Wrapped in the blanket which had hitherto formed his only covering, he might have been the child of a nobleman or a beggar; it would have been hard for the haughtiest stranger to have assigned him his proper station in society. But now that he was enveloped in the old calico robes which had grown yellow in the same service, he was badged and ticketed, and fell into his place at once—a parish child—the orphan of a workhouse—the humble, half–starved drudge—to be cuffed and buffeted through the world—despised by all, and pitied by none.
Oliver cried lustily. If he could have known that he was an orphan, left to the tender mercies of church–wardens and overseers, perhaps he would have cried the louder. – Oliver Twist, chapter 1
When we think of adoption, what is it that first comes to our mind? Most probably, we think of children, and then probably orphans. You might recognise that reading – it’s from the first chapter of Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, a work that has probably done a lot to shape the attitude towards children, particularly orphans, in the modern western world. It was apparently the first English novel to have a child protagonist. For us, adoption is very much centred on the welfare of a child, its need for a home, a loving family, and care. And perhaps we also think of the parents who are considering adoption – possibly unable to have children, seeking to love and cherish a child as their own.
This is reflected in the aims of the Queensland Department of Child Safety’s rules for adoption. They say that “the welfare and interests of children requiring adoptive placements are paramount in the adoption process”, “adoption is about providing for a child's individual needs”, and “adoptive parenthood is different from biological parenthood but can be as successful and satisfying for children and adoptive parents”. Those two ideas, of the need for a child’s welfare, and of the satisfaction of the adoptive parents, are the overriding reasons given for Queensland’s adoptive program, with the focus obviously on the welfare of the child.
It stands to reason, then, that when we read about adoption in the Bible, we have these two things in mind – the welfare of the person being adopted, and perhaps the delight and desires of those doing the adopting. And these things are certainly not absent from the Bible. When Pharaoh’s daughter went to bathe in the river and saw the crying baby Moses, she felt sorry for him, and adopted him.
But when it comes to adoption, the main focus of the Bible is not about children. In fact, the adoption of children is pretty rare in the Bible. Israel didn’t even have rules in its Law for the adoption of children – it was just expected that the extended family would look after them for the sake of the family line. So it’s not really adoption as we would think of it.
So what does the Bible have to say when it comes to adoption, if it’s not about children being looked after? Interestingly, it has quite a lot to say on the subject. Primarily, the Bible’s picture of adoption is that of God’s adoption of people into his family.
I’ve decided instead to call it ‘adoptification’ – because it’s a part the process of God’s repairing of our relationship with him, which is often described with terms like justification and sanctification, I thought adoptification made it sound more theological.
Now, when we look at that picture of adoptification through our typical modern Aussie cultural eyes, we think one of two things. We either think “God loved us so much, that for our own welfare and care, he adopted us, who are orphans in the world” – that’s the focus on the welfare of the child, or we think “God must have some great desire to be a Father of many people, he must desire the satisfaction of having lots of children” – and that’s the focus on the desires of the adoptive parents. We probably would mix the two.
And in doing that, we would miss entirely the point of the picture of adoption as it is borne out in the Bible. I’m not saying that we don’t need God to come and save us. Of course we need God’s love and care. And I’m not saying that God doesn’t want us to join his family – he has a desire to see all people drawn to himself in a loving relationship. Instead, what I’m saying is that, back when the Bible was written, if you wanted to use a descriptive picture to illustrate God’s saving of wicked people, you wouldn’t have used adoption. And if you wanted to use an example that showed God’s desire to see them come to a relationship with him, you wouldn’t have used adoption. Why not? Because those things were not the focus of adoption in the ancient Middle East.
Before I go on to describe what the focus of adoption was about back then, let me say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with adoption having the focus of the welfare of children the way we have it now. Up until the last hundred and fifty years or so, our society’s attitude to children was generally pretty poor. Go back to Oliver Twist – the kids were basically seen as cheap labour. So just because the culture of the ancient Middle East didn’t highly value the rights and welfare of children, doesn’t mean that we can’t. Our attitude is the right one. Children need caring for. If you think “kids these days” have it too easy, that’s fine – as long as you don’t think putting them to work at 6 years old was the ‘good old days’. So kids need protecting and looking after, and kids who don’t have parents for whatever reason need it doubly so.
But unfortunately, a few thousand years ago, people had different attitudes, including their attitude to children, and to adoption. When we read about adoption in the Bible, the picture which it draws is different to our own. It is not one of children's welfare, or of a desire to undergo the experience of parenthood. Instead, a family would adopt a son for two purposes – to have someone to inherit the family's property and lineage, and to ensure that there was someone to continue to look after the wider family structure.
See, family life was considerably different for them than it was for us. Probably the most important difference between their worldview and ours is that we see everybody as an individual, with their own gifts and talents, their own path in life, their own relationships and perhaps their own destiny. But the ancients, and plenty of people in the world today, simply didn't see people that way! I mean, sure, people had their job, their family, their land or possessions or whatever, but they quite simply were not free to do as they pleased. They were members of a family, and an extended family, a tribe, a nation. And they had commitments at all these levels! The role that you filled in these institutions was very clearly marked out for you. You couldn't survive without this family network. Of course, it's not all about you surviving either. It's about your family continuing, about your heritage living on into the next generation. All that stuff is bigger than the individual.
How does adoption fit into that? Ok, imagine you're a man, and your wife is not producing a son. Perhaps you've even taken a second or third wife, but none of them has borne a son for you. You have a reasonably comfortable life – you are a carpenter, and you get enough of a trade to be able to afford to live. You do have a small field with some crops, perhaps a few chickens and even some livestock. You even have a slave or two. You might also have a lot of daughters. Perhaps some sisters who never married. Your parents still need looking after. You employ a couple of cousins or nephews in your small business. You feed the children of your brother who passed away last year. More than that, your family has a position within the tribe. Who is going to carry on your family’s name and trade, who is going to take your position in the tribe?
You need a male heir who can inherit your property and your family heritage. Someone who will care for the needs of those under your responsibility. So you think about adopting an heir! Very often, you will look to someone who already has an understanding of the family, and the needs of its members. You know who, very often, gets adopted to this position? A slave! They’ve already been working for your family for some time. They know the situation, they know the people. They are probably even quite fond of them, if you’re a good master. And they’ve probably done lots of the work in looking after people already. Who better to take over from you when you’re gone? They don’t look for some child who is poor and needy, who needs a home and loving family. They are looking for a young person who is capable and free from ties, who can take over the responsibility of the household!
So what, you might ask? What does it matter if that was their focus? It matters a lot! Using this different perspective, we can now look with fresh eyes on those parts of the Bible that talk about God’s adoptification of us, and see the picture the way it would have looked to the people who wrote it in the first place. When we look at the picture of adoption in the Bible in this way, we see it’s all about assurance, inheritance, provision, and of course family. These are some prime theological concepts and Christian realities we are talking about here, and they are all expressed as a function of our adoptification by God.
First things first, though. How does our adoption work? In one sense, aren't we all God's children, because he created us all? Doesn't Paul even says that in Acts, quoting the poetes of Athens, “We are his offspring”? But not all offspring share in the inheritance. Firstly, only sons inherited! So there's 50% of children not getting it, let alone children born of prostitutes, adultery, I'm sure you can think of plenty of reasons a child can be an offspring but not an heir.
Galatians makes it clear, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus”. Again, in John chapter 1, “to all who received Jesus, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. And again in Ephesians: “In love God predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ”.
So God has adopted us through the work of Jesus Christ, and our faith in him.
And this relationship is assured. God has stamped a guarantee on it. Romans 8: “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.” Galatians: “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.”
This shows the incredible goodwill of God. God has saved us from our sins – we know that. But it didn't end there. We were enemies of God, but he didn't just blank our sins from us and say “that's it, now we can go our separate ways.” He didn't just take the bad relationship away – he replaced it with a good relationship! He changed us from being enemies to being heirs.
My oldest sister was forcfully adopted away from my mother when she was born by the government. When the kids at school used to make fun of her for being adopted, she would reply “Yeah? Well at least I know my parents wanted me.” The Bible says “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons”. According to John, we are “children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God”. We aren't just assured of our salvation, our inheritance, but of God's goodwill, and his desire to have us as his children, because he chose us.
What does being an heir mean for us? It means what adoption meant back then – inheritance! Romans says “if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ”. “What I am saying”, says Paul in Galatians, “is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” God doesn't just want children, he wants heirs. The heir is the most important relative in the family, and if you know any Chinese families or Lebanese families, you will have seen them dote over the firstborn son like a little prince. What God is offering to us is co-heirship with Christ. God is offering to adopt us into his family as the heir, the most important relationship we can have with him. And he has assured it to us by the Holy Spirit, which he has given us. It makes us closer to God as our father than a blood transfusion would make an adopted child to their parents.
So what does that inheritance hold for us? Is it just a heavenly thing that we will receive when it's all over? Not at all! Yes, there will be a final time when the church of God is up in heaven with him there. Interestingly, though, that's not usually pictured as adoption. That's pictured as a wedding – because when you've got a bride and a groom, you know that one day they're going to be married. But inheritance, that's yours from birth! John says “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” You might not take over straight away, but it's yours simply by being born first – and if not, then it is certainly yours when you are adopted into it! So there are benefits of our adoption right now. What are they?
First of all, provision. Jesus himself makes it clear that those who are children of God can be sure that God will look after them as they would look after their children. He says “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” That's right – the Holy Spirit, the mark of adoption, that guarantee of our inheritance, is freely available to those who ask for it.
But there's more! Jesus says “So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When Jesus instructs his disciples to pray, and tells them to call God their Abba, their dear father, what does he then tell them to ask for? Give us this day - our daily bread.
But there's still more! God is so generous and loving, that he will even provide us with the true mark of sonship – discipline! Hebrews says “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
The truth is that everyone suffers hardship – you think the floods down in Victoria are only damaging the homes of Christians? But what God's real gift to us is a way to endure such hardship – as discipline from God. So when bad things happen, we can still know that God loves us.
And participation in suffering is key to being an inheritor of God. Romans says “we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Not even Christ, the legitimate Son of God, was spared suffering. But neither will we be spared glory, if we share in sufferings with him.
Second of all (Remember the first? It was provision), God gives us family as part of our inheritance. We are of course in a family relationship with God and with Jesus, hence the adoption. But When God adopts, he does it on a large scale. When God adopts you, you don't just get a Father and a brother. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus”. “he predestined us to be adopted”, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” We have a family of fellowship, brothers and sisters through Christ.
But being an heir didn't just mean getting doted over and getting the inheritance. It was a responsible position. We are accountable as heirs. Listen to what John had to say about our position as children of God in 1 John chapter 3: “Everyone who has this hope of adoption in him purifies himself, just as God is pure.” and “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.”
We have a responsibility to God as his children not to sin. The heir of a carpenter has a responsibility to the carpentry business. The heir to an aristocratic family has the responsibility of knowing which fork to start eating with. The heir of a king has the responsibility of diligent kingship. The heir of God has a responsibility to purify himself, just as God is pure. If we are the children of God, then we cannot go on sinning. We've been adopted into the family of God, and we need to know that once you're adopted into that family, your old life just isn't proper anymore.
And being an heir isn't just about keeping the name of the family in good honour, either. “Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.” Family is a great joy and a great provision from God. But it is also a huge responsibility. When God blesses a family with a child, it's a great joy, apparently. Penny and I wouldn't know. But we do know, everyone knows that having a new child is a huge responsibility. Well, what if you're the heir of God? Now you've got a whole family to be responsible for!
Now you might think that such strong responsibility for family is a thing of the past. I mean sure, they had big communal families back then, but we don't have them now. We've got the nuclear family. And we are more individual, so God can't expect us to feel responsible for all the children of God across the world. Well let me ask you this – if you turned on the news and saw that an Australian man had been harassed and beaten up in the streets of Nigeria, what would you do? You'd say, “Wow, that's terrible.” But if you then found out that it was your brother, then what would you do? You'd be on the phone to the Australian government, asking what they were doing to protect him, you'd be writing letters and making phone calls, and sending money and perhaps even buying a ticket over there to go help him. What if you heard that your 18 year old sister living in Egypt had just been kidnapped, raped, and then forced to marry her muslim attacker? Would we have to restrain you from getting on the first plane to Egypt? These things are happening to our Christian brothers and sisters all the time, around the world. Pick up a copy of the Barnabas Fund magazine some time, or the Voice of the Martyrs newsletter. Read some of the things Don publishes in his world news page. I know we have a responsibility as Christians to go into all the world and preach the good news. I know that! I work at AMT! That's what we're all about. But That does not negate our family responsibility, as heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, to look after our brothers and sisters. Paul says “Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Jesus says “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”. Loving one another is not just part of our responsibility to our family, part of our inheritance, but it is also part of sharing the gospel. People will know that you are Christ's brothers, if you love one another.
Take your adoption seriously. It's what marks you as a Christian. It's guaranteed by the Holy Spirit. It shows God's goodwill. It's the avenue of his provision to you. It's what makes us a family.
Pray
Adoptification
Moses adopted by Pharoah’s daughter
Esther adopted by Mordecai
Jesus adopted by Joseph
Zadok possibly adopted
Rahab adopted into Israel
Israel adopted by God (Ex 4:22, Deut 14:1, Hos 11:1 [touching reference to Israel as a child], Jer 31:9, Rom 9:4)
Christians adopted by God (Pauline idea – Peter and John prefer regeneration) (Rom 8:12-17 [great passage – spirit marking us as sons, inheritance for us], Gal 3:26-4:7 [v. important contacting slavery to adoption, note a link between sonship and Spirit], Eph 1:3-6 [adoption through Christ], 1 John 3:1-3, 9-10 [current fact of our sonship, practical application of purification, and loving our brothers], Luke 11:2 [praying to God as ‘ my own dear father’], Luke 11:11-13 [God’s provision to his children], John 1:12-13 [Jesus as pathway to sonship, choosing of us by God], Heb 12:5-11 [God’s discipline], Acts 17:28-29 [all people as children of God])
Adoption is mostly (almost entirely) about inheritance in ANE setting – you would adopt an heir to inherit your wealth, and carry on your family name, look after family (remember that family responsibilities were much bigger)
Application – seeing God as Father, seeing Christians as brothers and sisters, co-heirs with Christ, certainty (guarantee of salvation), highlights God’s role as Father in his provision for us, including discipline, highlights God’s goodwill toward us [use ex-criminal analogy]
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What is adoption?
(Inheritance, continuing family line)
Adoption in the Bible
Why is adoptification important?
(Our eternal inheritance, assurance thereof, our relationship with God, with each other, provision, goodwill)
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sermon: 1 Peter 1
1 Peter 1 Sermon
Through repetition, things can loose their wonder. Think about it. When you are a kid so many things are new and exciting. A balloon floating in the sky, the sight of a sparkler or fireworks amazes you. Yet as you get older, through constant exposure, you start to think of it as somewhat normal. In fact when you are a kid even look down on the other kids who still squeal with excitement about things like sparklers because you are so much more mature than they are.
In a book called Sophie’s World the author describes a child’s wonder at the world – “The Child looks up and says ‘Bow-Wow’ every time it sees a dog. It jumps up and down in its stroller waving its arms: ‘Bow-wow! Bow-wow!’ We who are older and wiser may feel somewhat exhausted by it’s enthusiasm. ‘All right, all right, it’s a bow-wow,’ we say unimpressed. ‘Please sit still.’ We are not enthralled. We have seen a dog before…the world has become a habit.
Through repetition, from hearing about it often in church and even in hearing about it in different contexts, I think we can loose the wonder of salvation. Like the word “love” the true meaning of salvation can get lost in overuse around us. Here are a couple of other uses of the word save that you might find in society today.
“Save 10% on all take-away orders before 7pm.” “I’m saving for a rainy day”, “Save me from mediocrity” Of course these things are different to the salvation that the bible talks about, but amongst our self-serve, self-reliant society biblical salvation seems irrelevant or useless. Certainly it makes it difficult to talk about salvation with non-Christians because they just don’t get the need for it. This idea of self-reliance can seep into our own thinking, and when that happens, the amazing nature of how we are saved becomes dull. That can make it harder to live a Christian life, because really salvation through Christ by faith is the foundation of how we live as Christians.
So what I want to do today is remind us of the greatness of salvation, of what we have in Christ’s death and resurrection. To try and re-establish that bedrock of our faith and from that talk about how we should live in the light of this glorious gift.
To help us grasp this idea better, it would be good to see why this letter could have been incredibly encouraging for the people it was written to, so we need to understand a bit about whom Peter was talking to. Peter is writing to a really diverse group of Christians; we know it is Christians since he is writing it to “God’s elect” and they are scattered everywhere, throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia and Asia. That’s a fairly wide area for people to be in.
Peter also mentions that they are strangers in the world. This is as much a comment on where they where physically, scattered around Asia Minor, as well as a look into their social status. Through the rest of Peter we see that he addresses slaves, wives & husbands, this may be because this is as good as it gets for these particular Christians in regards to social standing. The people living in these areas probably didn’t have much. Also perhaps as part of a bigger picture, as the elect of God, they are strangers in the world, which would mean they live differently to those around them who didn’t acknowledge Christ’s lordship and may have been shunned because of it.
From the context then of what they don’t have, Peter reminds them of the greatness of what they have received in Christ. See in verse 3. In God’s mercy he has given them a new birth into a living hope. It’s being born in to a new family, the family of Christ. And with this new birth, they have a new inheritance that can’t fade, spoil or perish. To these people who if they were slaves, were probably used to owning very little, Peter is shining a light on a glorious promise. To the hope that they have the future promise that is theirs through the resurrection of Christ.
You can see why it may have been easier for the people then to grasp the wonder of salvation because for them, it was obvious how much better it would be compared to their current situation. Throughout the history of the bible, there are many examples how the people wanted to be saved from where they where at and they looked to a Savior from God. Of course they sometimes got the wrong idea about what the Savior was going to rescue them from, for instance the Jews wanting to be saved from the Roman oppressors. Now I’m sure that a large majority of them did suffer under the Romans, but Peter wants to point them to a greater salvation than their immediate physical suffering.
We sometimes miss out on the major point of salvation too. While not many of us here worry about being saved from persecution under a foreign government, I think we can want to be saved from the annoyances, big and small, whether it’s the annoying co-worker, to a serious illness. But let’s look carefully at the promise that Peter is bringing up. Read verses 3-5 again. It’s one, really long sentence, and I get this impression that there is this immense idea that he wants to explain and it’s just gushing forth. It reads:
“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”
It’s a chain reaction, an unveiling of a truth of an increasingly fantastic nature initiated by Gods mercy. It’s not just talking about something as temporary as a change of government to improve lifestyle. It’s not talking about some cure for our constant headaches. It’s talking about an eternal inheritance. It’s a guaranteed future in God’s family for those who follow Christ. In response to this Peter says we should rejoice! And we should! You see that the inheritance and salvation is already waiting for those who are followers of God. In verse 4 it says, the inheritance is kept in heaven for you, and in verse 5 that we are shielded through faith until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Have you ever thought of that? That through faith we are being shielded by God’s power? Yet another reason to give praise for what God has done for us.
Some people may be wondering what God is shielding us from. If God is shielding us from things like pain and suffering he isn’t doing a very good job. Peter however goes on to say that while we are waiting for the promised salvation, we can expect to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Pointing to the future is all well and good, but that doesn’t change the fact that the people in the past, as well as us will have times of sorrow and suffering. So what should we do?
Peter isn’t telling us to close our eyes and wait till the better days come, to glaze over suffering now. He says that the trials are there for a purpose, the refining of our faith. He compares it to the process of refining gold, of heating it up to more than 1000 degrees centigrade and burning away the impurities. The trials help to prove our faith genuine.
I think like salvation we can sometimes be a bit complacent about our faith. We have faith and that is enough. Like it says in Ephesians 2 verse 9 “By faith alone we are saved, not from works so that no man can boast.” A greater faith doesn’t mean that we are more saved. Having a little faith doesn’t mean that we are saved less. So how does refining our faith do any good?
Perhaps our understanding along with our faith is refined when we face these trials. Each time we come through a trial we come face to face with God’s love and compassion, of the awesome nature of Christ’s sacrifice. And through it, our understanding of God will grow. Some of the misconceptions about what God is are burned away. We realize that the God we put in a box of our understanding is actually a whole lot bigger and grander than we could ever really imagine. We get through these trials through God’s grace and strength and our faithful response to these trials – a trust in him, is music to his ears. Look at the second half of verse 7 the trials come so it “may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
So through our sufferings our faith is refined. That doesn’t mean that we need to go out and seek suffering to get a better faith, I think as we live Christian lives suffering will come to us anyway. Also it’s talking about a refined faith, having a faith that is proved genuine. The importance of having a genuine faith is revealed in verse 9 “for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls. Our soul. It’s not just a salvation from the little things. This is eternal salvation from the mistake that man made way back in the beginning of creation that resulted in the world being cursed.
This probably would have had more impact on the people that Peter was writing to. As I was saying at the beginning of the sermon, I think we can have a fairly academic view of salvation and we don’t have this sense of anticipation about what it means. But the people that he was writing to – slaves, servants – people who were suffering, to be reminded of the fact that this suffering is a part of their faith that leads to salvation meant that they could stand that little bit taller. It meant that they could be confident and rejoice in God’s plan for salvation. The anticipation for this promised salvation was one they had been looking for a really, really long time. Peter mentions in verse 10 the prophets of the past who searched intently and with the greatest care into what the salvation was and that now the things they had been waiting for had come to pass. The sufferings of the Christ had happened, so now the glories will follow. The immensity of this glory is so great that even angels long to look into these things!
We need to recapture that sense of wonder about our salvation. As it says in verse 8 it starts with having a love for Christ, and even though we don’t see him now, we believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.
I have to admit that when I chose this passage, I really struggled to come to grips with this idea of joy and amazing salvation. I read it multiple times and at one point I didn’t even want to write a sermon on it because I felt, well nothing really while reading it. I found it incredibly hard to get the joy of salvation – but after studying, praying and talking about it with some close Christian friends I got a glimmer and then a strong sense of God’s great mercy and power. I imagine I will soon loose the wonder again, but that doesn’t change the fact that God is great, nor does it make the promise of salvation any less awe inspiring. So don’t worry if you don’t feel like your head is in the clouds and everything is fine and wonderful – God’s promise is there, today and always that for those who follow him.
So what? What should we be doing with a greater understanding of salvation? How should we be living? Peter uses this firm foundation of the salvation God as a way to help the people understand how they should be living.
First and foremost it talks about in verse 3 how God, has chosen us through the sanctifying work of the spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ. It’s such a simple thing to say; yet it is so hard to do, obey God. All throughout the bible the command is to trust and obey. Paul in Philippians 2 tells us to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus who was obedient to death. A bit later on Peter talks about as obedient
Children we are to live a holy life, since God is holy.
I think part of that obedience comes in the need to share this message – The obedience that Peter talks about isn’t specifically about spreading the Gospel, but there are plenty of places that talk about how we should be talking about the salvation Christ offers. We need to be bold in speaking out to our non-Christian friends and co-workers, not with a fear of acceptance which means as one author puts it “we settle for the kind of friendliness within which all absolutes perish either for lack of interest or because the demands of the social etiquette’. There is an absolute, that faith in Christ is the way to salvation. I’m sure that if you do speak boldly you will come up against some ‘suffering’ whether that’s as subtle as getting a cold shoulder or something that may impact your financial or physical wellbeing – but as we explored before, through these trials our faith will be challenged, it will be refined to be proved genuine.
The other thing that comes up in this passage as a response to salvation is that we should be praising God. V3 again – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
We don’t need to worry about the things in our future. We don’t need to stress about what may happen. If we trust in God, and follow him, we know what our future holds because we are told here in his word. We are given a new birth and inheritance with him. I can’t think of anything greater to praise the lord for. A life with him, free from the pain and death of this world, free from the ravages of sin. We are granted salvation through faith in Christ. Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Christ is revealed and Praise the Lord.
Amen
Through repetition, things can loose their wonder. Think about it. When you are a kid so many things are new and exciting. A balloon floating in the sky, the sight of a sparkler or fireworks amazes you. Yet as you get older, through constant exposure, you start to think of it as somewhat normal. In fact when you are a kid even look down on the other kids who still squeal with excitement about things like sparklers because you are so much more mature than they are.
In a book called Sophie’s World the author describes a child’s wonder at the world – “The Child looks up and says ‘Bow-Wow’ every time it sees a dog. It jumps up and down in its stroller waving its arms: ‘Bow-wow! Bow-wow!’ We who are older and wiser may feel somewhat exhausted by it’s enthusiasm. ‘All right, all right, it’s a bow-wow,’ we say unimpressed. ‘Please sit still.’ We are not enthralled. We have seen a dog before…the world has become a habit.
Through repetition, from hearing about it often in church and even in hearing about it in different contexts, I think we can loose the wonder of salvation. Like the word “love” the true meaning of salvation can get lost in overuse around us. Here are a couple of other uses of the word save that you might find in society today.
“Save 10% on all take-away orders before 7pm.” “I’m saving for a rainy day”, “Save me from mediocrity” Of course these things are different to the salvation that the bible talks about, but amongst our self-serve, self-reliant society biblical salvation seems irrelevant or useless. Certainly it makes it difficult to talk about salvation with non-Christians because they just don’t get the need for it. This idea of self-reliance can seep into our own thinking, and when that happens, the amazing nature of how we are saved becomes dull. That can make it harder to live a Christian life, because really salvation through Christ by faith is the foundation of how we live as Christians.
So what I want to do today is remind us of the greatness of salvation, of what we have in Christ’s death and resurrection. To try and re-establish that bedrock of our faith and from that talk about how we should live in the light of this glorious gift.
To help us grasp this idea better, it would be good to see why this letter could have been incredibly encouraging for the people it was written to, so we need to understand a bit about whom Peter was talking to. Peter is writing to a really diverse group of Christians; we know it is Christians since he is writing it to “God’s elect” and they are scattered everywhere, throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia and Asia. That’s a fairly wide area for people to be in.
Peter also mentions that they are strangers in the world. This is as much a comment on where they where physically, scattered around Asia Minor, as well as a look into their social status. Through the rest of Peter we see that he addresses slaves, wives & husbands, this may be because this is as good as it gets for these particular Christians in regards to social standing. The people living in these areas probably didn’t have much. Also perhaps as part of a bigger picture, as the elect of God, they are strangers in the world, which would mean they live differently to those around them who didn’t acknowledge Christ’s lordship and may have been shunned because of it.
From the context then of what they don’t have, Peter reminds them of the greatness of what they have received in Christ. See in verse 3. In God’s mercy he has given them a new birth into a living hope. It’s being born in to a new family, the family of Christ. And with this new birth, they have a new inheritance that can’t fade, spoil or perish. To these people who if they were slaves, were probably used to owning very little, Peter is shining a light on a glorious promise. To the hope that they have the future promise that is theirs through the resurrection of Christ.
You can see why it may have been easier for the people then to grasp the wonder of salvation because for them, it was obvious how much better it would be compared to their current situation. Throughout the history of the bible, there are many examples how the people wanted to be saved from where they where at and they looked to a Savior from God. Of course they sometimes got the wrong idea about what the Savior was going to rescue them from, for instance the Jews wanting to be saved from the Roman oppressors. Now I’m sure that a large majority of them did suffer under the Romans, but Peter wants to point them to a greater salvation than their immediate physical suffering.
We sometimes miss out on the major point of salvation too. While not many of us here worry about being saved from persecution under a foreign government, I think we can want to be saved from the annoyances, big and small, whether it’s the annoying co-worker, to a serious illness. But let’s look carefully at the promise that Peter is bringing up. Read verses 3-5 again. It’s one, really long sentence, and I get this impression that there is this immense idea that he wants to explain and it’s just gushing forth. It reads:
“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”
It’s a chain reaction, an unveiling of a truth of an increasingly fantastic nature initiated by Gods mercy. It’s not just talking about something as temporary as a change of government to improve lifestyle. It’s not talking about some cure for our constant headaches. It’s talking about an eternal inheritance. It’s a guaranteed future in God’s family for those who follow Christ. In response to this Peter says we should rejoice! And we should! You see that the inheritance and salvation is already waiting for those who are followers of God. In verse 4 it says, the inheritance is kept in heaven for you, and in verse 5 that we are shielded through faith until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Have you ever thought of that? That through faith we are being shielded by God’s power? Yet another reason to give praise for what God has done for us.
Some people may be wondering what God is shielding us from. If God is shielding us from things like pain and suffering he isn’t doing a very good job. Peter however goes on to say that while we are waiting for the promised salvation, we can expect to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Pointing to the future is all well and good, but that doesn’t change the fact that the people in the past, as well as us will have times of sorrow and suffering. So what should we do?
Peter isn’t telling us to close our eyes and wait till the better days come, to glaze over suffering now. He says that the trials are there for a purpose, the refining of our faith. He compares it to the process of refining gold, of heating it up to more than 1000 degrees centigrade and burning away the impurities. The trials help to prove our faith genuine.
I think like salvation we can sometimes be a bit complacent about our faith. We have faith and that is enough. Like it says in Ephesians 2 verse 9 “By faith alone we are saved, not from works so that no man can boast.” A greater faith doesn’t mean that we are more saved. Having a little faith doesn’t mean that we are saved less. So how does refining our faith do any good?
Perhaps our understanding along with our faith is refined when we face these trials. Each time we come through a trial we come face to face with God’s love and compassion, of the awesome nature of Christ’s sacrifice. And through it, our understanding of God will grow. Some of the misconceptions about what God is are burned away. We realize that the God we put in a box of our understanding is actually a whole lot bigger and grander than we could ever really imagine. We get through these trials through God’s grace and strength and our faithful response to these trials – a trust in him, is music to his ears. Look at the second half of verse 7 the trials come so it “may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
So through our sufferings our faith is refined. That doesn’t mean that we need to go out and seek suffering to get a better faith, I think as we live Christian lives suffering will come to us anyway. Also it’s talking about a refined faith, having a faith that is proved genuine. The importance of having a genuine faith is revealed in verse 9 “for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls. Our soul. It’s not just a salvation from the little things. This is eternal salvation from the mistake that man made way back in the beginning of creation that resulted in the world being cursed.
This probably would have had more impact on the people that Peter was writing to. As I was saying at the beginning of the sermon, I think we can have a fairly academic view of salvation and we don’t have this sense of anticipation about what it means. But the people that he was writing to – slaves, servants – people who were suffering, to be reminded of the fact that this suffering is a part of their faith that leads to salvation meant that they could stand that little bit taller. It meant that they could be confident and rejoice in God’s plan for salvation. The anticipation for this promised salvation was one they had been looking for a really, really long time. Peter mentions in verse 10 the prophets of the past who searched intently and with the greatest care into what the salvation was and that now the things they had been waiting for had come to pass. The sufferings of the Christ had happened, so now the glories will follow. The immensity of this glory is so great that even angels long to look into these things!
We need to recapture that sense of wonder about our salvation. As it says in verse 8 it starts with having a love for Christ, and even though we don’t see him now, we believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.
I have to admit that when I chose this passage, I really struggled to come to grips with this idea of joy and amazing salvation. I read it multiple times and at one point I didn’t even want to write a sermon on it because I felt, well nothing really while reading it. I found it incredibly hard to get the joy of salvation – but after studying, praying and talking about it with some close Christian friends I got a glimmer and then a strong sense of God’s great mercy and power. I imagine I will soon loose the wonder again, but that doesn’t change the fact that God is great, nor does it make the promise of salvation any less awe inspiring. So don’t worry if you don’t feel like your head is in the clouds and everything is fine and wonderful – God’s promise is there, today and always that for those who follow him.
So what? What should we be doing with a greater understanding of salvation? How should we be living? Peter uses this firm foundation of the salvation God as a way to help the people understand how they should be living.
First and foremost it talks about in verse 3 how God, has chosen us through the sanctifying work of the spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ. It’s such a simple thing to say; yet it is so hard to do, obey God. All throughout the bible the command is to trust and obey. Paul in Philippians 2 tells us to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus who was obedient to death. A bit later on Peter talks about as obedient
Children we are to live a holy life, since God is holy.
I think part of that obedience comes in the need to share this message – The obedience that Peter talks about isn’t specifically about spreading the Gospel, but there are plenty of places that talk about how we should be talking about the salvation Christ offers. We need to be bold in speaking out to our non-Christian friends and co-workers, not with a fear of acceptance which means as one author puts it “we settle for the kind of friendliness within which all absolutes perish either for lack of interest or because the demands of the social etiquette’. There is an absolute, that faith in Christ is the way to salvation. I’m sure that if you do speak boldly you will come up against some ‘suffering’ whether that’s as subtle as getting a cold shoulder or something that may impact your financial or physical wellbeing – but as we explored before, through these trials our faith will be challenged, it will be refined to be proved genuine.
The other thing that comes up in this passage as a response to salvation is that we should be praising God. V3 again – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
We don’t need to worry about the things in our future. We don’t need to stress about what may happen. If we trust in God, and follow him, we know what our future holds because we are told here in his word. We are given a new birth and inheritance with him. I can’t think of anything greater to praise the lord for. A life with him, free from the pain and death of this world, free from the ravages of sin. We are granted salvation through faith in Christ. Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Christ is revealed and Praise the Lord.
Amen
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Proverbs chapter 31
vs 21
They're clothed well because she has clothed them well. She has made sure the family has not just clothes, but good clothes. And not just good clothes, but expensive clothes, stylish clothes.
vs 22
Industrious and well groomed - from the previous verses, you almost get the idea that the reason the family can afford this stuff is because of her work, not the husband's.
vs 23
This isn't just an idle verse - he's respected partly because of her.
vs 24
One more point for industriousness. She's doing so well that she can sell stuff that is of a quality the merchants want it for themselves!
vs 25
A strong woman, confident, dignified. She has this air of self-sufficiency, but in fact is being sufficient for the whole family.
vs 26
Because, of course, the children will learn a lot from her, and probably her husband too.
vs 27
Mmm, bread of idleness.
I'd suck at doing regular household chores. The idea of doing things over and over again, of work never being done? Erk. I'd be baking big old batches of idleness.
vs 28
Deservedly, from the sounds of it. Although I can imagine some women of noble character whom are not recognised as such by their familes - but if they're confident enough, they should be able to encourage such respect.
vs 29
Awwww. What a nice thing to say to your wife.
vs 30
And that's the crux of the matter. Sure, you can be pretty. Sure, you can be a sultry charming lass. But if you're a woman of God, you're going to be trustworthy, dependable, hard-working, and a boon to the whole family.
vs 31
And see, she will also be praised for the work she has done. People will see the fruits of her industry, the support she gives the family, the way they are always so well looked after, and say, "Gosh, that guy's got a great wife."
And so, here endeth Proverbs. On a rather happy note, really.
They're clothed well because she has clothed them well. She has made sure the family has not just clothes, but good clothes. And not just good clothes, but expensive clothes, stylish clothes.
vs 22
Industrious and well groomed - from the previous verses, you almost get the idea that the reason the family can afford this stuff is because of her work, not the husband's.
vs 23
This isn't just an idle verse - he's respected partly because of her.
vs 24
One more point for industriousness. She's doing so well that she can sell stuff that is of a quality the merchants want it for themselves!
vs 25
A strong woman, confident, dignified. She has this air of self-sufficiency, but in fact is being sufficient for the whole family.
vs 26
Because, of course, the children will learn a lot from her, and probably her husband too.
vs 27
Mmm, bread of idleness.
I'd suck at doing regular household chores. The idea of doing things over and over again, of work never being done? Erk. I'd be baking big old batches of idleness.
vs 28
Deservedly, from the sounds of it. Although I can imagine some women of noble character whom are not recognised as such by their familes - but if they're confident enough, they should be able to encourage such respect.
vs 29
Awwww. What a nice thing to say to your wife.
vs 30
And that's the crux of the matter. Sure, you can be pretty. Sure, you can be a sultry charming lass. But if you're a woman of God, you're going to be trustworthy, dependable, hard-working, and a boon to the whole family.
vs 31
And see, she will also be praised for the work she has done. People will see the fruits of her industry, the support she gives the family, the way they are always so well looked after, and say, "Gosh, that guy's got a great wife."
And so, here endeth Proverbs. On a rather happy note, really.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Proverbs chapter 31
You know, I'm going to miss Proverbs. I've had fun here.
vs 11
Not only is this woman trustworthy, but because of her service to her husband, he actually becomes richer and more powerful as a result.
vs 12
I think this is like an active good. I'm sure there's some passive good in there too, but my point is that doing nothing isn't doing good. This is a woman who actively brings good to her husband.
vs 13
Obviously not literally necessary - but being useful and creative are wonderful traits.
vs 14
To cook for the family, perhaps? I'm guessing, by the way, that this is written to people of noble stature, kings and the like. But then, putting a nice meal on the table every now and again is really nice.
vs 15
She works hard at what she does, is the point here. Obviously not all wives even cook. But a good woman is one who doesn't sit idle - but instead makes the most of her situation and treats it seriously. This goes just as much for a man, really.
vs 16
See, this is business savvy right here. She takes appropriate responsibility, makes decisions, and makes things happen.
vs 17
I think 'arms are strong for her tasks' doesn't mean she lifts weights. It means that she does what she's set herself to do.
vs 18
Profitable trading just continues on with the responsible and useful activities thing. The lamp never going out - reliable? Like she makes sure her husband can find his way home, even late at night?
vs 19
Of course... the distaff and spindle...
Something to do with spinning wool and making thread. Just more about being useful and productive.
vs 20
Which is just plain wise, as we've all seen from reading the rest of proverbs.
vs 11
Not only is this woman trustworthy, but because of her service to her husband, he actually becomes richer and more powerful as a result.
vs 12
I think this is like an active good. I'm sure there's some passive good in there too, but my point is that doing nothing isn't doing good. This is a woman who actively brings good to her husband.
vs 13
Obviously not literally necessary - but being useful and creative are wonderful traits.
vs 14
To cook for the family, perhaps? I'm guessing, by the way, that this is written to people of noble stature, kings and the like. But then, putting a nice meal on the table every now and again is really nice.
vs 15
She works hard at what she does, is the point here. Obviously not all wives even cook. But a good woman is one who doesn't sit idle - but instead makes the most of her situation and treats it seriously. This goes just as much for a man, really.
vs 16
See, this is business savvy right here. She takes appropriate responsibility, makes decisions, and makes things happen.
vs 17
I think 'arms are strong for her tasks' doesn't mean she lifts weights. It means that she does what she's set herself to do.
vs 18
Profitable trading just continues on with the responsible and useful activities thing. The lamp never going out - reliable? Like she makes sure her husband can find his way home, even late at night?
vs 19
Of course... the distaff and spindle...
Something to do with spinning wool and making thread. Just more about being useful and productive.
vs 20
Which is just plain wise, as we've all seen from reading the rest of proverbs.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Proverbs chapter 31
vs 1
So, really the sayings of his mum. Sounds cooler if you put it under the king's name, I guess.
Actually, you know what is missing from Proverbs? A bunch of stuff saying how stupid women are. "Big deal" you might say, but remember when this was written. I know adultery is written from the perspective of 'adulteresses', which isn't exactly flattering, but a lot is said about listening to your mother.
vs 2
Awww, isn't that sweet.
vs 3
Ouch! From the mouth of a mother, I guess. Damn, I had to open my mouth about women. Look, I think the point is that if you spend all your time chasing tail, you're not ruling your kingdom. So don't let them domiate your mind or... other bits you use to think with.
vs 4
Alcohol similarly. It's not that a king can't drink it - it's that they can't become a slave to it.
vs 5
And that is why - kings are primarily, or at least partly, to exist as a tool for justice. And drunkards aren't great at justice.
vs 6
Of course, alcohol is a depressant, so this isn't really fabulous advice. But the point being that kings shouldn't be drinking it.
vs 7
Kings shouldn't be into such escapism. Their lives also shouldn't be miserable, I suppose.
vs 8
We so often think of rich important people looking out for other rich, important people. But the job of a king is actually to look out for the oppressed and the marginalised. That's what God expects.
vs 9
Speak up! Don't just "do what you can". Be active about it, and pursue it! That's what God wants.
vs 10
Ahhh, now we start on the famous wife of noble character. This comes just before the book of Esther in the Hebrew bible, and little wonder. But we'll learn more about that tomorrow.
So, really the sayings of his mum. Sounds cooler if you put it under the king's name, I guess.
Actually, you know what is missing from Proverbs? A bunch of stuff saying how stupid women are. "Big deal" you might say, but remember when this was written. I know adultery is written from the perspective of 'adulteresses', which isn't exactly flattering, but a lot is said about listening to your mother.
vs 2
Awww, isn't that sweet.
vs 3
Ouch! From the mouth of a mother, I guess. Damn, I had to open my mouth about women. Look, I think the point is that if you spend all your time chasing tail, you're not ruling your kingdom. So don't let them domiate your mind or... other bits you use to think with.
vs 4
Alcohol similarly. It's not that a king can't drink it - it's that they can't become a slave to it.
vs 5
And that is why - kings are primarily, or at least partly, to exist as a tool for justice. And drunkards aren't great at justice.
vs 6
Of course, alcohol is a depressant, so this isn't really fabulous advice. But the point being that kings shouldn't be drinking it.
vs 7
Kings shouldn't be into such escapism. Their lives also shouldn't be miserable, I suppose.
vs 8
We so often think of rich important people looking out for other rich, important people. But the job of a king is actually to look out for the oppressed and the marginalised. That's what God expects.
vs 9
Speak up! Don't just "do what you can". Be active about it, and pursue it! That's what God wants.
vs 10
Ahhh, now we start on the famous wife of noble character. This comes just before the book of Esther in the Hebrew bible, and little wonder. But we'll learn more about that tomorrow.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Proverbs chapter 30
vs 23
So these are obviously things that are things that go against how the world was made. It's not that they don't happen - that's the whole point, I suppose, they do - but when you see them, you know something is broken with the world. In that way, the servant becoming king or displacing the mistress thing is a bit nasty. Not sure what to do with that. Modern western meritocracy is supposed to be built on this ideal. Of course it isn't. But anyway, the idea is that there are things in life that we see, and think, "It shouldn't be like that," but it is. This is definitely a bit Ecclesiastical.
vs 24
Four more things - easy to remember when you repeat the pattern, I guess. And these are directly related to wisdom.
vs 25
Because ants are awesome. They teach us, apparently, that storing up for hard times is wise.
vs 26
I think a hydrax is a kind of bunny. But I'm wrong. I just looked at one, and I've got no idea what it is. Therefore, I'm not exactly sure what wisdom we learn from them. They are resourceful? That's about as good as I can get.
vs 27
They work together.
vs 28
They are sneaky. Not often what we would think of as wise - in fact, considering the link between wisdom and righteousness, the idea that sneakiness is wise means we should probably use a different word. Shrewd, I believe Jesus uses. Perhaps even tenacious?
vs 29
Now what does a stately stride have to do with anything? Let's see if he enlightens us.
vs 30
Okay, so courage is stately? I'm guessing.
vs 31
Darn. We get to the end of the phrase, where the punchline is meant to be, and the Hebrew is uncertain. So the idea, I think, is courage, assurity, confidence - hold your head up, and these things give you a look of authority.
vs 32
We can stop ourselves from doing or saying what we do or say. I think sometimes we don't exert enough power over ourselves to stop what we know is probably going to end up bad. The lesson here is, if you can't keep your mouth shut, cover it! Better to look a little silly than have to make excuses.
vs 33
It's a fait accomplit. Trouble brews where there is anger. Because it's much more difficult to control what you say or do when you're angry. Not impossible, though. But sufficed to say that if anger is being sought, strife will follow it. There's really no good reason to provoke anger.
So these are obviously things that are things that go against how the world was made. It's not that they don't happen - that's the whole point, I suppose, they do - but when you see them, you know something is broken with the world. In that way, the servant becoming king or displacing the mistress thing is a bit nasty. Not sure what to do with that. Modern western meritocracy is supposed to be built on this ideal. Of course it isn't. But anyway, the idea is that there are things in life that we see, and think, "It shouldn't be like that," but it is. This is definitely a bit Ecclesiastical.
vs 24
Four more things - easy to remember when you repeat the pattern, I guess. And these are directly related to wisdom.
vs 25
Because ants are awesome. They teach us, apparently, that storing up for hard times is wise.
vs 26
I think a hydrax is a kind of bunny. But I'm wrong. I just looked at one, and I've got no idea what it is. Therefore, I'm not exactly sure what wisdom we learn from them. They are resourceful? That's about as good as I can get.
vs 27
They work together.
vs 28
They are sneaky. Not often what we would think of as wise - in fact, considering the link between wisdom and righteousness, the idea that sneakiness is wise means we should probably use a different word. Shrewd, I believe Jesus uses. Perhaps even tenacious?
vs 29
Now what does a stately stride have to do with anything? Let's see if he enlightens us.
vs 30
Okay, so courage is stately? I'm guessing.
vs 31
Darn. We get to the end of the phrase, where the punchline is meant to be, and the Hebrew is uncertain. So the idea, I think, is courage, assurity, confidence - hold your head up, and these things give you a look of authority.
vs 32
We can stop ourselves from doing or saying what we do or say. I think sometimes we don't exert enough power over ourselves to stop what we know is probably going to end up bad. The lesson here is, if you can't keep your mouth shut, cover it! Better to look a little silly than have to make excuses.
vs 33
It's a fait accomplit. Trouble brews where there is anger. Because it's much more difficult to control what you say or do when you're angry. Not impossible, though. But sufficed to say that if anger is being sought, strife will follow it. There's really no good reason to provoke anger.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Proverbs chapter 30
vs 12
It's easier to be this way than it sounds. Sometimes you can just be steeped in sin, and yet not even notice, because you've talked it away, or you've made reasons, or you look at all the good things you do, or just turn your back on it.
vs 13
I don't think this is about what you look at, but how you look, the expressions held in your eyes. These people think themselves better than others.
vs 14
So obviously not literally. We're not talking about cannibals. We're talking about those who exploit the poor and needy for their own gain - who may as well eat them.
Wait, do we not learn something about these people? Is it just a matter of us knowing they exist? As if we didn't know!
vs 15
Right, because this verse is super easy, I looked some stuff up. The two daughters is the two suckers on a leech. Yes, I know leeches don't have two mouths (do they?) but the idea is that when you look at a leech, you don't know which end is which, so it's as if it has two mouths. And they cry, "Give, give" of course, because they're always hungry. And this apparently leads into the next section about constancy of demands and such.
Of course, I didn't come up with any of that myself.
vs 16
Is true, those things always seem to consume. The barren womb is a bit harsh.
vs 17
Ouch. God is really big on the whole respecting parents thing.
vs 18
Ooh, this sounds like an interesting subject. Things that amaze Agur. Was that his name?
vs 19
This is just a fantastic verse. They really are just wonderful and amazing things, all of them. I think the point, in fact, is to make it clear that the relationship between young men and women is rather mysterious and amazing and special.
vs 20
This doesn't necessarily mean that some who thinks they're doing wrong isn't committing adultery. I mean, there are probably some who do think it's wrong, but feel trapped, or just do it anyway.
vs 21
He loves this turn of phrase.
vs 22
Why does a servant becoming king shake the earth? Is shaking the earth bad? Godless fools having plenty to eat seems bad... but again, is it? I guess so in terms of the wisdom of the rest of the book. Interesting to see how this develops.
It's easier to be this way than it sounds. Sometimes you can just be steeped in sin, and yet not even notice, because you've talked it away, or you've made reasons, or you look at all the good things you do, or just turn your back on it.
vs 13
I don't think this is about what you look at, but how you look, the expressions held in your eyes. These people think themselves better than others.
vs 14
So obviously not literally. We're not talking about cannibals. We're talking about those who exploit the poor and needy for their own gain - who may as well eat them.
Wait, do we not learn something about these people? Is it just a matter of us knowing they exist? As if we didn't know!
vs 15
Right, because this verse is super easy, I looked some stuff up. The two daughters is the two suckers on a leech. Yes, I know leeches don't have two mouths (do they?) but the idea is that when you look at a leech, you don't know which end is which, so it's as if it has two mouths. And they cry, "Give, give" of course, because they're always hungry. And this apparently leads into the next section about constancy of demands and such.
Of course, I didn't come up with any of that myself.
vs 16
Is true, those things always seem to consume. The barren womb is a bit harsh.
vs 17
Ouch. God is really big on the whole respecting parents thing.
vs 18
Ooh, this sounds like an interesting subject. Things that amaze Agur. Was that his name?
vs 19
This is just a fantastic verse. They really are just wonderful and amazing things, all of them. I think the point, in fact, is to make it clear that the relationship between young men and women is rather mysterious and amazing and special.
vs 20
This doesn't necessarily mean that some who thinks they're doing wrong isn't committing adultery. I mean, there are probably some who do think it's wrong, but feel trapped, or just do it anyway.
vs 21
He loves this turn of phrase.
vs 22
Why does a servant becoming king shake the earth? Is shaking the earth bad? Godless fools having plenty to eat seems bad... but again, is it? I guess so in terms of the wisdom of the rest of the book. Interesting to see how this develops.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Proverbs chapter 30
vs 1
So, Agur - everyone loves Agur. Who is Agur? No idea. What he says is apparently inspired, though, and we assume it's wise since it's in here. Now it depends how you break it up in Hebrew, apparently - it could say different things. That's why you will see it different in the TNIV to all the others. What does one do in this situation? Because the Masoretic text reads it the old way... can we be so bold as to reword it based on a different pointing? It's a pretty bold step on behalf of the TNIV committee. Having said that, the only way to otherwise read the words is as pronouns, which is pretty weak if you ask me.
But then, even the optionally different translation in the NIV is different. Nothing about prevailing. Lucky it's not a hugely important passage in the great scheme of things.
vs 2
This starts off sounding a little Ecclesiastical (capital E, talking about the book, not the church). The idea here being, I'd say, that Agur is humbling his wisdom.
vs 3
See, now if this is true, why are your words here, mate? Surely this is self-deprecating.
vs 4
Okay, well if this is what he's talking about then obviously we're all in the same dark boat on this one. But look at that last statement - who is God's son? We know that! We know more than you, Agur!
vs 5
Damn right. And who'd have thought that would include your words, Agur? You must be proud.
vs 6
See, Agur here wasn't trying to add to God's words. Someone just submitted his stuff to the editor, I guess. But we shouldn't seek to add to them. We should listen, and not put words in God's mouth.
That's actually harder than it sounds.
vs 7
Seems an odd thing, to request things from God in this way. And yet, God asks for it, so why not?
vs 8
Are those the two things? For the moment let's say they are.
Ahh, lies and falsehood. What a great idea, to keep them far from you. Something to strive for.
And he's really a man after my own heart here. Not rich, not poor, just what he needs. I'd love to live like that. I tend to be what I need... and then a thing or three more. Sigh. Damn materialism.
vs 9
He knows his limits, this man. Do I have the courage to look at myself so soberly and ask God for what I really need - being able to judge where I stand and ask for what I need to be able to not bring dishonour to him on either side? Not always.
vs 10
Absolutely. This never ends well. I wonder what this says about prayer, though. I mean, if we complain about people to God, especially his servants, how's that going to look? Well, I suppose he'll deal with it. The verse is about the servant getting upset anyway, not the master.
vs 11
This is the start of a long list. We might see the end of it tomorrow.
So, Agur - everyone loves Agur. Who is Agur? No idea. What he says is apparently inspired, though, and we assume it's wise since it's in here. Now it depends how you break it up in Hebrew, apparently - it could say different things. That's why you will see it different in the TNIV to all the others. What does one do in this situation? Because the Masoretic text reads it the old way... can we be so bold as to reword it based on a different pointing? It's a pretty bold step on behalf of the TNIV committee. Having said that, the only way to otherwise read the words is as pronouns, which is pretty weak if you ask me.
But then, even the optionally different translation in the NIV is different. Nothing about prevailing. Lucky it's not a hugely important passage in the great scheme of things.
vs 2
This starts off sounding a little Ecclesiastical (capital E, talking about the book, not the church). The idea here being, I'd say, that Agur is humbling his wisdom.
vs 3
See, now if this is true, why are your words here, mate? Surely this is self-deprecating.
vs 4
Okay, well if this is what he's talking about then obviously we're all in the same dark boat on this one. But look at that last statement - who is God's son? We know that! We know more than you, Agur!
vs 5
Damn right. And who'd have thought that would include your words, Agur? You must be proud.
vs 6
See, Agur here wasn't trying to add to God's words. Someone just submitted his stuff to the editor, I guess. But we shouldn't seek to add to them. We should listen, and not put words in God's mouth.
That's actually harder than it sounds.
vs 7
Seems an odd thing, to request things from God in this way. And yet, God asks for it, so why not?
vs 8
Are those the two things? For the moment let's say they are.
Ahh, lies and falsehood. What a great idea, to keep them far from you. Something to strive for.
And he's really a man after my own heart here. Not rich, not poor, just what he needs. I'd love to live like that. I tend to be what I need... and then a thing or three more. Sigh. Damn materialism.
vs 9
He knows his limits, this man. Do I have the courage to look at myself so soberly and ask God for what I really need - being able to judge where I stand and ask for what I need to be able to not bring dishonour to him on either side? Not always.
vs 10
Absolutely. This never ends well. I wonder what this says about prayer, though. I mean, if we complain about people to God, especially his servants, how's that going to look? Well, I suppose he'll deal with it. The verse is about the servant getting upset anyway, not the master.
vs 11
This is the start of a long list. We might see the end of it tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Proverbs chapter 29
vs 19
Now we don't have servants to whom we can give non-word correction (beatings). But just let the truth of this statement sink in a moment. Some people will understand what you say, but simply not respond. That includes us sometimes, I reckon. That makes us stubborn.
vs 20
Foot in mouth syndrome, alive and well for thousands of years. Getting your brain in gear before you talk is so important, but some of us just need to talk all the time. It's a curse, I tells you.
vs 21
So will a child. Is it just me, or have you noticed lots of children being pampered from youth, and turning out insolent?
vs 22
It's certainly a simple thing to picture, isn't it - someone angry getting into trouble, stirring up other people, doing things they'll later regret. No wonder the Bible says, "In your anger, do not sin" - the simple fact being that we all get angry, but only some of us react in anger inappropriately.
vs 23
Isn't it strange that this can happen - that you might try to achieve something, like making a name and esteem for yourself, but you can't do it yourself. Instead, your honour has to come from other people. If the world working like that isn't an indication that God is above logic, I don't know what is.
vs 24
I'm not sure if it's saying that the not testifying is what makes them an accomplice, or just that this is the position they inevitably get put into. Regardless, helping thieves appparently makes you your own worst enemy.
vs 25
This isn't the only time we'll hear that we shouldn't fear people. Only God. But God seeks to drive out our fears. Which is great. Who likes fear, after all?
vs 26
Not that we shouldn't turn to the secular authorities looking for justice. But we should also seek justice from God, and acknowledge his part in justice.
vs 27
Nice to know the feeling is mutual, regardless of what side you're on. Also, I guess it means if you see yourself despising someone who is upright... just check and make sure it's not because you're wicked.
Now we don't have servants to whom we can give non-word correction (beatings). But just let the truth of this statement sink in a moment. Some people will understand what you say, but simply not respond. That includes us sometimes, I reckon. That makes us stubborn.
vs 20
Foot in mouth syndrome, alive and well for thousands of years. Getting your brain in gear before you talk is so important, but some of us just need to talk all the time. It's a curse, I tells you.
vs 21
So will a child. Is it just me, or have you noticed lots of children being pampered from youth, and turning out insolent?
vs 22
It's certainly a simple thing to picture, isn't it - someone angry getting into trouble, stirring up other people, doing things they'll later regret. No wonder the Bible says, "In your anger, do not sin" - the simple fact being that we all get angry, but only some of us react in anger inappropriately.
vs 23
Isn't it strange that this can happen - that you might try to achieve something, like making a name and esteem for yourself, but you can't do it yourself. Instead, your honour has to come from other people. If the world working like that isn't an indication that God is above logic, I don't know what is.
vs 24
I'm not sure if it's saying that the not testifying is what makes them an accomplice, or just that this is the position they inevitably get put into. Regardless, helping thieves appparently makes you your own worst enemy.
vs 25
This isn't the only time we'll hear that we shouldn't fear people. Only God. But God seeks to drive out our fears. Which is great. Who likes fear, after all?
vs 26
Not that we shouldn't turn to the secular authorities looking for justice. But we should also seek justice from God, and acknowledge his part in justice.
vs 27
Nice to know the feeling is mutual, regardless of what side you're on. Also, I guess it means if you see yourself despising someone who is upright... just check and make sure it's not because you're wicked.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Proverbs chapter 29
vs 10
I would have thought the bloodthirsty just seek to kill, but maybe there is something attractive about the righteous. Perhaps they're easier to kill than other bloodthirsty people.
vs 11
See, even wise people can get angry. The difference is that one burns out from his anger, the other calms down.
vs 12
Because, of course, if you listen to lies, liars become your advisors. Got to be hella careful with that.
vs 13
It's not just the poor who receive sight from God. Every time an oppressor realises the wrong they are doing, God has opened their eyes. It's just so much more common among the poor and needy, I suppose, because they are used to needing things from others.
vs 14
Why, because the poor will vote for him, or pay him taxes, or join his army? No, because God will establish it. That's why. It's not causal. It's Godal.
vs 15
I wonder what this says about Steiner schools? Or any school these days, for that matter. Punishment became a dirty word in Christianity years ago, thanks to some pop psychologist I bet, and political correctness. Perhaps it is better I don't have kids.
vs 16
Because righteousness outlives wickedness, even if wickedness thrives for the moment. Righteousness is eternal.
vs 17
So discipline not only means you get some peace, but it also means that your kids will serve you. Obviously this is proper discipline - if you embitter your kids, this won't work.
vs 18
Funny that revelation tends to bring constraint. I mean, the book of proverbs talks a lot about moderation, but it's funny that it seems we always need to be constrained from things, rather than being told, "Gee, lighten up." By nature we tend to go too far with bad and not enough with good.
I would have thought the bloodthirsty just seek to kill, but maybe there is something attractive about the righteous. Perhaps they're easier to kill than other bloodthirsty people.
vs 11
See, even wise people can get angry. The difference is that one burns out from his anger, the other calms down.
vs 12
Because, of course, if you listen to lies, liars become your advisors. Got to be hella careful with that.
vs 13
It's not just the poor who receive sight from God. Every time an oppressor realises the wrong they are doing, God has opened their eyes. It's just so much more common among the poor and needy, I suppose, because they are used to needing things from others.
vs 14
Why, because the poor will vote for him, or pay him taxes, or join his army? No, because God will establish it. That's why. It's not causal. It's Godal.
vs 15
I wonder what this says about Steiner schools? Or any school these days, for that matter. Punishment became a dirty word in Christianity years ago, thanks to some pop psychologist I bet, and political correctness. Perhaps it is better I don't have kids.
vs 16
Because righteousness outlives wickedness, even if wickedness thrives for the moment. Righteousness is eternal.
vs 17
So discipline not only means you get some peace, but it also means that your kids will serve you. Obviously this is proper discipline - if you embitter your kids, this won't work.
vs 18
Funny that revelation tends to bring constraint. I mean, the book of proverbs talks a lot about moderation, but it's funny that it seems we always need to be constrained from things, rather than being told, "Gee, lighten up." By nature we tend to go too far with bad and not enough with good.
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Proverbs chapter 29
vs 1
You know what? I think we sail way too close to the wind with a lot of things we do. The first thing I thought when I read this verse was, "How many?" The answer of course being, "One too many."
vs 2
We've heard this a few times now. People do like a little bit of wickedness. Sometimes they like a lot of wickedness. But I don't think they like it languishing in leadership.
vs 3
Wisdom and the joy of a father, versus prostitutes and the squandering of wealth. Obviously there are cultural mores here that work strongly. But also personal attraction of keeping wealth is an attraction, I guess.
vs 4
Stability means knowing what is going to happen. Bribes will always happen, but knowing that punishments will be meted out equally and fairly means people can know what to expect, know they won't be ripped off easily, and they feel more comfortable taking risks and doing business.
vs 5
So you'll catch yourself in them? How might this work? Well, I guess you could, for example, flatter your neighbours, then talk about them behind their backs, only for them to hear it and then know you're full of it?
vs 6
I suppose because nothing is snaring them.
vs 7
Easy way to tell a righteous person, or a wicked one, I guess. Justice, so important to wisdom. So important to God.
vs 8
So fools can start riots. Only the wise can stop them.
vs 9
I can vouch for this. Fools in court bring no peace. Witness John Wilson, who has been in court representing himself for 14 straight years. Or whatever his name is, nobody cares.
You know what? I think we sail way too close to the wind with a lot of things we do. The first thing I thought when I read this verse was, "How many?" The answer of course being, "One too many."
vs 2
We've heard this a few times now. People do like a little bit of wickedness. Sometimes they like a lot of wickedness. But I don't think they like it languishing in leadership.
vs 3
Wisdom and the joy of a father, versus prostitutes and the squandering of wealth. Obviously there are cultural mores here that work strongly. But also personal attraction of keeping wealth is an attraction, I guess.
vs 4
Stability means knowing what is going to happen. Bribes will always happen, but knowing that punishments will be meted out equally and fairly means people can know what to expect, know they won't be ripped off easily, and they feel more comfortable taking risks and doing business.
vs 5
So you'll catch yourself in them? How might this work? Well, I guess you could, for example, flatter your neighbours, then talk about them behind their backs, only for them to hear it and then know you're full of it?
vs 6
I suppose because nothing is snaring them.
vs 7
Easy way to tell a righteous person, or a wicked one, I guess. Justice, so important to wisdom. So important to God.
vs 8
So fools can start riots. Only the wise can stop them.
vs 9
I can vouch for this. Fools in court bring no peace. Witness John Wilson, who has been in court representing himself for 14 straight years. Or whatever his name is, nobody cares.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Proverbs chapter 28
vs 19
It's not that I don't agree, except of course that we don't live in a farming economy, and a lot of people today chase their dreams and actually succeed. Which really means that you have to read this verse carefully, because otherwise it will just seem like garbage.
vs 20
'Richly blessed' doesn't necessarily mean blessed with riches, but 'not go unpunished' does mean 'God has your ass', so choose which you prefer.
vs 21
I assume they're saying the piece of bread is like a bribe for showing partiality. And you know, if people are in the wrong mood, they will take a piece of bread and it will change their decision. So this is absolutely right. Watch yourself whenever you need to make an important decision.
vs 22
So don't be stingy! I can be stingy sometimes. Am I eager to get rich? Probably eager to be a little more comfortable, which isn't all that different. Perhaps that's why I'm poor. Heh, just kidding, I'm not poor.
vs 23
Assuming the person needed a rebuke, anyway. Flattery isn't encouragement, either. Encouragement is good.
vs 24
Bastard people who rob their parents. I'm not exactly the best child, but I'd never try and steal from under them while they convalesce. Funny the things that upset me.
vs 25
People do have problems with greediness, and greedy people do tend to have disagreements a lot, especially with other greedy people. So I guess sometimes we've got to be prepared to give things up, and trust that God will take care of it.
vs 26
It makes sense to trust in God. It looks like it makes sense to trust in yourself, but really, if you look at yourself, you know how crap you are. Go on, do it. Yeah.
vs 27
See, this makes no sense. Who suffers from not giving to the poor? But God doesn't like it. He will make sure you pay, in a total non-cause-effect type way. Which is scary, because our brains don't work that way.
vs 28
And they will perish. That's the thing about wickedness, it does perish. Righteousness is by its nature eternal. I only just realised that recently. It was in one of my sermons. Interestingly, wickedness generally perishes at the hands of the wicked. God doesn't like to do his own dirty work sometimes - he just lets the dirty do it of their own free will.
It's not that I don't agree, except of course that we don't live in a farming economy, and a lot of people today chase their dreams and actually succeed. Which really means that you have to read this verse carefully, because otherwise it will just seem like garbage.
vs 20
'Richly blessed' doesn't necessarily mean blessed with riches, but 'not go unpunished' does mean 'God has your ass', so choose which you prefer.
vs 21
I assume they're saying the piece of bread is like a bribe for showing partiality. And you know, if people are in the wrong mood, they will take a piece of bread and it will change their decision. So this is absolutely right. Watch yourself whenever you need to make an important decision.
vs 22
So don't be stingy! I can be stingy sometimes. Am I eager to get rich? Probably eager to be a little more comfortable, which isn't all that different. Perhaps that's why I'm poor. Heh, just kidding, I'm not poor.
vs 23
Assuming the person needed a rebuke, anyway. Flattery isn't encouragement, either. Encouragement is good.
vs 24
Bastard people who rob their parents. I'm not exactly the best child, but I'd never try and steal from under them while they convalesce. Funny the things that upset me.
vs 25
People do have problems with greediness, and greedy people do tend to have disagreements a lot, especially with other greedy people. So I guess sometimes we've got to be prepared to give things up, and trust that God will take care of it.
vs 26
It makes sense to trust in God. It looks like it makes sense to trust in yourself, but really, if you look at yourself, you know how crap you are. Go on, do it. Yeah.
vs 27
See, this makes no sense. Who suffers from not giving to the poor? But God doesn't like it. He will make sure you pay, in a total non-cause-effect type way. Which is scary, because our brains don't work that way.
vs 28
And they will perish. That's the thing about wickedness, it does perish. Righteousness is by its nature eternal. I only just realised that recently. It was in one of my sermons. Interestingly, wickedness generally perishes at the hands of the wicked. God doesn't like to do his own dirty work sometimes - he just lets the dirty do it of their own free will.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Proverbs chapter 28
vs 10
Most times, I suppose wicked people leading the upright along an evil path are setting traps for them, trying to catch them out on purpose. It might not be to hurt them really, but to convince them to what they think is right. But apparently, leading someone astray makes God angry, and he'll take some umbrage at it. People who are wanting to do the right thing, though, God has something good in store for them.
vs 11
Richness doesn't equal wisdom. Although wisdom can often equal richness. People can inherit money, though, and so think they're so smart, when they really don't have a clue. Wealth does not make right, any more than might is right.
vs 12
It's not universally true, unfortunately. Sometimes people want the slightly dirty person to win, to make thier slightly dirty lives a little bit easier to live. But it doesn't last, usually. People don't always like having righteous people in power, but it is good to know that justice will be done well.
vs 13
This is the opposite of what you would think would be the case. Surely if you go around making your sin known, people will think, "Why can't he just hide it like everyone else? Now I have to acknowledge that he's sinful." But God thinks differently. He wants us to acknowledge that we're sinful, and then he'll forgive us. Can't hide it from him anyway.
vs 14
How easy it is to harden your heart to God when there's something you want that he doesn't, or when you disagree with him. It's easy to fear a king when you know he might give an order at any time to kick your ass. We never see God like that. Kind of odd.
vs 15
So it's uncontrollable and dangerous to them, I am assuming. It will destroy them. It would be awful to have that said of you.
vs 16
Not that tyrannical leaders won't have a long reign. But those who are fair will usually reign a while. People like fairness, generally. Except powerful evil people who are used to getting their own way. In fact, most people today don't care about fairness. They just want their way. There's a guy who has been sueing people and going to court for 14 years now, and who doesn't care that he might be wrong - he is so convinced that no-one but him can be right that it has eaten his whole life, and he is a joke to most of us. That's what appeals do - they make people think, "If I can't get what I want, I'll keep trying" and of course they just end up giving all their money to lawyers.
vs 17
Is this seriously saying that if someone wants to kill themselves because they killed someone, let them do it? What does that say about God and suicide? It's interesting, because the NIV and the NASB take a different line - that a killer will be a fugitive forever, till he dies, and no-one will support him. Which obviously is easier to read and accept in modern terms, but interesting that the TNIV has reverted to the KJV reading here.
vs 18
The constant references to being blameless or righteous as a walk obviously means this is a good picture. The idea of the evil falling into holes or pits or traps just keeps coming up. This is an important message, and so gets repeated, and the same picture used.
Most times, I suppose wicked people leading the upright along an evil path are setting traps for them, trying to catch them out on purpose. It might not be to hurt them really, but to convince them to what they think is right. But apparently, leading someone astray makes God angry, and he'll take some umbrage at it. People who are wanting to do the right thing, though, God has something good in store for them.
vs 11
Richness doesn't equal wisdom. Although wisdom can often equal richness. People can inherit money, though, and so think they're so smart, when they really don't have a clue. Wealth does not make right, any more than might is right.
vs 12
It's not universally true, unfortunately. Sometimes people want the slightly dirty person to win, to make thier slightly dirty lives a little bit easier to live. But it doesn't last, usually. People don't always like having righteous people in power, but it is good to know that justice will be done well.
vs 13
This is the opposite of what you would think would be the case. Surely if you go around making your sin known, people will think, "Why can't he just hide it like everyone else? Now I have to acknowledge that he's sinful." But God thinks differently. He wants us to acknowledge that we're sinful, and then he'll forgive us. Can't hide it from him anyway.
vs 14
How easy it is to harden your heart to God when there's something you want that he doesn't, or when you disagree with him. It's easy to fear a king when you know he might give an order at any time to kick your ass. We never see God like that. Kind of odd.
vs 15
So it's uncontrollable and dangerous to them, I am assuming. It will destroy them. It would be awful to have that said of you.
vs 16
Not that tyrannical leaders won't have a long reign. But those who are fair will usually reign a while. People like fairness, generally. Except powerful evil people who are used to getting their own way. In fact, most people today don't care about fairness. They just want their way. There's a guy who has been sueing people and going to court for 14 years now, and who doesn't care that he might be wrong - he is so convinced that no-one but him can be right that it has eaten his whole life, and he is a joke to most of us. That's what appeals do - they make people think, "If I can't get what I want, I'll keep trying" and of course they just end up giving all their money to lawyers.
vs 17
Is this seriously saying that if someone wants to kill themselves because they killed someone, let them do it? What does that say about God and suicide? It's interesting, because the NIV and the NASB take a different line - that a killer will be a fugitive forever, till he dies, and no-one will support him. Which obviously is easier to read and accept in modern terms, but interesting that the TNIV has reverted to the KJV reading here.
vs 18
The constant references to being blameless or righteous as a walk obviously means this is a good picture. The idea of the evil falling into holes or pits or traps just keeps coming up. This is an important message, and so gets repeated, and the same picture used.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Proverbs chapter 28
vs 1
So the wicked are cowards, and the righteous should be courageous. Nice and simple.
vs 2
Wisdom, then, is one of the vital tools of a ruler in order to keep order in his country. I don't think we think about that. We think of economic management, political nouse and other things, but simple wisdom and discernment are vital to orderly ruling.
vs 3
In other words, very unforgiving and destructive to the future.
vs 4
The difference between wisdom and foolishness can be measured at least partly by how much you listen to and appreciate the wicked. Just remember that just because someone is wicked doesn't mean everything they say is always wrong, nor even everything they do.
vs 5
God actually helps us to understand what is right and wrong. But of course, you actually have to be looking for it, seeking God for it. You can talk about people having different perspectives on what is right, but the truth is that God is the absolute authority on it, so why go anywhere else?
vs 6
Righteousness is better than wealth. How much do we really believe it, in this society?
vs 7
This stuff about children and their effect on their parents, it just sounds so Jewish and blackmailing. I just had to say it. It's almost stereotypical, although obviously this came before.
vs 8
I cannot tell you how much I love this idea - that God uses rich bastards to amass money for righteous people. Worth remembering next time you get trounced by some rich bugger. You're going down, Telstra!
vs 9
Erm... it's painful to think that God might not listen to our prayers. I mean, if you don't think he listens anyway, then who cares. But it's like thinking that you might come home and your wife won't listen to you. Or you go to work and your boss refuses to talk to you. How long would you survive in that situation? The thought of it is crushing.
So the wicked are cowards, and the righteous should be courageous. Nice and simple.
vs 2
Wisdom, then, is one of the vital tools of a ruler in order to keep order in his country. I don't think we think about that. We think of economic management, political nouse and other things, but simple wisdom and discernment are vital to orderly ruling.
vs 3
In other words, very unforgiving and destructive to the future.
vs 4
The difference between wisdom and foolishness can be measured at least partly by how much you listen to and appreciate the wicked. Just remember that just because someone is wicked doesn't mean everything they say is always wrong, nor even everything they do.
vs 5
God actually helps us to understand what is right and wrong. But of course, you actually have to be looking for it, seeking God for it. You can talk about people having different perspectives on what is right, but the truth is that God is the absolute authority on it, so why go anywhere else?
vs 6
Righteousness is better than wealth. How much do we really believe it, in this society?
vs 7
This stuff about children and their effect on their parents, it just sounds so Jewish and blackmailing. I just had to say it. It's almost stereotypical, although obviously this came before.
vs 8
I cannot tell you how much I love this idea - that God uses rich bastards to amass money for righteous people. Worth remembering next time you get trounced by some rich bugger. You're going down, Telstra!
vs 9
Erm... it's painful to think that God might not listen to our prayers. I mean, if you don't think he listens anyway, then who cares. But it's like thinking that you might come home and your wife won't listen to you. Or you go to work and your boss refuses to talk to you. How long would you survive in that situation? The thought of it is crushing.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Proverbs chapter 27
vs 19
This is simple enough - the idea is that how you live reflects what you really think or feel in your heart, in your centre of you. The alternative translation is also pretty sensical - you will see your heart reflected in other people - because how you treat them will reflect back to you what your heart is like.
vs 20
So that just gives you an idea how undefeatable the enemy within us is - we will have to forever wage a losing war against our eyes, which will seek to cause us to sin. Of course, it's not our eyes that cause us to sin, but our desires - the eyes are just a useful tool to the desires.
vs 21
Sigh, but the TNIV just doesn't cut it here. Oh, it sounds cool, but it leaves it unclear as to the direction the praise is flowing. The NIV and NASB make it clear - that it is the praise accorded to the one being measured. Now, it might be more literally correct that we can't tell from the Hebrew which way the praise actually flows - but even so, guys, take a guess, or put both options in the text so that we at least know it's an option.
Anyway, people can be tested by the praise others give them. That will judge their worthiness.
vs 22
While a fool and his money are easily and soon parted, fools and their foolishness are melded together with, I don't know, glue or something.
vs 23
Animals equals wealth, so seriously, it's like looking after your shares.
vs 24
Look after riches, because they don't last forever? Or perhaps he's talking about looking after the homegrown trustworthy riches of food on table type riches, because the more ephemeral margin lending riches come and go? It does strike me, actually how many people strike it rich, or relatively well off, and then come crashing back down. It makes you wonder, "Where was their safety net?" Lots of people never have one. I think livestock could be the safety net of the nouveax riche of the ancient world.
vs 25
I assume that this is a particular time of season or in the farm calendar...
vs 26
Okay, so at this time livestock is worth a bit.
vs 27
It's a good and profitable time. This agricultural picture, is it allegorical? I feel like one of those people who heard one of Jesus' farming parables, like the parable of the sower, and didn't hear the explanation, and so thought it was literally about farming. Because I have no idea here. Will it be explained in chapter 28? Stay tuned!
This is simple enough - the idea is that how you live reflects what you really think or feel in your heart, in your centre of you. The alternative translation is also pretty sensical - you will see your heart reflected in other people - because how you treat them will reflect back to you what your heart is like.
vs 20
So that just gives you an idea how undefeatable the enemy within us is - we will have to forever wage a losing war against our eyes, which will seek to cause us to sin. Of course, it's not our eyes that cause us to sin, but our desires - the eyes are just a useful tool to the desires.
vs 21
Sigh, but the TNIV just doesn't cut it here. Oh, it sounds cool, but it leaves it unclear as to the direction the praise is flowing. The NIV and NASB make it clear - that it is the praise accorded to the one being measured. Now, it might be more literally correct that we can't tell from the Hebrew which way the praise actually flows - but even so, guys, take a guess, or put both options in the text so that we at least know it's an option.
Anyway, people can be tested by the praise others give them. That will judge their worthiness.
vs 22
While a fool and his money are easily and soon parted, fools and their foolishness are melded together with, I don't know, glue or something.
vs 23
Animals equals wealth, so seriously, it's like looking after your shares.
vs 24
Look after riches, because they don't last forever? Or perhaps he's talking about looking after the homegrown trustworthy riches of food on table type riches, because the more ephemeral margin lending riches come and go? It does strike me, actually how many people strike it rich, or relatively well off, and then come crashing back down. It makes you wonder, "Where was their safety net?" Lots of people never have one. I think livestock could be the safety net of the nouveax riche of the ancient world.
vs 25
I assume that this is a particular time of season or in the farm calendar...
vs 26
Okay, so at this time livestock is worth a bit.
vs 27
It's a good and profitable time. This agricultural picture, is it allegorical? I feel like one of those people who heard one of Jesus' farming parables, like the parable of the sower, and didn't hear the explanation, and so thought it was literally about farming. Because I have no idea here. Will it be explained in chapter 28? Stay tuned!
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