Hebrews 3:7-15
This section contains another lengthy quote from the OT, in this case from Psalm 95. This strengthens the assumption that this letter is being written to Jewish Christians who would have been familiar with the OT and with Israel's history. The quote is a recitation of Israel's history, in particular the forty years they spent in the wilderness. The point the author is making is that his audience must be careful not to harden their hearts to the voice of God as their ancestors had done. The flow of his argument is that because Christ is supreme, the readers must listen to his voice.
The author also makes the point that we are responsible for each other. We are supposed to look out for each other, watching for symptoms of a hardened heart. The antidote is encouragement and so the author exhorts us to encourage each other daily so that all of us together can share in Christ by holding firmly to the end.
The author clearly points out the three pillars of our faith: the Word - the voice of Christ (v. 7b), the Spirit (v. 7a) and the community of faith (v. 12-13). We need all three in order to thrive in our faith. When we lose one, we become imbalanced and risk failure in our lives. I must make sure to lean on all three in order to have a greater understanding of what Christ is calling me to and to ensure that I do not develop a hard heart.
Showing posts with label Holy Spirit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Spirit. Show all posts
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Kingdom divided or Kingdom Come?
Matthew 12:22-32
This is a bit longer section than I normally like to do but I think that it contains all one thought. Jesus has been healing people of their diseases and infirmities but now a man who is demon possessed is brought to him. Jesus casts out the demon to the amazement of the audience however the Pharisees attribute his power to the power of Satan. Jesus then contrasts the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God and the power of Satan to the power of the Holy Spirit (who is a key part of this passage). He uses two word pictures: that of a kingdom or household divided and that of an invasion of a strong man's house. The first word picture is to show that a kingdom that is divided cannot survive so it makes no logical sense that Satan would send Jesus to cast out demons. The second word picture makes the point that the only way a strong man can be defeated is if a stronger man fights him. The message is that if Jesus has been sent as a servant of Satan then he must be less powerful than Satan. However, Jesus is casting out demons which makes him stronger than Satan and not his servant, as the Pharisees were suggesting.
It is in this context that Jesus speaks the applicational point: just as the kingdom of evil cannot be divided , the kingdom of God is not divided. There is only one King and one Lord and everyone who is not with Him is against Him. There is no room in the kingdom for rebellion against the King. The most difficult concept in this entire teaching is the unforgiveable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit. In the context, it could be attributing the work of God to the power of the devil (which is what the Pharisees were doing). I have tended towards this interpretation and also tend to think that this was an unforgiveable sin for the generation to whom Jesus was speaking. However, the immediate context makes me think that blasphemy against the Spirit could be the equivalent of rebellion against the King.
Whatever the case, there are two things I am sure of: I must be careful about to whom I give credit for what is going on in the world. I don't want to speak against any work of God by saying that has been done in the power of the devil. At the same time, I must be very careful that the work I do and am a part of is done according to the King's agenda, character and guidance.
This is a bit longer section than I normally like to do but I think that it contains all one thought. Jesus has been healing people of their diseases and infirmities but now a man who is demon possessed is brought to him. Jesus casts out the demon to the amazement of the audience however the Pharisees attribute his power to the power of Satan. Jesus then contrasts the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God and the power of Satan to the power of the Holy Spirit (who is a key part of this passage). He uses two word pictures: that of a kingdom or household divided and that of an invasion of a strong man's house. The first word picture is to show that a kingdom that is divided cannot survive so it makes no logical sense that Satan would send Jesus to cast out demons. The second word picture makes the point that the only way a strong man can be defeated is if a stronger man fights him. The message is that if Jesus has been sent as a servant of Satan then he must be less powerful than Satan. However, Jesus is casting out demons which makes him stronger than Satan and not his servant, as the Pharisees were suggesting.
It is in this context that Jesus speaks the applicational point: just as the kingdom of evil cannot be divided , the kingdom of God is not divided. There is only one King and one Lord and everyone who is not with Him is against Him. There is no room in the kingdom for rebellion against the King. The most difficult concept in this entire teaching is the unforgiveable sin of blasphemy against the Spirit. In the context, it could be attributing the work of God to the power of the devil (which is what the Pharisees were doing). I have tended towards this interpretation and also tend to think that this was an unforgiveable sin for the generation to whom Jesus was speaking. However, the immediate context makes me think that blasphemy against the Spirit could be the equivalent of rebellion against the King.
Whatever the case, there are two things I am sure of: I must be careful about to whom I give credit for what is going on in the world. I don't want to speak against any work of God by saying that has been done in the power of the devil. At the same time, I must be very careful that the work I do and am a part of is done according to the King's agenda, character and guidance.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Christmas in September
Matthew 1:18-25
In the first three verses after the genealogy, the Trinity is mentioned: "the birth of Jesus the Messiah", "pregnant through the Holy Spirit", and "angel of the Lord". Of course the divinity of Jesus is one of the big questions that is addressed in his lifetime and beyond but it seems as if Matthew is making it clear that something new happened that involved the whole God-head. It gives the sense that all of heaven is involved in this story.
I think that it is also significant that the Holy Spirit plays such a prominent role in the birth of Christ. I tend to focus more on the Father and the Son and the dynamics of that relationship. I must not forget that the Holy Spirit was intimately involved in the story right from the beginning. I wonder if God knew that the role of the Spirit would be downplayed on the one hand and overly emphasized on the other. It's interesting to me that the Spirit is mentioned at the very beginning of the OT (moving on the surface of the waters) and the very beginning of the NT.
Joseph is also an interesting figure for me that often seems to fade into the background of the story but plays such a unique role. He should really be the hero and example for so many men who are acting as a dad to children who are not his own! What I learn from Joseph in this passage is that even when I do things with as pure motives and with a desire to what is right in terms of the law and what is right in terms of people, I still may be wrong. Joseph's desire was a good one: uphold the law by not marrying Mary but not exposing her to public ridicule or worse. However, his decision was still not the one that God wanted him to make. This gives me comfort at the same time: God did not condemn Joseph for trying to do what was right (even though it was wrong) but revealed to him the right path to take. In my quest to do what is right, I can move forward with confidence knowing that God will correct me where I am wrong.
The second thing I learn from Joseph is the importance of immediate obedience. Joseph has the vision of the angel and, when he wakes up, he does what the angel told him to do. There was no waiting - the very next morning Joseph completes the marriage. I think this is an indication of what Joseph wanted to do and how much he loved and wanted to be with Mary but it is also an indication of his openess to the will of God. Immediate obedience? That's not so much a marker of my life. I wish it was.
In the first three verses after the genealogy, the Trinity is mentioned: "the birth of Jesus the Messiah", "pregnant through the Holy Spirit", and "angel of the Lord". Of course the divinity of Jesus is one of the big questions that is addressed in his lifetime and beyond but it seems as if Matthew is making it clear that something new happened that involved the whole God-head. It gives the sense that all of heaven is involved in this story.
I think that it is also significant that the Holy Spirit plays such a prominent role in the birth of Christ. I tend to focus more on the Father and the Son and the dynamics of that relationship. I must not forget that the Holy Spirit was intimately involved in the story right from the beginning. I wonder if God knew that the role of the Spirit would be downplayed on the one hand and overly emphasized on the other. It's interesting to me that the Spirit is mentioned at the very beginning of the OT (moving on the surface of the waters) and the very beginning of the NT.
Joseph is also an interesting figure for me that often seems to fade into the background of the story but plays such a unique role. He should really be the hero and example for so many men who are acting as a dad to children who are not his own! What I learn from Joseph in this passage is that even when I do things with as pure motives and with a desire to what is right in terms of the law and what is right in terms of people, I still may be wrong. Joseph's desire was a good one: uphold the law by not marrying Mary but not exposing her to public ridicule or worse. However, his decision was still not the one that God wanted him to make. This gives me comfort at the same time: God did not condemn Joseph for trying to do what was right (even though it was wrong) but revealed to him the right path to take. In my quest to do what is right, I can move forward with confidence knowing that God will correct me where I am wrong.
The second thing I learn from Joseph is the importance of immediate obedience. Joseph has the vision of the angel and, when he wakes up, he does what the angel told him to do. There was no waiting - the very next morning Joseph completes the marriage. I think this is an indication of what Joseph wanted to do and how much he loved and wanted to be with Mary but it is also an indication of his openess to the will of God. Immediate obedience? That's not so much a marker of my life. I wish it was.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
put off this... put on that...
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
This passage ties directely to the previous couple of verses where Paul reminds his audience that they were taught to put of their former way of living, to be made new in their thinking and to put on their new identity which was created to be like God (pure and holy). Here Paul gives some specific examples: put off lies and put on truth, put off unrighteous anger and put on peacemaking, put off stealing and put on honest working, put off unwholesome speaking and put on talk that builds others up, put off bitterness, rage and malice and put on kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
I resonate with this teaching - you can't just stop doing something, you have to replace it with something else and, at least according to Paul, the best thing to replace it with is the opposite (falsehood vs. truth, etc.). This makes sense to me and is hugely practical (which I love! I'm always asking the question "How?").
There are a couple of phrases that are challenging to me in this passage. The first is not to grieve the Holy Spirit. In the context I think what this means is that he is prompting us to take off the bad and put on the good plus he is offering us his help to do it and when I refuse, I greive him. This is because his goal is to bring glory to Christ and when my behaviour does not, he has been prevented (at least temporarily) from doing his job in my life and that grieves him.
The second is "follow God's example." I know that this is impossible to for me to do. I can't love in the self-sacrificing way that Christ loved me. I can't forgive in the completely selfless way that God forgave me. I am too proud, too selfish, too oriented around self-preservation. The only way that I can follow God's example is if the Holy Spirit changes my attitude and mindset (which, according to v.22-24, he has done or is in the process of doing) so that I have the desire to love and forgive, etc. AND if he gives me the strength to do the impossible (which, from the rest of the Bible, I know that he can). So, Holy Spirit, come and renew me and empower me!
This passage ties directely to the previous couple of verses where Paul reminds his audience that they were taught to put of their former way of living, to be made new in their thinking and to put on their new identity which was created to be like God (pure and holy). Here Paul gives some specific examples: put off lies and put on truth, put off unrighteous anger and put on peacemaking, put off stealing and put on honest working, put off unwholesome speaking and put on talk that builds others up, put off bitterness, rage and malice and put on kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
I resonate with this teaching - you can't just stop doing something, you have to replace it with something else and, at least according to Paul, the best thing to replace it with is the opposite (falsehood vs. truth, etc.). This makes sense to me and is hugely practical (which I love! I'm always asking the question "How?").
There are a couple of phrases that are challenging to me in this passage. The first is not to grieve the Holy Spirit. In the context I think what this means is that he is prompting us to take off the bad and put on the good plus he is offering us his help to do it and when I refuse, I greive him. This is because his goal is to bring glory to Christ and when my behaviour does not, he has been prevented (at least temporarily) from doing his job in my life and that grieves him.
The second is "follow God's example." I know that this is impossible to for me to do. I can't love in the self-sacrificing way that Christ loved me. I can't forgive in the completely selfless way that God forgave me. I am too proud, too selfish, too oriented around self-preservation. The only way that I can follow God's example is if the Holy Spirit changes my attitude and mindset (which, according to v.22-24, he has done or is in the process of doing) so that I have the desire to love and forgive, etc. AND if he gives me the strength to do the impossible (which, from the rest of the Bible, I know that he can). So, Holy Spirit, come and renew me and empower me!
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