It is quite amazing when you stop to think about how accustomed we are to borrowing in our culture. One such evidence is the massive amount of debt the average person has. Indeed debt has become an assumed reality for (practically) everyone today. Want a house? Go in debt. Want a car? Go in debt. Want some clothes? Hey, stores can make that easy too - "Do you have a _____ card?" - go in debt. Want the "Just can't live without it hits you love from the 70's, 80's, and early 90's? You can have them for just three easy payments..." Go in debt.
I understand some will argue for "good debt" (e.g., business debt, school loan debt), but monetary debt is not my focus - it is merely an illustration.
Rather, consider people who claim to not believe in God and desire to live how they want (they could be "good" or "bad" citizens, it makes no difference). They are living on borrowed time because they want to enjoy all the benefits which can only exist if there is a moral Creator (e.g., don't steal my stuff, treat me with decency and respect, pay me for the work I've done, etc.), yet they do not want to conform their lives to His desires. In essence they are in debt. In other words, there will come a time when they have to give an account for their lives...
Consider also a Christians who hold a grudge, withhold giving to God's Kingdom, do not serve in God's Kingdom, etc. They too are living on borrowed time. They were forgiven when they entered God's Kingdom, but somehow justify withholding it from others (and in essence hold themselves in bondage). God has blessed them with abilities in order to earn money (and everything is His anyway), but they desire to spend it as they wish (and in essence hold themselves in bondage). Jesus came to serve and not be served, but they choose to not follow the way of the cross (and in essence hold themselves in bondage).
I know there are a variety of reasons why one justifies a grudge, not giving, not serving, not loving others - basically not dying to the things of the world. Yet all that does is hold one in bondage to the world and its evil system (run by Satan).
I also wonder if an influence that has increased the stranglehold of those unGodly habits in the lives of many Christians is the way debt has influenced our view of tomorrow. "It really is OK, enjoy the benefits now - you deserve them - you can always pay it back tomorrow..." The problem is we can get accustomed to enjoying the benefits, want more of them, and not realize we have run up a huge tab...or in the case of non-Christians, not even realize there is a tab.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Sanctity of Human Life
This coming Sunday (1/23/11) is "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday". It started 23 years ago in an effort to, "Raise awareness...Reach out with nonjudgmental, compassionate support and practical help to women facing unplanned pregnancies." (from a Facebook page created by Care Net).
Let me be clear, I am all for compassion toward the whole abortion issue. This post is in NO WAY a 'slap' toward "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday" in any way, shape, or form. Yet let us not forget a few things...
1) Abortion is a complex issue. Do not read more into the statement than what is written (and I know that is open-ended).
2) If you are pro-life that means you are just that, "Pro-Life". While it may sound redundant, it is important to note that a true "sanctity of life" stance will extend compassion to anyone and everyone (more to come later).
3) It seems to me some issues are overlooked (neglected, ignored, ?) in the abortion issue (as I said, it is complex). One of these is the factor of finances. Did you know 42% of those having abortions live on $10,830 a year or less? Did you know an additional 27% live on $21,552 or less a year? DO NOT think you read what I did not say. What I said is statistics show nearly 70% of those having abortions live on $21,552 or less a year.
What is The Church to do about this? What have the people of God done historically? Does a Kingdom perspective influence anything at all?
Let me be clear, I am all for compassion toward the whole abortion issue. This post is in NO WAY a 'slap' toward "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday" in any way, shape, or form. Yet let us not forget a few things...
1) Abortion is a complex issue. Do not read more into the statement than what is written (and I know that is open-ended).
2) If you are pro-life that means you are just that, "Pro-Life". While it may sound redundant, it is important to note that a true "sanctity of life" stance will extend compassion to anyone and everyone (more to come later).
3) It seems to me some issues are overlooked (neglected, ignored, ?) in the abortion issue (as I said, it is complex). One of these is the factor of finances. Did you know 42% of those having abortions live on $10,830 a year or less? Did you know an additional 27% live on $21,552 or less a year? DO NOT think you read what I did not say. What I said is statistics show nearly 70% of those having abortions live on $21,552 or less a year.
What is The Church to do about this? What have the people of God done historically? Does a Kingdom perspective influence anything at all?
Monday, January 3, 2011
Lord teach us to...
If you could ask Jesus anything, what would it be? This could be a search for an answer or it could be for help. So, what would it be?
I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to raise good children. Oh wait, that isn't in there... I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to help them have a good marriage. Oh wait, not there either... I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to help them manage their money better and even to have more money to pursue the "American Dream". Whoops, not there again... I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus...
From my (admittedly) limited knowledge of Scripture, the disciples only asked Jesus to teach them how to do one thing - pray.
I am not sure what I find more interesting a) how Jesus answered their question or b) how many Christians do not pay attention to His answer (at least that seems to be the case). I wish I could grasp the depth of Luke 11:2-4 (Jesus' answer). The words in our English text look too simple, too unassuming, too plain... Is that really all the better the Lord of the Universe could do?
At this point I must be honest, prayer is a mystery to me. I do not understand it - but I want to. I do not pray enough - but I want to pray more. I have not paid attention enough to it in the Bible - but I am starting (again). For some reading this who know me these admissions may come as a bit of a surprise. Forgive me if I have put on a facade which would indicate I know more about prayer than I do. I try to be honest...but I do not know if I have publicly ever said prayer is a mystery to me. I look forward to exploring the mystery the next few Sundays. Believe me, we will not come even close to scratching the surface (let alone exhausting it) - but it seems the journey of knowing prayer deserves looking at it for a while, reflecting, implementing, and then returning to it at a later date...
What about you? What do you not understand about prayer? What have you learned? We learn best (and apply what we learn best) in community.
I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to raise good children. Oh wait, that isn't in there... I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to help them have a good marriage. Oh wait, not there either... I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to help them manage their money better and even to have more money to pursue the "American Dream". Whoops, not there again... I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus...
From my (admittedly) limited knowledge of Scripture, the disciples only asked Jesus to teach them how to do one thing - pray.
I am not sure what I find more interesting a) how Jesus answered their question or b) how many Christians do not pay attention to His answer (at least that seems to be the case). I wish I could grasp the depth of Luke 11:2-4 (Jesus' answer). The words in our English text look too simple, too unassuming, too plain... Is that really all the better the Lord of the Universe could do?
At this point I must be honest, prayer is a mystery to me. I do not understand it - but I want to. I do not pray enough - but I want to pray more. I have not paid attention enough to it in the Bible - but I am starting (again). For some reading this who know me these admissions may come as a bit of a surprise. Forgive me if I have put on a facade which would indicate I know more about prayer than I do. I try to be honest...but I do not know if I have publicly ever said prayer is a mystery to me. I look forward to exploring the mystery the next few Sundays. Believe me, we will not come even close to scratching the surface (let alone exhausting it) - but it seems the journey of knowing prayer deserves looking at it for a while, reflecting, implementing, and then returning to it at a later date...
What about you? What do you not understand about prayer? What have you learned? We learn best (and apply what we learn best) in community.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas - from the letter of Philemon
A quick note - "cliff notes" are at the end...
This week I had intended to write a bit each day about this time of year. In part it was going to be a time of reflecting on our cultural Christmas and how what it emphasizes is a far cry from the Bible and the reality of Emmanuel (God with us). BUT alas it is now Friday and here is the first entry. So, the thoughts I had for the week will not make their way into this entry (maybe later), it would be far too lengthy. Instead I will highlight a few things from the letter to Philemon.
Now I realize Philemon may not seem like a "Christmas text" - but the truths found within it flow out of the reality of the entire Christ Event (Jesus' birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and longed for 2nd coming), of which the Christmas season is a part.
1) We are family. For many the "holiday season" brings desires for enjoying time with family. You know the drill; everyone makes it home for Christmas, a wonderful meal is shared along with laughter and the general sharing of life. Our culture (as warped at it is) puts this forth as ideal. Hmmm...perhaps our culture may not be that bad after all... Yet the reality is, this idealistic picture is not reality for the majority of people. E.g., the emptiness of missing a deceased loved one (recent or past), actual tension within the family, even dread of who will show up and say the wrong thing this time. In thinking about this...I suppose our culture is up to its modus operandi (i.e., "M.O." - mode of operating) by "elevating family" during this time of year because that is where thoughts can drift (and let's face it, thinking of family is not bad in and of itself). Yet in overemphasizing a 'good thing' a focus on Emmanuel is lost and we turn to fretting over family issues instead of being joyous concerning the truth of the Gospel and the impact it is to have. (Please note, if your family situation is "ideal" then do not feel guilty...just be aware this is not reality for the majority of people.)
Therefore it is foundational to remember we are family "in Christ". Paul uses the term "brother" (vs1,7,16,20) and "sister" (v2) in Philemon. Interestingly both Philemon (vs7,20) and Onesimus (v16) are designated as "brother". This is interesting because Philemon is a master and Onesimus is his slave...the social structures of our world (any culture) are flipped on their head due to the Christ Event.
2) Our lives are to impact the world. Somehow we have taken the idea of "peace" and changed it to be something internal and subjective. The same is true with "faith" and "love" - things which we take to be very individualistic. If "faith" and "love" and "peace" are individualistic...then the Christ Event does not impact the world as it was intended to do.
On the other hand, looking in Philemon, we can see Philemon was wealthy (v2 indicates he not only owned a home, but it was large enough for "the church" to meet there) and used his wealth for the Kingdom of God. While it is true we do not know what he was like before coming into the Kingdom of God, we know his life after that fact was marked by "love" for God's people and "faith" in the Lord Jesus (v5). Obviously this faith and love were not privatized, otherwise Paul would not have known of it. Philemon's love and faith prompted him to do things for the Kingdom of God - which impacted the world.
Paul uses "Jesus" to refer to Jesus of Nazareth 212 times in his letters. I find it interesting (and instructive for us) how all but 12 of them include "Lord" or "Christ" (or a combination of the two) in conjunction with Jesus' name. As we continue to grow in our understanding of what "Lord" and "Christ" mean...there is no option but for our faith to impact the world. And this leads us to the fact of...
3) Love is the only sustainable force for change there is. Our culture puts forth a variety of things as driving forces for change - e.g., desire for more, guilt, wanting to please someone else, coercsion. None of those will sustain change in the long term.
The structure of Philemon is chiastic (at least it seems so to me).
A) vs1-3
B) vs4-7
C) vs8-11
c) vs12-17
b) vs17-22
a) vs23-25
I won't go into all of those details except to point out how Paul could have commanded Philemon to do what he should have done (v8). This is a reality of the Christian faith. We serve a Lord (not a genie) and He demands we do things. However, we must note all of those demands are undergirded by a statement of fact (e.g., 'be holy' in 1 Peter 1:16 because God is holy in Leviticus 11:44). Dr. Lowery (a former professor of mine at Lincoln Christian University) would refer to this as "under every imperative there is an indicative" (or something phrased similar to that).
So, we see how Paul could have commanded Philemon to "do the right thing," but instead he appeals to love...the only force that will sustain the change in Philemon Paul (and God) desired. In that mode of thinking, to whom within the family of Christ can/should you write to affirm (vs4-7)? We do not do this enough - I am convinced of this fact.
In the reality of Emmanuel we see how Jesus left the riches of heaven to invade the slums of earth. Why did He do this? Because of love (and to establish a Kingdom). So my question, what will the love of Christ compel us to do? What will it compel us to do not just in this time of year...but throughout the year. Because after all, if Christmas is true...then it changes everything.
Cliff Notes:
The Christmas season has been greatly distorted. The reality of the Christ Event ought to impact everything. In Paul's letter to Philemon we can see three truths which are inherent to this time of year.
1) We are family.
2) Our lives are to impact the world.
3) Love is the only sustainable force for change there is.
3.a) So...write a letter (but read Philemon first).
This week I had intended to write a bit each day about this time of year. In part it was going to be a time of reflecting on our cultural Christmas and how what it emphasizes is a far cry from the Bible and the reality of Emmanuel (God with us). BUT alas it is now Friday and here is the first entry. So, the thoughts I had for the week will not make their way into this entry (maybe later), it would be far too lengthy. Instead I will highlight a few things from the letter to Philemon.
Now I realize Philemon may not seem like a "Christmas text" - but the truths found within it flow out of the reality of the entire Christ Event (Jesus' birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and longed for 2nd coming), of which the Christmas season is a part.
1) We are family. For many the "holiday season" brings desires for enjoying time with family. You know the drill; everyone makes it home for Christmas, a wonderful meal is shared along with laughter and the general sharing of life. Our culture (as warped at it is) puts this forth as ideal. Hmmm...perhaps our culture may not be that bad after all... Yet the reality is, this idealistic picture is not reality for the majority of people. E.g., the emptiness of missing a deceased loved one (recent or past), actual tension within the family, even dread of who will show up and say the wrong thing this time. In thinking about this...I suppose our culture is up to its modus operandi (i.e., "M.O." - mode of operating) by "elevating family" during this time of year because that is where thoughts can drift (and let's face it, thinking of family is not bad in and of itself). Yet in overemphasizing a 'good thing' a focus on Emmanuel is lost and we turn to fretting over family issues instead of being joyous concerning the truth of the Gospel and the impact it is to have. (Please note, if your family situation is "ideal" then do not feel guilty...just be aware this is not reality for the majority of people.)
Therefore it is foundational to remember we are family "in Christ". Paul uses the term "brother" (vs1,7,16,20) and "sister" (v2) in Philemon. Interestingly both Philemon (vs7,20) and Onesimus (v16) are designated as "brother". This is interesting because Philemon is a master and Onesimus is his slave...the social structures of our world (any culture) are flipped on their head due to the Christ Event.
2) Our lives are to impact the world. Somehow we have taken the idea of "peace" and changed it to be something internal and subjective. The same is true with "faith" and "love" - things which we take to be very individualistic. If "faith" and "love" and "peace" are individualistic...then the Christ Event does not impact the world as it was intended to do.
On the other hand, looking in Philemon, we can see Philemon was wealthy (v2 indicates he not only owned a home, but it was large enough for "the church" to meet there) and used his wealth for the Kingdom of God. While it is true we do not know what he was like before coming into the Kingdom of God, we know his life after that fact was marked by "love" for God's people and "faith" in the Lord Jesus (v5). Obviously this faith and love were not privatized, otherwise Paul would not have known of it. Philemon's love and faith prompted him to do things for the Kingdom of God - which impacted the world.
Paul uses "Jesus" to refer to Jesus of Nazareth 212 times in his letters. I find it interesting (and instructive for us) how all but 12 of them include "Lord" or "Christ" (or a combination of the two) in conjunction with Jesus' name. As we continue to grow in our understanding of what "Lord" and "Christ" mean...there is no option but for our faith to impact the world. And this leads us to the fact of...
3) Love is the only sustainable force for change there is. Our culture puts forth a variety of things as driving forces for change - e.g., desire for more, guilt, wanting to please someone else, coercsion. None of those will sustain change in the long term.
The structure of Philemon is chiastic (at least it seems so to me).
A) vs1-3
B) vs4-7
C) vs8-11
c) vs12-17
b) vs17-22
a) vs23-25
I won't go into all of those details except to point out how Paul could have commanded Philemon to do what he should have done (v8). This is a reality of the Christian faith. We serve a Lord (not a genie) and He demands we do things. However, we must note all of those demands are undergirded by a statement of fact (e.g., 'be holy' in 1 Peter 1:16 because God is holy in Leviticus 11:44). Dr. Lowery (a former professor of mine at Lincoln Christian University) would refer to this as "under every imperative there is an indicative" (or something phrased similar to that).
So, we see how Paul could have commanded Philemon to "do the right thing," but instead he appeals to love...the only force that will sustain the change in Philemon Paul (and God) desired. In that mode of thinking, to whom within the family of Christ can/should you write to affirm (vs4-7)? We do not do this enough - I am convinced of this fact.
In the reality of Emmanuel we see how Jesus left the riches of heaven to invade the slums of earth. Why did He do this? Because of love (and to establish a Kingdom). So my question, what will the love of Christ compel us to do? What will it compel us to do not just in this time of year...but throughout the year. Because after all, if Christmas is true...then it changes everything.
Cliff Notes:
The Christmas season has been greatly distorted. The reality of the Christ Event ought to impact everything. In Paul's letter to Philemon we can see three truths which are inherent to this time of year.
1) We are family.
2) Our lives are to impact the world.
3) Love is the only sustainable force for change there is.
3.a) So...write a letter (but read Philemon first).
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Give and you will be _____
I am perplexed. In “KJV bible-ese” I may be getting close to “undone” (cf. Isaiah 6:5). We are currently doing a series on stewardship at New Life. I do not know if it is because…well I just do not know – but I was not looking forward to it.
It is not that I am against talking about money (a while back in a sermon I suggested with a Kingdom perspective we do things differently: like seeking to live on less in order to support a “missionary” or if both spouses work seriously consider giving a salary away to help the “least of these” – or to meet needs and then give it away, etc.). I suppose what I do not like is how quite often the way giving is talked about within the church rubs me wrong. In typing that please understand I am seeking to be humble because I realize the way I go about things may rub people the wrong way as well. I want to learn from others and humbly offer some reflections for others to ponder.
With all of that said, in reading, praying, and studying for this past Sunday’s sermon I became – well I am not sure what I became. If you are still with me I am not trying to be confusing. I suppose my hem-hawing around is due to how my eyes are continually being opened by God’s Word…and sometimes I do not like what I see. Perhaps more accurately that last statement should be what I see both excites and disturbs me.
I cannot recount the number of times I have heard Malachi 3:10 utilized when encouraging people to “tithe”. Last week I read and re-read Malachi several times (a good principle for Bible study). I do not know how many times I had read Malachi last week before I realized what verse 10 said. The plea is for there to be “food” in God’s house.
(Disclaimer: this sermon did not focus solely on Malachi; at the beginning of the week I had a thought of looking at Malachi 3:10 at some point in the sermon…so during the week I read and re-read the book several times. I mention this disclaimer to state it is possible I am wrong…BUT PLEASE if I am, help me by showing me – just be gentle as I am seeking to be). Please note, I try to keep these somewhat brief so they are read in their entirety…so please either a) stick with me or b) look at the cliff notes at the bottom of the post (if I remember them).
Malachi 3:10 says, Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Every verse has a larger context within a pericope, chapter, book, Bible. With this in mind if we quickly back up to 3:6 we read, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Another way of translating the end of verse six is “…O children of Jacob, have not ceased” or “…have not ceased to be the sons of Jacob” (Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: TOTC). We must remember Jacob’s name meant he was a deceiver (cf. stealing Esau’s birthright). So basically YHWH (the LORD) is consistent, but so too are the “children of Jacob”. In other words, God is consistent in showing mercy and grace while His people are consistent in rebelling against Him. Ouch!! (Did I mention Malachi was a prophet? Also, 47 of the 55 verses in Malachi are in 1st person form directed at Israel as a collective whole – this last from Hill & Walton, A Survey of the OT.)
Yet I am sure you noticed v6 starts with “for”. In the Hebrew text this is a ki-clause, which is very important for understanding what is taking place. Basically it gives a reason for something (e.g., Malachi 1:14 says YHWH deserves the best when it comes to offerings “for” He is a great King).
So, we need to back up a bit further – for the sake of time we will only go to Malachi 3:5, “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.” The last part of verse five speaks loudly to issues of social justice. A casual reading of the Bible clearly shows God is concerned for “the least of these” – those who are in need and totally dependent on others for help.
So, we see God upset at the people of Israel for covenant unfaithfulness (e.g., Mal1:6ff; 2:10) which leads to (among other things) the oppression of people (e.g., Mal3:5). Not long after that we have God say (paraphrased) remember, all you have is Mine anyway…but if you bring in just the small portion of what I ask for…test Me…
Why does YHWH want the “full tithe”? Why does He say “test Me”? Is He promising a bigger blessing in that if you “tithe” He will materially bless your socks off to the point you are overwhelmed? This is often what is practically said (if not blatantly taught) with this verse – at least in my limited experience. Yet read Malachi 3:10 again, Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE NEED.
I put the last few words in caps to emphasize them ;). Firstly, “until” is a temporal conjunction – meaning it is “time-bound”. In other words, God will do something until something else is achieved; in this case when there is no more need. This raises an obvious question, what is the need? Secondly, remember why he wants the “full tithe” – for there to be food, period. Remember the “oppressed” back in 3:5?
At this point I will mention how Deuteronomy 14:28-29 states every three years the tithe will be used to feed the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow (and more other gracious acts were intended along the way). Hmmm…the last three of those are identical to Malachi 3:5. In fact, I think it is fascinating how the two sets form a chiasm (but I will not press the issue because these are two separate books…BUT it is really cool). Why did God say that in Deuteronomy? That YHWH may “bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” This in turn obviously means the needs of people will be met. What does He promise in Malachi when the full tithe is brought into the storehouse? He promises to “open the windows of heaven” until there is no more need. Whose need? My needs so I can have what I want? No. The needs of the oppressed are clearly the focus.
For the sake of length I will begin to wrap up. I would say this is “part one” – but sadly I have yet to do “part two” of an earlier post (it is not that I do not want to…well, I suppose stewardship plays a part in it). So, what does Malachi 3:10 teach us? God wants us to give back to Him (and I did not even go into “the tithe” concept – that is another issue…) not so He can ipso facto (by that very fact) give back all the more to us (He may do so…in fact it seems often He does – He is serious about needs being met). No, He wants us to give back to Him so that the needs of others are met.
While it is not popular in our culture, the Biblical principle seems to be “no one has too much and no one does without…or has too little” (e.g., Proverbs 30:7-9). This raises an obvious question, “What is too much and too little?” That is not the issue of this post. The issue is there are real needs in our culture and around the world. I cannot remember where I first read/heard it, but 26,500 children die EVERY DAY due to poverty related issues. This saddens me – but not as much as it should I am afraid…
What is The Church’s responsibility in that? Well, those 26,500 children fit squarely into the groupings of Deuteronomy 14:29 and Malachi 3:5. Look at our church buildings. Look at our cars. Look at our clothes. More and more I am becoming a man “undone”…
Cliff Notes:
1. Typical ways of talking about finances “in church” bother me…
a. I realize what I do may bother others – there is grace for all (thank God)
2. Malachi 3:10 – a personal promise to “give a little and gain a lot” or a command to give back to God what is His (the portion for which He asked in the OT) so needs can be met?
a. The focus is on physical needs of people being met.
3. We live in an affluent culture that will never say “enough”.
a. This is a hard teaching for me…
It is not that I am against talking about money (a while back in a sermon I suggested with a Kingdom perspective we do things differently: like seeking to live on less in order to support a “missionary” or if both spouses work seriously consider giving a salary away to help the “least of these” – or to meet needs and then give it away, etc.). I suppose what I do not like is how quite often the way giving is talked about within the church rubs me wrong. In typing that please understand I am seeking to be humble because I realize the way I go about things may rub people the wrong way as well. I want to learn from others and humbly offer some reflections for others to ponder.
With all of that said, in reading, praying, and studying for this past Sunday’s sermon I became – well I am not sure what I became. If you are still with me I am not trying to be confusing. I suppose my hem-hawing around is due to how my eyes are continually being opened by God’s Word…and sometimes I do not like what I see. Perhaps more accurately that last statement should be what I see both excites and disturbs me.
I cannot recount the number of times I have heard Malachi 3:10 utilized when encouraging people to “tithe”. Last week I read and re-read Malachi several times (a good principle for Bible study). I do not know how many times I had read Malachi last week before I realized what verse 10 said. The plea is for there to be “food” in God’s house.
(Disclaimer: this sermon did not focus solely on Malachi; at the beginning of the week I had a thought of looking at Malachi 3:10 at some point in the sermon…so during the week I read and re-read the book several times. I mention this disclaimer to state it is possible I am wrong…BUT PLEASE if I am, help me by showing me – just be gentle as I am seeking to be). Please note, I try to keep these somewhat brief so they are read in their entirety…so please either a) stick with me or b) look at the cliff notes at the bottom of the post (if I remember them).
Malachi 3:10 says, Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Every verse has a larger context within a pericope, chapter, book, Bible. With this in mind if we quickly back up to 3:6 we read, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Another way of translating the end of verse six is “…O children of Jacob, have not ceased” or “…have not ceased to be the sons of Jacob” (Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: TOTC). We must remember Jacob’s name meant he was a deceiver (cf. stealing Esau’s birthright). So basically YHWH (the LORD) is consistent, but so too are the “children of Jacob”. In other words, God is consistent in showing mercy and grace while His people are consistent in rebelling against Him. Ouch!! (Did I mention Malachi was a prophet? Also, 47 of the 55 verses in Malachi are in 1st person form directed at Israel as a collective whole – this last from Hill & Walton, A Survey of the OT.)
Yet I am sure you noticed v6 starts with “for”. In the Hebrew text this is a ki-clause, which is very important for understanding what is taking place. Basically it gives a reason for something (e.g., Malachi 1:14 says YHWH deserves the best when it comes to offerings “for” He is a great King).
So, we need to back up a bit further – for the sake of time we will only go to Malachi 3:5, “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.” The last part of verse five speaks loudly to issues of social justice. A casual reading of the Bible clearly shows God is concerned for “the least of these” – those who are in need and totally dependent on others for help.
So, we see God upset at the people of Israel for covenant unfaithfulness (e.g., Mal1:6ff; 2:10) which leads to (among other things) the oppression of people (e.g., Mal3:5). Not long after that we have God say (paraphrased) remember, all you have is Mine anyway…but if you bring in just the small portion of what I ask for…test Me…
Why does YHWH want the “full tithe”? Why does He say “test Me”? Is He promising a bigger blessing in that if you “tithe” He will materially bless your socks off to the point you are overwhelmed? This is often what is practically said (if not blatantly taught) with this verse – at least in my limited experience. Yet read Malachi 3:10 again, Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE NEED.
I put the last few words in caps to emphasize them ;). Firstly, “until” is a temporal conjunction – meaning it is “time-bound”. In other words, God will do something until something else is achieved; in this case when there is no more need. This raises an obvious question, what is the need? Secondly, remember why he wants the “full tithe” – for there to be food, period. Remember the “oppressed” back in 3:5?
At this point I will mention how Deuteronomy 14:28-29 states every three years the tithe will be used to feed the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow (and more other gracious acts were intended along the way). Hmmm…the last three of those are identical to Malachi 3:5. In fact, I think it is fascinating how the two sets form a chiasm (but I will not press the issue because these are two separate books…BUT it is really cool). Why did God say that in Deuteronomy? That YHWH may “bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” This in turn obviously means the needs of people will be met. What does He promise in Malachi when the full tithe is brought into the storehouse? He promises to “open the windows of heaven” until there is no more need. Whose need? My needs so I can have what I want? No. The needs of the oppressed are clearly the focus.
For the sake of length I will begin to wrap up. I would say this is “part one” – but sadly I have yet to do “part two” of an earlier post (it is not that I do not want to…well, I suppose stewardship plays a part in it). So, what does Malachi 3:10 teach us? God wants us to give back to Him (and I did not even go into “the tithe” concept – that is another issue…) not so He can ipso facto (by that very fact) give back all the more to us (He may do so…in fact it seems often He does – He is serious about needs being met). No, He wants us to give back to Him so that the needs of others are met.
While it is not popular in our culture, the Biblical principle seems to be “no one has too much and no one does without…or has too little” (e.g., Proverbs 30:7-9). This raises an obvious question, “What is too much and too little?” That is not the issue of this post. The issue is there are real needs in our culture and around the world. I cannot remember where I first read/heard it, but 26,500 children die EVERY DAY due to poverty related issues. This saddens me – but not as much as it should I am afraid…
What is The Church’s responsibility in that? Well, those 26,500 children fit squarely into the groupings of Deuteronomy 14:29 and Malachi 3:5. Look at our church buildings. Look at our cars. Look at our clothes. More and more I am becoming a man “undone”…
Cliff Notes:
1. Typical ways of talking about finances “in church” bother me…
a. I realize what I do may bother others – there is grace for all (thank God)
2. Malachi 3:10 – a personal promise to “give a little and gain a lot” or a command to give back to God what is His (the portion for which He asked in the OT) so needs can be met?
a. The focus is on physical needs of people being met.
3. We live in an affluent culture that will never say “enough”.
a. This is a hard teaching for me…
Monday, November 15, 2010
But I Am Baptized [pt2]
So...I was doing good keeping up with sermons for a minute...
Part two of this will be coming (hopefully in the not too distant future).
Part two of this will be coming (hopefully in the not too distant future).
Do We Really Believe in the God of the Bible?
I realize this title may strike some of us as a bit odd. Yet it is a legitimate question. Now, I am not going to delve into issues of hermeneutics (studying the Bible / interpreting Scripture) and applying those findings to life. Well, not too much anyway...because any reading of the Bible automatically makes one an interpreter [and Theologian :)]. What I mean by not delving into issues of hermeneutics is I am not going to get into caricatures we make of God (e.g., a “Calvinistic” God or an “Armenian” God or a "Prosperity" God or any other “Type” of God we like to put into a Theological box…it seems He busts all of those).
What I mean by “do we really believe” is – do we believe He owns everything? It seems Revelation 4:8b and 4:11 are clear. God is Eternal (Rev4:8b) and has Created Everything (Rev4:11). Translation, God owns everything (e.g., Psalm 24:1; 50:10-11). This means we are stewards. Therefore, we have been entrusted with what is His to do with it as we please. EENNT!! I am sorry, that is incorrect.
God has not entrusted us with what is His to do with it as please (although humanity often does). God entrusted us with what is His with the hope of us doing as He pleases. Just what exactly is His? Everything. We are to be good stewards of our time…friends…material things…finances…thoughts… you name it, it fits into the blank.
So a basic question. With what do you struggle the most in being a good steward?
What I mean by “do we really believe” is – do we believe He owns everything? It seems Revelation 4:8b and 4:11 are clear. God is Eternal (Rev4:8b) and has Created Everything (Rev4:11). Translation, God owns everything (e.g., Psalm 24:1; 50:10-11). This means we are stewards. Therefore, we have been entrusted with what is His to do with it as we please. EENNT!! I am sorry, that is incorrect.
God has not entrusted us with what is His to do with it as please (although humanity often does). God entrusted us with what is His with the hope of us doing as He pleases. Just what exactly is His? Everything. We are to be good stewards of our time…friends…material things…finances…thoughts… you name it, it fits into the blank.
So a basic question. With what do you struggle the most in being a good steward?
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