"SANDALPHON"
Have you read in the Talmud of old,
in the legends the Rabbis have told.
Of the limitless realms of the air,
Have you read it--the marvelous story
Of Sandalphon, The Angel of Glory,
Sandalphon, the Angel of Prayer?
How erect, at the outer most gates
Of the City Celestial he waits,
With his feet on the ladder of light.
That, crowded with angels unnumbered
By Jacob was seen as he slumbered.
Alone in the desert at night?
But Serene in the rapturous throng.
Unmoved by the rush of the song,
With eyes unimpassioned and slow
Among the dead angels, the deathless
Sandalphon stands listening breathless
to sounds that ascend from below:-
And he gathers the prayers as he stands,
And they change into flowers in his
Hands,
Into garlands of purple and red;
And beneath the great arch of the portal,
Through the streets of the City Immortal
Is wafted the fragrance they shed.
When I look from my window at night,
And the welkin above is all white,
All throbbing and panting with stars,
Among them Majestic is standing
Sandalphon the angel, expanding
his pinions in nebulous bars.
And the legend, I feel, is a part
Of the hunger and thirst of the heart,
The frenzy and fire of the brain.
That grasps at the fruitage forbidden,
The golden pomegranates of Eden,
To quiet its fever and pain.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
"Possessions"
Vain Glory- A little while ago, I stood by the grave of the old Napoleon- a magnificent tomb of gilt and gold, fit almost for a dead deity- and gazed upon the sarcophagus of rare and nameless marble.
where rest at last the ashes of a restless man. I Leaned over the balustrade and thought about the career of the greatest soldier of the modern world.
I saw him walking upon the banks of the Seine, contemplating suicide. I saw him at Toulon-I saw him putting down the mob in the streets of Paris- I saw him at the head of the army of Italy-I saw him crossing the bridge of Lodi with the tricolor in his hand- I saw him in Egypt in the shadows of the pyramids- I saw him conquer the Alps and mingle the eagle of France with the eagles of the crags.
I saw him at Marengo-at Ulm and Austerlitz.
I saw him in Russia, where the infantry of the snow and the cavalry of the wild blast scattered his legions like winter's withered leaves. I saw him at Leipsic in defeat and disaster- driven by a million bayonets back upon Paris- clutched like a wild beast.- banished to Elba. I saw him escape and retake an Empire by the force of his genius. I saw him upon the frightful field of Waterloo, where chance and fate combined to wreck the fortunes of their former king. And I saw him St. Helena, with his hands crossed behind him, gazing out upon the sad and solemn sea.
I thought of the orphans and widows he had made- and the tears that had been shed for his glory, and of the only women who ever loved him, pushed from his heart by the cold hand of ambition. And I said I would have rather been French peasant and worn wooden shoes. I would of have gone down to
the tongue- less silence of the dreamless dust, than to have been that imperial impersonation of force and murder, known as Napoleon the Great. Robert G. Ingersoll.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Gospel according to Luke. [Advent of the Savior.]
The authorship of the third gospel has been attributed Luke, the friend of Paul, by the whole Christian church through out the ages.. The tradition can be traced back to without interruption to the middle of the second century, and nothing has been found in the records of the early church to indicate that the book was ever ascribed to any other writer. The internal evidence is in harmony with this objective testimony. Luke's name does not appear in the gospel., and it appears only three times in the New Testament. Paul alone mention Luke, and in doing so he throws some light on him. He was a physician (Col iv,14), and that implies he was a man of culture and education. His literary culture appears in the classical preface to the gospel (i 1- 4), in which he follows the Greek historians. Traces of his medical knowledge appear throughout the book. see iv.23,38, v.12, viii.43, xxii.44. He seems to have been a gentile, for he is not included in the list of those " who are of the circumcision" Col.iv 10,11. He was one of Paul's fellow- workers (Phm24), and the only companion the apostle had during his last imprisonment in Rome just before his martyrdom (2Tim.iv.11). Luke also was the author of Acts. The book is addressed to a private Christian called Theophilus (i 1-4), who must have been someone of prominence, but is otherwise unknown. It was intended for a wide circle of readers, and the fact that 'Theophilus" is a Greek name would indicate Luke had in mind, the Greeks of the Roman world. They were the people among whom Paul's missionary labours were carried on. His Gospel presents Jesus as the ideal man and as savior of all classes of men. Here we see him pass through all stages of a normal human life. He is seen touching human life on all sides, entering the domestic life of the people. Luke writes as a historian. It begins in the days of Herod, the king of Judea. It mentions the imperial decree that brought Joseph and Mary from Galilee to Bethlehem. In the course of the story Luke pays careful attention to dates, and marks of time. When he begins the account of the Lord's public ministry, he notes the years of the reigning Caesar and the age of Jesus., and takes a survey of the civil and religious rulers, who were specially concerned with Palestine. Luke makes clear that the sympathy of Jesus went out especially to the poor, who compose the vast Majority of mankind, and to women, on whom both Jews and gentiles in that ancient world looked down. The universal gospel which Paul preached would give Luke the basis for the portrait that he draws of the Savior, and his own calling as " the beloved Physician. From here on it is easier for me to give an outline of the contents of Luke:
"Advent of a Savior" I. 5-ii 52.
The Savior's preparation for His ministry. iii.1 iv. 13
a) preaching John the Baptist: 3:1-20).
b) the baptism of Jesus (iii 21,22).
c) The lineage of Jesus ( iii 23-28)
d). iv. 1-13). temptation of Jesus.
THE Ministry in GALILEE. iv. 14-ix. 50.
a. up to call of the first disciples iv. 14-44)
b. The call of the first disciples. to the choice of the Twelve (v.1-v1.11)
c. From the choice of the Twelve to their first mission. (vi. 12-viii 56).
d From the mission of the Twelve to the departure from Galilee (ix. 1-50).
The journey to Jerusalem. ( ix.-xix28).
a. The first stage of the journey (ix 51-xiii.21).
b .The second stage of the journey (xiii 22- xvii.10).
c. The third stage of the Journey (xvii11-xix.28).
The ministry in Jerusalem. xix.-xxi. 38
a. The entry into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the temple. (xix.29-48).
b. Teaching daily in temple (xx.1-xxi. 4)
c. Foretelling the destruction of the temple (xxi.5-38).
The departure of the Savior.xxii.1-xxiv.53
a. The final preparations (xxii.1-13).
b. The last supper (xxii.14-38).
c. The agony and the betrayal (xxii.39-53).
d. The Jewish trial (xxii. 14-38).
e. The Roman trial (xxiii. 1-25).
f. The crucifixion (xxiii. 50-56).
h. The resurrection morning (xxiv. 1-12).
I. The risen Lord (xxiv. 44-53).
j. The farewell instructions (xxiv.44-53).
Luke begins his gospel with a simple and modest introduction, finely phrased, which tells of the care he took to secure fullness and accuracy for his narrative. and of the end he had in view. His purpose was to set forth the historical foundation of the Christian faith.
Many have taken in hand. This statement is the only positive information we possess about written records lying behind the synoptic Gospels. These narratives have all perished. Those things which are most surely believed; Luke distinguishes himself from eyewitnesses , but claims to have a thorough investigation:most excellent Theophilus,
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
A STERN WARNINGS FROM THE MASTER (VERSE 42). [ MARK 9: 38-50]
' "The Virgin"
Mother, whose virgin Bosom was uncrost
With the least shade of thought to sin
allied;
Women, above all women glorified.
Our tainted nature's solitary boast;
Purer than foam on central ocean tost,
Brighter than eastern skies at daybreak
strewn
With fancied roses, than the unblemished
Moon
Before her wane begins on heaven's blue
coast,
Thy image falls to earth. Yet some, I ween,
Not unforgiven the suppliant knee might bend
All that was mixed and reconciled in
Thee
Of mother's love with maiden purity
Of High with low, celestial with terrene
William Wordsworth.
"Leaves of God."
"When men cease to wonder, God's secrets remain unrevealed. This passage we read from Mark finds the Lord's disciples sailing some very treacherous seas.
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die on the cross and these men are a long way from being ready for his death. and departure back to Heaven. Earlier in this passage they were actually fighting among themselves over who was the greatest.
Jesus used their argument to teach them a very important truth. He taught them greatness is obtained through service., v. 35-37. The way to become great in the kingdom of God is by serving the least, who cannot give back v.41. That was a lesson the disciples needed to learn, which also applies to us today. Far to many want to occupy the chief seat and far too few have a servant's heart. On the heels of this event, Jesus issues a series of stern warnings to his disciples. These verses He uses are harsh, straight to the point language that cautions us to be careful how we live our lives. The messages from Mark's gospel is meant to move us out of our "comfort zone." Like the disciples, the modern church has become far too comfortable in this world. Jesus knew that His men needed to be shocked into becoming the men He had saved them to be. Left to ourselves, we will amount to nothing. A Warning about Saints, and a warning about service.
Jesus used a child to illustrate the kind of people we are to serve in this world, v.36-37. We are to serve those who are neglected and rejected. We are tor serve those who can not serve us in return.
Jesus uses the same child to teach us another important principle , we must not only serve, the least willingly, but also protect them from sin. The warning in verse 42, where Jesus says that it would be better off having a millstone" tied around your neck and being cast into the sea. The word "millstone" literally means "a donkey stone " used to grind grain that was so heavy, that a donkey was tied to it to turn it. If a stone were tied around the neck of an individual and that person was thrown into the sea, that person would be pulled to the bottom and they would drown. When Jesus would use this image, His listeners were very familiar with what He said. On more then one occasion the Romans had carried out executions by tying heavy stones around the necks of their victims and throwing them into the river. The mage is very graphic! Yet He says it would be better for a person who harms children making them to stumble is sticking their finger in God's eye!
How do believers cause others to stumble. Matt 5:32; Rev 2:14; Rev2:20; 1Thess. 5:22; 1Tim. 4:12;
A WARNING ABOUT SERVICE!
The two verses that close us out are among the most difficult in the New Testament to interpret. But, I think we can understand what they are saying to us. If we take them in their natural context. In all of these verses Jesus is talking to His people. He is talking to the people of God. First, in verse 42, Jesus warns His people against offending weaker believers. Second, in verses 43-48, Jesus warns His people to avoid the terrible and tragic consequences of sin. He is not saying that a believer can lose or his or her salvation; He is saying that sin is a destroyer and that it must be handled ruthlessly In these verses, Jesus warns His people that serving him will require sacrifice and purity. In verse 49, Jesus says, For everyone " shall be salted with fire." As you know fire is a purifier, a cleansing agent. Jesus is telling those who would be His servants they can expect to be cleansed through fire. In other words, God will allow us to go through persecution and trials in an effort to make us more like Jesus. 2 Tim 3:12; 1Peter 4:12-13. In verse 50 Jesus says "Salt is good.!" Salt was a valuable commodity in that day. The ancient Jews had a saying that went , " THE WORLD CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SALT." The word "salary" comes from the "Latin word " Salarium." It referred to the fact that often Roman soldiers were paid their wages in salt, which could be traded ounce for ounce for gold. Salt was also necessary for life in the days before refrigeration . Meat would quickly spoil. Salt is good, but when it loses its saltiness what good is it. Jesus then says 'Have salt in yourselves." To have salt, is the best witness for Jesus Christ who lives like Jesus. Remember at the beginning the disciples were arguing who was the greatest among them v.34. And they had rebuked a man who was working in Jesus name, just because he was not one of their number, v.38 Be at peace with one another.
Mother, whose virgin Bosom was uncrost
With the least shade of thought to sin
allied;
Women, above all women glorified.
Our tainted nature's solitary boast;
Purer than foam on central ocean tost,
Brighter than eastern skies at daybreak
strewn
With fancied roses, than the unblemished
Moon
Before her wane begins on heaven's blue
coast,
Thy image falls to earth. Yet some, I ween,
Not unforgiven the suppliant knee might bend
All that was mixed and reconciled in
Thee
Of mother's love with maiden purity
Of High with low, celestial with terrene
William Wordsworth.
"Leaves of God."
"When men cease to wonder, God's secrets remain unrevealed. This passage we read from Mark finds the Lord's disciples sailing some very treacherous seas.
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die on the cross and these men are a long way from being ready for his death. and departure back to Heaven. Earlier in this passage they were actually fighting among themselves over who was the greatest.
Jesus used their argument to teach them a very important truth. He taught them greatness is obtained through service., v. 35-37. The way to become great in the kingdom of God is by serving the least, who cannot give back v.41. That was a lesson the disciples needed to learn, which also applies to us today. Far to many want to occupy the chief seat and far too few have a servant's heart. On the heels of this event, Jesus issues a series of stern warnings to his disciples. These verses He uses are harsh, straight to the point language that cautions us to be careful how we live our lives. The messages from Mark's gospel is meant to move us out of our "comfort zone." Like the disciples, the modern church has become far too comfortable in this world. Jesus knew that His men needed to be shocked into becoming the men He had saved them to be. Left to ourselves, we will amount to nothing. A Warning about Saints, and a warning about service.
Jesus used a child to illustrate the kind of people we are to serve in this world, v.36-37. We are to serve those who are neglected and rejected. We are tor serve those who can not serve us in return.
Jesus uses the same child to teach us another important principle , we must not only serve, the least willingly, but also protect them from sin. The warning in verse 42, where Jesus says that it would be better off having a millstone" tied around your neck and being cast into the sea. The word "millstone" literally means "a donkey stone " used to grind grain that was so heavy, that a donkey was tied to it to turn it. If a stone were tied around the neck of an individual and that person was thrown into the sea, that person would be pulled to the bottom and they would drown. When Jesus would use this image, His listeners were very familiar with what He said. On more then one occasion the Romans had carried out executions by tying heavy stones around the necks of their victims and throwing them into the river. The mage is very graphic! Yet He says it would be better for a person who harms children making them to stumble is sticking their finger in God's eye!
How do believers cause others to stumble. Matt 5:32; Rev 2:14; Rev2:20; 1Thess. 5:22; 1Tim. 4:12;
A WARNING ABOUT SERVICE!
The two verses that close us out are among the most difficult in the New Testament to interpret. But, I think we can understand what they are saying to us. If we take them in their natural context. In all of these verses Jesus is talking to His people. He is talking to the people of God. First, in verse 42, Jesus warns His people against offending weaker believers. Second, in verses 43-48, Jesus warns His people to avoid the terrible and tragic consequences of sin. He is not saying that a believer can lose or his or her salvation; He is saying that sin is a destroyer and that it must be handled ruthlessly In these verses, Jesus warns His people that serving him will require sacrifice and purity. In verse 49, Jesus says, For everyone " shall be salted with fire." As you know fire is a purifier, a cleansing agent. Jesus is telling those who would be His servants they can expect to be cleansed through fire. In other words, God will allow us to go through persecution and trials in an effort to make us more like Jesus. 2 Tim 3:12; 1Peter 4:12-13. In verse 50 Jesus says "Salt is good.!" Salt was a valuable commodity in that day. The ancient Jews had a saying that went , " THE WORLD CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SALT." The word "salary" comes from the "Latin word " Salarium." It referred to the fact that often Roman soldiers were paid their wages in salt, which could be traded ounce for ounce for gold. Salt was also necessary for life in the days before refrigeration . Meat would quickly spoil. Salt is good, but when it loses its saltiness what good is it. Jesus then says 'Have salt in yourselves." To have salt, is the best witness for Jesus Christ who lives like Jesus. Remember at the beginning the disciples were arguing who was the greatest among them v.34. And they had rebuked a man who was working in Jesus name, just because he was not one of their number, v.38 Be at peace with one another.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Leaves of Gold: For Ruth.
Poor indeed is the man whose mind is not enriched by some phrase of lasting truth and beauty which serves to restore his soul in the exigencies of life. Each of us needs in his or her heart's treasury the memory of a lovely line to renew fellowship with the great and noble of this earth-and, indeed, almost as a great as the ability to write a line of strength is the ability to use that line to higher levels of emotion and achievement. To discover afresh in truth expressed with elemental force our eternal kingship with God is a universal urge. " Leaves of Gold" had its origin in the recognition of this impulse. From those who spoke with authority have been chosen words in which the word became flesh to dwell among us. Here are maxims, phrases, anecdotes, passages, proverbs and essays from the best minds among men; here are words of wisdom and thoughts of comfort for all mankind. Consolation is the objective of "Leaves of Gold."; to provide a key to things of the spirit as inspiration for daily living.
Thank you Ruth:" Rest in peace."
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things of good report ...Think on these things."---Philippians: 4-8.
There is the explanation of what the home has always meant: for the home is the center of life
No mere residence of the body but the axis of the heart; the place where affections develop themselves, where children love and learn, where two toil together to make life a blessing.
"SERMONS WE SEE."
I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I'd rather one should walk with me
Than merely show me the way.
The eye's a better pupil and
more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear:
And the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creeds.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true.
Edgar a. Guest
"Christianity."
Is not a voice in the wilderness, but a life in the world. it is not an idea in the air, but feet on the ground going God's way. it is not exotic to be kept under glass, but a hardy plant to bear twelve months of fruits in all kinds of weather. Fidelity to duty is its root and branch. Nothing we can say to the Lord. no calling him great or dear names, can take the place of the plain doing his will. We may cry out about the beauty of eating bread with him in the kingdom, but it is wasted breath and root less hope, unless we plow and plant in His kingdom here and now. To remember him at his table and to forget him at ours, is to have invested in bad securities. There is no substitute for plain, everyday goodness. Babcock.
"Persian Proverb"
He who knows not
And knows that he knows not
is a fool-shun him.
He who knows not
And knows that he knows not,
is a child teach him.
He who knows
And knows not that he knows
Is asleep-wake him.
He who knows
And knows that he knows,
is wise- follow him.
"
"Joy cometh in the morning"
They are not long, the weeping, and the laughter
Love desire and hate:
I think they have no portion in us after we pass the gate. They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes within a dream. .. E. Dowson.
"
"Broken hopes-"
As the tree is fertilized , by its own broken branches. and fallen leaves, and grows out of its own decay, so men and nations are bettered and improved by trial, and refined out of broken hopes and blighted expectations. F.W. ROBERSON.
"The Rosary of My Tears."
Some RECKON THEIR AGE BY YEARS,
Some measure their life by art;
But some tell their days by the flow of their tears,
And their lives by the moans of their heart.
The dials of earth may show
The length, not the depth of years.
Few or many they come, few or many they Go.
But time is best measured by tears.
For the young are oft-times old,
Though their brows be bright and fair;
While their blood beats warm, their hearts are cold.
O'er them the spring-but winter is there.
And the old are of times young,
When their hair is thin and white;
And they sing in age, as in youth they
sung,
And they laugh for their cross was light.
But, bead by bead, I tell
The rosary of my years,
From a cross to a cross they lead;' tis well
And they blest with a blessing of tears.
Better a day of strife
Than a century of sleep.;
Give me instead of a long stream of life.
The tempests and tears of the deep.
A thousand joys may foam
On the billows of all the years;
But never the foam brings the lone back
Home;
It reaches the haven through tears. Abram J. Ryan
O world, thou choosest not the better part!
It is not wisdom to be only wise,
And on the inward vision close the eyes.
But it is wisdom to believe the heart
Columbus found a world and had no chart.
save one that faith deciphered in the
skies.
To trust the soul's invincible surmise.
Was all the science and his only art
Our knowledge is a torch of smoky pine
That lights the pathway but one step ahead
Across a void of mystery and dread.
Bid, then, the tender light of faith to shine.
By which the mortal heart is led
Unto the thinking of the thought divine. George Santayana
'QUIETNESS'
"Be still and know that I am God"
That I who made and gave thee life
Will lead thy faltering steps aright;
That I who see each sparrow's fall
Will hear and heed thy earnest call.
I Am God.
"Be still and know that I am God
When aching burdens crush thy heart,
Then know I form thee for thy part And purpose in the plan I hold.
Trust in God.
.
Be still and know that I am God.
Who made the atom's tiny span
And set it moving to my plan.
That I who guide the stars above
Will guide and keep thee in my love.
Be thou still. Doran
In spite of Dungeon, fire or Sword
I have loved justice; therefore have I borne
conflict and labor, plot and biting scorn.
Guardian of Faith, for Christ dear sake
would I
Suffer with gladness and in prison die. Pope Leo XIII.
.
Thank you Ruth:" Rest in peace."
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things of good report ...Think on these things."---Philippians: 4-8.
There is the explanation of what the home has always meant: for the home is the center of life
No mere residence of the body but the axis of the heart; the place where affections develop themselves, where children love and learn, where two toil together to make life a blessing.
"SERMONS WE SEE."
I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I'd rather one should walk with me
Than merely show me the way.
The eye's a better pupil and
more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear:
And the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creeds.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true.
Edgar a. Guest
"Christianity."
Is not a voice in the wilderness, but a life in the world. it is not an idea in the air, but feet on the ground going God's way. it is not exotic to be kept under glass, but a hardy plant to bear twelve months of fruits in all kinds of weather. Fidelity to duty is its root and branch. Nothing we can say to the Lord. no calling him great or dear names, can take the place of the plain doing his will. We may cry out about the beauty of eating bread with him in the kingdom, but it is wasted breath and root less hope, unless we plow and plant in His kingdom here and now. To remember him at his table and to forget him at ours, is to have invested in bad securities. There is no substitute for plain, everyday goodness. Babcock.
"Persian Proverb"
He who knows not
And knows that he knows not
is a fool-shun him.
He who knows not
And knows that he knows not,
is a child teach him.
He who knows
And knows not that he knows
Is asleep-wake him.
He who knows
And knows that he knows,
is wise- follow him.
"
"Joy cometh in the morning"
They are not long, the weeping, and the laughter
Love desire and hate:
I think they have no portion in us after we pass the gate. They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes within a dream. .. E. Dowson.
"
"Broken hopes-"
As the tree is fertilized , by its own broken branches. and fallen leaves, and grows out of its own decay, so men and nations are bettered and improved by trial, and refined out of broken hopes and blighted expectations. F.W. ROBERSON.
"The Rosary of My Tears."
Some RECKON THEIR AGE BY YEARS,
Some measure their life by art;
But some tell their days by the flow of their tears,
And their lives by the moans of their heart.
The dials of earth may show
The length, not the depth of years.
Few or many they come, few or many they Go.
But time is best measured by tears.
For the young are oft-times old,
Though their brows be bright and fair;
While their blood beats warm, their hearts are cold.
O'er them the spring-but winter is there.
And the old are of times young,
When their hair is thin and white;
And they sing in age, as in youth they
sung,
And they laugh for their cross was light.
But, bead by bead, I tell
The rosary of my years,
From a cross to a cross they lead;' tis well
And they blest with a blessing of tears.
Better a day of strife
Than a century of sleep.;
Give me instead of a long stream of life.
The tempests and tears of the deep.
A thousand joys may foam
On the billows of all the years;
But never the foam brings the lone back
Home;
It reaches the haven through tears. Abram J. Ryan
O world, thou choosest not the better part!
It is not wisdom to be only wise,
And on the inward vision close the eyes.
But it is wisdom to believe the heart
Columbus found a world and had no chart.
save one that faith deciphered in the
skies.
To trust the soul's invincible surmise.
Was all the science and his only art
Our knowledge is a torch of smoky pine
That lights the pathway but one step ahead
Across a void of mystery and dread.
Bid, then, the tender light of faith to shine.
By which the mortal heart is led
Unto the thinking of the thought divine. George Santayana
'QUIETNESS'
"Be still and know that I am God"
That I who made and gave thee life
Will lead thy faltering steps aright;
That I who see each sparrow's fall
Will hear and heed thy earnest call.
I Am God.
"Be still and know that I am God
When aching burdens crush thy heart,
Then know I form thee for thy part And purpose in the plan I hold.
Trust in God.
.
Be still and know that I am God.
Who made the atom's tiny span
And set it moving to my plan.
That I who guide the stars above
Will guide and keep thee in my love.
Be thou still. Doran
In spite of Dungeon, fire or Sword
I have loved justice; therefore have I borne
conflict and labor, plot and biting scorn.
Guardian of Faith, for Christ dear sake
would I
Suffer with gladness and in prison die. Pope Leo XIII.
.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Luke 7: 11-17 Jesus stops a Funeral
There is a statement in Mark 4:11-12 seems to suggest that Jesus told parables with the deliberate intention of making his teaching obscure to those who were not already his disciples, so that echoing the word's of Isaiah, " they may indeed see but not perceive and may indeed hear but not understand; less they should turn again, and be forgiven'. such an idea is so contrary to all we know of Jesus that some explanation seems to be required. Many suggestions have been put forward, of which I mention two: According to C.H. Dodd (and a number of others who follow his views), this is not a genuine saying of Jesus. It was inserted by the early church to explain why the Jews had rejected Jesus. It was they said, a part of a providential wisdom of God himself, who had always intended this to happen. There are, however, two arguments against this view.
First, it was probably only the Kingdom is here, that describes the coming blessings of the Messianic age. But Jesus pictures of it make it clear that not everyone will gain admission. Indeed, the parable of the great supper suggests that the over religious will have no place in it at all. Those who share in its blessings will come in from the streets rather than from the sanctuaries. In Matthew's Gospel great emphasis is laid on the responsibilities that all this places on those who profess to be God's people.
Since no one knows the hour or day when this will take place, we must be in a state of-constant readiness, like the bridesmaids who waited for the bridegroom to arrive at the weddings.
This element in Jesus teaching transcends the sharp distinction we like to draw between what will happen in the future and what is already present. Because Jesus has come. God's new society has already arrived. Those who are willing to accept God's authority are even now a part of the kingdom.
What ever else may be revealed in the future will be, not so much a new beginning, as the final working out of all the implications of something that, in essence, is already here. Though God's new society had small and insignificant beginnings. It is the kind of beginning that must inevitably produce spectacular growth. But, development is like that of a mustard tree, " The smallest seed in the world' which grows up into one of the biggest plants of all. As I read the Gospels, I see this same truth lived out time and again. There is passage after passage showing Jesus as he goes to people trapped in desperate situations. Whether it is a sinful women at Jacob's well; a blind man at the Temple; a poor beggar in Jericho; or a rich man in a tree. We are given the privilege of watching as Jesus moves in power for people who are trapped in hopeless and helpless situations. Lets look at one of those situations in a scene from a tiny hamlet called Nain. We look in to watch Jesus do the impossible and the incredible one more time.
We look at this passage, thinking on the simple thought. "He came to me." I want to show you what Jesus can do, when he comes into your impossible situation. Let see what He can do for every soul that will trust him by faith. When Jesus came to Nain, it was a time of death. He did not arrive at a joyous moment. He arrived during a time of great mourning. The name "Nain" literally means "Beauty."
But, there was no beauty in Nain that day. Death had invaded the little town of Nain.
We are told the victim is a young man. That he is "the only son of his mother, and we are told he is dead! A great crowd of mourners are making their way through the gates of the city, to a little cemetery, where he is to buried.
As was the custom in that day, the people of the city had stopped what they were doing and had joined the funeral procession as it made its way through town. The Mother would have been in front of the open coffin, which contained the body of her son. Behind them would have been those who were mourning the boy's death. These people would be wailing, crying and chanting phrases of grief and mourning. some may have been friends and relatives; others may have been paid to come and help mourn the death of the boy. Those bringing up the rear would have been the town's folk who followed out of respect for the dead.
Here is a young man whose life had been filled with great potential. He might have had hopes of marriage, and of fathering children, but now he is dead. But, death has been part of the human experience ever since man sinned against "God in the Garden of Eden" Ever since Adam chose to go his way instead of "God's way," death has stalked and claimed life after life. This was the warning of God to Adam, Gen 2:17. and, this was the experience of Adam, Gen 5:5. It has been, and it continues to be the experience of every human that has ever lived, with the exception of Elijah and Enoch. Death and its pain, is part and parcel of the human experience Heb.9:27). What had happen at Nain is what has been happening to the human species since the dawn time. Death has come. And just as death has come for others, one day it will come for you and me. I think there is more than just physical death. I think this boy, in his physical death, is a picture of what spiritual death is all about. I call your attention back to Gen. 2;17. In that verse, God told Adam that the day he ate of the forbidden fruit, would be the day he died. Well he didn't die that day physically, For he lived hundreds of more years. But, spiritually, he died the day he ate the fruit Is that what you read in this verse? You see the Bible tells us in Roman Romans 6:23 that" the wages of sin is death." The verse speaks of the body, but it refers to the eternal destiny of the lost soul in .Hell! Death of the body is one thing, but separated from the presence of God, Spiritually, is more tragic That is the end of the person who lives their life without God dies lost. Psa. 9:17; 2 Thes. 1: 8-9-. There is a sense of a person being dead (spiritually) and alive physically.
The young man was there physically, he could not hear the cries of his mother, or the mourning and grieving did not effect him. They were going to place his body in the earth and he neither knew or cared. He was dead to the things of the earth. He was oblivious to life, and was beyond the touch of those who loved him. What a picture of the lost man or women, alive and well (physically).
They go about their lives, but they are dead (spiritually). They cannot see, hear, think, move, speak or feel God. They are dead to God, his word, and oblivious to the life available in God. You will note the wording of the text: There was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. This widow felt the hand of death long ago as it took her husband away. Now, her precious son has been taken away by death as well. She has no one to care for her in her old age. she has nothing to look forward except poverty and despair. She is at the mercy of other peoples kindness. She is trapped in a helpless condition. Just as this dead son is a picture of a lost person . If Jesus is not your Savior, you are in the same condition as the boy. You are trapped in a set of circumstances, that forces you to be powerless to change. Your life is a life in bondage to sin and the whims of the world.
We are not told what the boy said when he was raised from the dead. He sat up and began to speak.
First, it was probably only the Kingdom is here, that describes the coming blessings of the Messianic age. But Jesus pictures of it make it clear that not everyone will gain admission. Indeed, the parable of the great supper suggests that the over religious will have no place in it at all. Those who share in its blessings will come in from the streets rather than from the sanctuaries. In Matthew's Gospel great emphasis is laid on the responsibilities that all this places on those who profess to be God's people.
Since no one knows the hour or day when this will take place, we must be in a state of-constant readiness, like the bridesmaids who waited for the bridegroom to arrive at the weddings.
This element in Jesus teaching transcends the sharp distinction we like to draw between what will happen in the future and what is already present. Because Jesus has come. God's new society has already arrived. Those who are willing to accept God's authority are even now a part of the kingdom.
What ever else may be revealed in the future will be, not so much a new beginning, as the final working out of all the implications of something that, in essence, is already here. Though God's new society had small and insignificant beginnings. It is the kind of beginning that must inevitably produce spectacular growth. But, development is like that of a mustard tree, " The smallest seed in the world' which grows up into one of the biggest plants of all. As I read the Gospels, I see this same truth lived out time and again. There is passage after passage showing Jesus as he goes to people trapped in desperate situations. Whether it is a sinful women at Jacob's well; a blind man at the Temple; a poor beggar in Jericho; or a rich man in a tree. We are given the privilege of watching as Jesus moves in power for people who are trapped in hopeless and helpless situations. Lets look at one of those situations in a scene from a tiny hamlet called Nain. We look in to watch Jesus do the impossible and the incredible one more time.
We look at this passage, thinking on the simple thought. "He came to me." I want to show you what Jesus can do, when he comes into your impossible situation. Let see what He can do for every soul that will trust him by faith. When Jesus came to Nain, it was a time of death. He did not arrive at a joyous moment. He arrived during a time of great mourning. The name "Nain" literally means "Beauty."
But, there was no beauty in Nain that day. Death had invaded the little town of Nain.
We are told the victim is a young man. That he is "the only son of his mother, and we are told he is dead! A great crowd of mourners are making their way through the gates of the city, to a little cemetery, where he is to buried.
As was the custom in that day, the people of the city had stopped what they were doing and had joined the funeral procession as it made its way through town. The Mother would have been in front of the open coffin, which contained the body of her son. Behind them would have been those who were mourning the boy's death. These people would be wailing, crying and chanting phrases of grief and mourning. some may have been friends and relatives; others may have been paid to come and help mourn the death of the boy. Those bringing up the rear would have been the town's folk who followed out of respect for the dead.
Here is a young man whose life had been filled with great potential. He might have had hopes of marriage, and of fathering children, but now he is dead. But, death has been part of the human experience ever since man sinned against "God in the Garden of Eden" Ever since Adam chose to go his way instead of "God's way," death has stalked and claimed life after life. This was the warning of God to Adam, Gen 2:17. and, this was the experience of Adam, Gen 5:5. It has been, and it continues to be the experience of every human that has ever lived, with the exception of Elijah and Enoch. Death and its pain, is part and parcel of the human experience Heb.9:27). What had happen at Nain is what has been happening to the human species since the dawn time. Death has come. And just as death has come for others, one day it will come for you and me. I think there is more than just physical death. I think this boy, in his physical death, is a picture of what spiritual death is all about. I call your attention back to Gen. 2;17. In that verse, God told Adam that the day he ate of the forbidden fruit, would be the day he died. Well he didn't die that day physically, For he lived hundreds of more years. But, spiritually, he died the day he ate the fruit Is that what you read in this verse? You see the Bible tells us in Roman Romans 6:23 that" the wages of sin is death." The verse speaks of the body, but it refers to the eternal destiny of the lost soul in .Hell! Death of the body is one thing, but separated from the presence of God, Spiritually, is more tragic That is the end of the person who lives their life without God dies lost. Psa. 9:17; 2 Thes. 1: 8-9-. There is a sense of a person being dead (spiritually) and alive physically.
The young man was there physically, he could not hear the cries of his mother, or the mourning and grieving did not effect him. They were going to place his body in the earth and he neither knew or cared. He was dead to the things of the earth. He was oblivious to life, and was beyond the touch of those who loved him. What a picture of the lost man or women, alive and well (physically).
They go about their lives, but they are dead (spiritually). They cannot see, hear, think, move, speak or feel God. They are dead to God, his word, and oblivious to the life available in God. You will note the wording of the text: There was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. This widow felt the hand of death long ago as it took her husband away. Now, her precious son has been taken away by death as well. She has no one to care for her in her old age. she has nothing to look forward except poverty and despair. She is at the mercy of other peoples kindness. She is trapped in a helpless condition. Just as this dead son is a picture of a lost person . If Jesus is not your Savior, you are in the same condition as the boy. You are trapped in a set of circumstances, that forces you to be powerless to change. Your life is a life in bondage to sin and the whims of the world.
We are not told what the boy said when he was raised from the dead. He sat up and began to speak.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Confronting the Ancient world!
After the resurrection of Jesus, his followers were faced with some hard choices. The previous two or three years had been the most exciting time of their lives. They had listened with wonder to his teaching, and watched with growing expectancy as Jesus actions made it plain that God's long- awaited new society had really and truly arrived. The kingdom was here, because Jesus was the king!
Then came the crucifixion, and with it all they had hope for seemed doomed to certain failure. Even the resurrection left them disillusioned, and when they realize that Jesus would no longer be physically present with them they must have been under intense pressure simply to forget him.
Not to forget him entirely, perhaps-but to write off those three years. as an experience which had taught them a lot, but which was no longer of immediate concern, to their continuing life style.
It must have been a great temptation for them to drift back home and pick up the threads of their working lives where they had left off before they joined Jesus. There, they could still share their memories of him-perhaps even try to put some of his teaching into practice in the local synagogue of rural Palestine. Yet, the more they thought about Jesus, the more they knew how impossible such a reaction would be. Jesus had demanded their radical and wholehearted obedience when they first met him. And his final message to them was just challenging and uncompromising :' Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples... you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Matt.28:19, Acts 1:8).
BACK TO JESUS: Jesus had never really been an establishment figure. People who had met him often recognized him as 'rabbi', and gave him that title (Luke 9:25; 19:18,39). Right from the very beginning, they all knew that he was different and that his message was distinctive. In His very first report of Jesus public teaching, Mark comments: The people who heard him were amazed at the way He taught, for He wasn't like the teachers of the law; instead He taught with authority. (Mark 1:22). That does not mean to say that his teaching was completely new and unique. Many Jewish writers have rightly pointed out that disciples to be faithful 'shepherds' of the church. It is of course not conceivable that Jesus may have told the same story more than once. and drawn different lessons.
"Remember Grace!" on each occasion. Many preachers re-use a good illustration. But the fact is that these parables are exceptional in having any background information at all attached to them.
We know nothing about the circumstances in which Jesus told most of the parables. This is emphasized by the way they are collected together in blocks in the various Gospels. Matthew has a complete section devoted entirely to parables (Matt. 13). Mark contains a similar ( though not identical collection, Mark 4). While Luke also has a long section predominantly composed of parables. ( Luke 13:18-16:31).
To make his message clear to the people Jesus used many illustrations from everyday life, nor is it really profitable to try to discover the use to which the parables were put in the early church. Students of what is called 'redaction criticism' have examined the ways in which different parables are used in different Gospels. For example, we can see that Matthew has a number of parables that refer to the coming of God's kingdom in the future-and we may surmise that this subject was of some importance
in the churches for which Matthew was writing. Luke on the other hand, preserves a number of parables, not found in other Gospels, concerned with the place of non-Jewish people (Gentiles) in God's new society. Observations of this kind can tell us valuable things about Matthew and Luke.
and their respective readerships. But ultimately they tell us very little about either the origins or the The real meaning of the parables themselves. The real meaning of the parables must be inextricably bound up with the challenge they bring to those who read or hear them. They give us a picture of God and of his new society, and they challenge us to commit ourselves unconditionally to accept his will.
It is only as we identify ourselves with the lost sheep, the wicked tenants, or the man who discovers a field of hidden treasure, that that their full impact is felt. In the last analysis, the parables are nothing less than God's claim on the lives of men and women. They require both the disposition to understand and the will to obey.
Then came the crucifixion, and with it all they had hope for seemed doomed to certain failure. Even the resurrection left them disillusioned, and when they realize that Jesus would no longer be physically present with them they must have been under intense pressure simply to forget him.
Not to forget him entirely, perhaps-but to write off those three years. as an experience which had taught them a lot, but which was no longer of immediate concern, to their continuing life style.
It must have been a great temptation for them to drift back home and pick up the threads of their working lives where they had left off before they joined Jesus. There, they could still share their memories of him-perhaps even try to put some of his teaching into practice in the local synagogue of rural Palestine. Yet, the more they thought about Jesus, the more they knew how impossible such a reaction would be. Jesus had demanded their radical and wholehearted obedience when they first met him. And his final message to them was just challenging and uncompromising :' Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples... you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Matt.28:19, Acts 1:8).
BACK TO JESUS: Jesus had never really been an establishment figure. People who had met him often recognized him as 'rabbi', and gave him that title (Luke 9:25; 19:18,39). Right from the very beginning, they all knew that he was different and that his message was distinctive. In His very first report of Jesus public teaching, Mark comments: The people who heard him were amazed at the way He taught, for He wasn't like the teachers of the law; instead He taught with authority. (Mark 1:22). That does not mean to say that his teaching was completely new and unique. Many Jewish writers have rightly pointed out that disciples to be faithful 'shepherds' of the church. It is of course not conceivable that Jesus may have told the same story more than once. and drawn different lessons.
"Remember Grace!" on each occasion. Many preachers re-use a good illustration. But the fact is that these parables are exceptional in having any background information at all attached to them.
We know nothing about the circumstances in which Jesus told most of the parables. This is emphasized by the way they are collected together in blocks in the various Gospels. Matthew has a complete section devoted entirely to parables (Matt. 13). Mark contains a similar ( though not identical collection, Mark 4). While Luke also has a long section predominantly composed of parables. ( Luke 13:18-16:31).
To make his message clear to the people Jesus used many illustrations from everyday life, nor is it really profitable to try to discover the use to which the parables were put in the early church. Students of what is called 'redaction criticism' have examined the ways in which different parables are used in different Gospels. For example, we can see that Matthew has a number of parables that refer to the coming of God's kingdom in the future-and we may surmise that this subject was of some importance
in the churches for which Matthew was writing. Luke on the other hand, preserves a number of parables, not found in other Gospels, concerned with the place of non-Jewish people (Gentiles) in God's new society. Observations of this kind can tell us valuable things about Matthew and Luke.
and their respective readerships. But ultimately they tell us very little about either the origins or the The real meaning of the parables themselves. The real meaning of the parables must be inextricably bound up with the challenge they bring to those who read or hear them. They give us a picture of God and of his new society, and they challenge us to commit ourselves unconditionally to accept his will.
It is only as we identify ourselves with the lost sheep, the wicked tenants, or the man who discovers a field of hidden treasure, that that their full impact is felt. In the last analysis, the parables are nothing less than God's claim on the lives of men and women. They require both the disposition to understand and the will to obey.
Monday, July 10, 2017
"THE fIVE MYSTERIES OF lIGHT" [ Recited on Thursadays] Franciscans Holy land.
1. Baptism of Jesus.
When John Baptizes Jesus in the Jordan river, the heavens opened and God
said: " this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matt. 3-17.
2. The first Miracle at Cana.
At his mother Mary's prompting, Jesus changes water into wine for a wedding couple
At Cana in Galilee. He is revealed in all his glory with his first miracle. John 2:11.
3. Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God is at hand.
After 40 days in the desert, Jesus comes forth and proclaims, " This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15
4. Jesus is transfigured
While Jesus is praying on Mount Tabor his face begins to shine and his clothes become dazzling
White. The voice of God tells the astonished Apostles; " listen to him." Luke 9:35
5. Jesus gives us the Eucharist
Jesus offers his body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine. He willing offers himself in sacrifice for our salvation. Luke 22:19.
When John Baptizes Jesus in the Jordan river, the heavens opened and God
said: " this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matt. 3-17.
2. The first Miracle at Cana.
At his mother Mary's prompting, Jesus changes water into wine for a wedding couple
At Cana in Galilee. He is revealed in all his glory with his first miracle. John 2:11.
3. Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God is at hand.
After 40 days in the desert, Jesus comes forth and proclaims, " This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15
4. Jesus is transfigured
While Jesus is praying on Mount Tabor his face begins to shine and his clothes become dazzling
White. The voice of God tells the astonished Apostles; " listen to him." Luke 9:35
5. Jesus gives us the Eucharist
Jesus offers his body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine. He willing offers himself in sacrifice for our salvation. Luke 22:19.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
" The Our Father" "Rooted in our Baptism in Christ."
We should not take it for granted, that we have been given the privilege of coming to God in prayer. Nor should we take it lightly, that He has given us the very words with which to approach Him. Certainly, we should not presume that such prayer is our own prerogative or a matter of personal choice. Rather, it is a gift of divine grace, that God is our dear Father, that we are His dear children, and that He has given us both the invitation and the means to come boldly before him. All of this in and through Christ, and given to us in the waters of Baptism.
From the earliest days of the Church, "THE OUR FATHER" along with the "APOSTLES CREED."
has had a special relationship to the sacrament of "HOLY BAPTISM". CATECHUMENS in the early church would receive and learn these two chief parts of the Christian faith during Lent; then at heir baptism during the great vigil of Easter, they would confess the creed as they were immersed in the water, and afterwards ( on the basis of their baptism) they would pray the "Our Father" for the first time... together with the Church. To be sure, it is only by our Baptism into Christ, " the Son of God",
that we, too, are given the blessed privilege of approaching the "Lord God Almighty" as 'Our Father."
Just as dear children ask their dear fathers here on earth ( but thankfully, with even more confidence than we have in our human fathers).
Because we pray to our Father in virtue of ur Baptism into Christ, the Lord's prayer ( like all Christian prayer, properly understood) is never a "private prayer" or private Christianity." Even when we take it to the Lord in prayer in the solitude of our own homes, we do so as members of the Body of Christ, as members of His Church of all times and Places. It is always our Father, never simply my father. The use of the "Our Father," in particular, along with other standard prayers ( such as Luther's (Morning and evening prayers.) is important confession of this catholicity and of our connection to it. Because the "Our Father" is part of our common language as Christians, this is the special language we all speak as fellow citizens of our Father's kingdom. For the words we use-even before we begin to "understand" them ( in part intellectually-the words God has spoken and given for us to repeat are words every Christian has received and speaks, a confession of the one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all. (Eph. 4:4-5). The catholicity of the "Our Father" is demonstrated in the special importance attached to the Fifth Petition (" Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."), which Jesus reiterates in His teaching of the Our Father (Matt.6:14-15). since we pray in communion with the entire Church-in the unity of Christ Jesus- our relationship with others ( especially our fellow Christians) is an integral part of our prayer. and as Christians that relationship is defined by forgiveness. We come before the Lord in prayer with repentance and humble recognition of our own sins; for we know that of ourselves we are unworthy to stand in His presence, and that we do so only by His tender grace and mercy towards us. Each and every prayer that we bring to him, therefore, presupposes and depends upon His forgiveness. and in this confession of our own sin, in our reliance upon the mercy and free forgiveness of our gracious Lord, we for our part must "heartily forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us. In the same way, we pray the "Our Father" as a matter of discipline, because it lifts our hearts and minds above and beyond our own selfish cares and concerns to pray for the whole "Church."
Accordingly, the Lutheran Church has always included the "Our Father" in every single one of her liturgies great and small alike. Dr. Luther recommends in his small catechism that we include the "Our Father" in our daily prayers. ( Rom 8:26) we find our recourse and take refuge in this prayer taught by the lord himself. Even though our hearts and minds are never as pious or as focused as they should be, we can know for a certainty that our lips are here guided by the words God himself; and that the "Holy Spirit" is thus praying with us...in our sinful weakness. The "Lord's prayer is always most appropriate, a prayer for all seasons. Certainly, we should never feel that we have nothing to say nor worry that we aren't being "creative" or "clever" enough, do so in this manner ( St.Matt. 6: 7-14).
From the earliest days of the Church, "THE OUR FATHER" along with the "APOSTLES CREED."
has had a special relationship to the sacrament of "HOLY BAPTISM". CATECHUMENS in the early church would receive and learn these two chief parts of the Christian faith during Lent; then at heir baptism during the great vigil of Easter, they would confess the creed as they were immersed in the water, and afterwards ( on the basis of their baptism) they would pray the "Our Father" for the first time... together with the Church. To be sure, it is only by our Baptism into Christ, " the Son of God",
that we, too, are given the blessed privilege of approaching the "Lord God Almighty" as 'Our Father."
Just as dear children ask their dear fathers here on earth ( but thankfully, with even more confidence than we have in our human fathers).
Because we pray to our Father in virtue of ur Baptism into Christ, the Lord's prayer ( like all Christian prayer, properly understood) is never a "private prayer" or private Christianity." Even when we take it to the Lord in prayer in the solitude of our own homes, we do so as members of the Body of Christ, as members of His Church of all times and Places. It is always our Father, never simply my father. The use of the "Our Father," in particular, along with other standard prayers ( such as Luther's (Morning and evening prayers.) is important confession of this catholicity and of our connection to it. Because the "Our Father" is part of our common language as Christians, this is the special language we all speak as fellow citizens of our Father's kingdom. For the words we use-even before we begin to "understand" them ( in part intellectually-the words God has spoken and given for us to repeat are words every Christian has received and speaks, a confession of the one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all. (Eph. 4:4-5). The catholicity of the "Our Father" is demonstrated in the special importance attached to the Fifth Petition (" Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."), which Jesus reiterates in His teaching of the Our Father (Matt.6:14-15). since we pray in communion with the entire Church-in the unity of Christ Jesus- our relationship with others ( especially our fellow Christians) is an integral part of our prayer. and as Christians that relationship is defined by forgiveness. We come before the Lord in prayer with repentance and humble recognition of our own sins; for we know that of ourselves we are unworthy to stand in His presence, and that we do so only by His tender grace and mercy towards us. Each and every prayer that we bring to him, therefore, presupposes and depends upon His forgiveness. and in this confession of our own sin, in our reliance upon the mercy and free forgiveness of our gracious Lord, we for our part must "heartily forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us. In the same way, we pray the "Our Father" as a matter of discipline, because it lifts our hearts and minds above and beyond our own selfish cares and concerns to pray for the whole "Church."
Accordingly, the Lutheran Church has always included the "Our Father" in every single one of her liturgies great and small alike. Dr. Luther recommends in his small catechism that we include the "Our Father" in our daily prayers. ( Rom 8:26) we find our recourse and take refuge in this prayer taught by the lord himself. Even though our hearts and minds are never as pious or as focused as they should be, we can know for a certainty that our lips are here guided by the words God himself; and that the "Holy Spirit" is thus praying with us...in our sinful weakness. The "Lord's prayer is always most appropriate, a prayer for all seasons. Certainly, we should never feel that we have nothing to say nor worry that we aren't being "creative" or "clever" enough, do so in this manner ( St.Matt. 6: 7-14).
Friday, July 7, 2017
"A call to Holiness in the present"
Of all the books, Perhaps Revelation is the one where it is most crucial to understand the life setting of the author. Because Revelation is poetry and metaphor, it is inappropriate to "nail down" a precise meaning for every image. It is possible, though, to discern overall contours of what the book meant to the first readers. Then we listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Church today through the same images. How would John of Patmos view the huge profits made on wall street while most of the world lives in poverty? What does Revelation say to a society that slaughters a quarter of its babies in the womb? Evangelicals have been distracted long enough with debates about the sequence of Christ's return, tribulation, the millennium, and the New Jerusalem. Jesus warned against such speculation and instructed his followers to get on with the mission work (Acts 1:7-8). he main intent of Christian teaching about the future is to call God's people to holiness and bold allegiance to Jesus in our present life and witness (see 1 John 3:2-3). Fortunately, Revelation is not the only biblical guide for how we deal with government and society. Paul was cautiously optimistic about the validity of Rome, perhaps before Nero went off the rails. P" (Rom. 13;4) Paul said the ruler is " God's servant to do you good. Christians are not anarchists. Nor do we categorically declare most governments entirely good or entirely evil. Parts of almost any political, economic or social structure. will be serving God. Other parts will be fallen. We need Holy Spirit guidance, deep roots in scripture and counsel of the faith community to discern the difference. It a jungle out there.
The New Jerusalem. [John.]
Reading the last two chapters of Revelation is like arriving at an oasis after a rough blistering desert.
Unfortunately many modern Christians think about the New Jerusalem passages point entirely to the future Much of what John describes in the Holy City is yet to come, but the Christian view of history sees the future kingdom of God overlapping with the present, and the new Jerusalem depicts that future reality breaking into the present world. John does not feature the new Jerusalem as the place where believers go when they die. Rather, it is a heavenly community becoming tangible on earth among people who call Jesus Lord.
Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." He expected his followers to live changed lives now, not just in some future age. Pharisees once asked Jesus when the kingdom would come. He replied, " The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed....For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you" (Luke 17: 20-21). Paul said " If anyone is in Christ, there is a new : Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new. (2Cor. 5;17). These and other New Testament indicate that a restored creation is already beginning to break into the present.
Parts of Revelation appear to be a handbook on present-day citizenship for the New Jerusalem. In the face of a powerful empire that acts like a beast, John portrays Jesus as a lamb. Disciples of Jesus are those who follow "the lamb wherever he goes" (14:4). engaging a fallen world with the same vulnerability and love Jesus showed. Their is no indication in revelation that followers of Jesus use force to defend themselves or to bring in the Kingdom: " If you kill with the sword, with the sword you must be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints (13:10).
Believers need community to remain faithful to Jesus, and John sketch of the new Jerusalem is packed with insight for the life and mission of the church. The Holy City is "coming down out of heaven from God" ( 21:10). Salvation is a divine activity, not a result of our plans and efforts. The community is built on Jesus and the disciples (21;14). under scoring the unique authority of Christ. and those who knew him. The New Jerusalem is big enough to encompass John's entire world- about 1,400 miles in every direction. (Rev. 21:16).
The new community taking shape among followers of Jesus will have fabulous wealth, symbolize by an array of jewels on the foundation (21: 18-21)). But in contrast to ancient or modern society, wealth is shared by all. The New Jerusalem is a welcoming and accessible city: the gates are never shut, and even the kings of the earth bring in their splendor (21: 22-25). Inclusion of these kings is startling, since they were promoters of the emperor cult and adultery with the Beast. (chap 18). God's grace is greater and wider than we can imagine.
Nothing oppressive or impure will survive when the reign of God comes to completion. Satan will be bound for a thousand years and then summarily defeated (20:10). People who will be excluded appear to be those who persist in the kind of unholy allegiance that some people gave to Rome. reference" the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters (22:15), may point to those who "commit adultery" with Rome, who approved the execution of believers, or who engage in emperor worship. Despite somber warnings, Revelation is framed with grace and invitation. At the beginning of the book Jesus says, " If anyone hears my voice And opens the door, I come in and eat with him, and He with me.'(3:20). A "river of the water of life" flows out from the throne of God in the New Jerusalem, and trees nourished by that water produce leaves " for the healing of the nations"(22: 1-2).
The book with an invitation: " who ever is thirsty, let him come... let him take the free gift of the water of life" (22:17).
Unfortunately many modern Christians think about the New Jerusalem passages point entirely to the future Much of what John describes in the Holy City is yet to come, but the Christian view of history sees the future kingdom of God overlapping with the present, and the new Jerusalem depicts that future reality breaking into the present world. John does not feature the new Jerusalem as the place where believers go when they die. Rather, it is a heavenly community becoming tangible on earth among people who call Jesus Lord.
Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." He expected his followers to live changed lives now, not just in some future age. Pharisees once asked Jesus when the kingdom would come. He replied, " The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed....For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you" (Luke 17: 20-21). Paul said " If anyone is in Christ, there is a new : Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new. (2Cor. 5;17). These and other New Testament indicate that a restored creation is already beginning to break into the present.
Parts of Revelation appear to be a handbook on present-day citizenship for the New Jerusalem. In the face of a powerful empire that acts like a beast, John portrays Jesus as a lamb. Disciples of Jesus are those who follow "the lamb wherever he goes" (14:4). engaging a fallen world with the same vulnerability and love Jesus showed. Their is no indication in revelation that followers of Jesus use force to defend themselves or to bring in the Kingdom: " If you kill with the sword, with the sword you must be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints (13:10).
Believers need community to remain faithful to Jesus, and John sketch of the new Jerusalem is packed with insight for the life and mission of the church. The Holy City is "coming down out of heaven from God" ( 21:10). Salvation is a divine activity, not a result of our plans and efforts. The community is built on Jesus and the disciples (21;14). under scoring the unique authority of Christ. and those who knew him. The New Jerusalem is big enough to encompass John's entire world- about 1,400 miles in every direction. (Rev. 21:16).
The new community taking shape among followers of Jesus will have fabulous wealth, symbolize by an array of jewels on the foundation (21: 18-21)). But in contrast to ancient or modern society, wealth is shared by all. The New Jerusalem is a welcoming and accessible city: the gates are never shut, and even the kings of the earth bring in their splendor (21: 22-25). Inclusion of these kings is startling, since they were promoters of the emperor cult and adultery with the Beast. (chap 18). God's grace is greater and wider than we can imagine.
Nothing oppressive or impure will survive when the reign of God comes to completion. Satan will be bound for a thousand years and then summarily defeated (20:10). People who will be excluded appear to be those who persist in the kind of unholy allegiance that some people gave to Rome. reference" the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters (22:15), may point to those who "commit adultery" with Rome, who approved the execution of believers, or who engage in emperor worship. Despite somber warnings, Revelation is framed with grace and invitation. At the beginning of the book Jesus says, " If anyone hears my voice And opens the door, I come in and eat with him, and He with me.'(3:20). A "river of the water of life" flows out from the throne of God in the New Jerusalem, and trees nourished by that water produce leaves " for the healing of the nations"(22: 1-2).
The book with an invitation: " who ever is thirsty, let him come... let him take the free gift of the water of life" (22:17).
Monday, July 3, 2017
Revelation 1:9-1;1; 19. [ I John].
While the book of Revelation is a book of prophecy that extends all the way into eternity;
it is also a highly personal book. John has already given us a brief glimpse of what we can expect as we move through this great book. Now, he begins to record the events and circumstances behind hoe he obtained the Revelation. In these verses, we are given some insight into the Apostle John and what he was going through when the Lord came to him in this vision. As we look at these verses, (keep in mind) people matter to God. The Book deals with complex prophecies, profound truths; yet God still takes time to give a glimpse of John. If we want to know something about the man who wrote this book, this verse gives us some precious insight of just who John was. We know this. He is a Saint. He is a great apostle. H left his father's fishing business to follow Jesus when he was only a teenager., Matt 4:21-22. john followed Jesus throughout the years of His earthly ministry. John was there on Mount Hermon, when Jesus was transfigured, Matt.17. He was there when Jesus raised the daughter of Jarius from the dead, Mark 5. John was so close to Jesus that he literally laid his head on the Lord's breast at the last supper, John 13. He was there as Jesus was arrested, John 18. He was there as Jesus was tried before the High Priest, John 18:16. He was there when Christ died on the cross. John 19:26. John was the recipient of some of the last words as Jesus died on the cross. He was given the care of the Lord's mother Mary. John 19: 25-27. He was there at the empty tomb, h was among the first to believe., John 20:8. He was known as the "beloved disciple", "or the disciple Jesus loved.'
For nearly 70 years he has been a great Pastor to God's people. He has been used by the Lord to pen the Gospel that bears his name and three Epistles. John is a special man of God. John is the only living connection to the Lord Jesus Christ. This the man Jesus chose to be the conduit through which He would send His revelation of the end times. Yet, when the Word of God begins to come his way, John says "I, John!" it is as if he is amazed that God would speak to him; much less through him. Yes, John is a special man, but one of the things that made him special is that after all he has seen and experienced, he was humbled and amazed by God's grace!
While John was a great Apostle; he did not view himself in those terms. He addresses his readers as... John your brother. It is as if John is amazed that God would speak to him, and more amazed that God would speak through him. But one of these things that made John special is that after all he has seen and experienced, he is still humble. and amazed by the grace of God! He still sees himself as just another saint of God. What a lesson for the saints of God!. We have been saved by grace. Jesus found us and saved us, and we will never be anything apart from him. Paul said it well when he said, " By the grace of God I am what I am, '1Cor. 15:10. One of the reasons the Lord used John in such fashion, was because John remained the humble servant. John is writing to saints who are suffering for the cause of Christ. They are smiting under the harsh lash of their Roman rulers. True believers in that day paid a terrible price for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today we enjoy freedom to worship in this nation. A preacher can step into his pulpit and preach anything he please from the Bible and he is protected under the laws of our nation. But, there is a day coming in America when it
will be considered illegal to preach against certain sins; when it will be illegal to condemn society, government, and false religion. There is a day coming when it will be a crime to quote John 14:6. That day is coming! Pray that all believers will have the courage of Jesus to face it. John was 90 years old, when banished to a Island prison, forced to labor in the mines being subjected to the most horrible circumstances. John still had time to continues worshipping. A lesser man would have thrown in the towel and said: " I've paid my dues! Let somebody else take up the fight and carry the load for awhile. I'M taking a day off." If you are a child of God you need to know that there is going to come a day in your life when you can not stop being a worshiper. God expects us to come into his presence to worship for as long as he gives us the ability to do so. John is not in the Patmos Hilton when he humbles himself in worship. He is not sitting in a heated-air conditioned building on a padded pew! He is in prison. Consider John's commitment: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day". The phrase the "Lord's day is taken by some to be reference to the "day of the Lord; to that time when Jesus will come to earth in power and glory. They take it to mean that John was "transported." into the future to the very day of the Lord. Jesus did say this to Peter, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" John 21:22. Some people think that this is a reference to that verse.
Some think the Bible is telling that John found a place to worship out there on Patmos. Then, one Sunday when John was in worship the Lord showed up and met with him. John 20:19-28. Despite everything John faced on that remote Island he rose above it all.
it is also a highly personal book. John has already given us a brief glimpse of what we can expect as we move through this great book. Now, he begins to record the events and circumstances behind hoe he obtained the Revelation. In these verses, we are given some insight into the Apostle John and what he was going through when the Lord came to him in this vision. As we look at these verses, (keep in mind) people matter to God. The Book deals with complex prophecies, profound truths; yet God still takes time to give a glimpse of John. If we want to know something about the man who wrote this book, this verse gives us some precious insight of just who John was. We know this. He is a Saint. He is a great apostle. H left his father's fishing business to follow Jesus when he was only a teenager., Matt 4:21-22. john followed Jesus throughout the years of His earthly ministry. John was there on Mount Hermon, when Jesus was transfigured, Matt.17. He was there when Jesus raised the daughter of Jarius from the dead, Mark 5. John was so close to Jesus that he literally laid his head on the Lord's breast at the last supper, John 13. He was there as Jesus was arrested, John 18. He was there as Jesus was tried before the High Priest, John 18:16. He was there when Christ died on the cross. John 19:26. John was the recipient of some of the last words as Jesus died on the cross. He was given the care of the Lord's mother Mary. John 19: 25-27. He was there at the empty tomb, h was among the first to believe., John 20:8. He was known as the "beloved disciple", "or the disciple Jesus loved.'
For nearly 70 years he has been a great Pastor to God's people. He has been used by the Lord to pen the Gospel that bears his name and three Epistles. John is a special man of God. John is the only living connection to the Lord Jesus Christ. This the man Jesus chose to be the conduit through which He would send His revelation of the end times. Yet, when the Word of God begins to come his way, John says "I, John!" it is as if he is amazed that God would speak to him; much less through him. Yes, John is a special man, but one of the things that made him special is that after all he has seen and experienced, he was humbled and amazed by God's grace!
While John was a great Apostle; he did not view himself in those terms. He addresses his readers as... John your brother. It is as if John is amazed that God would speak to him, and more amazed that God would speak through him. But one of these things that made John special is that after all he has seen and experienced, he is still humble. and amazed by the grace of God! He still sees himself as just another saint of God. What a lesson for the saints of God!. We have been saved by grace. Jesus found us and saved us, and we will never be anything apart from him. Paul said it well when he said, " By the grace of God I am what I am, '1Cor. 15:10. One of the reasons the Lord used John in such fashion, was because John remained the humble servant. John is writing to saints who are suffering for the cause of Christ. They are smiting under the harsh lash of their Roman rulers. True believers in that day paid a terrible price for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today we enjoy freedom to worship in this nation. A preacher can step into his pulpit and preach anything he please from the Bible and he is protected under the laws of our nation. But, there is a day coming in America when it
will be considered illegal to preach against certain sins; when it will be illegal to condemn society, government, and false religion. There is a day coming when it will be a crime to quote John 14:6. That day is coming! Pray that all believers will have the courage of Jesus to face it. John was 90 years old, when banished to a Island prison, forced to labor in the mines being subjected to the most horrible circumstances. John still had time to continues worshipping. A lesser man would have thrown in the towel and said: " I've paid my dues! Let somebody else take up the fight and carry the load for awhile. I'M taking a day off." If you are a child of God you need to know that there is going to come a day in your life when you can not stop being a worshiper. God expects us to come into his presence to worship for as long as he gives us the ability to do so. John is not in the Patmos Hilton when he humbles himself in worship. He is not sitting in a heated-air conditioned building on a padded pew! He is in prison. Consider John's commitment: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day". The phrase the "Lord's day is taken by some to be reference to the "day of the Lord; to that time when Jesus will come to earth in power and glory. They take it to mean that John was "transported." into the future to the very day of the Lord. Jesus did say this to Peter, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" John 21:22. Some people think that this is a reference to that verse.
Some think the Bible is telling that John found a place to worship out there on Patmos. Then, one Sunday when John was in worship the Lord showed up and met with him. John 20:19-28. Despite everything John faced on that remote Island he rose above it all.
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