#John8 - Children of the devil!

Click here to read John 8:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

For anyone who just thinks that Jesus was a mild-mannered wimp in a white dress kissing babies and walking with sheep all the time, they do not know Jesus. John 8 is a prime display of the powerful paradox of Jesus' compassion and Jesus' strength and fortitude. Jesus is trying to teach the people about the unique relationship between himself and God the Father. The Pharisees come and challenge him with question after question. The ironic thing is that they are asking the right questions, they are just not willing to accept the answers Jesus gives. Because of their hard hearts, Jesus says that they if they were really Abraham's children, then they would believe in him. Instead he says they are children of the devil! That's harsh. Dem's fightin' words.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

Jesus talks about being a slave to sin, but if we believe in him we are set free from the bondage of sin. There are other passages that also talk about being a slave to sin and finding freedom in Christ. Romans 6 talks about being freed from slavery to sin and offering ourselves as slaves to righteousness. Galatians 3:22-5:1 also talks about this issue. Anyone who has struggled with sinful addictions would verify right away that slavery to sin is a good way to describe our natural tendancies to please ourselves. The only way to be free is to receive a new life in Christ.

3. What does this mean for my life?

In the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, Jesus shines as he wins the day with grace and restores the woman back to the truth. Jesus did not walk around in judgment over others, but he always spoke the truth. He never sugar coated God's plan for life, and he never watered down God's commands. But he stood in direct contrast to the Pharisees who were quick to throw stones (literally) at someone who sinned. Jesus knew while he was here on earth, people didn't need another judge to walk around and tell them what they did was wrong. He knew we would all stand before the judge one day to give an account for our life. He knew we didn't just need another teacher to explain why adultery was wrong. He knew we needed a Savior, someone to free us from slavery to sin. So he did that. I need to also remember that although it's important that we all know and understand God's word to the best of our abilities, we should exercise grace and even stand up for others.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

At the very end of the chapter, Jesus makes a statement that really sets the Pharisees off. He says, "Before Abraham was, I am!" Now, I don't think that was just a grammar slip. I think what he was doing was using God's holy name of "I AM" for himself. Is this accurate? I know that the New Testament was written in Greek and the Old Testament in Hebrew, so I don't know if that translates perfectly or not. That would be interesting to find out.

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

image from http://bookjourney.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/1ca1.png?w=468

#Matthew5 - Lower the Limbo Bar

Click to Read Matthew 5:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

If you have ever done the limbo, you know that you keep lowering the limbo bar until only one person can get under. They then are the winners. But, if you were to keep lowering the limbo bar, even the world record holder for limbo would not make it. In many ways, that's what it seems like Jesus is doing. In the Old Testament, God gave the Ten Commandments and actually about 600 commandments in all. It seemed almost impossible for anyone to fulfill all of them and be righteous. Still there were a very small group of people (Pharisees and others) who for all practical purposes lived in very strict adherence to the law, and were also very quick to point out the shortcomings of others. Now when Jesus came, he did not say, "Don't worry about following the laws anymore." Rather he "lowered the limbo bar" of the law so that even the Pharisees would have to see that they needed a Savior. The law said don't murder, but Jesus said don't slander a brother and sister in anger. The law said don't commit adultery, but Jesus said don't even lust after someone else. It becomes very clear that we need a Savior.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

In verse 14-16, Jesus says "You are the light of the world...let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." In John 8:12 Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Earlier John says in chapter 1, "In him [Jesus] was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." In Isaiah 9, a popular Christmas prophecy, Isaiah says, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Light and darkness is a HUGE theme in the Bible, and it is a great illustration of the Kingdom of heaven coming down to earth.

3. What does this mean for my life?

Besides all of the limbo bar lowering, and my realizing how much I fall short and need a Savior, I think this image of being the light of the world is the biggest application for me as I read this. Knowing those other passages helps me realize that the light that shines through me is NOT me at all. Rather, it is Christ living in me. That's why Jesus says people will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

In this passage, we see that Jesus does not abolish the law, but fulfills it. In fact he emphasizes certain laws and takes them even further. The question that I have is, "What OT laws and regulations are still in effect for us today? Are there some that are not binding on us today?" It seems that throughout the New Testament there are sections that say we are free from some of the external regulations, like ritual cleansings, eating certain meats, certain festival laws, sin offerings and sacrifices, etc. But it seems like all of the moral laws are still in effect.

Have a great day.

In Christ,
Dan

image from rockhillchur.ch

#Philippians2 - Shining Like Stars

Philippians 2:

1. What stood out to you from this chapter?

The whole first section, verses 1-11 are a great lesson in humility. I think what is even more interesting than just the description of humility Paul presents, is that he uses Jesus as the example. While Jesus was alive on earth (and even after he ascended), Paul was rejecting him and persecuting his followers. Now he not only believes in Jesus, but he is holding him up as the ultimate example of humility. If I had to paraphrase some of this text it would be something like this. "Jesus was God himself, but he always submitted to the Father's will. He served others rather than expecting others to serve him. He gave his entire life to service. Because of this, God raised him up to life and to the highest position and authority above heaven and earth. In one way or another, every person in heaven and earth will bow down before him."

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

Verses 12-18 talk about how when we live humbly in this way, and do not complain or argue about our circumstances, we are going to stand out. That is not how the world lives. It uses the language of shining like stars in the universe? Have you ever been outside late at night when there are no clouds and every hint of sunlight is gone? Especially when there is no moon, the stars are beautiful like Christmas lights standing out in the night. This passage reminds me of two others that talk about how Christians who live lives for Christ will stand out in the world. One is from Matthew 5:14-16 in which Jesus publicly tells the disciples, "You are the light of the world...let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven." The other is from John 13:35 when Jesus is talking privately with the disciples and says, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you show love to one another."

3. So what does this mean for my life?

I am just going to take the whole section entitled "Do Everything Without Grumbling" as a personal challenge for the day. It's easy to complain about circumstances. It's easy to complain about workload. It's easy to complain about the weather. IT'S JUST PLAIN EASY TO COMPLAIN. The challenge to be like Christ is to do things without complaining. That's going to be my goal today. If it goes well today (or not) it will be my goal to do it again tomorrow, and the tomorrow after that. :) I can think of a few people I know well who I have almost never heard complain, and it really does stand out in a good way.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I was just curious about Timothy and Epaphroditus, who were apparently traveling companions of Paul. When did they join him, and when did Ephaphroditus almost die? What were the circumstances. Was it on the shipwreck, or a totally different experience?

Those are my thoughts for today. Tomorrow will be Philippians 3, which contains my #1 very favorite Bible passage. So I'm pretty excited. God bless.

In Christ,
Dan

#Ephesians5 - Paul's Controversial Marriage Advice

Ephesians 5:

Quick note, the image I used today is a book called Love and Respect, which my wife and I read as we were preparing to be married. It remains one of the best books on marriage that I have read so far. Whether you have a great marriage or a struggling one, this book can put some tools in your tool belt to strengthen your marriage and get you out of the crazy cycle. Click here to view the Love and Respect website, or click here to purchase the book on Amazon or Christian Book Distributors.

1. What stood out to you from this chapter?

Paul moves from talking about living as a Christian in general to some specific Christian instruction for marriage and family. However he uses a word that raises the blood pressure of some people today who have fought for the "Independent Woman" model of feminism. This vein of feminism would suggest that no woman should ever have to submit to any man. It seems to be a pushback against the thought that every woman should submit to every man. Neither one of these is what Paul is teaching here. Paul shares with us that God's design for marriage is that the husband would be the head of the household, and that the wife should submit to the husband, and as we'll find out later the children would submit to their parents. Notice Paul doesn't place the wife on the level of the children, but rather as an equal with her husband. And yet, there is still this command to submit. I believe the key is then to read on to see the instructions Paul has for the husband. The husband is called to love and serve the wife like Christ loved and served the church, and Jesus died for us. That's an incredibly high calling. I have to believe that there are very few women who would really have a big problem "submitting to" and respecting a man who loved her like crazy and sacrificed for her, who made every decision with her best interests (or that of the family) in mind.

To bring a closure to this talk, and hopefully hit a few objections that arise, I believe that what Paul shares here is God's design for marriage. However, I realize that not every marriage is exactly what God designs. Sometimes one or the other spouse are not living according to God's call, and that makes it hard to submit, love, and respect. Other times there is only one parent in the picture. Those are obviously "exceptions", but I believe that if husbands and wives took this advice there would be a lot fewer "exceptions" today.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

In verses 8-14, Paul uses the imagery of light and darkness to talk about our lives as Christians. Paul isn't the only apostle to use this example however. In 1 John 1-2, light and dark are used to talk about sin and the righteousness that is found in Christ. In another very familiar Christmas passage written 700 years before Jesus was even born, Isaiah also uses light and darkness to talk about the hope found in the Messiah. "On those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned." Light has always been a symbol of hope, truth, goodness, and peace.

3. So what does this mean for my life?

One phrase from this chapter really pierced any possible shred of self-righteousness I may have been feeling and caused me to remember my need for a Savior. In verse 3, Paul says, "there must be even a hint of..." and then lists a few things like sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, greed, obscenity, foolish talking, coarse joking, and getting drunk. Anyone convicted yet? Paul raises the bar for people (like me) who tend to think, "At least I haven't done THAT bad of stuff. I'm PRETTY good." To some degree, if that's you, you do have reason to celebrate how God has kept you from those things. However, our measure of good is not other people, nor is it our own ideas of what is right and wrong. Our measure of good is Jesus Christ, and the whole of Scripture. Lord, help me to have a filter on all of my thoughts, and all of my words, that they may be cleansed from all unrighteousness.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

Ephesians 5:5-7 warns believers that those who live in disobedience by practicing these deeds (mentioned earlier) have any inheritance in the kingdom of God. Then verse 7 says, "Therefore do not be partners with them." What does this mean? My real question, when boiled down is, "What level of association are we supposed to have with people who are either unbelievers or living unrepentant sinful lives?" I know Jesus spent a lot of time with "sinners" because they were often eager to hear the good news about God's salvation through faith. So I am far from thinking that we should create a "holy huddle" and just gather up all of us "righteous people." That makes me want to throw up just saying it, because I know in my heart I wouldn't belong in that crowd. But I do feel like Paul is saying there is a "line in the sand" that should be drawn before we commit to a great relationship with them. I just did a little research on www.blueletterbible.org to help shed some light on this. He uses the word, "partners," which is maybe more accurately translated as "partakers," which the King James version uses. The word in Greek is symmetochos, which looks like the word symmetry. It seems as though Paul is saying, "Don't be a mirrored reflection of them. Don't look like people who do these things. Don't do what they do." It doesn't seem like he's saying, "Don't be around them at all." Well, I guess I helped answer my own question, but that's why I ask.

God bless, and join me tomorrow as I wrap up Ephesians with chapter 6.

In Christ,
Dan