Compassed About Me

What About the Israelites?

To get some context for Romans 9 we must first look at this verse from Romans 1:

Rom 1:16 The Power of the Gospel

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.34

One of the main [unspoken] questions Paul is answering in Romans 9 is this:

Is Romans 1:16 true? Has the Gospel, God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, come to the Jews?

Obviously, it has come to the Gentiles, Paul is a witness to that. He is the Apostle who has been God's instrument in making that happen.

But what about the Jews?

Paul opens Romans 9 this way:

Rom 9:1 Israel's Rejection Considered

1 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me2 in the Holy Spirit —
Rom 9:2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.3
Rom 9:3 For I could wish4 that I myself were accursed — cut off from Christ — for the sake of my people,5 my fellow countrymen,6
Rom 9:4 who are Israelites...

I'm sure what Paul is saying is clear to most everyone, but let's go ahead and be clear:

Paul is IN Christ,

the Jews are accursed, cut off from Christ.

This bothers Paul to such an extent that he says he could wish that their places were reversed!

[As an aside, there was another man who felt this way, but unlike Paul, he didn't just wish it, he did something about it.

His name is Jesus.]

So, what Paul is saying is that, at least to an overwhelming extent, because he refers to them as a group, that the Gospel has NOT come to the Israelites and therefore it would appear the Gospel is powerless.

And one more thing, and it's big:

Romans 9:4 ...To them belong7 the adoption as sons,8 the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship,9 and the promises. Rom 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs,10 and from them,11 by human descent,12 came the Christ,13 who is God over all, blessed forever!14 Amen.

God appears to have turned His back on His supposedly 'chosen people'!

God appears to have renounced His promises.

This is very serious, for if we even consider the 'righeousness of God', even for a moment, then we must conclude that unless there is a VERY GOOD reason God has abandoned His people, then we would be forced to conclude that He is not trustworthy and therefore a God not worth following.

Chris

Independence Day!

The Declaration of Independence

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...

Preamble to the Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

I don't have anything to add to these words, other than to ask you:

Do you understand what they mean?  Really?  Are you INDEPENDENT?

If so, given the state of our nation today...

What are you going to do about it?

Chris

Of Aliens and Global Warming...

If you are someone, like me, who thinks the Global Warming Emperor has no clothes, then you will appreciate this article by Michael Crichton. 

I call it:  Here's What Happens When Scientists Do Politics.

Chris

Revelation: The Final Judgment...

As I suggested in the last post, there is a structure to Revelation that makes it possible to discern some order out of the apparent chaos. 

The following are passages from Revelation that are scenes at or just prior to the final judgment:

Rev 6:12  Then47 I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge48 earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair,49 and the full moon became blood red;50
Rev 6:13  and the stars in the sky51 fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping52 its unripe figs53 when shaken by a fierce54 wind.
Rev 6:14  The sky55 was split apart56 like a scroll being rolled up,57 and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
Rev 6:15  Then58 the kings of the earth, the59 very important people, the generals,60 the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave61 and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
Rev 6:16  They62 said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,63
Rev 6:17  because the great day of their64 wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?"65

The text plainly says that the day of the wrath of God and the Lamb has come. 

Rev 11:9  For three and a half days those from every24 people, tribe,25 nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.26
Rev 11:10  And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
Rev 11:11  But27 after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized28 those who were watching them.
Rev 11:12  Then29 they30 heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: "Come up here!" So the two prophets31 went up to heaven in a cloud while32 their enemies stared at them.
Rev 11:13  Just then33 a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people34 were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14  The second woe has come and gone;35 the third is coming quickly.

Notice the earthquake scene is repeated, but just for Jerusalem.  The two witnesses will prophesy for 3 1/2 years and then will be killed.  Their return to heaven is indicative of the Rapture, which takes place at the end of the Great Tribulation.

Rev 14:18  Another53 angel, who was in charge of54 the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to the angel55 who had the sharp sickle, "Use56 your sharp sickle and gather57 the clusters of grapes58 off the vine of the earth,59 because its grapes60 are now ripe."61
Rev 14:19  So62 the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard63 of the earth and tossed them into the great64 winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20  Then65 the winepress was stomped66 outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses' bridles67 for a distance of almost two hundred miles.68

You will see the commonality of the description when we look at Rev 16 and 19 regarding the wine/winepress. 

Rev 16:16  Now51 the spirits52 gathered the kings and their armies53 to the place that is called Armageddon54 in Hebrew.
Rev 16:17  Finally55 the seventh angel56 poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: "It is done!"
Rev 16:18  Then57 there were flashes of lightning, roaring,58 and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake — an earthquake unequaled since humanity59 has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake.
Rev 16:19  The60 great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations61 collapsed.62 So63 Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup64 filled with the wine made of God's furious wrath.65
Rev 16:20  Every66 island fled away67 and no mountains could be found.68
Rev 16:21  And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds69 each, fell from heaven70 on people,71 but they72 blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it73 was so horrendous.74

The first, but not the last, mention of the battle of Armageddon.  Also, a repetition of the description of the earthquake that not only caused a tenth of the city to collapse but also now is revealed to have split it into 3 parts.  Also a mention of the wine again.

Rev 19:11  The Son of God Goes to War

    Then26 I saw heaven opened and here came27 a white horse! The28 one riding it was called "Faithful" and "True," and with justice29 he judges and goes to war.
Rev 19:12  His eyes are like a fiery30 flame and there are many diadem crowns31 on his head. He has32 a name written33 that no one knows except himself.
Rev 19:13  He is dressed in clothing dipped34 in blood, and he is called35 the Word of God.
Rev 19:14  The36 armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen,37 were following him on white horses.
Rev 19:15  From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations.38 He 39 will rule 40 them with an iron rod, 41 and he stomps the winepress42 of the furious43 wrath of God, the All-Powerful.44
Rev 19:16  He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords."
Rev 19:17  Then45 I saw one angel standing in46 the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky:47
    "Come, gather around for the great banquet48 of God,
Rev 19:18  to eat49 your fill50 of the flesh of kings,
    the flesh of generals,51
    the flesh of powerful people,
    the flesh of horses and those who ride them,
    and the flesh of all people, both free and slave,52
    and small and great!"
Rev 19:19  Then53 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.
Rev 19:20  Now54 the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf55 — signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.56
Rev 19:21  The57 others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged58 themselves with their flesh.

A repetition of the wine/ winepress/ God's wrath motif.  More detail about the  Battle of Armageddon, namely that Jesus leads His armies, and the fate of the Beast and False Prophet.

Rev 20:7  Satan's Final Defeat

    Now15 when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison
Rev 20:8  and will go out to deceive16 the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,17 to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.18
Rev 20:9  They19 went up20 on the broad plain of the earth21 and encircled22 the camp23 of the saints and the beloved city, but24 fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.25
Rev 20:10  And the devil who deceived26 them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,27 where the beast and the false prophet are28 too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.

Another brief description of the Battle of Armageddon and the fate of Satan, which occurs directly after the Beast and False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Rev 20:11  The Great White Throne

    Then29 I saw a large30 white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven31 fled32 from his presence, and no place was found for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then33 books were opened, and another book was opened — the book of life.34 So35 the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.36
Rev 20:13  The37 sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death38 and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
Rev 20:14  Then39 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death — the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15  If40 anyone's name41 was not found written in the book of life, that person42 was thrown into the lake of fire.

A new vision of the FINAL Judgment of the wicked. 

cf Matt 25:46  And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Notice that in each successive vision, more details are introduced and the time the events move forward.  In other words, we go from the bare beginning of God and the Lamb's wrath in Rev 6, all the way to the end of the final judgment in Rev 20.

Chris

The Revelation of Jesus Christ...

I've been studying Revelation for some time now and figured that, hey, everyone else has their hat in the ring, so why not toss in my $.02. 

One viewpoint that gets very short shrift, for a variety of misconceptions, is Amillennialism. 

The short version:

There is no so-called 1000 year reign of Christ on earth that is markedly Jewish in character, with a mixture of Jew and Gentile, Resurrected and Non-Resurrected people all living together in perfect peace and harmony...

Until Satan gets one last crack at taking over the world....

No.  The 1000 years spoken of in Rev 20:1-6 is a SYMBOLIC [not a shocker since Revelation is symbol-laden] span of time that refers to the time between Jesus' ascension and His Parousia [LOVE that word!].

There will be an earthly kingdom, however....

It's called the New Heaven and the New Earth and in it ALL of the Old Testament prophecies that point towards and earthly kingdom are fulfilled then.  The most notable of these being the promise God made to Abraham concerning a parcel of land...

Yes, it all works, exegetically speaking, quite well.

The best part of this view is that it flows directly from the literary structure of Revelation. 

The premise is simple enough:  Every 3 chapters or so, there is an account of what looks and feels like the end of the world.  And, sure enough, that's exactly what it is!  And guess what, every time these accounts come up, it's not an account of a different event, it's the SAME event told from a slightly different viewpoint!  Therefore, we and conclude that the events that lead up to these scenes of finality must run alongside each other, in parallel.  I'll get into details later, but for now, here's a chart:

I don't usually do charts and graphs....

But this one is simple and it gets the point across.

It is from William Hendriksen's More Than Conquerors, if you would like to find a copy and read it.  I recommend it highly. 



I'm not goint to critique it for now, because it has some small problems, but let's just take a look at it.

First of all, don't let the relatively large spaces between the Second Coming, Final Judgment, and NH/NE fool you.  According to Amillennialism, these events happen one right after the other, maybe within days, it's kind of hard to tell.

So, the chart is easy enough to read, we see the 7 divisions of Revelation, laid out by which chapters are in which division, and we see that they more or less PARALLEL each other, each section ending just a little bit later than the one before. 

For now, that's really the main thing I want you to see.  Take a look at the chart, break out your Bible, and see for yourself.  As you look you'll probably notice two things:

1.  This chart make a LOT of sense.
2.  Everything doesn't exactly fit along the chapter divisions suggested. 


That's ok, they don't have to in order for this interpretational framework to make sense.

Happy reading, and more importantly, blessed learning!

Chris

E-Sword...

I really can't say enough good things about this software, or the man who wrote it.

First of all, it's GOOD.  Don't believe me?  Go the homepage and then click on the 'downloads' link at the top of the page.  There is a veritable treasure-house full of public domain Bibles and study tools.

But, to me, that's not the best part.  The best part is it's FREE. 

Well, no, that's not quite right. 

The best part is that it's free for the RIGHT REASON.  Just read the info on the homepage.

In a day and age when the Church has in so many ways become Church, INC., there are those people who still get it.

Rick Meyers is one of those people.

So, go to the page, download the program, and get ready to learn about God. 

And, oh yes, when you see the value of this program, send Rick a few bucks. 

Just because he's not asking for money doesn't mean he hasn't earned it.

Chris

At the 'Y'

Today was a GOOD day at the 'Y':

30 minutes

3.05 Miles! [A new personal best]

480 calories burned.

Chris

Memorial Day...

The poet Stephen Crane wrote this in 1899:

War is Kind

Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind.

Because your lover threw wild hands toward the sky

And the affrighted steed ran on alone,

Do not weep.

War is kind.

Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment,

Little souls who thirst for fight,

These men were born to drill and die.

The unexplained glory flies above them,

Great is the battle-god, great, and his kingdom --

A field where a thousand corpses lie.

Do not weep, babe, for war is kind.

Because your father tumbled in the yellow trenches,

Raged at his breast, gulped and died,

Do not weep.

War is kind.

Swift blazing flag of the regiment,

Eagle with crest of red and gold,

These men were born to drill and die.

Point for them the virtue of slaughter,

Make plain to them the excellence of killing

And a field where a thousand corpses lie.

Mother whose heart hung humble as a button

On the bright splendid shroud of your son,

Do not weep.

War is kind.

I first read this poem in 2005, I think, and it's impression upon me has been lasting.  As I put myself into Crane's shoes, those battles that he witnessed in the latter part of the 19th century  where the utter disregard for men led to wasteful killing fields for no apparent purpose other than to satisfy the ruling class' lust for political power, I can see why he wrote War is Kind. 

Our country has seen it's share of wars and although as I consider them I think we, most of the time at least, went to war for noble purposes, it doesn't change the fact that, as Crane so aptly illustrates in the contrast between the visual imagery of the war machine versus its effects on the folks back home, war is very costly.  It is costly because it, by NECESSITY, dehumanizes the soldiers that participate in it, and it leaves in it's wake shattered families and communities. 

I think these truths leads me to two conclusions:

1.  That, knowing the cost, I think should be very careful in determining when to send our young men and women off to war, and

2.  That the fact that we HAVE HAD and still DO HAVE young men and women fighting wars, on our behalf by the way, brings me to a place of considering what they have fought and are fighting for and therefore coming to some conclusions about what that should mean to me and how that should affect my life.

To remember the fallen and the injured and to let that play a major role in shaping how I live as an American citizen, to honor them by honoring the things they fight for:

That is a REAL Memorial Day.

Chris

Summer Has Officially Started!

Some people think summer starts when the humidity climbs above 90%

Some people think summer starts on Memorial Day

Some people think summer starts when it's warm enough to go to the beach...

They are wrong.

Summer Starts when the GRILL gets fired up for the first time!

And yes, that is BOJANGLES french fry seasoning next to the tongs!

Good stuff!

Here's all the best to you in all of your summer grilling adventures!

Chris

God Waited...

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

If you believe in Election like I do [and by that I mean God determined and knew before the foundation of the world who was His and therefore predestined them for salvation] then there is a rather significant implication for this verse, especially considering Peter wrote this letter to the elect:

God delayed Jesus' Second Coming AT LEAST until the moment that His decree concerning me was carried out and I was saved.

Like:

Rev 6:11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

God made sure I was not lost. Neither shall He lose any other who is His.

What a great promise!

Chris

At the "Y"

Yes, it has been a while since I posted about the my "Y" adventures. 

Around the time of my last post, I decided I would start running part of the time.  I also decided to cut my workout time to 30 minutes.  So, instead of going twice a week for 40 minute workouts, Lea and I go three times a week for 30 minutes.  For some reason, this is supposed to be better.  Don't ask me why.

Anyway, I am making steady progress on my endurance and an fairly pleased with myself.

Today's results:

30 minutes

2.83 miles [my new personal best!]

450 calories.

2 minute cooldown.

Two reps of 15 at 70lbs on two of the weight machines.  One's a bench press.  I don't know the name of the other one, but it's pretty much the opposite in function to the bench press.  It's the weight training part that really makes me tired. 

I am home now.  I think I'm going to "press" some remote control buttons while giving my recliner a "workout" when I need to get up and get a diet Pepsi.

Chris

From the "People Who Don't Get It" Dept.

I was driving down the highway the other day and had my doors blown off by someone in a PRIUS who must have been going at least 90mph.

What?  Does he figure he'll still get 28mpg at that speed?

Chris

Do You See What I See?

Joh 9:41  Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist, 'We see,' your sin remains."

The man who was blind from birth was considered by the Pharisees to have been born in sin.  [cf 9:, where the disciples no doubt parroted the party line.]

Ironically, Jesus judges the Pharisees guilty because they claim they can see.  The problem for the Pharisees is that they really do SEE who Jesus is, but nevertheless reject Him as the Messiah.  If they were truly blinded, then Jesus would have mercy on them, but in asserting their self-righteousness, they themselves are rejected.  As Jesus said:

Mat 9:12  ..."Healthy people don't need a physician, but sick people do.
Mat 9:13  Go and learn what this means: 'I want mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners."

Chris

Mud: The Matrix of Life...

Joh 9:1  As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Joh 9:4  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Joh 9:6  Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud
Joh 9:7  and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
Joh 9:8  The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"
Joh 9:9  Some said, "It is he." Others said, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the man."
Joh 9:10  So they said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"
Joh 9:11  He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed and received my sight."
Joh 9:12  They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
Joh 9:13  They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.
Joh 9:14  Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.
Joh 9:15  So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."

As we were going through this passage in church this morning, I couldn't help but noticing the repetition John employed concerning Jesus healing the blind man.  As I pondered this God drew my thoughts to these verses:

Gen 2:6  and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground--
Gen 2:7  then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Although I realize that the verse says God formed the man from the DUST of the ground, I can't help but see that water was coming up from the land and watering the whole face of the ground.  In other words, it was wet.  In other, other, words...it was mud.

I don't think it is hard to see the point John is trying to make here in the context of the gospel he wrote:

This Jesus, the man who took the mud and healed the blind man was able to do this because the Jesus is also the GOD who took the mud and created man in the first place.

Chris

Resurrection Sunday!

(Mat 28:6 NASB) "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

[Romans 8:24,25] For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

It is ironic, I think, that it is only in looking back at what God accomplished this morning that we have any cause to look towards the future with confidence.

Jesus was not to be found in the tomb that morning!

Blessed be the day when ours are empty as well!

Chris

Form over Substance...

Php 2:5  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Php 2:6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Php 2:7  but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Php 2:8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

In the above passage, "form" in 2:6 and 2:7 is the translation of this word:

G3444
μορφή
morphē
mor-fay'
Perhaps from the base of G3313 (through the idea of adjustment of parts); shape; figuratively nature: - form.

Form is most accurately defined as what something really is.  In other words, Paul is saying Jesus was just like God and when he became a servant He really was a servant.

In contrast, "form" in 2:8 is translation of another word:

G4976
σχῆμα
schēma
skhay'-mah
From the alternate of G2192; a figure (as a mode or circumstance), that is, (by implication) external condition: - fashion.

Paul is saying that Jesus was a man because He looked like a man. 

So, to sum up, Jesus was God, He was man, and He LOOKED LIKE a man. 

How does this apply to this passage?

Luk 19:35  And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
Luk 19:36  And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.
Luk 19:37  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,
Luk 19:38  saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
Luk 19:39  And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
Luk 19:40  He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."
Luk 19:41  And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,

I believe it is rather simple:  Jesus had come to Jerusalem, not to free the Jews, kick out the Romans, and re-establish David's kingdom. 

Not at all.

He came to reestablish the "morphe" of the Kingdom of God to replace the "schema" with which the Jews seemed to be satisfied. 

You see, the Jews had the Temple, the Sanhedrin, the rabbis and the synagogues but they did not have the one thing that was really necessary:  They didn't have God.  They chose to have form over substance.  They had a false religion, really.  It looked like the Kingdom of God but the reality was that it was just a "schema" of the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus was not satisfied with this.  His intent was to put the "God" back into the Kingdom of God.  His intention was to make the Kingdom a REAL Kingdom, a "morphe" Kingdom, from its outward appearance all the way down to the very core of its being.

And that is exactly what He did. 

It is my hope, on this Palm Sunday, that you remember what Jesus did  and not settle for something in your life that just looks like the Kingdom of God.  I hope you have the real thing.

Chris

Humility...

Php 2:8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Since Jesus is the first of many brothers, it is extremely relevant to know what Paul means when he says Jesus humbled Himself.  Yes, it is true that sacrificing Himself on the Cross is the pinnacle of humility, but in terms of day to day life, what does humility mean?

Fortunately, the answer is simple.  Well, let me restate that.  It is simple to understand, difficult to carry out.  It is found in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount.

Here are a few examples:

Mat 5:11  "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Mat 5:12  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Notice the response is NOT to fight back, that would be the way of the flesh. 

Mat 5:39  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Mat 5:40  And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

Mat 5:41  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Mat 5:42  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Mat 5:43  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
Mat 5:44  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Mat 5:45  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

Do you know what makes this really hard?  Unlike most teachers down through the ages, Jesus actually practiced what He preached and demonstrated the righteousness of what He said.  And since He gives us the power to be like Him, He really does expect us to do the same.

Chris

Adopted...

Gal 4:5  to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

It's pretty ironic, I think, that Jesus, who provided the means for our adoption as Sons and Daughters of God...

Was Himself adopted by Joseph.

Chris

Made Nothing...

Php 2:6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Php 2:7  but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Php 2:8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

I had another point to make, but I just noticed something there in v7:

Jesus, in being made like us, was made nothing.

Takes care of my self centered worldview, that's for sure.

Chris

Whitewashed Tombs...

Mat 23:27  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28  So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

At the office where I work there was a, for lack of a better description, "office beautification" campaign.  One person decided that our building lacked a certain professionalism, appearance-wise, and so they sent out an email to that effect, calling it the "office challenge" to do what we could to spruce up our work areas in order to make a better impression on any visitors we might have.

Now, I agree that this was a good idea, because there is a certain quality of haphazardness to our office and the goal was worthy.  And the president of company agreed and sent out a company-wide email supporting this effort so I did my part and straightened up my area, as did everyone else.

Now, all this was well and good, but something happened during all this clean up work that is a perfect illustration of what Jesus is talking about in this passage. 

There is an area at the front of the building that is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door and it was a mess.  There were samples of the product we sell all over the place.  Quite frankly, it was a disaster.  So, this person who started the campaign went through this area, with some help, and completely cleaned up, taking everything out of the area and vacuuming the carpet.  Honestly, he did a great job and it looked awesome. 

There was only one problem:

He put all the stuff that he had cleaned up in the back hallway. 

For the past 2 months I have looked at the mess that used to be in the front which is now in the back, waiting for this person to finish the job...and it hasn't happened.  The "office beautification" campaign is history,[If you work in an office you know how these things work, if not, count yourself fortunate], and it probably never will get done. 

We recently had a cubical realignment and now the shortest distance from my cube to restroom is down that back hallway.  Every time I walk that way, I hear Jesus' words again, for it reminds me that my true righteousness, or lack thereof, is defined by what I have in MY back hallway.  It does me no good to clean up the lobby so that people THINK I am a good man...what matters God's evaluation of whether or not I AM a good man. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I know that there will always be stuff in my back hallway and I know that God's grace and the blood of Jesus covers that.  He is the one who saves me from this body of death.

I'm just not going to pretend like it's not there.

Chris