Mark 2:23 - 3:6: Is Compassion The Reason I Worried About This?

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. - Mark 2:23 - 3:6

"The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him." The Pharisees didn't like Herod--they did not believe that Herod was the true king of Israel and firmly believed that he was too friendly with the Sadducees and the Romans--he was, in fact, Caesar's good friend and childhood playmate. The Herodians were on the opposite end of the political spectrum. They thought Herod kept Rome's anger away from Israel and allowed Israel-or at least some of Israel-to prosper under Rome's peace. Now, in these verses, we see that the Pharisees and Herodians "held counsel" about how to destroy Jesus. The Herodians were odious but Jesus was dangerous so they adopted common cause against him. Jesus was a danger to both. If Jesus won, the Pharisees control over the religious life of the average Jew was threatened. He didn't seem strict enough for them. If Jesus won, the Herodians control over the political life of the average Jew was threatened. He didn't line up in support of the political and secular power brokers. 

 Both groups had litmus tests-questions on certain issues that determined if you were acceptable. In these verses, Jesus failed both tests. It seems to me that when people create an "in or out" test, it is almost always a false dichotomy. Again and again, Jesus showed that there was a third way, neither this or that. This third way didn't avoid that fact that Jesus' way is hard, not always clear and often messy. One key item was the Pharisees had lost compassion for people who were suffering. What made Jesus angry? "he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart." In both stories, they placed rules above compassion. Yes, the rules were important. They placed guidelines that were to be aimed for. But they weren't boundary markers designed to indicate who was in or out. In many cases, the rules were more important in justifying my hardness of heart. I need to do a compassion check when I enforce important rules. Ultimately, I need to let God decide what he will accept. He did not make me the border guard on the kingdom of heaven.

 

2 Corinthians 4:5-12: They Should Get The Credit

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. - 2 Corinthians 4:5-12

 It is very tempting to redirect conversations to reflect what we know and how special we are. I know because I am a master at it. I can find a connection between anything you say to something I've done, someone I know or some dumb joke that I heard. At the center of all of those things is "I" Even self-deprecating jokes still center on me-my failure, my inadequacies, my faux pas. 

But Paul says here that "what we proclaim is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants." The key here is related to the word "servants" and its not even Jesus' servants but "your servants" 

It seems that servants should not upstage the one that they are serving. That is: the butler should not look more important than the head of the household and the waiter at a restaurant should not look more important than the head chef. But in this case we are not supposed to look more important than Jesus--that's pretty easy to track with--but also we are not supposed to look more important than "you"--the people we are serving--"with ourselves as your servants" Now that's a tough one. 

Making God look like the star of the show is one thing, but making you look like the start of the show is a level of humility that I struggle with. God gives me many opportunities to show this level of humility--at home, at work, at the checkout counter, in like at the hotel or on the road in my car--and I fail regularly. So I will pray the dangerous prayer--Lord, give me opportunities to give you and them the most credit without hinting that I deserve some too. 

1 Samuel 3:1-10: When The Voice of God Breaks Through

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.

Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

And the Lord called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” - 1 Samuel 3:1-10

 How to differentiate between God speaking and something else? In these verses, Samuel is hearing God speak but he doesn't know that it is God speaking. So he attributes what he is hearing to some other source, a source that he imagines as possible or even likely: the voice of Eli. Why was it difficult for Samuel to distinguish? 

First, it wasn't common for God to speak to anyone directly. "And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision." Eli and Samuel are living at the end of the period of the judges in Israel's history--a chaotic period where Israel was a fragmented people where each tribe was doing what it felt was best. God spoke to the judges but at the end of that period, even the judges weren't getting a clear signal from God.

Second, even if Samuel was the right one to hear God, he didn't know what God sounded like. "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him." It is normal what when you hear a voice, you look around to see who spoke.  Since Samuel wasn't familiar with how God spoke, he would assume some other explanation and Eli speaking seemed a lot more likely than Almighty God speaking. 

Third, even for seasoned saints like Eli, the voice of God wasn't his first guess as to what was going on. I'm not sure what Eli thought was going on with Samuel. Maybe he thought Samuel was hearing things or misinterpreting what he was hearing. The temple was quiet and dark so maybe he thought Samuel was being imaginative or playful. But whatever the reason, it took three tries before Eli guess that something was going on.

I think that it is difficult for us to hear the voice of God. Maybe it is because God doesn't speak as often. Or maybe we aren't in the right season of life where God would speak more often. Or maybe it is just because distinguishing God's voice from all of the other possibilities is just difficult. But the main thing is to listen and do what he says. Samuel asked God to speak and he prepared himself to hear and he made it a pattern for the rest of his life. So I won't whine about how difficult it is to know the voice of God, but when God does break through my ignorance, insensitivity or selfishness so that I can hear, that I will listen and do what he says.

Psalm 98: Raising the Sea Level of Grace Together

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. - Psalm 98

"Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity."

I'm a big, white guy, from a middle-class background, decently intelligent and educated. Sure, I was picked on a little bit growing up and my family background was a bit messed up, but it was stable and I grew up healthy and relatively well adjusted. I appreciate it more as I go along.

But not everyone grew up that way, either in circumstance or environment. There are those who are pushed around, displaced, stolen from, in want or fearful. The hopeless that I've felt in small portions in my time, they have lived in full measure.

What is my job, before the Lord, for people in these circumstances? One is to rejoice with them. The "Let them sing" at the end of Psalm 98 is not referring to the people of Israel specifically or even the oppressed in general. No, it is the "sea", "everything in it", the "world", "all who live in it", the "rivers" and the "mountains". It is the onlookers who are expected to take as much joy in God's justice as those who are vindicated. For me, it is especially those who have been "okay" to celebrate with others because "equity" that God gives shows his goodness and it raises the sea level of grace for all of us and the redeemed spur each other on towards God.

1 John 5:1-6: Swimming With The Current of God's Commands

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth - 1 John 5:1-6

Why does John insist that "And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world."? It seems to me that following his commands are burdensome. My flesh wants to do one thing, but God demands the opposite. I am taught to be suspect of my own desires because they are leading me to focus on myself rather than on what God says I should focus on: him and other people. So how does John think that the commands are not burdensome?

I'm not sure. But maybe I am looking at this statement the wrong way around. The key seems to lie in faith. "This is the victory that has overcome the world [exactly my problem] even our faith." John then goes on to say: "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." Hmm... What does that mean? Why does faith that "Jesus is the son of God" make his commands less burdensome? 

Maybe because faith puts me in alignment with God and God, not my desires or even my sin, is the most powerful force in the universe. That is: obeying God's commands is less burdensome because I don't want to be swimming in one direction when God is moving in the other direction. It may feel temporarily like it is less burdensome to do my own thing but ultimately the current of God's will and desire will turn the tide and I will be at cross-purposes with God--not a good place to be.

These verses are forcing me to rethink my life in terms of the macro-climate, God-centered picture rather than the micro-climate picture me-centered picture.

Acts 10:44-49: We Can't Believe That God Believes That They Believe

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. - Acts 10:44-49

Peter preached an evangelistic sermon to a group of unbelievers and they repented and believed. But the people travelling with Peter couldn't believe that his evangelistic sermon actually worked. They were the ones who were surprised wen God actually confirmed their faith by sending the Spirit of God. As if they didn't really expect God to work or Peter's sermon to be effective. They were surprised that the Gentiles were getting the blessing. 

Peter did not leave it at that. He said they should be baptized. By doing so, he made it clear that they had the same status as him and all of the circumcised believers who were with them. Holy Spirit? Check. Baptized in the name of Jesus? Check. 

We believe we know the steps, but it is God who decides and it is God who knows people's heart.  I hope that I will know how to encourage people who are coming closer to God and not keep them far away. I hope that I am not the one who doesn't believe.

1 John 3:1-7: What I Will Be When I Grow Up

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.. - 1 John 3:1-17

When I was a kid, people would always ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up. As a kid, I really didn't know. So I looked around at other people that I knew or saw on TV or read about in books and imagined myself like them and assumed that was what it meant to be grown up. I could go cool stuff. No one could tell me what to do. I could watch whatever I wanted on TV, eat as much as I wanted and go to bed when I wanted.  Of course, I'd have to do the boring stuff also, like work and taking out the trash, but secretly I assumed that this was all a masquerade that hid the true coolness of being an adult.

What would I do if I couldn't see other adults to help my imagination along? I guess I would have been pretty clueless in some areas and, because my imagination wasn't yet crippled by reality, in some ways I was pretty wise. This past week I looked back over a lot of my early creative work: poems, plays, short stories, made up languages and maps. But I also didn't understand, as Liza Bennet once said, "Handsome young men must have something to live on as well as the plain." Parents can create an environment for this to happen without the worry and details.

That is what John says: "The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." The world can't imagine what it means to grown up because they don't know Jesus. Even we, who are children of God, do not fully know ("what we will be has not yet been made known") but we get a glimpse the closer we get to Jesus, because he is the the adult. For even the best of us, there will be a shock because we can't really imagine all of the ramifications of living with the same mindset as Jesus. But we know that can be as much like him as we can imagine: pure and righteous.