Monday, December 10, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
the beatitudes
What does it mean to be blessed? I think there are several answers, and all of them good ones, that can satisfy that question. We are blessed when God answers our prayers. We are blessed when someone does something on our behalf. We are blessed when we serve someone else. It makes sense that the word “blessed” correlates with good circumstances. But how does the word “blessed” correlate with bad circumstances? How does it make sense for someone to be blessed while they are going through a difficult time?
The Beatitudes announce the breakthrough of God’s Kingdom in our midst. They serve as the introduction to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 5:3-12), having become very familiar and yet misunderstood. To gain a fresh perspective on these 10 teachings, it behooves us to go back to what the original Greek says. Below is my revised translation into words that I believe are closer to the intended meaning of the beatitudes:
Joyful are those who are poor and downcast, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Joyful are those who experience sorrow, because they will be comforted.
Joyful are those who are considerate and meek, because they will inherit the earth.
Joyful are those who hunger and thirst for restorative justice, because they will be satisfied.
Joyful are those who are concerned for the needy to the point of action, because they will receive God’s mercy.
Joyful are those whose hearts are pure, cleansed of moral guilt, because they will see God.
Joyful are the peacemakers, because they will be identified as God’s children.
Joyful are those who suffer on account of restorative justice, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
You are favored whenever they criticize, persecute, and speak all kinds of wicked lies against you on account of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
These teachings are called the “beatitudes” because they begin with the Greek word makarioi (beatus in Latin), meaning “blessed,” “happy,” “hopeful,” or “joyful.” I went back and forth between the translations “fortunate,” “favored,” and “joyful,” since each can be legitimately used in context. In the end, I chose to translate makarioi as “joyful” because in my study I found that its Hellenistic use (describing those of good fortune) is not as likely to have been on the forefront of Matthew’s mind when he wrote his gospel. Rather, he likely understood this word in the context of the Old Testament (describing those who are deeply joyful, or blessed).
Of its fifty New Testament occurrences, makarioi is almost always used in the context of participation in God’s work in the world. In the Old Testament, the word often promises future consolation to people who are suffering. That is to say, whatever difficult circumstances are present now, they will be reversed. Justice, peace, and joy will break through. Therefore, one is not simply, “happy” in the mundane sense of the word, but rather joyful at the experience of being part of the LORD’s work in the world, that is, deliverance and redemption.
The beatitudes are not just wishful ideals that are unrealistic in the real world. While it is true that these teachings are foreign concepts, seemingly impossible feats like swimming upstream against the mightiest waters; they are in fact real goals attainable by Christ’s disciples. Remember, Scripture informs us that God’s ways are foolishness to the world. So, even though the world doesn't understand how one can be blessed through difficult circumstances, those in Christ are given the wisdom of God to understand such a bizarre concept.
Idealism speaks to people who are not what the ideals urge. It promises that if they live by the ideals they will get rewards. The beatitudes do not function in that way. They speak to disciples who already are being made participants in the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. They do not promise distant well-being and success; they celebrate the reality that God is already acting to deliver us. They are based not on the perfection of the disciples but on the coming of God’s grace, already experienced in Jesus. Once we understand the beatitudes prophetically as God’s gracious deliverance, we understand that blessing has come, blessing is realized now, and blessing awaits.
The Beatitudes announce the breakthrough of God’s Kingdom in our midst. They serve as the introduction to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 5:3-12), having become very familiar and yet misunderstood. To gain a fresh perspective on these 10 teachings, it behooves us to go back to what the original Greek says. Below is my revised translation into words that I believe are closer to the intended meaning of the beatitudes:
Joyful are those who are poor and downcast, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Joyful are those who experience sorrow, because they will be comforted.
Joyful are those who are considerate and meek, because they will inherit the earth.
Joyful are those who hunger and thirst for restorative justice, because they will be satisfied.
Joyful are those who are concerned for the needy to the point of action, because they will receive God’s mercy.
Joyful are those whose hearts are pure, cleansed of moral guilt, because they will see God.
Joyful are the peacemakers, because they will be identified as God’s children.
Joyful are those who suffer on account of restorative justice, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
You are favored whenever they criticize, persecute, and speak all kinds of wicked lies against you on account of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
These teachings are called the “beatitudes” because they begin with the Greek word makarioi (beatus in Latin), meaning “blessed,” “happy,” “hopeful,” or “joyful.” I went back and forth between the translations “fortunate,” “favored,” and “joyful,” since each can be legitimately used in context. In the end, I chose to translate makarioi as “joyful” because in my study I found that its Hellenistic use (describing those of good fortune) is not as likely to have been on the forefront of Matthew’s mind when he wrote his gospel. Rather, he likely understood this word in the context of the Old Testament (describing those who are deeply joyful, or blessed).
Of its fifty New Testament occurrences, makarioi is almost always used in the context of participation in God’s work in the world. In the Old Testament, the word often promises future consolation to people who are suffering. That is to say, whatever difficult circumstances are present now, they will be reversed. Justice, peace, and joy will break through. Therefore, one is not simply, “happy” in the mundane sense of the word, but rather joyful at the experience of being part of the LORD’s work in the world, that is, deliverance and redemption.
The beatitudes are not just wishful ideals that are unrealistic in the real world. While it is true that these teachings are foreign concepts, seemingly impossible feats like swimming upstream against the mightiest waters; they are in fact real goals attainable by Christ’s disciples. Remember, Scripture informs us that God’s ways are foolishness to the world. So, even though the world doesn't understand how one can be blessed through difficult circumstances, those in Christ are given the wisdom of God to understand such a bizarre concept.
Idealism speaks to people who are not what the ideals urge. It promises that if they live by the ideals they will get rewards. The beatitudes do not function in that way. They speak to disciples who already are being made participants in the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. They do not promise distant well-being and success; they celebrate the reality that God is already acting to deliver us. They are based not on the perfection of the disciples but on the coming of God’s grace, already experienced in Jesus. Once we understand the beatitudes prophetically as God’s gracious deliverance, we understand that blessing has come, blessing is realized now, and blessing awaits.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
strangers
What is the relationship between the church and society? Or rather, what should it be? Church history has answered this question in three distinct ways. The first can be defined as a counterculture of separatism, stemming from the Radical Reformation by denominations such as the Mennonites, the Amish, and the Hutterites. Christian groups such as these have contended that the church is a separate institution that should in no way allow interference from the state in governing its affairs.
While the separatist movement has been radical and rare, the majority of Christians in the history of the church, particularly since the development of the Industrial Revolution with its rapid secularization of society, have participated by seeking to extend Christian society into secular society, arguing that if it is God’s will for the individual Christian, it surely is His will for all of society. This has been otherwise known as the “Reformed view” of the relationship of the church and the state. That is, moving from individual Christian ethics to corporate political ethics in whatever manner is appropriate to a local society.
The third view, rarely with strong political force, is the Lutheran view that there are two realms, the realm of the Kingdom of God as found in the church and the realm of the state. Lutheran politics contend that the relation between God and His people (the church) and the relation between God and the world are in fact two kinds of relationships. The strategy of God is different for society than for the church.
Regardless of the view, the fact of the matter is that Christians are “strangers” in this world. Peter calls Christians “aliens” or “sojourners” in the world. This term can refer either metaphorically to a Christian’s temporary residence on earth as he or she awaits final salvation – the so-called pilgrimage home – or literally to the social location in their communities. The Greek word for “strangers” or “aliens” (paroikos) refers to people who reside in a given place without the legal protection and rights provided for citizens (i.e., non-citizen residents); the Greek word for “strangers” (parepidemos) refers to people who reside in a place but who stay there only for a brief time (temporary residents). When used metaphorically, these terms emphasize sojourning in a place temporarily or being found as an alien in some location.
The social exclusion the early Christians in Asia Minor faced was due to their conversion to Jesus Christ. Christians who take a stand for truth and who believe that God’s Word provides a unitary perspective for all disciplines will find this world – places such as the university campus – a rocky, uphill road. They will more often than not find themselves socially, morally, and intellectually excluded.
So what does this tell us about the relationship of the Christian to society? Fundamentally, the Christian’s primary group is God’s family (“God’s elect”) and their secondary group is society. In essence, Christians are those people who have chosen to live estranged from the world. As such, their citizenship is in heaven. Christians live temporarily in the world, but on heaven’s terms. That said, I do not believe it is the call for the Christian to coerce, manipulate or drag those living on the world’s terms to switch their mindsets and live under heaven’s terms. Rather, it is the call of the Christian to live strongly, truly and humbly on heaven’s terms and, by their example, win people to choosing to live estranged from the world for a full life in Christ.
While the separatist movement has been radical and rare, the majority of Christians in the history of the church, particularly since the development of the Industrial Revolution with its rapid secularization of society, have participated by seeking to extend Christian society into secular society, arguing that if it is God’s will for the individual Christian, it surely is His will for all of society. This has been otherwise known as the “Reformed view” of the relationship of the church and the state. That is, moving from individual Christian ethics to corporate political ethics in whatever manner is appropriate to a local society.
The third view, rarely with strong political force, is the Lutheran view that there are two realms, the realm of the Kingdom of God as found in the church and the realm of the state. Lutheran politics contend that the relation between God and His people (the church) and the relation between God and the world are in fact two kinds of relationships. The strategy of God is different for society than for the church.
Regardless of the view, the fact of the matter is that Christians are “strangers” in this world. Peter calls Christians “aliens” or “sojourners” in the world. This term can refer either metaphorically to a Christian’s temporary residence on earth as he or she awaits final salvation – the so-called pilgrimage home – or literally to the social location in their communities. The Greek word for “strangers” or “aliens” (paroikos) refers to people who reside in a given place without the legal protection and rights provided for citizens (i.e., non-citizen residents); the Greek word for “strangers” (parepidemos) refers to people who reside in a place but who stay there only for a brief time (temporary residents). When used metaphorically, these terms emphasize sojourning in a place temporarily or being found as an alien in some location.
The social exclusion the early Christians in Asia Minor faced was due to their conversion to Jesus Christ. Christians who take a stand for truth and who believe that God’s Word provides a unitary perspective for all disciplines will find this world – places such as the university campus – a rocky, uphill road. They will more often than not find themselves socially, morally, and intellectually excluded.
So what does this tell us about the relationship of the Christian to society? Fundamentally, the Christian’s primary group is God’s family (“God’s elect”) and their secondary group is society. In essence, Christians are those people who have chosen to live estranged from the world. As such, their citizenship is in heaven. Christians live temporarily in the world, but on heaven’s terms. That said, I do not believe it is the call for the Christian to coerce, manipulate or drag those living on the world’s terms to switch their mindsets and live under heaven’s terms. Rather, it is the call of the Christian to live strongly, truly and humbly on heaven’s terms and, by their example, win people to choosing to live estranged from the world for a full life in Christ.
Friday, February 3, 2012
joshua - a survey
To kick off 2012, Halogen studied several key passages in the book of Joshua. This is truly an amazing account of Israel entering into the Promised Land, a long waited venture, and being established as a great nation. This 5-week study provided essential insight into how we ought to live as Kingdom workers.
We began with Joshua 1:1-9. I emphasized Joshua 1:9, in which God says to Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." As people created in the image of God, we are named, even before our parents sign our birth certificate and register our name with the U.S. Public Health Service. God knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally and desire for us to be with Him eternally. As believers, our names are recorded in the Book of Life. In addition, when we enter into a covenant with our LORD, we are commissioned to do Christ's work on earth. Thus, we are named and commissioned by God to be Kingdom workers.
What happens after we are commissioned?
Next, we studied Joshua 3. Here, we learn that as God's Kingdom workers, commissioned to do the work of Christ, we must take faith steps. The people were promised the land that stood on the west side of the Jordan River. When God makes a promise, He is faithful to see it through. Though the Israelites had reason to believe God keeps His promises, they were faced with the problem that the river stood in between them and God's promise. Moreover, at the time the Israelites reached the Jordan, it was flood season. I emphasized Joshua 3:8, which says, "Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'" Part of living in a covenant with the LORD is doing our part, which requires both obedience and faith. The priests, the spiritual leaders of the community, were to go ahead of everyone else, stand in the water, and wait on the LORD. It was after their faith step that the LORD acted on their behalf.
Now that they were in the Promised Land, what would happen?
We then turned to Joshua 6. Israel had made it across the Jordan River, but they now faced a giant obstacle; the fortified city of Jericho. As Kingdom workers, we will inevitably come across spiritual strongholds; obstacles the enemy places in our way in order to discourage us and/or keep us from moving forward in doing Christ's work. However, the LORD who has named and commissioned us is also the One who will remove obstacles. In this passage, I emphasized Joshua 6:16, which states, "The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, 'Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!'" How did the Israelites defeat Jericho? It was not through their own strength. It was not by their sword or bow. It was because the LORD had given them the city. The LORD was the one to destroy the walls that stood as an impossible obstacle in Israel's journey into the Promised Land. Marching around the city 7 days, a total of 13 times, symbolizes claiming a territory that once belonged to the enemy but now belongs to God. Blasting the trumpets serves as both a war-cry, as well as an act of worship. Thus, when the enemy places obstacles, that is, spiritual strongholds in our path, we must claim that territory for the LORD and worship Jesus Christ in our endeavor to overcome the obstacle in our way. Our job is to worship the LORD, the LORD will be the one to destroy the walls.
There is also an interesting introduction to this story. Joshua comes face to face with an angel of the LORD. Here, we learn a very important truth about the heart of God. "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'" A fair question from Joshua. But take a look at the man's response. "'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.'" It is important for us, as God's Kingdom workers, to evade the mindset that God is on my team and against any person of any other religion. We are fighting a spiritual war, and therefore our fight is against Satan and his false-kingdom.
But destroying the walls of the enemy's stronghold does us no good if we keep an avenue open for the enemy to attack our hearts.
After the fall of Jericho, we studied Joshua 7 and discussed Achan's sin. I emphasized Joshua 7:12, 13, in which God tells Joshua, "I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.... You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them." This passage tells us at least two things. First, as the body of Christ we are a community of brothers of sisters and when one of us falls it has an effect on the rest. Second, it informs us of the enemy's scheme to keep fishhooks in our hearts by tempting us to hold on to things devoted to destruction. As Kingdom workers, we must sever the lines attached to sin, pain, shame and guilt. We do so by offering our hearts completely to the LORD. This is not to be brushed aside as some cliche teaching, nor is it to mistaken as an easy teaching. Giving our hearts completely to the LORD means completely receiving God's grace. We do so by confession and repentance. We must confess the sins we have committed in the past, though long ago perhaps, as well as the sins we currently commit. In addition, whatever hurt we have experienced, though it may not have been our fault, must be confessed to the LORD and to faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who will walk beside us on the road to healing. Though we may have "forgotten" about a past hurt, the enemy uses that pain to trigger other sources of hurt and frustration in our life. The enemy will have control over the areas of our hearts that we have not fully given to the LORD. I believe this is the reason James tells us to confess our sins to one another and the reason Paul tells us to carry each others' burdens. And how fitting it is that the LORD does not say He won't be with Achan, but He won't be with the entire community. If one person in the body of Christ leaves an open door for the enemy, the enemy will pollute the entire camp, not just the individual. Therefore, we must destroy the sin within.
After the Israelites get back on track with the LORD, they begin taking over the Promised Land. They disperse the land amongst themselves, 12 different areas for 12 different tribes. Now that they have been established as a nation, in other words, are living the promise, how shall they live?
We ended in Joshua 24. I emphasized Joshua 24:14, in which Joshua says to the Israelites, "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." We often see in Scripture, and in life, that once a person gets what he or she wants they loose focus of the one responsible for the blessing in the first place. Joshua reminds us that we must remember the place from which we came, the reason we are where we are, and the direction of where we are going. If we loose sight of the LORD, we will loose all that we have.
Joshua ends by telling the Israelites that they cannot serve the LORD because, "He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." In essence, Joshua is reminding us that the covenant the LORD has established between Him and us is not to be taken lightly. We are named, we are commissioned. We are given life to bring glory to the LORD. We are given breath to speak God's praises. Our lives in Christ will require faith steps, and we will see the LORD remove obstacles that stand in our way. We are to give our hearts completely to the LORD by destroying sin within. We cannot give the enemy a foothold in our hearts. Lastly, we are to devote our lives, our households, our everything to the LORD as Kingdom workers, never forgetting where the LORD brought us from and never losing sight of where He is leading us.
We began with Joshua 1:1-9. I emphasized Joshua 1:9, in which God says to Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." As people created in the image of God, we are named, even before our parents sign our birth certificate and register our name with the U.S. Public Health Service. God knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally and desire for us to be with Him eternally. As believers, our names are recorded in the Book of Life. In addition, when we enter into a covenant with our LORD, we are commissioned to do Christ's work on earth. Thus, we are named and commissioned by God to be Kingdom workers.
What happens after we are commissioned?
Next, we studied Joshua 3. Here, we learn that as God's Kingdom workers, commissioned to do the work of Christ, we must take faith steps. The people were promised the land that stood on the west side of the Jordan River. When God makes a promise, He is faithful to see it through. Though the Israelites had reason to believe God keeps His promises, they were faced with the problem that the river stood in between them and God's promise. Moreover, at the time the Israelites reached the Jordan, it was flood season. I emphasized Joshua 3:8, which says, "Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'" Part of living in a covenant with the LORD is doing our part, which requires both obedience and faith. The priests, the spiritual leaders of the community, were to go ahead of everyone else, stand in the water, and wait on the LORD. It was after their faith step that the LORD acted on their behalf.
Now that they were in the Promised Land, what would happen?
We then turned to Joshua 6. Israel had made it across the Jordan River, but they now faced a giant obstacle; the fortified city of Jericho. As Kingdom workers, we will inevitably come across spiritual strongholds; obstacles the enemy places in our way in order to discourage us and/or keep us from moving forward in doing Christ's work. However, the LORD who has named and commissioned us is also the One who will remove obstacles. In this passage, I emphasized Joshua 6:16, which states, "The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, 'Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!'" How did the Israelites defeat Jericho? It was not through their own strength. It was not by their sword or bow. It was because the LORD had given them the city. The LORD was the one to destroy the walls that stood as an impossible obstacle in Israel's journey into the Promised Land. Marching around the city 7 days, a total of 13 times, symbolizes claiming a territory that once belonged to the enemy but now belongs to God. Blasting the trumpets serves as both a war-cry, as well as an act of worship. Thus, when the enemy places obstacles, that is, spiritual strongholds in our path, we must claim that territory for the LORD and worship Jesus Christ in our endeavor to overcome the obstacle in our way. Our job is to worship the LORD, the LORD will be the one to destroy the walls.
There is also an interesting introduction to this story. Joshua comes face to face with an angel of the LORD. Here, we learn a very important truth about the heart of God. "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'" A fair question from Joshua. But take a look at the man's response. "'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.'" It is important for us, as God's Kingdom workers, to evade the mindset that God is on my team and against any person of any other religion. We are fighting a spiritual war, and therefore our fight is against Satan and his false-kingdom.
But destroying the walls of the enemy's stronghold does us no good if we keep an avenue open for the enemy to attack our hearts.
After the fall of Jericho, we studied Joshua 7 and discussed Achan's sin. I emphasized Joshua 7:12, 13, in which God tells Joshua, "I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.... You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them." This passage tells us at least two things. First, as the body of Christ we are a community of brothers of sisters and when one of us falls it has an effect on the rest. Second, it informs us of the enemy's scheme to keep fishhooks in our hearts by tempting us to hold on to things devoted to destruction. As Kingdom workers, we must sever the lines attached to sin, pain, shame and guilt. We do so by offering our hearts completely to the LORD. This is not to be brushed aside as some cliche teaching, nor is it to mistaken as an easy teaching. Giving our hearts completely to the LORD means completely receiving God's grace. We do so by confession and repentance. We must confess the sins we have committed in the past, though long ago perhaps, as well as the sins we currently commit. In addition, whatever hurt we have experienced, though it may not have been our fault, must be confessed to the LORD and to faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who will walk beside us on the road to healing. Though we may have "forgotten" about a past hurt, the enemy uses that pain to trigger other sources of hurt and frustration in our life. The enemy will have control over the areas of our hearts that we have not fully given to the LORD. I believe this is the reason James tells us to confess our sins to one another and the reason Paul tells us to carry each others' burdens. And how fitting it is that the LORD does not say He won't be with Achan, but He won't be with the entire community. If one person in the body of Christ leaves an open door for the enemy, the enemy will pollute the entire camp, not just the individual. Therefore, we must destroy the sin within.
After the Israelites get back on track with the LORD, they begin taking over the Promised Land. They disperse the land amongst themselves, 12 different areas for 12 different tribes. Now that they have been established as a nation, in other words, are living the promise, how shall they live?
We ended in Joshua 24. I emphasized Joshua 24:14, in which Joshua says to the Israelites, "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." We often see in Scripture, and in life, that once a person gets what he or she wants they loose focus of the one responsible for the blessing in the first place. Joshua reminds us that we must remember the place from which we came, the reason we are where we are, and the direction of where we are going. If we loose sight of the LORD, we will loose all that we have.
Joshua ends by telling the Israelites that they cannot serve the LORD because, "He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." In essence, Joshua is reminding us that the covenant the LORD has established between Him and us is not to be taken lightly. We are named, we are commissioned. We are given life to bring glory to the LORD. We are given breath to speak God's praises. Our lives in Christ will require faith steps, and we will see the LORD remove obstacles that stand in our way. We are to give our hearts completely to the LORD by destroying sin within. We cannot give the enemy a foothold in our hearts. Lastly, we are to devote our lives, our households, our everything to the LORD as Kingdom workers, never forgetting where the LORD brought us from and never losing sight of where He is leading us.
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