God instructed the nation of Israel to build a tabernacle which was split into two pieces... the "Holy Place" and the "Most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies)." These two parts were separated by a thick veil. God's presence resided between the cherubim on the ark of the covenant which was located in the Holy of Holies and only the High Priest was allowed to enter that area and only once per year.
What Jesus did through his coming and subsequent death was to open the door to the Holy of Holies to each of us... in fact, when He died, the veil was torn in two (from top to bottom). We have access to God and through the work of the Holy Spirit in each of us, God lives inside of us. I think we often take this for granted as a "nice" thing. The Bible says that God doesn't change - he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What significance does that have? God was so Holy that no one could be in His presence without His permission or they would die. God sent plagues on Egypt to let the Israelites go. God parted the red sea. God came in fire, smoke, and earthquake on Mount Sinai. God flooded the earth, but saved humankind through Noah. God is a God of wonders, power, and awe! This is the God we serve and worship; this is the God that is still alive and working; this is the God that lives in each of us through the Holy Spirit. God deserves to be honored, worshipped, and yes, even feared.
"Take me in to the Holy of Holies; take me in by the blood of the Lamb. Take me in to the Holy of Holies; take the coal, cleanse my lips, here I am!"
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
What-if-a-cation?
We had a great class yesterday at church where we discussed the 10 commandments that God gave to the nation of Israel through Moses. We didn't even talk about the 10 specifically as we focused on the need for the law... why did/does God give us "laws"? Why do we have laws in our culture? Is God punishing us or protecting us? Does this create captivity or freedom? If the law defines our sin, then what is the importance of recognizing that we are sinners? How does recognizing our sin help us understand the nature of God?... or what Jesus did for us?
Obviously, there was some riveting conversation. Through it all, we talked about how God "consecrated" Moses, and then Aaron, setting them apart for meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. We talked about what consecration means which led to wondering what the difference was between consecration and sanctification. Is consecration a state of being set apart whereas sanctification is the process of being consecrated? Are they tied that tightly together? Are they much different?
I took it upon myself to "ask the experts" and committed to bringing some insight back to the class next Sunday. I will also ask the experts to post their comments on this blog as well. If you have thoughts on this, please share with the rest of us.
Obviously, there was some riveting conversation. Through it all, we talked about how God "consecrated" Moses, and then Aaron, setting them apart for meeting with God on Mt. Sinai. We talked about what consecration means which led to wondering what the difference was between consecration and sanctification. Is consecration a state of being set apart whereas sanctification is the process of being consecrated? Are they tied that tightly together? Are they much different?
I took it upon myself to "ask the experts" and committed to bringing some insight back to the class next Sunday. I will also ask the experts to post their comments on this blog as well. If you have thoughts on this, please share with the rest of us.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Heart & Soul
As Pastor Bill taught on Sunday, Jonathan's armor bearer was with him "heart and soul" no matter what the situation; no matter what the odds. He was passionately sold out to Jonathan and his mission. What are we sold out to? God calls us to live lives that are passionately sold out to Him... to understand that the purposes God created us for included being "crucified with Christ" so that it is no longer us living, but Christ living through us. What then, does it mean, to have Christ living through us? Well, how did Christ teach us to live? It is better to love than hate; to forgive than hold bitterness; to help than to walk away --- I believe Christ calls us to a radically inclusive kind of love. When we live our lives walking in love (not mushy gooshy words over action, but the kind of love that transforms lives) then we are showing that we are with God "heart and soul."
"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." - 1 Samuel 14:7
"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." - 1 Samuel 14:7
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Longing thirst
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2)"
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2)."
We serve and awesome God. The nation of Israel was set apart and as a people endured a lot (captivity in and Exodus from Egypt, entering into Canaan, etc.). So much of the story of Israel (the people) is the story of waiting, expectation, & longing for the one who would ultimately ransom them, Jesus.
Israel's story is our story. We are a continuation of the story that started with Adam & Eve and continued through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. The redeemer that they longed for came and redeemed us all. "Come thou long expected Jesus" is a song about the longing of the nation of Israel, of us, for the messiah. We think, "I didn't need to wait very long" because we don't have the mindset of the collective "we" as in human kind... but "we" waited a long time, thousands of years for the one who would redeem the world. As individuals, we don't need to wait any longer for the messiah to come, but now we wait for the messiah to return. However, as we wait, are we longing for His return? And are we longing for the presence of God in our lives? Our we longing that the spirit of truth would infiltrate our hearts & minds?
I believe this generation is designed to long for God - perhaps not for the entrance of the Messiah, but for the reality of God in our midst (the kingdom of God on earth). Are we deer panting for the water of God or are we just hangin' out by the stream? May our souls thirst for God.
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2)."
We serve and awesome God. The nation of Israel was set apart and as a people endured a lot (captivity in and Exodus from Egypt, entering into Canaan, etc.). So much of the story of Israel (the people) is the story of waiting, expectation, & longing for the one who would ultimately ransom them, Jesus.
Israel's story is our story. We are a continuation of the story that started with Adam & Eve and continued through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. The redeemer that they longed for came and redeemed us all. "Come thou long expected Jesus" is a song about the longing of the nation of Israel, of us, for the messiah. We think, "I didn't need to wait very long" because we don't have the mindset of the collective "we" as in human kind... but "we" waited a long time, thousands of years for the one who would redeem the world. As individuals, we don't need to wait any longer for the messiah to come, but now we wait for the messiah to return. However, as we wait, are we longing for His return? And are we longing for the presence of God in our lives? Our we longing that the spirit of truth would infiltrate our hearts & minds?
I believe this generation is designed to long for God - perhaps not for the entrance of the Messiah, but for the reality of God in our midst (the kingdom of God on earth). Are we deer panting for the water of God or are we just hangin' out by the stream? May our souls thirst for God.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Job
This week the Biblical Growth Class I was teaching was centered around the life of Job from the Bible. Job went through unbelievable trials with the loss of his entire family, livestock, and possessions. Then he went through the loss of his health and the support of his wife. Ultimately Job had many discussions with his friends and with God that created in him a transformed, contrite, humble heart before God... he came to the point where he realized he had been living a holy and upright life for the sake of obtaining protection and blessings from God, rather than living that life as simply a way to honor and give praise to his creator. It was through Job's repentance that God opened the avenues of blessing and he was able to live long life and God doubled all that he originally had.
The theme of "we" that I talked about last week carries over into the lesson of Job. Job had to go through more than most of us feel we could ever handle, but ultimately his suffering was for the glory of God. But let's not also forget that God allowed Satan to kill other humans as part of this whole story. There was tremendous suffering by many individuals, but the glory God brought about was for all of creation.... when we consider our own suffering and how God might bring glory in and through us, I wonder if that might be a little short-sighted.... perhaps we need to consider how God might bring glory in and through others because of the sufferings in us. If we can somehow wrap our minds and hearts around this, then we can perhaps gain insight into what community is and how "we" are going through life's journey together.
The theme of "we" that I talked about last week carries over into the lesson of Job. Job had to go through more than most of us feel we could ever handle, but ultimately his suffering was for the glory of God. But let's not also forget that God allowed Satan to kill other humans as part of this whole story. There was tremendous suffering by many individuals, but the glory God brought about was for all of creation.... when we consider our own suffering and how God might bring glory in and through us, I wonder if that might be a little short-sighted.... perhaps we need to consider how God might bring glory in and through others because of the sufferings in us. If we can somehow wrap our minds and hearts around this, then we can perhaps gain insight into what community is and how "we" are going through life's journey together.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
We
During the Biblical Growth Class, we have started putting the pieces of the Bible together starting with Genesis and moving forward in God's story for us. I was sitting in on the first part of both classes and shared during the second one that I have had this overwhelming sense of "We" throughout God's chosen people. As Joseph struggled in captivity and ultimately understood his purpose, he spoke of how his purpose related to all of Israel. So many times, the people of Israel used a universal "we" when speaking of their struggles, victories, etc. This seems so different from our personal view of struggles, victories, etc. We discuss God and his will in terms of his will for our individual life, rather than his will for humanity. We talk about our own struggles and victories rather than the struggles and victories of "us" as God's chosen people.
Perhaps this feeling is why I get so excited about doing life and experiencing life together in community. Perhaps that is why I get moved by taking communion together (as we did today) or saying the Lord's prayer and singing "Amazing Grace" together (as we did last week). Perhaps that is why I desire a strong small group where we truly do life together. I think God does have direction he gives to each of us, but I think the story of redemption is about redemption of an entire people... each of us write a chapter and continue the story, but I don't know if any of us are the central theme of the story.
Perhaps this feeling is why I get so excited about doing life and experiencing life together in community. Perhaps that is why I get moved by taking communion together (as we did today) or saying the Lord's prayer and singing "Amazing Grace" together (as we did last week). Perhaps that is why I desire a strong small group where we truly do life together. I think God does have direction he gives to each of us, but I think the story of redemption is about redemption of an entire people... each of us write a chapter and continue the story, but I don't know if any of us are the central theme of the story.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Amazing Grace
Today at church we finished up a 5-week teaching series on the book of James. James is very passionate about teaching how to live the life we are called to live. At the end of the service, we took time out to recognize the greatness of Gods's grace when we miss it. We sang together the traditional and acoustic version of Amazing Grace. It was a sweet time of unified worship as we recognized how God's grace turned us from the blind lost wretches into the seeing found saved.
As we prayed with people after the services, I found myself once again in awe of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. What a humbling experience to have people I've never met pour out their heart as they try to get a handle on the fact that God can forgive even them; or that God has a plan for them; or that an enemy exists that we have authority over. These experiences drive me to continue our intentionality about the church being a family.
The psalms end with "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Sometimes there is nothing left to say, except, "praise the Lord".... so, "Praise the Lord."
As we prayed with people after the services, I found myself once again in awe of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. What a humbling experience to have people I've never met pour out their heart as they try to get a handle on the fact that God can forgive even them; or that God has a plan for them; or that an enemy exists that we have authority over. These experiences drive me to continue our intentionality about the church being a family.
The psalms end with "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Sometimes there is nothing left to say, except, "praise the Lord".... so, "Praise the Lord."
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