The Bible is one big book. Yes, the Bible has 66 smaller books that make it up. But the Bible is one large story about a good sovereign King who makes a way to redeem a depraved people for Himself.
Knowing that the Bible is one large book, means many of the same themes, topics, and images show up repeatedly. From the very first pages of the Bible through the last pages of the Bible, time and time again themes keep showing up. Working through the Bible as a whole, there are at least 20 themes that are continuously repeated from book of the Bible to book of the Bible. These themes include; kingdom, temple, glory, covenant, priesthood, sacrifice, judgement, creation, wisdom, marriage/adultery, life/death, Son of God, salvation/redemption, rest, and reconciliation. These themes, among others, run through almost the entire Bible. Let's explore one to see how.
The theme of temple begins in the very beginning and runs the entire length of the Bible to the very end. The theme of temple runs from Genesis 2 to Revelation 22. Genesis 2 begins the theme of temple talking about the garden temple and the priest (Adam) told to work in this temple to worship God through obedience. The first 17 verses of Genesis 2 are all about the earth and Eden as a garden temple for God to dwell in. The image of temple moves forward after that with the image of sacrifice in Genesis 3 and in the patriarch (Abraham, Issac, Jacob) period. Think for example Abraham sacrificing at Bethel or the "house of God". Exodus continues the temple theme with a clear design in how to built a temple (tabernacle) for God to well in. Leviticus continues the temple theme with instructions for those working in the temple and orders to keep the dwelling of God pure.
Joshua has temple images, along with a few temple remarks and stories (especially the ark of the covenant) in the book of Judges. David's story involves the temple theme with his desire to build the temple after he established Jerusalem as the visible resting place of God as the holy city. Solomon builds his temple for God and dedicates it for the glory of the most High. Jeremiah has temple themes as the temple of Solomon is destroyed and it appears that God is no longer dwelling with His people. The prophet Ezekiel deals with the temple in a large way, declaring the truth that God has not left His people and God's dwelling place is still very real. All through the 12 (Minor Prophets) the image of God's temple and the point of God dwelling among His people is repeated by each and every one of the prophets. Haggai himself is sent to deal with the physical building of the new temple in Jerusalem, as an example.
The New Testament continues the theme of temple. Jesus clears the temple. The temple curtain is ripped in two when Christ is crucified. Jesus declares He himself is the temple. Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple (taking place in 70 A.D.). Paul to the Corinthians declares the Christian church to be the temple of God. Paul also focuses on the Christian's body as the temple of God. Finally, closing out the story of the Bible is the establishment of a new temple on a new Heaven and new Earth. The future temple of God is clearly seen in Revelation 22. In fact, the temple imagery is in almost every chapter of Revelation.
So the theme of temple runs from the beginning of the Bible through the end of the Bible. And this is significant for us to see and understand. If God has a major theme, like temple, running all through His story, His readers better pick it up and understand why. The readers need to understand what God is declaring about Himself through these repeated themes. And catching these repeated themes helps a reader better understand the whole story, how each story fits into the whole, and the purpose of the stories. So what Biblical themes are you catching as you read God's story?
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
What's your philosophy?
What is your philosophy about ____________? Fill in the blank with whatever, whomever, or any action you want.
We all have a philosophy on just about everything and everyone. No, we typically do not think about it in a philosophical way. But every single one of us has an opinion on persons, places, actions, events, circumstances, and objects. Let me give a few examples and then I will show why thinking about your philosophy on something or someone is important to understand.
I am a Pittsburgh Steeler's football fan. During the time I have watched the Steeler's in my life, they have changed philosophies about how to win football games. During the 1990s and most of the 2000s, the Steeler's philosophy in winning football games was run the ball, play good defense, and beat the other team into submission. For almost 20 years the Steeler's had great offensive lines, big strong running backs, a big physical defense, and coaches who called plays to destroy the other team by repeatedly punching them in the mouth. For 20 years the Steeler's stuck to their philosophy and as a result won a ton of football games and even made a few Superbowls. And I loved the Steele'rs football philosophy.
When a new coach came in 2008, the Steeler's began to change football winning philosophy. They began to focus on the offense and spreading the ball out. The defense shifted to speed and agility. As a result, the running backs got smaller and shiftier. The defense became faster and less physical. Over the last 10 years the philosophy of the Pittsburgh Steeler's has shifted away from smash mouth football, into a overwhelming flood of offensive football. This philosophy has worked just about as well as the previous philosophy. It is the fact it has changed and taken me as a fan, a lot to get used to and adjust to. This is one example of a philosophy of something. Or someone having a philosophy in how to do something.
Another example of a philosophy of doing something, is homeschooling. Homeschooling itself is a whole philosophical mindset. My wife and I have a philosophy of in-house training and educating, in raising our children. We believe this is the best way we can train up our children in the ways of the Lord and prepare them for a life to succeed and worship God. This is not to say that sending your child to public or private school is wrong. It is just an example of a differing set of philosophies that are in each of us as humans.
In the realm of homeschooling, there is also multiple philosophies in how to go about it. There are homeschooling philosophies of cyber-school or schooling the children from the computer. In homeschooling there is a classical philosophy of education. This is teaching the children in a classical way from classical methods and classical languages and literature. The philosophy we have in homeschooling is the traditional approach. My wife and I use regular school books with the Bible to teach our children the subjects. This is a method very similar to what children are using in the classroom, just from a Biblical worldview on every subject. Again, any one of these methods is good, it is just another example of a philosophical mindset.
The philosophical way of thinking or the philosophy of doing and knowing things is every where. Maybe your philosophy of cars is the "American way" or the cheapest way or the "German way" or the "whatever car I can pay cash for" method. None of them are wrong, they are just different philosophies.
If you care for your own lawn you have a philosophy in how to go about it. Do you pulls weeds or use a spray? Do you mow your lawn in lines or circles? Do you plant flowers or have more bushes? This is a fun area to see the philosophy a person has. But every single one of us has differing philosophies about everything in life, including other people.
But why do I bring all this up and think about philosophy? I bring all this up because matching philosophies matters for success. Let me repeat that again. Your philosophy on something must match up to the other person's philosophy on the same thing, for success to be found.
Think for example on the football philosophy. If a small fast running back would try to play in the smash mouth philosophy, the running back would sooner rather than later get hurt and have to leave the field becasue he is not a philosophical fit for the style of play. Or if a small fast linebacker tried to play in the smash mouth defense, eventually he would get hurt from the repeated hitting and crunching of the style of defense. A smash mouth style of play needs a big bulky running back and a big strong linebacker who can take a beating. And this example is the same in every area of life.
Understanding what your philosophy of things are, is important so a match can be found. Understanding the other person's philosophy of something is important, so we can know if we would work well with the other person. Finding a philosophical match on a particular action, event, or object is critical to finding ultimate success in the end. This is why understanding our philosophy on things is important. If we never ask the question, "what is my philosophy on _________," we might never find success in that _________.
So pick a subject, person, or activity. Ask yourself, what is my philosophy on how that subject goes about or how that activity should be done. If the other philosophy of the action or activity matches yours, success can be found. If the philosophy of the action or activity, does not match yours, success might and will probably not, ever be found. Thinking about your philosophy in every area and action is that important.
So what is your philosophy on ___________?
We all have a philosophy on just about everything and everyone. No, we typically do not think about it in a philosophical way. But every single one of us has an opinion on persons, places, actions, events, circumstances, and objects. Let me give a few examples and then I will show why thinking about your philosophy on something or someone is important to understand.
I am a Pittsburgh Steeler's football fan. During the time I have watched the Steeler's in my life, they have changed philosophies about how to win football games. During the 1990s and most of the 2000s, the Steeler's philosophy in winning football games was run the ball, play good defense, and beat the other team into submission. For almost 20 years the Steeler's had great offensive lines, big strong running backs, a big physical defense, and coaches who called plays to destroy the other team by repeatedly punching them in the mouth. For 20 years the Steeler's stuck to their philosophy and as a result won a ton of football games and even made a few Superbowls. And I loved the Steele'rs football philosophy.
When a new coach came in 2008, the Steeler's began to change football winning philosophy. They began to focus on the offense and spreading the ball out. The defense shifted to speed and agility. As a result, the running backs got smaller and shiftier. The defense became faster and less physical. Over the last 10 years the philosophy of the Pittsburgh Steeler's has shifted away from smash mouth football, into a overwhelming flood of offensive football. This philosophy has worked just about as well as the previous philosophy. It is the fact it has changed and taken me as a fan, a lot to get used to and adjust to. This is one example of a philosophy of something. Or someone having a philosophy in how to do something.
Another example of a philosophy of doing something, is homeschooling. Homeschooling itself is a whole philosophical mindset. My wife and I have a philosophy of in-house training and educating, in raising our children. We believe this is the best way we can train up our children in the ways of the Lord and prepare them for a life to succeed and worship God. This is not to say that sending your child to public or private school is wrong. It is just an example of a differing set of philosophies that are in each of us as humans.
In the realm of homeschooling, there is also multiple philosophies in how to go about it. There are homeschooling philosophies of cyber-school or schooling the children from the computer. In homeschooling there is a classical philosophy of education. This is teaching the children in a classical way from classical methods and classical languages and literature. The philosophy we have in homeschooling is the traditional approach. My wife and I use regular school books with the Bible to teach our children the subjects. This is a method very similar to what children are using in the classroom, just from a Biblical worldview on every subject. Again, any one of these methods is good, it is just another example of a philosophical mindset.
The philosophical way of thinking or the philosophy of doing and knowing things is every where. Maybe your philosophy of cars is the "American way" or the cheapest way or the "German way" or the "whatever car I can pay cash for" method. None of them are wrong, they are just different philosophies.
If you care for your own lawn you have a philosophy in how to go about it. Do you pulls weeds or use a spray? Do you mow your lawn in lines or circles? Do you plant flowers or have more bushes? This is a fun area to see the philosophy a person has. But every single one of us has differing philosophies about everything in life, including other people.
But why do I bring all this up and think about philosophy? I bring all this up because matching philosophies matters for success. Let me repeat that again. Your philosophy on something must match up to the other person's philosophy on the same thing, for success to be found.
Think for example on the football philosophy. If a small fast running back would try to play in the smash mouth philosophy, the running back would sooner rather than later get hurt and have to leave the field becasue he is not a philosophical fit for the style of play. Or if a small fast linebacker tried to play in the smash mouth defense, eventually he would get hurt from the repeated hitting and crunching of the style of defense. A smash mouth style of play needs a big bulky running back and a big strong linebacker who can take a beating. And this example is the same in every area of life.
Understanding what your philosophy of things are, is important so a match can be found. Understanding the other person's philosophy of something is important, so we can know if we would work well with the other person. Finding a philosophical match on a particular action, event, or object is critical to finding ultimate success in the end. This is why understanding our philosophy on things is important. If we never ask the question, "what is my philosophy on _________," we might never find success in that _________.
So pick a subject, person, or activity. Ask yourself, what is my philosophy on how that subject goes about or how that activity should be done. If the other philosophy of the action or activity matches yours, success can be found. If the philosophy of the action or activity, does not match yours, success might and will probably not, ever be found. Thinking about your philosophy in every area and action is that important.
So what is your philosophy on ___________?
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
The Big Idea
The big idea of any given writing is the idea or point the author is trying to communicate. In this post, the big idea is going to be about the big idea of a Bible passage.
As my last few post have stated, I have been working through the book of Genesis on Sunday with my congregation. Recently I have been studying in depth the opening story of Genesis. Most of us know the opening story of Genesis as the story of Creation. The first story of the Bible runs from Genesis 1:1 through the end of the narrative in Genesis 2:3. These verses are the story of God creating everything out of nothing.
As I told my congregation last Sunday, the big idea of Genesis 1:1-2:3 is, "a good sovereign King created a world by structuring and ordering the chaos and filling it with life and purpose all for Him to delight and enjoy". This single sentence is the big idea of the opening story of the Bible.
The question that is raised is how do smaller portions of a story or paragraph fit into the bigger idea? How does one scene or a few sentence fit into a large section that has one big idea?
This Sunday I will be working through the creation of mankind from Genesis 1:26-31. Working through this smaller section of Genesis 1 helps illustrate the challenges of fitting a small scene into a large story big idea. How does the creation of mankind on Day 6 fit into the big idea that Genesis 1:1-2:3 is making clear?
In most cases, a smaller section of either the story (like a scene) or a sentence or two in paragraph, compliment the big idea in one way or another. Maybe the scene sets the setting for the big idea. Maybe the scene shows the opposite of the big idea. Maybe the scene adds tension to the big idea. Or maybe the scene illustrates the big idea. This is the case with the creation of man and the big idea of the story opening the Bible.
God creates man in His image. God creates man in His image and gives a command to be fruitful and fill the earth and to rule and subdue the earth. Mankind, made after the image of God is tasked to cover the earth with life and to rule as a representative of God in His place by subduing the earth. As my congregation will find out on Sunday, the meaning of the image of God in man is tied directly to the purpose and task that man was created for. The image of man is to be a physical representative of God by filling the created world with life and ordering the created world by ruling it.
Understanding the image of God in man and the purpose or commission of man, leads to the realization that man's purpose is exactly what God is doing in Creation, just on a smaller representative scale. Thus the purpose of man is reflecting the big idea of the whole story of Genesis 1. Man's commission at creation is a demonstration, in a likeness way, the big idea of the opening story. The creation of man illustrates what God is doing in the whole story.
This example from Genesis 1, in how the smaller portion is illustrative of the bigger idea overall, helps illustrate how scenes function in other stories in the Bible. It can also be flipped the other way. Understanding the big idea of a passage helps lead to the realization of a smaller section of the story. Or understanding the purpose of a smaller scene can reflect and lead to an understanding of the big idea of the whole story. The whole book of Genesis illustrates this hermanutic truth time and time again.
Find the big idea of a story and the smaller sections will fall into place. Find the purpose of smaller scene and a big idea of the whole will jump out. But most importantly, finding the big idea of a passage will lead to a discovery of what God wants us to know from that story and how that story applies to life. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness".
As my last few post have stated, I have been working through the book of Genesis on Sunday with my congregation. Recently I have been studying in depth the opening story of Genesis. Most of us know the opening story of Genesis as the story of Creation. The first story of the Bible runs from Genesis 1:1 through the end of the narrative in Genesis 2:3. These verses are the story of God creating everything out of nothing.
As I told my congregation last Sunday, the big idea of Genesis 1:1-2:3 is, "a good sovereign King created a world by structuring and ordering the chaos and filling it with life and purpose all for Him to delight and enjoy". This single sentence is the big idea of the opening story of the Bible.
The question that is raised is how do smaller portions of a story or paragraph fit into the bigger idea? How does one scene or a few sentence fit into a large section that has one big idea?
This Sunday I will be working through the creation of mankind from Genesis 1:26-31. Working through this smaller section of Genesis 1 helps illustrate the challenges of fitting a small scene into a large story big idea. How does the creation of mankind on Day 6 fit into the big idea that Genesis 1:1-2:3 is making clear?
In most cases, a smaller section of either the story (like a scene) or a sentence or two in paragraph, compliment the big idea in one way or another. Maybe the scene sets the setting for the big idea. Maybe the scene shows the opposite of the big idea. Maybe the scene adds tension to the big idea. Or maybe the scene illustrates the big idea. This is the case with the creation of man and the big idea of the story opening the Bible.
God creates man in His image. God creates man in His image and gives a command to be fruitful and fill the earth and to rule and subdue the earth. Mankind, made after the image of God is tasked to cover the earth with life and to rule as a representative of God in His place by subduing the earth. As my congregation will find out on Sunday, the meaning of the image of God in man is tied directly to the purpose and task that man was created for. The image of man is to be a physical representative of God by filling the created world with life and ordering the created world by ruling it.
Understanding the image of God in man and the purpose or commission of man, leads to the realization that man's purpose is exactly what God is doing in Creation, just on a smaller representative scale. Thus the purpose of man is reflecting the big idea of the whole story of Genesis 1. Man's commission at creation is a demonstration, in a likeness way, the big idea of the opening story. The creation of man illustrates what God is doing in the whole story.
This example from Genesis 1, in how the smaller portion is illustrative of the bigger idea overall, helps illustrate how scenes function in other stories in the Bible. It can also be flipped the other way. Understanding the big idea of a passage helps lead to the realization of a smaller section of the story. Or understanding the purpose of a smaller scene can reflect and lead to an understanding of the big idea of the whole story. The whole book of Genesis illustrates this hermanutic truth time and time again.
Find the big idea of a story and the smaller sections will fall into place. Find the purpose of smaller scene and a big idea of the whole will jump out. But most importantly, finding the big idea of a passage will lead to a discovery of what God wants us to know from that story and how that story applies to life. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness".
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Divine Rest
I love doing word studies from the Bible. Take a word, any word from Scripture and dive into the meaning.
As an average American, we do not really think about the meaning of a words. We just use words, write words, and throw words around without thinking deeply about what the word means. But in the original languages of the Bible (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic), words had a deep meaning. So each week, as I work through a given passage, I do a few in depth word studies. I take a word or two in the original language and dig deep into what the word meant and how I can understand the passage.
Over the last three weeks, I have been working from Genesis 1. The opening story in the Bible is the story of Creation. In these opening 34 (1:1-2:3) verses, God takes a situation that is chaotic and fills it with order, structure, life, and purpose. The story of Creation is a story of a good God who brings life into existence and gives it an order with a purpose.
As I have been working through this story, I decided to do a word study on the word "rest" that is a big part of day 7. As a child hearing the story of Creation, day 7 always seemed to be a throw away day. The picture of day 7 usually included God leaning up against a tree looking on His creative work. In my son's graphic Bible, day 7 of Creation has God laying on a hammock with an ice tea relaxing from the hard work. All of these images seem to picture the thought that God must have been tired and needed a nap after He created everything. Sadly, these images are very far from the actually truth. Creation was not hard work for God anymore than it is hard work for me brushing my teeth or folding a paper or saying words with my mouth.
The picture I had been given all my life of God needing a nap, made me stop and ask, what actually is day 7 about. This is where I embarked on my word study in the Hebrew for our word "rest". To keep it English here, the Hebrew word for rest used in Genesis 2:1-3 is a simple verb in the Hebrew language. A common word that would describe rest of any being (man or animal). But it is the type of rest that caught my eye.
We as American's have gotten this idea that rest is taking a nap or laying in the shade with a cool drink. But this word rest in the Hebrew comes with the feelings of enjoyment, accomplishment, and fulfillment. This is like the rest I would get after a hard days work, enjoying the finished view of a new roof. This is rest after spending 8 hours chopping wood and seeing the pile that will keep the house warm in the winter. This is rest that a baker would feel after finishing a beautiful wedding cake. This is a rest that is full of enjoying for what was labored on. This is rest in a sense of accomplishment in what was completed. This is rest in feeling fulfilled in what was just undertaken.
The rest on day 7 is delightful joyous rest. The word study of rest brought a very new picture to what God was doing on day 7. God on day 7 was enjoying the Creation He had just finished. God was delighting in the life and purpose He had just created. God, in His rest, was rejoicing with and in the order, structure, life, and meaning, He had just brought forth by the power of His word. The divine rest of day 7 is all about a sovereign good King creating a world for Him to delight and rejoice in.
The fact that Creation is about a sovereign King creating, adds to the point of divine rest. God is not just sitting back and delighting in His creation. When day 7 took place, God walked to His throne, sat down on His throne to rest, and He rested by taking great pleasure in all that He had just created. Divine rest of day 7 is a rest of a good sovereign King sitting down on His thrown to rule and take great pleasure in all that He had just created. This is the divine rest. This is the point of Genesis 1.
This is what the word study of "rest" showed me as I was studying the passage. But more importantly the study of divine rest showed me what my Sabbath rest is all about. If day 7 is set by God to be a holy day for me. I must make my Sabbath rest all about taking pleasure in the one who created me, gave me a purpose, and is delighting in me. The study of divine rest has taught me; when I observe Sabbath rest in the Creator, it is showing the world that I know my good sovereign King has created me for pleasure and is sitting on His throne. Now I am to take pleasure in Him.
As an average American, we do not really think about the meaning of a words. We just use words, write words, and throw words around without thinking deeply about what the word means. But in the original languages of the Bible (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic), words had a deep meaning. So each week, as I work through a given passage, I do a few in depth word studies. I take a word or two in the original language and dig deep into what the word meant and how I can understand the passage.
Over the last three weeks, I have been working from Genesis 1. The opening story in the Bible is the story of Creation. In these opening 34 (1:1-2:3) verses, God takes a situation that is chaotic and fills it with order, structure, life, and purpose. The story of Creation is a story of a good God who brings life into existence and gives it an order with a purpose.
As I have been working through this story, I decided to do a word study on the word "rest" that is a big part of day 7. As a child hearing the story of Creation, day 7 always seemed to be a throw away day. The picture of day 7 usually included God leaning up against a tree looking on His creative work. In my son's graphic Bible, day 7 of Creation has God laying on a hammock with an ice tea relaxing from the hard work. All of these images seem to picture the thought that God must have been tired and needed a nap after He created everything. Sadly, these images are very far from the actually truth. Creation was not hard work for God anymore than it is hard work for me brushing my teeth or folding a paper or saying words with my mouth.
The picture I had been given all my life of God needing a nap, made me stop and ask, what actually is day 7 about. This is where I embarked on my word study in the Hebrew for our word "rest". To keep it English here, the Hebrew word for rest used in Genesis 2:1-3 is a simple verb in the Hebrew language. A common word that would describe rest of any being (man or animal). But it is the type of rest that caught my eye.
We as American's have gotten this idea that rest is taking a nap or laying in the shade with a cool drink. But this word rest in the Hebrew comes with the feelings of enjoyment, accomplishment, and fulfillment. This is like the rest I would get after a hard days work, enjoying the finished view of a new roof. This is rest after spending 8 hours chopping wood and seeing the pile that will keep the house warm in the winter. This is rest that a baker would feel after finishing a beautiful wedding cake. This is a rest that is full of enjoying for what was labored on. This is rest in a sense of accomplishment in what was completed. This is rest in feeling fulfilled in what was just undertaken.
The rest on day 7 is delightful joyous rest. The word study of rest brought a very new picture to what God was doing on day 7. God on day 7 was enjoying the Creation He had just finished. God was delighting in the life and purpose He had just created. God, in His rest, was rejoicing with and in the order, structure, life, and meaning, He had just brought forth by the power of His word. The divine rest of day 7 is all about a sovereign good King creating a world for Him to delight and rejoice in.
The fact that Creation is about a sovereign King creating, adds to the point of divine rest. God is not just sitting back and delighting in His creation. When day 7 took place, God walked to His throne, sat down on His throne to rest, and He rested by taking great pleasure in all that He had just created. Divine rest of day 7 is a rest of a good sovereign King sitting down on His thrown to rule and take great pleasure in all that He had just created. This is the divine rest. This is the point of Genesis 1.
This is what the word study of "rest" showed me as I was studying the passage. But more importantly the study of divine rest showed me what my Sabbath rest is all about. If day 7 is set by God to be a holy day for me. I must make my Sabbath rest all about taking pleasure in the one who created me, gave me a purpose, and is delighting in me. The study of divine rest has taught me; when I observe Sabbath rest in the Creator, it is showing the world that I know my good sovereign King has created me for pleasure and is sitting on His throne. Now I am to take pleasure in Him.
Monday, September 18, 2017
The Chaotic Start
This month I have started to preach through the book of Genesis. This is exhilarating. I grew up in Sunday School hearing these stories Sunday after Sunday. I can still see the images from the flannel board as the days of Creation were explained or the story of the flood was told. I can still remember the pictures from the Sunday School book of Abraham placing Issac on the alter or the image of Joseph and his brightly colored coat. But working through these stories once more to preach on Sundays, I feel like I am hearing the stories for the first time.
Case in point, two Sundays ago I began preaching the Creation story, covering the opening verses of Genesis 1. When I was a child, I would listen intently as the teacher would tell us what God created on each day. On day 1 God created light. On day 3 God created the plants. I always remembered this day because it was the day God created Lima beans and Brussels sprouts. YUCK! On day 5 God created the birds and the fish. (I wonder did Day 5 or 6 include the dolphins?) God creating man on Day 6 always got the special attention. This was how I heard the Creation story. Not exactly a science lesson, but as I was taught, listened, and remembered the Creation story, it was very scientific in nature. This is not what the Creation story is all about. Yes, knowing God created all these things is important, but it is not the point the author intents to make clear.
As I worked through the Creation narrative (it is a story after all), I began to discover so much I had never seen before. Genesis 1:1 is the introduction to the story. Genesis 1, in fact the entire book of Genesis, is a story of God creating everything. Genesis 1 tells us God created all of reality, both the things we can see (bumble bees) and the things we can't see (the cell in your arm). Genesis 1 makes clear that God is the creator God and He alone could do the creating. But the rest of Genesis tells us that it is God alone who creates, destroys what He creates, recreates what He created, creates the covenant, creates His people, and creates the plan of redeeming His people. Genesis 1:1 is the introduction to the whole story. It is not the first act in a sequence, but an overview statement for what the story teller is about to unravel and unpack in this great epic.
This is where my discovery of Genesis as something I truly did not know began. Genesis 1:2 is not the second step in a sequence, but the setting of the narrative that is about to be unfolded. Most great novels and stories open with a few statements of setting. For example, "In the hole in the ground there lived a hobbit", is the opening line of the "Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a setting statement. It is a stage setter. It sets the stage for what is about to take place. We know there is a hobbit in this hole and the story of this hobbit is one of great adventure where he leaves the hole to go on an epic quest.
Genesis 1:2 is exactly the same. Before God begins to reveal Himself in 7 days of action (the 7 days of Creation) there must be a setting, a scene, a starting point for the story to launch from. Genesis 1:2 makes it clear, the stage and launching point is a situation of chaotic, empty, lifeless, and purposeless existence. This situation of "bad" is where a good God launches His creative acts from. That means, Creation is a story about a good God ordering the chaos, filling the emptiness, giving life and existence a purpose. This is what the 7 days of Creation are about. This realization is what I discovered for the first time as I began to prepare messages to preach from Genesis.
Genesis 1:1-2 is not a story about a "gap theory", an old earth argument, a literal 6 days of action, or even a science text book to discuss precreation and creation theory. Genesis 1:1-2 is the setting for the epic narrative of a God of goodness, order, structure, life, purpose, and grace, filling this reality with His purpose and grace for all of what He created (which is everything) to enjoy and delight in. After reading and preaching Genesis 1:1-2, I am finding myself delighting and rejoicing in the Creator God in a deeper fuller away now after I understand what He truly wanted me to know about Him from the Creation act. Do you let God's amazing Creation epic drive a delight for Him, in you?
Case in point, two Sundays ago I began preaching the Creation story, covering the opening verses of Genesis 1. When I was a child, I would listen intently as the teacher would tell us what God created on each day. On day 1 God created light. On day 3 God created the plants. I always remembered this day because it was the day God created Lima beans and Brussels sprouts. YUCK! On day 5 God created the birds and the fish. (I wonder did Day 5 or 6 include the dolphins?) God creating man on Day 6 always got the special attention. This was how I heard the Creation story. Not exactly a science lesson, but as I was taught, listened, and remembered the Creation story, it was very scientific in nature. This is not what the Creation story is all about. Yes, knowing God created all these things is important, but it is not the point the author intents to make clear.
As I worked through the Creation narrative (it is a story after all), I began to discover so much I had never seen before. Genesis 1:1 is the introduction to the story. Genesis 1, in fact the entire book of Genesis, is a story of God creating everything. Genesis 1 tells us God created all of reality, both the things we can see (bumble bees) and the things we can't see (the cell in your arm). Genesis 1 makes clear that God is the creator God and He alone could do the creating. But the rest of Genesis tells us that it is God alone who creates, destroys what He creates, recreates what He created, creates the covenant, creates His people, and creates the plan of redeeming His people. Genesis 1:1 is the introduction to the whole story. It is not the first act in a sequence, but an overview statement for what the story teller is about to unravel and unpack in this great epic.
This is where my discovery of Genesis as something I truly did not know began. Genesis 1:2 is not the second step in a sequence, but the setting of the narrative that is about to be unfolded. Most great novels and stories open with a few statements of setting. For example, "In the hole in the ground there lived a hobbit", is the opening line of the "Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a setting statement. It is a stage setter. It sets the stage for what is about to take place. We know there is a hobbit in this hole and the story of this hobbit is one of great adventure where he leaves the hole to go on an epic quest.
Genesis 1:2 is exactly the same. Before God begins to reveal Himself in 7 days of action (the 7 days of Creation) there must be a setting, a scene, a starting point for the story to launch from. Genesis 1:2 makes it clear, the stage and launching point is a situation of chaotic, empty, lifeless, and purposeless existence. This situation of "bad" is where a good God launches His creative acts from. That means, Creation is a story about a good God ordering the chaos, filling the emptiness, giving life and existence a purpose. This is what the 7 days of Creation are about. This realization is what I discovered for the first time as I began to prepare messages to preach from Genesis.
Genesis 1:1-2 is not a story about a "gap theory", an old earth argument, a literal 6 days of action, or even a science text book to discuss precreation and creation theory. Genesis 1:1-2 is the setting for the epic narrative of a God of goodness, order, structure, life, purpose, and grace, filling this reality with His purpose and grace for all of what He created (which is everything) to enjoy and delight in. After reading and preaching Genesis 1:1-2, I am finding myself delighting and rejoicing in the Creator God in a deeper fuller away now after I understand what He truly wanted me to know about Him from the Creation act. Do you let God's amazing Creation epic drive a delight for Him, in you?
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
That One Dumb Question???
When I was in Middle School, my English Teacher would always say, "there is no dumb questions". This teacher, and in fact anyone who says this statement, is simply trying to encourage other people to speak or ask what is on their mind. In truth, I believe this statement, there is truly no dumb question. Depending on what subject matter you know or are familiar with, questions from other people in these areas might seem dumb to you. But to the person asking the question, they are curious becasue they are ignorant in the subject. In subject matters like Marvel Comics, Lord of the Rings, Pittsburgh Sports, or Theology, I get asked questions all the time. To me, one who is knowledgeable about these areas, the questions can appear dumb. But to the person asking the question, they are not dumb becasue they are simply ignorant. On matters like Science, Engineering, or Fishing, I am the one who asks the "dumb" questions becasue I am ignorant in many subject matters. So there is no such thing as a dumb question, or is there???
I say all this about "dumb" questions because the Bible, God's Word, asks a lot of questions. God understands as fallen, broken, weak, and depraved humans, we ask many different questions to understand who we are, who He is, and how the world works. Sometimes in the Bible, it is the narrator asking the questions. Sometimes in the Bible, it is the characters in the stories asking the questions. Sometimes in the Bible, it is even Jesus Himself asking the question and following the question up with the answer in teaching or story form. God knows that we ask many different questions and even repeat asking the same questions over and over again.
But there is one question that the Bible does not ask. The Bible never asks, "is there a God"? The Bible no where asks this question. In fact, the Bible no where even answers this question. Is there a God is not asked in the Bible becasue the Bible assumes the answer without even giving it. Is there a God? "In the Beginning, God". From the very first sentence in the Bible, the Bible assumes the answer is YES. From the very first moment of existence, the answer is given and the question is never asked, because the question, "is there a God" is a "dumb" question.
If there is no God, there is no existence. If there is no God there is no life. If there is no God, then there is no talking, thinking, being or doing. Without God there is nothing. Without God there is no redemption of sinners. Without God there is no earth or heaven. Without God this blog does not exist. "In the beginning, God", is the foundation for every other knowledge, thought, truth, and statement ever made.
But because there is a God, there is redemption of sinners. Because there is a God there is truth and knowledge. Because there is a God, we as humans can exist and not only exist but have a good life. Because there is a God, everything else as we know it is "being".
Is there a God? "In the beginning, God", is about as an emphatic answer as we can get. The existence, in fact the preexistence of God, is foundation for everything else. That is why this is the exact truth that the Bible begins with. "In the beginning, God" is everything we need for life, faith, and existence. "In the beginning, God" is what we must all desire and want to know and be in a relationship above all else. "In the beginning, God" is our salvation and delight exists. "In the beginning" was all that we needed, GOD.
Now the real important question stems off of that, "how can I know rightly this God"? That is the right question. That is not a dumb question. That is the question for life and the question that drives faith. "How can I rightly this God?" is the question that drives the redemption of sinners and the saving of many souls. This question is the question God wants us to ask, the question Jesus came to proclaim, and the question that the Bible is all about.
So, "is there a God?" is not a dumb question in one sense, but a very dumb question in another sense. We are born, each one of us, with the answer to this question in our soul and conscience (Romans 1). "But how can I know rightly this God?" Well, that is the right question that must be asked. Let us celebrate this question, answer this question freely, and rejoice when a person comes to know the right answer to this question.
Do you know God rightly?
I say all this about "dumb" questions because the Bible, God's Word, asks a lot of questions. God understands as fallen, broken, weak, and depraved humans, we ask many different questions to understand who we are, who He is, and how the world works. Sometimes in the Bible, it is the narrator asking the questions. Sometimes in the Bible, it is the characters in the stories asking the questions. Sometimes in the Bible, it is even Jesus Himself asking the question and following the question up with the answer in teaching or story form. God knows that we ask many different questions and even repeat asking the same questions over and over again.
But there is one question that the Bible does not ask. The Bible never asks, "is there a God"? The Bible no where asks this question. In fact, the Bible no where even answers this question. Is there a God is not asked in the Bible becasue the Bible assumes the answer without even giving it. Is there a God? "In the Beginning, God". From the very first sentence in the Bible, the Bible assumes the answer is YES. From the very first moment of existence, the answer is given and the question is never asked, because the question, "is there a God" is a "dumb" question.
If there is no God, there is no existence. If there is no God there is no life. If there is no God, then there is no talking, thinking, being or doing. Without God there is nothing. Without God there is no redemption of sinners. Without God there is no earth or heaven. Without God this blog does not exist. "In the beginning, God", is the foundation for every other knowledge, thought, truth, and statement ever made.
But because there is a God, there is redemption of sinners. Because there is a God there is truth and knowledge. Because there is a God, we as humans can exist and not only exist but have a good life. Because there is a God, everything else as we know it is "being".
Is there a God? "In the beginning, God", is about as an emphatic answer as we can get. The existence, in fact the preexistence of God, is foundation for everything else. That is why this is the exact truth that the Bible begins with. "In the beginning, God" is everything we need for life, faith, and existence. "In the beginning, God" is what we must all desire and want to know and be in a relationship above all else. "In the beginning, God" is our salvation and delight exists. "In the beginning" was all that we needed, GOD.
Now the real important question stems off of that, "how can I know rightly this God"? That is the right question. That is not a dumb question. That is the question for life and the question that drives faith. "How can I rightly this God?" is the question that drives the redemption of sinners and the saving of many souls. This question is the question God wants us to ask, the question Jesus came to proclaim, and the question that the Bible is all about.
So, "is there a God?" is not a dumb question in one sense, but a very dumb question in another sense. We are born, each one of us, with the answer to this question in our soul and conscience (Romans 1). "But how can I know rightly this God?" Well, that is the right question that must be asked. Let us celebrate this question, answer this question freely, and rejoice when a person comes to know the right answer to this question.
Do you know God rightly?
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
The Beginning of the End
The title for my blog today is interesting for many reasons. First, it is the beginning of the end for my final semester of classes. I have been taking classes for what seems like forever. I went back to school nine months after my oldest daughter was born. That was the fall of 2009. That fall I began a two-year journey to get my Bachelor's degree in Bible. Nine months after I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree, I began classes at Gordon-Conwell Seminary to accomplish my Master's degree. After four online classes at Gordon-Conwell, I transferred to Capital Seminary and Graduate School to complete my MDiv. That was the fall of 2014. This Fall I will be completing my MDiv and graduating in December with my Master's Degree. That is an eight year marathon of classes. Yet, it is the beginning of the end for this phase of my education. I am a student, so this is not the end of my education or learning. Some day, Lord willing, I hope to get a PhD and complete the trifecta of pastoral education. But for the foreseeable future, this is it. This is the beginning of the end for my class time.
The second reason this is the beginning of the end, is my youngest child started school this year. God has blessed me with four amazing gifts and little image bearers to train. My son, my oldest, has started sixth grade this year. God is doing great wonders in him, as he continues to grow and mature into a little man after the heart of God. But this year, my youngest, my little Ellie, started Kindergarten. It is the beginning of the end now. Sooner rather than later, I will have four young adults and eventually four grown children living their lives separate from mine. This year marks the beginning of Ellie's education and the end of a little one still around. The beginning of the end is upon my wife and I as we now watch our four beauties begin to grow through formal education and Biblical training at home. It is the beginning of the end for sure in the family life I once knew.
The final reason my blog is entitled, "the beginning of the end" is I am beginning to preach through the book of Genesis this Sunday. Genesis is a book of God's Word that could be entitled the beginning of the end. Genesis marks the beginning of all things. The beginning of Creation. The beginning of sin. The beginning of marriage. The beginning of the family. The beginning of the covenant. The beginning of God's people. Genesis is the book of beginnings. But genesis is also the book of the end. When the beginning is studied, the end results are know. Genesis makes clear God has always existed. That means at the end, God is still going to be there. Genesis makes the covenant grace of God know. This means that at the end of it, God's covenant grace will still be ruling. When Genesis is studied in greater depth, the end results are know. Genesis not only teaches about the beginning, but even makes the ending clear. Genesis 3:15 points to the end, right in the very beginning. Yes, the serpent is still active and tempting, but Genesis the book of beginnings, makes the end very clear. Satan and sin will be stomped out by the seed of the woman. Genesis is the beginning of the end.
So the title, the beginning of the end, sums up the book I am about to begin preaching through, this final semester of classes, and the stage of life that I am currently in. But becasue God has chosen me before there was every a beginning, I can rest assure that my end will always be in Him and that I truly will never have an end. The beginning of my end will never truly be, becasue of the grace of God alone. The only God never to have a beginning or an end.
The second reason this is the beginning of the end, is my youngest child started school this year. God has blessed me with four amazing gifts and little image bearers to train. My son, my oldest, has started sixth grade this year. God is doing great wonders in him, as he continues to grow and mature into a little man after the heart of God. But this year, my youngest, my little Ellie, started Kindergarten. It is the beginning of the end now. Sooner rather than later, I will have four young adults and eventually four grown children living their lives separate from mine. This year marks the beginning of Ellie's education and the end of a little one still around. The beginning of the end is upon my wife and I as we now watch our four beauties begin to grow through formal education and Biblical training at home. It is the beginning of the end for sure in the family life I once knew.
The final reason my blog is entitled, "the beginning of the end" is I am beginning to preach through the book of Genesis this Sunday. Genesis is a book of God's Word that could be entitled the beginning of the end. Genesis marks the beginning of all things. The beginning of Creation. The beginning of sin. The beginning of marriage. The beginning of the family. The beginning of the covenant. The beginning of God's people. Genesis is the book of beginnings. But genesis is also the book of the end. When the beginning is studied, the end results are know. Genesis makes clear God has always existed. That means at the end, God is still going to be there. Genesis makes the covenant grace of God know. This means that at the end of it, God's covenant grace will still be ruling. When Genesis is studied in greater depth, the end results are know. Genesis not only teaches about the beginning, but even makes the ending clear. Genesis 3:15 points to the end, right in the very beginning. Yes, the serpent is still active and tempting, but Genesis the book of beginnings, makes the end very clear. Satan and sin will be stomped out by the seed of the woman. Genesis is the beginning of the end.
So the title, the beginning of the end, sums up the book I am about to begin preaching through, this final semester of classes, and the stage of life that I am currently in. But becasue God has chosen me before there was every a beginning, I can rest assure that my end will always be in Him and that I truly will never have an end. The beginning of my end will never truly be, becasue of the grace of God alone. The only God never to have a beginning or an end.
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