That the Writings of the Prophets May Be Fulfilled

From my personal devotional this morning (Matthew 26 from Moody's Today in the Word series), I was struck by how Jesus deliberately chose to endure the betrayal and suffering of the cross. In the midst of it, he would occasionally comment "this must be done to fulfill the writings of the prophets." What truly struck me was that he cares very much that the words of the prophets be fulfilled---and this will apply to His Second Coming, as well. Let the world call me a fool, but I believe this. I know Him and trust His words enough to know that He will do exactly what He says He will do.

“The Tongue (As it is Addressed in the Book of Proverbs)”

Small Group Lesson                      March 23, 2014

(Outline of this lesson is from Lifeway's Explore the Bible Series. Questions are my own.) 

Introduction:  God’s own words are able to perform great tasks. He spoke the universe into existence. When He speaks, legions of angels are able to spring into action to carry out His every command. His words never “return void, but will always accomplish the purpose for which [He sends] them out” (Isaiah 55: 11). His words bring eternal life, wisdom, healing, comfort, reproof and correction to us, but also judgment to the wicked and unbelievers. Jesus is, Himself, “the [very] Word made flesh.”  We need His words continually to maintain our spiritual lives:  “…man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8: 3). Also, the Word of God is "living and active...discerning the thoughts and intents of [our] hearts" Hebrews 4: 12). Psalm 119 is entirely about the necessity of the Word to our spiritual lives.

Because we are created in His image, our words, also, are vitally important and powerful, either for good or for evil. We can destroy another person’s self-image, hope or happiness with our words.  We can deceive, mislead or cause another person to lose faith. On the other hand, we can encourage, build-up or counsel another person for good. With our words we can become followers of Christ or invoke God’s aid or guidance.  A few words can begin a war or conflict or bring about peace, unite two people in matrimony or dissolve a marriage, make a life-long enemy or begin a life-long friendship, seal a business deal or cause a lawsuit or criminal proceeding, cause a multitude to panic or restore peace, destroy or tear down another person’s public reputation and start a vicious rumor or rescue a person from slander. In short, our words are NEVER without consequence, and God holds us directly accountable for our words: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned [judged] (Matthew 12:37). Judging from the volume and content of scripture devoted to this topic, our words are a really big deal to God. He even tells us that our religion is worthless if we (habitually) fail to control our tongues. “This is especially true when we are under stress” (Kent Hughes, Disciplines of a Godly Man, 142). One reason this is reasonable on God’s part is that our words reveal what is in our hearts, and God looks upon our hearts to judge us (Matthew 12:33-34). Psalm 15: 1—2 also connects our hearts with our words.

I.   Recognize the Power of Words    (Proverbs 18: 19—21; also, read James 1:26, 3:1—12 and 4:11)

(Illustration of the Boxer Rebellion in China.)

(Just be thinking about these questions for the time being. We will return to them in a moment.)

1.  Think of a time when you were wounded, deceived or discouraged by someone’s words.

 

2.  Think of a time when you were encouraged, comforted or given needed direction by someone’s words.

 

3.  Which of your own words have you come to regret? When have your own words accomplished great good?

 

II.  Think Before You Speak (or Write/ Tweet)  (Proverbs 17:27—28 21:23; also Ephesians 4:29, I Peter 3: 8—9, Colossians  4:6, Psalm 141: 3)

1.  How might this admonition be especially important in a digital age?

 

2.  What is the standard set by Ephesians 4: 29 for thinking before speaking?

3.  How might the Holy Spirit be involved in this?

 

III.  Guard Against Gossip   (Proverbs 11:13; 26:20—24)

1.  What is the definition of gossip? What is the distinction between gossip and “sharing concerns about other people”?

2.  How should we react when someone approaches us with gossip?

3. How might it be possible to spread gossip using non-verbal forms of communication, such as innuendo?

4.  What negative effects does gossip have upon the purveyors, the victims, non-believers and the body of Christ?

5.  How can we shut it down?

 

IV.  Guard Against Falsehood   (Proverbs 10:18—19; 12:17—19)

1.  How is slander falsehood?

2.  What is duplicity?

3.  What is integrity?  What are some common provocations for compromising our integrity with our words?

4.  Might insincere flattery be lying?

 

V.   Use Words to Help and to Heal (and be Open to Correction)   (Proverbs 25: 11-13, 31: 8—9)

1.  When does Biblical admonishment become contention?  (Romans 15: 13—16)

2.  When is it sin NOT to speak up?  How is the concept of “Social Justice” misused in today’s Christian culture?

                a.  False means of salvation

                b.  Social justice vs. egalitarianism and “when helping hurts”; the “radical” fallacy

3.  Might healing involve wounding?  (Proverbs 27: 6; James 5: 19—20)

                               

(1)  Ask God to cauterize our lips   (Isaiah 6: 1—8)

Conclusion:        (2)  Maintain on-going prayerfulness                      (From Kent Hughes)

                                (3)  Resolve to discipline ourselves

“Pied Beauty”

In his poem “Pied Beauty,” Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote in 1918,

           Glory be to God for dappled things—
             … 
            All things counter, original, spare, strange;
             …
            He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
            Praise him.

In this poem Hopkins seems to have identified and beautifully expressed one of those attributes of our God that I most naturally worship Him for, namely, His infinite imagination and creative genius. Wondrous is the word that comes most readily to my mind. This weekend I saw a fish at the Dolphin Island Aquarium that was stunningly imaginative, counter, original, spare and strange: a lion fish.

On the way home along the Interstate, tree buds tinted their branches green against a grey clouded sky. The Carolina Jasmine accented with yellow and the Redbuds with purple-red. Unidentified rust-reds (young maple?) and whites (plums?) counterpointed. Oh, He fathered-forth whose beauty is past change. Praise Him.

 

 

The Conception of Evil in the Play Macbeth

The following inferences may be made from the play concerning the nature of evil:

 

 1.  Exists absolutely, independently of  human perception, recognition, or acknowledgment.

 2.  Is personal, spiritual and hierarchical

 3.  Seeks human agency for expression, but must have human choice to gain human agency

 4.  Operates through lies and deception, ultimately deceiving and betraying the human agent

 5.  Leads to destruction, defilement, and remorse

 6.  Is limited by a greater good and by human choice

 7.  Is able to control nature on limited scale

 8.  Is able to affect interpersonal attraction and damage

9.  Is unable to create anything; although, it imitates creation by perverting what has already been created

10.  Respects nothing but self or coercive power and control—ultimately, only self prevails (the author of evil itself)—selfish, autocratic, narcissistic

 11.  An evil act by an individual can produce evil consequences for innocent others—especially those under the authority of the actor (for example, a king)

 12.  Evil tends towards excess, is over-indulgent—mostly to the detriment of the agent—accelerates and intensifies beyond rational/ beneficial boundaries

 13.  Unable to give without some form of personal return or benefit

 14.  Functions most effectively in covert (darkness)

15.  Associated with pain, despair, unfulfillment, anger and death

 16.  Antithetical to light, goodness, purity, kindness, godliness

 

 

Manifesto of the Worldwide Myopic Movement

“Crossing Bridges When We Get There”

 Now, therefore, without the slightest pause, we will presume to speak for the entire worldwide Myopic Community in establishing this as our common Manifesto and Creed.

Manifesto: It is our full intention at this moment to live the rest of our lives entirely for the moment, while defending Myopia as a legitimate and respectable lifestyle.

Simply stated, Myopia is a celebration of action in advance of thought. As everyone knows, serious reflection can, at times, become troubling and inhibiting. The Myopic impulse, on the other hand, bubbles up from the divine inner child inside each of us. Every impulse is equally legitimate, as long as it is sanctioned by the herd. Anyone can merely look at the herd out there today and recognize that they are all surely on to something. The challenge for each individual, therefore, lies in shoving one's way out to the front and staying there. There is an Elite Group at the head of the herd that lives in a state of perfect self-actualization.  We know this on the authority of television, itself. Those who lag behind may never share the lofty camaraderie of the current Elite leaders of the herd.

Our Creed is simple: If you encounter a laggard, run over him. There may be some place for traditional civility, but it is always in the clubhouse after the game has been won and the bets paid. While in the frenzied heat of imitation, never take your eyes off the butts of the Elite. Try to stay right behind them, and slam on brakes whenever they do. There is shame only in inaction and indecisiveness. Disdain moralizing in any form, except that which champions competitive drive and self-confidence.  Any action can be justified before the herd if it is argued with enough force and self-assurance, the true spirit of the herd. Keep your friends freshly culled. Associate only with those who confirm your beliefs or with those whose conflicting ideas you may easily overwhelm through bluster or intimidation. Never let up; faster is always better. More is always good. Be there. Do that. Seek driving excitement. Seize every moment.

The current ground-swell of myopic enthusiasm is drawing increasing numbers each year. All who feel oppressed under the brutal strictures of common sense should join today before thinking better of it. Local representatives are easily identifiable.

The Laughing Lesson

What were we to do?

The frantic flock would only grow next day

and we had barely stretched
 
their few bitter crusts among the fire huddlings.

They were surely held with a holier hunger.

Who, then, but Simon to remonstrate,

“No manna has fallen here

but these piles of donkey chips

we see scattered round about.

Shall we compose a blessing now for these?”

Thomas clearly took offense.

Andrew caught his laughter 

before it burst again through his nose.

Only then did we remember the Master,

and our sheepish eyes crept to find His face.

       No scorn listed there,

but with a sigh,

He closed his eyes and shook His head from side to side.

Then, repeating Simon’s name,

as Simon lived to hear Him call it,

      the Master laughed.

With His head drawn back and His eyes still closed,

as when He held that limp little girl and prayed

His face lifted toward heaven

and tears glistening in His beard.

He laughed, knowing, as He always did, the outcome.

       “If a son asks for a fish, will the father give him a snake?”

The Master laughed with us.

His tough, darkened olive arms

crossed over His naked chest,

and when, at last, His glinting

reflection of shikinah joy

fell down again upon us,

the low lake sun danced from His eyes

into our hearts.

He filled us. We heard

       laughter in the praise of heaven.

The “Dazzle Factor”

In the wake of a several-years’ trend in declining attendance, we were sitting in a Sunday school teachers’ meeting last week, discussing in small groups why we thought people actually came to our Sunday school classes as first-time visitors. I heard myself say, “the Dazzle Factor.” This, of course, drew raised eyebrows. I realized that I had in mind the search I see many making for the next new thing, being driven by a wanderlust, a willingness to try the suggestion made by our church’s leadership that the Sunday school classes offer community and connection. Once the newness of the visit experience wears off, however, they are looking at a call for commitment and an invitation to go to work on “getting into the Word.” The Word carries its own reward and engagement, but it also requires skillful and artful handling on the front end, from those who teach it.

Then there came in the mail this week a beautiful program brochure/ chapbook from Beeson Divinity School for its Fall Community Worship Program, entitled Tell It Slant.  I, at first, thought I had misread the title. Why would anyone want to intentionally distort the scriptures (Revelation 22:18—19)? Closer inspection revealed that the title is an allusion to an Emily Dickenson poem:

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm delight

The Truth’s superb surprise

As lightening to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind—

The program the seminary is offering is an examination of the parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus was masterfully “telling in Circuit” the Truth in His parables. It is, indeed, the Truth, itself, which ultimately “dazzles” to everyone’s satisfaction, not the packaging and handling thereof.  So, we as teachers must redirect the seekers’ focus away from ourselves and toward the Truth. We are only able to  do that, however, by skillful packaging. Jesus, Himself, is our example.