Overalls are Formal Wear; 1 Peter 3-5

May the mumbling commence!

You might be a redneck if you think overalls are formal wear! 

The Philips’ translation of First Peter chapter five talks about the “overall” of humility in serving each other.  Talk about the perfect advertisement for Osh-Kosh-B-Gosh!  Read the passage below:

You younger members must also submit to the elders. Indeed all of you should defer to one another and wear the "overall" of humility in serving each other. 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble'.

So, humble yourselves under God's strong hand, and in his own good time he will lift you up. You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern. (Verses 5-7)

Let us humble ourselves in overalls.  Yes, that clothing that is connected with the innocence of childhood and the hard work and patience of a farmer.  Put those overalls on, and don’t spare the suspenders!

The things that we wear under the overalls have much to do with deference.  That means not insisting on our own way.  What a novel and seldom used thought!  Pride can take a hike, while humility and grace can restore the chaotic mess to beautiful life.

And, when we humble ourselves, we count on God to lift us up.  Even as God lifts us, we will find our worries and anxieties melt into harmless puddles around our feet.  Did you know that you are God’s personal concern?  It’s true.

Let us revel in that wonderful Good News.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Spring Cleaning; 1 Peter 1-2

May the mumbling commence!

Time to clean out the closets!  Time to clean underneath the bed!  Time to sweep under the rugs as well!  Yes, it is time to be clean.  It is high time to welcome Christ transforming power into our lives.  Read from First Peter chapter one:

So brace up your minds, and, as men who know what they are doing, rest the full weight of your hopes on the grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ reveals himself. Live as obedient children before God. Don't let your character be molded by the desires of your ignorant days, but be holy in every department of your lives, for the one who has called you is himself holy. The scripture says: 'Be holy, for I am holy'. (Verses 13-16)

All our hopes and dreams are invested in Jesus.  Our hopes and dreams are well placed.  Fall totally into the arms of Jesus.

What does this look like?  We will live obedient lives – obedience toward God.  It means being holy in every department of our lives.

When I read this statement, I thought of fancy department stores that neatly compartmentalize our lives.  There is the wardrobe section and the kitchen section and the hardware section and the electronic section.  Never the twain shall meet.

God knows better.  Everything in our lives is interconnected.  Our very lives and relationships are interconnected.  We can truly claim to do very little (if anything on our own).  The same can be said of our failures.  We stand together, and we fall together.

It means cleaning out all the closets and glove compartments of our lives.  We need to clean out the physical ones and the spiritual ones and the attitudinal ones.  It is a spring cleaning with its roots in the resurrection of Christ – which we celebrate in the spring of the year.

Spring is lovely.  It is a time for new hope and new growth.  And this time is made possible by letting go of the things that die in the winter seasons of our lives.

Let us chase after God’s own heart.  Let us run the race to be holy, for our Lord is holy.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Pursue Godly Wisdom; James 2-4

May the mumbling commence!

Chasing the wisdom of humanity is useless.  Pursuing godly wisdom is another thing entirely.  Godly wisdom leads to life, while worldly wisdom leads to death.  Read from James chapter three:

Are there some wise and understanding men among you? Then your lives will be an example of the humility that is born of true wisdom. But if your heart is full of rivalry and bitter jealousy, then do not boast of your wisdom – don't deny the truth that you must recognize in your inmost heart. You may acquire a certain superficial wisdom, but it does not come from God – it comes from this world, from your own lower nature, even from the devil. For wherever you find jealousy and rivalry you also find disharmony and all other kinds of evil.

The wisdom that comes from God is first utterly pure, then peace-loving, gentle, approachable, full of tolerant thoughts and kindly actions, with no breath of favoritism or hint of hypocrisy. And the wise are peace-makers who go on quietly sowing for a harvest of righteousness – in other people and in themselves. (Verses13-18)

There are many things in this world that masquerade as wisdom but produce only rivalry and jealousy and arrogance.  These wisdoms are only superficial.  They do not come from God but from the world.  They promote the disharmony of the devil instead of the harmony of God.

Carefully examine anything that calls itself wisdom and promotes disharmony.  It is suspect.

True, godly wisdom has another MO.  Godly wisdom is pure, peace-loving, gentle, approachable, kindly, and righteous-seeking.  There is to be no favoritism or hypocrisy.  To obtain these attitudes, Christians must seek to see all issues from the perspective of the disadvantaged and the vulnerable.

Too often, the Scriptures are used by a dominate power to condone their own self-centered agendas.  Remember that Scriptures were once used to condone and even promote the institution of slavery.  Remember that Scriptures are often used to exclude women from church leadership positions.  Scriptures are also used to condone issues of racism and classism. 

When these things and things similar to them happen, Satan smiles.  We often create artificial divisions and pretend they are insurmountable.  But, what do they look like from God’s vantage point – the viewpoint of the vulnerable, the oppressed, and the disadvantaged?  We must answer this question together and include all perspectives.

Satan sees open and compassionate dialogue and trembles with fear.  Let us add our voices and stories.  Let us lend our ears to the voices and stories of others.

May it be so.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Father is Home; Hebrews 12-13

May the mumbling commence!

Wait till your father gets home!  These were the words that I dreaded to hear from my mother when I was a child.  My dad was the enforcer in the household.  I feared my father and the punishment that he would bring.  Read from Hebrews chapter twelve:

Bear what you have to bear as "chastening" – as God's dealing with you as sons. No true son ever grows up uncorrected by his father. For if you had no experience of the correction which all sons have to bear you might well doubt the legitimacy of your son ship. After all, when we were children we had fathers who corrected us, and we respected them for it. Can we not much more readily submit to a heavenly Father's discipline, and learn how to live? 

For our fathers used to correct us according to their own ideas during the brief days of childhood. But God corrects us all our days for our own benefit, to teach us his holiness. Now obviously no "chastening" seems pleasant at the time: it is in fact most unpleasant. Yet when it is all over we can see that is has quietly produced the fruit of real goodness in the characters of those who have accepted it in the right spirit. So take a fresh grip on life and brace your trembling limbs. Don't wander away from the path but forge steadily onward. On the right path the limping foot recovers strength and does not collapse. (Verses 7-13)

Faithful fathers chasten and correct their children so that the father’s ideas and beliefs are passed down to the children.  Now, I know there are a lot of deadbeat fathers out there – and even a few deadbeat mothers. 

For this reason, the men of the church must stand up and be accountable.  Whether or not you are a biological father, each and every grown man has a responsibility to help raise the children of the church.  And you grown women – you are no different.  Whether or not you are a biological mother, each and every grown woman has a responsibility to help raise the children of the church.

Is this chastening or correcting or discipline pleasant for the child?  No.  I remember having privileges taken away from me.  I also remember a sore bottom every now and again.  I remember growing up first thinking that my parents knew everything, then thinking my parents were clueless, and then finally realizing that they are quite smart.

If we can endure the human correction from our mothers and fathers in the faith, then why shouldn’t we be eager to accept the same from our heavenly Father?  When we learn from our heavenly Father’s discipline, we learn how to truly live.  We learn how to live and produce the fruit of real goodness.

Accept God’s correction with the right spirit – the right attitude, that of humility.  Trembling limbs will be braced.  The path ahead will become clear.  And our reasons for limping through this life will disappear into a sign of strength.

Yes, God is my shepherd.  And the rod and the staff of my Great Shepherd do comfort me.  They are used for my protection and my correction.  I find comfort in knowing that God cares for me – ALL THE TIME.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Direct Access; Hebrews 9-11

May the mumbling commence!

The curtain has been removed from the Holy of Holies.  Through Christ, we have direct access to the Lord.  As the gospels of Matthew (27:51) and Mark (15:38) tell us, when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Thank God for the work of Christ Jesus!  Read from Hebrews chapter ten:

So by virtue of the blood of Jesus, you and I, my brothers, may now have courage to enter the holy of holies by way of the one who died and is yet alive, who has made for us a holy means of entry by himself passing through the curtain, that is, his own human nature.

Further, since we have a great High Priest set over the household of God, let us draw near with true hearts and fullest confidence, knowing that our inmost souls have been purified by the sprinkling of his blood just as our bodies are cleansed by the washing of clean water.

In this confidence let us hold on to the hope that we profess without the slightest hesitation – for he is utterly dependable – and let us think of one another and how we can encourage each other to love and do good deeds. And let us not hold aloof from our church meetings, as some do. Let us do all we can to help one another's faith, and this the more earnestly as we see the final day drawing ever nearer. (Verses 19-25)

Let us enter the presence of God knowing that we have been purified inside and out by the blood of Christ.  Be confident together – with a confidence not based upon our own righteousness but upon the righteousness of Christ.  And acknowledge the reverent fear of a most holy and powerful Lord.

Hold onto Christ, who is utterly dependable.  Encourage one another with this truth.  Encourage one another to love everyone and to do good deeds.  And know that encouragement is amplified by the Holy Spirit through our church meetings.  This amplification is needed more and more each day as the final day (Christ’s return) draws nearer.

It was important in the days that this letter was written so long ago – imagine how much more important it is today!

Celebrate the work of Jesus.  Join hands together with other Christians and draw near to God.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Honoring our Melchizedek; Hebrews 6-8

May the mumbling commence!

Jesus and Melchizedek – they are greater than ancestry.  They go beyond the limits of time.  Read about the story of Melchizedek from Hebrews chapter seven:

Now this Melchizedek was, we know, king of Salem and priest of God most high. He met Abraham when the latter was returning from the defeat of the kings, and blessed him. Abraham gave him a tribute of a tenth part of all the spoils of battle. (Melchizedek means "king of righteousness," and his other title is "king of peace", for Salem means peace. He had no father or mother and no family tree. He was not born nor did he die, but, being like the Son of God, is a perpetual priest.) 

Now notice the greatness of this man. Even Abraham the patriarch pays him a tribute of a tenth part of the spoils. Further, we know that, according to the Law, the descendants of Levi who accept the office of priest have the right to demand a "tenth" from the people, that is from their brothers, despite the fact that the latter are descendants of Abraham. But here we have one who is quite independent of Levitical ancestry taking a "tenth" from Abraham, and giving a blessing to Abraham, the holder of God's promises! And no one can deny that the receiver of a blessing is inferior to the one who gives it. Again, in the one case it is mortal men who receive the "tenths", and in the other is one who, we are assured, is alive. One might say that even Levi, the proper receiver of "tenths", has paid his tenth to this man, for in a sense he already existed in the body of his father Abraham when Melchizedek met him. (Verses 1-10)

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace.  Melchizedek is called the king of peace.  And, as many peace advocates will tell you, there is no true peace unless there is righteousness.  Melchizedek’s name means king of righteousness.  Jesus is the only righteous One.

Melchizedek blessed Abraham and accepted the tenth from Abraham.  Greater blesses the lesser.  And we are talking about the father of all faithful Jews!  This story is truly recorded in Genesis – and it happened before the covenant of circumcision.  Indeed, it happened before Abram was given his new name Abraham.  Read the story from Genesis chapter fourteen:

After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth. 

And blessed be God Most High,

who delivered your enemies into your hand."

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 

The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." 

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'  I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me – to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." (Verses 17-24 – NIV)

 

Note that Melchizedek offers bread and wine!  Make you think of the elements of the Eucharist – of Communion?  It should.

Did you notice that Melchizedek blessed Abram before Abram gave him a tenth of everything?  God’s blessings on us are never wholly contingent on our offerings to Him. 

Did you notice that Abram gave a tenth to Melchizedek without being prompted?  He did.

And, did you notice how Abram responded to the request of the human king?  He denied that wealth and riches could come from anywhere other than the Lord! 

May we be as firm and as generous as we offer our lives to Jesus – our Melchizedek, our Prince of Peace!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

Jesus Understands; Hebrews 3-5

May the mumbling commence!

Ever go before a judge who has no idea what your life is like?  Ever go before a minister who has no idea what your life is like?  If so, give thanks. 

Why?  Give thanks for the great High Priest that is available to us.  Jesus lived as a man and knows all the temptations that this world brings – yet he never sinned.  Read from Hebrews chapter four:

Seeing that we have a great High Priest who has entered the inmost Heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to our faith. For we have no superhuman High Priest to whom our weaknesses are unintelligible – he himself has shared fully in all our experience of temptation, except that he never sinned.

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence, that we may receive mercy for our failures and grace to help in the hour of need. (Verses 14-16)

Jesus is no superhuman being.  Jesus is no extraterrestrial.  Jesus is God’s Word made flesh.  And, what power there is in God’s speech!  Though Jesus is neither superhuman (Can I hear a Superman?!?) nor an extraterrestrial (ET phone home!), he has the power to resist temptation – ALL THE TIME.  Yet temptations he did face.

Jesus has a good idea what your life is like.  He lived it.  He understands.  And he still loves you and invites you to approach the throne of grace, where he abides. 

Know that you will receive mercy for failures.  You needn’t have had a good month or so – or even a week or a day.  It is mercy – given without regard to our righteousness.  It is grace to have a rightful relationship restored with our Lord.

And come with the fullest confidence.  Our High Priest waits patiently.  Our pastors and ministers and reverends and Christian brothers and sisters often wait patiently alongside the great High Priest – Jesus the Christ.

Receive mercy for your failures.  Receive grace in your time of need.  I know you can.  I did.  There’s no line or automated call center.  Jesus is ready for you 24/7.

If you are ready to approach the great High Priest, then do so.  And find your new family.  You’ve been adopted.  Find a church body to worship and grow with.  With the grace and mercy of God, you’ll never regret it.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out