans’
natural appetites and desires. To have human appetites and desires is not
wrong. Sexual desire is not inherently wrong. To be hungry is not wrong. In
fact, the desire to eat is good. These human desires and appetites are actually
God-given for our survival’s sake. They are natural desires because they are a
part of what makes us humans. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">The problem
is that everything good and holy can be corrupted by evil and can be used to
tempt us. Something so natural and holy such as hunger can become a tool for us
to sin. We can no longer count the number of murder, thievery, violence,
dishonesty, corruption, drug trafficking, prostitution, and other social evils
just because people want to feed themselves and their loved ones. Something so
natural and beautiful such as sexual desire can become a tool for us to abuse
ourselves and others. We also can no longer count the number of sexual
harassments, rape, murder, violence, and other offenses just because people
want to satisfy their desires for intimacy. Our natural human appetites are
God-given. But once we satisfy these desires outside the parameters given to us
by God, we sin. </span>Jim Vander Spek once said, “Our desires are not the
problem—it’s what we do with them.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">James
illuminates our minds about the process of temptation arising from our own
desires: </span>“Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own
desire. <b><sup> </sup></b>Then desire when it has conceived
gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death”
(James 1:14-15, ESV). To be lured and to be enticed by desire can be best
illustrated in fishing. I grew up beside a dam, so I had experienced fishing.
There are different kinds of fish, and each fish requires a different fishing
method. There are fish that will bite your bait only if the bait is moving; the
fish will swim after the quickly moving bait. There are fish that can only be
caught when the bait is not moving at all. These are the cautious fish. The
role of the fisherman, with his pole, is to entice a fish by a hook with a
lure. We think that fish are stupid for not seeing the trap we lay. But
actually, our temptations are similar to theirs. The tempter appeals to our
need and appetites. Once a fish is lured and takes the bite, the fish can only
regret later for approaching a forbidden thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus taught us to pray: “Lead us not into temptations”
(Matt 6:13). Keep us away from things that appeal to our natural desires and
needs. Margaret Thatcher once said, “There are several good protections against
temptation, but the surest is cowardice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-PH">It is
Needed! </span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">In Jesus’
first temptation, we can also see that temptations do not only come in
seemingly neutral and natural channels, but also actually through our most
basic needs. The devil attacks our moments of need. Our basic needs can become
avenues of temptations to rely on ourselves, to neglect or forget God’s laws,
and violate other people. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">We can
easily recognize temptations related to wants. We can easily discern that the
desires to have a bigger television, a better cell phone, a larger car, or a
more expensive watch are temptations. These temptations are easy to overcome,
because we know deep in our hearts that they are just wants. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-PH">But what if
the temptations are grounded in genuine human needs? We need to eat. We need to
rest and relax. We need money. We need time. We need to save money. We need to
sleep. We need to study. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We need to
pass our exams. We need to be with our family. We need to finish something at
the office. We need to report on Sunday for work. We need employment to
survive. We need to prioritize our family. We need to stay home. We need to
take care of our sick family members. We need to give time to our visiting
relatives and friends from abroad. These are all needs, and because they need
to be done, the temptations related to them are much stronger and harder to
overcome. We are even tempted based on the things that we deserve.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Conclusions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We cannot take temptations for granted. We can be so lax and
not notice temptations because they appeal to seemingly neutral things in life,
they are grounded in normal human appetites, and they are presented in relation
to our genuine needs. We succumb to them until we are sensitized. This is like
the story of a woman was bathing in the beach. She was enjoying the comfort of
relaxing on an inflated cushion that kept her afloat. When she realized that
she had been swept about a half mile out from the beach, she began to scream,
but no one heard her. A coast guard craft found her five miles from the place
where she first entered the water. She did not see her danger until she was
beyond her own strength and ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let us pray that we are sensitized by what is seemingly
neutral, normal and needed and that we are still able to discern and overcome
the temptations that come our way.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-16460513226388454852017-03-21T07:35:00.000-07:002017-03-21T07:35:44.598-07:00Lent: More to Life<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you ever woken up one day, looked in the mirror, and
ask yourself: “Is there more to life than just being ridiculously
good-looking?” Or have you woken up and are already thinking about work at the
office? Or have you woken up and are not excited about the routine you are
about to face for the day? Have you ever asked yourself: “Is there more to life
than this?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We assume that this question is only asked by those whose
lives are characterized by tad routine, or by an office worker who wakes up at
5AM and goes home at 10PM day in and day out, or by a construction worker who
wakes up every day to accumulate bodily pain that was just relieved by sleep,
or by a sidewalk vendor whose only hope to feed his family is for him to have
blisters on the soles of his feet from walking, or by a mother who stares at
the window of her shanty house waiting for the sun to set while her six
children play in the dusty street, or by a young man whose disfigured physical
appearance makes him unattractive to potential partners in life, or by the
child on the street whose hunger he tries to forget by inhaling glue, or by a
Christian reading the most boring blog ever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We assume that these questions are asked only by those who
are suffering, needy, seemingly hopeless, or are bored of their lives. But in
reality, even the most successful people ask the same question and think about
such things. King Solomon is the prime example: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The words of the
Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Meaningless!
Meaningless!” says the Teacher.<br />
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do people gain
from all their labors<br />
at which they toil under the sun?<br />
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.<br />
The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.<br />
The wind blows to the south and turns to the north;<br />
round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.<br />
All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full.<br />
To the place the streams come from, there they return again.<br />
All things are wearisome, more than one can say.<br />
The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Ecclesiastes 1:1-8)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">King Solomon felt a deep sense of emptiness amidst all the
best possible things everybody dreams to enjoy. The whole book of Ecclesiastes
portrays Solomon’s great dissatisfaction about himself and his achievements. He
was a great builder (his house and the Temple), but he wrote that even work and
toil are meaningless (Ecc 2:17-23). He was famous that even the queen of Sheba
heard of his name (2 Chron 9:1), yet he says that fame is meaningless (Ecc
4:13-16). He was rich. The Queen of Sheba gave Solomon lots of gifts (2 Chron
9:10-11; his wealth is recorded in 2 Chronicle 9:13-28). But he said that
riches are meaningless (Ecc 5:8-17). He was a learned man. When the Queen of
Sheba visited her, there was no question that Solomon could not answer (2 Chron
8:2). Yet at the end he said that wisdom is meaningless (Ecc 1:12-18; but
wisdom is greater than folly, Ecc 9:13-18). He had 700 wives and 300 concubines
(1 Kings 11:1-3). Yet he says that pleasures are meaningless (Ecc 2:1-11).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In all his accomplishments and the things he enjoyed,
Solomon found time to complain. Solomon even espoused a dangerous fatalism:
“Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same
fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same
breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is
meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all
return” (Ecc 3:19-20).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The irony of Solomon’s statements is this: it is as if he
was asking the questions: Is there more to life than having fun all the time?
Is there more to life than being successful? Is there more to life than being
ridiculously good looking? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Solomon’s words portray that we can get tired of enjoying
and doing even the good things we have. We can get tired of the things we work
hard to attain. We can get tired of things that we think we will never get
tired of. We can get tired of things that we thought could satisfy all our
longings. We can get tired of things that we have prayed a long time for. We
can get tired even of the good things that we have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We can get tired of our car, our house, our money, our
employment, our friends, food, of watching movies and TV series, etc. We can
get tired even of the things that give us joy, contentment, self-fulfillment, and
satisfaction. But the question is this: what if what makes us joyful, content,
and satisfied is doing the Lord’s work? Is it possible to get tired of the joy
of serving God? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think Jesus felt the same moment of questioning. On the
night before He was crucified, He cried out in deepest agony to the Father,
asking if it was possible not to drink the cup of suffering and death (Matt
26:39, 42, 44). Jesus had been fully obedient to the Father’s will (John
15:10), serving God’s people in teaching, preaching, healing, exorcising, and
helping people in every way He could. I am certain that it was His greatest joy
to do all these things—all for the glory of the Father and for the sake of
people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And yet, on the night before He would experience the
ultimate fulfillment of His mission, He became weary of continuing to do the
good and the righteous. It was as if He was asking: Is there more to life than
death? Is there more to life than suffering? Is there more to life than doing
the will of my Father? Is there more to life than just doing what is right? Is
there more to life than always prioritizing others’ needs before mine?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We, too, can ask the same questions: Is there more to life
than serving other people? Is there more to life than suffering for new
strangers? Is there more to life than attending meetings several times during
the week? Is there more to life than riding the bus for 45 minutes just to
attend a one and half hour morning service? Is there more to life than doing
the right things? Is there more to life than being dedicated to God and His
work? Many Christians, if not most, have already asked these questions, even
though they do not want to share it to others for fear of judgmental
condemnation. The reality is that we can also be tempted to be discontent and
to opt out even from godly things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a survey led by Dr. Richard J. Krejcir in 2005 and 2006,
with 1050 pastors in the USA as respondents, the following data were found out:<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">100% knew someone who left the
ministry <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">90% said they are frequently
fatigued and worn out on a weekly or daily basis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">89% considered leaving the
ministry at one time <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">57% would leave if they had a
better place to go – including secular work <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">77% felt they did not have a good
marriage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">71% battle with depression beyond
fatigue on a weekly or daily basis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I do not know every discouragement, discontentment, and
challenge that song leaders face, or treasurers have, or other people have.
However, I know many people who worked in the Lord’s vineyard for many years,
and were known for their passion for God and His work, but are now struggling
to even regularly attend Sunday services. The reality is that no one is
impervious or invincible against burnout and forgetting our first love (Rev
2:3-4). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whether we admit it or not, we have been confronted by this
self-induced question: Is there more to life than loving and serving God? Is
there a better life if I stop going to church? Is there a better life if I do
not faithfully give my tithes? Is there a better life if I stop sacrificing for
the church and start thinking of my own self? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Committed Christians can get tired of the godly and good
things they love doing. This is a scary reality. We can abandon even the things
that give us great joy and delight. We can feel discontent even when we are
serving in the work of the kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But when we are tempted to abandon what gives us joy today
in exchange for what we think will give us greater joy someday—wealth, power,
education, fame—let us remember that there was one man who said that all these
things are meaningless. When we abandon the godly things that give us joy to
pursue other things that will hopefully give us joy, we might end up losing joy
completely and find disaster instead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Paul’s advice to Timothy is important: “Cling to your faith
in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately
violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked” (1
Tim 1:19). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rhea F. Miller wrote a poem that is very dear to me. It is
now one the most meaningful songs that Christians sing all around the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’d rather have Jesus
than silver or gold;<br />
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;<br />
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;<br />
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Than to be the king
of a vast domain<br />
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;<br />
I’d rather have Jesus than anything<br />
This world affords today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’d rather have Jesus
than men’s applause;<br />
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;<br />
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;<br />
I’d rather be true to His holy name.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He’s
fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTZonLP2aQvwIbsy1ST0Uzqw2Ck0Rm8PB1XEA0IlGGaiBaf3u2oefO9OkFG5rLBqHyDJ1PxlahcU7hM72TOpJo5DBe0JvwuZM2JdWIJnQbR39Aj0f8yQBq8_eKtLYyJy8rWI_7QVH-9vo/s1600/lifequote0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVTZonLP2aQvwIbsy1ST0Uzqw2Ck0Rm8PB1XEA0IlGGaiBaf3u2oefO9OkFG5rLBqHyDJ1PxlahcU7hM72TOpJo5DBe0JvwuZM2JdWIJnQbR39Aj0f8yQBq8_eKtLYyJy8rWI_7QVH-9vo/s400/lifequote0010.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=36562">http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=36562</a></span>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-32654116213364966092017-03-21T07:13:00.002-07:002017-03-21T07:13:43.228-07:00Lent: On Mortality<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Ash Wednesday, ashes are marked on foreheads in the sign
of the cross. This practice is actually a symbolic reminder of our own
mortality. It tells us in the most vivid way that from dust we came and to dust
we shall return (Gen 3:19; Ecc 3:20). It is interesting that the whole
celebration of Lent begins in this way. It reminds us that the path of Lent is
the path of death. This is patterned after the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus was
aware that His entire life and ministry will ultimately lead to His death. He
journeyed from Galilee to Jerusalem with the knowledge that when He arrives in
Jerusalem, He would die at the hands of the religious leaders. He spoke about
this quite openly to His disciples. This means that for us, participating in
Lent means participating in Jesus’ journey towards death. It is our participation
in His journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Events in the world remind us of the reality of life and
death: natural disasters and the deaths of family members and friends. Each of
these instances reminds us that death is the ultimate destination of humanity.
There are only two things that are inevitable in this world: change and death.
These are also the two things that we have no complete control of. Our life on
earth is also like the journey of Jesus from Bethlehem to Calvary. Whether we
like it or not, we are going to climb our own Golgothas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We rename death so that it does not sound so bad. We call
the dead someone who is “at peace” or “at rest” or “one who goes to a better
place.” We call death as “passing away.” We may even try to suppress the
thought about death. We make ourselves busy so that we do not have to face the
reality of death. The philosopher Martin Heidegger remarked that we busy
ourselves in the crowd in the hope of forgetting our fears. Death is feared
because it is irreversible: “Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be
recovered, so we must die” (2 Sam 14:14).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The immediacy, imminence, and reality of death is vividly
narrated in Psalm 90:3-12, which was apparently written by Moses. So what was
Moses’ credential to write about human death? Let us look back at biblical
history. According to the Bible, there were 600,000 (excluding women and
children) who left Egypt (Exo 12:37; Num 11:21). At Mount Sinai, when there was
a census, the record was that there were 603,550 men over 20 years old present
(Num 1:45-46). In the second census, when the Israelites were on the plains of
Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho (Num 26:3), there were 601,730 males
recorded (Num 26:51). <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 55.05pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-insideh-themecolor: background1; mso-border-insideh-themeshade: 191; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid #BFBFBF; mso-border-insidev-themecolor: background1; mso-border-insidev-themeshade: 191; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid #BFBFBF; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 148.8pt;" valign="top" width="198">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">600,000 men, excluding <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">women and children<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 115.35pt;" valign="top" width="154">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">left Egypt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 149.7pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exodus 12:37; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Numbers 11:21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 148.8pt;" valign="top" width="198">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">603,550 men over 20 years<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themeshade: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 115.35pt;" valign="top" width="154">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mt. Sinai<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themeshade: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 149.7pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Numbers 1:45-46<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 148.8pt;" valign="top" width="198">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">601,730 males<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themeshade: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 115.35pt;" valign="top" width="154">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jordan River<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themeshade: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 149.7pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Numbers 26:51<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We may remember that many (if not all) of those who left
Egypt were not able to enter the promised land. Yahweh proclaimed: “Not one of
those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the
wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— not one of them
will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who
has treated me with contempt will ever see it” (Num 14:21-23). Also, we
read in the Scriptures how God brought death to the Israelites in huge numbers
while they were in the wilderness:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 55.05pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-insideh-themecolor: background1; mso-border-insideh-themeshade: 191; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid #BFBFBF; mso-border-insidev-themecolor: background1; mso-border-insidev-themeshade: 191; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid #BFBFBF; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
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<td style="border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 148.8pt;" valign="top" width="198">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3000 killed by Levites<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Golden Calf at Sinai<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exodus 32:28<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">23,000 killed by God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themeshade: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 115.35pt;" valign="top" width="154">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Golden Calf at Sinai<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: background1; mso-border-bottom-themeshade: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: background1; mso-border-left-themeshade: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: background1; mso-border-right-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 149.7pt;" valign="top" width="200">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exodus 32:35; 1 Cor 10:8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid #BFBFBF 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themecolor: background1; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-themeshade: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #BFBFBF .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: background1; mso-border-top-themeshade: 191; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 148.8pt;" valign="top" width="198">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">14,700 killed by God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kadesh Barnea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Numbers 16:49<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">24,000 killed by God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At Shittim near Jordan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Numbers 25:9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">many people killed by God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zered river<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Numbers 21:6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
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</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moses saw and encountered death all throughout his life in
the desert with the Israelites. He witnessed how people’s lives are so fragile.
All throughout Psalm 90 we see Moses’ description of human mortality. Verses 3,
6, and 10 portray the shortness of human life. Verses 7-9 and 11 reveal Moses’
awareness of the wrath of God which He witnessed as the cause of the death of
many Israelites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You turn people back
to dust,<br />
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”<br />
A thousand years in your sight<br />
are like a day that has just gone by,<br />
or like a watch in the night.<br />
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—<br />
they are like the new grass of the morning:<br />
In the morning it springs up new,<br />
but by evening it is dry and withered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are consumed by
your anger<br />
and terrified by your indignation.<br />
You have set our iniquities before you,<br />
our secret sins in the light of your presence.<br />
All our days pass away under your wrath;<br />
we finish our years with a moan.<br />
Our days may come to seventy years,<br />
or eighty, if our strength endures;<br />
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,<br />
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.<br />
If only we knew the power of your anger!<br />
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your
due.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But after considering the life-span of humanity and the
anger of God, Moses leaves us a verse with an important lesson: “Teach us to
number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Teach Us to Number Our Days (90:12a)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like measuring things. Laboratories are filled with
instruments that measure things by milliliters and milligrams, but it is easy
to neglect measuring our life span on earth. Thomas Chalmers once remarked,
“Once in my unconverted days I forgot two things: the magnitude of eternity and
the shortness of life. These are the great mathematical factors which I now see
to be important.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What does it mean to number our days? It is to recognize
that life is short. The Bible has some more passages that highlight this: “we
all shrivel up like a leaf” (Isa 64:6); “you have made my days a mere
handbreadth” (Ps 39:5); and “you are a mist that appears for a little while and
then vanishes” (James 4:14).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life is short and time runs fast. We do not need rocket
science and complicated calculations to notice that our days on earth are
fleeting. Although we do not notice it, because we are busy living our lives,
the people around us are changing. Our children are now attending schools, and
what’s left of their childhood are only photographs. Children who we once knew
are now in relationships, ready to get married. Some of them have become
successful in their careers. Some of our grandparents, parents, relatives and
friends have passed away. Time is fast. It runs its course without our
permission and observation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>A Heart of Wisdom (90:12b)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moses admonished that God would teach us to number our days
so that we might gain a heart of wisdom. What wisdom is found in the awareness
of our fleeting existence? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Teach us to number our days so that we do not offend God
(90: 7-9, 11). Moses witnessed the hasty death of his fellow Israelites because
they have disobeyed God. This is foolishness. It is not wise to spend our short
days in blatant disobedience. Moses is saying that since our life on earth is
short, we should spend it in pleasing God and obeying His commands. We cannot
be arrogant before God, continuously incurring His wrath because of our
grumblings, murmurings, and disobedience. Since we owe God every minute of our
existence, we should spend it in worship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Teach us to number our days so that we store treasures in
heaven: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths
and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt 6:19-20). People
spend their days trying to gain more money. To use John Bunyan’s words, it is
“raking a little bit of dust into a pile: a little bit of money, a little bit
of property, and little bit of this and that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are reminded of the parable of the rich fool (Luke
12:13-20): “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and
build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say
to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy;
eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very
night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have
prepared for yourself?’” There are many who are fools, although they are not
rich. Jesus said, “What good is it for
someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Teach us to number our days so that we redeem the time.
Paul admonishes us to “make the most of every opportunity in these evil days
(Eph 5:16). William Whiting Borden, graduate of Yale and Princeton Theological
Seminary, once said: “Each day consists of 24 golden hours; each hour consists
of sixty diamond-studded minutes.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, in all these things, we must learn from the
example of Jesus Christ. Jesus knew that His days on earth were numbered. The distance
from the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem is a mere 123 kilometers. It will take
about 2 hours to drive this distance. (The average speed a human walks is 3-5
kilometers per hour. Walking 3 kilometers per hour in 8 hours gives you 24
hours per day. This means that to walk from Galilee to Jerusalem should only
take 5.125 days.) Jesus knew that His walk to Jerusalem, where He would die was
a very short walk. It is true that it took Him three years to get to Jerusalem
because of His teaching and healing ministries. But He was aware that every
step He took was leading Him closer to Jerusalem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus
knew that His days were numbered. So how did He use His remaining days on
earth? He used each day seeking the lost, serving the needy, proclaiming the
kingdom, healing the sick, fellowshipping with the outcasts, teaching the
gospel, and forgiving sinners. Lent is a commemoration of the short life of
Christ before His death. Like Christ, we are all in this journey. The question
is: “How are we living our days on earth? Are we pursuing a life full of wisdom
or foolishness? Are we using our days like Christ in obedience to the Father
and in service to other people, or are we using them to gratify our self with
pleasure and indulgence?
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0gFq7aXke3SBskk9sH1rKiKvi7rj-MirHYSGYrXm5xLQfvqh0O3GFYaJjS8-YJGVuwX42P5tcErrRfQBFK2LLMHfN7IlVDAIEF8uO0_5BPINoZSTEoo61NQnJH04nLkQJBdVfI3_tFWh/s1600/lifequote0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0gFq7aXke3SBskk9sH1rKiKvi7rj-MirHYSGYrXm5xLQfvqh0O3GFYaJjS8-YJGVuwX42P5tcErrRfQBFK2LLMHfN7IlVDAIEF8uO0_5BPINoZSTEoo61NQnJH04nLkQJBdVfI3_tFWh/s400/lifequote0009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-route-population-of-jews-hebrews.htm">http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-route-population-of-jews-hebrews.htm</a></span>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-3765027728922085662017-03-11T02:25:00.000-08:002017-03-11T02:57:15.322-08:00Lent: Nature of Temptations<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since Lent is patterned after the forty days of Jesus’
fasting in the wilderness immediately after His baptism, and since I already
dealt with prayer and fasting, it is just appropriate that I also deal with the
temptations of Jesus Christ that marked the culmination of His days in the
wilderness. Matthew 4:1-11 records the temptation story:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then Jesus was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty
days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and
said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on
every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then the devil took him to the
holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If
you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“‘He will command his angels
concerning you,<br />
and they will lift you up in their hands,<br />
so that you will not strike your foot against a
stone.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus answered him, “It is
also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Again, the devil took him to a
very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their
splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and
worship me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus said to him, “Away
from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve
him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In movies, the castles and hide-outs of villains are truly
quite impressive: the White Witch’s Castle (<i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i>),
Sauron’s tower at Mordor (<i>Lord of the Rings</i>), and El Macho’s Crib (<i>Despicable
Me 2</i>). These citadels or strongholds are presented as huge, and often
scary. Imagine these citadels and how frightening it is to invade them. Scary,
right? When Matthew 4:1-11 narrates that Jesus was led into the wilderness to
be tempted (4:1), it was actually saying that Jesus was led into the very
domain of Satan in order to be tempted. In Jewish mentality, the wilderness
(along with the sea) is the place of evil. This means that Jesus was led to be
tempted precisely in Satan’s stronghold. Therefore, it was not as if Jesus was
on the defensive side; rather, Jesus was actually in the wilderness to defeat
Satan in his own turf. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So how did Satan try to defeat Jesus Christ in his own turf?
What were Satan’s strategy? In this post, we are going to focus on the words of
Satan. In particular, we will try to discern the presuppositions he had when he
tempted Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>If You are the Son of God… (4:3, 6)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I was an elementary pupil, fights among children were
almost a daily occurrence. Fights did not really erupt with violent punching
and hitting. Rather they were usually characterized by a long standoff. The
fighters would stand in their fighting stance, but they would not touch one
another. In order for the fight to start properly, a ring leader was often
necessary. The ring leader would say things like, “If you are really not
scared, touch his ears,” or “If you are not scared, walk closer to him.” So the
one challenged to do the touching, in order not to be called a coward, will
touch the other child’s ears, and the violent hitting would officially begin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think the nature of the temptation of Satan to Jesus is
similar to this. Satan was tempting Jesus to do something by saying “If you are
the Son of God, you will do this.” The implication, of course, is that when
Jesus does not do what Satan asks, Jesus’ identity will be called into
question. Satan’s temptations are well-laid traps. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From Satan’s tactics, we can discern that temptations are
specially tailored according to our own identities, personalities, and
capabilities. Satan knew that Jesus is the Son of God, and he knew about Jesus’
capabilities. Although it is true that Satan tempted Jesus in consideration of
Jesus’ weakness (hunger), the neglected other side of the coin is that Jesus
was tempted in consideration of Jesus’ strength and capability. The temptation
to turn bread into wine and to jump from above unharmed only works with Jesus
because He is capable of doing them. An illuminating dialogue from the 2003
movie <i>Luther</i> was between Cardinal Cajetan and the young priest Aleander:
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cardinal Cajetan: “What is your
desire in life, Aleander?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aleander: “To serve God with all
my heart.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cardinal Cajetan: “Then it is
through your desire that you will be tempted.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fact is that we are tempted not only in accordance with
our weaknesses, but also in accordance with our strengths. What are we capable
of? If we are rich, we face temptations related to our wealth. If we are
good-looking, we face temptations related to our physical attributes. If we are
politically and socially influential, we face temptations related to our
influence. If we are leaders, we face temptations related to our
responsibilities and privileges. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We face temptations grounded in who we are and what we have.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The temptation of Jesus reveals the fact that there are
limitations related to our capabilities. <i>There are things that we are able
to do but should not do.</i> Satan tempted Jesus to do what Jesus was capable of,
but Jesus knew that if He does what Satan suggested, He would be abusing His
own powers for His own self-interest. This is one of the crucial elements in
the story. Doing something we are capable of doing is not inherently wrong.
What is wrong is using our own influence, power, wealth, talents, gifts, etc.
for our own self interests. Jesus can easily turn stone into bread in the
wilderness like He turned water into wine at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1-12),
but why did He do the latter and not the former? Because the former benefits
Him only and the latter is for the sake of others. Why did He not violate the
laws of nature (or gravity) in the wilderness when He can actually control
waves, winds, and storms? It is because He did not want to abuse His own power
if it is only for His own sake. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Great Wall of China is a gigantic structure which cost
an immense amount of money and labor. When it was finished, it appeared
impregnable. But the enemy breached it: not by breaking it down or going around
it. They did it by bribing the gatekeepers. It was breached because some soldiers
abused their power and capability. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>If You Will Bow Down and Worship Me (4:9)</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus overcame the first two temptations, and so in the
final temptation, Satan changed his tactic. If Satan failed to tempt Jesus by
appealing to what Jesus is, in the last temptation Satan appealed to what Jesus
is not yet enjoying: kingly reign. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Satan’s temptation is actually very tricky. When he said
“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me”
(4:9), he was actually saying “be my son, and I will give you all of these.” In
Jewish culture, like ours today, children are heirs of everything their father
owns. Bowing down to Satan is reminiscent of the bowing down of sons in order
to receive the blessing of their father (eg., Jacob in Genesis 27:27-29). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So if the tactic to appeal to the identity and capability of
Jesus did not work, Satan tried to tempt Jesus with what Jesus did not have
yet. We can translate Satan’s words as “You are the Son of God, but here you
are in the desert suffering. Is this really the life of a King? Why don’t you
worship me and I will give you rulership right here and right now?” The third
temptation, therefore, is a temptation based on who we are not yet, what we do
not have yet, or what we are not yet enjoying. John Piper says that sin “gets
its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it.
The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is hidden in the temptation, however, is a necessary
exchange. In order to gain something, you will have to give up something. A
survey was conducted about what people are willing to do for $10,000,000? Here
is the response of the respondents:<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Would abandon their entire family
(25%)<br />
Would abandon their church (25%)<br />
Would become prostitutes for a week or more (23%)<br />
Would give up their citizenship (16%)<br />
Would leave their spouses (16%)<br />
Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free (10%)<br />
Would kill a stranger (7%)<br />
Would put their children up for adoption (3%)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, there is nothing wrong with the desire to have
what we do not have yet. It is alright to dream for a new car or a new house.
It is alright to dream for promotion at work or to have higher socio-political
status. The problem is when we are tempted to obtain or accomplish these godly
dreams in the wrong way. Satan was tempting Jesus to be glorified now and in
the wrong way. Jesus will be glorified by His Father in heaven anyway, but the
road to such glory is not through Satan’s suggestion, but through humility and
the cross. Paul wrote: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In your relationships with one
another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who, being in very nature God,<br />
did not consider equality with God something to be
used to his own advantage;<br />
rather, he made himself nothing<br />
by taking the very nature of a servant,<br />
being made in human likeness.<br />
And being found in appearance as a man,<br />
he humbled himself<br />
by becoming obedient to death—<br />
even death on a cross!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Therefore God exalted him to
the highest place<br />
and gave him the name that is above every name (Phil
2:6-9).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Conclusions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the most important English words is “No.” We face
temptations on a daily basis. But like Jesus, we can become victorious in the
power of the Holy Spirit, with whom we are all baptized with (1 Cor 12:13).
According to the writer of Hebrews, “We do not have a high priest who is
unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted
in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Heb 4:15). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
temptations that Jesus faced are not so different from the temptations we face
daily in our lives. On the one hand, we are tempted in accordance with our
capabilities, who we are, and what we have. On the other hand, we are tempted
in accordance with our limitations, weaknesses, and things that we do not have
yet. But here is our comfort and assurance: “No temptation has overtaken
you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let
you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Cor
10:13).
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHFJDc_E51OxkPfd_7WeMCPM5OmN7G4wqyN5FBaf_yYUzAU8P9sDjPB5lUk1jKHlBQbH_hkTcNUGvnAUr1ZR1sMyR5mRPHltwwJFYFZXxyw8mWZzZpI7UXp2hmbP9Y6MnG0m28JrohC7R/s1600/lifequote0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHFJDc_E51OxkPfd_7WeMCPM5OmN7G4wqyN5FBaf_yYUzAU8P9sDjPB5lUk1jKHlBQbH_hkTcNUGvnAUr1ZR1sMyR5mRPHltwwJFYFZXxyw8mWZzZpI7UXp2hmbP9Y6MnG0m28JrohC7R/s400/lifequote0008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<div id="ftn1">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <u><a href="http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/greed.htm">http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/greed.htm</a></u></span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-74503069810760843932017-03-10T06:40:00.001-08:002017-03-13T19:58:09.288-07:00Lent: Prayer and Commitment<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since the season of Lent is our preparation for the
commemoration and celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ, we must
engage in prayer. (For a sermon on Lent and Fasting, see <a href="http://dieucross.blogspot.com/2017/03/lent-self-denial-and-fasting.html">here</a>.) This is all the
more so because the forty days of Lent is actually patterned after the forty
days of Jesus’ prayer and fasting in the wilderness immediately after His
baptism and before His public ministry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since we are dealing with prayer, we are going to look at
Jesus Christ. I do not know any better approach. The Gospels portray Jesus as a
man of prayer. He prayed at his baptism (Luke 3:21-22), in the morning before
heading to Galilee (Mark 1:35-36), after healing people (Luke 5:15), all night
before choosing His 12 disciples (Luke 6:12-13), while speaking to the Jewish
leaders (Matt 11:25-26), giving thanks to the Father before feeding the 5000
(Matt 14:19; Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16; John 6:11), before walking on water (Matt
14:22; Mark 6:46; John 6:15), while healing a deaf and mute man (Mark 7:31-37),
giving thanks to the Father before feeding the 4000 (Matt 15:36; Mark 8:6-7),
before Peter called Jesus “the Christ” (Luke 9:18), at the return of the
seventy (Luke 10:21), before teaching His disciples the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1),
before raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42), for little children (Matt
19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17), that His name be glorified (John
12:27-28), at the Lord’s Supper (Matt 26:26; Mark 14:22-23; Luke 22:19), for
Himself, for his disciples, and all believers (John 17:1-26), “Father forgive
them…” (Luke 22:34), “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matt 27:46;
Mark 15:34), “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46), for
blessing on the bread (Luke 24:30), and is praying even now for us (Rom 8:34;
Heb 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But here, we are going to look at the well-known story at
the garden of Gethsemane, when He prayed in deep anguish the night before His
crucifixion. We will read Matthew 26:36-45:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then Jesus went with his
disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here
while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he
said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of
death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Going a little farther, he fell
with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may
this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he
returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep
watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so
that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the
flesh is weak.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He went away a second time and
prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away
unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found
them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went
away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he
returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and
resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the
hands of sinners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This part of the life of Jesus Christ is quite fascinating.
Many church theologians and bishops from the early church used this passage to
highlight the humanity of Christ. Indeed, we see in the story the sheer
humanity and vulnerability of Jesus Christ. He weeps like all of us. He cries
in agony. In Luke 22:44, it even says that in His sorrow, “His sweat become
like drops of blood.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Strength of Jesus Christ </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The title might appear inappropriate, considering that the
story paints Jesus Christ as a human filled with sorrow and grief. The
descriptions that Jesus gives about himself in the passage portray His extreme
vulnerability: “he began to be sorrowful and troubled” (26:37) and “my heart is
overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (26:39). Even His commands
indicate that at that very moment He was in need of friends who can comfort
him: “stay here and keep watch with me” (26:38). There was also a hint of
disappointment and irritation in His words: “Couldn’t you men keep watch with
me for one hour?” (26:40) and “Are you still sleeping and resting?” (26:45).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But strength is displayed precisely in the midst of
weakness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the same moments when He was deeply troubled, He was able
to pray the difficult prayer “Your will be done” (26:39, 42, 44). This prayer
is so simple and basic, but its meaning is profound and its implications are
far-reaching. When Jesus prayed this line, it meant that God’s will be done
even though He knew it would cost Him pain, even though what God required was
death, even though it would not bring any good to Him or give Him earthly
rewards, even though the whole nation will taunt and mock Him, even though His
closest friends will betray, deny, and desert Him, and even though He would
appear like a defeated fool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the strength of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The temptation looming over Him to abandon His mission was
very appealing. Jesus was sent by the Father (John 3:16-17; 7:28-29) to
accomplish something, and the fulfilment was about to come true. He knew about
His purpose. He knew that He is the Suffering servant prophesied in the
Scriptures (Isa 53:1-7). He knew that He would die, and He made quite an effort
to reveal this fact to His disciples (Matt 16:21-28; 20:17-19; Mark 8:31-38;
10:32-34; Luke 18:31-33). We see in our story that He was sorrowful. We can
even say that there was reluctance in His tone: “if it is possible, may this
cup be taken from me” (26:39, 42). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We can learn from Jesus’ prayer that we need to pray about
the things we have previously committed to God. The temptation is always there
that we will abandon our commitments. When Jesus asked His disciples, “Watch
and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (26:41), the word used for temptation was similar to the one used in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:13). The
word refers to the “final, decisive test that accompanies the coming of God’s
kingdom” (cf Rev 3:10).<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Like Jesus, we are tempted
to abandon our commitment for the kingdom! How often have we made that prayer
of commitment to serve and evangelize, and yet we are still not serving or
evangelizing? We must pray, Jesus said, so that we are given strength to enact
those commitments we have already made to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus prayed because He was feeling weak and troubled. Jesus
was at the verge of abandoning His commitment and mission. He needed to
communicate to God His fear, His anxiety, His sorrow. Without prayer, our
commitments to God can easily be forgotten. Obedience is not a one-time
decision. In fact, Jesus was not content to pray once; He prayed the same
prayer three times (26:39, 42, 44). Sometimes we have to utter the same prayers
many times. We have to renew our covenant with God every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Sunday morning, a husband was violently woken up by his
wife. It was already 9AM, and they have to be at church by 10AM. The husband
did not rise from the bed. Instead he lazily pulled up the blanket to cover his
entire body. The wife pulled the blanket away, and asked: “What’s wrong? You
realize it is Sunday, right?” The husband replied, “Yeah, I know, but I don’t
want to go to church today. Can we skip going just this once?” The wife was
surprised and said, “No, we have to go to church!” The husband replied, “OK.
Give me three good reasons why I should go to church today?” The wife happily
obliged and said: “First, God wants us to be with His people in worship today.
Secondly, our children will miss Sunday school. And finally, you are the pastor
of the church.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Weakness of the Disciples </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whether we like it or not, we are less like Jesus and more
like the disciples in the story. First, we are prone not to pray. Jesus’
statement is apt: “the spirit is willing but the body is weak” (26:41). Jesus
asked the disciples to pray three times, and He was disappointed three times
too. Not only were they not praying, they were sleeping (26:40, 43, 45). The
third time, He asked them with a stern rebuke: “Are you still sleeping and
resting?” (26:45). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Secondly, we are prone to abandon our commitments. The
contrast between Jesus and the disciples cannot be missed. The mention of three
specific disciples in the story—Peter, James, and John (26:37)—seems
purposeful, considering how these three fellows were the ones who were closest
to Jesus Christ and were the ones who made great commitments to Jesus Christ.
Peter was someone who voiced what was in his mind quite impulsively. He made
strong verbal commitments to Jesus: “Lord, why can I not follow You right
now? I will lay down my life for you” (John 13:37) and “Lord, I am ready
to go with you to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33). The two sons of Zebedee,
James and John, had a somewhat related story. When Jesus asked, “Can you drink
the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” they
confidently responded “We can” (Mark 10:38-39). But the same three disciples
who made these statements were the same people who, in the last hours of Jesus’
life, failed miserably. At Gethsemane, they were not even asked to lay down
their lives or drink Jesus’ cup; they were asked simply to stay and pray. Sure,
they stayed, but did not pray (26:38-40). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">We, like the disciples, are weak human beings. Our spirits
are willing. Our minds are willing. Our hearts are willing, But our wills are
weak. We can make commitments and covenants with God every time we hear a
sermon, but we often times fail to carry through those commitments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like Jesus, we can be tempted to abandon our mission and
calling for fear of suffering, for fear of the future, or for
self-preservation. When Jesus experienced these, He “fell with his face to the
ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be
taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (26:39). Then He repeated
the same prayer three times. If we are experiencing weakness, we must go back
to the Father, fall on our knees and pray. And we should do this as often as we can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We may have made commitments this Lenten season to fast. Are
you experiencing trouble or weakness? Why don’t we go to the garden of
Gethsemane and pray “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken
from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (26:39)? Have you made commitments
in the past that you have not yet accomplished or have already abandoned? Let
us go to the garden of Gethsemane and pray “My Father, if it is possible, may
this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (26:39).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Are
you struggling with something that God is asking you to do? Are you weakened or
full of doubt? Let us make this sanctuary the garden of Gethsemane, and pray
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I
will, but as you will” (26:39).
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3614480267099653740#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference">[1]</span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Daniel J. Harrington, <i>The Gospel of Matthew </i>(Collegeville, MN:
Liturgical Press, 1991), 373.</span><span lang="EN-PH"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614480267099653740.post-25741463541559949482017-03-10T06:15:00.000-08:002017-03-11T02:40:38.435-08:00Lent: Self-Denial and Fasting<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lent is the six weeks before and leading to Easter. The
observance and celebration of Lent is meant to encourage believers to engage in
reflection as we prepare our hearts and lives in approaching the Holy Week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the usual practices during the season of Lent
undertaken by Christians all over the world is fasting. As a part of the
worldwide church, it is fitting that we learn about this practice so that we
may join our brothers and sisters all around the world in this important
spiritual exercise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we prepare for the commemoration of the death of Jesus
Christ on the cross, we are to heed the call uttered by the prophet Joel to the
Israelites. The prophet Joel ministered even before the time of Jeremiah or
Ezekiel. This means that the Israelites were not yet in exile. However, they
were surrounded by powerful nations and empires, and they knew that their lives
would be affected by the conflicts among these nations. The prophet Joel
painted the picture of the coming invasion of Judah by using the analogy of a
swarm of locust. The aftermath of the invasion will not be a good sight (Joel 1:10-12):<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fields are ruined, the ground is dried
up;<br />
the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up,<br />
the olive oil fails.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despair, you farmers,<br />
wail, you vine growers;<br />
grieve for the wheat and the barley,<br />
because the harvest of the field is destroyed.<br />
The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered;<br />
the pomegranate, the palm and the apple<sup> </sup>tree—<br />
all the trees of the field—are dried up.<br />
Surely the people’s joy is withered away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is in the context of this prophecy that Joel calls the
people to humble themselves before God in prayer and fasting (Joel 1:13-14): <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Put on sackcloth, you priests, and
mourn;<br />
wail, you who minister before the altar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Come, spend the night in sackcloth,<br />
you who minister before my God;<br />
for the grain offerings and drink offerings<br />
are withheld from the house of your God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Declare a holy fast;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">call a sacred assembly.<br />
Summon the elders<br />
and all who live in the land<br />
to the house of the Lord your God,<br />
and cry out to the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The essence of fasting is self-denial. It is not really the
mere fact of abstinence. The call to fast is the call to abandon our needs for
the sake of something else. In the passage, and in consideration of the
situation of Joel and the Israelites, three important lessons can be discerned about
fasting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>To Fast is to Transcend the Logical</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God’s call for the Israelites to engage in fasting or to not
eat was completely illogical. It actually seemed counterproductive. It must be
remembered that the problem of the Israelites was that there was war going on
around them, and that they were implicated in it whether they liked it or not.
It did not matter who will win the war between the two biggest empires of the
time: Assyria and Babylon. They were pretty sure that whoever won the war would
expand their territory, and that Israel would certainly be an appetizing
target. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In this sort of situation, the most logical advice would be
for them to prepare for war. The call to abstain from food just did not make
sense. How can becoming physically weaker a solution to their fears? Yahweh
should have said: “Gather all the iron you can find. Melt them and let the
blacksmiths labor day and night. Fortify the walls, all you who are young and
old. Create a training center to hone every able person to handle a sword. Gather
as much supplies as you can: grain, water, and fruits.” But Yahweh did not issue
these commands. Instead, He commanded them to fast. Such was definitely an
illogical war strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yahweh was calling His people to have faith. Throughout the
history of Israel, Yahweh has always called His people to put their faith,
trust, and confidence in Him alone. He commissioned Gideon to defeat the
Midianites with only 300 soldiers. The manner of selection was based on how one
would drink. Then instead of arming the 300 soldiers with swords and spears,
Gideon gave them trumpets (Jud 7:1-25). </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Similarly, in order to take down the mighty wall of Jericho,
he asked Joshua to blow trumpets and sing songs. Instead of the army commander
to lead the way, the people who were in front were priests carrying not weapons
but the ark of the covenant. Instead of firing arrows, they were to shout (Josh
6:1-27). </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In both these instances, God was asking His people to trust Him.
As the writer of Proverbs calls us today: “Trust in the Lord with all
your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to
him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>To Fast is to Transcend the Self</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the core messages of fasting is this: “It’s not all
about me and what’s best for me or what’s my need.” When we fast, we transcend
the me-centeredness that is so entrenched in our human selves. Fasting is only
meaningful when we abstain from the
things that we need
(like food and water) and from the
things that are so dear to us (like make up, pleasure, dessert, etc.).
Fasting sometimes entails abstaining from even good and healthy things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To deny one’s self does not mean hiding our identities or
suppressing our desires. In fact, self-denial requires the courage to face who
we truly are and the honestly to admit what we really want in life. Whether our
desires are honorable or embarrassing, we must be ready to admit the innermost
contents of our dreams and aspirations, and be true to ourselves. It is only
when we recognize what is dear to us do we truly understand what it means to
deny ourselves. To paraphrase Bob Michaels, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will not fast from
anything that costs me nothing<br />
I’ll sacrifice nothing less than my favorite best<br />
‘Coz If I’m called to sacrifice<br />
It will be worthy of my Christ<br />
I will not fast from anything that costs me nothing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we fast, we deny ourselves of the things that we know
are so important to us. This, of course, is not easy. Why? Because we are prone
to follow our desires, we love ourselves, we have the ability to do and get
what we want; and we are surrounded by temptations. Even our peers can be
primary tempters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We live in a consumerist world, where self-indulgence is the
order of the day. Hence, the call to fasting and self-denial somewhat sounds
strange to our ears. The call to self-denial is totally “against the flow”
today, because the world we live in actually encourages us to do the opposite.
The world wants us and compels us not to deny ourselves but to engorge in more
things. We see advertisements everywhere—on TV, on billboards, on the web—about
bigger burgers and pizzas, or bigger homes and cars, or bigger entertainment
sets, etc. More and more things are invented these days, and people are getting
really creative about what to sell. More and more beauty products go out of the
market every day. It is no wonder why a lot of ladies (and some men) look
absolutely ridiculous for wearing more make-up than what is really needed. Some
even have whiter faces than their necks! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In our consumerist culture, we are no longer surprised that
the world is filled with addicts: sex addicts, drug addicts, TV addicts,
alcohol addicts, tobacco addicts, games addicts, food addicts, etc. Addiction
is a state that nobody willfully decides to be in. It begins with one small
act—sometimes just out of curiosity—and develops overtime into something that
enslaves people’s minds and habits. The
bad news is that no one is exempted from the tendency towards addiction. We can
easily become an addict (if not already). This is why, from time to time, we
must fast. We must deny ourselves our basic rights and privileges. It is only
when we do this do we transcend our animalistic and survival instincts. It is
only when we do this do we transcend ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>To Fast is to Transcend the Present </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fasting is not an end in itself. It is a spiritual exercise
that has a deeper underlying significance and purpose. When we fast, we deny
ourselves of our present needs and wants, not because we are masochists, but because
we want to prepare ourselves for greater things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The principle is extremely simple: If we cannot deny
ourselves with little things in the present, how can we even think of denying
ourselves in obedience to a greater demand from God someday? For instance, how
can we say Yes to God if he calls us to something with less economic support,
if we can’t even give our full tithe today? How can we say Yes to God if he
calls us to full-time ministry, if we are not willing to give up some things
momentarily? How can we truly surrender ourselves to God completely, if we do
not know how to surrender a few things in our lives? How can we say No to the
big temptations in life, if we are not able to say No to small and basic
temptations? To rephrase Jesus’s statement in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can
sacrifice very little can also sacrifice much, and whoever cannot
sacrifice very little cannot also sacrifice much.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is important to practice denying ourselves now,
transcending our present needs, because God may have in mind to call us someday
to full-time ministry. If we try our best to avoid suffering today, we will
always avoid suffering, even at the cost of disobeying God. We must wake up to
this reality. As human beings who are still learning, we must admit that self-denial
and surrender is a gradual experience. We grow into it. We mature into it.
Fasting teaches us about our ongoing and renewing surrender to God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is truth in a line from the 2007 Bee Movie, when the tour guide said,
“you have worked your whole life to
get to the point where you can work for your whole life.” In terms of self-denial,
we can say: “we have fasted our whole life to get to the point where we can
fast our whole life.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But even if we are
not called to do a ginormous thing in the future, we must still pursue
self-denial in the little things. In our everyday lives, we are rarely called
to do great and important things. In our everyday lives, we are often called to
do and accomplish the littlest things. As we interact with people, hear their
stories, and see their lives, we are always summoned to small sacrifices: may
these be a sacrifice of time, resources, strength, effort, and the like. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Conclusions</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We are going to commemorate the death of our Lord Jesus
Christ on the cross. He made the greatest sacrifice there. As we approach that
day, shall we also begin practicing self-denial? Just for six weeks, Christians
should engage in fasting, and this is not limited to abstaining from food. We
can give up anything for the next six weeks and make a covenant with God that
we are not going to taste such and such in that period of time. I know people
who gave up going to fast-food chains, or going to fancy restaurants, or going
on a leisure trip, or not using the aircon, or not driving. I know people who
gave up cosmetics (but please do not give up taking a bath). I know people who
gave up certain food, like ice cream, chocolate, or going to Starbucks. Some
people give up meat, and only eat vegetables for six weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What are you going to give up? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is quite interesting that great people in the Bible
fasted before embarking on something grand. Moses fasted forty days in
preparation for receiving the Ten Commandments (Exo 34:28). The Israelites
fasted three days before meeting God at Mt. Sinai (Exo 19:14). The prophet
Daniel fasted for three weeks before receiving his vision (Dan 10:2-6). Elijah
the prophet fasted forty days before God spoke to him (1 Kings 19:8). And we
all know that Christ our Savior fasted for forty days in preparation for His temptation
by the devil and for the beginning of His ministry (Mt 4:1-11, Lk 4:1-13).</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /><o:p></o:p>
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