During the course of the fall semester I have been teaching out of the gospel of John on Wednesday nights. It has been a great challenge for me to teach out from John as it has forced me to dive into the text. At the beginning of the year I thought it was a great idea for us to take a look at what the Bible says about Jesus and how that then impacts our lives.
As I have been studying (need to do deeper study for own personal growth) to teach I have been impressed with the various ways that Jesus used biblical allusions such as temple, water, bread of life, and the light.
Last night we looked at John 8:12-59. It is in vs 12 that these well known words of Jesus are spoken, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. This is not the first reference to light found in the gospel of John. In the gospel of John this word, "light," is used 16 times. It is used 9 times before it is found in chapter 8.
I believe that this is a climatic point in the book. Tension has been building up since the beginning of Jesus' minitry between he and the pharisees.
I believe John is very intentional in his usage of Jesus' cleansing of the temple in the 2nd chapter immediately following the first of his signs. It is in this cleansing that John is showing the conflict between Jesus and the religious establishment/pharisees.
In chapter 6 Jesus declares his first "I am" statements. The first is actually very subtle and is found in vs. 20. In our english translations it is typically stated as "it is I." The actual greek phrase the "I" probably translates into "I am who I am." Of course the disciples would have known exactly what Jesus was claiming. He was making a bold statement concerning his divinity. He is the very God who revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush. The very God who lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of light by night.
Continuing in John 6 Jesus uses the "I am" statement a couple more times but his words are not received as warmly.
Moving into Ch. 8 and why I believe that this is such a climatic point. At the end of the chapter we find Jesus and the pharisees once again squaring off against one another. They have said some awful things about one another. The pharisees have called Jesus an illegitimate child, while Jesus has called the sons of satan. Neither of these are nice things to say or hear so we can see the height of the conflict.
It is in this moment that Jesus makes his stongest claim to divinity. Vs. 58 reads, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." To their ears this was blasphemy at the highest level. They could not bear to hear His Word (vs. 43).
Jesus as the light of the world had come to reveal the darkness. He had come to show the sin in their hearts. Just like today, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues to come and show the sin that is in our hearts.
It is here that we cling to the cross of Christ. Jesus as our substitute paid the price for our sin. As we see our sin for what it is and confess our need for a Saviour, and turn in true repentence, the Bible tells us that he is faithful and just to forgive our sins.
Jesus not only reveals the sin in our hearts but he purifies us as well. Jesus' ongoing ministry, throught the Holy Spirit, is to sanctify His Church. As we look to Jesus, the light of the world, he teaches us what it means to live in obedience. As we walk in obedience, in accord with the Spirit, he shapes and molds our lives.
Let us be a people who cling to Jesus as the light of the world and then reflect that light to a world that is decaying and needs the light of life.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
A Humble Calling
Quite often I am guilty of reading the Scriptures with doctrinal glasses. I am reading in order to strengthen my theological convictions instead of allowing God to simply speak to me about life and ministry. Please, don't get me wrong I am not one to deemphasize the importance of Biblical Theology. As we do Biblical Theology well it grounds us on Christ who is our sure foundation and guides us in the way of righteousness.
Last week I decided to do a study on the book of Romans. While studying I was impressed by the words found in Romans 1:1
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God..."
Theologians will often debate the word "apostle." Few will say that the office of the apostle ceased once the church was established and the Scriptures were brought to completion. Others will push for various levels of apostleship. I would fall in this last category, but how many levels I have not determined.
What gets me about this is that I currently serve as a Student Ministries Pastor. In one sense I have been set apart for the gospel of God. A local fellowship has called me to be in a position to be free from working a "normal" 9-5 job. Instead I have been given the honor to focus my energies on teaching and discipling Jr High and High School students in the way of our Lord Jesus Christ. These students are the future leaders of our church.
It is amazing to me that God would choose to set me apart for the Gospel of God. I may not be an apostle in the same sense as Paul, but I have been set apart for this task. This is a serious calling. It is my prayer and hope that as I seek to minister to youth, and train/equip others to do the same, that I would be found worthy of the gospel. That I would constantly be brought to my knees in awe of a holy God who loved me enough to give His only Son as a ransom for my life, that I may share this great news of hope with the younger generation.
Last week I decided to do a study on the book of Romans. While studying I was impressed by the words found in Romans 1:1
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God..."
Theologians will often debate the word "apostle." Few will say that the office of the apostle ceased once the church was established and the Scriptures were brought to completion. Others will push for various levels of apostleship. I would fall in this last category, but how many levels I have not determined.
What gets me about this is that I currently serve as a Student Ministries Pastor. In one sense I have been set apart for the gospel of God. A local fellowship has called me to be in a position to be free from working a "normal" 9-5 job. Instead I have been given the honor to focus my energies on teaching and discipling Jr High and High School students in the way of our Lord Jesus Christ. These students are the future leaders of our church.
It is amazing to me that God would choose to set me apart for the Gospel of God. I may not be an apostle in the same sense as Paul, but I have been set apart for this task. This is a serious calling. It is my prayer and hope that as I seek to minister to youth, and train/equip others to do the same, that I would be found worthy of the gospel. That I would constantly be brought to my knees in awe of a holy God who loved me enough to give His only Son as a ransom for my life, that I may share this great news of hope with the younger generation.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Can you see her?
Last week I was gripped by the story often called in our Bibles "A Sinful Woman Forgiven" found in Luke 7:36-50. This is a shocking story, in fact it rattled me as I read it. Most of us know the story so I will merely summarize it.
Jesus has been invited over to Simon the pharisees home for dinner. At the dinner a woman from the town walks in and stands behind Jesus at his feet, as he is reclining at the table. The woman stands there for a moment, bawling. Eventually the woman notices Jesus feet as they are becoming muddied from her tears and the dirt on the floor. In an honoring gesture she wipes his feet with her hair, kissing his feet, and annointing them with oil.
Meanwhile, Simon the pharisee is thinking that Jesus, obviously, can not be all that the people think he is because he is allowing this sinner of a woman to touch and kiss his feet.
Jesus, knowing the thoughts of Simon, grabs his attention and tells him a story of two debtors who have been forgiven debts owed. One owed 500 denarii and the other 50. Jesus proposes the question of which one will love him more. Simon answers reluctantly the one with the larger debt as Jesus affirms his answer.
This is the point in the story that rattled me. Jesus says to Simon, "Do you see this woman?"
I have read and reread this story over and over again for many years. Then all of a sudden, "do you see this woman." Jesus is doing something amazingly beautiful here. I believe he is filled with compassion for both Simon and the woman. He wanted Simon to see this woman as one who is forgiven and loved. In the same moment, Jesus wanted Simon to see himself. He wanted Simon to see that he was himself was a sinner needing to be saved from his own sin.
As one who grew up in the church I have been protected from what many of us call the gross sins. No one would look at me and label me a sinner. I do not have a reputation in the city for being a sinner. Most people would probably think of me as someone with very high moral values. Personally, it is easier for me to identify with Simon than it is for me to see myself as the sinful woman who knew she needed Jesus.
However, I am a wretch. When I look into the face of a holy God my only response is to be like Isaiah and declare that I am lost. Praise Jesus that through His blood I have been found! Apart from the blood of Christ I am truly lost.
It is my hope and prayer that I will not loose the awe of my Jesus who loves me and gave His life for me. May I bow in humble service and strive to live a life of godliness and humility, for I am truly no different than the woman who graciously loved upon my Jesus.
Jesus has been invited over to Simon the pharisees home for dinner. At the dinner a woman from the town walks in and stands behind Jesus at his feet, as he is reclining at the table. The woman stands there for a moment, bawling. Eventually the woman notices Jesus feet as they are becoming muddied from her tears and the dirt on the floor. In an honoring gesture she wipes his feet with her hair, kissing his feet, and annointing them with oil.
Meanwhile, Simon the pharisee is thinking that Jesus, obviously, can not be all that the people think he is because he is allowing this sinner of a woman to touch and kiss his feet.
Jesus, knowing the thoughts of Simon, grabs his attention and tells him a story of two debtors who have been forgiven debts owed. One owed 500 denarii and the other 50. Jesus proposes the question of which one will love him more. Simon answers reluctantly the one with the larger debt as Jesus affirms his answer.
This is the point in the story that rattled me. Jesus says to Simon, "Do you see this woman?"
I have read and reread this story over and over again for many years. Then all of a sudden, "do you see this woman." Jesus is doing something amazingly beautiful here. I believe he is filled with compassion for both Simon and the woman. He wanted Simon to see this woman as one who is forgiven and loved. In the same moment, Jesus wanted Simon to see himself. He wanted Simon to see that he was himself was a sinner needing to be saved from his own sin.
As one who grew up in the church I have been protected from what many of us call the gross sins. No one would look at me and label me a sinner. I do not have a reputation in the city for being a sinner. Most people would probably think of me as someone with very high moral values. Personally, it is easier for me to identify with Simon than it is for me to see myself as the sinful woman who knew she needed Jesus.
However, I am a wretch. When I look into the face of a holy God my only response is to be like Isaiah and declare that I am lost. Praise Jesus that through His blood I have been found! Apart from the blood of Christ I am truly lost.
It is my hope and prayer that I will not loose the awe of my Jesus who loves me and gave His life for me. May I bow in humble service and strive to live a life of godliness and humility, for I am truly no different than the woman who graciously loved upon my Jesus.
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