A Place For Everyone

The Exclusivity Factor - by Kevin Walker

2009-02-21T09:26:00.000-08:00

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols” Isaiah 42:8 NIV.

At the heart of being a Christ-follower is the exclusivity factor. We don’t follow after a God, we follower after the God. And right there is found all of the difference.

All too often we’ve all been guilty of inviting people to “accept Christ” for reasons other than honorable. We make Christ out to be our self-help guru. We make him out to be our financial breakthrough. We make him out to be our hope for a better marriage.

Christ certainly has the power to take care of those things, and all other things as well. But, when we truly accept him into our lives, he becomes our Lord. We accept him because God is one – there is no other.

We can make money the Lord of our life. We can make things the Lord of our life. And, for that matter, we can make some other religious leader or so-called deity, our Lord. But it doesn’t change this simple fact: Jesus is the true King. He is Lord over all. And either we accept him as who he is, or we don’t accept him at all.

Grace and peace all

To read more blog posts like this one. Check out my buddy Kevin's blog.

God has left the building.

2009-01-09T23:36:00.000-08:00

I have been reading Matthew tonight and have come to some conclusions. God really does love us. How much you may ask? So much that he has given us his holy spirit to live in us.

Just think back for a minute. What happened in the old temple during the crucifixion? That's right, the vale was torn. Gods presence had left the temple in a hurry. Can you imagine the look on the priests faces when that happened. God has left the building. That makes me smile.

You know what else makes me smile. When I think about what happened at pentecost? The Holy Spirit filled new creation. If any man be in Christ he is a new creation. What are you saying, Wes. I'm saying that if you are in Christ, the Holy Spirit is living inside you. Man, that makes me want to shout!!!!! You and I, as Christians, are filled with the Spirit of God. Wow!!!! What a gift!!! Just think about it. In the old temple, very few could enter into the Holy of Holies, where the spirit of God was, and only after much preparation and only at certain times. But in the new temple (that's you and I), dwells the same spirit of God. We aren't just allowed to enter Gods presence but his spirit is residing in us. All we have to do is ask. If you ask me, that's mo better!!!

Christless Christianity

2008-12-27T05:38:00.000-08:00

Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.christlesschristianity.org/

Fred Thompson on the Economy

2008-12-15T23:13:00.000-08:00

Victory for the perception of America

2008-11-05T06:57:00.000-08:00

The long campaign has ended, the election results are in, and I find myself, not morose as one might expect of a McCain supporter after such a defeat, but with a sense of happiness. As one who does not agree with many of Obama's policies, I find myself feeling a sense happiness over the victory for America. Not over a presidential victory but a victory over the perception that America is still oppressive of minorities. Although there are some in our country that still hate minorities and wish to oppress them, this election should offer some proof that the vast majority of our country has come a long way in that respect. This victory is one that every American can be proud of regardless of our political views. We should never forget that God is in control of his creation and that should make us smile regardless of who is in the majority of elected positions.

Josiah - A Type of Christ?

2008-09-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

As I was reading in 1 Kings 13 tonight I came across an interesting prophecy. The prophet cried out against the altar. The prophet told the altar that a man called Josiah would be born from the Davidic dynasty and he would sacrifice all the priests of the high places on the altar. Later in 2 Kings 23 this prophecy was fulfilled through King Josiah. Could it be that this was just a partial fulfillment of that prophecy and the final fulfillment would be carried out in Christ? Is Josiah in this passage a type of Jesus? If you look through the lense of the cross, you can't help but see the final fulfillment of this prophecy through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus like Josiah restored the Temple, but this time for good. Jesus told his disciples that the temple constructed in Jerusalem would be destroyed completely, but in 3 days it would be rebuilt. Praise the Lord it came to pass when Christ was resurrected on the third day.

I am still studying this passage so any input would be appreciated.

The Quest

2008-08-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

If you are anywhere near Florence, MS on a Wednesday night around 7:00 then you owe it to yourself to attend the weekly bible study at the Quest. Pastor Ed Hauser, my brother from another mother, friend, mentor, and lunch buddy, will no doubt be "shucking the corn". I have been attending this bible study for a few months and I have to say it is the highlight of my week. Not only does Pastor Ed do an excellent job expounding scripture, but if your around this guy for more than just a few minutes you begin to get the impression that he likes or perhaps even loves you. Wow!

Love is sometimes tough

2008-04-19T23:41:00.000-07:00

Todays post should not be taken lightly. I've been thinking alot lately about church discipline and how that should look in the church today. Paul gives us an example in 1 Corinthians 5, where a believer in the Corinthian church was caught in sexual immorality. Pauls instruction to the church was to put him out of the community of believers and turn him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. This passage assumes that an attempt to restore him had already been made in accordance with Matthew 18:15-22. It is very important to read these 2 passages together so you dont get the cart ahead of the horse. The passage in Matthew should be done first and then if the brother/sister is still unrepenent put them out of the community. This is not easy to do but it is necessary.

The Body of Christ

2008-04-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

If you believe in Jesus as the Messiah, then know this, you are the embodiment of Christ. So live like it. Life is not about you. It's about Jesus. Jesus is not a fad or a gimmick. He is not like a slot machine. Don't think for one minute that if you place your faith in him then all your problems will be over. What really happens when you place your faith in him is that sometimes life gets harder. You don't always get what you want but you find out that what you wanted is not that important. What is important is that Jesus be glorified in your life.

Please, don't lose focus of what is really important in life. Love your brother and you will be loving Jesus. If I have all things but have not love then I have nothing. If you want to know how to express your love to Jesus. then love you brother, your spouse, your children, your employer, your enemies, your friends, and your family. Jesus said that what you've done to the least of these, my brothers, then you've done it unto him. Let's love one another. That doesn't mean that you will always have some kind of special feelings or emotions for someone, but you make a decision to put their needs above your own. Love is not a feeling. Tell someone you love them today, then actually love them by doing something for them.

N.T. Wright on sola scriptura

2008-01-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

I am sooo jealous of Trevin Wax for getting the opportunity to interview N.T Wright. I have posted one of his blog entries below for your enjoyment. Check out Trevins website, he has some really good content.

Trevin Wax: How does the doctrine of sola Scriptura influence your work and your method?

N.T. Wright: Well, in terms of method, sola Scriptura is what I’ve always tried to do, basically. You could put it negatively… If you find yourself thinking down a track where you think, Oh, well, if I go there, that’ll mean ditching this bit of the Bible or that bit, then all sorts of warning lights flash and say, “You probably shouldn’t be going there!” It may be that you’ve misheard your own mind, as it were, and there may be a way through this because there are always puzzles that we hit, but basically, my aim has been to expound Scripture and to expound Scripture in such a way that I do not set one Scripture over against another.

However, I have to say, and my work on the authority of Scripture, which you probably know – a little book called The Last Word in America. Silly title, by the way. That was Harper’s folly to call it that. It wasn’t my idea. Fancy having a book called The Last Word! I mean… it’s very silly. If I was going to write a book called The Last Word it would be on Christology, not on Scripture. “In the last days, God has spoken to us by his Son…”

But I’ve been trying to stress that the risen Jesus does not say to the disciples, “All authority on heaven and earth is given to the books you chaps are going to go off and write.” He says, “All authority on heaven and earth is given to Me.” So that if we say that Scripture is authoritative, what we must actually mean is that the authority which is vested in Christ alone is mediated through Scripture.

That’s a more complicated thing than simply having a book on the shelf, full of right answers that you can go and look up. It’s more a way of saying that when we read Scripture and determine to live under it, we are actually saying we want to live under the sovereign lordship of Jesus mediated through this book.

When you say it like that, then all sorts of other things happen as a result, like what is the sovereign lordship of Jesus all about? Is it simply to fill our heads with right answers to difficult questions? Well, right answers to difficult questions are better than wrong answers to difficult questions. But no, the authority of Jesus Christ is there to transform and heal and save the world, to make the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ. So the question then is, how does the authority of Scripture serve that purpose?. And that’s actually much more interesting than simply using Scripture to settle or raise indeed doctrinal disputes within the church.

Love is a Verb

2008-01-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

This post was written by my dear friend Russell Roberts.

Love, as taught in the Bible, is a verb, not an emotion. It is a choice, a determination to seek the benefit of another, even at the expense of ones self. It was supremely and graphically demonstrated on the cross when Jesus 'loved his disciples unto the end.' It is an amusing fact that we don't necessarily have to like those whom we choose to love. It is wonderful when those two ideas coincide but they don't always. The failure to understand this principle is the reason that most marriages fail. The chemicals in the brain that caused the excitement we once felt eventually wear off. Then, hopefully, we make the choice to love.

My pastor is fond of joking that the only thing that kept Peter's sword out of Matthew's back is that Jesus slept between them. For those who don't know, Peter was a Zealot, a patriot bent on overthrowing Roman oppression of the Jews. Matthew was a tax collector who, in effect, worked for Rome. Tax collectors were considered to be traitors. You can understand how there might be some animosity between them but you can rest assured that they loved each other. The characteristics of love are described in I Corinthians 13 in the Bible.

1Co 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.
6 It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.
7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends............

Love is a death to self. As such, love transcends life. That is what Christmas is all about. God loved his creation so much that he sent Jesus, gift-wrapped in swaddling clothes, to accomplish what nobody else had been able to do: To light the way for the rest of the world. From the cross Jesus shined forth like a beacon to humanity crying out "This is the Way". Jesus had every right to stay where he was in heaven with God the Father. He is equal with God. But Jesus understood his equality with God, not as a right to be exploited, but as something that uniquely qualified him for the task at hand, to save creation.

We Christians ought to think the same way. God, dwelling in us, is not a right to be exploited but uniquely qualifies us for the task at hand, to love as Jesus loved, to voluntarily offer our lives as a sacrifice on behalf of others. Merry Christmas my beloved blog readers!

Php 2:4 Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.
Php 2:5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
Php 2:6 who though he existed in the form of Goddid not regard equality with Godas something to be grasped,
Php 2:7 but emptied himselfby taking on the form of a slave,by looking like other men,and by sharing in human nature.
Php 2:8 He humbled himself,by becoming obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross!
Php 2:9 As a result God exalted himand gave him the namethat is above every name,
Php 2:10 so that at the name of Jesusevery knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth —
Php 2:11 and every tongue confessthat Jesus Christ is Lordto the glory of God the Father.

I Passed

2007-12-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

Well, if your wondering why there hasn't been much blogging going on lately, its because I have been preparing for the state exam to obtain my appraisal certification, which I passed this morning. There will be no excuses after the holidays, other than just laziness. I look forward to posting some more on my study in Matthew. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jesus in the Wilderness

2007-12-08T23:56:00.000-08:00

Matthew 4

An exilic motif has been overshadowing the book of Matthew since the very first verse. At a time in history when the Jews believed themselves to be in exile under Roman rule, they were awaiting Messiah to come and establish his rule. This is about to come to fruition - with the Son of Man now coming onto the scene being baptized by John in the River Jordan (chapter 3). His preaching ministry was about to begin after some intense days and nights of fasting, after which, he was tempted by none other than the master of deception and notorious scum bag, Satan. This was the same scum bag that deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, thus resulting in sin entering into the world.

In Matthew 4, the first temptation was this; “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread”. Right off the bat, Satan questions Jesus’ divinity. Not only that, but I believe his intent was to cause Jesus to doubt it too. Jesus, being an astute observer of Satan’s intent as well as being a student of scripture, quoted Deut. 8:3. “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Then Satan tempts again, this time by leading him to the highest point of the temple and saying: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down?” Then using scripture Satan quotes Psalm 91: 11-12. Again, Jesus combats Satan with scripture. Deut. 6:16. “You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.”

Lastly, Satan took him to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. He promised Jesus that if he bowed down and worshiped him, he would give him all those things. Jesus once again withstood him with scripture. Deut. 6:13. “You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”

It is noteworthy that Jesus quotes Deut. 8:3. A look at this passage will reveal that Israel had been in the wilderness for 40 years being tested to see if they would be able to keep God’s commandments. Guess what? They were unsuccessful to say the least. They were constantly being disobedient to God in spite of all God’s miraculous provision.

Here in Matthew 4, we see a glimpse of the same test. Despite Satan’s best attempt to thwart God’s plan of restoring mankind back to himself - Jesus, “the true Israelite”, would prevail.

Thank you Jesus!

Does doctrine really matter?

2007-12-08T20:27:00.000-08:00

Does Doctrine Really Matter?

byJohn MacArthur

Is it enough to "believe in Jesus" in some amorphous sense that divorces "faith" from any particular doctrine about Him, or is doctrine--and the content of our faith--really important after all? Scripture plainly teaches that we must be sound in the faith--which is to say that doctrine does matter (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 4:2-3; Tit. 1:9; 2:1). It matters a lot. "If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing" (1 Tim. 6:3-4, emphasis added).

Sound, biblical doctrine is a necessary aspect of true wisdom and authentic faith. The attitude that scorns doctrine while elevating feelings or blind trust cannot legitimately be called faith at all, even if it masquerades as Christianity. It is actually an irrational form of unbelief.
God holds us accountable for what we believe as well as how we think about the truth He has revealed. All Scripture testifies to the fact that God wants us to know and understand the truth. He wants us to be wise. His will is that we use our minds. We are supposed to think, meditate, and above all, to be discerning.

The content of our faith is crucial. Sincerity is not sufficient. Consider, for example, these well-known verses. Note the repeated use of words like truth, knowledge, discernment, wisdom, and understanding:

"Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom" (Psa. 51:6).

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments" (Psa. 111:10).

"Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Thy commandments" (Psa. 119:66).

Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Prov. 2:2-6).

"The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding" (Prov. 4:7).

"We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col. 1:9).

"In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3).

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).

God's Word makes it abundantly clear that He wants us to use our minds. And one of the most vital duties facing every Christian--especially in an era (such as ours) when the church is overrun with contradictory ideas and spiritual confusion--is the duty of discernment.

In the days and weeks to come, we are going to consider what Scripture has to say about discernment. We'll look at some common pitfalls that often ensnare the best of Christians, and we'll look at some popular ideas circulating in the church today that demand careful biblical analysis and discriminating wisdom.

This article and others available at http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles

An interview with NT

2007-12-05T23:56:00.000-08:00

Click me. Listen and leave comments if you have time.

Worship

2007-12-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

I am reading a book written by N.T. Wright entitled For all God's Worth: The True Calling of the Church. It is a masterpiece. Another homerun by Tom Wright. I would recommend this book to anyone - especially if you've been in the faith for a while. It is a breath of fresh air for me. Anyway, I just wanted to share a few quotes from his book just to give you a teaser. If you've got an extra $10 click on this link and pick up a copy.

"Worship is nothing more nor less than love on its knees before the beloved."

"Worship is humble and glad; worship forgets itself in remembering God; worship celebrates the truth as God's truth, not its own. True worship doesn't put on a show or make a fuss; true worship isn't forced, isn't half-hearted, doesn't keep looking at its watch, doesn't worry what the person in the next pew may be doing. True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God even in the dark."

"Where is it written in scripture that we can expect the church to be free from financial problems, from doctrinal controversy, from difficulties about leadership, from deep personal and corporate anxieties? Where is it written in history that there ever was such a church? Where is it written in theology that God demands such perfection? Go back to Paul's second letter to Corinth and you will find that it concerns exactly these issues. And Paul addresses his readers in Corinth, not with carping criticism, but with the power of love; not with sneering put-downs about what a shabby lot they were in Corinth, but with the gospel of Jesus; not with cynicism, but with the cross."

"the cross speaks of the God who didn't send someone else to do the dirty work but came and did it himself; of the God who lived in our midst and died our death; of the God who now entrusts us with that same vocation. Because of the cross, being a Christian, or being a church, does not mean claiming that we've got it all together. It means claiming that God's got it all together; and that we are merely, as Paul says, those who are overwhelmed by his love."

"People have learned elsewhere today to expect rudeness and even violence as the norm. They are thirsty for gentleness, for kindness, for the sense that they matter. They need to be shown that there is a different way of being human, that the true God embraces them, as they are, with the healing power of the cross and the life-giving breath of the Spirit."

"The God I Want? Left to myself, the god I want is a god who will give me what I want. He - or more likely it - will be a projection of my desires."

"At the more sophisticated level, the god I want will be a god who lives up to my intellectual expectations: a god of whom I can approve rationally, judiciously, after due consideration and weighing up of theological probabilities. I want this god because he, or it, will underwrite my intellectual arrogance. He will boost my sense of being a refined modern thinker. The net result is that I become god; and this god I've made becomes my puppet."

I hope this was enough to get you to buy the book. If you do, it will probably become one of your favorites as it has become one of mine.

Matthew 3

2007-10-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

The Ministry of John the Baptist

Matthew is showing us here that John is the fullfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.'" He is refering to a verse in Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries out, In the wilderness, clear a way for the LORD; construct in the desert a road for our God. Matthew is giving the reader a clear picture of what John's message was all about. John was announcing the coming of the Lord. He was saying, you guys need to get your lives in order. Stop sinning against God. Quit serving other gods and serve the one true God. Quit serving yourselves and serve God instead.

Here we can see a glimpse of Israel's past. Wandering around in the wilderness, being constantly reminded to love God and obey his commands. All the while, serving other gods and being disobedient to the one true God. God was once again giving an exhortation to his people, this time through John the Baptist. God was exhorting them, just as he did in the wilderness prior to the crossing of the Jordan River, REPENT - turn from your wicked ways. I am about to heal your land. This sets the stage for Jesus to come onto the scene and become Israel in person. To do what Israel had failed to do. To be a light to the nations.

Next we see the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the Jordan River. I don't know if these men were just coming to spectate or to truly repent and participate in the baptism. Based on John's reference to them being an offspring of vipers fleeing from the coming wrath, I suspect John recognized their lack of desire to truly repent. John told them to produce fruit that proves your repentance. What does that mean? How does one produce fruit that proves repentance? Take a look at this passage of scripture. John 15:1 The key to understanding this question is to know what the fruit represents. I believe the fruit, John the Baptist is refering to in Matthew 3, is Love. Love that leads to obedience. You see, the Pharisees and Sadducees were not too interested in doing much other that helping themselves. Read what Jesus had to say about them here. To be continued. Let me know what you think so far.

Going the Extra 8.8 Miles!

2007-10-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

What in the world is that supposed to mean? Going the extra 8.8 miles. It is best understood by telling this true story. This story has really encouraged me and I hope it encourages you as well.

There is a lady in my church whose family currently shares one vehicle. So when the husband is at work the only way for her to get around is by walking. Recently, a problem arose and her daughter, who goes to school approximately 4.4 miles from her home, forgot her school project. The daughter called to inform her mother, if she didn't have it turned in by the end of the day her grade would be significantly affected. She told her that she was sorry, because she had no way to get it to her. The mother's response, due to the current dilemma, would be considered appropriate by most standards. However, she remembered a scripture in John 15:3, and then decided to take the project to her daughter.

According to the mapping program I use, it is about an 8.8 mile round trip. By way of foot, not the most desirable means of travel, this would truly be a sacrifice. Man, what an awesome account of selfless love! What a sacrifice she made? What a witness she was, not just to those involved but to everyone who will hear this story? What a blessing she was to her daughter through this selfless act?

It is amazing how many people are positively affected when we respond in love, especially if it costs us something. The more the cost, the more the witness. Jesus said in John 15:13 "No one has greater love than this — that one lays down his life for his friends". For more on this topic, I urge you to read my previous entry on The True Vine.

Who has Believed Our Message?

2007-10-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Who has Believed Our Message? by Russell A. Roberts

We, the church, find ourselves in the same position as that of Caleb and Joshua as they wandered through the desert after their report was soundly rejected by the people. The cluster of grapes borne between two of the spies had served as a foretaste of things to come if only they would believe the message. Like the cluster of grapes, the Holy Spirit, the new wine that bursts the old wineskins has been poured out and serves as a foretaste, a witness of things to come. The land is good, flowing with milk and honey. Like their ancestors in the desert, ethnic Israel soundly rejected the message announced by the one crying forth in the wilderness and by Yeshua Himself, just as Isaiah had said she would. Yet the Kingdom has come and the promise remains open to those who will simply believe.

This stubborn and obstinate generation is not just a historical people, nor are they limited to the modern State of Israel. They are the cashier at McDonald's, the garbage man, your first cousin. Will you, like Joshua and Caleb, bear the fruit?

Thanks Russell for the permission to post this. I pray that we will bear much fruit as we remain in the "vine", of Christ.

Matthew 2:13:23

2007-10-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to post the rest of Chapter 2.

I want to begin by saying this. Thank you for visiting this blog. Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Word of God. It is of utmost importance that we flood our minds with the Word of God. So that we might be equipped for every good work. I pray that as you continue to be faithful to the studying of Gods Word, that it will become something so addictive, that you just can't live without it. I know you are just as busy as I am, but lets not let our business be an excuse for not spending a few minutes in the bible everyday. Thanks again for your commitment.

Matthew 2:13-23

It appears in reading these verses that there was an urgency being conveyed to Joseph from the angel of the Lord. This urgency was because of Herod's desire to capture and kill this small child, Jesus. Jesus sure did pose a big threat, even as a small child. Don't be fooled, Herod was surely being influenced by Satan himself. You see, Satan understood what a threat Jesus would be in overcoming his power, the power of sin that had prevailed and wreaked havoc on God's people since the fall.

Remember in the Garden of Eden, when Adam disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - something changed. Man was banned from the garden, this very garden where God and man walked together was now off limits to God's precious creation. Also, there became enmity between man and animals, the very creatures that man previously was given dominion over. All this happend because of Adams disobedience. When there is disobedience judgement is sure to follow. Think about how tragic this would have been, not just to man, but to God, who loved his creation so much. God had put everything under the sun at his disposal. Well, everything but the fruit of one single tree.

At this point, God had a plan to restore man back to his original position. To bring man back into fellowship with himself. This plan would be executed by none other than himself, in the person of Jesus Christ. What a loving father we serve!

Well, just as God had a plan to save man, to rescue him, to deliver him from the power of sin. Satan also had a plan, and believe me he will use anything or anyone that will let him. In this instance it's Herod that is being used in an attempt to disrupt God's plans. But God was ready and able, so he sent his angel once again to deliver a message to Joseph. This time the message was one of relocation to Egypt.

Matthew records in the fifteenth verse of this passage that this is to fulfill the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son. This is actually the second part of Hosea 11:1. Where God is referring to Israel as his son that he loved. This son that he called out of Egypt. Hosea was actually looking back to Israels Exodus from Egypt, by the hand of God, under the leadership of Moses. It appears that Matthew's use of this verse is to point ahead to Jesus who would take on the role of Israel. To become Israel in person, and succeed where Israel had failed. See Matthew 4:1

The next prophetic quotation in verse 18 is from Jeremiah 31:15. Tom Wright believes that it provides a "prophetic backdrop" to Herods slaughter of the Bethlehem children. To quote Tom Wright "The passage in Jeremiah (31:15) is all about God's renewal of the covenant, bringing Israel back from exile at last. Though Israel must weep and mourn, rescue is on the way. Again, Matthew is hinting that Jesus is bringing deliverance even when everything seems bleak and hoplelss."

At last Matthew links the settling of the family in Nazareth with the prophecy of Isiah 11:1. In Isaiah 11:1 . The word nazir means 'branch' or shoot'. Isaiah is saying, 'A shoot will grow out of Jesse's root stock. Which means, a new beginning will be made for the royal house of David. To quote Tom Wright again" In Jesus, not despite the frantic and tragic events that happened around his birth but because of them, God is providing the salvation and rescue that Israel longed for, and, through that, his justice for the world".

In summary, this small child, that was born such a threat to Herod, was in fact the true king of the Jews. And now has been introduced by Matthew as the one who bears God's salvation, as well as his personal prescence. Remember we learned that Jesus means - he will save us from our sins. And also, Emanuel means - God with us. So there you have it. God with us - will save us from our sins.

Please don't miss the upcoming Power Group meeting this Wednesday @ Starbucks on Riverwind Drive in Pearl @ 5:30. You will be glad you came.

Matthew 2

2007-10-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

I thank God for Tom Wright who has labored over the scriptures and history for years. He has learned to read the bible, quite possibly, from the perspective of the first century Church. I can't stress enough how extremely important it is to consider what the early church might have understood when reading scripture. If you think about it for a minute, I believe you would agree, there has been a lot of events; time, philosophy, historical events etc... that have occured since the text was written. If not careful we can let these events shape our worldview and our interpretation of scripture. Thanks to people like Tom Wright, we can now approach the Word of God from a historical perspective in order to get a more accurate interpretation of scripture. No longer will I read the bible from the ego-centric perspective that has so subtly crept into the Church today. I encourage you also to remove yourself from the equation when reading and ask this question. What is the author saying to the original recipient? Then and only then will we have something worthy of applying.

Now with that being said, lets move on to our study of Matthew 2.

We see here in chapter 2 after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the time of King Herod, the Magi from the east came to Jerusalem looking for one that was born king of the Jews. These men were quite possibly astrologers and astronomers, who recognized, based on the alignment of the planets, that a king had been born to the Jews. When King Herod caught wind of this he and all Jerusalem were alarmed. You see old King Herod had become very powerful and along with his power came paranoia. He was extremely jealous of anyone that threatned his rule. So he assembled the chief priests and experts of the law and asked where the Christ was to be born. In Bethlehem of Judah, they said, "for it is written this way by the prophet: 'And you are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.' " After learning of this Herod privately called the Magi to himself and found out from them when the star had appeared. He then sent them to Bethlehem to find the child. He lied to them and said let me know when you find them so that I might go and worship him. They left old Herod and followed the star until they found the child with Mary his mother. They bowed down and worshiped him and gave him gifts fit for a king. After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod they left and returned by another route.

In this passage we see, the Magi who were not of Jewish descent and were quite possibly from Persia, even though they were not his people, God gave them knowledge of the birth of the promised King. They chose then to seek him out and worship him. I believe Matthew includes this in his story so that the Jews of his day would understand God's intentions. And that is, that He desires all men, not just Jews, to know him.

Since the beginning, God wanted to be revealed to all the World, and Israel was supposed to be the people to do just that. However, due to Israel's dereliction of duty, God himself became man in the person of Jesus, and assumed the duties of Israel, to become light to the whole world. Because of this, we might now become salt and light to the world. This reminds me of the verse in John 12:32 "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." This could very well be why Matthew included this in his story. To show God's desire to draw all men to himself.

More to come on this later...

Matthew 1:18-25

2007-10-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

This past week in our bible study we discussed Matthew 1:18-25. This passage of scripture is about the birth of Jesus. It is important to note, as Tom Wright points out, that this story is the story of Jesus' birth through the eyes of Joseph. In the gospel of Luke we see it through Mary's eyes. No attempt is made to bring the two into line. The central fact is the same; but instead of Luke's picture of an excited Galilean girl, learning that she is to give birth to God's Messiah, Matthew shows us the more sober Joseph, discovering that his fiancee is pregnant. This is the same story from two different perspectives. There has been much debate and discussion on the subject of the virgin birth. For the sake of time and space we will not go into that at this time. However, it seems that Matthew and Luke both saw that it was important enough to mention it in their gospel. Maybe they were just trying to set the record straight - Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not by a less reputable means.

Notice how the angel addressed Joseph - "Joseph son of David". Upon first read one might think that Joseph dad's name was David. As we see in the genealogy of Jesus that was not the case. Joseph's dad was Jacob. So why did the angel address him as Joseph son of David? I believe that this title had Messianic implications. Any good first century jew could tell you that the son of David or "the Messiah", would be the true heir of David through whom God would rescue Israel from pagan enemies. Basically, the angel was saying this. Joseph, don't be afraid to get married to Mary. She is pregnant by the holy spirit and the baby is to be named Jesus. This Jesus is the promised Messiah.

Did you know that names mean things? Well, at least they did to Jews back in the day. You see, Jesus had a special name or names and Matthew would surely not expect this to go unnoticed. Jesus was actually a very popular boys name at the time, being in Hebrew the same as 'Joshua', who brought the Israelites into the promised land after the death of Moses. Matthew sees Jesus as the one who will now complete what the law of Moses pointed to but could not of itself produce. He will rescue his people, not from slavery in Egypt, but from the slavery of sin, the 'exile' they have suffered not just in Babylon but in their own hearts and lives.

By contrast, the name 'Emanuel', mentioned in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8, was not given to anyone else, perhaps because it would say more about a child than anyone would normally dare. It means, 'God with us'. Matthew's whole gospel is framed by this theme: at the very end, Jesus promises that he will be ' with' his people to the close of the age (28:20). The two names together express the meaning of the story. God is present, with his people; he doesn't 'intervene' from a distance, but is always active, sometimes in most unexpected ways. And God's actions are aimed at rescuing people from a helpless plight, demanding that he take the initiative and do things people had regarded as inconceivable.

This is the God, and this is the Jesus, whose story Matthew will now set before us. This is the God, and this is the Jesus, who comes to us still today when human possibilities have run out, offering new and startling ways forward, in fulfilment of his promises, by his powerful love and grace.

The Kingdom of God

2007-10-04T21:13:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to add this article written by a friend of mine. I hope you enjoy.

The Kingdom of God
Ed Hauser, my pastor, stopped by the office earlier and we briefly discussed the Kingdom of God. Jesus spoke and acted as if the Kingdom of God were breaking into the present through His ministry. Luke 11:20 quotes Jesus as saying:"But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you."What on earth, I ask, does the Kingdom of God look like?Scripture provides some tantalizing clues.Matthew records the following conversation between Jesus and the mother of James and John.Mat 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor.Mat 20:21 He said to her, "What do you want?" She replied, "Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."Mat 20:22 Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."Mat 20:23 He told them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."Like Jesus said, she had no idea what she was asking. So who obtained this 'honor'? Luke notes that Jesus was crucified between two criminals where the following conversation took place.Luk 23:38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the king of the Jews."Luk 23:39 One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"Luk 23:40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?Luk 23:41 And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong."Luk 23:42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom."Luk 23:43 And Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Bolding is mine.)Truly, the Kingdom of God has come. Today it looks like a cross. Tomorrow it will look like a crown. Please refer to your spiritual map in Romans 8, I Corinthians 15, and Revelation 21 & 22 for a discription of the final consummation

The True Vine

2007-10-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

Today, I ate lunch with my dear friend Rusty at the Waffle House. If you have ever eaten there, then I shouldn't have to tell you how cold they keep the temperature. Anyway, poor Rusty almost froze to death. It occured to me as I looked across the table at him and noticed that he was shivering. Rusty is suffering because of me. I asked him if he wanted to go eat somewhere else, but he said no, this is just fine. I beleive that If I had not told him earlier that I really wanted to eat there, then he would have gladly gotten up to leave. Thanks Rusty for suffering so that I might enjoy my lunch.

This brings to mind a passage of scripture (John 15:1-17). This passage of scripture is about remaining in Jesus the "true vine". If we remain in Jesus, he will remain in us, and we will bear much fruit. You see Rusty was living this out through his unselfish act of kindness (or his fruit). No matter how small or insignificant you think your acts of kindness (fruit) are. I can assure you that through Gods eyes they are no small acts. As Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, ...Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me. You see, acts of kindness directed towards your brothers and sisters in Christ, are in fact doing it unto Christ.

Who is the body of Christ? We are!!! I know this seems like an elementary question, however it would serve us well to ask it every now and again. We need to be reminded that we are the embodiment of Christ on this earth. We are the ones that will share the love of Jesus to everyone we come in contact with. Sometimes this love will look like mowing the grass of your elderly friend that can't do it for himself. Other times this love will look like, going out of your way to shake the hand of the person that has been talking about you. The first scenario is representative of the way we share love to our brothers and sisters and in actuality are loving Jesus. The second scenario is how we share love with our enemies and through it are bearing witness to the love of Jesus.

(John 15:12-14) My commandment is this — to love one another just as I have loved you.
No one has greater love than this — that one lays down his life for his friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I believe that this fruit that he is talking about in this passage, this fruit that will remain, is love. And to be more specific, love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In summary, as we remain in the vine, which is Jesus, these fruits(love) will be present in our lives. This fruit (love) will show that we are his disciples (John 15:8).

I pray that as we examine ourselves today, that we find ourselves bearing fruit in theTrue Vine. Fruit that will remain. Amen

Double Headed Turtle

2007-09-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed. Today, I posted the picture of a turtle with two heads in the upper right hand corner of my blog. When I first saw this picture, I said to myself this is hilarious. A turtle with two heads. What a freak of nature - or not. Maybe, this little fellow was created for a purpose. I'm not saying that the Word of the Lord came to me through this little guy. Nor am I trying to create some new cool 2 headed turtle doctrine. However, this little fellow did make me ponder a couple of questions. What would life be like for this poor little turtle? I would assume that anything with 2 minds would have a lot of trouble getting anything accomplished unless one mind learned to put off his selfish agendas, his views, his goals, his ambitions, etc. and let the other take the lead. I believe we in the body of Christ often do find ourselves in just this position. How do I follow the leading of Christ and still accomplish the things I want to accomplish. I think the answer is simple, if any man be in Christ he is a new creation. It is essential that believers understand that in Christ we are a new creation with a new perspective. No longer should we see ourselves as the south end of a north bound double headed turle being drug around against our will. The new perspective is this I get to serve Christ by doing the things that he did. When I do something to my brother I have done it unto Christ. When my enemy hits me on the cheek, I turn to him the other. We should be servants, following the example of Christ, and love him by loving his people. Understand this, YOU ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF CHRIST ON THIS EARTH. It is not that we dont get to go where we want to go and do what we want to do, but as we go, we are sharing the love of Jesus, sharing the gospel, proclaiming the good news.

Col 1:18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things

Matthew 1:1-17

2007-09-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

In our first study we discussed the first 17 verses of the Gospel of Matthew. I will attempt to re-emphasize some of the points discussed. First of all it is important when reading anything to take into account who the recipients of the letter were. In this case, it would be the first century Christians, or "Jewish-Christians" if you will. The original recipients of this gospel would recognize things Matthew was saying that we modern Christian readers could overlook if not careful. That is why it's extremely important to read the scriptures not just as timeless truths the we can apply to our lives today or as an instruction manual for living a Christian life, but to read it through the eyes of the original recipients. In its historical context. Then, and only then, will we come to an understanding that is worthy of applying.

What would a first century Christian see in these first seventeen verses? Up until now, all I have ever seen was a list of names beginning with Abraham and ending with Jesus. However, a first century Christian would have easily seen a family tree that was impressive and compelling. To quote Tom Wright, "It would be the equivilant of a roll of drums, a fanfare of trumpets, and a town crier calling for attention. Like a great procession coming down the street, we watch the figures at the front, and the ones in the middle, but all eyes would be waiting for the one who comes in the position of greatest honour, right at the end". The procession would have looked something like this. Abraham, our founding father, to whom God made great promises. He would be given the land of canaan, and nations would be blessed through his family. This promise would be ultimatley fulfilled through Jesus. Also, the first century Christian would understand that Jesus' lineage was traced through David the great King, whom God made future promises of lordship over the whole world. Even though the babylonian exile made it seem all these promises were lost forever, drowned in the sea of Israel's sin and Gods judgement. However, the prophets of the exile promised that God would again restore Abrahams people and Davids royal line. At the time of Christs birth Gods chosen people were living in what they beleived to be "exile" under Roman rule. To quote Tom Wright again,"This sets the stage for Jesus the Messiah to come onto the scene and rescue his people. They would also recognize that the child that comes at the end of this line is God's anointed, the long-awaited Messiah, to fulfill all the layers and levels of the prophecies of old".

I pray that the bible begin to come alive for you as it is beginning to for me.

2Ti 2:15 Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately.

A Place For Everyone

2007-09-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

I have created this blog to discuss the For Everyone Series Bible Commentary by Tom Wright. We will begin with the Book of Matthew. It is my desire to better understand the Bible and share that knowledge with others so that the body of Christ may be built up and God may be glorified. This blog is my attempt to pass on what I am learning through this series, as well as listen to any of your ideas. Please feel free to share any ideas on the subjects we discuss. More to come.