A few weeks ago
2ish am: I leave my room to shower. The elevator opens behind me, and I hear,
"Oh my God. I'm going to go to jail."
"Don't worry about it. You only have to be 16 in Canada. She's Canadian, right?"
"Oh my God. I'm going to go to jail."
I didn't really recognize the voices off hand so I kept going. As I'm in the shower, the guys come in and start showering too. After a minute or two I can pick out the voices as some folks from my floor that I'm acquainted with, but really don't know and haven't had any sort of legitimate conversation with to this point. The conversation basically repeats itself, and the initial guy sounds pretty worried. The buddy repeats his "Age of consent in Canada" thing. Then they start joking about the whole situation. Initial guy details how the deleted random girl from facebook and changed all his privacy settings so she wouldn't be able to "track him down". Jokes about Chris Hansen's "To Catch A Predator". Jokes about how she was "sucha bitch anyway".
Enter two other gentlemen from my floor to the showers. They enter the conversation and get the scoop from the first two guys. These guys I know a little bit better, though still not very well at all. One of the new guys I new had been doing some seeking, the other, I knew claimed Jesus. The conversation turns away from the hilarious topic of statutory rape to the wonderful world of webcams. The gents start exchanging stories of their recent webcam exploits, and how they've been figuring out the best strategies for tricking the most girls into showing them the most skin.
So I leave. I'm pretty mad. I don't really get angry, but I'm pretty pissed off. As I'm leaving I see two guys that I know aren't from our floor going into two different rooms on the floor with these sly little smirks. Needless to say, these particular rooms aren't men's rooms. Keep heading back towards my room. I pass by one of the girls that lives in one of those rooms. We make eye contact. Face full of guilt. Full of discomfort. She watched me watch random dude go into her room. Stutters a little bit. Stumbles over something to the effect of,
"hmmm..that's interesting...i don't think i've ever seen that guy before...weird..umkwelligottagonowgoodnightbye."
then runs off to her room and closes the door. Now i'm pissed and really sad. Sad because I know this young woman also claims Jesus. Sad because I know some of her struggles with men. Pissed because some random guy is about to take advantage of that then disappear, go back to wherever he lives, and have a conversation about this girl similar to the one those guys had in the bathroom. At this point, i'm like 80% mad. 20% sad.
I get back to my room and I'm kind of at a loss for what my response to the last 20 minutes is supposed to look like. With the gentlemen, I'm acquainted with them enough to where if I saw them face to face they would probably tell me all the details. But I can't seek that out, because there's no way I could share their sentiments on the situation, but at the same time we don't have the depth of relationship where I would have the authority to speak into their lives as anything other than some christian finding something else to condemn them for (at least that's my interpretation of their interpretation). With the woman, we've talked about it all before, her response to me in the hall said enough.
So I sit in my room trying to do the leftover work I have. But really, I'm just sitting there being angry and at a loss for a proper response. Eventually, not looking for a response anymore, just being angry. All the normal, almost cliche questions: Don't they those guys see that the women are real people? Where is the respect? Where is the value? What makes it ok for them to have their way with someone, play tricks and games to get what they want, and then leave, erase the person from their life, and talk crap about them like it doesn't even matter? What if that was your daughter? What if that was your future wife? Would you be ok with someone else treating them like that? For the men that I didn't know at all, it's not cool, but not really surprising I guess, but for the guys that were seeking, it makes sense that they're not finding anything, for the guys that claimed Jesus, I couldn't even really think about that one because it just hurt my brain trying to understand how they could think it was ok on any level. For the woman, why are you letting yourself be taken advantage of? Why can't you see that you're worth more than an hour of stimulation for some random guy? etc. etc. so on and so forth.
This is my initial response to seeing this in a group of maybe...
6 guys (only two of which I was familar with)
mistreating a group of
4 women (mentioned individually, only one of which i was familiar with)
And then it hits me. And then I get really really sad. Like 98% sad and 2% mad.
So what hit me?
REWIND.
-----------------------------------
Beginning of 7th grade I see my first semi-pornographic image. accidentally.
A few weeks later I see my 2nd semi-pornographic image. intentionally.
At the time, I knew it was shady enough to hide, but had no concept of it actually being wrong, or bad, or harmful. Over the next year and a half it gradually worked its way into my list of habits, escalating in frequency, becoming more explicit. Baby steps, sure, but if a baby steps for 18 months, he'll probably go quite a ways, and by the end, he'll just be walking. maybe not the most accurate analogy but you get the point.
The back half of 8th grade, I made that connection, and was pretty alarmed by how progressive of a habit it had become. No longer a leisurely passtime, but something I wanted gone.
I spent the next 6 months trying (and failing miserably) to quit. I talked to my pastor about it. That got us nowhere. I gave up and gave in for the next two years. Everyday, sometimes multiple times a day.
In the middle of my junior year of highschool I got sick of it again and me and a few frinds started doing accountability. Made alot of progress, relatively speaking, knocked it down to a few times a month for junior year, only only a few times for all of senior year.
Freshman year of college revisited the junior years of highschool, in terms of frequency. Started accountability again at the end of freshman year. Got a filter. Have more or less had no access for the last year and half-ish.
-----------------------------------
K Let's bring it back.
What does any of that have to do with the conversations and situations that night?
I was the most angry I've been in a long time, after seeing and hearing about a handful of examples of guys treating women in ways they didn't deserve to be treated, and the women (for the most part) letting it happen. Then I realized:
7 years of pornography is a ton of women I've mistreated. And not even that. It's a ton of women that had to be mistreated by countless other people in order for there to even be any porn in the first place. It's not just a matter of me consuming, or other people producing, on its own, it's the reality that the consumption SANCTIONS, ENCOURAGES, REQUESTS production (and everything entailed by the production).
That alone made me sad. That's probably an understatement. It's an understatement.
While I really have no concept of how to go about calculating how many women I've affected like this, I just know it's astronomical. But what happened that night was was this:
1)I saw the flippant, careless, attitude the guys carried towards the women after they were "done with them".
2)I saw the brokenness, shame, and helplessness in the eyes of this woman I know in the midst of being treated the way the men had just finished interacting with various other girls.
3)I saw myself in those 6 men.
4)I saw my friend in every woman of those 7 years.
Prior to this, I pretty much new and could tell you any of the above information. But this wasn't about information, or worldview, morality, judgment, any of that.
All the things I knew came together in a way they really haven't ever before as God put actual faces to my sin.
I still don't know what my response is supposed to be. Maybe compassion. Probably. Not quite sure what that would look like though.
I suppose I'm left with a call to continue to seek him, to remember this grace and mercy, and that I do actually need it, and to testify to him among the people from my own life.
A call to remember and believe:
1 Timothy 1:12-17
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor, yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am worst of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the worst, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Psalm 139 (In a Slightly Bigger Box)
Observations and Context:
I've only ever heard Psalm 139 taught from one angle. It goes something like this:
"Verses 13 to 15 say: 'For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; (S)Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.' Does your soul know that God made you wonderfully and with great skill? What might it look like for you to yourself in this way?"
Essentially getting at the idea of value, self-worth, self-image and finding/defining those things based on what the Word says about them instead finding/defining those things by what our family, friends, strangers, culture, society, past relationships, etc. has said about them.
This is huge. It's worthy of countless presentations, sermons, and hours spent meditating on its truth.
Questions:
But...what about the other 21 verses?
Observations: II
So a few of us were reading through it and this Psalm took on an entirely different persona for me. What jumped out was a beautiful image of what it looks like to be a Godly leader that came from realizing that Psalm 139 is the psalmists description of how God leads him (vs 10, vs 24).
Implications: The Godly Leader
1. Knows intimately the character of the people they lead. Both the inner character (v.2) and it's outer manifestations (vs 1-4). In the "They finish my sentences" fashion. Or at least, that's the imagery that comes to mind for me.
2. Is a pursuer of the people they lead (v.7), is pretty closely tied with number three.
3. Is radically faithful to the people they lead. They are a constant presence in the good things in their lives (vs. 8:Heaven), the hells of their lives (vs. 8:Sheol), and the confusing, unknown, foreboding, daunting areas in their lives that just seem to big to do anything concrete with (vs. 9:Remotest part of the sea.)
4. Is proactive with their faithfulness. They aren't just constantly around the people they lead, but they're finding ways to take their hands and lead them forward (vs. 10)
5. Is able to see the goodness of God in the darkest times for the people they lead. I think this is one of my favorite ones. Verses 11 and 12 say:
"If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day."
When all they can see is darkness, and all of their expectation rests on the belief that the good things they see are about to fade, the Godly leader is still able to see how God might be at work in the situation, the way's he is seeking to grow them, and is able to encourage, even when they're in that place. God is able to vision for his people from beyond the immediate circumstances his people find themselves in.
6. Is creative and skillful in the development of the people they lead. (vs. 13-15). Leadership and development is something portrayed as incredibly intimate, careful, and joyous.
7. Is able to see areas that need growth, and plan out how to make that happen. They can see the things that are unformed (vs.16), and develop a way to grow that area up to maturity. There's an underlying sense of hope, expectancy, and purpose that all come to the surface in this process. It implies a heavy presence of forward thinking. (vs. 16: the days ordained for me before they existed).
8. Thinks a lot about the people they lead. Thoughts that outnumber the sand (vs. 17-18) ...that's a lot of thoughts.
9. Interprets the things they do for the people they lead. What strikes me about all of these details about God as a leader, is that they don't come from God saying "I do x, y, and z." They come from someone that God is leading saying "God leads me in this way, and that way." The person being lead can articulate their interactions and the purposes of them. The psalmist understands that God has countless thoughts about him and values them immensely. The people being lead should know and understand the things that the leaders are investing into them. They'd probably like it.
Implications(II): When This Happens
These are more theoretical but hey whynot.
1. The people you lead know your heart for them (Psalm 139:all). The leader is valued (vs.17)
2. (Courtesy of Leah) The people's wills and hearts are drawn to yours. They develop a passion for your passions and begin to desire motion towards those things (vs. 21 and 22)
3. The people you lead will desire more of the same (vs. 24). Because of their trust in you as their leader, they will become people that seek the vulnerability of being known (vs. 23: know my heart), the discomfort of being tested (vs. 23: try me), and the accountability of being called out (vs. 24: see if there is anything hurtful, lead me in the way everlasting).
Applications: All of it?
Seriously. I have my moments, but generally speaking I don't do this. This is a picture of leadership that stems from character, and leads to people of character. I need a new heart.
1Thessalonians. Chapter 5. Verse 23 and 24.
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
Amen.
I've only ever heard Psalm 139 taught from one angle. It goes something like this:
"Verses 13 to 15 say: 'For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; (S)Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.' Does your soul know that God made you wonderfully and with great skill? What might it look like for you to yourself in this way?"
Essentially getting at the idea of value, self-worth, self-image and finding/defining those things based on what the Word says about them instead finding/defining those things by what our family, friends, strangers, culture, society, past relationships, etc. has said about them.
This is huge. It's worthy of countless presentations, sermons, and hours spent meditating on its truth.
Questions:
But...what about the other 21 verses?
Observations: II
So a few of us were reading through it and this Psalm took on an entirely different persona for me. What jumped out was a beautiful image of what it looks like to be a Godly leader that came from realizing that Psalm 139 is the psalmists description of how God leads him (vs 10, vs 24).
Implications: The Godly Leader
1. Knows intimately the character of the people they lead. Both the inner character (v.2) and it's outer manifestations (vs 1-4). In the "They finish my sentences" fashion. Or at least, that's the imagery that comes to mind for me.
2. Is a pursuer of the people they lead (v.7), is pretty closely tied with number three.
3. Is radically faithful to the people they lead. They are a constant presence in the good things in their lives (vs. 8:Heaven), the hells of their lives (vs. 8:Sheol), and the confusing, unknown, foreboding, daunting areas in their lives that just seem to big to do anything concrete with (vs. 9:Remotest part of the sea.)
4. Is proactive with their faithfulness. They aren't just constantly around the people they lead, but they're finding ways to take their hands and lead them forward (vs. 10)
5. Is able to see the goodness of God in the darkest times for the people they lead. I think this is one of my favorite ones. Verses 11 and 12 say:
"If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day."
When all they can see is darkness, and all of their expectation rests on the belief that the good things they see are about to fade, the Godly leader is still able to see how God might be at work in the situation, the way's he is seeking to grow them, and is able to encourage, even when they're in that place. God is able to vision for his people from beyond the immediate circumstances his people find themselves in.
6. Is creative and skillful in the development of the people they lead. (vs. 13-15). Leadership and development is something portrayed as incredibly intimate, careful, and joyous.
7. Is able to see areas that need growth, and plan out how to make that happen. They can see the things that are unformed (vs.16), and develop a way to grow that area up to maturity. There's an underlying sense of hope, expectancy, and purpose that all come to the surface in this process. It implies a heavy presence of forward thinking. (vs. 16: the days ordained for me before they existed).
8. Thinks a lot about the people they lead. Thoughts that outnumber the sand (vs. 17-18) ...that's a lot of thoughts.
9. Interprets the things they do for the people they lead. What strikes me about all of these details about God as a leader, is that they don't come from God saying "I do x, y, and z." They come from someone that God is leading saying "God leads me in this way, and that way." The person being lead can articulate their interactions and the purposes of them. The psalmist understands that God has countless thoughts about him and values them immensely. The people being lead should know and understand the things that the leaders are investing into them. They'd probably like it.
Implications(II): When This Happens
These are more theoretical but hey whynot.
1. The people you lead know your heart for them (Psalm 139:all). The leader is valued (vs.17)
2. (Courtesy of Leah) The people's wills and hearts are drawn to yours. They develop a passion for your passions and begin to desire motion towards those things (vs. 21 and 22)
3. The people you lead will desire more of the same (vs. 24). Because of their trust in you as their leader, they will become people that seek the vulnerability of being known (vs. 23: know my heart), the discomfort of being tested (vs. 23: try me), and the accountability of being called out (vs. 24: see if there is anything hurtful, lead me in the way everlasting).
Applications: All of it?
Seriously. I have my moments, but generally speaking I don't do this. This is a picture of leadership that stems from character, and leads to people of character. I need a new heart.
1Thessalonians. Chapter 5. Verse 23 and 24.
"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
Amen.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Long.
Part One: Proverbs 8
1 Does not wisdom call,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 "To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
In verses 4 "Wisdom" begins to speak. Between verses 4 and 21, Wisdom is addressing man, and it describes itself as: one that speaks of nobel things, speaks truth, is free from perversion, makes sense to those who find truth, is more valuable than gold and material wealth, can't stand evil, pride, arrogance, or perversion, provides counsel and soundness, is full of understanding and power, influences people...of influence, will be found by those that seek, gives riches that last, yields fruit better than money, and rewards those that love it.
Then in 22 Wisdom says of itself:
22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23"From everlasting I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
It continues basically: "I, Wisdom, existed before there were oceans or underground springs, before mountains or hills, before the earth, fields, or dust, before there were the heavens, or the skies were made, before water was separated from land, before the foundations of earth were laid." then proceeds:
30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having delight in the sons of men.
Wisdom then ends its discourse with "Therefore, listen to me and be blessed, don't neglect my instruction. When you find me, you find life, and favor from the Lord. When you ignore me, it hurts you. If you don't love me, you love your own demise."
Recap: Chapter 8 is a personification of Wisdom. There's a whole list of its attributes as well as the claim that Wisdom was present before creation, and after it took delight in the creation and in Mankind.
Part Two: John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
vs 4-14: John was sent by God to testify to the man who was the Light of Man that shines in the darkness. Some people believed this guy, some didn't. The ones that did, he gave the right to become children of God
14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
vs 15-18: John said the Word dwelt among folks and was full of grace and truth, and that this person of grace and truth is the Person of Jesus.
Recap: John opens talking about how "the Word" was with God during creation, and that it was God. It claims that "the Word" had both presence and a hand in creation. "the Word" then became a man full of grace and truth. John finally says that Jesus was the one full of grace and truth, and that his life made the glory of the Father known.
Part 3: The connection
Part 1: Wisdom personified and portraying itself to man, one of the main things it focuses on is that it was present for and had a role in creation (1/3 of the chapter sits on this).
Part 2: The first thing John does is talk about "the Word"'s presence and role in creation. Followed by the declaration that the Word became flesh in the form of Jesus.
Connection: Wisdom personified has presence and role in creation, and the Word has presence and role in creation. the Word is incarnate as Jesus. So moving backwards, Jesus is the personification, embodiment, incarnation of Wisdom.
Part 4: Implications
For Jesus: Ok, Jesus is wise. Duh, he's Jesus. But previously, that's pretty much the extent of the logic. But now its beyond that. And it actually has something of a basis in text instead of just well he's supposed to be wise because hes Jesus. He's not just wise. He's the physical manifestation of Wisdom. That's kind of crazy.
For Proverbs: Ok, Proverbs. Wise sayings. Is it more than that? If Jesus is the embodiment of wisdom, then everything in Proverbs that describes wisdom, doesn't just describe wisdom, it says something specific about the personal character of Jesus. All the places where wisdom addresses man, is a look at Jesus heart as he speaks to us. Each place where wisdom cautions someone to do or not to do something, is insight to the very things that Jesus urges us to or away from. It's no longer a collection of good advice. It's both an exposition of Jesus character and a snapshot of the heart that he has for us (take a look at the summary of Proverbs 8:4-21 again through that lens).
Final Recap: Jesus isn't just wise, he is the complete epitome of wisdom. Proverbs isn't just good advice, its a breakdown of who Jesus is, and his vision for the lives of those that really seek to follow him. I haven't landed on any actual solid implications of this other than its really cool, and adds some force to the teachings in proverbs and understandings of J.
and since this is already ridiculously long, couldn't hurt to add this too. this song is bomb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtaHywIx2Fg
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
When you feel the dark inside you
and the wind and waves keep pushing you down
Feel the whole world pulling you around
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
When you feel the dark inside you
and the moon and stars don't lead you nowhere
Feels like no one's watching up there
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
Let me be the one.....standing when you come
Lay your anchor down and let me wrap my arms around you
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
For you I stand
For you I ... stand
Here's to random things spurring lengthy discourses. Amen.
1 Does not wisdom call,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 "To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
In verses 4 "Wisdom" begins to speak. Between verses 4 and 21, Wisdom is addressing man, and it describes itself as: one that speaks of nobel things, speaks truth, is free from perversion, makes sense to those who find truth, is more valuable than gold and material wealth, can't stand evil, pride, arrogance, or perversion, provides counsel and soundness, is full of understanding and power, influences people...of influence, will be found by those that seek, gives riches that last, yields fruit better than money, and rewards those that love it.
Then in 22 Wisdom says of itself:
22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23"From everlasting I was established,
From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
It continues basically: "I, Wisdom, existed before there were oceans or underground springs, before mountains or hills, before the earth, fields, or dust, before there were the heavens, or the skies were made, before water was separated from land, before the foundations of earth were laid." then proceeds:
30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having delight in the sons of men.
Wisdom then ends its discourse with "Therefore, listen to me and be blessed, don't neglect my instruction. When you find me, you find life, and favor from the Lord. When you ignore me, it hurts you. If you don't love me, you love your own demise."
Recap: Chapter 8 is a personification of Wisdom. There's a whole list of its attributes as well as the claim that Wisdom was present before creation, and after it took delight in the creation and in Mankind.
Part Two: John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
vs 4-14: John was sent by God to testify to the man who was the Light of Man that shines in the darkness. Some people believed this guy, some didn't. The ones that did, he gave the right to become children of God
14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
vs 15-18: John said the Word dwelt among folks and was full of grace and truth, and that this person of grace and truth is the Person of Jesus.
Recap: John opens talking about how "the Word" was with God during creation, and that it was God. It claims that "the Word" had both presence and a hand in creation. "the Word" then became a man full of grace and truth. John finally says that Jesus was the one full of grace and truth, and that his life made the glory of the Father known.
Part 3: The connection
Part 1: Wisdom personified and portraying itself to man, one of the main things it focuses on is that it was present for and had a role in creation (1/3 of the chapter sits on this).
Part 2: The first thing John does is talk about "the Word"'s presence and role in creation. Followed by the declaration that the Word became flesh in the form of Jesus.
Connection: Wisdom personified has presence and role in creation, and the Word has presence and role in creation. the Word is incarnate as Jesus. So moving backwards, Jesus is the personification, embodiment, incarnation of Wisdom.
Part 4: Implications
For Jesus: Ok, Jesus is wise. Duh, he's Jesus. But previously, that's pretty much the extent of the logic. But now its beyond that. And it actually has something of a basis in text instead of just well he's supposed to be wise because hes Jesus. He's not just wise. He's the physical manifestation of Wisdom. That's kind of crazy.
For Proverbs: Ok, Proverbs. Wise sayings. Is it more than that? If Jesus is the embodiment of wisdom, then everything in Proverbs that describes wisdom, doesn't just describe wisdom, it says something specific about the personal character of Jesus. All the places where wisdom addresses man, is a look at Jesus heart as he speaks to us. Each place where wisdom cautions someone to do or not to do something, is insight to the very things that Jesus urges us to or away from. It's no longer a collection of good advice. It's both an exposition of Jesus character and a snapshot of the heart that he has for us (take a look at the summary of Proverbs 8:4-21 again through that lens).
Final Recap: Jesus isn't just wise, he is the complete epitome of wisdom. Proverbs isn't just good advice, its a breakdown of who Jesus is, and his vision for the lives of those that really seek to follow him. I haven't landed on any actual solid implications of this other than its really cool, and adds some force to the teachings in proverbs and understandings of J.
and since this is already ridiculously long, couldn't hurt to add this too. this song is bomb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtaHywIx2Fg
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
When you feel the dark inside you
and the wind and waves keep pushing you down
Feel the whole world pulling you around
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
When you feel the dark inside you
and the moon and stars don't lead you nowhere
Feels like no one's watching up there
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
Let me be the one.....standing when you come
Lay your anchor down and let me wrap my arms around you
Let me me be your lighthouse
Let me guide your hand
Let me be your shelter
For you...for you I stand
For you I stand
For you I ... stand
Here's to random things spurring lengthy discourses. Amen.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
"Jesus already gave them the authority to cast out demons. In light of this, the disciples waking up Jesus in the storm becomes less of an act of "trusting in him" and more of an act of cowardice. Perhaps the appropriately bold response to the situation showing that they believed and trusted in Jesus would be to act like they didn't think he was lying when he told them they could cast out demons. And do it."
Ghana: The Parable.
Starting at orientation as a team we acknowledged we thought God wanted to teach us something about being and forming a sense of "genuine community". We also acknowledged we didn't really know what it would look like for us to do that and be that for each other. We often prayed that God would motivate us and push us and stir up initiative towards each other. And for the first 4.5 weeks or so, (to overgeneralize a bit) that's all we did. We seemed to be missing a sense that if God was calling us into a deeper experience of community, that that would require some sort of action on our part in how we relate to each other, and that he would provide for the things he called us to. He told us to be community. We prayed for him to do his part in that. We didn't act like we thought he'd do his part. The last week and a half we started to get the picture and take more steps to grow together. The amount of change we saw from that short period was kinda ridiculous.
"You of little faith. I told you you could cast out demons. Instead of casting out demons, you ran to me to save you."
"You of little faith. I told you to be community. Instead of being community, you kept asking me to hand you a community."
Leader's Retreat: Acts 1 is ridiculous.
"Jesus when are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? When do we benefit from what you do?"
"It's not going to be me, and it's not going to be Israel. It's going to be you and you're going to restore the world. You're going to do it by being my witnesses. You will serve the familiar, the enemies, and the unknown. You will do it inclusively and indiscriminately."
Similar theme. They expect Jesus to do it. Jesus tells them that him doing it means THEM DOING IT, in his name. What's crazier here though is that they actually do it. This is a ridiculous call for a handful of guys. But this time, they do it. And here we are today. This is ridiculous. Absolutely nuts.
Ghana: The Parable.
Starting at orientation as a team we acknowledged we thought God wanted to teach us something about being and forming a sense of "genuine community". We also acknowledged we didn't really know what it would look like for us to do that and be that for each other. We often prayed that God would motivate us and push us and stir up initiative towards each other. And for the first 4.5 weeks or so, (to overgeneralize a bit) that's all we did. We seemed to be missing a sense that if God was calling us into a deeper experience of community, that that would require some sort of action on our part in how we relate to each other, and that he would provide for the things he called us to. He told us to be community. We prayed for him to do his part in that. We didn't act like we thought he'd do his part. The last week and a half we started to get the picture and take more steps to grow together. The amount of change we saw from that short period was kinda ridiculous.
"You of little faith. I told you you could cast out demons. Instead of casting out demons, you ran to me to save you."
"You of little faith. I told you to be community. Instead of being community, you kept asking me to hand you a community."
Leader's Retreat: Acts 1 is ridiculous.
"Jesus when are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? When do we benefit from what you do?"
"It's not going to be me, and it's not going to be Israel. It's going to be you and you're going to restore the world. You're going to do it by being my witnesses. You will serve the familiar, the enemies, and the unknown. You will do it inclusively and indiscriminately."
Similar theme. They expect Jesus to do it. Jesus tells them that him doing it means THEM DOING IT, in his name. What's crazier here though is that they actually do it. This is a ridiculous call for a handful of guys. But this time, they do it. And here we are today. This is ridiculous. Absolutely nuts.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Crazy.
Jesus Calms the Storm(Mark 4). A theory.
The Summary:
Jesus preaches to folks. It's getting dark. Jesus wants to go to the Gentile region. He falls asleep. A crazy storm kicks up on the way. The disciples get worried. They wake up Jesus. He calms the storm. He points out their fear and questions their faith. They're filled with awe.
The Question:
What about the disciples response to the situation suggested a lack of faith?
How could they have responded differently to be found faithful?
The Theory:
They should have calmed the storm themselves.
The three legs of the theory:
1)The storm was demonic in nature.
2)The Disciples would have known this.
3)Faith is associated with action, rooted in belief in Jesus.
The Elaboration:
1)The most striking picture we see of Jesus interacting with demons is in Mark 1:21-28. It plays out like this:
Jesus was teaching.
A demon possessed person comes and makes a commotion.
Jesus rebukes the demon.
The people were amazed at his authority.
Mark 3:11-12 also add that when demons saw him
They cried out and fell down before him.
He charged them to be quiet.
These two passages bear a striking resemblance to the sequence of events seen at the calming of the storm in Mark 4.
Jesus was teaching. He leaves.
The storm comes and goes crazy.
Jesus rebukes the storm
Same Greek word (to muzzle) as in Mark 2: rebuking the demon.
The waves of the storm fall down and are quieted.
The people are amazed at his authority.
Could the parallel structure Mark uses in describing the casting of a demon and the calming of the storm suggest demonic origins for the storm?
Other misc. subtleties that might point this direction:
The disciples are fishermen, they know the sea. They aren't going to
sail into a storm at night in a fisher's boat. They know better.
There are other boats with them when they leave. A whole group of
boats aren't going to sail into a storm at night.
The sea isn't THAT big. They probably wouldn't have been on the
water all that long.
This suggests that the storm wasn't there when they started, and
became very violent, very quickly.
It's interesting that there's no more mention of the other boats.
This suggests that they turned back, got rocked, the storm was
too big to have any concept of them, some other misc. option.
They we're headed to preach in the gentile region for the first time.
Seems like an appropriate time for some opposition.
A quick glance through the rest of the gospels shows that whenever
Jesus life is put in danger, Satan usually has a hand in it.
(In the wilderness, Judas, in the Garden, etc.)
The main parable before this (soils) deals significantly with Satan
stealing the word from people, and from faith being choked by
trials and tribulations.
2)I read somewhere (it'd probably be helpful to find out where but whatever that the culture of the time of this event viewed night storms as oppressive spiritual activity. This being a cultural thing, combined with the above noted situational components, I submit that perhaps in the midst of the chaos, the disciples would have understood the situation through this lens; that is, they would have understood they were caught in the middle of a demonic attack.
3)This comes from the first time we see "faith" used in Mark, when Jesus heals the paralytic man based on seeing the faith of his friends. Faith was something he could see. Their actions were persistent, vigilant, and bold as they made a hole in someone's roof to get to Jesus because they were sure of his ability to heal their friend.
Tying It Together:
So assuming that the storm was demonic, and assuming the disciples knew this, what did they do? They asked Jesus to take care of it. But we see that in in the face of this response, Jesus points out that they have little faith. And so the original question arises. What could they have done differently that would have been characterized by persistence, vigilance, boldness, all rooted in belief in Jesus? REWIND. From Mark 4, to Mark 3:
vs. 13 "And he went up into the hills, and called to him those whom
he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and to have authority to cast out demons..." (RSV)
Jesus already gave them the authority to cast out demons. In light of this, the disciples waking up Jesus in the storm becomes less of an act of "trusting in him" and more of an act of cowardice. Perhaps the appropriately bold response to the situation showing that they believed and trusted in Jesus would be to trust him that they could do what he had already told them they could do. And do it.
Coming Soon:
How this relates to
Ghana: The Parable.
Leaders Retreat: Acts 1 is ridiculous.
Matthew 14: Walking on Water.
The Summary:
Jesus preaches to folks. It's getting dark. Jesus wants to go to the Gentile region. He falls asleep. A crazy storm kicks up on the way. The disciples get worried. They wake up Jesus. He calms the storm. He points out their fear and questions their faith. They're filled with awe.
The Question:
What about the disciples response to the situation suggested a lack of faith?
How could they have responded differently to be found faithful?
The Theory:
They should have calmed the storm themselves.
The three legs of the theory:
1)The storm was demonic in nature.
2)The Disciples would have known this.
3)Faith is associated with action, rooted in belief in Jesus.
The Elaboration:
1)The most striking picture we see of Jesus interacting with demons is in Mark 1:21-28. It plays out like this:
Jesus was teaching.
A demon possessed person comes and makes a commotion.
Jesus rebukes the demon.
The people were amazed at his authority.
Mark 3:11-12 also add that when demons saw him
They cried out and fell down before him.
He charged them to be quiet.
These two passages bear a striking resemblance to the sequence of events seen at the calming of the storm in Mark 4.
Jesus was teaching. He leaves.
The storm comes and goes crazy.
Jesus rebukes the storm
Same Greek word (to muzzle) as in Mark 2: rebuking the demon.
The waves of the storm fall down and are quieted.
The people are amazed at his authority.
Could the parallel structure Mark uses in describing the casting of a demon and the calming of the storm suggest demonic origins for the storm?
Other misc. subtleties that might point this direction:
The disciples are fishermen, they know the sea. They aren't going to
sail into a storm at night in a fisher's boat. They know better.
There are other boats with them when they leave. A whole group of
boats aren't going to sail into a storm at night.
The sea isn't THAT big. They probably wouldn't have been on the
water all that long.
This suggests that the storm wasn't there when they started, and
became very violent, very quickly.
It's interesting that there's no more mention of the other boats.
This suggests that they turned back, got rocked, the storm was
too big to have any concept of them, some other misc. option.
They we're headed to preach in the gentile region for the first time.
Seems like an appropriate time for some opposition.
A quick glance through the rest of the gospels shows that whenever
Jesus life is put in danger, Satan usually has a hand in it.
(In the wilderness, Judas, in the Garden, etc.)
The main parable before this (soils) deals significantly with Satan
stealing the word from people, and from faith being choked by
trials and tribulations.
2)I read somewhere (it'd probably be helpful to find out where but whatever that the culture of the time of this event viewed night storms as oppressive spiritual activity. This being a cultural thing, combined with the above noted situational components, I submit that perhaps in the midst of the chaos, the disciples would have understood the situation through this lens; that is, they would have understood they were caught in the middle of a demonic attack.
3)This comes from the first time we see "faith" used in Mark, when Jesus heals the paralytic man based on seeing the faith of his friends. Faith was something he could see. Their actions were persistent, vigilant, and bold as they made a hole in someone's roof to get to Jesus because they were sure of his ability to heal their friend.
Tying It Together:
So assuming that the storm was demonic, and assuming the disciples knew this, what did they do? They asked Jesus to take care of it. But we see that in in the face of this response, Jesus points out that they have little faith. And so the original question arises. What could they have done differently that would have been characterized by persistence, vigilance, boldness, all rooted in belief in Jesus? REWIND. From Mark 4, to Mark 3:
vs. 13 "And he went up into the hills, and called to him those whom
he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and to have authority to cast out demons..." (RSV)
Jesus already gave them the authority to cast out demons. In light of this, the disciples waking up Jesus in the storm becomes less of an act of "trusting in him" and more of an act of cowardice. Perhaps the appropriately bold response to the situation showing that they believed and trusted in Jesus would be to trust him that they could do what he had already told them they could do. And do it.
Coming Soon:
How this relates to
Ghana: The Parable.
Leaders Retreat: Acts 1 is ridiculous.
Matthew 14: Walking on Water.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ghana Debrief: Abridged
1) Take time to remember where God has brought you from.
2) Jesus is the example.
3) Be grateful God let's you in on what he's got going on
4) Leaders serve. View leadership through the posture of servanthood.
5) Encourage the good, identify the sin.
6) God is full of grace and mercy.
7) Following Jesus is active.
8) Pray it. Go for it.
9)"Worship had become much like the campaign speeches of politicians in our own day. It was full of empty words, misrepresenting one's identity, purpose, and goals. For many, worship was saying the right things and looking good in the right places. There were too little connection between the prescribed religious patterns and matters of the heart, righteousness, and Yahweh's will. To God's perspective, it was meaningless. Unrepentant sacrifice is no sacrifice at all. It is masquerading. it is an attempt to coerce God to ignore our real identity and enable out unrighteous habits. Meetings, assmblies, and services to honor God are dishonoring when we do not live the righteousness God desires."
don't do this.
10) The call > the situation.
11) J's authority doesn't enable autonomy.
12) When you give, give to the Lord.
1 John 2.
2) Jesus is the example.
3) Be grateful God let's you in on what he's got going on
4) Leaders serve. View leadership through the posture of servanthood.
5) Encourage the good, identify the sin.
6) God is full of grace and mercy.
7) Following Jesus is active.
8) Pray it. Go for it.
9)"Worship had become much like the campaign speeches of politicians in our own day. It was full of empty words, misrepresenting one's identity, purpose, and goals. For many, worship was saying the right things and looking good in the right places. There were too little connection between the prescribed religious patterns and matters of the heart, righteousness, and Yahweh's will. To God's perspective, it was meaningless. Unrepentant sacrifice is no sacrifice at all. It is masquerading. it is an attempt to coerce God to ignore our real identity and enable out unrighteous habits. Meetings, assmblies, and services to honor God are dishonoring when we do not live the righteousness God desires."
don't do this.
10) The call > the situation.
11) J's authority doesn't enable autonomy.
12) When you give, give to the Lord.
1 John 2.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
4 months after reading through the minor prophets and "liking" them...i think i'm actually getting a concept of what they're actually about.
not so much in the "this book is written in this time, addressing these issues.." sense; moreso in the "wait...why is it that i ended up reading these out of nowhere..?" sense.
alot of it is exemplified in malachi 1.
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master.
If I am a father, where is the honor due me?
If I am a master, where is the respect due me?"
says the LORD Almighty.
goes on to talk about all the ways the people disresct Him, and all the ways that they try to justify it and call it something its not. basically all centered around this theme of His people not responding to Him the way that their names for him would indicate that they should. the people argue against his accusations. he has his rebuttles; they're airtight.He notes, by name, people who followed him righteously as reference points and contrasts those people with the general population. The behavior is clearly different. Exhorts them in chapter 3
6 "I the LORD do not change.
So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
7 Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
it's basically a call exposing the hypocrisy. theres a reason we call God the things we do. when those things aren't backed up by how we actually respond to him in the ways we live we (as one so bluntly once put it) rape him of his glory.
1. we call him things
2. we don't mean them
3. he knows
4. he calls our bluff
5. we still make excuses about it
6. he gives us a chance to change how we interact with him
switching gears a little bit, but track the themes.
inductive study. gospel of mark.
john the baptists message: repent and confess for forgiveness
jesus message: repent and believe that the prophecy is fulfilled, the KOG is here.
common theme of repentance.
interesting: greek for repent is something like to have a change of mindset
another reoccuring theme through the beginning of jesus ministry is his interactions with scribes, pharisees, religious elite, perhaps... the churched, the leaders, the pastors. many of these encounters show them taking offense or incredulousness at some aspect of things jesus claims to be or be able to do. they rarely voice it. nonetheless he responds with something along the lines of "i'm going to do something crazy, so that you'll understand that i can do the things i say i can do (and am thus, who i say i am). "
i'm going to do something crazy, so you can change how you think about me. because i do this, repent. believe. prophecy is fulfilled. KOG is here. confess. there's forgiveness. respond to me, as though you actually believe that i am who i am.
tracking the themes? looking at God and living lives that challenge who he says he is isn't something that was reserved for israel. looking at jesus and living lives that challenge who he says he is isnt something that was reserved for pharisees. we often make the connection that "we are israel" or "we are the pharisees". But how often do we address that God is God. and that in light of us being israel or the pharisees, Gods rebuke to them stands for us. As does his offer to return to him. We're quick to call him god, father, lord, christ, savior, master, healer, comforter, the list goes on. What does my life call him? probably none of those.
what do i make of this? following God is an intensely serious thing. he has a reputation. we know his reputation, and should be a people that proclaim and protect it with integrity. when we don't, it should convict us like no other. i don't. it's starting to kinda convict me. only kinda tho. that reality...is a little bit more convicting. this is where repentance is supposed to happen.
not so much in the "this book is written in this time, addressing these issues.." sense; moreso in the "wait...why is it that i ended up reading these out of nowhere..?" sense.
alot of it is exemplified in malachi 1.
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master.
If I am a father, where is the honor due me?
If I am a master, where is the respect due me?"
says the LORD Almighty.
goes on to talk about all the ways the people disresct Him, and all the ways that they try to justify it and call it something its not. basically all centered around this theme of His people not responding to Him the way that their names for him would indicate that they should. the people argue against his accusations. he has his rebuttles; they're airtight.He notes, by name, people who followed him righteously as reference points and contrasts those people with the general population. The behavior is clearly different. Exhorts them in chapter 3
6 "I the LORD do not change.
So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
7 Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
it's basically a call exposing the hypocrisy. theres a reason we call God the things we do. when those things aren't backed up by how we actually respond to him in the ways we live we (as one so bluntly once put it) rape him of his glory.
1. we call him things
2. we don't mean them
3. he knows
4. he calls our bluff
5. we still make excuses about it
6. he gives us a chance to change how we interact with him
switching gears a little bit, but track the themes.
inductive study. gospel of mark.
john the baptists message: repent and confess for forgiveness
jesus message: repent and believe that the prophecy is fulfilled, the KOG is here.
common theme of repentance.
interesting: greek for repent is something like to have a change of mindset
another reoccuring theme through the beginning of jesus ministry is his interactions with scribes, pharisees, religious elite, perhaps... the churched, the leaders, the pastors. many of these encounters show them taking offense or incredulousness at some aspect of things jesus claims to be or be able to do. they rarely voice it. nonetheless he responds with something along the lines of "i'm going to do something crazy, so that you'll understand that i can do the things i say i can do (and am thus, who i say i am). "
i'm going to do something crazy, so you can change how you think about me. because i do this, repent. believe. prophecy is fulfilled. KOG is here. confess. there's forgiveness. respond to me, as though you actually believe that i am who i am.
tracking the themes? looking at God and living lives that challenge who he says he is isn't something that was reserved for israel. looking at jesus and living lives that challenge who he says he is isnt something that was reserved for pharisees. we often make the connection that "we are israel" or "we are the pharisees". But how often do we address that God is God. and that in light of us being israel or the pharisees, Gods rebuke to them stands for us. As does his offer to return to him. We're quick to call him god, father, lord, christ, savior, master, healer, comforter, the list goes on. What does my life call him? probably none of those.
what do i make of this? following God is an intensely serious thing. he has a reputation. we know his reputation, and should be a people that proclaim and protect it with integrity. when we don't, it should convict us like no other. i don't. it's starting to kinda convict me. only kinda tho. that reality...is a little bit more convicting. this is where repentance is supposed to happen.
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