"By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"
- Matthew 21
There came a time when the Scribes and Pharisees began to put Jesus on the spot. They would throw the Law at Him and trip Him up in some logical challenge.
Notice that when the question of authority came up, Jesus referred to John the Baptist. The simple message of water, to save us, was embraced by the sinners of the community. Now I want you to think of something . . .
Do you know somebody that maybe rarely attends Church. Maybe they hit the car. Perhaps the person has been married several times. Maybe the person has few friends. The main point, is that the person has a shaky reputation.
But if you think deep, can you imagine Jesus Christ Himself entering Dexter, maybe during Memorial Day, and walking among us. Think about who would drop everything they're doing, to follow Him.
I believe that many of those people would be the ones I described above. Some professing Christians might see Him. They may even realize that it is THE Christ. But they will not follow Him.
But you look around, and see that some of the community's most unliked, or unrespected people. are right there with Him. When He leaves town, they are right there on His heals.
I know a few people like that. One of them likes the bars. She has had many, many "boyfriends." She rarely goes to Church. Yet I told her once: "I'll bet if Jesus walked in here right now you'd be the first to fall on your knees." Now interestingly, this person acted as though I had just paid her a compliment. Interesting . . .
Those that seem the farthest away are perhaps the first to recognize real authority. And as you go through the New Testament, there are so many accounts of Christ dealing with sinners, or dealing with His authority, and water is brought in as an object lesson of His saving grace, and of His authority. And it makes sense, because water has been the main thing, since the beginning.
There's a saying: the person in a relationship that cares the least, has the most power.
In the Kingdom of God - the person that controls water has the Authority.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Not Your Interests: A Hard Lesson!
Let each of you look not to your own interests,
but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus . . .
God Made water the fundamental saving element for us.
Why, because we die!
And . . . we are 57-60% water. We're basically water. And the initial state of the earth, was that it was covered with water. The climactic patterns that drive everything basically have to do with getting water to cycle efficiently throughout the earth.
We receive the water in baptism. This makes us Christ's.
But that's not all! There is still a role we must play. Now . . .
Our belief is ALL that saves us. And God uses water to seal us.
But if we are Christ's, then we have put Him in authority. We need a new attitude. We have the Law and the prophets. We have the Golden Rule. But I love this statement from Paul:
Look to the interests of others . . . not your own!
Wow!!!!
But this is the mind of Christ.
I wonder how many of the world's problems could be solved just by serving others . . . a little bit more? We know that it is impossibly for humans to do this. But in God all things are possible.
I think we could put government relief programs out of work, simply by serving others a little more.
but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus . . .
God Made water the fundamental saving element for us.
Why, because we die!
And . . . we are 57-60% water. We're basically water. And the initial state of the earth, was that it was covered with water. The climactic patterns that drive everything basically have to do with getting water to cycle efficiently throughout the earth.
We receive the water in baptism. This makes us Christ's.
But that's not all! There is still a role we must play. Now . . .
Our belief is ALL that saves us. And God uses water to seal us.
But if we are Christ's, then we have put Him in authority. We need a new attitude. We have the Law and the prophets. We have the Golden Rule. But I love this statement from Paul:
Look to the interests of others . . . not your own!
Wow!!!!
But this is the mind of Christ.
I wonder how many of the world's problems could be solved just by serving others . . . a little bit more? We know that it is impossibly for humans to do this. But in God all things are possible.
I think we could put government relief programs out of work, simply by serving others a little more.
THIS is how a Just God Can Allow It
Yet you say, "The way of the Lord is unfair." Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it;
for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness
they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life.
Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed,
they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of the Lord is unfair."
O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
- Ezekiel 18
The book of Ezekiel is full of treasures, nuggets, really, of little statements, or commentary, the wrap up the Old Testament. I have found innumerable answers to vexing questions, like for instance, when people in modern times make fun of people that live according to God's word. They say: "Then why do you eat shellfish?" "Why do you drink wine, since it is forbidden in the Old Testament?" And usually they bring this up in mockery, and have a good laugh.
The answer to that is also in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 20:25:
So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live.
Ezekiel is your place to connect the loose ends of the Old Testament. And right here, in today's readying from Chapter 18, an absolutely eloquent and biting charge from the Lord God Himself, Who by now seems quite fed up with Israel's complaints!
Is it not YOUR ways that are unfair?
Water is a destructive force as well as a life-giving element. But when it comes to the end of the wicked (which means, really all of us, for we all die), the penalty is death. Hear again what the Lord says.
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD.
Turn, then, and live.
He gave us the choice. Very simple. Just do well. Do right. Live according to the Law. Treat others better than yourself. Serve others. Build one another up. Do not gossip.
And He told us that the penalty was death. We do not get to appeal His ruling! So I would think we would take it all quite seriously! And so . . . even as the water in the spring restores life to the fields and gardens, even so does water from God, restore us. This is the way out. Water saves. And we know we need saving, because we die.
Ah but yes, David puts it so well, in the Psalms:
Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD. (Psalm 25:6)
I love how this was inserted in - the implication that God knows we are immature, and probably can't help it.
When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it;
for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness
they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life.
Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed,
they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of the Lord is unfair."
O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
- Ezekiel 18
The book of Ezekiel is full of treasures, nuggets, really, of little statements, or commentary, the wrap up the Old Testament. I have found innumerable answers to vexing questions, like for instance, when people in modern times make fun of people that live according to God's word. They say: "Then why do you eat shellfish?" "Why do you drink wine, since it is forbidden in the Old Testament?" And usually they bring this up in mockery, and have a good laugh.
The answer to that is also in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 20:25:
So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live.
Ezekiel is your place to connect the loose ends of the Old Testament. And right here, in today's readying from Chapter 18, an absolutely eloquent and biting charge from the Lord God Himself, Who by now seems quite fed up with Israel's complaints!
Is it not YOUR ways that are unfair?
Water is a destructive force as well as a life-giving element. But when it comes to the end of the wicked (which means, really all of us, for we all die), the penalty is death. Hear again what the Lord says.
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD.
Turn, then, and live.
He gave us the choice. Very simple. Just do well. Do right. Live according to the Law. Treat others better than yourself. Serve others. Build one another up. Do not gossip.
And He told us that the penalty was death. We do not get to appeal His ruling! So I would think we would take it all quite seriously! And so . . . even as the water in the spring restores life to the fields and gardens, even so does water from God, restore us. This is the way out. Water saves. And we know we need saving, because we die.
Ah but yes, David puts it so well, in the Psalms:
Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions;
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD. (Psalm 25:6)
I love how this was inserted in - the implication that God knows we are immature, and probably can't help it.
Water - The Saving Element
because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
- Exodus 17
In the past five years, I have had two experiences with dehydration. Once when I had gotten out on a sunny morning and began working, with only a couple cups of coffee in me. The other was a cool crisp fall morning, during a jog. The effects of dehydration are devastating, and subtle. It creeps up on your, and you think there is something else wrong. Water is so important to us.
The fundamental element in our salvation, is water. We are comprised of, oh I don't know, mostly water, I believe.
Moses' staff was used, perhaps most frequently, in the command of the element, water. Now . . . I have heard that the practice of locating wells, using an ordinary stick, actually works. You know, the wives tale of some old codger taking a piece of branch from a tree, holding it a certain way, and he could actually locate an underground source of water. Now I don't know if that's true or not, although Jim Kaercher assures me there's something to it.
But I find it interesting that Moses used a piece of wood, and could command water. In the end it's God's authority making it all happen, but He often gives us tools. Our faith activates the power of God, but the tool remains. And so the Hebrews, when they had been out in the wilderness for a period of time, began to demand water. And the whole point was: if God can just get us some water, we'll know that He is on our side.
And that's it. Now . . . I don't know why we want to emphasize the whining, and complaining, of God's people . . . unless it's to give us something to relate to! Because we all have done that!! Just give us some water!! And if God can do that, out in some desert, then for now anyway, we'll continue to believe in God.
So Moses puts his staff to work, taps it on some rock, and out came water. And we see that water is not only God's saving element, but it is also a sign of His authority.
Water plays a part in the litany of God's power, in som many of the Psalms. In 78, verse 16: 16:
He brought streams out of the cliff,
and the waters gushed out like rivers.
So the Old Testament sets up the case for water. Water from dryness. Water when we are the most desperate. Water as proof that God is on our side, and that He is in control.
- Exodus 17
In the past five years, I have had two experiences with dehydration. Once when I had gotten out on a sunny morning and began working, with only a couple cups of coffee in me. The other was a cool crisp fall morning, during a jog. The effects of dehydration are devastating, and subtle. It creeps up on your, and you think there is something else wrong. Water is so important to us.
The fundamental element in our salvation, is water. We are comprised of, oh I don't know, mostly water, I believe.
Moses' staff was used, perhaps most frequently, in the command of the element, water. Now . . . I have heard that the practice of locating wells, using an ordinary stick, actually works. You know, the wives tale of some old codger taking a piece of branch from a tree, holding it a certain way, and he could actually locate an underground source of water. Now I don't know if that's true or not, although Jim Kaercher assures me there's something to it.
But I find it interesting that Moses used a piece of wood, and could command water. In the end it's God's authority making it all happen, but He often gives us tools. Our faith activates the power of God, but the tool remains. And so the Hebrews, when they had been out in the wilderness for a period of time, began to demand water. And the whole point was: if God can just get us some water, we'll know that He is on our side.
And that's it. Now . . . I don't know why we want to emphasize the whining, and complaining, of God's people . . . unless it's to give us something to relate to! Because we all have done that!! Just give us some water!! And if God can do that, out in some desert, then for now anyway, we'll continue to believe in God.
So Moses puts his staff to work, taps it on some rock, and out came water. And we see that water is not only God's saving element, but it is also a sign of His authority.
Water plays a part in the litany of God's power, in som many of the Psalms. In 78, verse 16: 16:
He brought streams out of the cliff,
and the waters gushed out like rivers.
So the Old Testament sets up the case for water. Water from dryness. Water when we are the most desperate. Water as proof that God is on our side, and that He is in control.
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