Thursday, May 21, 2020

Prayer

If you look at the ten commandments 1 in the Old Testament you can see that four of them have to do with our relationship to God...
  • You shall not have any other gods before me.
  • You shall not make any carved images [fake gods].
  • You shall not take my name in vain.
  • Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy [set aside time in your life for God]
...and the other six commandments have to do with our relationship to others.
  • Honor your parents
  • Don't murder
  • Don't commit adultery
  • Don't steal
  • Don't give false testimony [lie] about your neighbor
  • Don't covet [wish you had for yourself] your neighbor's stuff or his wife.
 In addition, if you look at the other 600 plus laws recorded in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, you will see that they all derive from the principles described in these ten.

While Jesus was here on earth living among us, a lawyer asked him what he thought was the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus said,
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments. 2
By quoting from the Law itself 3, Jesus made the point that the Law, summarized by the ten commandments, is all about loving (getting along with) God and your neighbor. And That is how Jesus lived out his life while he was here.

So you are asking, what does all this have to do with Prayer? "Getting along with" someone, whether God or your neighbor, involves communication. The best way to get to know someone, or to resolve a problem you have with someone, is to talk to them, and then listen to them. Think of prayer as our means of talking to God, or talking with God. And then God talks to us in several ways:

  • Through his WORD, the Bible, his written message to us.
    • Particularly through the words and life of Jesus recorded in the four Gospels.
    • We discussed in a previous post that Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh, so Jesus' words are God's words.
  • Through his Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
    • That could be through some other disciple or follower of Jesus who has a word of encouragement or a word of good advice for you.
    • Or through a family member who cares about you.
    • Or through your own thoughts as you listen to and think about God's written word.
 In the gospels of Matthew and Luke Jesus gives us some examples of prayers that can help us understand how to pray.

The Arrogant Prayer

In Luke 18:9-14 Jesus gives us two different examples of people praying . He describes the prayer of a Pharisee who thinks he has everything under control. This man seems to be praying a boastful, prideful, self centered prayer to himself and about himself, a  prayer.
  • "Thank you that I am not like these other people: swindlers, sinners, adulterers, or even this tax collector."
  • "I fast twice a week.
  • "I give a tenth of everything I get."
The Humble Prayer
Then Jesus gives an example of a humble prayer by a man who acknowledges his weaknesses. Compare the demeanor and words of this man with those of the Pharisee.
  • He stood far off.
  • He would not even look up to heaven. 
  • He beat his chest (in sorrow and humility).
  • "God be merciful to me, sinner that I am."
And notice the comment that Jesus made about these two men:
"I tell you that this man (the humble tax collector) went down to his home justified (that is, forgiven by God) rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Think about this last sentence. What do you think Jesus meant?

The "Model Prayer"

Jesus basically teaches over and over again that humility is the best and most rewarding lifestyle. In another setting (Matthew 6:5-14), maybe two years before the above incident, Jesus is speaking to his disciples and some others and he also addresses the subject of prayer. As in the other incident, he contrasts loud boastful prayer and quiet, humble, personal prayer. Then he gives his disciples (and us) an example, an outline of how we should pray. This is traditionally called "The Lord's Prayer",and it is a prayer, but it is more that that. It is a guide to lead us to a humble and meaningful prayer life. Here is the prayer with a few thoughts to consider.
  • Our Father in heaven, Holy is your name.
    • Our - we are all in this togehter.
    • Father - A family member who loves you; he adopted you as his own
    • Holy - he is the head of the household, worthy of respect
  • Your kingdom come
    • He is in control; better things will come. 
  • Your will be done. 
    • He has your best interest in mind and knows better than you what you need
    • God’s will over your will - it will be better for you in the long run
    • Seek his will.
  • Give us this day our daily bread.
    • Give us - Meet our basic needs
    • Daily - Trust god daily to take care of you
  • Forgive us our debts...
    • Acknowledge our debt, obligation to God
    • That we have failed to live up to his standard
    • Forgive our debts - when we have fallen short of God’s standard and/or hurt or failed other people.
  • As we forgive our debtors
    • How can we ask for forgiveness if we are not willing to forgive others?
  • Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
    • Lead us - this is not suggesting that God causes temptation, but is a rhetorical way to ask for God’s protection from sin.
    • Temptation - protect us from our own selfish desires
    • Deliver from Evil - protect us from outside evil influences.
    • We acknowledge that we need God’s help, we cannot avoid sin on our own.
Notice that in verse 14 Jesus specifically emphasizes the part about forgiving and being forgiven.
“For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins."
If we receive and understand forgiveness, we will also be inspired to forgive others. Think about how these things are intertwined and cannot be separated. Prayer is directly linked to our daily relationships with God and with the people around us.


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1. Exodus 20:3-27

2. Matthew 22:37-40 (NET)  

3. Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

This post is the result of my studies based on the book by Mark E. Moore, Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Building your Bible IQ in a Year, published by WaterBook (Penguin Random House)
Trade Paperback ISBN 978-0-525-65325-7
ebook isbn 978-0-525-65326-4

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Deeper Morality

Rules and Laws

What do you think about the rules and laws we live by every day? Laws enacted by governments. Unwritten rules of social interaction. Why do we need all these rules? Why can't we just have the freedom to do what we want? Secular philosophers would say that rules and laws exist so that people can interact with each other in a reasonably peaceful and orderly manner, to avoid conflicts as much as possible. Christian theologians would generally agree with that and would also add that rules and laws also exist so that people can have a peaceful and appropriate interaction with God.

Pharisees - "Letter of the Law"

There was a group of religious leaders in Judea during Jesus' time here on earth who had a very legalistic, technical understanding of the law. They would spend hours at a time studying, parsing, and discussing the Law of Moses. Their goal was to define the law in such a way that they could do certain things and avoid certain things so they could say they successfully obeyed all of the Law, that is, so they could say they were "righteous". What was their idea of "righteous"?
  • What is the minimum I can do to stay within the letter of the law?
  • What actions can I do to earn "brownie points" with God?
  • What can I do to earn my ticket into Heaven?
  • What can I do so that everyone will know that I obey all the rules?
Jesus - "Spirit of the Law"

In Matthew Chapter 5 Jesus gave us some guidance on how we should view laws and rules, and his guidance comes down to attitude and motive being the key to “keeping the law”; that “keeping the law” was about being concerned for and caring about others. I want to look at a couple of examples from that chapter.

Anger
“You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment." (Matthew 5:21-22 NET)
In defining the true meaning of the law, Jesus goes beyond the action of murder to the motive or attitude of anger.  Jesus looks at our attitude, our motive, what is in our heart, before we ever take a violent action. If you are angry with your brother you are just as guilty of breaking the law as if you had murdered him. What is Jesus' remedy to this situation?
So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24 NET)
Jesus wants us to take the initiative and reconcile with our brother, to live in peace and harmony as much as possible. By the way, the word "brother" here does not just refer to your physical blood brother, it refers to relatives, friends, classmates, co-workers, anyone you know and interact with.

Getting Even

There is a term used today: "I will get even with him." There is a biblical term in the Law of Moses that has a similar meaning: "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". Many saw this phrase in the law as approval for or even a requirement for retaliating for a wrong done to you, but this phrase was actually intended to be a limit on retaliation. In other words, if someone wrongfully takes something from you, you cannot take back any more than they took from you. But what does Jesus say about this:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you."
(Matther 5:38-42 NET)
 Jesus seems to go beyond limiting retaliation; he seems to say that, not only should we not retaliate ("get even"), we should sacrifice something of ourselves and do good to the person who has wronged us. Again, Jesus is looking at our motives and attitudes, not just our actions.

A Higher Standard

Jesus is calling us to a higher standard than just obeying the letter of the law, a standard of loving and caring about the other person, even if they have wronged us; a standard based not only on our actions, but more importantly on the attitude in our heart.

A few days before he was crucified, Jesus was being harassed by the legalistic Pharisees, trying to trip him up with their legal tricks. What was his response?
Now when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together. And one of them, an expert in religious law, asked him a question to test him: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” 
(Matthew 22:34-40 NET)
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®
copyright ©1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

This post is the result of my studies based on the book by Mark E. Moore, Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Building your Bible IQ in a Year, published by WaterBook (Penguin Random House)
Trade Paperback ISBN 978-0-525-65325-7
ebook isbn 978-0-525-65326-4

Wednesday, May 06, 2020

Son of Man - Son of God

Last week I was working through Chapter 18 in Mark Moore's book entitled "Blessedness", but I already shared my thoughts on "happy" and "blessed" in a previous post entitled "Finding Happiness". In this post I would like to continue on the theme of Jesus as the Son of Man and Son of God.

We acknowledge that a Creator-God who is outside our space/time world created us in his image, that is, with certain of his characteristics, and that he wants to be in relationship with us. If you think about it, the best way for him to do that would be for him to come here to our world and live among us; and that is what he did in Jesus.

There are references to a Son of God - Son of Man figure throughout the Old Testament, and the New Testament indicates that person came as Jesus about 2000 years ago. In this post I am going to give you some scriptures to think about on this theme.

Creation

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NET)
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:26-28 NET)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. (John 1:1-3 NET)  
 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. (John 1:14-16 NET)
 Child
For a child has been born to us,
a son has been given to us.
He shoulders responsibility
and is called
Wonderful Adviser,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6 NET)
 When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord told him. He took his wife, but did not have marital relations with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus. (Matthew 1:20-25 NET)
 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David. He went to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:4-7 NET)
Shepherd
“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day.'" (Ezekiel 34:11-12 NET)
 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me—because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again."
(John 10:14-17 NET)
King
“I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly come
when I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David.
He will rule over them with wisdom and understanding
and will do what is just and right in the land.
Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety
and Israel will live in security.
This is the name he will go by:
'The Lord has provided us with justice.’"
(Jeremiah 23:5-6 NET)
So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”  Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:33-37 NET)
God in the Flesh
Moses said to God, “If I go to the Israelites and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’—what should I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM that I AM.” And he said, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘The Lord—the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.’ (Exodus 3:13-15 NET)
I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.” Then the Judeans responded, “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon! Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet you say, ‘If anyone obeys my teaching, he will never experience death.’ You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you? And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people say, ‘He is our God.’ Yet you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey his teaching. Your father Abraham was overjoyed to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Judeans replied, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!” (John 8:51-58 NET)
 Son of God - Son of Man

In the table below I have put together three Bible passages, Acts 1:9-11; Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Revelation 4:1-6; Revelation 5:1-14. Read these through as if they were describing a single event that begins on earth and moves to Heaven.

Jesus has been put to death, executed by crucifixion.
He has risen from the dead.
For 40 days he continues here on earth meeting with his disciples on several occasions.
Then he takes them out to an open area and speaks to them in person for the last time...

Acts 1:9-11
After he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”
“While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame.
A river of fire was streaming forth
and proceeding from his presence.
Many thousands were ministering to him;
many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him.
The court convened
and the books were opened.
After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
“I was watching in the night visions,
And with the clouds of the sky
one like a son of man was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before him.
To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away.
His kingdom will not be destroyed.
Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. So I began weeping bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne, and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground before the Lamb. Each of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints). They were singing a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals
because you were killed,
and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God
persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand—thousands times thousands— all of whom were singing in a loud voice:

“Worthy is the lamb who was killed
to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature—in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them—singing:

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures were saying “Amen,” and the elders threw themselves to the ground and worshiped.
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 (NET)
Revelation 4:1-6; 5:1-14 (NET)

Praise God! Jesus has won the victory!

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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®
copyright ©1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.


This post is the result of my studies based on the book by Mark E. Moore, Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Building your Bible IQ in a Year, published by WaterBook (Penguin Random House)
Trade Paperback ISBN 978-0-525-65325-7
ebook isbn 978-0-525-65326-4