I thought the other day-- less than three-and-a-half years and I'll be entering the ninth decade of life. That's a pessimistic way of looking at 80. Growing older one can expect a number of things to happen.. and many of them are actually good. Well, some of them. What are they? I'm thinking.
Friends. Old people have their own humor. Really funny, too. You wouldn't always understand. Instant rapport with new ones sometimes- but always "old" old friends understand best. Trouble is so many of them now live in heaven. (I hope.)
Family "Family" is a big thing to me. But over the generations a family is like one of those computer-generated kalaidascope-like patterns that keep churning out unexpected loops and whorls and new turns and beauty.
When you stop to look at your place in the pattern it is easy to be overwhelmed and lose your place.
I knew my grandfather Purchis, and went fishing with him once; he gave me a shotgun when I turned 14. But I only saw him twice after I was married, and although I "loved" him he was really a stranger to me, what with the separation of miles and years. I didn't know my grandfather Metcalfe at all.
For me family love never stops, but patterns emerge and develop and old people have a place that touches the spinning circles, now intimately, then more and more remotely. We only have ONE father and ONE mother, but TWO sets of grandparents, and FOUR sets (that's 8!) great-grandparents so we never can have everyone "home" for Christmas! More's the pity!
Faith. Ask my son Mark about "pencil" "ink" and "blood." I really am into "blood." Sort of like things that are 'important to our group,' and things that are 'important beyond our group', and things that are IMPORTANT!
Funny how I still live a lot by "pencil" I suppose but I don't judge you by my rules.
It has been dawning on me that God actually loves (even) me! I can't explain a lot of things I used to "know." But I really do believe what I believe, however.
I believe in God's call to holiness. One definition of 'holiness' is simply belonging to God. Even I can do that! Belong, I mean! (See Romans 12: 1,2)
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
One Man’s Opinion of President George W. Bush
The hatred of George W. Bush is unreasonable, and approaches mob mentality. He is not always ‘right’ in his decisions, in terms of success or failure of this program or that; that does not mean he has been false in his integrity in seeking the best for his country.
As a Christian I believe it is my duty to pray for the leaders of government, local and nation and world-wide. If God could use pagan sovereigns such as Cyrus, and Darius to further his kingdom, he can rule and overrule the nations of our age in response to the prayers of his people.
George Bush publicly confesses Christ as his Lord. Repeatedly he has expressed the need for prayer. Certainly he deserves my sincere prayer support. My faith is not in him, nor in any political party. But if all the Christians who criticize would also sincerely pray for the leaders of our nation- pray for them by name- the spirit of our nation would be healed.
As a Christian I believe it is my duty to pray for the leaders of government, local and nation and world-wide. If God could use pagan sovereigns such as Cyrus, and Darius to further his kingdom, he can rule and overrule the nations of our age in response to the prayers of his people.
George Bush publicly confesses Christ as his Lord. Repeatedly he has expressed the need for prayer. Certainly he deserves my sincere prayer support. My faith is not in him, nor in any political party. But if all the Christians who criticize would also sincerely pray for the leaders of our nation- pray for them by name- the spirit of our nation would be healed.
Perspective on Being Fabulously Wealthy
I Corinthians 3 "All things are yours!" What in the world does that mean?
When we think of wealth in terms of money or fame and the other marks of our culture we tend get everything backward. The reason is we presume thatwe know what will really makes us whole, happy, fulfilled.
When we think of God and church like the culture pressures us to think we are pressured to "add faith" to our lives just in case there may be some truth to this heaven and hell stuff. We work hard so that we can retire from work.
We think of worship and beauty in worship as superfluous, and want religion that is "practical" and that "meets our needs.
"We think that "belonging wholly to Christ" is something for missionaries or for people stupid enough to be missionaries or full-time pastors or Christian college professors.
We think that really being serious about our faith must be likegoing on a diet: everything good is fattening.
But the Bible tells us that when we belong to Jesus everything good in the universe is in orbit around our best interest!
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!
Not because in and of yourself you are so great-- but you areChrist's
and Christ is God's
and so Your work is God's work
and God'swork is your work and
Your work and worship is attended by angels...
(...from a sermon on I Corinthians 3)
When we think of wealth in terms of money or fame and the other marks of our culture we tend get everything backward. The reason is we presume thatwe know what will really makes us whole, happy, fulfilled.
When we think of God and church like the culture pressures us to think we are pressured to "add faith" to our lives just in case there may be some truth to this heaven and hell stuff. We work hard so that we can retire from work.
We think of worship and beauty in worship as superfluous, and want religion that is "practical" and that "meets our needs.
"We think that "belonging wholly to Christ" is something for missionaries or for people stupid enough to be missionaries or full-time pastors or Christian college professors.
We think that really being serious about our faith must be likegoing on a diet: everything good is fattening.
But the Bible tells us that when we belong to Jesus everything good in the universe is in orbit around our best interest!
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!
Not because in and of yourself you are so great-- but you areChrist's
and Christ is God's
and so Your work is God's work
and God'swork is your work and
Your work and worship is attended by angels...
(...from a sermon on I Corinthians 3)
Thursday, August 2, 2007
"Follow ME!" (-Jesus)
I am probably pretty naive, but I'll say it anyway:
There arejust two kinds of people in this world . . . only two kinds oflife-goals:
1) Those who believe that Jesus IS -- is there for them tobuild their lives on . . . AND
2) Those who think they can "fit Jesus in", that Jesus changeswith the times.
It may come as a shock to you, but YOU CAN'T FIT JESUS INTOYOUR LIFE PLANS!
Jesus is the "odd-shaped cornerstone" that only works ONE WAY:
You can trust Him, and build onHim, and He will never let you down as long as you live! or else--He simply always gets in the way!
The first kind of people are people who really believe thatJesus doesn't change, and so they dare to follow him through the changing scenes of life. They believe that Jesus is NOT simply who wemake Him out to be. He is not the private, personal "God of our choice", but the God that IS! He is YHWH!
The second kind of people are people who act as if JesusChrist is in the same category as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.They may never admit it out loud, but instead of staying in personal touch with Jesus they begin to accept what the experts say about Him,or they stop talking to Him because that is what little kids and old,old people do.
And so they change their god to fit their world instead of the other way around.The secret of joy in the Christian Way is this:
If you dare to put Jesus first, follow Him no matter where He seems to be leading you, and build your life around Him, then your salvation "experience" will be becoming a relationship!
God is not only your Savior from sin, but your Friend, who desires the very best for you!
Prayer: Lord we come to You, the Eternal God! We thank You we can dare to build our lives on You. Give us grace to make and keep covenant with You and live to please You. In Jesus' name, AMEN
There arejust two kinds of people in this world . . . only two kinds oflife-goals:
1) Those who believe that Jesus IS -- is there for them tobuild their lives on . . . AND
2) Those who think they can "fit Jesus in", that Jesus changeswith the times.
It may come as a shock to you, but YOU CAN'T FIT JESUS INTOYOUR LIFE PLANS!
Jesus is the "odd-shaped cornerstone" that only works ONE WAY:
You can trust Him, and build onHim, and He will never let you down as long as you live! or else--He simply always gets in the way!
The first kind of people are people who really believe thatJesus doesn't change, and so they dare to follow him through the changing scenes of life. They believe that Jesus is NOT simply who wemake Him out to be. He is not the private, personal "God of our choice", but the God that IS! He is YHWH!
The second kind of people are people who act as if JesusChrist is in the same category as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.They may never admit it out loud, but instead of staying in personal touch with Jesus they begin to accept what the experts say about Him,or they stop talking to Him because that is what little kids and old,old people do.
And so they change their god to fit their world instead of the other way around.The secret of joy in the Christian Way is this:
If you dare to put Jesus first, follow Him no matter where He seems to be leading you, and build your life around Him, then your salvation "experience" will be becoming a relationship!
God is not only your Savior from sin, but your Friend, who desires the very best for you!
Prayer: Lord we come to You, the Eternal God! We thank You we can dare to build our lives on You. Give us grace to make and keep covenant with You and live to please You. In Jesus' name, AMEN
Saturday, July 28, 2007
THE DYNAMIC COVENANT
THE DYNAMIC COVENANT
Walking humbly with our God!
Apart from God's constant company the best of human intentions are actually
ARROGANCE!
Saying/thinking that WE know already what the Bible means-- we reflect thatwe have eaten from the Tree of knowledge of Good andEvil, but NOt from the Tree of Life!
Apart from God's constant company the best of human intentions
FAIL TO RELATE TO THE FULL ORD OF TRUTH.
"We put little parts of the puzzle together" with no understanding of the significance of the whole.
Apart from God's constant company even
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT BECOMES AN IMPOSSIBLE IDEAL.
The law of love must be imprinted on the human heart by the fires ofa personal Pentecost, a time when the Holy Spirit comes to reside and to preside in the heart forever!
To walk humbly with our God means:
A deliberate CHOICE!
(Amos 3:3) "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"
To walk with God means there has to be some change/ someadaptation on the part both of God and of man!
What stooping God has done! But He cannot compromise
with falsehood and sin!
What JOY surrender means for us!
HOLINESS makes us fitto fellowship with God!
Such a walking means:
Fellowship with God!
Direction of life into MEANING!
An unbroken relationship that goes beyond DEATH into ETERNITY (Enock-like) for us ALL!
-from a sermon on Micah’s prophecy
Walking humbly with our God!
Apart from God's constant company the best of human intentions are actually
ARROGANCE!
Saying/thinking that WE know already what the Bible means-- we reflect thatwe have eaten from the Tree of knowledge of Good andEvil, but NOt from the Tree of Life!
Apart from God's constant company the best of human intentions
FAIL TO RELATE TO THE FULL ORD OF TRUTH.
"We put little parts of the puzzle together" with no understanding of the significance of the whole.
Apart from God's constant company even
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT BECOMES AN IMPOSSIBLE IDEAL.
The law of love must be imprinted on the human heart by the fires ofa personal Pentecost, a time when the Holy Spirit comes to reside and to preside in the heart forever!
To walk humbly with our God means:
A deliberate CHOICE!
(Amos 3:3) "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"
To walk with God means there has to be some change/ someadaptation on the part both of God and of man!
What stooping God has done! But He cannot compromise
with falsehood and sin!
What JOY surrender means for us!
HOLINESS makes us fitto fellowship with God!
Such a walking means:
Fellowship with God!
Direction of life into MEANING!
An unbroken relationship that goes beyond DEATH into ETERNITY (Enock-like) for us ALL!
-from a sermon on Micah’s prophecy
A Pattern for Private Prayer
Pattern for Private Devotions
This article was first published in the Herald of Holiness and reproduced for ENC Students for many years as the Fall semester began.
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, they were looking for a simple lesson in how to conduct their personal devotions. instinctively they were reaching for the heart of the faith-life, for everything stops or goes in relation to the quality of our prayer - everything worthwhile in the church, that is.
Have you ever outlined your personal devotions?
What do you do when you get alone with God? Do you just sort of "let it happen"?
Here is a suggested pattern for personal devotions, based on Jesus' response to the disciples' expressed need (which of course is "The Lord's Prayer"):
FIRST, before you actually begin:
FOCUS! Just what is the aim, the purpose in your life? Why are you coming to the place of prayer? I find it helpful to repeat, not as a prayer, but as a "focus sharpener," these words:
God wants me to be primarily concerned with pleasing HIM, and not too much concerned with pleasing anyone else, no matter how good or godly. Think about that! It doesn't mean that you don't have varied and sometimes conflicting responsibilities -- as parent, as church worker, as citizen -- but in seeking to please God, you will more effectively do everything else that is needful.
THEN, ask God's blessing on the portion of scripture you
READ. Just as you pause to ask the blessing on your meals, ask for insight and illumination in the Word. Use a notebook, and read with pen in hand. Jot down thoughts that occur, questions that arise, words you don't understand. Always write down the date, for as months and years slip by you will be able to trace God's grace in growth and blessing in your life. Read by some plan that does not limit your reading to just a few choice passages.
BEGIN your prayer time with
PRAISE! Whatever you do don't give into the temptation to skimp on this part in order to get to the "important" part of the day's prayer. In fact, if you are heavily burdened take extra time in praising God. Be specific. I find it helpful to write out three things for which I wish to praise God; don't be afraid to tell God you appreciate His patience with you, or praise Him that you can see Jesus in fellow Christians. Praise Him for godly parents, for blue skies, for a warm home, for the person who introduced to Jesus, for being with you in hard times. Really tell God from your heart how much you love Him, and how you want to give Him praise!
NEXT comes
SURRENDER. Yes, I believe in consecration and crisis experiences of salvation. I also believe that in a practical way I can give to God in a daily way what I surrendered when I was saved, and when I consecrated my all seeking sanctification. Give God THIS day! Ask Him to make your appointments! Offer to be His instrument, to be used of God. He will use you -- every single day!
Surrender any failures, too. Don't let temporary setbacks harden. Don't gloss over stupidity or carelessness. Ask for forgiveness -- and give forgiveness, too. Surrender any temptation to harbor resentment, ill will, or even moodiness.
Surrender is quite naturally followed by
TRUST. But make it an active trust! Expect God! Expect a fresh infilling of the Spirit! Expect to be used during the day. Don't be surprised when you find yourself really ministering to someone's heartache. And finally, expect God to help you pray as you enter into the final phase of your devotions.
Expect His help as you make
INTERCESSION. Pray, by name, for every member of your immediate family. Keep a list of those you pray for daily. Be sensitive and the Spirit will bring to your mind names and faces and needs. How much more keenness and power your intercession AFTER praise and AFTER surrender and EXPECTANT FAITH.
Finally-- get up and leave the place of prayer, but seek to go in the spirit of prayer and thanksgiving. Be thankful God has heard you. Be thankful He is with you. Let your whole day be the "Amen!"
If you haven't tried patterned devotions before try it for 30 days. Pray all you want, any way you want IN BETWEEN regular patterned devotins. But every day FOCUS, and then prayerfully, with your pen in hand, READ, and PRAISE and SURRENDER and TRUST and make INTERCESSION AND PETITION, with THANKSGIVING AND OBEDIENCE as you depart the place of prayer. It is the pattern Jesus gave. It works!
This article was first published in the Herald of Holiness and reproduced for ENC Students for many years as the Fall semester began.
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, they were looking for a simple lesson in how to conduct their personal devotions. instinctively they were reaching for the heart of the faith-life, for everything stops or goes in relation to the quality of our prayer - everything worthwhile in the church, that is.
Have you ever outlined your personal devotions?
What do you do when you get alone with God? Do you just sort of "let it happen"?
Here is a suggested pattern for personal devotions, based on Jesus' response to the disciples' expressed need (which of course is "The Lord's Prayer"):
FIRST, before you actually begin:
FOCUS! Just what is the aim, the purpose in your life? Why are you coming to the place of prayer? I find it helpful to repeat, not as a prayer, but as a "focus sharpener," these words:
God wants me to be primarily concerned with pleasing HIM, and not too much concerned with pleasing anyone else, no matter how good or godly. Think about that! It doesn't mean that you don't have varied and sometimes conflicting responsibilities -- as parent, as church worker, as citizen -- but in seeking to please God, you will more effectively do everything else that is needful.
THEN, ask God's blessing on the portion of scripture you
READ. Just as you pause to ask the blessing on your meals, ask for insight and illumination in the Word. Use a notebook, and read with pen in hand. Jot down thoughts that occur, questions that arise, words you don't understand. Always write down the date, for as months and years slip by you will be able to trace God's grace in growth and blessing in your life. Read by some plan that does not limit your reading to just a few choice passages.
BEGIN your prayer time with
PRAISE! Whatever you do don't give into the temptation to skimp on this part in order to get to the "important" part of the day's prayer. In fact, if you are heavily burdened take extra time in praising God. Be specific. I find it helpful to write out three things for which I wish to praise God; don't be afraid to tell God you appreciate His patience with you, or praise Him that you can see Jesus in fellow Christians. Praise Him for godly parents, for blue skies, for a warm home, for the person who introduced to Jesus, for being with you in hard times. Really tell God from your heart how much you love Him, and how you want to give Him praise!
NEXT comes
SURRENDER. Yes, I believe in consecration and crisis experiences of salvation. I also believe that in a practical way I can give to God in a daily way what I surrendered when I was saved, and when I consecrated my all seeking sanctification. Give God THIS day! Ask Him to make your appointments! Offer to be His instrument, to be used of God. He will use you -- every single day!
Surrender any failures, too. Don't let temporary setbacks harden. Don't gloss over stupidity or carelessness. Ask for forgiveness -- and give forgiveness, too. Surrender any temptation to harbor resentment, ill will, or even moodiness.
Surrender is quite naturally followed by
TRUST. But make it an active trust! Expect God! Expect a fresh infilling of the Spirit! Expect to be used during the day. Don't be surprised when you find yourself really ministering to someone's heartache. And finally, expect God to help you pray as you enter into the final phase of your devotions.
Expect His help as you make
INTERCESSION. Pray, by name, for every member of your immediate family. Keep a list of those you pray for daily. Be sensitive and the Spirit will bring to your mind names and faces and needs. How much more keenness and power your intercession AFTER praise and AFTER surrender and EXPECTANT FAITH.
Finally-- get up and leave the place of prayer, but seek to go in the spirit of prayer and thanksgiving. Be thankful God has heard you. Be thankful He is with you. Let your whole day be the "Amen!"
If you haven't tried patterned devotions before try it for 30 days. Pray all you want, any way you want IN BETWEEN regular patterned devotins. But every day FOCUS, and then prayerfully, with your pen in hand, READ, and PRAISE and SURRENDER and TRUST and make INTERCESSION AND PETITION, with THANKSGIVING AND OBEDIENCE as you depart the place of prayer. It is the pattern Jesus gave. It works!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Poetry as Prophecy
Isaiah 56:8 "...the LORD GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel..."
It is impossible to "explain" poetry, even when that poetry is the living Word of God. But that can not prevent poetry from speaking deep and true into our very innermost being. And when that poetry IS the Word of God, the message that it speaks kindles life itself.
This portion of Isaiah (found in the 56th chapter,) flowing out of the "Servant Passage," speaks particularly of how the great Jehovah God loves all mankind, is willing, desires to be everyone's God, even -and perhaps particularly- those who seem to be hopeless or somehow "inferior."
Rather than analyze and dissect this chapter, I would let Isaiah lift us up on poetic wings for an overview of his joyful, hopeful, confident, gracious portrait of the great God we love and serve.
I. A GOD OF GREAT COMPASSION
42:3 A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish
God is in the life-saving, life-lifting business; not in the life-extinguishing, find-a-reason-to-kill-you business!
46:1-4 Bel, Nebo (Babylonian idols) ...the things that YOU carry, are burdensome, a load for the weary beasts... "Listen to Me..You who have been borne by Me from birth, and have been carried from the womb; even to your old age, I shall be the same, and even to your graying years I shall bear you!
The prophet contrasts His God with (and even makes FUN of) the idols of the nations. JHWH carries His loved ones!
God is not just interested in our "souls." He cares how we feel; His heart feels the good and the bad along with us.
I do not pretend to understand the apparent inequities of life; I do serve a God Who CARES about these inequities, and Who has promised that He would be with every one who calls on Him, and that His PRESENCE would give us REST.
II. A GOD OVER ALL THE EARTH
45:1 "The LORD says to Cyrus, His anointed ... "I will go before you and make the rough places smooth ...
I am the LORD and besides me there is no God I am the Lord and there is no other...
[God could and did take the king of Persia and subdue and chastise the king of Babylon, and in the doing (Romans 8:28) care for the Chosen, while establishing His name in all the earth.
And He can and shall do it again ... without (I might add) the frantic, sweaty help of those who think God NEEDS us! On the other hand, however, remember that God can and will use the human instruments that SUBMIT to Him!
The ancient world had pretty much divided itself into isolated armed camps, and each social group had its own version of deity. Most of these deities were pale reflections of human vices and virtues raised to the Nth power, and the concept of pure GOODNESS, or unfailing JUSTICE, or overarching HOLINESS seemed to be missing.
JWHW declared Himself to be concerned about ALL peoples!
The modern world creates its own gods in its own self-serving image, as well. There is really nothing new under the sun... and today God Almighty says:
I AM THE LORD! BESIDE ME THERE IS NO OTHER!
You Nazarenes do not own Me! You Roman Catholics did not create ME!
III. A GOD OF A SPECIFIC PEOPLE
A. He chose Abraham, and then formed a Covenant People. THERE IS ALWAYS A HUMAN RESPONSE TO GOD'S CHOICE INVOLVED!
Our God chooses people by making covenant with them!
B. But from the very beginning, God's plan has been that the CHOSEN, the "covenant people" always will share God's kindness and love to all the world:
49:5 And now, says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant -- My God is My Strength-- He says, Is it too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also make You a light to the nations So that My salvation may reach the end of the earth Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and its Holy One, To the Despised One To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of Rulers, "Kings shall bow down Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you."
B. (We believe that THE CHURCH carries on this covenant relationship! Instead of circumcision, now the covenant is baptism, and also the covenant of the Eucharist.) And
God STILL chooses those who will listen to be HIS people! But He STILL chooses them in order to let the rest of the world know just what kind of God He IS! He still loves all people, everywhere!
IV. A GOD OF THE HOPELESS
[Which brings US/me to the passage for today... this great and gracious God speaks particularly to the disenfranchised, the minorities, the discriminated against, the "outcasts in Israel," the aliens, or, in our modern buzz-word jargon, the "victims."]
56:3 "Let NOT the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from His people" Neither let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
MY house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples!
The Lord GOD who gathers the dispersed of Israel declares, "YET OTHERS I will gather... to those already gathered!"
NO one! is "shut out" from God's love! We are separated from each other at times ... we separate ourselves from each other-- we think we are separated from God. That there are special "elite" called people! such as... The JEWS! Birthright Christians! Second generation Nazarenes! Gifted! Moneyed! Those "in the clique!"
SUMMARY:
THE GOD OF GRACE INTENDS THAT IN HIS RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM NO ONE WHO DESIRES TO HAVE LIFE SHALL BE SHUT OUT!
CONCLUSION
The ("bottom line") word that comes through loud and clear from this poet-preacher Isaiah is the fact that this great God wants very much to be YOUR God and YOUR Friend!
66:2 "To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at (deeply reverences) my word." God wants a people He can love and that He can work with- - and who will be His witnesses: A GOD WHO WOULD BE YOUR GOD
(Exhortation:)
And just how important it is that you connect with the REALITY that is this great God!???
By "reality" I mean MORE than human thought, or human feelings, or human determination and will. To KNOW GOD is an exercise in TRUST, in FAITH that God IS! And that God is a Rewarder of those who seek to know HIM! God is as real a person as you are. Therefore you must not seek so much to know ABOUT Himm as to know HIM!
JUST ONE FACET OF THIS "IMPORTANCE":
My highest priority as a pastor is to save the children of the church family from losing their faith and slipping into the maelstrom of the world and being lost in time and eternity.
The best, the only real prevention for the loss of our children is a personal relationship with Jesus as Savior, Lord and Friend.
The way this is most likely to happen is if they have a model or models who have a "real" working relationship both with Jesus and with them. This is not to say that people cannot work their own ways through to genuine salvation without a Christian family or network. But the usual pathway is role model and example.
This makes the following question one which should not be avoided. [My problem sometimes is that people think I am exaggerating when I'm serious, or think I'm serious when I am having fun and exaggerating. I want absolutely no confusion here: I am as serious as I know how to be!]
The question is: HOW REAL IS JESUS CHRIST TO YOU? If you, as parent, role model, leader, have a "get-by" or "mediocre" friendship with Jesus, and your prayer life is not an increasing push into the adventure of the mystery of knowing God in Jesus Christ, then it is likely that those watching you will not be excited about the faith that you may well hold dear.
We need to talk with Jesus. We need to walk with Jesus, and tell Him constantly how we are, what we are thinking. And then we need to put at the top of our intercessory prayer list the people we do not want to be separated from for all eternity!
It is impossible to "explain" poetry, even when that poetry is the living Word of God. But that can not prevent poetry from speaking deep and true into our very innermost being. And when that poetry IS the Word of God, the message that it speaks kindles life itself.
This portion of Isaiah (found in the 56th chapter,) flowing out of the "Servant Passage," speaks particularly of how the great Jehovah God loves all mankind, is willing, desires to be everyone's God, even -and perhaps particularly- those who seem to be hopeless or somehow "inferior."
Rather than analyze and dissect this chapter, I would let Isaiah lift us up on poetic wings for an overview of his joyful, hopeful, confident, gracious portrait of the great God we love and serve.
I. A GOD OF GREAT COMPASSION
42:3 A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish
God is in the life-saving, life-lifting business; not in the life-extinguishing, find-a-reason-to-kill-you business!
46:1-4 Bel, Nebo (Babylonian idols) ...the things that YOU carry, are burdensome, a load for the weary beasts... "Listen to Me..You who have been borne by Me from birth, and have been carried from the womb; even to your old age, I shall be the same, and even to your graying years I shall bear you!
The prophet contrasts His God with (and even makes FUN of) the idols of the nations. JHWH carries His loved ones!
God is not just interested in our "souls." He cares how we feel; His heart feels the good and the bad along with us.
I do not pretend to understand the apparent inequities of life; I do serve a God Who CARES about these inequities, and Who has promised that He would be with every one who calls on Him, and that His PRESENCE would give us REST.
II. A GOD OVER ALL THE EARTH
45:1 "The LORD says to Cyrus, His anointed ... "I will go before you and make the rough places smooth ...
I am the LORD and besides me there is no God I am the Lord and there is no other...
[God could and did take the king of Persia and subdue and chastise the king of Babylon, and in the doing (Romans 8:28) care for the Chosen, while establishing His name in all the earth.
And He can and shall do it again ... without (I might add) the frantic, sweaty help of those who think God NEEDS us! On the other hand, however, remember that God can and will use the human instruments that SUBMIT to Him!
The ancient world had pretty much divided itself into isolated armed camps, and each social group had its own version of deity. Most of these deities were pale reflections of human vices and virtues raised to the Nth power, and the concept of pure GOODNESS, or unfailing JUSTICE, or overarching HOLINESS seemed to be missing.
JWHW declared Himself to be concerned about ALL peoples!
The modern world creates its own gods in its own self-serving image, as well. There is really nothing new under the sun... and today God Almighty says:
I AM THE LORD! BESIDE ME THERE IS NO OTHER!
You Nazarenes do not own Me! You Roman Catholics did not create ME!
III. A GOD OF A SPECIFIC PEOPLE
A. He chose Abraham, and then formed a Covenant People. THERE IS ALWAYS A HUMAN RESPONSE TO GOD'S CHOICE INVOLVED!
Our God chooses people by making covenant with them!
B. But from the very beginning, God's plan has been that the CHOSEN, the "covenant people" always will share God's kindness and love to all the world:
49:5 And now, says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant -- My God is My Strength-- He says, Is it too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also make You a light to the nations So that My salvation may reach the end of the earth Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and its Holy One, To the Despised One To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of Rulers, "Kings shall bow down Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you."
B. (We believe that THE CHURCH carries on this covenant relationship! Instead of circumcision, now the covenant is baptism, and also the covenant of the Eucharist.) And
God STILL chooses those who will listen to be HIS people! But He STILL chooses them in order to let the rest of the world know just what kind of God He IS! He still loves all people, everywhere!
IV. A GOD OF THE HOPELESS
[Which brings US/me to the passage for today... this great and gracious God speaks particularly to the disenfranchised, the minorities, the discriminated against, the "outcasts in Israel," the aliens, or, in our modern buzz-word jargon, the "victims."]
56:3 "Let NOT the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely separate me from His people" Neither let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
MY house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples!
The Lord GOD who gathers the dispersed of Israel declares, "YET OTHERS I will gather... to those already gathered!"
NO one! is "shut out" from God's love! We are separated from each other at times ... we separate ourselves from each other-- we think we are separated from God. That there are special "elite" called people! such as... The JEWS! Birthright Christians! Second generation Nazarenes! Gifted! Moneyed! Those "in the clique!"
SUMMARY:
THE GOD OF GRACE INTENDS THAT IN HIS RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM NO ONE WHO DESIRES TO HAVE LIFE SHALL BE SHUT OUT!
CONCLUSION
The ("bottom line") word that comes through loud and clear from this poet-preacher Isaiah is the fact that this great God wants very much to be YOUR God and YOUR Friend!
66:2 "To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at (deeply reverences) my word." God wants a people He can love and that He can work with- - and who will be His witnesses: A GOD WHO WOULD BE YOUR GOD
(Exhortation:)
And just how important it is that you connect with the REALITY that is this great God!???
By "reality" I mean MORE than human thought, or human feelings, or human determination and will. To KNOW GOD is an exercise in TRUST, in FAITH that God IS! And that God is a Rewarder of those who seek to know HIM! God is as real a person as you are. Therefore you must not seek so much to know ABOUT Himm as to know HIM!
JUST ONE FACET OF THIS "IMPORTANCE":
My highest priority as a pastor is to save the children of the church family from losing their faith and slipping into the maelstrom of the world and being lost in time and eternity.
The best, the only real prevention for the loss of our children is a personal relationship with Jesus as Savior, Lord and Friend.
The way this is most likely to happen is if they have a model or models who have a "real" working relationship both with Jesus and with them. This is not to say that people cannot work their own ways through to genuine salvation without a Christian family or network. But the usual pathway is role model and example.
This makes the following question one which should not be avoided. [My problem sometimes is that people think I am exaggerating when I'm serious, or think I'm serious when I am having fun and exaggerating. I want absolutely no confusion here: I am as serious as I know how to be!]
The question is: HOW REAL IS JESUS CHRIST TO YOU? If you, as parent, role model, leader, have a "get-by" or "mediocre" friendship with Jesus, and your prayer life is not an increasing push into the adventure of the mystery of knowing God in Jesus Christ, then it is likely that those watching you will not be excited about the faith that you may well hold dear.
We need to talk with Jesus. We need to walk with Jesus, and tell Him constantly how we are, what we are thinking. And then we need to put at the top of our intercessory prayer list the people we do not want to be separated from for all eternity!
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