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“To whom can you compare God?
What image can you find to resemble him? Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?” [Isaiah 40:18-19 NLT]
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Collaborative community
As I have mentioned before, it is an incredible honor to be a part of God’s collaborative, redeemed community. The interaction with the saints sharpens me every day.
Recently, I have been preaching through a study of the kings of Judah. Learning from them requires an appreciation of history – a humbling process that our generational hubris renders rather difficult. Wonderfully, a great many have blessed me with wonderfully wise notes during this study.
A couple of the excellent letters:
Wayne, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your study so far! Here’s a great quote from Dr. James Allman (OT Professor at DTS. This quote was a mantra that he beat into us repeatedly (followed by some of his commentary):
“What God has done in the past is a model and a promise of what He’ll do in the future. If God provided my needs this month, then I can count on Him next month. God will test you uniquely according to the need that you have and according to the purpose that God has for you. He will test you uniquely, but He will test you. And you need to know desperately, you desperately need to know what God has done in the past. It’s both a model and a promise of what He will do in the future, though He’s too creative to do the same thing the same way every time.”
Wayne, re: your point about God’s description of idols, Isaiah 40:9-20 (particularly in the NLT) really hammers the absurdity of it. Reading that I am astounded by my own continuing tendency to revert to my idols of food, wealth, self-sufficiency, etc. (yes, sadly, there are more.)
I pray these comments motivate you as well and help each of us respectfully take a seat at the feet of kings.
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August 3, 2017 | Learning From The Past
July 20, 2017 | At The Feet Of Kings
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“He [Jotham] did what was right in the Lord’s sight as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter the Lord’s sanctuary.”
[2 Chronicles 27:2 HCSB]
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Learn from history
The history of Judah’s kings teaches many important lessons, including one overpowering theme: those who understand the past can prosper. Some people learn from the past and God’s Word. They break the negative cycles they inherit while keeping all the good. Others refuse to learn and stay in the evil rut.
With that in mind, ask yourself this: What will my own story be? Will it be a sad history – similar to failures like Judah’s king Zedekiah? Or will my life history be a beautiful picture of His story? Will my life canvas be waterlogged and stained, or will it show the touch of the Master’s hand?
Those are our only choices. One cannot sit on the fence. Zedekiah is the perfect example. As you study him you see a man who actually meant well, but didn’t learn the lessons of history. Zed had the best kingly dad in Judean history (Josiah), along with the wonderful prophet Jeremiah right at his elbow wanting to guide him…but he didn’t listen! All the great background in the world doesn’t ensure anything unless you learn yourself. It doesn’t matter that you have wonderful parents and a great church if you don’t learn yourself.
Likewise, it doesn’t matter how bad your background or how heavy your baggage! King Jotham came from a long line of pride, yet he became an awesome cycle-breaker! Jotham’s life became a shining example of God’s story unfolding.
What will it be for each of us? Zed or Jo? Sad history or His story?
At the feet of kings
If you would like more background on Judah’s kings, the link below will take you to my personal study notes.
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July 13, 2017 | Cycle Breaking
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“He [Jotham] did what was right in the Lord’s sight as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter the Lord’s sanctuary.”
[2 Chronicles 27:2 HCSB]
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Cycle breaking
Borrowing from a tradition as old as Plutarch (ca. 100 A.D.), I recently taught a lesson comparing two men: Jotham and Zedekiah. Each was a king of Judah. Jotham kept the good traits of his ancestors while eliminating the bad. Where his grandfather and father had unrighteously played at being their own priests, Jotham eschewed the sins of his fathers. Zedekiah was the opposite story. He had an incredible father in Josiah, greatest of all ancient kings. Yet Zedekiah rejected the positives of his ancestors and absorbed so many negatives from the world around him that even his well-intentioned efforts turned evil.
Working through the implications for my own life, I was blessed by insights in some letters I received. Here are a couple:
When you described Jotham you said, “This king was a cycle-breaker.” Amen! That is similar to the life of biblical Noah – the first in a new line of people, one who was not perverse and listened to God. It is why we named our son Noah, hoping the same for him.
Amazingly, I read the broad outline of my life story in Zedekiah and Jotham. I am from a godly line on my mother’s side that goes back as far as they can be traced, at least the 1600s. But, although I was brought up in this atmosphere and churched, I turned my back on it by the time I had been out of college for a few years. I instead embarked on a life of self’-fulfillment and achievement, which I now see as a terrible waste of 20 plus years, even though I succeeded in worldly terms. Thankfully, the Lord didn’t turn his back on me and in my early forties he brought me to faith in Christ and gave me a desire to follow him. I also developed a renewed appreciation for my heritage in a Christian family. More than that, God freed me from the alcoholism and sexual immorality sins of my father that destroyed his marriage to my mother and destroyed him physically (he died of throat cancer at 53).
May we also live Noahic lives! May each of us learn from the good and reject the bad. Amen!
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July 6, 2017 | Why Study Titus?
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“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order.”
[Titus 1:5 ESV]
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Premise
I just completed a wonderful journey teaching through Titus. I had never done so in a church setting, and the results were wonderful. I highly recommend that each person study this powerful little letter.
As you surely know, it’s hard for Christians to stay on track, following Jesus every day. This world can be a tough place for Christians and their churches – and not only because of “Cretan” societies. The cretin in the mirror is a mess as well. Thankfully, God engages with His people to meet our needs and prosper us in Christ. Titus shows that He especially does this through sound doctrine lived out in good deeds.
David Campbell’s excellent analysis captures this premise:
There were things ‘unfinished’ in the first century Cretan church where Titus served and as we read through the letter we discover what they were. They have a familiar ring to them. They are the very things that need to be addressed in our churches today. But there is so much more to the letter than a mere list of things that needed to be tackled. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the Apostle Paul explains why they are to be tackled and how they are to be tackled and by whom. In doing so he gives inspired guidance for churches in all ages as each faces its own unfinished task.
– David Campbell, Opening Up Titus
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June 29, 2017 | Citizenship
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“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities,
to obey, to be ready for every good work,
to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind,
always showing gentleness to all people.”
[Titus 3:1-2 HCSB]
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Citizens of civility
Titus 3 calls for Christians to be civil citizens. As we watch violence and intimidation tactics take over our culture, God’s words in Titus 3 serve as an important touchstone. We must not fight fire with fire, leaving everyone burned. As Trevin Wax recently wrote on The Gospel Coalition site:
The idea that violence is the way to “beat some sense into someone” is a mark of tyranny, not freedom. Whenever you see it, whether advocated by people on the Right or the Left, you must call it out and resist it openly and urgently. There is no room for partisanship on this question; it is every American’s patriotic duty to oppose any justification for violence against one’s political opponent. If [Charles] Murray is correct that we have reached an inflection point, then we should do whatever we can to strengthen the pillars of our civilization. Freedom is a fragile thread that can unravel faster than any of us think.
In another very insightful recent article, philosopher Peter Burfeind relates that only the Christian ethos of loving one’s neighbor can save us from the modern Gnosticism of incivility justified by “a greater cause.” He summarizes: “Until we begin seeing each other as our flesh and blood neighbors with names and not through the archetypical lenses of media, the political violence will only heighten.” You can access his full column here:
The bottom line is that you and I must lead the way. The only hope for a culture intent on tearing itself apart is found in Christians setting the tone of civility.
Submit and pray
Further, God calls Christians to submit to and pray for secular authorities. It’s a theme throughout the Bible, and especially in Paul’s writings. Pastor Raphael Cruz summarizes Paul nicely:
The officials we elect act as gatekeepers for our country. According to 1 Timothy 2…[and Romans 12-13], our prayers for our leaders lead to godliness and reverence, and ultimately open the way for God’s truth to be made known.
– Raphael Cruz, A Time for Action, p. 131
But, one may wonder, what about oppressive, corrupt, or persecuting governments? Such was surely on Paul’s mind, especially as he wrote to Crete, where procurator corruption was notorious. Martin Luther also dealt with persecution, and I think he captured the ethos of Paul and all scripture quite well. Luther said:
God has ordained the two governments: the spiritual, which by the Holy Spirit under Christ makes Christians…and the secular, which…extends no farther than to life and property and what is external upon earth. We are to be subject to governmental power and do what it bids, as long as it does not bind our conscience but legislates only concerning outward matters…But if it invades the spiritual domain and constrains the conscience, over which God only must preside and rule, we should not obey it at all but rather lose our necks. Temporal authority and government extend no further than to matters which are external and corporeal.
– Martin Luther, “The Two Kingdoms,” 1528 sermon in Marburg
Thus, Christians are not to violate scripture. We are zealous to change human governments when those rulers exceed their authority, and even willing to die rather than violate God’s Word. Yet when the government is within the rule of law and not commanding God’s people to violate God’s higher law, we must submit and obey – even when they keep raising your taxes.
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June 22, 2017 | Above Reproach
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“In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.”
[Titus 2:6-8 HCSB]
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Above reproach
Above reproach – that is the biblical calling. It means that in behavior and speaking, a Christian cannot be successfully accused. This standard is why I manuscript ever message and have a team review all my speaking. “Above reproach” is why I never meet alone with any female not named Janna Braudrick and why our current U.S. Vice President has the same policy (though in his case, the lady is named Pence, not Braudrick.) Of course, the world doesn’t understand and chooses to see such wisdom as restrictive. They are so misguided! Being above reproach is freeing, rescuing one’s life from the possibility of scandal. It is also appropriate, an expression of one’s reality in relationship with God and (if married) with one’s spouse.
Samuel James wrote an excellent summary 2 ½ years before Mike Pence made the news for not eating alone with another woman:
Biblically, the primary relational obligations of a husband and wife are to each other first, preempting other relational obligations. This doesn’t undermine biblical community but instead forms the basis of it by privileging the one interpersonal relationship that in its very existence portrays the Gospel. Marriage is not something in which individuals gain membership but a spiritual reality that transforms individuals into a mysterious one-flesh union, a union that is in its very nature different than and relationally primary to all other relationships.
Protecting and honoring that marital relationship mirrors the Tri-unity of God. Men and women, being above reproach doesn’t mean people won’t attack you. It means those attacks will be shameful and easily proven meritless. Being above reproach doesn’t remove temptation. It does put us squarely in the place where victory is found – an honest recognition of both our weakness and God’s strength.
Billy Graham rule
The practice of not being solo with one not in your family often goes by the name “the Billy Graham rule.” It’s based on a 1948 decision by the Graham team in Modesto, California. They called it the “Modesto Manifesto.” I recommend you partake in a little research on the Modesto Manifesto. It’s easy to look up and the background is informative.
In the aftermath of the Pence brouhaha, the best analysis I read was by Kelly King. Kelly, head of women’s ministries for LifeWay, is a very talented thinker and writer, and I highly recommend her regular columns. (The simplest connection may be to follow her on Twitter @kellydking.) Here is a summary of her post “Why I agree with the Billy Graham Rule:”
1. If you are married, adopting this policy shows respect for your husband and respect for your relationship.
2. We are all vulnerable to temptation.
3. Affairs don’t happen overnight.
4. Christians are told to not give the appearance of wrongdoing.
5. Not being above reproach can hurt your testimony and how the world sees the church.
6. The rule is easy to keep when it is part of the workplace policies.
7. What if you’re single? If you are single and you are dating someone, there are going to be times when you are alone with that person…If you are single, it is safe to say that you should never dine or travel with a married adult.
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