A few thoughts on this reading, two on evangelism, one on our own personal relationship with Jesus, and one on the Orlando mass shooting.

Two Thoughts on Evangelism: 

Thought One…

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.” -Luke 9:1-6

Jesus’ method included addressing physical needs and teaching the message of the Gospel. Not one or the other. Both/And!

I’ve heard it said, “The health message is the right arm of evangelism.”

“The union of Christlike work for the body and Christlike work for the soul is the true interpretation of the gospel.”– Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 515

Thought Two…

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.” -Luke 10:1

Of course the next verse is the famous one we often hear…

“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” -Luke 10:2

Verse two teaches us that we need more workers, but verse one teaches us a lot too!

1. Send out those you have. You may only have 72 when you need 1000, but don’t wait for the 1000 send out the 72.
2. Send people out in teams. Team ministry is better than solo ministry. As far as I can read in the writings of Paul he always had a partner in ministry too, whether Barnabas, Titus, Timothy, etc..
3. Do pre-work before going for the big reaping. “sent them two by two AHEAD of him to every town…He was about to go.” Pre-work is Biblical!
4. Thus then the corollary to that would be go where the ground has already been previously tilled some.

One Thought on Our Own Personal Relationship with Jesus (obviously there are way more than one in this reading, but one hit me):

“do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” -Luke 10:20

My thought: Don’t rejoice about the powers you have being connected to Jesus, just rejoice that you’re connected to Jesus. I was convicted on this because I think I and probably other preachers rejoice in compliments on sermons or on being known as decent preachers. Jesus would probably say to us, “Good deal, but don’t rejoice over that gift you have from being connected to me. Just rejoice you’re connected to me!”

My Thought on The Orlando Mass Shooting:

“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” -Luke 9:51-55

Shame on those who want to declare or define judgment on those they believe have wronged God either through open rejection or through embracing of sin. Jesus rebuked His disciples for using language even that would close the door on this city and this people.

Next Reading: Ephesians 1-3

A statement that I understand more with each passing day and one that I wish I understood more when I was still in their home. Oh even with all their flaws, had I heeded the principles they taught me how much more blessed, less stressed, and without regret my life would have been!

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
    and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head
    and pendants for your neck.”  Proverbs 1:8, 9

Thank you Mom and Dad for still being advisors to my life. I think I listen a little better these days.

Next Reading: Jeremiah 47-52

If I were to sum up this book in one sentence,

“Life is miserable when you realize that God was true to His word when He said, ‘If you embrace sin and reject me your life will be miserable.'”

This applies both corporately and personally. As we see in the book of Lamentations Jeremiah applies the punishment of sin both to himself and to the people corporately. In doing this I believe Jeremiah shows great humility, in as much as he was the prophet that was calling the people to repent and because they did not repent they are now suffering. It was less about his personal sin and more about the corporate sin of the people and yet he is so intrinsically tied to them that he joins in their shame, suffering, and sorrow.

In the midst of this mighty lament by the weeping prophet Jeremiah there are some of the most quoted hope passages in all the Bible,

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

We have numerous and varied needs related to our facilities at the Spencerville Church and sometimes I think, “do we really need to fix this or that?” or “this all seems like it is going to take forever and for what purpose?” I also think, “can we really ask the people again to help us with another project?

But with many of our readings of late I am reminded time and time again how important it is to care for the place where we worship the Lord. Now obviously I understand theologically that our modern churches do not have the same role as the temple that Solomon was building. Yet, it is still a place that is seen by many both within and without of the church as representing God and His people. If this is the case should it not represent our Lord correctly?

I found this quote that was also convicting along with all the scripture I have been reading,

“The Lord instructed Moses, for Israel: ‘Thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.’ This was to be a continual offering, that the house of God might be properly supplied with that which was necessary for His service. His people today are to remember that the house of worship is the Lord’s property and that it is to be scrupulously cared for. But the funds for this work are not to come from the tithe.”

Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 9, p. 248

Scrupulously cared for because it is the Lord’s property!

Convicting to me! Makes me wonder about our pealing 1970’s wallpaper 😉

Next Reading: 1 Kings 5-9

I must repent…

I have used a text and today it struck me that I’ve misused a text often in the last several years.

First let me say this I believe women can be ordained as pastors, the priesthood of all believers.  And also I just think our way of ordaining is all afoul, you can read my thoughts on that HERE.

In these last several years though I have not only used the reasoning of priesthood of all believers as a reason for my position I have also used this text quite often,

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

Since my mind wasn’t even thinking about women’s ordination as I read these three chapters and all I was doing was focusing on the definite context of Galatians 1-3 when I suddenly read Galatians 3:28 without thinking of it in terms of social or role equality I realized, this text in my understanding of strict contextual exegesis has nothing to do with “male” or “female” roles. It is 100% solely in the context of how a person receives salvation and what Paul is saying is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a slave or a free person, a man or a woman, Jew or Greek, can we add Adventist or Catholic, we all are inheritors of the promise of salvation through the same means, “faith in Jesus.”

This text is not about gender roles or social equality it is about access to salvation. Jesus and Jesus only!

So I repent for misusing the text far too often. I want social equality on this issue, but not at the hands of poor exegesis.

Next Reading: Exodus 33-36

I am going to refer you back to a previous blog posting for this reading since this is the fulfillment of God’s instructions that were given in THIS previous reading.

One note that goes beyond that original post. In chapters 39 & 40 I count 17 times (let me know if I missed any) the phrase or a very similar phrase appears,

“as the Lord had commanded Moses”

Here is the thought that popped into my head and I wrote down.

“Chad how much of your life could it be said this is done, ‘as the Lord had commanded Chad’?

Something to ponder.

Next Reading: 1 Kings 5-9