Friday, June 3, 2011
Originality in Creativity
The idea that I have original ideas in my head has often bothered me. You see, mainly it has bothered me because it causes me to believe that I'm somehow required to have original ideas. I like having them. I enjoy being the source of things that no one has ever thought of. Also, I enjoy the ego boost. However, the problem with this line of thinking is that it gives me great fear. This fear involves being haunted by the possibility that something I've read or heard, seen or swallowed somehow will regurgitate back up and onto my work. My creativity is just bile. Why would I fear this? Well, I fear it because I don't like being dependent for one. I also don't like being accused of plagarism. Basically I don't like being lame. And copying someone else's awesomeness is just lame. Lame in the literal sense. I'm using them as a crutch so I can walk around and survive. Whenever this line of thinking finds me spiraling into self-analysis I have to remember, the words I'm using to express my thoughts weren't invented by me. The grammar I'm using to organize my words wasn't invented by me. The computer I'm using to type the grammar that's organizing the words, was not built or created by me. Finally, the brain I'm using to to make my fingers type (which are made of borrowed material from food my parents or I ate) was derived from the mind of God. I have no way of being original. My fear has no basis. I am derivative. Originality is a desire I can only fulfill by ignoring my nature. I'm completely a copy. Somehow, though, I'm not. I am an individual and that makes what I say, and how I say it, mine. When I spout forth creations, they are mine. This essay is mine even if it may resemble a thousand others. I wrote it. I mashed it on keys with my derivative fingers. I'm not required to have original ideas, I just will. Even though I'm a thing that has dependencies and borrow-cies, I make original things simply by making things. It's difficult to get past this analysis, but I plan on just doing it.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Perspective
If you were looking for another post on Celebration of Discipline, it's coming, just give me a week.
After the community group leaders dinner last night I came away with a nice nugget of knowledge. Juliana said that she loves Jesus because he always provides her with perspective. Perspective on the situations she's in and how they relate to Him.
This got me thinking about an analogy I read. Where this guy is given the choice between two plays to act in. The first acting job is on Broadway and is a small role where he would be barely noticed, but he would be acting alongside or at least on the same stage with a very famous, big-star. The second acting job is his own production, one where he'd be the star, playing the lead role, and be seen by his friends and family, but the audience wouldn't extend beyond that.
What Juliana said reminded me of this and it reminded me that I have that choice everyday. I can choose to star in my own play and be the lead actor, or I can choose to humble myself and act in Jesus story.
This whole earth was made by Him and for Him. He graciously allows us to act alongside him, or act on our own. By acting alongside him, I lose out on fame and glory, but I gain so much more.
Today, I want to live life in His story and be living my life as a part of His play.
After the community group leaders dinner last night I came away with a nice nugget of knowledge. Juliana said that she loves Jesus because he always provides her with perspective. Perspective on the situations she's in and how they relate to Him.
This got me thinking about an analogy I read. Where this guy is given the choice between two plays to act in. The first acting job is on Broadway and is a small role where he would be barely noticed, but he would be acting alongside or at least on the same stage with a very famous, big-star. The second acting job is his own production, one where he'd be the star, playing the lead role, and be seen by his friends and family, but the audience wouldn't extend beyond that.
What Juliana said reminded me of this and it reminded me that I have that choice everyday. I can choose to star in my own play and be the lead actor, or I can choose to humble myself and act in Jesus story.
This whole earth was made by Him and for Him. He graciously allows us to act alongside him, or act on our own. By acting alongside him, I lose out on fame and glory, but I gain so much more.
Today, I want to live life in His story and be living my life as a part of His play.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Celebration of Discipline: Chapter 2 - Meditation
Wow, I never really understood what meditation was for, nor why I should ever do it.
The main idea is this: Leave space to think and ponder things. Without this, especially in our world, your mind will eventually become a mess of thoughts with no meaning.
He says that meditation "very simply, is the ability to hear God's voice and obey his word." He also differentiates meditation from Eastern religion to explain that
"Christian meditation goes far beyond the notion of detachment...detachment is not enough; we must go on to attachment. The detachment from the confusion all around us is in order to have a richer attachment to God. Christian meditation leads us to the inner wholeness necessary to give ourselves to God freely."
Meditation, by his definition ends up being the means by which God speaks to you. As you clear away distractions and listen to God, you'll find you hear him clearly and can then obey his leading. He goes on to explain that meditation can be combined with the imagination because God "uses images we know and understand to teach us about the unseen world of which we know so little and which we find so difficult to understand."
Finally he goes into explaining that we should meditate on four main things: Scripture, our minds, nature, and the world/age we live in. Scripture is obvious and he goes into ideas about how to study it, focusing on small (one verse) portions. Our minds are something we should "re-collect" and he gives a process of releasing anxieties, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. through a process of prayer and declaration. Nature is suggested because meditation on nature allows you to reflect on what God made. He says
"Look at the trees...take a flower and allow its beauty and symmetry to sink deep into your mind and heart...sometimes God reaches us profoundly in these simple ways if we will quiet ourselves and listen."
Finally he says to meditate on the "...events of our time." He says "We have a spiritual obligation to penetrate the inner meaning of events, not to gain power but to gain prophetic perspective."
All of this is to help us reorient our minds to hear God's voice and obey what he says to do or think about. By steady and consistent meditation we can do just that.
The main idea is this: Leave space to think and ponder things. Without this, especially in our world, your mind will eventually become a mess of thoughts with no meaning.
He says that meditation "very simply, is the ability to hear God's voice and obey his word." He also differentiates meditation from Eastern religion to explain that
"Christian meditation goes far beyond the notion of detachment...detachment is not enough; we must go on to attachment. The detachment from the confusion all around us is in order to have a richer attachment to God. Christian meditation leads us to the inner wholeness necessary to give ourselves to God freely."
Meditation, by his definition ends up being the means by which God speaks to you. As you clear away distractions and listen to God, you'll find you hear him clearly and can then obey his leading. He goes on to explain that meditation can be combined with the imagination because God "uses images we know and understand to teach us about the unseen world of which we know so little and which we find so difficult to understand."
Finally he goes into explaining that we should meditate on four main things: Scripture, our minds, nature, and the world/age we live in. Scripture is obvious and he goes into ideas about how to study it, focusing on small (one verse) portions. Our minds are something we should "re-collect" and he gives a process of releasing anxieties, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. through a process of prayer and declaration. Nature is suggested because meditation on nature allows you to reflect on what God made. He says
"Look at the trees...take a flower and allow its beauty and symmetry to sink deep into your mind and heart...sometimes God reaches us profoundly in these simple ways if we will quiet ourselves and listen."
Finally he says to meditate on the "...events of our time." He says "We have a spiritual obligation to penetrate the inner meaning of events, not to gain power but to gain prophetic perspective."
All of this is to help us reorient our minds to hear God's voice and obey what he says to do or think about. By steady and consistent meditation we can do just that.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Celebration of Discipline: Intro and Chapter 1
The thing about my life as a Christian is that most of it has been a swath of ignorance puncuated by moments of awesome revelation. I mean to say that I'm oblivious for days, weeks, or even months at a time and then suddenly I get it. I'm awake to my current state and I'm left wondering why I ever was asleep. This book Celebration of Discipline has brought one of those moments.
I started reading it because the title so appealed to me that I couldn't ignore it. Discipline is something that I like the idea of but I never subject myself to its boundaries and therefore never experience its benefits. That's what I'm seeing in my future. The main benefit being an unexpected liberation. I say "unexpected" but if you think about it, discipline in children leads ultimately to their liberation as adults that successfully function in society. A lack of discipline now could lead in the end, to more dire consequences from societies laws. The spiritual disciplines applied now, I hope, will lead to a continual freedom in the Spirit that I've only experienced on occasion up til now.
Why do I dare to hope this will happen? Because what the first chapter teaches. It teaches something that I have constantly practiced. The author says, after referencing Colossians 2:20-23, "The moment we feel we can succeed and attain victory over sin by the strength of our will alone is the moment we are worshiping the will. Isn't it ironic that Paul looks at our most strenuous efforts in the spiritual walk and calls them idolatry 'will worship'?"
I had practiced this 'will worship' for some time and tried very hard to make every effort to stop sinning. Since God called me to be perfect as my heavenly father is perfect, I tried to. Eventually I realized the great Grace that God had given and stood corrected. Grace meant I didn't have to try to be perfect, in fact I believed I didn't have to try at all. Here is where this book gives me hope because he says
"The moment we grasp this breathtaking insight we are in danger of an error in the opposite direction. We are tempted to believe there is nothing we can do. If all human strivings end in moral bankruptcy (and having tried it, we know it is so), and if righteousness is a gracious gift from God (as the Bible clrealy states), then is it not logical to conclude that we must wait for God to come and transform us? Strangely enough, the answer is no. The analysis is correct - human striving is insufficient and righteousness is a gift from God - but the conclusion is faulty."
I had made the above conclusion many times and I had never heard clearly the final conslusion.
"Happily there is something we can do. We do not need to be hung on the horns of the dilemma of either human works or idleness. God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us."
Then he quotes Galations 6:8, "he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
All of this brings me hope because it puts me on a path toward spiritual growth and transformation. Before I was on a path with external direction from my church, from my reading, from listening to sermons. Now I feel like I'm going to get on a path with all of those and the internal direction from God and his word to guide me.
I'll keep posting as I feel led. By God's grace I hope I'll see some new changes in me.
I started reading it because the title so appealed to me that I couldn't ignore it. Discipline is something that I like the idea of but I never subject myself to its boundaries and therefore never experience its benefits. That's what I'm seeing in my future. The main benefit being an unexpected liberation. I say "unexpected" but if you think about it, discipline in children leads ultimately to their liberation as adults that successfully function in society. A lack of discipline now could lead in the end, to more dire consequences from societies laws. The spiritual disciplines applied now, I hope, will lead to a continual freedom in the Spirit that I've only experienced on occasion up til now.
Why do I dare to hope this will happen? Because what the first chapter teaches. It teaches something that I have constantly practiced. The author says, after referencing Colossians 2:20-23, "The moment we feel we can succeed and attain victory over sin by the strength of our will alone is the moment we are worshiping the will. Isn't it ironic that Paul looks at our most strenuous efforts in the spiritual walk and calls them idolatry 'will worship'?"
I had practiced this 'will worship' for some time and tried very hard to make every effort to stop sinning. Since God called me to be perfect as my heavenly father is perfect, I tried to. Eventually I realized the great Grace that God had given and stood corrected. Grace meant I didn't have to try to be perfect, in fact I believed I didn't have to try at all. Here is where this book gives me hope because he says
"The moment we grasp this breathtaking insight we are in danger of an error in the opposite direction. We are tempted to believe there is nothing we can do. If all human strivings end in moral bankruptcy (and having tried it, we know it is so), and if righteousness is a gracious gift from God (as the Bible clrealy states), then is it not logical to conclude that we must wait for God to come and transform us? Strangely enough, the answer is no. The analysis is correct - human striving is insufficient and righteousness is a gift from God - but the conclusion is faulty."
I had made the above conclusion many times and I had never heard clearly the final conslusion.
"Happily there is something we can do. We do not need to be hung on the horns of the dilemma of either human works or idleness. God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us."
Then he quotes Galations 6:8, "he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
All of this brings me hope because it puts me on a path toward spiritual growth and transformation. Before I was on a path with external direction from my church, from my reading, from listening to sermons. Now I feel like I'm going to get on a path with all of those and the internal direction from God and his word to guide me.
I'll keep posting as I feel led. By God's grace I hope I'll see some new changes in me.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The War for our Souls
War is a behavior pattern exhibited by many primate species[1] including humans, and also found in many ant species. The primary feature of this behavior pattern is a certain state of organized violent conflict that is engaged in between two or more separate social entities. Such a conflict is always an attempt at altering either the psychological hierarchy or the material hierarchy of domination or equality between two or more groups. In all cases, at least one participant (group) in the conflict perceives the need to either psychologically or materially dominate the other participant. Amongst humans, the perceived need for domination often arises from the belief that an essential ideology or resource is somehow either so incompatible or so scarce as to threaten the fundamental existence of the one group experiencing the need to dominate the other group. Leaders will sometimes enter into a war under the pretext that their actions are primarily defensive, however when viewed objectively, their actions may more closely resemble a form of unprovoked, unwarranted, or disproportionate aggression.
In all wars, the group(s) experiencing the need to dominate other group(s) are unable and unwilling to accept or permit the possibility of a relationship of fundamental equality to exist between the groups who have opted for group violence (war). The aspect of domination that is a precipitating factor in all wars, i.e. one group wishing to dominate another, is also often a precipitating factor in individual one-on-one violence outside of the context of war, i.e. one individual wishing to dominate another.
This definition of war is very enlightening. The parts in bold surprised me. I was reading 1 John 3 and I realized that one of the keys to remaining holy is abiding in Jesus. Abiding means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with Jesus, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. I also realized that one of the keys to remaining holy is waging a war against sin. We are in a war, whether we like it or not, a war for our souls. 1 Peter 2:11-12 says "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
Because of this it's especially helpful to know the definition of war. As stated above it's "an attempt at altering either the psychological hierarchy or the material hierarchy of domination or equality between two or more groups." In other words, it's an attempt to overthrow the dominant power. God is the dominant power. He created the universe, he sustains it, and he rules over it. Satan has come into this creation and has been slowly taking over parts of it. He focuses his energy on individuals. When he does this, when they lose, they no longer recognize God as the dominant power. He loses his rightful place. And because God is a loving God, he doesn't come and over-throw the new hierarchy by force. He comes and knocks gently on the individual's heart and wins them over internally.
The thing that is necessary to recognize, and what made me go "AHA!" is that a war is ocurring because ther is "an essential ideology...[that] is somehow...so incompatible...as to threaten the fundamental existence of the one group experiencing the need to dominate the other group" Satan is at war with us because his viewpoint of the world is at odds with God's, it threatens his existence. He knows he's defeated and he is doing everything in his power to grab as many people before he goes away.
We should recognize that we are in this war. Whether we like it or not. Because we are at war we should be "unwilling to accept or permit the possibility of a relationship of fundamental equality to exist between the groups who have opted for group violence" In other words, there should be no provision made for the flesh. NONE. The fact that any equal relationship is given to anything that Satan offers, is why we fall into sin. There must be a deep gap between us and sin. Our hearts need to be constantly in line with what God is telling us and giving us so we can recognize sin when it's coming. Satan is subtle and won't just come brazenly in, he'll offer sin as exactly what you want. The bait he'll use will be something you've been wanting your whole life, or something you lust after daily. All he asks you to do is bite, and the hook is set.
This is why the bible tells us to be on guard. 1 Corinthians 10:12 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" Be careful that you don't fall. How do we do this? Abide.
1 John 1-3 gives us the instructions. Mainly chapter 1 says in verse 7"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin." And chapter 2 gives us the provision if we do fall verses 1-2"But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for[a] the sins of the whole world. Finally in chapter 3 he advises us to not practice sin once we're out of it in verse 6"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."
You see we are saved out of sin and invited to walk in the light as he is in the light. We are also given the tool of confession, in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He can do this because he is the atoning sacrifice. Even after all this we still have to be reminded not to practice sin once we're out of it.
All of this is because there is a war going on for our souls and our enemy will stop at nothing to get us to put him as the dominant power. God has defeated our enemy and gives us Jesus, not only as our initial savior, but as our continual savior. He saves us from our selves every day and wins anew our soul by our continual submission and surrender. The war can be won for Jesus simply by our consent.
In all wars, the group(s) experiencing the need to dominate other group(s) are unable and unwilling to accept or permit the possibility of a relationship of fundamental equality to exist between the groups who have opted for group violence (war). The aspect of domination that is a precipitating factor in all wars, i.e. one group wishing to dominate another, is also often a precipitating factor in individual one-on-one violence outside of the context of war, i.e. one individual wishing to dominate another.
This definition of war is very enlightening. The parts in bold surprised me. I was reading 1 John 3 and I realized that one of the keys to remaining holy is abiding in Jesus. Abiding means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with Jesus, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. I also realized that one of the keys to remaining holy is waging a war against sin. We are in a war, whether we like it or not, a war for our souls. 1 Peter 2:11-12 says "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
Because of this it's especially helpful to know the definition of war. As stated above it's "an attempt at altering either the psychological hierarchy or the material hierarchy of domination or equality between two or more groups." In other words, it's an attempt to overthrow the dominant power. God is the dominant power. He created the universe, he sustains it, and he rules over it. Satan has come into this creation and has been slowly taking over parts of it. He focuses his energy on individuals. When he does this, when they lose, they no longer recognize God as the dominant power. He loses his rightful place. And because God is a loving God, he doesn't come and over-throw the new hierarchy by force. He comes and knocks gently on the individual's heart and wins them over internally.
The thing that is necessary to recognize, and what made me go "AHA!" is that a war is ocurring because ther is "an essential ideology...[that] is somehow...so incompatible...as to threaten the fundamental existence of the one group experiencing the need to dominate the other group" Satan is at war with us because his viewpoint of the world is at odds with God's, it threatens his existence. He knows he's defeated and he is doing everything in his power to grab as many people before he goes away.
We should recognize that we are in this war. Whether we like it or not. Because we are at war we should be "unwilling to accept or permit the possibility of a relationship of fundamental equality to exist between the groups who have opted for group violence" In other words, there should be no provision made for the flesh. NONE. The fact that any equal relationship is given to anything that Satan offers, is why we fall into sin. There must be a deep gap between us and sin. Our hearts need to be constantly in line with what God is telling us and giving us so we can recognize sin when it's coming. Satan is subtle and won't just come brazenly in, he'll offer sin as exactly what you want. The bait he'll use will be something you've been wanting your whole life, or something you lust after daily. All he asks you to do is bite, and the hook is set.
This is why the bible tells us to be on guard. 1 Corinthians 10:12 "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" Be careful that you don't fall. How do we do this? Abide.
1 John 1-3 gives us the instructions. Mainly chapter 1 says in verse 7"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin." And chapter 2 gives us the provision if we do fall verses 1-2"But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for[a] the sins of the whole world. Finally in chapter 3 he advises us to not practice sin once we're out of it in verse 6"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."
You see we are saved out of sin and invited to walk in the light as he is in the light. We are also given the tool of confession, in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He can do this because he is the atoning sacrifice. Even after all this we still have to be reminded not to practice sin once we're out of it.
All of this is because there is a war going on for our souls and our enemy will stop at nothing to get us to put him as the dominant power. God has defeated our enemy and gives us Jesus, not only as our initial savior, but as our continual savior. He saves us from our selves every day and wins anew our soul by our continual submission and surrender. The war can be won for Jesus simply by our consent.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Sunday's preach
INTRO
Today Jeremy and I are continuing the topic of work. This time we'll be covering the example of the apostle Paul as he writes to the church at Thessalonica in, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. From those verses we'll see that Paul offers advice to a growing church, much like this one, to give them instructions on what to do with those who are not pulling their own weight. Jeremy and I will give some insight into work, from the dangers and pitfalls of working too much, to the shamefulness and dishonor of working too little. On that broad spectrum we'll highlight Paul's advice on work and how his example is an example of balance between those two extremes. So, with that, let me ask you to do a little thought experiment...
LAZY CHURCH
Imagine a church where nobody works. There is no one who preaches a sermon, there’s no one who plays a song, there’s no one to set up the chairs. No one works. There’s no one who puts words on a screen with a computer and projector, because there’s no one who sets up the screen to put them on. There’s no one who goes to the printers to get communication cards, there’s no one who watches the kids, there’s no one who smiles and greets people as they come in. The only thing in this lazy church that even remotely resembles work is that everybody shows up. They all show up and what will they get? As we heard a couple weeks ago they might hear an improvised sermon from David, but what else would they get? What else would expect them to get? Nothing! Work makes things happen, obvious yes, but sometimes it’s hard to remember the purpose of work. Work is meant to create. We were made in the image of God, and he creates. We were made to create, therefore we were made to work. Whether that work creates anything tangible or not is not the point. God created the world and part of that creation involved simply separating light from darkness. Sometimes at work you may simply organize papers into categories to be placed into folders. God created the world and part of that creation was simply speaking. Sometimes your job might just be speaking, but those words create new thoughts in the minds of those who hear them. My point is, work is creation, whatever that form may be.
OVER-WORKED CHURCH
Now imagine a church where the pastor and one other person does everything. He preaches the sermon, he plays a song, he sets up the chairs, he gets all the communication cards, his friend somehow manages to simultaneously watch the kids and change the words on the projector. The pastor greets everyone that comes in, he prays for everyone before they leave, he brings in coffee, he gets donuts, he juggles not 2, not 3, but 4 cats, he sings an aria. You get the point. Thankfully, God can do anything and everything, and thankfully he understands that we can't. He can do everything and even he rested on the seventh day of his creation. So what is the balance between overwork and outright laziness? Maybe the bible can give us an idea.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Let's read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 together and see what it has to say “6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
THESSALONIANS CONTEXT
The apostle Paul visited Thessalonica for several weeks (as it says in Acts 17:1-10 vs. 2 says for “three Sabbath days”) probably in the early summer of 50 AD. Eventually, opposition forced him to leave the city before he was able to deliver all the instruction that he thought was necessary for a new Christian community (1 Thes. 3:10 talks about his desire to return to them). The new church in Thessalonica experienced persecution. Paul sent his student Timothy back to Thessalonica. When Timothy returned to Paul he reported that the Thessalonian Christians were standing firm in spite of persecution. However, there were several topics on which they wanted further teaching, in particular, teaching about the return of Christ. The first letter to the Thessalonians is mainly a missionary’s letter to new Christians which includes teaching on eschatology (end-times) and the parousia (the personal presence, the coming of Christ)
The second letter to the Thessalonians to a large extent deals with a similar situation as in the first letter. The persecution of the Thessalonian Christians seems to be less, but excitement and confusion about the return of Christ exists. A primary reason for writing Second Thessalonians was to clarify a misconception about the coming of Christ “its main aim is to tell them certain things which will calm their hysteria and make them wait, not in idleness, but in patient and diligent attendance to the day’s work.”
Paul’s instruction about work in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 must be seen in combination with his teaching in his first letter. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 it says “11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
CHILDHOOD
This teaching on work brings me to my experience growing up. My main example of work, and how it should be treated, is my father. He’s a hard working guy. Even now, in his retirement he’s never just “lazing” around the house. There’s always a project in progress. He’ll fix the cars, service the lawnmower and run the snow blower (honestly I have no idea why he does this, to keep the oil from congealing in the engine I guess). When he’s not in the garage he’s in the house doing laundry or cleaning dishes. When those are done he finds something to occupy his mind, like a book or a sermon. He’s usually never too still. So, growing up I was taught that work was valuable and important. My mother also worked hard to earn money for the house and for the bills. But, in contrast with my father, the main message I received from my mother was: work = money = freedom.
Why did she think this? Let me explain a little. My father is manic-depressive so every so often, for awhile it was on a 6 month to yearly basis, he has a manic episode. This causes him to completely change. He’ll go from a happy, relatable person, to a strange and confusing, hard to talk to person. In the process of doing so he’ll spend money like crazy, he’ll stay up all late or get up really early. He’ll work on stuff in the garage late at night, and he’ll basically disrupt the entire house. My mother in these times is usually the only one who deals directly with this. In many cases he ended up committed to a hospital until he stabalized. He would then come home for awhile until the process happened again later. It’s not this bad anymore, but it had been like this for years.
This kind of activity obviously makes it hard for him to make money, so thankfully he has a pension from the government, for his time in the Navy 30 years ago. But these manic episodes disrupted my mother’s ability to maintain a sound budget. So throughout my childhood and into my teen years I had it in mind to get out of the house as soon as possible, and find a job. I began to form the conclusion that my mother had always been indirectly teaching me that work = money = freedom. Work became my functional savior it promised to get me out of that situation, so I worked hard, but for the completely wrong reasons. I thought that if I had enough money, I would never have to face these kinds of problems. I also thought that if I had enough money, I could live far away from them and far away from their problems.
IDENTITY
For anyone, work can be used as more than it was intended for, more than just to create, or more than just to earn a living, it can be used as a savior like it was for me. It can also be used as an identity. Although Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3 is warning against laziness and idleness, the opposite extreme, over-work, is just as bad. If you think about it, this isn’t that hard to fall into. When you ask someone, who are you? One of the first things that they might tell you is, what they do as a job. They might say “I’m a computer programmer” or “I’m a nurse” “I’m an engineer” or “I’m an accountant.” Most of the time this is not a bad thing. It's ok to define yourself by what you do, at least partially. But for some people it can become ALL of who they are. It can be where they find worth, where they find fulfillment, where they find value. That is when it becomes more than a job, it becomes an identity. Ephesians 2:10 helps us realize where we should find our identity, it says “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So you see we are God’s workmanship, we were created by him to “do good works” works that he “prepared in advance for us to do.” Our work in ministry, our work at school, our work in our jobs is all included in this. So we work hard as servants, as God’s workmanship, that is who we are. If you are working from this point of view, I believe you will find it easier to work for anyone or for any organization. Working as if you are working for God moves your value and worth to it's proper place. God gives you his thoughts about you and his purposes for you. Then you can work, without trying to find those things in your job. The point is We don’t find who we are in what we do rather What we do is because of who we are! We work as secrataries or programmers or preachers because we desire to serve and do a good job for God. We don't work as secrataries and programmers and preachers to find out who we are. My favorite quote on this concept is "Standing for hours in an empty garage does not make you a car." We start out as children of God and then do things, none of the things we do will give us a true identity.
IDOL
Not only can work become our identity but it can also become an idol or a god. I talked earlier about how I turned work into my functional savior, essentially an idol. For others work can become that and more. It can be where they go to find meaning, to find order, to find purpose, to find validation. All of those things are good, but when they are derived from a job, or our grades, or our church, and not God, they are not coming from the right place. Work is simply meant to provide us with the means to be independent of others. To not be a burden on anyone else for our food or our clothes or our housing.
GODLINESS
As kind of a side note there's a verse in 1 Timothy 6:6 that says “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” And I just want to make a point that gives some good wisdom for work in general.
So godliness with contentment is great gain. To give this verse a little more context, in verse 5 it says there were those who thought godliness was a means to financial gain. Paul is correcting that misconception. Godliness can be considered a form of work. You have to read your bible, you have to faithfully follow what it says, you have to pray and communicate with God. The problem arises when you start to treat godliness as a means to gaining God's favor, or as a means to blessings or money. The purpose of godliness is simply to be with God and grow closer to him, nothing else. Godliness as a means to anything defeats the purpose of following God. Godliness is the end in itself, abiding with God, being in his presence is the end, not the means to anything else.
THE BALANCE
So what's the balance? The verses Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians give us the correct model of work; from the extremes of laziness and over-work. He says “7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
CONCLUSION
Work, so you’re not a burden (whether a burden because your never home or because you don’t carry your own weight with a job). Work for your food and your shelter and then be content with that. Work, don’t find excuses not to. Work, don’t find “work” in meddling with other people’s problems.
What do I want you to take away from this?:
1. Work is meant to create
2. What we do is because of who we are. Work, because God made you to create a difference in this world. He put you here to do good works that will make his purposes come into being here on earth.
3. We are to find our identity in God and what he says about us. We are to work as children of God that were crafted as his workmanship, and not be defined by our work.
4. Godliness is the end in itself, it’s our end goal, not the means to anything. Our work in the church, what could be called “godliness” is not meant to bring about financial gain, or prestige. Godliness with contentment is great gain. The only profit and gain we need to seek is that which comes from our relationship with Jesus Christ.
5. Don't be idle or a burden on anyone.
Today Jeremy and I are continuing the topic of work. This time we'll be covering the example of the apostle Paul as he writes to the church at Thessalonica in, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15. From those verses we'll see that Paul offers advice to a growing church, much like this one, to give them instructions on what to do with those who are not pulling their own weight. Jeremy and I will give some insight into work, from the dangers and pitfalls of working too much, to the shamefulness and dishonor of working too little. On that broad spectrum we'll highlight Paul's advice on work and how his example is an example of balance between those two extremes. So, with that, let me ask you to do a little thought experiment...
LAZY CHURCH
Imagine a church where nobody works. There is no one who preaches a sermon, there’s no one who plays a song, there’s no one to set up the chairs. No one works. There’s no one who puts words on a screen with a computer and projector, because there’s no one who sets up the screen to put them on. There’s no one who goes to the printers to get communication cards, there’s no one who watches the kids, there’s no one who smiles and greets people as they come in. The only thing in this lazy church that even remotely resembles work is that everybody shows up. They all show up and what will they get? As we heard a couple weeks ago they might hear an improvised sermon from David, but what else would they get? What else would expect them to get? Nothing! Work makes things happen, obvious yes, but sometimes it’s hard to remember the purpose of work. Work is meant to create. We were made in the image of God, and he creates. We were made to create, therefore we were made to work. Whether that work creates anything tangible or not is not the point. God created the world and part of that creation involved simply separating light from darkness. Sometimes at work you may simply organize papers into categories to be placed into folders. God created the world and part of that creation was simply speaking. Sometimes your job might just be speaking, but those words create new thoughts in the minds of those who hear them. My point is, work is creation, whatever that form may be.
OVER-WORKED CHURCH
Now imagine a church where the pastor and one other person does everything. He preaches the sermon, he plays a song, he sets up the chairs, he gets all the communication cards, his friend somehow manages to simultaneously watch the kids and change the words on the projector. The pastor greets everyone that comes in, he prays for everyone before they leave, he brings in coffee, he gets donuts, he juggles not 2, not 3, but 4 cats, he sings an aria. You get the point. Thankfully, God can do anything and everything, and thankfully he understands that we can't. He can do everything and even he rested on the seventh day of his creation. So what is the balance between overwork and outright laziness? Maybe the bible can give us an idea.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
Let's read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 together and see what it has to say “6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
THESSALONIANS CONTEXT
The apostle Paul visited Thessalonica for several weeks (as it says in Acts 17:1-10 vs. 2 says for “three Sabbath days”) probably in the early summer of 50 AD. Eventually, opposition forced him to leave the city before he was able to deliver all the instruction that he thought was necessary for a new Christian community (1 Thes. 3:10 talks about his desire to return to them). The new church in Thessalonica experienced persecution. Paul sent his student Timothy back to Thessalonica. When Timothy returned to Paul he reported that the Thessalonian Christians were standing firm in spite of persecution. However, there were several topics on which they wanted further teaching, in particular, teaching about the return of Christ. The first letter to the Thessalonians is mainly a missionary’s letter to new Christians which includes teaching on eschatology (end-times) and the parousia (the personal presence, the coming of Christ)
The second letter to the Thessalonians to a large extent deals with a similar situation as in the first letter. The persecution of the Thessalonian Christians seems to be less, but excitement and confusion about the return of Christ exists. A primary reason for writing Second Thessalonians was to clarify a misconception about the coming of Christ “its main aim is to tell them certain things which will calm their hysteria and make them wait, not in idleness, but in patient and diligent attendance to the day’s work.”
Paul’s instruction about work in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 must be seen in combination with his teaching in his first letter. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 it says “11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
CHILDHOOD
This teaching on work brings me to my experience growing up. My main example of work, and how it should be treated, is my father. He’s a hard working guy. Even now, in his retirement he’s never just “lazing” around the house. There’s always a project in progress. He’ll fix the cars, service the lawnmower and run the snow blower (honestly I have no idea why he does this, to keep the oil from congealing in the engine I guess). When he’s not in the garage he’s in the house doing laundry or cleaning dishes. When those are done he finds something to occupy his mind, like a book or a sermon. He’s usually never too still. So, growing up I was taught that work was valuable and important. My mother also worked hard to earn money for the house and for the bills. But, in contrast with my father, the main message I received from my mother was: work = money = freedom.
Why did she think this? Let me explain a little. My father is manic-depressive so every so often, for awhile it was on a 6 month to yearly basis, he has a manic episode. This causes him to completely change. He’ll go from a happy, relatable person, to a strange and confusing, hard to talk to person. In the process of doing so he’ll spend money like crazy, he’ll stay up all late or get up really early. He’ll work on stuff in the garage late at night, and he’ll basically disrupt the entire house. My mother in these times is usually the only one who deals directly with this. In many cases he ended up committed to a hospital until he stabalized. He would then come home for awhile until the process happened again later. It’s not this bad anymore, but it had been like this for years.
This kind of activity obviously makes it hard for him to make money, so thankfully he has a pension from the government, for his time in the Navy 30 years ago. But these manic episodes disrupted my mother’s ability to maintain a sound budget. So throughout my childhood and into my teen years I had it in mind to get out of the house as soon as possible, and find a job. I began to form the conclusion that my mother had always been indirectly teaching me that work = money = freedom. Work became my functional savior it promised to get me out of that situation, so I worked hard, but for the completely wrong reasons. I thought that if I had enough money, I would never have to face these kinds of problems. I also thought that if I had enough money, I could live far away from them and far away from their problems.
IDENTITY
For anyone, work can be used as more than it was intended for, more than just to create, or more than just to earn a living, it can be used as a savior like it was for me. It can also be used as an identity. Although Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3 is warning against laziness and idleness, the opposite extreme, over-work, is just as bad. If you think about it, this isn’t that hard to fall into. When you ask someone, who are you? One of the first things that they might tell you is, what they do as a job. They might say “I’m a computer programmer” or “I’m a nurse” “I’m an engineer” or “I’m an accountant.” Most of the time this is not a bad thing. It's ok to define yourself by what you do, at least partially. But for some people it can become ALL of who they are. It can be where they find worth, where they find fulfillment, where they find value. That is when it becomes more than a job, it becomes an identity. Ephesians 2:10 helps us realize where we should find our identity, it says “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So you see we are God’s workmanship, we were created by him to “do good works” works that he “prepared in advance for us to do.” Our work in ministry, our work at school, our work in our jobs is all included in this. So we work hard as servants, as God’s workmanship, that is who we are. If you are working from this point of view, I believe you will find it easier to work for anyone or for any organization. Working as if you are working for God moves your value and worth to it's proper place. God gives you his thoughts about you and his purposes for you. Then you can work, without trying to find those things in your job. The point is We don’t find who we are in what we do rather What we do is because of who we are! We work as secrataries or programmers or preachers because we desire to serve and do a good job for God. We don't work as secrataries and programmers and preachers to find out who we are. My favorite quote on this concept is "Standing for hours in an empty garage does not make you a car." We start out as children of God and then do things, none of the things we do will give us a true identity.
IDOL
Not only can work become our identity but it can also become an idol or a god. I talked earlier about how I turned work into my functional savior, essentially an idol. For others work can become that and more. It can be where they go to find meaning, to find order, to find purpose, to find validation. All of those things are good, but when they are derived from a job, or our grades, or our church, and not God, they are not coming from the right place. Work is simply meant to provide us with the means to be independent of others. To not be a burden on anyone else for our food or our clothes or our housing.
GODLINESS
As kind of a side note there's a verse in 1 Timothy 6:6 that says “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” And I just want to make a point that gives some good wisdom for work in general.
So godliness with contentment is great gain. To give this verse a little more context, in verse 5 it says there were those who thought godliness was a means to financial gain. Paul is correcting that misconception. Godliness can be considered a form of work. You have to read your bible, you have to faithfully follow what it says, you have to pray and communicate with God. The problem arises when you start to treat godliness as a means to gaining God's favor, or as a means to blessings or money. The purpose of godliness is simply to be with God and grow closer to him, nothing else. Godliness as a means to anything defeats the purpose of following God. Godliness is the end in itself, abiding with God, being in his presence is the end, not the means to anything else.
THE BALANCE
So what's the balance? The verses Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians give us the correct model of work; from the extremes of laziness and over-work. He says “7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
CONCLUSION
Work, so you’re not a burden (whether a burden because your never home or because you don’t carry your own weight with a job). Work for your food and your shelter and then be content with that. Work, don’t find excuses not to. Work, don’t find “work” in meddling with other people’s problems.
What do I want you to take away from this?:
1. Work is meant to create
2. What we do is because of who we are. Work, because God made you to create a difference in this world. He put you here to do good works that will make his purposes come into being here on earth.
3. We are to find our identity in God and what he says about us. We are to work as children of God that were crafted as his workmanship, and not be defined by our work.
4. Godliness is the end in itself, it’s our end goal, not the means to anything. Our work in the church, what could be called “godliness” is not meant to bring about financial gain, or prestige. Godliness with contentment is great gain. The only profit and gain we need to seek is that which comes from our relationship with Jesus Christ.
5. Don't be idle or a burden on anyone.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Luke 20:16-18
16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!" 17 But he looked directly at them and said, "What then is this that is written:
"'The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone'?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."
How can God who is both merciful and kind "destroy" those who reject his salvation?
God uses the harsh word destroy to accomplish a few things.
One, his words are used to wake up those who are currently on the path to destruction. If he used words that were any less truthful of the coming consequences, then he would be guilty of sugar-coating the utter ruin that is coming. God loves everyone and to allow even his enemies to suffer unwarned would be against his nature.
Two, since God is a holy God he cannot permit into his presence those who oppose him. The unjustified people who try to, on their own, come to meet with God will be rejected as they rejected him. Each of us, without Christ are the same, exactly the same. We don't have clearance to enter into the presence of a righteous and holy God. Sin is a pestilence that God cannot come into contact with.
Three, Christ justified us, there is no other substitute. God can not continue trying forever to get someone to accept him. People will either follow God or follow themselves and eventually they will follow themselves into destruction.
It's harsh sounding but what else would you have God do? Would you have him create an entire other universe, separate from God, to go on sinning to your hearts content? Maybe that is just what he did, with hell.
God must separate, not only himself from those who oppose him, but also those who oppose him from those who love him. He must do this for the same reasons he must separate them from himself. Because his people are holy, because of Jesus. Because his people are justified and therefore in right standing with him. Once this life is over, we can't be with those God has not justified. Because they can't be with God, they can't be with us.
It is hard to grasp, emotionally and mentally, in fact the very reason I'm writing this is to help me understand God's reasoning. I think God gives everyone, every chance he can to accept him and in the end he judges us based on what we did with all those chances.
"'The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone'?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."
How can God who is both merciful and kind "destroy" those who reject his salvation?
God uses the harsh word destroy to accomplish a few things.
One, his words are used to wake up those who are currently on the path to destruction. If he used words that were any less truthful of the coming consequences, then he would be guilty of sugar-coating the utter ruin that is coming. God loves everyone and to allow even his enemies to suffer unwarned would be against his nature.
Two, since God is a holy God he cannot permit into his presence those who oppose him. The unjustified people who try to, on their own, come to meet with God will be rejected as they rejected him. Each of us, without Christ are the same, exactly the same. We don't have clearance to enter into the presence of a righteous and holy God. Sin is a pestilence that God cannot come into contact with.
Three, Christ justified us, there is no other substitute. God can not continue trying forever to get someone to accept him. People will either follow God or follow themselves and eventually they will follow themselves into destruction.
It's harsh sounding but what else would you have God do? Would you have him create an entire other universe, separate from God, to go on sinning to your hearts content? Maybe that is just what he did, with hell.
God must separate, not only himself from those who oppose him, but also those who oppose him from those who love him. He must do this for the same reasons he must separate them from himself. Because his people are holy, because of Jesus. Because his people are justified and therefore in right standing with him. Once this life is over, we can't be with those God has not justified. Because they can't be with God, they can't be with us.
It is hard to grasp, emotionally and mentally, in fact the very reason I'm writing this is to help me understand God's reasoning. I think God gives everyone, every chance he can to accept him and in the end he judges us based on what we did with all those chances.
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