For the next few months (perhaps 8-12 sessions) we will study chapter 8 of the book of Romans, called by some, “The greatest letter ever written.” This sentiment is quite appropriate I think, and it would not be too much to add that for me and many others, chapter 8 is the greatest chapter in the Bible.
Amidst all the current mania surrounding Tim Tebow, I thought I’d weigh in with a few thoughts that have emerged this week.
This week we are going to look at the most compelling reason for becoming and continuing to grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Last week the world caved in on the Penn State football program in light of allegations that a former coach had sexually abused young boys, and that the proper steps for dealing with the issue were not taken.
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:1-11 ESV)
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”(Romans 8:1-8)
The Bible is replete with sections that sing of the reality that humans do not have long to live on this earth. This is a declaration that is largely wasted on youth and only slightly less wasted on the average American, many of whom live as though there are yet hundreds of thousands of tomorrows in this life.
The impetus for today’s musing comes from an advent poem written by John Piper in which he takes the basic information conveyed in Mark 5:1-20 (also see Luke 8:26-40 and Matthew 8:28-9:1) and speculates about certain things, such as the mechanism through which the man became demon-possessed, what happened behind the scenes before Jesus got there, and what happened after the man was freed.
Went to a funeral the other day and was terribly disappointed because of all the careful omissions. In the interest of being politically correct and pastorally gentle, the pastor left great swaths of truth off the table, but what else is new.
It just so happens that this final installment of “God, the Christian and Money” coincides nicely with what was preached at Two Pillars Church Sunday October 2, so let’s start there. (for the entire sermon on stewardship, including money, go to www.twopillars.com)