The past two weeks, we have been working through a New series entitled STANDING FIRM which is based on the first 5 chapters of the book of Daniel.
In Chapter 1, the Hebrew youth are deported and taken to Babylon to be servants in the King's palace. This wasn't a kidnapping or forced slavery.....rather, in some ways it was the opportunity of a lifetime. These young men were to be groomed in the king's service and brought up in the royal court of the Babylonians.
One small problem...these boys were Hebrews and their religious views were unlike anything the Babylonians had even conisdered. Raised in their faith from childhood, these young men had very strong convictions. When the culture of the Babylonian world tried to lure them away from the foundation of their faith, they stood strong on their convictions that were based on God's word and God's will for their lives.
The first challenge or call these young men faced was the Babylonian food. The Jews even today have very strict dietary laws and much of what was to be offered to them was not aollowable in their diet. They faced a huge dilemma..honor the King and eat the choice food or honor God and follow the dietary laws of their faith.
The second challenge or call is found in chapter three. King Nabuchadnezzar built an idol for worship 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in Babylon. At the sound of music, everyone in the kingdom was to bow down and worship this idol. This was a huge issue for the Jewish young men as their faith strictly forbids idol worship. Another dilemma...honor the king and bow down to the idol or honor God by worshipping Him alone.
We talked this past Sunday about the "call" of our culture and how it will continually try to lure us away from being faithful to God. This call may entice us to cheat on a test or tell a little white lie to our boss or to gossip about someone else. Whatever the call may be, it often requires us to compromise our convictions and be disobedient to God's word.
What challenges or calls from our culture will you face this week? How will you respond?
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Joseph's Confusion
This week we are taking a closer look at Joseph and his reaction to the news that mary was preganant.
The first reaction was his confusion.
Can you imagine? I blogged yesterday that Joseph was probably older that we first think and some historical sources state that he was a widower with children from his first marriage.
He makes an agreement to marry the young daughter of a simple family....only to have the young girl turn up pregnant during their engagemant.
While this kind of arrangement seems creepy to us today, it was very common place in ancient times...and is still practiced in some places around the world today.
After working through the grief of losing his first wife, Joseph was probably counting the days until he start a family together with Mary, to enjoy the companionship and partnership of marriage.
Jewish laws concerning adultery were harsh and required the death of both the woman and the man as an act of public humiliation. (See Leviticus 20:10)
In ancient Israel, once a woman was betrothed (or engaged) to a man, legally they were husband and wife except they did not live together or have sexual relationship until their marriage day.
So Joseph was stuck bewteen a rock and a hard place...if he doesn't publicly shame her, he must take responsibility for the pregnancy which makes it look like he violated the betrothal period...if he does publicly shame her, then a young girl (who is already his wife) who is adamant that this child is from God will be brutally executed at the city gates.
What if she is telling the truth and he allows the pregant mother of the Savior of the world be executed?
How would he live with himself?
What will happen to his good name in the community if he takes her in and her pregnancy becomes known?
I can only imagine the turmoil he must have experienced as he wrestled with all of this.
A good question for all of us is...what would we have done in his place?
The first reaction was his confusion.
Can you imagine? I blogged yesterday that Joseph was probably older that we first think and some historical sources state that he was a widower with children from his first marriage.
He makes an agreement to marry the young daughter of a simple family....only to have the young girl turn up pregnant during their engagemant.
While this kind of arrangement seems creepy to us today, it was very common place in ancient times...and is still practiced in some places around the world today.
After working through the grief of losing his first wife, Joseph was probably counting the days until he start a family together with Mary, to enjoy the companionship and partnership of marriage.
Jewish laws concerning adultery were harsh and required the death of both the woman and the man as an act of public humiliation. (See Leviticus 20:10)
In ancient Israel, once a woman was betrothed (or engaged) to a man, legally they were husband and wife except they did not live together or have sexual relationship until their marriage day.
So Joseph was stuck bewteen a rock and a hard place...if he doesn't publicly shame her, he must take responsibility for the pregnancy which makes it look like he violated the betrothal period...if he does publicly shame her, then a young girl (who is already his wife) who is adamant that this child is from God will be brutally executed at the city gates.
What if she is telling the truth and he allows the pregant mother of the Savior of the world be executed?
How would he live with himself?
What will happen to his good name in the community if he takes her in and her pregnancy becomes known?
I can only imagine the turmoil he must have experienced as he wrestled with all of this.
A good question for all of us is...what would we have done in his place?
Monday, December 10, 2012
How old was Joseph?
We are in the middle of our series Upside Down as we consider the Advent or Coming of Christ to our world The past two weeks we have considered Mary and Joseph as they embraced parenting the Savior and Redeemer of our world.
While most scholars believed that Mary was anywhere from 13-16 years old, there is less consensus on the age of Joseph.
How old was Joseph?
Here is one line of thought...
This is totally unknown. There is no historical record of Joseph, Mary, nor Jesus -- no birth certificates, no census records, no birth record, no marriage records, nothing. The only written record of any of these characters is the Christian bible. With no other records, it is impossible to say how old Joseph was. Some say he was 50 through 70. Mary gave birth to Jesus at the age of 12 to 16.
Exact ages are not known and probably never will be. But generally - although it is never mentioned in the Bible, Joseph was 50 to 55 years old when Jesus was born and PROBABLY died when Jesus was about 12 - 14 years old. We know he was at Jesus birth and we know he was no longer alive at the Temple when Jesus spoke - as Mary is said to be all alone.
But, truthfully we don' really know...and it doesn't matter does it?
Joseph and Mary surrendered their will to God's calling to parent Jesus. They said YES when they both had every reason to say NO!
While most scholars believed that Mary was anywhere from 13-16 years old, there is less consensus on the age of Joseph.
How old was Joseph?
Here is one line of thought...
This is totally unknown. There is no historical record of Joseph, Mary, nor Jesus -- no birth certificates, no census records, no birth record, no marriage records, nothing. The only written record of any of these characters is the Christian bible. With no other records, it is impossible to say how old Joseph was. Some say he was 50 through 70. Mary gave birth to Jesus at the age of 12 to 16.
Exact ages are not known and probably never will be. But generally - although it is never mentioned in the Bible, Joseph was 50 to 55 years old when Jesus was born and PROBABLY died when Jesus was about 12 - 14 years old. We know he was at Jesus birth and we know he was no longer alive at the Temple when Jesus spoke - as Mary is said to be all alone.
But, truthfully we don' really know...and it doesn't matter does it?
Joseph and Mary surrendered their will to God's calling to parent Jesus. They said YES when they both had every reason to say NO!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Taking Its Toll
Some of you have asked about the song I sang on Sunday morning. Here are the lyrics. I will post the video on youtube this weekend.
"Taking Its Toll"
Words and Music by Mark Williams
Every day you pass me by
and pretend that you can't see
The desperation in my eyes
The resignation of defeat
You wish I would go away
You can't make me go away
Chorus 1
The man that you see here
Is not the man I use to be
I was young and wild and free
As a young man my heart was filled
Filled with hopes and dreams
But life has a way of taking, taking its toll on me.
Verse 2
As I sit here in the rain
Watching people cross the street
You see me begging for your change
I'm longing for your company
But you wish I would go away
You can't make me go away
Chorus 2
The man that you see here
Is not the man I use to be
I was young and wild and free
As a young man my heart was filled
Filled with hopes and dreams
But life has a way of taking, taking its toll on me.
Bridge
Who are the least of these?
Why can't you see
See that Jesus lives, He lives in me?
He lives in me...
Chorus 3
The man you see here is not the man
The man I used to be
I'm standing on my own two feet
I once was broken
Life had taken
Taken its toll on me
But Jesus rescued me.
End
Jesus rescued me
when others couldn't see
Jesus rescued me
Jesus rescued me.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Loaded Questions-Mary's Perspective
Mary knew that Jesus had the power to help and could be trusted.
When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:3-5
For over thirty years, Mary had kept hidden in her heart that her son was the Messiah. It must have been exciting for her to see Jesus begin His earthly ministry…and possibly a relief to see the promises unfold before her very eyes.
In ancient times, a wedding festival could last up to seven days. (Parents-can you imagine trying to pay for that reception?) It was the responsibility of the host to supply food and drink to keep the party hopping…to run out of wine would be disastrous. Maybe this person was a family friend...on any account, Mary wanted to come to his rescue and she knew who could help.
When she faced a crisis, she knew exactly who had the power to help-Jesus.
I find this exchange fascinating in light of the fact that she is conversing with God incarnate.
Maybe there was a side conversation…
“You know I created the universe right?” -Jesus
“Yeah whatever, I gave birth to you, get to steppin’ Jesus.” –Mary
Either way, Mary’s faith in her son the Messiah shines through and Jesus cannot deny a request from His mother.
Also, some people have conjectured that possibly Jesus and His disciples we not invited and their presence caused the wine shortage.
In fact she completely ignores His response and tells the servants to follow His directions.
This is a beautiful glimpse into the human existence of our Lord.
So, Mary knew that Jesus had the power to help and could be trusted.
Do we really believe that Jesus can make a difference in our crisis, at our crossroads? Have we truly placed our trust in Him?
When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:3-5
For over thirty years, Mary had kept hidden in her heart that her son was the Messiah. It must have been exciting for her to see Jesus begin His earthly ministry…and possibly a relief to see the promises unfold before her very eyes.
In ancient times, a wedding festival could last up to seven days. (Parents-can you imagine trying to pay for that reception?) It was the responsibility of the host to supply food and drink to keep the party hopping…to run out of wine would be disastrous. Maybe this person was a family friend...on any account, Mary wanted to come to his rescue and she knew who could help.
When she faced a crisis, she knew exactly who had the power to help-Jesus.
I find this exchange fascinating in light of the fact that she is conversing with God incarnate.
Maybe there was a side conversation…
“You know I created the universe right?” -Jesus
“Yeah whatever, I gave birth to you, get to steppin’ Jesus.” –Mary
Either way, Mary’s faith in her son the Messiah shines through and Jesus cannot deny a request from His mother.
Also, some people have conjectured that possibly Jesus and His disciples we not invited and their presence caused the wine shortage.
In fact she completely ignores His response and tells the servants to follow His directions.
This is a beautiful glimpse into the human existence of our Lord.
So, Mary knew that Jesus had the power to help and could be trusted.
Do we really believe that Jesus can make a difference in our crisis, at our crossroads? Have we truly placed our trust in Him?
Monday, September 24, 2012
Loaded Questions-Why do you involve Me?
Jesus was a creative and dynamic teacher who taught by telling stories and asking powerful questions. Long lectures were rare for Jesus. He knew his people would be more interested if He engaged their hearts. His questions caused His listeners to think deeply about their own lives. This fall we are going to take a closer look at five questions that Jesus asked different people in the Gospels.
The first one we looked closely at was "Why do you involve me?" from John 2:1-11. In this passage we looked at the different view points on Jesus turning water into wine: the viewpoint of Mary, the viewpoint of the servants, and the viewpoint of the disciples.
Read back over that passage...which viewpoint can you most relate to and why?
The first one we looked closely at was "Why do you involve me?" from John 2:1-11. In this passage we looked at the different view points on Jesus turning water into wine: the viewpoint of Mary, the viewpoint of the servants, and the viewpoint of the disciples.
Read back over that passage...which viewpoint can you most relate to and why?
Friday, August 3, 2012
Beyond The Comma Relaunched
For years I have been writing on this blog under the title "Beyond the Comma". The idea came from a sermon I heard years ago on John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
This past year, I attempted to publish a full-length article on this idea and was challenged by the publisher that this idea was problematic because many versions of scripture do not include a comma with this verse. Turns out that he was right.
Now just because one version of scripture doesn't have a comma doesn't mean that I have to scrap the whole idea...but I did just shelve it for the summer.
Well during the summer God showed me another passage that is just as powerful that will now be the focus of this blog.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)
So do not fear...COMMA...for I am with you!! What a powerful comma!!
I have to admit that I struggle with fear in my life at times. This verse is both an encouragement and a challenge in my life.
It's an encouragement to know that God is with me. But it is a challenge to realize that this verse is a COMMAND from God. I recently heard David Nassar speak on this passage and he pointed out that it is a SIN against God to allow your heart and life to be consumed with fear.
I am committed to live a life of faith and trust beyond the fear...beyond the comma...knowing that God will strengthen me, help me, and uphold me with His righteous right hand.
May we all purpose to move beyond the comma to a life of faith and trust in the One who has called us by name and who called us according to his purpose!
This past year, I attempted to publish a full-length article on this idea and was challenged by the publisher that this idea was problematic because many versions of scripture do not include a comma with this verse. Turns out that he was right.
Now just because one version of scripture doesn't have a comma doesn't mean that I have to scrap the whole idea...but I did just shelve it for the summer.
Well during the summer God showed me another passage that is just as powerful that will now be the focus of this blog.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)
So do not fear...COMMA...for I am with you!! What a powerful comma!!
I have to admit that I struggle with fear in my life at times. This verse is both an encouragement and a challenge in my life.
It's an encouragement to know that God is with me. But it is a challenge to realize that this verse is a COMMAND from God. I recently heard David Nassar speak on this passage and he pointed out that it is a SIN against God to allow your heart and life to be consumed with fear.
I am committed to live a life of faith and trust beyond the fear...beyond the comma...knowing that God will strengthen me, help me, and uphold me with His righteous right hand.
May we all purpose to move beyond the comma to a life of faith and trust in the One who has called us by name and who called us according to his purpose!
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