Hebrews 4:12-13
The author makes a comparison between the God's Word and a sharp double-edged sword. Unlike the sword, God's Word is able to divide not just flesh but soul from spirit. God's Word lays bare the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. God's Word is linked very closely to God: just as the attitudes of the heart are not hidden from God's Word, nothing is hidden from God's sight; just as the Word judges the thoughts of the heart, we must give an account to God. This reminds me of the importance of God's Word - that I read God's Word not just to find things that I must change about myself or rules that I must obey but to discover Jesus, the revelation of God. I cannot separate God and his Word. To know God I must know the Word and to obey God I must obey the Word.
The author uses a connecting word at the beginning of this paragraph indicating that his thoughts about God's Word are the conclusion of, or at least flows from, what he has been saying about the Sabbath rest that is available for those who will obey God. The line of reasoning is fairly clear: to enter God's Sabbath rest we must obey God and to know who God is and what he wants us to do we must read and obey God's Word.
Showing posts with label the word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the word. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
No Hard Hearts
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.
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.
Friday, October 19, 2007
the power of the word
James 1:16-21
James contrasts the Father of heavenly lights who does not change to the lights (and shadows they create) who are constantly shifting. He repeats the phrase "my dear brothers and sisters" as if James is their older brother or spiritual father offering sage advice. There is definitely some intimacy there.
James speaks about the word twice. First, it is the word of truth that gives birth to us and then it is the word planted in us that, if we humbly accept it, will save us. This is a powerful word! If the word has that ability, I wonder why we are so unlikely to read it and humbly accept it. The fruit of the word is life and salvation and who isn't looking for that?
I am afraid that we are in the midst of a generation of illeterate Christians - people who don't read the Bible. This raises huge challenges for ministry since it is the word that brings life so how can I, as a minister of the gospel, help people find life in a world where they don't read? What does this mean for the way that I speak and teach? What does it mean for the way that I mentor and lead? I don't think I can assume that my audience knows much, if anything, about the Bible beyond what they've been taught in Sunday School or what they might have heard at youth or church. I also think it means that the Church needs to find creative ways to get the Bible to the peopel. In medieval times when the populace was illiterate, the Church relied on passion plays and morality plays to teach the Bible. Maybe this means that we find ways to teach through YouTube and the internet. All I know is that if the word brings life then if we want to see people saved and come alive, we need to get the word to them.
James contrasts the Father of heavenly lights who does not change to the lights (and shadows they create) who are constantly shifting. He repeats the phrase "my dear brothers and sisters" as if James is their older brother or spiritual father offering sage advice. There is definitely some intimacy there.
James speaks about the word twice. First, it is the word of truth that gives birth to us and then it is the word planted in us that, if we humbly accept it, will save us. This is a powerful word! If the word has that ability, I wonder why we are so unlikely to read it and humbly accept it. The fruit of the word is life and salvation and who isn't looking for that?
I am afraid that we are in the midst of a generation of illeterate Christians - people who don't read the Bible. This raises huge challenges for ministry since it is the word that brings life so how can I, as a minister of the gospel, help people find life in a world where they don't read? What does this mean for the way that I speak and teach? What does it mean for the way that I mentor and lead? I don't think I can assume that my audience knows much, if anything, about the Bible beyond what they've been taught in Sunday School or what they might have heard at youth or church. I also think it means that the Church needs to find creative ways to get the Bible to the peopel. In medieval times when the populace was illiterate, the Church relied on passion plays and morality plays to teach the Bible. Maybe this means that we find ways to teach through YouTube and the internet. All I know is that if the word brings life then if we want to see people saved and come alive, we need to get the word to them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
