Deuteronomy 29
As Moses winds down his address to the people of Israel chapter 29 talks a lot about the covenants. Several times in verses 9-14 Moses references "entering into a covenant" with God. For a Jewish person this imagery was literal. This was the method of those who made covenants: they would set up a demarcation on one side and a demarcation on the other side and those entering into the covenant would "pass through" between the partitions. Jeremiah 34:18 references this "passing through" in connection with a broken covenant in which the leaders of Judah, the priests, officials and people of the land passed between the parts of a slaughtered calf. Moses addresses the people of Israel standing before him and warned them about the covenant that they were about to enter into with God.
You see in just a few days God would part the Jordan river and the Israelites would pass through the Jordan in the same way that they had passed through the Red Sea as they had escaped Egypt. God had kept his promise that he established when they "passed through" the Red Sea and he would keep this covenant which he would establish when they "passed through" the Jordan River.
Jesus on the night he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11)
The new covenant is established with Jesus sacrifice. Jesus sacrifice is validated at the resurrection. Romans 6 says that at baptism we are united with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. When you split the water and "pass through" you are entering into a covenant with God. One established by Jesus death, burial and resurrection. An agreement, a new covenant entered into by faith.
Back to Deuteronomy chapter 29. Verses 23 and following describe what happens to those who abandon the covenant; "The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur - nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Adman and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in fierce anger."
Sounds like another place that is described as one of torture, one of burning sulfur, a lake of fire. And who will experience this place? Those who abandon the new covenant.
May we be faithful and not abandon the new covenant which was established by God through Jesus death, burial and resurrection and into which we enter into when we pass through the waters of baptism.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
don't go back
Deuteronomy 17
Continuing in the directions that Moses is giving the people of Israel before they take possession of the promised land, Moses gives this instruction in chapter 17.
Moses instructions about having a king rule over Israel is interesting to me. First of all, it would be many generations before Samuel would anoint Saul as the first king to rule God's chosen people. But God knew what His people would want. He knew that they would want to be like the other nations around them. There is something about our nature that compels us to want to be like others. To fit in. To want to look like everyone else. That is still true today.
Our girls are headed out today for their first day of pre-school. So we stand on the cusp of a new chapter in their lives which includes education, socialization, personal growth, expanding their world, etc. It also includes the possibility of conformity. We don't know what kids will be in their class or what influence these kids will have on them, maybe not this year in pre-school, but soon. Sooner than we want to admit. Who will they choose as king? Will they want to be like other nations or will they choose Christ to be king in their lives?
I also like the admonition that the king should not return to Egypt, for the Lord says "You are not to go back that way again." How many of us, having been brought out of Egypt want to return. We don't remember the slavery. We don't remember the oppression. What we remember is the security and the things that the Egyptians have that we want. We have freedom but we want slavery. We have a new leader, we want to go back to that familiar Pharaoh.
May we all live as free men. May we not go back that way again.
Continuing in the directions that Moses is giving the people of Israel before they take possession of the promised land, Moses gives this instruction in chapter 17.
14 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us," 15 be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. 16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again."
Moses instructions about having a king rule over Israel is interesting to me. First of all, it would be many generations before Samuel would anoint Saul as the first king to rule God's chosen people. But God knew what His people would want. He knew that they would want to be like the other nations around them. There is something about our nature that compels us to want to be like others. To fit in. To want to look like everyone else. That is still true today.
Our girls are headed out today for their first day of pre-school. So we stand on the cusp of a new chapter in their lives which includes education, socialization, personal growth, expanding their world, etc. It also includes the possibility of conformity. We don't know what kids will be in their class or what influence these kids will have on them, maybe not this year in pre-school, but soon. Sooner than we want to admit. Who will they choose as king? Will they want to be like other nations or will they choose Christ to be king in their lives?
I also like the admonition that the king should not return to Egypt, for the Lord says "You are not to go back that way again." How many of us, having been brought out of Egypt want to return. We don't remember the slavery. We don't remember the oppression. What we remember is the security and the things that the Egyptians have that we want. We have freedom but we want slavery. We have a new leader, we want to go back to that familiar Pharaoh.
May we all live as free men. May we not go back that way again.
Friday, August 15, 2008
de-clutter
Deuteronomy 10
Why do we get so caught up in stuff? Most of our lives are consumed with gathering and acquiring stuff. You learn this acutely when you move. We thought we could just put our stuff in a truck and move it down to NC. Who knew we had so much stuff? We just kept bringing things out of that house. And then we got to the attic. I'm surprised our house didn't fall over with the amount of stuff we had in there.
When we were trying to get our house on the market HGTV told us we needed to de-clutter. So we took a bunch of our furniture and clothes and stuff and put it in storage. What we found is that we liked it better that way. There was more room. We didn't feel as closed in. And we never missed the stuff we had put into storage. At our new house in NC we are trying to stay clutter free. That is easier said than done. Since we moved in we have come up with a list of stuff we really "need." Why? We still have some of our junk in storage and our garage is full.
There is a passage in Deuteronomy that gives a new perspective to the stuff we accumulate. Moses is giving his final instructions before he dies and turns the leadership of Israel over to Joshua. In Chapter 10 Moses is recounting the giving of the tablets and the instructions for the ark of the covenant and the duties of the Levites. Verses 8 & 9 indicate that the Levites were to be in charge of the ark and the duties associated with ministering before the Lord and because of this they would not receive a portion of land as an inheritance when the Israelites went into the promised land. Verse 9 explains the reason, "the Lord is their inheritance." Here is the nation of Israel standing on the edge of the promised land and those who have been dedicated to the service of the Lord are given this encouragement, "You won't get an inheritance, the act of serving God will be your inheritance." Better than houses or lands or cattle or herds or servants or stuff is the fact that you have been chosen to minister before the Lord.
(Does everyone know where I am headed?)
1 Peter chapter 2 says that we are "a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Verse nine says that we have been chosen by God to serve as priests. Old Testament priests' inheritance was the honor of serving the living God. New Testament priests' inheritance is the honor of serving the living God. What stuff gets in the way of us living out our inheritance? Whatever it is... de-clutter. Rest in the all-sufficient God who led the Israelites into the promised land. De-clutter. You will like your spiritual house better that way.
Why do we get so caught up in stuff? Most of our lives are consumed with gathering and acquiring stuff. You learn this acutely when you move. We thought we could just put our stuff in a truck and move it down to NC. Who knew we had so much stuff? We just kept bringing things out of that house. And then we got to the attic. I'm surprised our house didn't fall over with the amount of stuff we had in there.
When we were trying to get our house on the market HGTV told us we needed to de-clutter. So we took a bunch of our furniture and clothes and stuff and put it in storage. What we found is that we liked it better that way. There was more room. We didn't feel as closed in. And we never missed the stuff we had put into storage. At our new house in NC we are trying to stay clutter free. That is easier said than done. Since we moved in we have come up with a list of stuff we really "need." Why? We still have some of our junk in storage and our garage is full.
There is a passage in Deuteronomy that gives a new perspective to the stuff we accumulate. Moses is giving his final instructions before he dies and turns the leadership of Israel over to Joshua. In Chapter 10 Moses is recounting the giving of the tablets and the instructions for the ark of the covenant and the duties of the Levites. Verses 8 & 9 indicate that the Levites were to be in charge of the ark and the duties associated with ministering before the Lord and because of this they would not receive a portion of land as an inheritance when the Israelites went into the promised land. Verse 9 explains the reason, "the Lord is their inheritance." Here is the nation of Israel standing on the edge of the promised land and those who have been dedicated to the service of the Lord are given this encouragement, "You won't get an inheritance, the act of serving God will be your inheritance." Better than houses or lands or cattle or herds or servants or stuff is the fact that you have been chosen to minister before the Lord.
(Does everyone know where I am headed?)
1 Peter chapter 2 says that we are "a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Verse nine says that we have been chosen by God to serve as priests. Old Testament priests' inheritance was the honor of serving the living God. New Testament priests' inheritance is the honor of serving the living God. What stuff gets in the way of us living out our inheritance? Whatever it is... de-clutter. Rest in the all-sufficient God who led the Israelites into the promised land. De-clutter. You will like your spiritual house better that way.
Friday, July 18, 2008
God is good and moving sucks
After three days of packing, cleaning, walk-throughs, home inspections, loading, unloading, driving, & dealing with buyers, sellers, realtors, storage people, uhaul folks, banks, etc. we now have four storage units in two different states and are living out of our suitcases for the next three weeks - two of which I will be in camp. Dave Willis and I used to use the word bumfuzzeled. I guess that's how we feel right now. I really thought I was going to punch a realtor in the neck yesterday while trying to close on our house in Newport News and I'm pretty sure my neighbors heard me cuss in the back yard, ("sorry" - an old Alan Woodward reference that only he, Dave Willis and I would understand)
And at the end of the day the one redeeming thing that helped us get though it all were our friends and family. Wayne played Tetris with our stuff and the back of a UHAUL, Aaron giggled everything onto the truck, Phil Murdock even showed up. (We will never get that futon back together that he took apart) My parents were great. Our neighbors were wonderful even though we were leaving. (we are really gonna miss them) And then Bonnie's folks kept the girls the whole time with a lot going on. Jason Kirkman never acted like I was losing my mind when I changed the plan 25 times on Wednesday and Thursday. Then showed up with Richard on Friday and helped us move into storage. Levi almost got divorced trying to figure a way to help us out and then Chuck Holton showed up.
One story and I might try to sleep. We have been really nervous about our girls leaving everything they know and moving. We have been breaking the news to them slowly and this week started talking about our "new" house. We took them this morning with us to the home inspection to let them see it and maybe get excited about where we are going so that when they realize that we are not going back to our "old" house things will seem better in some way. So I am outside with the inspector and the girls are running around the yard when Mary Catherine (our new neighbor) walks over and asks the girls if they would like to come over and swing with her 5 year old daughter. It was a really nice gesture and something for our girls to look forward to. I'm sure that we have a few tears ahead of us and the next few weeks will be hard living out of a suitcase, but I believe God worked out those details so that Ella and Jane would have a smoother transition.
God is good and moving sucks.
And at the end of the day the one redeeming thing that helped us get though it all were our friends and family. Wayne played Tetris with our stuff and the back of a UHAUL, Aaron giggled everything onto the truck, Phil Murdock even showed up. (We will never get that futon back together that he took apart) My parents were great. Our neighbors were wonderful even though we were leaving. (we are really gonna miss them) And then Bonnie's folks kept the girls the whole time with a lot going on. Jason Kirkman never acted like I was losing my mind when I changed the plan 25 times on Wednesday and Thursday. Then showed up with Richard on Friday and helped us move into storage. Levi almost got divorced trying to figure a way to help us out and then Chuck Holton showed up.
One story and I might try to sleep. We have been really nervous about our girls leaving everything they know and moving. We have been breaking the news to them slowly and this week started talking about our "new" house. We took them this morning with us to the home inspection to let them see it and maybe get excited about where we are going so that when they realize that we are not going back to our "old" house things will seem better in some way. So I am outside with the inspector and the girls are running around the yard when Mary Catherine (our new neighbor) walks over and asks the girls if they would like to come over and swing with her 5 year old daughter. It was a really nice gesture and something for our girls to look forward to. I'm sure that we have a few tears ahead of us and the next few weeks will be hard living out of a suitcase, but I believe God worked out those details so that Ella and Jane would have a smoother transition.
God is good and moving sucks.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
pure nard
65. Matthew 26:1-16
I can remember when I was growing up a few instances when I was called out in front of everyone. I'm sure I deserved the rebuke, but I can remember the deep feeling of anger for the one who had called me out and embarrassed me in front of the class or group of friends. Have you ever had that happen? I think it happened to Judas in Matthew 26.
This is the passage where Martha (of Mary, Martha and Lazarus fame) anointed Jesus head with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. (Mark says it was pure nard, whatever that means) Matthew and Mark record that some of the disciples made a fuss about using the expensive perfume for this occasion even citing that they could have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor. Mark says they rebuked Martha for this lavish expression of her love. Jesus then rebukes them and says what a wonderful thing she had done for him. What I find interesting is that the very next verse says that Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and sold Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver.
The Gospel of John confirms that Judas was the instigator of the opposition to this act of love and worship. John also explains that Judas was skimming off the top of the monies that the Jesus and the disciples were living on.
I think that Judas saw the wasting of what he thought of as 'his' money and rebuked Martha. Jesus saw this and called him out. In front of everyone. 'Why are you bothering her? What she has done is beautiful.' Here is Judas, called out in front of everyone. I think this made him very angry. Maybe even hatred welled up inside him. This was the fire in his stomach that made him betray Jesus. The love of money, plus the embarrassment of being called out in front of the class equals betrayal.
May I always look into the word of God and into the character of Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to call me out when I am wrong. May the fire in my stomach be the refining fire of the Holy Spirit leading me to become a better servant of Jesus.
I can remember when I was growing up a few instances when I was called out in front of everyone. I'm sure I deserved the rebuke, but I can remember the deep feeling of anger for the one who had called me out and embarrassed me in front of the class or group of friends. Have you ever had that happen? I think it happened to Judas in Matthew 26.
This is the passage where Martha (of Mary, Martha and Lazarus fame) anointed Jesus head with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. (Mark says it was pure nard, whatever that means) Matthew and Mark record that some of the disciples made a fuss about using the expensive perfume for this occasion even citing that they could have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor. Mark says they rebuked Martha for this lavish expression of her love. Jesus then rebukes them and says what a wonderful thing she had done for him. What I find interesting is that the very next verse says that Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and sold Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver.
The Gospel of John confirms that Judas was the instigator of the opposition to this act of love and worship. John also explains that Judas was skimming off the top of the monies that the Jesus and the disciples were living on.
I think that Judas saw the wasting of what he thought of as 'his' money and rebuked Martha. Jesus saw this and called him out. In front of everyone. 'Why are you bothering her? What she has done is beautiful.' Here is Judas, called out in front of everyone. I think this made him very angry. Maybe even hatred welled up inside him. This was the fire in his stomach that made him betray Jesus. The love of money, plus the embarrassment of being called out in front of the class equals betrayal.
May I always look into the word of God and into the character of Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to call me out when I am wrong. May the fire in my stomach be the refining fire of the Holy Spirit leading me to become a better servant of Jesus.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
rebuke x 5
65. Deuteronomy 1
There are a couple interesting things about the first verse of the book of Deuteronomy. First, Moses calls together all of Israel for a nationwide rebuke. He didn't call some or just the heads of the families, he speaks to all Israel. There should be no question as to who Moses is speaking to, it is everyone. Second, Moses alludes to the times when the Israelites had angered God. He names the five places where these things happened. So standing before the entire nation Moses simply mentions the places where these things had happened - no need to expound - they obviously knew the offenses they had committed and would be reminded of them by the mentioning of the places where they had happened. For our benefit here they are...
1.in the desert - he rebuked them for their having angered God in the desert by saying, “If only we had died [by the hand of God]” (Exod. 16:3).
2.opposite the red sea - He rebuked them regarding their rebellion at the Red Sea. When they arrived at the Red Sea, they said, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert?” (Exod. 14:11)
3.between Paran and Tofel and Lavan - he rebuked them because of the foolish things they had said about the manna, which was white, saying “And our soul loathes this light bread” (Num. 21:5), and because of what they had done in the desert of Paran through the spies.
4.at Hazeroth - Concerning the insurrection of Korach which took place in Hazeroth
5.and Di-Zahav - He rebuked them for the calf they had made as a result of their abundance of gold, as it is said: “and I gave her much silver and gold, but they made it for Baal” (Hosea 2:10).
There are a couple interesting things about the first verse of the book of Deuteronomy. First, Moses calls together all of Israel for a nationwide rebuke. He didn't call some or just the heads of the families, he speaks to all Israel. There should be no question as to who Moses is speaking to, it is everyone. Second, Moses alludes to the times when the Israelites had angered God. He names the five places where these things happened. So standing before the entire nation Moses simply mentions the places where these things had happened - no need to expound - they obviously knew the offenses they had committed and would be reminded of them by the mentioning of the places where they had happened. For our benefit here they are...
1.in the desert - he rebuked them for their having angered God in the desert by saying, “If only we had died [by the hand of God]” (Exod. 16:3).
2.opposite the red sea - He rebuked them regarding their rebellion at the Red Sea. When they arrived at the Red Sea, they said, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the desert?” (Exod. 14:11)
3.between Paran and Tofel and Lavan - he rebuked them because of the foolish things they had said about the manna, which was white, saying “And our soul loathes this light bread” (Num. 21:5), and because of what they had done in the desert of Paran through the spies.
4.at Hazeroth - Concerning the insurrection of Korach which took place in Hazeroth
5.and Di-Zahav - He rebuked them for the calf they had made as a result of their abundance of gold, as it is said: “and I gave her much silver and gold, but they made it for Baal” (Hosea 2:10).
Thursday, May 15, 2008
new chapter
It has been a month since I have written anything here and a lot has happened during that time for our family. Probably all six of you who read this blog know that Bonnie and I will be starting a new chapter in our lives starting in August. We have accepted the challenge to plant a church in New Bern, NC. We were not really looking to move to NC, but agreed to pray about the possibility and here we go. After a month of prayer and talking to folks about this idea God challenged us to go. Since we said, "Yes" we have met with many people and told them the news, spent a week in Orlando at the National New Church Conference, and have been trying to get our house on the market to sell. I'm sure it is still going to get worse before it gets better, but at least the ball is rolling.
With this in mind we have a couple prayer requests.
1. Pray for our house to sell in a bad market, and at a good price for us.
2. Pray for our girls as we break the news to them that we are moving.
3. Pray for the kids at Avalon that they would not check out just because we are moving.
4. Pray that God would prepare the people of New Bern to be open to this new church work.
And one request, if you know anyone in that area that might not know God or has fallen away, please send me their contact information.
Thanks!
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