November 14, 2013 | Beep! Beep!

  

“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin.” (Romans 7:7 ESV)

 
 

Purpose of the Law

I have an Orthodox Jewish friend in Israel, Moshe of Jerusalem. I once asked Moshe to describe his understanding of the Mosaic Law’s purpose. I was expecting him to relate the typical Jewish answer that the Law makes you holy. He surprised me instead with a brilliant response: “The law draws me closer to a holy God who makes me holy. The Law does not make me holy, but it shows my need for God.”

When I opened my Bible and showed Moshe Romans 7:7, he read it, smiled, and said, “Rabbi Saul/Paul was very wise. Most Jews and Christians don’t understand this.”

Don’t look down!

As a kid, I absolutely lived for the Bugs Bunny cartoons on Saturday mornings. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed this note that came after we studied Romans 7 at our church:

While listening to your excellent explanation of Romans 7, I was struck by a memory from cartoons I’d watched as a kid. Specifically, I thought of the Looney Tunes scene where one of the characters (e.g., Wile E. Coyote) would walk off a cliff and keep on walking on air. That experience would be spoiled when his nemesis provided him with a book or sign informing him about the law of gravity. Only then did he realize that what he was doing wasn’t right; at which point his transgression would send him plummeting to the ground in what would (outside of the cartoon world, at least) result in certain death. Thinking about this, I stumbled on a page of TV tropes titled, “Gravity is a Harsh Mistress.” Look what it said about Romans 7 and Saturday morning cartoons…

“The trope [“Gravity is a harsh mistress”] is named for a line in The Tick (who complains about gravity working all too well, at the time.) The author may or may not have stolen it from an earlier Garfield strip, which itself is a riff on the title of the novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein, and where varying gravity is an important plot point. Which is in turn a play on the sailors’ saying ‘The sea is a harsh mistress.’ Which probably goes back to The Bible ‘The Law is a harsh master (Romans 7, 1-6).'”

So cool! I of course replied, “Beep! Beep!” [Which translated means, “It’s great to grow up with you in Christ!”]
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October 24, 2013 | I Get It!

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.”

(Philippians 1:3 NASB)
 

Thank you!

Have I mentioned lately what an incredible honor it is to learn scripture with you? Growing in Jesus with His redeemed community is heady and sweet. Thank you for sharing the journey!

Recently I taught the intricate scripture in Romans 5, where the message of grace beautifully shines through a remarkable combination of Hebrew repetitive comparison and Greco-Roman pith. Verse 17 is indicative:

            For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17 NASB)

In response, I received some marvelous notes. Here are a few:

I get it!

Pastor Wayne, I was so captivated by the message God gave you today that I wanted to hastily make my way to the stage while you were praying so I could deliver my testimony and share that I get it – I GET IT – I should be living like I am blessed with the TOTALLY FREE, FULL AND CLEAR, NO STRINGS ATTACHED grace given to me IN SPITE OF MYSELF, and that regardless of how bad I have been, HIS grace is greater still.  (Of course, the extreme introvert in me reminded me that I have been a recluse far longer than I have known of my desperate need for grace, so going on stage won’t be happenin’! )

My thoughts were swirling as I tried to really grasp that concept, and I SO wish I could come back each night this week to hear a continuation of the message in hopes that it could really sink in; that is, in such a way that I cannot lose it again; that I cannot talk myself out of it; that will allow me to lose this suitcase of guilt and fear to which I am chained.  Although I managed to crawl out of that suitcase long enough today to see the Sunshine and Grace available to me, I am still holding onto it like I’m on the end of a chain and the suitcase is my “shelter,” because it is familiar territory.  I want to live in the full freedom of God’s grace – not because of who I am but because of WHOSE I am!

Make mine a Milky Way

Wayne, according to my son, grace is like getting a candy bar in return for punching your brother. (Note: we made sure he is clear that he still understood consequences for sin!)

Thoroughly Thoreau

This quote from Thoreau’s Walden came to mind when we were discussing the intricacy of the text:

“To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written.”

Amen. Though scripture is not always easy reading, the results of such Bible study change lives. Thank you for the privilege of learning and reigning in life with you.
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October 17, 2013 | Reconciled and Rejoicing

  

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:10 NASB)

 
 

Reconciled

This incredible statement obviously revolves around the term “reconciled” (for you textual scholars, it’s καταλλάσσωkatallasso in the Greek). Notice the word is repeated, in order to emphasize the concept of reconciliation in salvation. Some time back, Dr. Mounce had an excellent insight regarding reconciliation in Paul’s theology:

The transaction took place while we were in a state of hostility toward God (cf. Col 1:21). In 2 Corinthians Paul wrote that God reconciled the world to himself in Christ, yet every person must respond in faith in order for that forgiveness to become effective in his or her case (2 Cor 5:19-20). Reconciliation is a personal relationship; it cannot be a unilateral action on the part of God alone. He has provided forgiveness for all people through the once-for-all death of his Son. Only when that forgiveness is accepted by faith is the compact completed and reconciliation takes place. God’s part is finished; our part is a matter of individual decision. – R.H. Mounce, Romans

“More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

(Romans 5:11 ESV)

Rejoicing

For those who do respond by faith – the elect of God – reconciliation sparks remarkable joy! Look at this insight from my pulpit team partner, Randall Satchell:

In this short passage from 5:1-11, Paul speaks of the joy we have in God three times. He refers to it in verses 2 and 3, and he brings it out again emphatically in verse 11. In between, he paints a dark portrait of us humans throughout verses 6-10. He says that we were ungodly (6); we were undeserving sinners (7 and 8); we were under wrath, but the blood of Christ has saved us from that wrath (9) and reconciled us to God even though were enemies (10).

And then Paul declares: “More than that we also rejoice in God…” This rejoicing is something beyond thankfulness, beyond mere gratitude. Those emotions naturally flow from any clear understanding of what Christ has done. This is super-natural! This is joy in our spirit singing to God through his Spirit in us. This is the joy that we find in a future hope of the glory of God (2). And this is the only joy we find even in suffering (3).

So, dear friends, let’s rejoice! In all things, even as we work or weep or wonder or wander, let’s rejoice because we who trust Jesus have been reconciled to God.
God bless,
Wayne
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October 10, 2013 | LOVE – Unchangeable and Eternal

Infinite LOVE

  

“The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart,

a good conscience, and a sincere faith.”

(1 Timothy 1:5 NASB)

 
 

The recent dialogue we’ve enjoyed over 1 Timothy 1:5 has been incredibly rich! Thank you for thinking, praying, growing, and writing. Here’s one more excellent note that came this week:

Wayne, Jonathan Edwards chewed on this and look at what that fertile spirit concluded:

The apostle tells us that “God is love”; and therefore, seeing he is an infinite being, it follows that he is an infinite fountain of love. Seeing he is an all-sufficient being, it follows that he is a full and overflowing, and inexhaustible fountain of love. And in that he is an unchangeable and eternal being, he is an unchangeable and eternal fountain of love.

Amen!
God bless,
Wayne
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October 3, 2013 | New Name

  

“The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart,

a good conscience, and a sincere faith.”

(1 Timothy 1:5 NASB)

 
 

A friend and I were discussing the most powerful concept on the earth – the truth that Jesus Christ changes believers in Him.

God’s people are positioned in the Father’s justifying hands where no can remove them; Christians are transformed inside-out via the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit; and thus believers in Jesus can authentically live differently. Such a life – a life founded on sincere faith – is part of what engenders love.

We were talking about how God wants that love to be our hallmark. It is, after all, the goal of all His instruction. Yet, the necessary ingredient of sincere faith remains remarkably elusive. There are many reasons for this, but my friend proposed that chief among the interesting dynamics is this: Christians have a hard time remembering just how radically we are changed in Jesus. He proposed that the most important factor in kindling the joy of authentic trust in God (and the love which follows from it) is a continual reminder of the power of God in transforming lives.

“I Am New”

Interestingly, about the same time of this chat, another friend sent me the following poem by Jason Gray. It seems to beautifully illuminate the reminder my friend claimed is so important for sincere faith. [Note: Jason Gray is one of my favorite songwriters, so I confess to being biased in favor of these lyrics.]

Now I won’t deny

The worst you could say about me

But I’m not defined by mistakes that I’ve made

Because God says of me

 

I am not who I was

I’m being remade

I am new

I am chosen and holy and I’m dearly loved

I am new

 

Who I thought I was

And who I thought I had to be

I had to give them both up

Cause neither were willing

To ever believe

Too long I have lived in the shadow of shame

Believing that there was no way I could change

But the one who is making everything new

Doesn’t see me the way that I do

Forgiven, beloved

Hidden in Christ

Made in the image of the Giver of Life

Righteous and holy, reborn and remade

Accepted and worthy

This is our new name

 

If you trust in Jesus, Christian is your new name. Live that internal truth out in external authenticity, and you will inevitably move yourself and others toward love.
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September 26, 2013 | Clogged Sea-doo

  

“The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart,

a good conscience, and a sincere faith.”

(1 Timothy 1:5 NASB)

 
 

Clogged intake

God’s instruction is intended to move us in love – love that comes from a conscience fixed on God’s absolute truth. Thus, it stands to reason that diminishing intake of scripture is directly correlated with a malfunctioning conscience. And a bad conscience will halt one’s capacity to love.

If you’ve ever ridden a Jet Ski or Sea-doo or such device, you know that they are propelled by an ingenious mechanism that allows them to briskly skim through the water. A simple propulsion system pulls in lake water and jets it out the back of the craft. Thus, these fun vessels can fly all over the lake and even zip over shallow places where conventional ski boats dare not go.

However, there is one problem to which every Sea-doo is subject: the dreaded clog in the intake valve. You see, shallow water is much more likely to host aquatic vegetation. When the craft spends time in the shallows, these plants get pulled into the jet system…where they lodge. There’s no feeling quite like it. One second you are flying along at 40 mph over the shallow water; next second the Jet Ski won’t budge. The gunk has to be cleared out of the intake valve before you can move.

Dried up

Many of us have experienced the same sensation in life. One minute we’re zipping along, feeling holy and healthy and loving. The next we are at a spiritual standstill. The love has dried up, unable to get through the clog of our bad conscience. I have found that such abrupt surprises are always related to a life of shallowness. Recovering from the shock of a life no longer moving towards God’s love, we realize that we’ve spent very little time in the deep water of God’s Word. Trivial Christianity and worldliness have clogged us up, killing our good conscience and thus halting the power of love.

Ah, but one may ask if reason isn’t itself enough to keep our hearts clean and love flowing. Surely we can spend very little time with the Bible and still zip happily along – as long as we remain reasonable. Right? Wrong. Nothing can replace the singularly effective work of Bible intake in our lives.

John Milton wrestled with this idea in Paradise Lost. His conclusion was that human reason is too subject to the human flesh, the warped and ever-changing perspectives of the world, and our great spiritual enemy. Therefore,

“Reason…[may] fall into deception unaware,
Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warned.”
– John Milton, Paradise Lost

Scripture intake is reasonable, but reason is not scripture. Spend time this week in the deep waters of God’s Word so that your conscience stays clear, propelling you along in love.

 

Preparation

I know that some of you who study along with me like to work through the background notes I craft for each series. You can download (Word.docx) the preparation materials for the series In The Name of Love HERE.
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