I love the Wednesday Night Group. We're "A small group of Jesus' disciples encouraging one another as we learn what it means to follow Him." Our core Bible verse is Acts 2:42, "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."
The group has been meeting in different forms and different places for over twenty-five years. The past thirteen years we have been meeting in my house. I shepherd the group now. Before me it was Joe G. Before him it was John and Stephanie. Before them it was Pastor Joe. The Lord always provides the leadership we need.
It started out as a prayer meeting. It eventually became a church Bible study. Today it is a fellowship that is not tied to any one church. Many different churches are represented there.
Over the years many folks have come and gone. People come for a season and then leave. On occasion one of the original members still pays us a visit. The group has had as many as twenty members at one time and as little as six. The numbers don't matter to me.
We study the Scriptures. As far as I know none of the current members is seminary trained. We rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our study. If there is error in our understanding I believe the Spirit can lead us to truth. I am more than willing to seek the wisdom of others outside the group.
We are in fellowship together. I always thought of fellowship as a social gathering. I recently learned that it is more like a working together for a common purpose, a communion, partners with Jesus.
One of my favorite things to do with the group is breaking bread together. Yeah, eating together is great. It is a time of openness and honesty. I think we tend to drop our defenses when we gather to eat. We laugh a lot too!
Praying for one another is extremely important. We need to lift each other up in prayer. I try to encourage that more than anything else. I have to be honest though, it is difficult.
Why should I think that anyone would even care about all this? Frankly? I don't know. I guess that I hope it encourages you. The group was started by the Lord and it is sustained by Him.
The Wednesday Night Group is a part of the Body."Church" isn't just on Sunday morning. It is not one denomination over another. The church is the Body of Christ. It is the "saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus." (Eph.1:2 RSV) Stop in for a visit, stay a while if you like. God bless y'all real good.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
MARY
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: "Behold the virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
I never gave Mary a lot of thought until I saw the movie, "The Nativity Story". Now, I think of her often. For me, the Christmas story will now have a new dimension to it.
Her life from the time of the angel's visit to the Day of Pentecost was bittersweet. She was truly blessed. In Luke 1:48 she says, "For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." Yet Simeon in Luke 2:35 says to her, "yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also".
Imagine how Mary felt when after the angel's visit she goes to see her relative Elizabeth and hears, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" Mary responds with what is referred to as "the Magnificant", beginning with the words, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." (Luke 1:46-56) Imagine now, after three months with Elizabeth, she goes home to face her parents (I am assuming this. It is not in Scripture.) and/or Joseph. By this time her pregnancy is beginning to show. How do you think the news was received knowing the penalty for adultery? It took an angel to convince Joseph to take Mary as his wife. Her life was spared.
There is so much to consider. The words of the shepherds that she pondered in her heart. The blessing of Simeon. The Feast of the Passover when Jesus was twelve years old where He turns up missing. His response when asked where He was, "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" The wedding feast in Cana. How about her confusion when she hears Jesus ask, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"
Did you ever see the scene from "The Passion" when Jesus falls under the weight of the cross? www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZeN6kdgM2Y (Copy and paste) I sob like a child when I watch this. Mary was there to witness the crucifixion of her Son.
It doesn't end there. Where was she when He rose from the grave? She was with John (John 19:27). She was in the upper room with the disciples (Acts 1:14). Based on that, I'm going to assume she was present on the Day of Pentecost. This must have been a time of great joy for her!
In my Wednesday Night Group blog, referring to the Book of Acts, I wrote the following:
"One thing I would like to note is the presence of Jesus' mother, Mary, in chapter one. She has been a part of God's plan and a witness from the visit by the angel (announcing the birth of Jesus) to the birth of the church (the body of Christ). There was obviously much pain involved but she was truly blessed. She was chosen by the Father, gave birth to the Son, and witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit."
I have a new found admiration for Mary. She must have been a very strong women. Her life shows me that obedience to the Lord is far from easy but it is a blessing. Her life was a roller coaster of emotion. Should mine be any different? God bless y'all real good.
I never gave Mary a lot of thought until I saw the movie, "The Nativity Story". Now, I think of her often. For me, the Christmas story will now have a new dimension to it.
Her life from the time of the angel's visit to the Day of Pentecost was bittersweet. She was truly blessed. In Luke 1:48 she says, "For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." Yet Simeon in Luke 2:35 says to her, "yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also".
Imagine how Mary felt when after the angel's visit she goes to see her relative Elizabeth and hears, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" Mary responds with what is referred to as "the Magnificant", beginning with the words, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." (Luke 1:46-56) Imagine now, after three months with Elizabeth, she goes home to face her parents (I am assuming this. It is not in Scripture.) and/or Joseph. By this time her pregnancy is beginning to show. How do you think the news was received knowing the penalty for adultery? It took an angel to convince Joseph to take Mary as his wife. Her life was spared.
There is so much to consider. The words of the shepherds that she pondered in her heart. The blessing of Simeon. The Feast of the Passover when Jesus was twelve years old where He turns up missing. His response when asked where He was, "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" The wedding feast in Cana. How about her confusion when she hears Jesus ask, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"
Did you ever see the scene from "The Passion" when Jesus falls under the weight of the cross? www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZeN6kdgM2Y (Copy and paste) I sob like a child when I watch this. Mary was there to witness the crucifixion of her Son.
It doesn't end there. Where was she when He rose from the grave? She was with John (John 19:27). She was in the upper room with the disciples (Acts 1:14). Based on that, I'm going to assume she was present on the Day of Pentecost. This must have been a time of great joy for her!
In my Wednesday Night Group blog, referring to the Book of Acts, I wrote the following:
"One thing I would like to note is the presence of Jesus' mother, Mary, in chapter one. She has been a part of God's plan and a witness from the visit by the angel (announcing the birth of Jesus) to the birth of the church (the body of Christ). There was obviously much pain involved but she was truly blessed. She was chosen by the Father, gave birth to the Son, and witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit."
I have a new found admiration for Mary. She must have been a very strong women. Her life shows me that obedience to the Lord is far from easy but it is a blessing. Her life was a roller coaster of emotion. Should mine be any different? God bless y'all real good.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Heaven Invades Earth
Ah yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year. Not because of kids jingle-belling,
much mistletoe-ing, or scary ghost stories, but because we remember the time when Heaven invaded Earth. Heaven invading Earth...I've heard that before. However it never struck me as it did this past Wednesday at our group meeting.
Since it's the Christmas season I asked the members of our group to come to our meeting with a memory, song, or Bible verse that helps them focus on why we celebrate. Mine comes from "Charlie Brown Christmas", it's Linus' speech. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZw06AbW6Vw)
His speech is based on Luke 2:8-20.It reads, " And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."
While I was reading this verse, I was reminded of Revelation 4:6-11. It reads,
"And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!"
And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
"Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created."
This is where I thought about the term "Heaven invades Earth". The glory of heaven is seen in the earthly realm! THE GLORY OF HEAVEN IS SEEN IN THE EARTHLY REALM!! That just blew me away! Can you imagine what it must have been like for the shepherds to witness such glory? ANGELS! HEAVENLY HOSTS!
Even more they were announcing the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord! Emanuel! God with us! Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Everlasting Father! Prince of Peace! The Word had become flesh and was going to dwell with mankind! HEAVEN INVADES EARTH!
The Creator of the world enters the world not like a conquering king but as a humble servant. Phillipians 2:5-11 says, " Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The invasion was a mission of mercy. God sacrificing His Son. (Isaiah 53:5 says he was crushed for our iniquities.) But it doesn't end there. Romans 10:10 says, "For the death He died he died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives he lives to God." It sounds horrible. How can a loving God choose to redeem us that way? Hebrews 12:2 says, "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY (emphasis mine) that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
The Savior of the earth is born in a manger not a palace. Who are one of the first to see Him? Shepherds... not kings... not royalty... not rulers of nations... humble shepherds. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says, " Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God." I am humbled.
Merry Christmas. God bless y'all real good.
much mistletoe-ing, or scary ghost stories, but because we remember the time when Heaven invaded Earth. Heaven invading Earth...I've heard that before. However it never struck me as it did this past Wednesday at our group meeting.
Since it's the Christmas season I asked the members of our group to come to our meeting with a memory, song, or Bible verse that helps them focus on why we celebrate. Mine comes from "Charlie Brown Christmas", it's Linus' speech. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZw06AbW6Vw)
His speech is based on Luke 2:8-20.It reads, " And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."
While I was reading this verse, I was reminded of Revelation 4:6-11. It reads,
"And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!"
And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
"Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created."
This is where I thought about the term "Heaven invades Earth". The glory of heaven is seen in the earthly realm! THE GLORY OF HEAVEN IS SEEN IN THE EARTHLY REALM!! That just blew me away! Can you imagine what it must have been like for the shepherds to witness such glory? ANGELS! HEAVENLY HOSTS!
Even more they were announcing the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord! Emanuel! God with us! Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Everlasting Father! Prince of Peace! The Word had become flesh and was going to dwell with mankind! HEAVEN INVADES EARTH!
The Creator of the world enters the world not like a conquering king but as a humble servant. Phillipians 2:5-11 says, " Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The invasion was a mission of mercy. God sacrificing His Son. (Isaiah 53:5 says he was crushed for our iniquities.) But it doesn't end there. Romans 10:10 says, "For the death He died he died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives he lives to God." It sounds horrible. How can a loving God choose to redeem us that way? Hebrews 12:2 says, "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY (emphasis mine) that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
The Savior of the earth is born in a manger not a palace. Who are one of the first to see Him? Shepherds... not kings... not royalty... not rulers of nations... humble shepherds. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says, " Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God." I am humbled.
Merry Christmas. God bless y'all real good.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Out Of Their Sight and Control
In the introduction to The Message Bible we read, "The Message was paraphrased over a period of ten years, straight from the Bible's original languages (Greek and Hebrew). The idea of The Message isn't to water down the Bible, making it easier to digest. The idea is to make it readable - to put those ancient words that their users spoke and wrote every day into words that you speak and write everyday."
I guess I felt the need to write that because I enjoy quoting The Message Bible. It is truly readable. I like to use it occasionally at our Wednesday Night Group meetings. It is there that we have been looking at John chapters 13-17 and having completed that moved on to Isaiah.
In John 16:8-11, the Message Bible reads, "When he comes, he'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He'll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted."
In Isaiah 1:26, the Message Bible reads, "God's right ways will put Zion right again. God's right actions will restore her penitents."
The phrases "out of their sight and control" and "God's right actions will restore her penitents" jumped out at me like a cat pouncing on an unsuspecting mouse. They are added in the Message Bible translation to aid in understanding the verses. However, they speak to me in my understanding of God and His work.
In Genesis 3:22-24 (ESV) we read, "Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life."
Because of sin man would have to die. God didn't want man to live forever in his fallen state. He had a plan, a plan to redeem man. It was totally His idea. The work of redemption happened outside of man.
Isaiah 53: 10-12 says, "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors."
God's plan was to send His Son to be the suffering servant, to "bear their iniquities". Again God even provides the sacrifice, just as He provided a lamb for Abraham before he was about to offer up his son Isaac. (Genesis 22)
We are justified by faith (Romans 4). Romans 3:27 asks, "Then what becomes of our boasting?" There is no boasting! There can't be! We had nothing to do with it!
Romans 5:6-11 says "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation., "
Can you see why those words, "out of their sight and control" and "God's right actions will restore her penitents" jumped out at me? Salvation, redemption was God's idea. It was His plan. It was done out of our sight and control. It was God's right actions that restored us. That just blows me away. God bless y'all real good.
I guess I felt the need to write that because I enjoy quoting The Message Bible. It is truly readable. I like to use it occasionally at our Wednesday Night Group meetings. It is there that we have been looking at John chapters 13-17 and having completed that moved on to Isaiah.
In John 16:8-11, the Message Bible reads, "When he comes, he'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He'll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted."
In Isaiah 1:26, the Message Bible reads, "God's right ways will put Zion right again. God's right actions will restore her penitents."
The phrases "out of their sight and control" and "God's right actions will restore her penitents" jumped out at me like a cat pouncing on an unsuspecting mouse. They are added in the Message Bible translation to aid in understanding the verses. However, they speak to me in my understanding of God and His work.
In Genesis 3:22-24 (ESV) we read, "Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life."
Because of sin man would have to die. God didn't want man to live forever in his fallen state. He had a plan, a plan to redeem man. It was totally His idea. The work of redemption happened outside of man.
Isaiah 53: 10-12 says, "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors."
God's plan was to send His Son to be the suffering servant, to "bear their iniquities". Again God even provides the sacrifice, just as He provided a lamb for Abraham before he was about to offer up his son Isaac. (Genesis 22)
We are justified by faith (Romans 4). Romans 3:27 asks, "Then what becomes of our boasting?" There is no boasting! There can't be! We had nothing to do with it!
Romans 5:6-11 says "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation., "
Can you see why those words, "out of their sight and control" and "God's right actions will restore her penitents" jumped out at me? Salvation, redemption was God's idea. It was His plan. It was done out of our sight and control. It was God's right actions that restored us. That just blows me away. God bless y'all real good.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Can You Make The Connection?
I'm at a loss for words. I have a severe case of writer's block. Maybe you can help me.
I'm going to list some things that I've been reading and contemplating. I know it all fits together but I can't put it into words. That's where you come in.
2 Corinthians 11:21-30 says, " But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying."
From the "faith" chapter, Hebrews 11:32-38, "And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy— wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."
In the article, "A Jesus Manifesto For The 21st Century Church", Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola write:
"Jesus Christ cannot be separated from His teachings. Aristotle says to his disciples, "Follow my teachings." Socrates says to his disciples, Follow my teachings." Buddha says to his disciples, "Follow my meditations." Confucius says to his disciples, Follow my sayings." Muhammad says to his disciples, "Follow my noble pillars." Jesus says to His disciples"Follow me." In all other religions, a follower can follow the teachings of it's founder without having a relationship with that founder. Not so with Jesus Christ. The teachings of Jesus cannot be separated from Jesus himself. Jesus Christ is still alive and he embodies his teachings. It is a profound mistake, therefore, to treat Christ as simply the founder of a set of moral, ethical, or social teaching. The Lord Jesus and His teaching are one. The Medium and the Message are One. Christ is the incarnation of the Kingdom of God and the Sermon on the Mount."
Roger Thoman writes in his review of Steve Addison's book, "Movements That Change the World":
"The Baptists and the Methodists developed strategies that made it easy for gifted and committed laypeople to take up leadership and go where the people and the opportunities were. Deployment was rapid because very little upfront investment of resources and education was required. Methodist preachers, many of whom were teenagers, were trained on the job as “apprentices” by more experienced workers. They were expected to be continually studying as they traveled. They practiced lifelong learning and graduated the day they died."
In the book, "The Forgotten Ways", Alan Hirsch writes:
"The explicit aim of the Cultural Revolution was to obliterate Christianity (and all religion) from China. At the end of the reign of Mao and his system in the late seventies, and the subsequent lifting of the so-called Bamboo Curtain in the early eighties, foreign missionaries and church officials were allowed back in the country, albeit under strict supervision. They expected to find the church decimated and the disciples a weak and battered people. On the contrary, they discovered that Christianity had flourished beyond all imagination. The estimates then were about 60 million Christians in China, and counting! And it has grown significantly since then. David Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine, suggests in his book "Jesus in Beijing" that Christians may number as many as 80 million. If anything, in the Chinese phenomenon we are witnessing the most significant transformational Christian movement in the history of the church. And remember, not unlike the early church, these people had very few Bibles (At times they shared only one page to a house church and then swapped that page with another house group). They had no professional clergy, no official leadership structures, no central organization, no mass meetings, and yet they grew like mad. How is this possible? How did they do it?"
Let me close with Scripture. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not us."
Can you connect all this information? If so, let me know what you come up with. If not, I hope that the Lord uses a portion to bless you, encourage you, and help you to grow. God bless y'all real good.
I'm going to list some things that I've been reading and contemplating. I know it all fits together but I can't put it into words. That's where you come in.
2 Corinthians 11:21-30 says, " But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying."
From the "faith" chapter, Hebrews 11:32-38, "And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy— wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."
In the article, "A Jesus Manifesto For The 21st Century Church", Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola write:
"Jesus Christ cannot be separated from His teachings. Aristotle says to his disciples, "Follow my teachings." Socrates says to his disciples, Follow my teachings." Buddha says to his disciples, "Follow my meditations." Confucius says to his disciples, Follow my sayings." Muhammad says to his disciples, "Follow my noble pillars." Jesus says to His disciples"Follow me." In all other religions, a follower can follow the teachings of it's founder without having a relationship with that founder. Not so with Jesus Christ. The teachings of Jesus cannot be separated from Jesus himself. Jesus Christ is still alive and he embodies his teachings. It is a profound mistake, therefore, to treat Christ as simply the founder of a set of moral, ethical, or social teaching. The Lord Jesus and His teaching are one. The Medium and the Message are One. Christ is the incarnation of the Kingdom of God and the Sermon on the Mount."
Roger Thoman writes in his review of Steve Addison's book, "Movements That Change the World":
"The Baptists and the Methodists developed strategies that made it easy for gifted and committed laypeople to take up leadership and go where the people and the opportunities were. Deployment was rapid because very little upfront investment of resources and education was required. Methodist preachers, many of whom were teenagers, were trained on the job as “apprentices” by more experienced workers. They were expected to be continually studying as they traveled. They practiced lifelong learning and graduated the day they died."
In the book, "The Forgotten Ways", Alan Hirsch writes:
"The explicit aim of the Cultural Revolution was to obliterate Christianity (and all religion) from China. At the end of the reign of Mao and his system in the late seventies, and the subsequent lifting of the so-called Bamboo Curtain in the early eighties, foreign missionaries and church officials were allowed back in the country, albeit under strict supervision. They expected to find the church decimated and the disciples a weak and battered people. On the contrary, they discovered that Christianity had flourished beyond all imagination. The estimates then were about 60 million Christians in China, and counting! And it has grown significantly since then. David Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine, suggests in his book "Jesus in Beijing" that Christians may number as many as 80 million. If anything, in the Chinese phenomenon we are witnessing the most significant transformational Christian movement in the history of the church. And remember, not unlike the early church, these people had very few Bibles (At times they shared only one page to a house church and then swapped that page with another house group). They had no professional clergy, no official leadership structures, no central organization, no mass meetings, and yet they grew like mad. How is this possible? How did they do it?"
Let me close with Scripture. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not us."
Can you connect all this information? If so, let me know what you come up with. If not, I hope that the Lord uses a portion to bless you, encourage you, and help you to grow. God bless y'all real good.
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