kindness, justice and righteousness

We read this passage in parenting class last night:

...but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight...

-Jeremiah 9:24

We were discussing this within the context of family and how there needs to be a balance, but is this not part of our mission? Kindness, justice and righteousness is what we should be seeking, not only for ourselves, but others. Be kind to others, Seek justice for others, bring righteousness to others (not the best way to say that…).

1 Cor. 16:1-11

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
(1 Corinthians 16:1-11 ESV)

We missed you all

How did Sunday go? We were in Knoxville for my parent’s 50th anniversary (photos to prove it). They asked me to do the vows. It would’ve been nice if I didn’t CRY LIKE A LITTLE GIRL. Ah well. Ran across an good article (book promo really) talking about reading the bible “deeply”. They talk about Reading with the Rule of Faith, reading an passage beyond what the original authors intent was, but remaining faithful to the text. Read with the Giants is reading with Augustine, John of the Cross, early church fathers. We’ve made some historical figures to be protestant saints, but if you read them you see their frailty and humility before God. Reading with Prayer discusses reading the bible slowly and meditatively. And finally Reading in Contemporary Community is not what I expected, but still true, passing traditions down to the next generation.

ed·i·fi·ca·tion

I don’t think we’ll have time to cover everything, but… Here’s the text for Sunday: 1 cor 14 (ESV) The purpose of the gifts (v. 12) is for the “edification of the church“. I think we fall into a trap here thinking we do what we do for the improvement of the physical space we occupy on Sunday morning. The story of FRWY is a great example of “Intellectual, moral and spiritual improvements” made to the church. FRWY (short for Freeway) is a Salvation Army church plant in one of the poorer cities in Canada. Their purpose is to be neighbors in the community.

I Corinthians 12:12-31

For the sake of further discussion, here is the passage that we went through last week.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–Jews or Greeks, slaves or free–and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (From the English Standard Version)

One thing I wanted to bring up in Sunday School, but didn’t have the time to, was the assumption that it seems Paul makes in this passage. In reading it, there seems to be a clear message that every believer is supposed have a spiritual gift or role in the Church. However, I have known believers (and have been guilty of this myself) who had no desire to be a “body part” or have any kind of service. What do we do when we encounter this in others, or see it in ourselves? Now I am not talking about giving all of our available time to the church or it’s activities, but more in the sense of seeking what spiritual gift(s) the Holy Spirit has for us (12:31, 14:1) that can be used when we come together. It often seems like in many of today’s congregations there are a lot of people who just want to be an unseen member. Does anyone have any opinions about this?

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

ESV from: ebible.com

Another Related Article

Saw this just this morning. Coincides nicely with our topic last Sunday.

No Ordinary Death

This is what I think of when I think of our Saviour’s final words. The fulfilled promise accomplished through the second Adam. In scripture, I think there is only one other instance where a human being knew what this may have felt like. That is at the fall. These are the only two cases where somebody had a perfect relationship with the Father and then felt the loss of this relationship and the absence of his presence. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

After the fact, but interesting.

Wow, no one has posted in over a month. So… I’ll just put this up here and see who is still checking this page. While in the normal course of my web browsing, I saw this article on a site that I frequent. I know that in class we have already passed our discussion on end times views, but I still thought this might be good for thought.

Thy Kingdom Come

I think that at the end of discussions like the ones in class, it is often easy to think what we believe in an eschatological sense doesn’t really affect our views or daily actions. While I agree that this is not a major issue we should divide over, it does carry into some of our other theology. Be warned, the guy who wrote this is not a neutral observer. Of course, I don’t think any of us really are either.

I know it’s not Mark…or Andy Stanley…

I just saw an article by a friend of mine that reminded me of Philippians 3:17-4:1:

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Paul uses the word “pattern”. In many church growth movements you hear about models. It makes me think of model air planes as a kid or cake pans. You don’t have much flexibility (unless you force parts to fit…not that I did that…) with models. You can add decorative elements, but structurally it’s the same. A pattern is different. Church is a way of living, a pattern. This is playing out as people are not coming (or leaving) institutional church. Here are some individuals thoughts on what church is and what it’s not: The Exodus Papers.

Servant Leaders

Mark 10:32-52

• Jesus Again Predicts His Death
• The Request of James and John
• Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

What stands out to me most in the above passages is the idea of what power/authority truly means in God’s kingdom. It’s not how many people are under my control, but how many people I am servant to (1 Cor. 9:19). But we can even pervert this idea by focusing on how many jewels we’ll receive for our servanthood. I get the sense Mark was intentionally putting the request of James and John after Jesus details what would be happening to him in Jerusalem, not fitting for a kingdom leader. Matthew tells the story a little differently (Matt. 20:20-23), with the “mother of Zebedee’s sons” making the request.