Revelation made plain - Part Two - Dr. Colin Harris

A New Heaven and A New Earth

Revelation 21: 1-6

Having the book of Revelation accompany our journey during this Easter season has reminded us of several important features of this often puzzling book:

1.   It is apocalyptic literature, which means that is message is coded in images and metaphors that have a deeper meaning than what appears on the surface.  To read it literally is to miss its point.

2.   It calls itself a prophecy, which means in the biblical sense it is quite different from a prediction.  Rather than being a foretelling of what God is going to do at the end of history, it is a proclamation of what God is always doing in the midst of history.

3.   Its sometimes bizarre symbols are vehicles for telling the Gospel story, connecting the covenant faith of Old Testament history with what God is revealing through Jesus Christ.  It is a creative re-telling of the testimony of God’s people.

4.   It is a theology of history – an affirmation of the relation of God to humanity and the historical process.

Our lesson text for this week is part of the final vision that portrays this theology of history.  A new heaven and a new earth bring renewal to all of creation.  Let’s look briefly at a few of the details:

The “holy city” – the “new Jerusalem” – appears to take the place of the first heaven and the first earth.  A new reality comes as a gift from God, “as a bride adorned for her husband.”  Note the relational emphasis: this new reality is a relationship, not a location or a political entity.

The first thing the voice from the throne (remember who this is) says is this: “Look, the dwelling place of God is among people.”  Think about what this is saying, and what its listeners would hear.

The gospels proclaim in various ways that the Kingdom of God is not only something that would be fulfilled at the end of history, but also a reality that is present in history and among those who embrace it.

As Matthew introduces Jesus’ public ministry (4:17), he says, “From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.’” He instructs his disciples, “Proclaim the good news: news: the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) In Luke’s sermon on the plain, Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20) When the Pharisees asked when the Kingdom of God was coming, he replied, “You won’t see it coming, because it is among you.”  (Luke 17:21) And, we would not forget the line in Jesus’ model prayer, “Thy Kingdom come ... on earth as it is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:10)

The clear affirmation of this text is a reminder of Jesus’ teaching that the new order of God – God’s Kingdom – was a reality already among God’s people.  The implication is that they should not wait around watching for the Kingdom to come, but to realize that it already has and live as its faithful citizens in the here and now.  The new heaven and the new earth are not things to anticipate in the future, but things to embrace and proclaim in the present.

The Enigma of John's Revelation Explained

Thoughts from Dr. Colin Harris - A friend and mentor from Atlanta... JG 

Revelation is an example of what we call apocalyptic literature.  The word itself means to “reveal” or “disclose” much in the way that a shroud is removed from a statue at its dedication, enabling those gathered to see the finer features of the sculpture, where only the bare outline of its shape was seen before.  It is often presented as a vision or dream, usually with a high level of symbolism, numerology, and metaphorical images, designed to connect the reader/listener with deeper ideas and concepts.  There is also a hidden level to the communication, as well, since the uninitiated would not “get it” when the symbols are described.  It would simply sound weird. 

We also noted last week that the book calls itself a “prophecy,” which is significant for how we read it.  The word “prophecy” usually creates a sense of prediction of something that will happen in the future; and because of this is it important to note that biblical prophecy is quite different from fortune telling.  In both the Old Testament and here and other places, prophecy is not so much a word about what God is going to do as it is a word about what God is always doing.  The future focus of a prophetic word points to the consequences of God’s work already evident in history.  It is profound theological insight rather than magical prediction.

An important principle for studying biblical literature is every kind of literature deserves to be read in terms of what it is.  That means we read a gospel as a gospel, not as a biography; we read a letter as a letter, not as a universal rule for all times and places; we read a symbolic, metaphorical message as a pointer beyond itself to a deeper meaning, not as a literal description of something that will happen just as described.  This is especially important for apocalyptic literature and for the Book of Revelation.

The coded language of chapter 5 of the book lends itself well to an examination of this principle.  Chapters 4 and 5 together present the heart of the gospel message in a way that would be clear to the “insiders” and obscure to “outsiders” such as Roman guards and others who might be seeking out the Christians for persecution.

The book is thought to have been written during the last years of the first century, when the church was suffering severe persecution under the Emperor Domitian, whom many thought to be a reincarnation of the hated emperor of a previous generation – Nero.  Open communication of Christian beliefs would be risky, so symbolic communication of basic features of the gospel message proved to be quite useful.

Let’s look briefly at some of the symbols employed in our lesson text.  If you could read the 14 verses of chapter 5 first just get a sense of the imagery, our analysis of the images will probably make more sense.

Chapter 4 has established pretty clearly that the “one seated on the throne” is God, and he has in his right hand a scroll written on the front and the back, sealed with 7 seals.  A “mighty angel” asks with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”  ( Who is able to reveal to the world what God’s agenda is?) No one is found who can do that, and the writer is grieved that no one can.

Then one of the “elders” (note the 24 elders who sit on thrones around the high throne:         2 x 12 = 24 ---- 12 patriarchs/tribes of Israel + 12 apostles) speaks: “Weep not, the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered and can open the scroll.”

Who is the Lion of Judah, the Root of David?  We’re beginning to pick up clues, but the “disclosure” continues: Between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders (note the imagery of the location) the writer saw a “Lamb standing as if it had been slain” and this lamb is able to open the scroll and break its seals one at a time.

For those of us who know the imagery, the message is clear: If you want to know what God’s agenda for the world is, that agenda is being made clear by the “lamb that was slain, but yet lives.”  And, there is little doubt as to whom it is talking about.  But note that the word “Christ” has not been mentioned, nor has the idea of his sacrificial openness to God as the key to understanding spiritual truth been said explicitly.  Anyone listening in from the outside would hear about elders sitting on thrones, but wouldn’t hear the connection with the covenant faith of Israel and the first generation of Christian apostles; he would hear about weird multi faced creatures, but wouldn’t know that this was a reading from the book of Ezekiel; he would hear about a wounded lamb that can open a scroll, but wouldn’t have a clue that the suffering servant from the book of Isaiah or the risen Christ was being described.

What we have here is the Christian community gathering for worship in a hostile environment, singing hymns of praise and telling the gospel story, all in coded language of symbols and metaphors, perfectly consistent with the rest of the New Testament message.  In keeping with its nature as aprophecy, it is not so much a word about what God is going to do, but more a word about what God is already doing.

The surest way to miss that message is to literalize the symbols; and unfortunately that is what many people do, encouraged by folks who get rich writing books that tell  them that is the way to read it. 

As we have seen in many other areas of biblical study, it is easy to get sidetracked by questions like “Did this really happen?”  Or “Is this really going to happen?”  And miss the more important question: “What truth is this text calling us to see?” 

Dr. Colin Harris

2013 -Atlanta

Comforting thoughts for those in their Golden Years...

                                                                               
You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be. Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...its over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you              think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!! "Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.

Unknown

LIVE IT WELL!
ENJOY TODAY

DO SOMETHING FUN!
BE HAPPY !
HAVE A GREAT DAY!

All this tax talk isn't new! Neither is this poem! Enjoy!

The Tax Master

“Zacchaeus, come down from yonder tree,

And show me to your house for tea.”

Imagine Jesus in that house,

Munching figs with such a louse!

It will taint His pristine name,

Humiliate and bring Him shame.

It could wreck His reputation,

In this hero-seeking nation!

What’s He doing locked inside?

Would He with Zacchaeus confide

The secrets of His Kingdom plan,

With such a small and greedy man? 

But after tea, the man reviled

Took on the nature of a child

With newborn presence,  like a saint,

He rectified each tax complaint!

Soon wealth within his town increased,

And every citizen could feast

Because that gluttonous little jerk

Showed everyone how tax-cuts work!

Jack C. Getz

Tucker, GA

July 1, 2008

What to Say when You don’t Know What to Say

Library - Helping a Friend: What to Say when You don’t Know What to Say - Dignity Memorial

Learn where your Bible came from...

What's in a Revised Version?

 By Dan Graves

A Bible version long in use can become cherished through familiarity. Today, when we have a plethora of versions it is difficult for us to understand the excitement the revision of the Authorized version evoked. Three million copies of the revised New Testament sold within a year and the text was printed in full in two Chicago newspapers within two days of reaching the United States. Such interest could the Word of God generate back then!

When the King James version was first made, it was based on the Latin Vulgate, on early English translations, all of which traced back to Tyndale's translation, whose New Testament was in turn made from the Greek text of Erasmus and some comparison with Luther's translation. King James required the translation committee to follow several rules which were designed to ensure accuracy and readability. Each tranlator's section was carefully reviewed by the other translators. The authorized version adopted the verse markings of the Geneva Bible, a translation done by Puritan exiles.

After the making of the King James version, several Greek texts came to light, all older than Erasmus' manuscript. Among these were the Sinaitic, Vatican and Alexandrian manuscripts. A manuscript of the Septuagint (the early Jewish translation into Greek of the Old Testament) also turned up. Each of these finds underscored the need for revisions in the accepted text to bring it into closer conformity with the original writings.

Although scholars agreed that the King James was inaccurate in some details (although not any essential doctrine or important emphasis), laymen were loath to part with its familiar wording. Not forgotten were the fierce battles by which the Bible had been won, often over the ashes of martyrs. In a way the opposition was ironic, for the King James itself had been greeted with just such grumbles in its own day. Those who used the Geneva or Coverdale versions did not wish to relinquish phrasing which was familiar to them! But the King James' musical prose soon earned it the status of a literary masterpiece. No one can say how greatly its cadences have molded the English tongue.

As a concession to those who loved the beauty of the old, the revisers retained much of the archaic language of the King James. In fact, they sometimes opted for idioms predating even Shakespeare. The revised translation was not a modern language version by any stretch of the imagination! It had, however, solved some textual problems. Despite criticism, tens of thousands of copies were sold at once. On this day, February 10, 1899 its use was authorized as the standard for the Church of England. Coverdale's translation of the psalms remained in the English psalter.

Bibliography:

1. "Bible (English Version)." The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.Edited by F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone. Oxford, 1997.
2. "Bible, the. Section 17." Encyclopedia Americana. Chicago: Encyclopedia Americana, corp., 1956.
3. "English Revised Version 1891-1895." February, 2001. 2006. .
4. Goodsped Edgar J. How Came the Bible? Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1940.
5. McGrath, Alister E. In the Beginning: the story of the King James Bible and how it changed a nation, a language, and a culture. New York: Anchor Books, 2002.
6. Various web sites such as http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=22.

Last updated May, 2007.

This makes me believe bigger! Speechless.

Tsung Tsung 5-Year-Old Piano Prodigy

Our favorite worship experience...

Dogma Part 2 - Cherry Picking Theology

Let’s look at the word dogma. First, you need to understand that it doesn’t appear on my favorite word list. I see dogma as the misguided efforts of the corporate Body of Christ and some educated but confused individuals to drag the nature of mystical divinity down to levels of human understanding. Dogma results from a creature need to define the indefinable Creator and to conform everyone to approved doctrine, to validate and protect church polity, and to corral everyone by fencing them into systems of acceptable belief and practice. 

Someone defined dogma as Deadly orthodoxy”, a definition I warm to in my soul. Sadly, the fear of rocking the theological boat causes many to either adopt the shallow, rote answers they have been told are correct, or they ask the right questions but fear the answers will alienate them, and cause their brothers and sisters to cast doubt on their spirituality.

The Bible is the most obvious target for questioning, but before a serious debate can take place, canned or proof-texted answers are used to bludgeon the truth-seeker back into orthodoxy.  For example, many use the Old Testament prohibitions against homosexuality to prove that the condition is a sin, an abomination to God, and they quickly jump to Paul’s words in 1 Timothy to validate that position. The problem with that is that homosexuality is in both cases one item in a longer list of sins or approbations that carry the same weight of scripture, but some are ignored, or overlooked. For example, the same book that speaks against homosexuality in the Old Testament prohibits wearing mixed fibers in clothes, yet that, and many other laws, are not embraced.

In Timothy it says women should not speak in church, but it also says they should not wear jewelry or have their hair done. Most denominations have complete theologies against the ordination of women, even the use of women in worship, yet few say anything to their ladies who wear jewelry, nice clothes or make-up. (1 Timothy 2:8-15). 

This type of cafeteria theology is what causes confusion, and repels those who are unlike us, away from us. 

The irony is that 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is given by the inspiration of God, a phrase that has four fundamentally different meanings and creates the maze of denominations that confuse and divide the Body of Christ. The fundamentalist claim that God literally dictated every word. (Verbal Inspiration). The problem with that view is far too complex to address now, and if I did, I fear I would be hailed upon with names and accusations of heresy, or worse, pity, by my brothers and sisters in Christ. (Maybe some other time).

The point is not about that single verse, but the book itself which many scholars consider to be a letter written in Paul’s name by one of his followers. The practice of surrogate writers, for the record, was not unusual in that era with men who had significant followings. The point is that If there is any doubt about the veracity of the book that prohibits women in ministry, speaking in church, or wearing jewelry, there may also be questions about other things it says. 

So, if you put all your eggs in the basket that the Bible is Verbally Inspired, and it does prohibit the ordination of women and homosexuality, why do mixed fibers and jewelry get a pass? How about the use of alcoholic beverages? The ban on pork? Taking your neighbors grapes and grain without permission? 

Clearly, not every word in the Bible is to be taken as literal universal truth, some is regional by nature, some is time-bound, other is culturally relevant and much is metaphorical or allegorical in nature. While some will not admit it, we all “cherry pick” what we believe is the truth, an discard that which is not relevant to us. The problems come when we center in on that which supports our dogma, and ignore that which doesn’t. 

Taken as a whole, I see the Bible as the finger that points to God’s truth, the story that reveals His nature, and the guide that teaches us how He works with people. The Bible is not an object of worship, but is a revelation that can lead us to an inspirational knowledge of the truth that underpins it, Jesus, the Christ.

I finish with a story. One Sunday I reached for the pew Bible at church and noted that someone, probably a child, wrote the word “God” on the top edge of it. I was so moved that I bought that Bible and it sits in front of me right now on my desk, reminding me that the book is not the point, but the One who lives in it is. The beauty of a child, without pretense, deciding that while they can’t understand most of what’s in there, they know Who is in there. It’s the the story and the message of God. Simply put. In fact, enough said...for now. 

What's so bad about Christian dogma?

• Let’s look at the word dogma. First, you need to understand that it doesn’t appear on my favorite word list. I see dogma as the misguided efforts of the corporate Body of Christ and some educated but confused individuals to drag the nature of mystical divinity down to levels of human understanding. Dogma results from a creature need to define the indefinable Creator and to conform everyone to approved doctrine, to validate and protect church polity, and to corral everyone by fencing them into systems of acceptable belief and practice. 

Amazing prayers of the New Testament

Go to this link:

http://www.beliefnet.com/iLoveJesus/Features/Amazing-Prayers-of-the-New-Testament.aspx?b=1&nlsource=10&source=NEWSLETTER&utm_campaign=Inspiration&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=NL&utm_term=comcast.net

It's Up To You

It’s Up To You . . .

Unknown Author

If a free-thinker doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.

If a block-head doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a free-thinker is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.

If a block-head is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned or regulated for everyone.

If a free-thinker is homosexual, he leads his life.

If a block-head is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a free-thinker is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation. If a block-head is down and out, he wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a free-thinker doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.

If a block-head doesn't like a talk show host, he demands that he/she be taken off the air.

If a free-thinker is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.

If a block-head is a non-believer, he wants any mention of God and religion silenced.

If a free-thinker needs health care, he shops for it, or finds a job that provides it. If a block-head needs health care, he demands that the rest of us provide it.

If a free-thinker reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can reflect on it. If a block-head gets it, he will delete it because he's "offended".

A block-head can’t think for himself, but insists on thinking for everyone else!

A bucket full of thoughts for today...

"I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies;
no sudden rending of the veil of clay;
no visitant, no opening of the skies;
but take the dimness of my soul away."

George Crowley
"Spirit of God Descend" Verse 2
1869 - Galatians 5:25

When loving yourself isn't easy...

I want to post a few blogs relating to the Old and New Testament commandments regarding loving our neighbors and loving ourselves. I immediately start the process by asking some elementary questions about the words used in those simple sentences. What is love? What is a neighbor? How do I love myself properly? None of them are easily addressed, but I'd like to begin with a sampling of Mere Christianity where C.S. Lewis muses about loving himself.

Later we can look at what Jesus said about neighbors, who they are and how ought we to love them.
It's not as easy at it sounds. Here's a great start:

"How exactly do I love myself? Now that I come to think of it, I have not exactly got a feeling of fondness or affection for myself, and I do not even always enjoy my own society. So apparently love your neighbor does not mean feel fond of him or find him attractive. I ought to have seen that before, because, of course, you cannot feel fond of the person by trying. Do I think well of myself, think myself a nice chap? Well, I am afraid I sometimes do (and those are, no doubt, my worst moments) but that is not why I love myself. In fact it is the other way round: my self-love makes me think myself nice, but thinking myself nice is not why I love myself. So loving my enemies does not apparently mean thinking them nice either. That is an enormous  relief. For a good many people imagine that forgiving your enemies means making out that they are really not such bad fellows after all, when it is quite plain that they are. Go a step further. In my most clear-sighted moments not only do I not think myself a nice man, but I know that I am a very nasty one. I can look at some of the things I have done with horror and loathing. So apparently I am allowed to loathe and hate  some of the things my enemies do.

Now that I come to think of it, I remember Christian teachers telling me long ago that I must hate the bad man's actions, but not hate the bad man: or, as they would say, hate the sin but not the sinner.  For a long time I used to think this a silly, straw-splitting distinction: how could you hate what a man did but not hate the man? But years later it occurred to me that there was one man to whom I had been doing this all my life–namely myself. However much I might dislike my own cowardice or conceit agreed, I went on loving myself. There had never been the slightest difficulty about it. In fact the very reason why I hated the things was that I loved the man. Just because I love myself, I was sorry to find that I was the sort of man who did those things. Consequently, Christianity does not want us to reduce by one atom the hatred we feel for cruelty and treachery. We ought to hate them. Not one word of what we have said about them needs to be unsaid. But it does want us to hate them in the same way in which we hate things in ourselves: being sorry that the man should have done such things, and hoping, if it is any way possible, that somehow, sometime, somewhere he can be cured and made human again.”

I admit I have a hard time thinking in loving terms about some of the people in my past to have gone out of their way to hurt me with slander, innuendo, or outright lies. I also have a hard time thinking in loving terms about leaders who were unwilling to allow me to face my accusers. Granted, I have done enough wrong in my life to warrant discipline, but trying to love church leaders who opted out of the biblical tenants of discipline in favor of personal punishment, is still a challenge for me. As a wise counsellor once told me, sometimes the best we can do is hold our enemies in forgiveness until we can gather the grace to completely forgive them. The same holds true regarding how we think about ourselves.

Anyone who has ever disappointed themselves, and those they love, will experience a period of time when finding self-love is impossible. Self-love is often closely associated with how we perceive what others think about us so when we fail openly and spectacularly must begin anew by restructuring our lives by making amends, seeking forgiveness, and reestablishing valued friendships - or starting new ones. This is not easy work, and it takes a great deal of time before we can be sure that people we associate with either graciously look past our failures, or never learn about our past failures and treat us strictly at our face value.

Stephen Covey says the way to reestablish broken trust is by making and keeping small promises.  There's a tendency for broken people to want to make grand statements and reestablish trust by using promises that are difficult to keep. For example, when an alcoholic promises "I will never take another drink as long as I live”, they set themselves up for failure because they can't speak for the rest of their lives. But if they say "I will not drink today” their chances of success increase greatly.  Making and keeping small promises speaks to a pro-active and manageable commitment that is not found in grandiose promises.

 Simply put, self-love must grow out of a sense of self value, and that can only come out of the mind and heart that believes in and has experienced grace. Once we understand, and embrace the notion that despite our failures, we are still loved by both God and the special people in our lives, we can begin a new life–not sidestepping the consequences of our bad choices–with a sense of regeneration and hope.

Those who have experienced grace in times of their own failure are capable of giving grace to others in their times of brokenness. That supposed to be what Christians do: They love themselves because they know they are loved by God, and thereby are enabled to love others without strings attached,
just like God.

Occupy What?

Maybe this is too political for some, but I want to say something that is on my heart.

I'm reading a biography about Mao, you know the Chinese Communist tyrant who is said to be responsible for the killing (a euphemism for murder) of about 70,000,000 people, outside of war. His story is interesting, to say the least, but the early years of communism in China reminds me of some things I see today that many will say is unrelated and harmless. 

The Russians (Stalin in particular) were the bankroll and the military/political support behind the birth and spread of Communism in China. Mao was a fringy player at first who made a name for himself by being power-hungry, self-centered, elusive, resilient and very brutal. Since I'm still reading the book, I can't say much more about him until I'm finished.

In short, the communist Russians sought to spread their revolution, using anyone they could to foment discord in the masses of people around the world. Their technique was quite simple, make villains of anyone who owned anything, call out people who were "wealthy" as dangerous, hunt down and confiscate their wealth so it could be redistributed to the poor, and create systems of dependency in the masses, giving false hope in order to gradually gain complete control over literally everyone. All the while, the revolutionary leaders lived in luxury themselves.

I don't know but that all sounds familiar to me today. Isn't Occupy Wall Street a movement designed to convince the masses (99%) that they are victims and that they deserve a bigger piece of the pie? Call anyone who has achieved wealth (1%) a villain. Find ways to make them pay more of their filthy money to support the millions (40%) who pay no income taxes at all.  Restructure  and socially engineer society so that the government controls wealth and determines who gets what share. Create dependencies on the government's elite, all of whom live like kings and queens, so they can keep their power at the ballot box. Finally, look for ways to erode the Constitution so that it becomes more helpful to those on the dole, all the while demonizing capitalism as the reason for all our woes.     


Occupy Wall Street? Same tactics. Same rhetoric. Same goal?


I recently read something that strikes home for me. In the wild, we are told not to feed wild animals lest we create a dependency in them. They need to learn to eat by their own efforts, ideally, they forage for their own food and survival, allowing the system of natural selection to work.

While everyone agrees that's a good system, why don't we do the same for people who have greater capacities than animals. We are now creating a dependency on government that actually discourages capable people from making their own way. Should I find a job or collect food stamps and unemployment for another year? Given the choice, I'm not sure what I would do, but I suspect it would include asking for as little help as possible. (Actually, when I was set out to pasture five years ago,  I didn't apply for unemployment. We cut the budget and continued to seek ways every day to improve our situation.) Helping the indigent is good, necessary and critical to many, so it's not hard-hearted conservatism that makes me wonder about the hundreds of millions of able-bodied people who opt out of the work force to collect what they deserve from the government and those damn rich people.

For me, this is not about compassion or a perceived lack thereof,  but it's about finding a balance for the long-term good for our society, not short term fixes that allow politicians to keep their cushy life style while keeping us divided and at each other's throats.

If wisdom reigned, not expedience, we would all feel better about the future than we do.

Bramwell Tripp - Big Themes in Small Portions

The following is a chapter from Bramwell Tripp's book of short essays on the various aspects of the Christian life. For those who don't know, he was a remarkably insightful leader who impacted the lives of many generations of young people who sat under his tutelage both when he was the principle of Chicago's Salvation Army training school, and later as a leader in the Eastern United States. Using today's  catchwords 25 years ago, like inclusion, he still speaks to us, and motivates me.

This short article reveals his simple yet brilliant nature, and serves as my personal homage to him, a big man who befriended and helped build a young man who idolized him.  

                                          Say Our!

 “The best things in life are universal: music, art, science, Christianity. We should beware of any doctrine which tries to isolate a man from his fellows or one group from another. Be inclusive, not exclusive.

Those oft–repeated words  we call the Lord's Prayer emphasize the oneness we should feel and express. Jesus said, 'when ye pray, say, OUR' (Luke 11:2). I know that what follows is extremely, eternally important. But will you concentrate on those 5 initial words: 'when you pray, say, OUR'?

To say this determines the nature of our religion. Our religion embraces all the world. Our Father is the Creator who gave life to all 'and hath made of one blood all nations of men' (Acts 17:26). He gave his son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world. He is the One to whom we all pray, from whom we all received grace. The same gospel unites us in a common fellowship.

We do not need to repudiate the differences which distinguished the varying denominations, but remember the injunction to 'receive ye one another, as Christ also received us' (Romans 15:7). How did he receive us? By grace, graciously.

To say this determines the nature of our relationships. Having been received through Christ, we are part of the family of God, members of the household of faith. Again: OUR father! The brotherhood and sisterhood which result must reach beyond our family, our class, our nation, our race. Every world crisis emphasizes our interdependence. The unrelieved hunger of millions of people should confront us every time we quote give us our daily bread'. It is for US, all of God's human family; it is OUR bread.

 To say this determines the nature of our responsibilities. The first element in that word is response. This is sensitivity plus action. Responsible living is reciprocal action. The manner of our response to each other expresses the quality of our lives. To whom am I responsible? First to my Father; then to my brothers and sisters. 'all ye are brethren… for one is your Father, which is in heaven' (Matthew 23:8, 9).

 Don't struggle with words. “Our,” “we,” “us,” “father,” “brother,” “sister”… these are easy to say and are always appropriate. Not me: US! Not mine: OUR”


* Any typos are mine, not his!

Council of Nicea

http://www.christianity.com/ChurchHistory/11629650/?utm_source=This%20Week%20in%20Christian%20History%20-%20Christianity.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=05/25/2012/

Defending Scripture. Literally. | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Defending Scripture. Literally. | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

A Profile of Prophets

(Not just about those in the Bible, but about us, today.)

Jack C. Getz

1. Prophets speak truth to power.
2. Prophets are called upon to Forth-tell the truth more than to Fore-tell the future.
3. Prophets have a divine commission, not a self-generated calling.
4. Prophets speak God’s word to move people and/or situations Godward.
5. Prophet’s motives are never about their personal profit. :=) Often they experience great personal losses. (Dealing with truth is always costly!)
6. Prophets are commanded by God to speak to immediate and necessary changes (Some achieve their work in a relative short period of time others take a lifetime).
7. Prophets integrate the values of Honor, Honesty and Humility
8. Prophets ultimately find their courage to obey, through faith alone.
9. Prophets operate according to the “proportion of their faith”. (Romans 12:6)
10. Prophets today must do all in the spirit of love. (I Corinthians 13:1-2)

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Haggai and Zechariah were commissioned by God to stir action in the leaders of post-exilic Jerusalem. The initial rush of joy expressed by the holy celebrations and the laying of the Temple’s foundation by the newly returned exiles (described by Ezra) was replaced by self-indulgence, apathy and possibly sloth. Twenty years after their arrival back home, there was no further progress on the Temple. So, God asked two men to bear His words of instruction and order to the leaders of the nation. (Ezra 5:1; 6:14) 


A brief overview of these two very MAJOR MINOR prophets:

Haggai (lit. "My Feast") made four prophetic statements to Zerubbabel:

A Call to Construct - 1:3

A Call to Courage - 2:1

A Call to Cleanliness - 2:10

A Call to Confidence - 2:20

Zechariah (lit. "Yahweh Remembers") spoke both simple truths (1:3 and 8:9) and shared:

8 visions (1:7 -6:15),

Teachings (7:1 - 8:23)

2 Christological Oracles (9:1 -14:21)

A) 9:1-11:1

B) 11:18- 14:21

Moving Beyond the Boundaries

Moving Beyond the Boundaries
Dr. Colin Harris - Atlanta, GA
May 6, 2012
Acts 8: 26-40

Continuing Luke’s narrative of the expanding Christian community during its first generation, our lesson text for this week provides another snapshot of an experience that pushes the Christian family still further from its familiar moorings.  It is an account that is full of symbolism and no doubt became a memorable part of the Christian story.

After the stoning of Stephen in chapter 7, the apostles scattered into the regions of Samaria, sharing the gospel message with all who would listen; and there were many who embraced it. This expansion sets the stage for the new level of inclusion reflected in our story.

Our text begins with a messenger of the Lord speaking to Philip, one of Stephen’s “deacon” colleagues, telling him to go to the highway that led from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the main artery from Judea to Egypt.  Then the Spirit tells Philip to intercept a chariot traveling south, containing an Ethiopian eunuch, who had been to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh.  He was the CFO of an Egyptian queen, reflecting the particular custom of having a gender-altered man in a position of trust over a queen’s property.

The eunuch is reading from the book of Isaiah one of the “suffering servant” poems (Isaiah 53: 7-8), and is puzzled as to what it means, to which Philip responds with the gospel story, connecting it with what he has been reading.

The features of this story communicate important parts of Luke’s intention in telling it.  First, while the other disciples head back to Jerusalem to share the good news that Samaritans are receiving the gospel, Philip (not one of the original twelve, but one of the seven ordained later to help with the distribution of resources) is told to go farther out and connect with one who is both an “insider” and an “outsider.”  The man he meets in the chariot is evidently a “God-fearer” – one who worshiped Yahweh in the Temple but was not a “proselyte” – one who had officially converted to Judaism.  His “mutilated” state would have prevented him from becoming a Jew.

In several ways, this Ethiopian government official represents the spreading of gospel into new territory – his ethnic difference, his sexual abnormality, and his citizenship of a foreign country were three things that point to the nature of the new community the gospel seeks to create.  Earlier, Paul had written, “In Christ there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek, bond nor free” – pointing to the transformation of the human family that comes with the embrace of the gospel.  The gospel of Jesus Christ points toward inclusion rather than exclusion – it’s hard to miss that point.

We don’t know from the text the details of the conversation between Philip and the man from Ethiopia, but from the passage in Isaiah that he is reading, it is reasonable to assume that a connection was made in his mind between the image of the mutilated and humiliated servant of the poem and his own life as something “less than a man.”  Evidently the connection between the powerful poetic image of servant Israel reflected in the poem, and the early church’s embrace of that image as a way of understanding what had happened to Jesus, and the eunuch’s seeing of his own experience reflected in this picture was strong enough to bring him to the place of thinking, “This is who I am , and I want to be a part of this community of people.”  So he asks to be baptized, and Philip baptizes him, no doubt doing something he would not have anticipated earlier in the day.

Luke’s masterful storytelling has put clearly before us that the call of the gospel is to go beyond the boundaries of the distinctions we make among ourselves, and on which we base much of our security, to see and to listen to the stranger who may be an agent of the Lord able to teach us something that we have not thought of.  Philip may have held his tradition’s prejudice toward Ethiopians, and he certainly would have had opinions about eunuchs, but he was willing to follow the guidance of the Spirit to embrace and include this “alien” (racially, nationally, and sexually) into the Christian family.

The question for us from this account is naturally where the call of Christ might be inviting us to go to encounter those who have to this point been outside the boundaries of our lives.  I suppose we could say, “Well, I would certainly be glad to welcome an Ethiopian eunuch if I ran across one;” but that would not really be the point, would it?  If Luke were writing his account of the spread of the gospel in our generation, who would the characters of this part of the story be?

The prelude to the story tells us that there was great rejoicing that the Samaritans were receiving the gospel, but then there was a new boundary to cross.  We have done some great things in sharing the gospel both here and afar – what is  next boundary the Spirit is inviting us to cross?

Always grateful for your companionship in the journey.

Colin Harris
Atlanta, GA