You can't read Leviticus without being struck by how visceral worship is. Fat and organs, meat and fire. This is no mental exercise. This is no mere attempt to understand and rationalize and get the right answers into the right blanks. This is reality slamming you in the face. All of the senses are engaged. Your eyes and nose and ears and hands are all aware of sin and God and judgment and sacrifice.
So. Here we are. No fat and organs - bread and cup. No meat and fire - wood and nails. I want this to be academic. I want to have Truth on a page for reference as needed. I don't want to smell sin, so I avoid the stink of need around me until I actually convince myself I don't stink. I don't want to hear the cries of the innocent sacrifice, so I deluge my ears with noise until I drown out even "It is finished". I don't want to look at the blood running down the altar, so I avert my eyes and miss the glory.
Then, finally, I can "worship" the way I like. Sterile. Clean. Safe. Dead.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Now THAT is a building campaign
Exodus 36
"The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. (v 5-7)
Sort of speaks for itself. Amazing.
"The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. (v 5-7)
Sort of speaks for itself. Amazing.
Monday, March 24, 2008
So close yet so far
John 14
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (v 8-9)
This is a stunningly familiar scene. Jesus, if you would just do this one more thing for me, then I would believe you. I'm waiting for the personal invitation to faith accompanied by just one more sign. Did you really mean what you said about loving one another, Lord? Did you really mean that stuff about money? Did you really invite us into a life of fruit-bearing through death? If you would give me one more sign - then, surely, I would believe it.
Ephesians 4
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (v4-6)
How can a fragmented church represent the unified trinity to a watching world? Where increased knowledge should lead to increased humility in oneself and increased confidence in God so that differences become tolerable, we have turned "doctrine" into a tool for division. This is not because doctrine is bad per se, but we have lost the worship sense of orthodoxy and contented ourselves with orthopraxy. People have written books on unification, so I'll leave it at that.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (v 8-9)
This is a stunningly familiar scene. Jesus, if you would just do this one more thing for me, then I would believe you. I'm waiting for the personal invitation to faith accompanied by just one more sign. Did you really mean what you said about loving one another, Lord? Did you really mean that stuff about money? Did you really invite us into a life of fruit-bearing through death? If you would give me one more sign - then, surely, I would believe it.
Ephesians 4
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (v4-6)
How can a fragmented church represent the unified trinity to a watching world? Where increased knowledge should lead to increased humility in oneself and increased confidence in God so that differences become tolerable, we have turned "doctrine" into a tool for division. This is not because doctrine is bad per se, but we have lost the worship sense of orthodoxy and contented ourselves with orthopraxy. People have written books on unification, so I'll leave it at that.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Savior King
John 6
14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said,(N) "This is indeed(O) the Prophet(P) who is to come into the world!"
So long, Moses
Hello, Promised Land14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said,(N) "This is indeed(O) the Prophet(P) who is to come into the world!"
15(Q) Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus(R) withdrew again to(S) the mountain by himself.
So Long Moses - Andrew PetersonSo long, Moses
It was a long, long road
But your people are home
But your people are home
So long, Moses
Goodbye, Canaanites
We're coming to townTwelve tribes and no crown
No crown, Oh LordWe want a king on a throne
Full of power, with a sword in his fist
Will there ever be, ever be a king like this?
First king of IsraelYou were foolish and strong
So you didn't last long
Goodbye, Saul
Hail, King David
Shepherd from Bethlehem
Set the temple of God
In mighty JerusalemYou were a king on a throne
Full of power, with a sword in his fist
Has there ever been, ever been a king like this?Full of wisdom, full of strength, the hearts of the people are his
Hear, O Israel, was ever there a king like this?Hello, prophets
The kingdom is broken now
The people of God
Have been scattered abroadHow long, O Lord?
So speak, Isaiah
Prophet of JudahSo speak, Isaiah
Can you tell of the One
This king who's going to comeWill he be a king on a throne
Full of power with a sword in his fist?
Prophet, tell us will there be another king like this?Full of wisdom, full of strength,
The hearts of the people are his
Prophet, tell us will there beanother king like this?The hearts of the people are his
"He'll bear no beauty or glory
Rejected, despised
A man of such sorrow
We'll cover our eyesHe'll take up our sickness
Carry our tearsFor his people
He will be piercedHe'll be crushed for our evils
Our punishment feelBy his wounds
We will be healed.""From you, O Bethlehem
A ruler will come
Ancient and strong."
Friday, March 7, 2008
The Story
Been a week that's been hard to sit and post, but found this in the Rabbit Room. Amazing excerpt on The Story from Eugene Peterson.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Healing versus Changing
Exodus 14
"For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." (v12b)
How often this sentiment dominates our actions. We say to God, "Why are you out to kill us? We're better off with you in more of an advisor role rather than director." Of course, nobody says that verbally. Rather, we go and read scripture. We hear it preached and taught. We are exhorted to lives of hospitality, generosity and selflessness, and we leave thinking about how idealistic that all sounds and how life just isn't like that (if we bother thinking about it at all). Yesterday, we heard this called "sluggishness". In addition, I call it spiritual inertia. We are a stubborn people when it comes to making real change. We'll spend huge amounts of time and energy rationalizing every aspect of our lives until it makes sense to us (we would call that wisdom, right?), and then we'll dare anyone to tell us we should change. Leave Egypt for the wilderness? Are you crazy?
Luke 17
Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (v17-18)
This is where the title comes from. Ten were cleansed. One was changed. Gratitude is a powerful force. It requires a level of humility. If I think I'm owed something, why would I be grateful upon receiving it?
And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (v 19)
This is an interesting statement considering the physical healing took place for all ten. Could Jesus be talking about a different kind of wellness?
"For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." (v12b)
How often this sentiment dominates our actions. We say to God, "Why are you out to kill us? We're better off with you in more of an advisor role rather than director." Of course, nobody says that verbally. Rather, we go and read scripture. We hear it preached and taught. We are exhorted to lives of hospitality, generosity and selflessness, and we leave thinking about how idealistic that all sounds and how life just isn't like that (if we bother thinking about it at all). Yesterday, we heard this called "sluggishness". In addition, I call it spiritual inertia. We are a stubborn people when it comes to making real change. We'll spend huge amounts of time and energy rationalizing every aspect of our lives until it makes sense to us (we would call that wisdom, right?), and then we'll dare anyone to tell us we should change. Leave Egypt for the wilderness? Are you crazy?
Luke 17
Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (v17-18)
This is where the title comes from. Ten were cleansed. One was changed. Gratitude is a powerful force. It requires a level of humility. If I think I'm owed something, why would I be grateful upon receiving it?
And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (v 19)
This is an interesting statement considering the physical healing took place for all ten. Could Jesus be talking about a different kind of wellness?
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