tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74653323294060949382024-03-05T16:30:35.507-05:00Sprained Ankle: Limping by DesignReflections on following Jesus and becoming like him.Sprained Anklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04775799432381329690noreply@blogger.comBlogger613125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-29726122040516301672023-04-17T14:09:00.000-04:002023-04-17T14:09:12.758-04:00Stories Multiply (The Genius of Testimony Series)<p>I love a good story. This explains the draw of books, movies, and fireside conversations. Storytellers capture our attention, stir our imagination, and build connections. An interesting narrative will inspires more telling of tales. Stories multiply.</p><p>Communications theorist, Walter Fisher, calls us storytelling creatures: <i>homo narrans</i>. We make sense of our selves, others, and our surroundings through stories. Stories shape and bind us.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNcvgSp1VRI_qXNfFSEOXjwS9QWjO4mZr4NjMbyOWtIMBzCNqD5p00ibmu_UWYBn6OzkidY1-V_YgM_VPVxnkL3IVPynBGvga9RU4Pt8mwIGRovs57XXkDwI4OeS7snguLUIidvbUPIciubuUL1xh8a4xwjYzWG4J6i7I43nIjKCEZI26ri2_b2uJaQ/s1920/once-upon-a-time-719174_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1920" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNcvgSp1VRI_qXNfFSEOXjwS9QWjO4mZr4NjMbyOWtIMBzCNqD5p00ibmu_UWYBn6OzkidY1-V_YgM_VPVxnkL3IVPynBGvga9RU4Pt8mwIGRovs57XXkDwI4OeS7snguLUIidvbUPIciubuUL1xh8a4xwjYzWG4J6i7I43nIjKCEZI26ri2_b2uJaQ/w400-h215/once-upon-a-time-719174_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; margin: initial; padding: initial;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/ramdlon-710044/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=719174" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Fathromi Ramdlon</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=719174" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Having observed the storied nature of reality, some modern theologians have argued for a narrative theology. They approach the Bible less as a sterile collection of systematic doctrines, and more as an unfolding drama of redemption. Of course, the Bible presents both doctrine and drama, but I find the latter especially refreshing. </p><p>In fact, the Bible, at its core is an anthology of inspired, authoritative stories called testimonies. A biblical testimony is an account of a personal experience of God recorded in the Bible. Ancient Israelites testified to God's words and deeds. Apostles and eyewitnesses of Jesus testified to his life, death, and resurrection. Indeed, the holy Scriptures are a sacred echo of the Triune God's personal testimony (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+5%3A31-39&version=NIV" target="_blank">John 5:31-39</a>). Thus, biblical testimonies carry enormous weight.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahNQ1A6DWSJNXZPhv0X9aONtWc5Z43pQjNPnykhgBean67ALD_fcEtQG26Rgm2l6dqPMXo1Ogl9ndid8X2wJRAS46mHZeCu_XVghmlSpe1JtaWrcHMyXmA_ylFWbNGkG9-T3Hex5koQix6nZa7xn6lyCj-BLMvJJNVLHlpNWyuC2BlKy8eXd6XIhXtg/s1920/bible-1867195_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahNQ1A6DWSJNXZPhv0X9aONtWc5Z43pQjNPnykhgBean67ALD_fcEtQG26Rgm2l6dqPMXo1Ogl9ndid8X2wJRAS46mHZeCu_XVghmlSpe1JtaWrcHMyXmA_ylFWbNGkG9-T3Hex5koQix6nZa7xn6lyCj-BLMvJJNVLHlpNWyuC2BlKy8eXd6XIhXtg/w400-h300/bible-1867195_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/pexels-2286921/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1867195" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pexels</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1867195" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none !important;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Today, followers of Jesus continue to have experiences of God. Our faith testimonies do not add pages to the Bible, but they add credibility to the drama of redemption. They provide evidence that God still works. He shows up in the particularities of our lives, giving direction and correction, comfort and courage, insight and understanding. Christian testimonies fortify our faith.</p><p>When we tell these stories, our faith becomes multisensory. Faith becomes sight: We <i>see </i>the drama of redemption playing out in our churches, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Faith becomes sound: We <i>hear </i>the words of God active in the lives of aging, anxious, and attentive people. Faith becomes tactile: We <i>feel </i>God's firm hand, gentle touch, or calming presence in others' stories.</p><p>Testimonies reassure us that God is real. They engage our senses. They link our faith to the unfolding drama of redemption recorded in the Bible. Our testimonies harmonize with the great cloud of biblical witnesses who testified before us (Heb. 12:1). Our testimonies shape and bind us. </p><p>Share a faith testimony with someone this week. Then watch it multiply. Good stories generate more telling of tales.</p><p><br /></p><p>_____________________________________________________</p><p>The <b><i>Genius of Testimony Series</i></b> will highlight theoretical reflections and practical insights from my doctoral work on the practice of testimony. I will alternate between theoretical and practical posts.</p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-7275853837304448842023-03-28T07:59:00.001-04:002023-03-28T08:02:44.344-04:00Worship: Reflecting on Psalm 122<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #665eb8; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-themecolor: accent4;"><br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #665eb8; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-themecolor: accent4;">Psalm 122 (NIV)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I
rejoiced with those who said to me,</span></p><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">“Let us go to the house of the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">.”</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">Our feet are standing</div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">in your gates, Jerusalem.</span></span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; margin: 0in;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Jerusalem
is built like a city</span></div><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">that is closely compacted together.</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">That is where the tribes go up—</div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">the tribes of the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">—</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="text">to praise the name of the </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span></div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">according to the statute given to Israel.</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">There stand the thrones for judgment,</div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">the thrones of the house of David.</span></span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; margin: 0in;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem:</span></div><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">“May those who love you be secure.</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">May there be peace within your walls</div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">and security within your citadels.”</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">For the sake of my family and friends,</div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I will say, “Peace be within you.”</span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="text">For the sake of the house of the </span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"> our God,</span></div>
</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 5pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I will seek your prosperity.</span></span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #665eb8; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6QIrkAR7wnSuoGNarqEGXTmTr7I1JWe0d9ZKFAld8dahFWEA6ugBvPr66dPBnA9a2CzatMx3KptVWlOrzqTkdRJxEQFzXzEbwNFAvn5wFJBLO_lU9CCzsEzBtm2WyKbU6O-clXnaqj4iP5bPM31mLFy5dcdhRjaryJbOTVhExGjFa4qKzGgXkXwizg/s1280/Easter%2023%20logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6QIrkAR7wnSuoGNarqEGXTmTr7I1JWe0d9ZKFAld8dahFWEA6ugBvPr66dPBnA9a2CzatMx3KptVWlOrzqTkdRJxEQFzXzEbwNFAvn5wFJBLO_lU9CCzsEzBtm2WyKbU6O-clXnaqj4iP5bPM31mLFy5dcdhRjaryJbOTVhExGjFa4qKzGgXkXwizg/w400-h225/Easter%2023%20logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #665eb8; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent4;">Psalm
122 is the song of a person who decides to go to church and worship God. It is
a sample of the complex, diverse, and worldwide phenomenon of worship that is
common to all Christians. (45)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #665eb8; font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-themecolor: accent4;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Cambria",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
did not always like church. For a year of my childhood my father dragged our
family to a megachurch in the suburbs of Columbus. The pastor preached
sprawling sermons in his soporific voice. The choir sang angelic odes. Children
were herded in buses and transported to an offsite facility where I learned how
much everyone else knew about the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
loathed church. So did my siblings and mother. After the year-long experiment,
my father stopped taking us. Worship was for saints; we were sinners.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
mindset changed in middle school when I started attending church with a family
in my neighborhood. Their pastor also preached sprawling sermons, his in an
Irish accent. Their choir sang hymns. Teenagers held class in a basement room. It
was simple, relational, and enlightening. I learned to love corporate worship.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">We all know from Jesus’s
teaching that holy spaces are less critical to worship than holy people. We
worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). But we do it together. We worship
peacefully. We worship on purpose. A regular time, place, and group of people habituate
a life of worship. So, let’s not forsake these holy gatherings.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(This is Reflection 3 of 15 from a devotional resource I published for Leesburg Grace Church called <i>On the Way to Resurrection Sunday</i>. For the entire resource, <a href="https://www.graceintheburg.com/community-new/resources/discipleship-teaching/19-psalms-of-ascent-easter-devotional/file.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.)</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-4202900215321594852023-02-22T06:09:00.003-05:002023-02-22T06:09:44.279-05:00Living in Lenten Time<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">When the days drew near for </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">him to be taken up, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">he set his face </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 (ESV)</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Jesus had an acute sense of time. He knew when his earthly ministry was coming to its fatal conclusion. The cross loomed large in his imagination. On at least three different occasions, he predicted the events of the Passion week: <i>Jerusalem. Rejection. Crucifixion. Resurrection</i>. (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33).</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YJae57WLXweizXdFCvG9YlgZjrnCTJic34Glf0ywXv7OOm88WgPzqyLkFMNd7GPLFbb38PklOPnPqaSPWQzRnbI_pMH0qsVBZP4gJPadGtzXAeihrb8Yd4gvM0_5INzsUmQfOACjUYf5FmghV_6PlHQpoMsm9uN7US17TcoNCvK2H_4KJcf4gt5GUQ/s1920/passion-3111247_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="1920" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YJae57WLXweizXdFCvG9YlgZjrnCTJic34Glf0ywXv7OOm88WgPzqyLkFMNd7GPLFbb38PklOPnPqaSPWQzRnbI_pMH0qsVBZP4gJPadGtzXAeihrb8Yd4gvM0_5INzsUmQfOACjUYf5FmghV_6PlHQpoMsm9uN7US17TcoNCvK2H_4KJcf4gt5GUQ/w400-h238/passion-3111247_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixabay</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">These predictions serve as a pivot point for Jesus. He did not come simply to preach good news and serve the needy (Luke 4:16-21). He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Salvation required sacrifice. Jesus's Passion secured our r</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">edemption. And when the time was right, he faced Jerusalem and resolved to die (Luke 9:51).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Luke graciously records this pivot point for us. Between Jesus's resolve and his resurrection, a travel narrative unfolds. This contribution is unique to Luke. He shows us how the Son of Man lives in Lenten time. </span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Jesus walks through Samaria and talks about God's kingdom. </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Jesus stops at homes and tells stories of heavenly feasts. </span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Jesus teaches in synagogues and heals the hurting. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Jesus arrives in Jericho and embraces a sinner. </span></span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">To live in Lenten time is to live with resolve. To live with purpose. To seize the day because the days are fleeting. To know that on the third day resurrection will come.</span></p><p></p><div><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">As a follower of Jesus, I want my life to reflect his. This requires a clearer sense of time. </span></p></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote>To follow Jesus implies we enter into a way of
life that is given character and shape and direction by the one who calls us… To
follow Jesus means that we can’t separate what Jesus is saying from what Jesus
is doing and the way that he is doing it (Peterson, The Jesus Way 22). </blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Lenten time reminds us our days are numbered. Life is but a breath, and then the lungs cease breathing. Life is but a beat, and then the heart stops beating. But not forever. After death comes resurrection. Lenten time is in between.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizN7rDGcSlmFQ3dv4UNADXVh8TlUkH6nNNKMQrOwGg5kSbdNXKlMEDMxrbQHSUQWxq05nR_O3k0PfZSSNwqRTG_Wu6mBS_UxJ7sjSPodWjILKsMl4gOzxOxfgKwJU5ouplNZXaqtlRCRjSTWrC1fxSLMxwHWYgfKzNMMoq4NORj5c5N8MTK6ZnzUsuUQ/s1920/great-post-4808863_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizN7rDGcSlmFQ3dv4UNADXVh8TlUkH6nNNKMQrOwGg5kSbdNXKlMEDMxrbQHSUQWxq05nR_O3k0PfZSSNwqRTG_Wu6mBS_UxJ7sjSPodWjILKsMl4gOzxOxfgKwJU5ouplNZXaqtlRCRjSTWrC1fxSLMxwHWYgfKzNMMoq4NORj5c5N8MTK6ZnzUsuUQ/w400-h266/great-post-4808863_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixabay</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Today Lent begins. I am a Protestant, so I approach Lent awkwardly. Advent and Lent are not native to my tradition, but I'm learning to drink from deep, diverse streams of historic Christianity. One such voice is Catholic author, Ronald Rolheiser. He writes about the fast-feast cycle built into the liturgical calendar. It is essential to fully celebrating Easter and Christmas.</span></p><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">One of our weaknesses today is that we find it hard to live in the face of any anticipation, inconsummation, or unfulfilled tension without moving swiftly to resolve it. Longing and fasting are not our strong points. Because we cannot build properly toward a feast, we cannot celebrate properly either... Today the absence of genuine specialness and enjoyment within our lives is due largely to the breakdown of this rhythm. (Forgotten Among the Lilies, 198-99)</span></span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">Living the liturgical calendar redeems my sense of time. Otherwise, every day may be claimed by political agendas, Hallmark sentiments, commercial aims, or personal tasks. I want more for this mortal life. I want to live like Jesus in Lenten time. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial;">So today let's set our faces toward Jerusalem. Let's resolve to die. And let us brave the "light and momentary afflictions" of these Lenten days knowing they prepare us for "an eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17).</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-26074427994518824342022-10-24T15:22:00.002-04:002022-10-24T15:22:38.155-04:00My Small Vision and God's Sprawling Kingdom<p>My vision is modest, local, small. I want to serve faithfully at Leesburg Grace for the duration of my ministry career. I want to officiate weddings and funerals, dedicate babies and make disciples, preach sermons and love neighbors for decades. As I advance in years, I intend to help the congregation age well but remain young. Perhaps I will select my successor and accelerate his success. Perhaps I will reach others through writing, teaching, and speaking opportunities. </p><p>I hold these plans loosely; only God knows the future.</p><p>In the meantime, I appreciate our smallness. Leesburg Grace is a small church in a small town. Its size lends well to learning names, building community, sharing struggles, and growing faith. The size also reflects my small vision.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszIzXZpYH3AfSbZmbSYAJyudpQuDIou5ss5GCG-24Ey1JySekJbqPsM2Zdqr6389JXyM9t7b3__fqu_GKeNgmLeU4QOpdkWht2-pcZ8cOb3U-4WWbnCxn5VnHjtCXVMovxz8JlDnX59Z8jaZLeC2tXjra7q09013GkHhVkoAL4TPJ1gfmvnAhvtLylQ/s5100/l_burg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="5100" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszIzXZpYH3AfSbZmbSYAJyudpQuDIou5ss5GCG-24Ey1JySekJbqPsM2Zdqr6389JXyM9t7b3__fqu_GKeNgmLeU4QOpdkWht2-pcZ8cOb3U-4WWbnCxn5VnHjtCXVMovxz8JlDnX59Z8jaZLeC2tXjra7q09013GkHhVkoAL4TPJ1gfmvnAhvtLylQ/w400-h94/l_burg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>At this point, I can hear some people cringing. "Pastoral vision should be grand," they retort. "Small vision smacks of settling. Our goals should be Big, Hairy, and Audacious, not Small, Bald, and Timid. We represent an Immeasurable God: the Creator of the Universe, King of Kings, and Destroyer of Death."</p><p>Their theology is correct, but its application is suspect. Sadly, these voices represent the best practices and key insights from church leadership experts of our modern age. They write the books, host the podcasts, and run the conferences inspiring pastors to become visionaries.</p><p>Serving an Immeasurable God does not require a big church. Proclaiming a Sprawling Kingdom does not require a massive platform. Pastoral impact is not proportional to the size of one's congregation. My small vision does not lessen my vocation.</p><p>And yet, I admit sometimes my vision is too small. My appeal to long-term faithfulness can excuse short-term laziness. My commitment to slow-and-steady growth can enable risk-adverse discipleship. My preference for a little church may betray my evangelistic torpor.</p><p>Three factors have spurred my thinking in this direction: experience, Scripture, and prayer. </p><p>First, Leesburg Grace has experienced a recent season of growth. In addition to a growing attendance, the body life on Sunday mornings has felt rich. Many people have shared stories of God showing up in their lives in critical ways at critical times. Circles of prayer and care have emerged. The experience of growth is challenging my small vision.</p><p>Second, I just spent a month reflecting on God's vision for the church. I preached a sermon series entitled, "The Church Is NOT an Echo Chamber."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_e4Wv-kt7GhLyPDOL_Qwf6OQZBc52J6XumsLkYlx2foBYUAhKdIZ7b4qwbSapBX0fW6azxJl2fHmulAjPaiZftUC_rObxc8u2asmfLJJOoqtrIgjgV8mw4p5QKBuyoFgMYQ9UCnBTodvDv2vSt553cbDfXLXZRNIjQvTKlVNqoLf1UcVH_RurZMToQ/s958/Series%20Logo.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="958" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_e4Wv-kt7GhLyPDOL_Qwf6OQZBc52J6XumsLkYlx2foBYUAhKdIZ7b4qwbSapBX0fW6azxJl2fHmulAjPaiZftUC_rObxc8u2asmfLJJOoqtrIgjgV8mw4p5QKBuyoFgMYQ9UCnBTodvDv2vSt553cbDfXLXZRNIjQvTKlVNqoLf1UcVH_RurZMToQ/w400-h224/Series%20Logo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>The church does not exist to reinforce our political beliefs or to foster religious performance. Rather, the church is a community that forms us in faith, hope, and love (Hebrews 10:19-25). I ended all three sermons with the doxology from Ephesians, where Paul reminds us that God "can do more than we ask or imagine according to the power at work in us" (3:20). The biblical teaching on the church has challenged my small vision.</p><p>Third, God exposed my small vision through prayer. While walking through my neighborhood and praying Jesus's model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), I had an epiphany. I rush the first half of his prayer to get to the petitions (e.g., daily bread, forgiveness, protection). Jesus, however, begins by invoking God to bring forth his kingdom: </p><p><i><b></b></i></p><blockquote><i><b>Let your kingdom come here and now. Let your will be done here and now. Let your name be hallowed here and now.</b></i></blockquote><p></p><p>This is a big prayer that challenges my small vision.</p><p>Perhaps my contribution to the sprawling kingdom of God will remain modest. Perhaps my pastoral impact will not exceed local bounds. Perhaps Leesburg Grace will stay small. These I can abide. But a small vision does not do justice to our immeasurable God.</p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-40329505556847662902022-09-21T13:10:00.001-04:002022-09-21T13:10:02.695-04:00God said, "Focus Less on Raising Leaders..." (TGSM #7)<p>"Focus less on raising leaders than developing godly men," God said.</p><p>I lead a church of servants. Willing volunteers abound; eager leaders are lacking. Surely this is common in many churches or non-profit organizations. It may not even be a problem. Leadership should be limited to those with character, competency, spiritual acumen, and emotional intelligence. Leaders should leverage their power to serve others not lord it over them like the Gentiles (Mark 10:36-45).</p><p>"Focus less on raising leaders than developing godly men" is the seventh word from God in this series [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1</span></b>]. Though he said this to me, the phrase speaks to a church infatuated with the leadership development ideology of the marketplace. Consider it a gentle warning to Gentile thinking.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9uTvjKA7Y4irTQJZ2wRMDACf2AkMpz5UVACLJYUlZjrbdrD1k07yG5R-hQFX32IzcjCdaY-_eVvg2bR64yrvnyN5CvDPPZYSPzZwccL1a5DPq7rtyb9CXcuZjosGhwniWqyuAwLYu0ICqxqsy_S5ESpw7OVBYGsdQefQfLFJnqVGMHvg_DA1h4rHvg/s1920/businessman-2365542_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1920" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9uTvjKA7Y4irTQJZ2wRMDACf2AkMpz5UVACLJYUlZjrbdrD1k07yG5R-hQFX32IzcjCdaY-_eVvg2bR64yrvnyN5CvDPPZYSPzZwccL1a5DPq7rtyb9CXcuZjosGhwniWqyuAwLYu0ICqxqsy_S5ESpw7OVBYGsdQefQfLFJnqVGMHvg_DA1h4rHvg/w400-h256/businessman-2365542_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; margin: initial; padding: initial;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2365542" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Gerd Altmann</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2365542" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h1><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Setting: Men's Ministry Post-pandemic</span></b></h1><p>In June 2021, I returned to Biola campus for my third doctoral residency. I came depleted from fifteen months of pastoring amid a pandemic. Covid killed our men's ministry. It killed our women's ministry. Almost everything stopped at our church for a season. Covid killed our momentum. Compared to the millions of people killed by this virus, the setbacks in our church were minor losses. I lamented them nonetheless.</p><div>Moreover, I had just finished the heaviest and most provocative sermon series of my tenure at Leesburg Grace, addressing polarizing issues of the day: gender, sexual, racial, and political identities. I needed this two-week study break to restore my soul.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFXKbyyV8JxriT3MGPtfu8G3BdwgrvbbgDSo1g9z3hluDa3LmkUP_OM0ZqVhVzxlS1UmnrtaT4hNhHAxmpd14un2wkrX2MDwFkMVUa_0fpV4MG5HBKeZEOfZe4DqgNeO_jBnI5hP0bUA7NYVxbKT3efgNoMCCH8u55oeRzPO8sV6tdsJ93B25XKQA6Q/s1280/Series%20Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFXKbyyV8JxriT3MGPtfu8G3BdwgrvbbgDSo1g9z3hluDa3LmkUP_OM0ZqVhVzxlS1UmnrtaT4hNhHAxmpd14un2wkrX2MDwFkMVUa_0fpV4MG5HBKeZEOfZe4DqgNeO_jBnI5hP0bUA7NYVxbKT3efgNoMCCH8u55oeRzPO8sV6tdsJ93B25XKQA6Q/w400-h225/Series%20Logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>Several of my classmates arrived early and spent time catching up. We ate, talked, and grocery shopped together. We shared about our families, our churches, and our impressions of the readings for our course. Covid came up at least twenty-six times.</div><p>The next day class started [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">2</span></b>]. Our focus was discipleship to Jesus in the world. We were considering controversial topics like race, LGBTQ+, justice, evangelism, the secular age, and division in the church. The reading assignments stretched me; the slate of guest lecturers looked promising. On that first morning, my soul felt lighter.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ygilZfLk1uHM5ASsgmkYC5RSCbYd0VvNJ_zozfQdjkEIM_TaWfs0GoxteoPEQ6-M1_1ax8Bqqk93kVTnt9mDUj6LEaX6TRNV4673loHK9IB26xQ7vCKXTaBh9qbmsR4xUvocE86PS2psXV1GCzOZFii03dqyfijPl8D0AHUyUESyMeFDiyGkn5s8BA/s2592/IMG_20210603_100249206%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ygilZfLk1uHM5ASsgmkYC5RSCbYd0VvNJ_zozfQdjkEIM_TaWfs0GoxteoPEQ6-M1_1ax8Bqqk93kVTnt9mDUj6LEaX6TRNV4673loHK9IB26xQ7vCKXTaBh9qbmsR4xUvocE86PS2psXV1GCzOZFii03dqyfijPl8D0AHUyUESyMeFDiyGkn5s8BA/w400-h300/IMG_20210603_100249206%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>At one point, Dr. Porter dismissed us for a time of prayer. He provided a worksheet, the first of a <a href="https://conversatio.org/collections/re-emerging-from-isolation/" target="_blank">four-part formation tool</a> he developed for church leaders to reflect on how the pandemic affected their relationship to God. We grieved losses. We confessed anxieties. We celebrated spiritual discoveries and newfound rhythms. We considered God's deep work in our families and congregations.<p></p><p>I sat outside with my prayer notebook, worksheet, and pen. Blue sky and ambient sounds of campus life soothed me. My reflections were honest and prayerful. I confessed to God low confidence in my pastoral leadership and the congregation's commitment. In this moment of openness, God responded. He said, "Focus less on raising leaders than developing godly men." </p><p><br /></p><h1><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: Godliness > Leadership</span></h1><div>Leadership is overrated. The theme is a sacred echo in my mind and <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2017/02/leadership-is-overrated-thoughts-on.html" target="_blank">on my blog</a>. The Western church has conflated pastoral ministry with marketplace leadership ideals for the past few decades. Vision-casting, systems-thinking, leading measures, onboarding practices, social media strategies, and communication policies have captivated pastors. They are the fodder for church leadership podcasts, books, and conferences. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Who has time to make disciples when we're consumed with making leaders?</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I sound cynical because I am. My tone conveys weariness from fifteen years of fighting the marketplace current in the evangelical stream. The push for more leaders never ceases. Meanwhile, figureheads in the evangelical church continue to sputter, gasp for air, and drown.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe we don't need more leaders in our churches. Maybe we need more godly men and women to model Jesus to those around them. Perhaps developing godly people would fill the leadership gap.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Godliness is more than piety. It comprises not only a set of liturgical practices (prayer, service, praise) but also whole-hearted obedience to God. For godly people, worship is a way of life, not reserved for church gatherings or holy days. Godly people recognize every sphere of life under God's reign (Isaiah 66:1). The see every good and perfect gift as provided by their heavenly Father (James 1:17).</div><div><br /></div><div>In the New Testament, the word for godliness appears fifty-six times [<span style="color: #2b00fe;">3</span>]. References to godliness occur seventeen times in the pastoral epistles. As later writings of Paul, these letters reflect a transition of leadership from the aging apostle to Timothy, Titus, and local elders. </div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Appeals to godliness outnumber calls to leadership in the pastorals. </b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Although Paul insists on raising up qualified teachers (1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; 2 Tim. 2:2, 15; 3:14-15; 4:2; Titus 1:9) and warns against disorderly, hypocritical, or false teaching (1 Tim. 1:2-6; 2:12; 4:1-3; 6:2-5; 2 Tim. 2:14, 16-18, 23; 3:6-9; Titus 1:10-16), his leadership verbiage is lacking. </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>He expects elders to manage their homes (1 Tim. 3:4-5) and direct the affairs of the church (1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:7). </li><li>He prohibits women from usurping authority in public worship (1 Tim. 2:12) [<span style="color: #2b00fe;">4</span>]. </li><li>He empowers Timothy and Titus to model, teach, challenge error, and appoint elders in their regions (1 Tim. 1:3; 3:12-16; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:24; Titus 1:5)</li></ul><div>Instead, Paul's greater concern is for believers to embody godliness. Not everyone will lead; few should. But godliness is an attractive quality in any Christ-follower. Hence, Paul offers a sketch of godliness in the pastoral letters.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Godliness stems from good doctrine (1 Tim 3:16; Titus 1:1).</li><li>Godly people live quietly as a good citizen of heaven and earth (1 Tim. 2:2).</li><li>Godliness incorporates the whole person and prepares us for the resurrection (1 Tim. 4:7-8). </li><li>Godliness compliments other virtues and fruit of the Spirit (1 Tim. 6:11 cf. Gal. 5:22-23).</li><li>Godly people pray, give thanks, and express contentment (1 Tim. 4:1-6: 6:6).</li><li>Godly people practice self-denial in their ongoing pursuit of grace (Titus 2:12).</li><li>Godliness is threatening to a godless world (2 Tim. 3:12).</li></ul><div>Synthesizing the data in his theological dictionary, Moises Silva summarizes that godliness is <i>virtuous devotion</i> in this life driven by anticipation of the inbreaking kingdom of God [<span style="color: #2b00fe;">5</span>]. </div><div><br /></div><div>Such a powerful description explains why God would have me focus less on raising leaders and more on developing godly men and women. The godly person is the answer not only to the leadership gap in any church, but, more importantly, godliness answers the Lord's prayer: </div></div></div><blockquote><div><div><div>"Your kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). </div></div></div><div></div></blockquote><div>Leaders rise and fall. Their movements follow them up and down. In contrast, godly men and women bring renewal.</div><div><br /></div><h1><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: How to Raise Godly Men and Women</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">The leadership gap stresses me out. Leaders run outreach events, oversee ministry teams, recruit volunteers, and equip the saints. Leaders are essential. Sadly, pastoral ambition causes me to lament the lack of leaders more readily than gaps in our godliness.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">God said, "Focus less on raising leaders than developing godly men." As a man, my primary sphere of influence in the church will be with other men. To be clear: God is no less interested in developing godly women in the church; however, he typically entrusts this task to other women (see Titus 2:3-5). </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">Ultimately, developing godliness is a wonderful goal for every follower of Jesus. Here are five helpful ways to grow in godliness and develop <i>virtuous devotion</i> in others.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Read the Pastoral Letters Together</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Reading the Bible does not immediately result in godliness. Sometimes we read without understanding. Other times we read without devotion. And we pass many days without reading at all. </div><div><br /></div><div>For Bible reading to translate into godliness, it is best to read it regularly, devotionally, and with understanding. Thus, a simple hack is to read regularly with others. They will add to your understanding and test your devotion; you will do the same for them.</div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, you might start by the pastoral letters with a few others. The following suggestions may help your times of reading develop godliness:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Meet at least twice a month.</li><li>Read one pastoral letter at a time.</li><li>Read the whole letter in one sitting before moving through it a chapter at a time.</li><li>Read a chapter aloud during your times together.</li><li>Read prayerfully, asking God's Spirit to grow your godliness.</li><li>Read thoughtfully, taking notes, writing out questions, underlining key words or favorite verses.</li><li>Let the text read you; when you're together, talk about where you felt convicted and how you responded to it.</li></ul></div><div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Reset Your Defaults with a Rule of Life</span></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>We all have default setting for our mind. We play games or scroll social media on our phone. We turn on the TV and tune out the family. We read a book. We stress about worse-case-scenarios. Devotion to God gets crushed by our default settings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fortunately, we can reset our minds by developing a Rule of Life. The phrase describes a set of habits and rhythms that keep our loves ordered and soul aligned with God. A Rule of Life typically breaks into broad categories of REST, PRAYER, RELATIONSHIPS, BODY/HEALTH, and WORK. Within each category is a set of disciplines practiced with some <i>regularity </i>[<span style="color: #2b00fe;">6</span>]. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2019/09/spiritual-growth-means-shaping-path.html" target="_blank">written about this more fully elsewhere</a>. Also, I would recommend Justin Whitmel Earley's book, <i>The Common Rule</i> or Chapter 12 of <i>The Life You've Always Wanted</i> by John Ortburg.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Learn to Say "NO!"</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Godliness practices discernment. It can distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, biblical values and secular ones. Godly people say NO to hurting others, over-indulgence, sexual fantasy, greed, and ambition. Godly people recognize their emotional triggers, blind spots, and idols. Godly people fight the secular forces of expressive individualism, which views devotion to self as the highest good.</div><div><br /></div><div>The godly person's NO isn't motivated by moralism but in anticipation of the inbreaking kingdom. They want to be the kind of people who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. They want their lives to be a meeting place of heaven and earth. </div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>Their NO to a grudge helps them say YES to forgiveness.</div><div>Their NO to dishonesty helps them say YES to healthy relationships.</div><div>Their NO to binging helps them say YES to contentment.</div><div>Their NO to prejudice helps them say YES to diverse friendships.</div><div>Their NO to oversharing helps them say YES to active listening.</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="color: #800180;"><b>Where do you need to say NO?</b></span></i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Take Another Step</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>We do not arrive at godliness. We keep moving toward it. Full-fledged godliness will come when the kingdom of God finally breaks in. Paul weds <i>virtuous devotion</i> to eschatological expectation (1 Tim. 4:8). Until Jesus comes back, we must take another step toward him. Until the blessed hope appears, we do good (Titus 2:13). Until our lowly bodies are transformed, we press on (Phil. 3:12-21).</div><div><br /></div><div>Your next step may look different than mine. You may need to take a step toward patience. I may need to take a step toward deeper trust in God's care of my body. We are all in development; we all have a next step.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><span style="color: #800180;">What is the next step you need to take toward Jesus?</span></b></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Meditate on the Mystery of Godliness</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Godliness did not start with you and your efforts. It will not end with you. Godliness reaches its climax when we become fully like Christ (Eph. 4:13, 16; Col. 1:28; 1 John 3:1-2). He is the author and perfecter of our faith; he will finish what he began in us (Phil. 1:6; Heb. 12:2).</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than exhausting ourselves in the pursuit of godliness, we must repeatedly return to the mystery of godliness. Paul invites us to meditate on the one who embodied godliness for us: Jesus Christ.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px;">He appeared in the flesh,</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-3-16" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">was vindicated by the Spirit,</span></div><span class="text 1Tim-3-16" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">was seen by angels,</span></div></span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-3-16" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;">was preached among the nations,</span></div></span><span class="text 1Tim-3-16" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">was believed on in the world,</span></div></span><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-3-16" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;">was taken up in glory. (1 Tim. 3:16, NIV)</span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text 1Tim-3-16" style="position: relative;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">God raised up Jesus, the greatest spiritual leader to have ever lived. He raised him from the grave. He raised him to heaven. </span>Godliness<span style="font-family: inherit;"> springs forth when we fix our gaze on Christ, not the leadership gap or our developmental path. Jesus is the source of our godliness. He is the object of our devotion. Take time daily to look to him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1</span></b>] My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>2</b></span>] </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">We gathered in the room, spread out, and gave status updates regarding vaccinations. The state of California mandated it; Biola, located in LA County, upheld the requirement. Since all nine of us had our official, government-issued cards to prove our compliance, we pulled off our masks and began in earnest.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">3</span></b>] This includes the verb, noun, adjective, and adverbial form an their cognates. The first category describes converts to Judaism and then Christian faith, known as God-fearers. </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cornelius, a Roman centurion who fears God and lives righteously is called godly (Acts 10:2, 22). Others converts include Lydia (16:14), Titius Justus (18:7), and a group of Greeks Paul met during his missionary journeys (14:1; 18:4). See Silva, <span style="font-family: Symbol;">se</span><span style="font-family: Symbol;">bomai, </span><i>New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis</i>, Rev. Ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014), 4:272-77.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">4</span></b>] The next Charis Symposium topic is Gender Roles in Ministry. I will be co-leading a team of pastors, professors, and thinkers from my Fellowship of churches in a three-year process to engage with the issues. Year 1 we consider critical texts from the New Testament. Year 2 we research the theology of gender roles in ministry. Year 3 we will present pastoral postures and responses to the topic.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">5</span></b>] Silva, <i>NIDNTTE</i>, 4:276.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">6</span></b>] Rule comes from the Latin word <i>regula</i>. You can see the verbal connection.</span></div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-81525381266505707452022-09-08T07:14:00.002-04:002022-09-08T07:14:05.065-04:00God Said, "You're easy to please but hard to impress." (TGSM #6)<p>"You're easy to please but hard to impress," God said.</p><p>The phrase surfaced during a time of prayerful reflection. I regularly ask God to seek my heart and try my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23-24). Around five years ago he gave me this phrase.</p><p>"You're easy to please but hard to impress" is the sixth word from God in this series [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1</span></b>]. Though he said this to me, I came to realize it revealed something about his character. I pray this post may ease your impulse to perform and assure you that God delights in you.</p><p><br /></p><h1><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Backstory: Mediocrity and My Ambition</span></b></h1><p>During middle school, I discovered a love for theater. I burst onto the stage in seventh grade, wearing tights, wielding a sword, and plastered with an obscene amount of makeup. My English teacher adapted several Shakespeare plays, one for each class of awkward, insecure, hormonally-challenged students. Most shrank from the spotlight; I ran toward it. She cast me in a lead role and provided a supporting spot in a second play. By the end of junior high, I was voted "Headed to Hollywood" by my classmates.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlro_umSTT-KtKIH_Ai4WZ5XJzjGLFdTHkuTWCZSTCjeJrlagx_RY2HU8dZvtNmcdfa1_509ixig5o2CiL85_H2iYGuHjEZdzKypRtaJ4vhptolVTHd2b86mJtLtOo_w0ph0j8HRmegw_AEecQqKr1eRehEwcsXH7fwxntD2ryuEpyXCStcMgifN2bA/s1280/Presentation1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlro_umSTT-KtKIH_Ai4WZ5XJzjGLFdTHkuTWCZSTCjeJrlagx_RY2HU8dZvtNmcdfa1_509ixig5o2CiL85_H2iYGuHjEZdzKypRtaJ4vhptolVTHd2b86mJtLtOo_w0ph0j8HRmegw_AEecQqKr1eRehEwcsXH7fwxntD2ryuEpyXCStcMgifN2bA/w640-h360/Presentation1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>My next stop on route to Hollywood was the Columbus Junior Theater. I earned four roles in successive plays: FRIEND C in <i>Ali Baba and the Den of Thieves</i>; BULMAR in <i>Aladdin</i>; FRED CRATCHIT in <i>Mr. Scrooge</i>, and DICKEN in <i>The Secret Garden</i>. My local legend grew one newspaper clipping at a time. Through high school and college, I landed various roles, honors, and opportunities; my theatrical ascent continued. I even performed a monologue at an off-Broadway (far-off) showcase in front of New York agents. None made an offer. </p><p>Eventually the path to Hollywood stalled. I settled for a small stage in a small church in a small town in Indiana where I hope to shine the spotlight on God. Along the way, my ambition swelled and mediocrity became a curse word. The latter was due to a mantra from Bill Goldsmith, longtime director at the Columbus Junior theater. "Mediocrity sucks," he said. He shouted his maxim at our first practice, during dress rehearsals, and before each performance. </p><p></p><blockquote>"Mediocrity sucks! Mediocrity sucks! Mediocrity sucks!"</blockquote><p></p><p>Excellence is the opposite of mediocrity. "Excellence is our aim! Excellence is our goal! Excellence sells out shows! We accept nothing less than excellence!"</p><p>I'm not sure the director actually said these things, but they were implied in his rants against mediocrity. They became an implicit script with every performance. And, as I learned from Shakespeare, "All the world is a stage..." </p><p>Bill Goldsmith was a hard man to impress. His ambition made an impression on me. Ambition is in my blood, and mediocrity makes it boil.</p><p><br /></p><h1><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: God's Good Pleasure</span></h1><div>Somewhere along the way God softened my ambition. He pulled me from the path to Hollywood and humbled me. He exposed the ugly side of excellence: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>people get depersonalized; </li><li>fear of failure gets amplified;</li><li>performance matters more than personal growth;</li><li>press matters more than impact;</li><li>making an impression matters more than making a difference.</li></ul></div><div>Mediocrity may suck, but excellence is overrated. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's worth noting, I make this claim as an Enneagram 1 (i.e., The Perfectionist). My personality's secret weapon is criticism. Everything could be better. Always. Thus, I'm rarely impressed.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I doubt God looks down from heaven wowed by our achievements. I draw this conclusion from his ironic response the Babel building project. He figuratively <i>stooped </i>to see their tower before stopping its construction (Genesis 11:5-9). God was not impressed. </div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, he is hard to impress. What can we do that God has not already done (except for sin)? [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">2</span></b>] All our creative activities and redemptive energy derive from him (Philippians 2:13). We are his image-bearers, his workmanship, living out what he has set out for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). We are his impression in the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>Making an impression means drawing attention to myself. <i>Being </i>an impression means drawing attention to God by reflecting his character and activities in the world. This is integral to our Christian calling. </div><div><br /></div><div>And since we already bear God's impression, we don't have to be impressive. Instead, we can live a life that pleases him [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">3</span></b>]. This is possible because of Christ. This is possible by the Spirit. This is possible because Paul says so [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">4</span></b>]:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice <b><i>pleases </i></b>God (Romans 12:1);</li><li>Serving God by ministering to others <b><i>pleases </i></b>God (Romans 14:18; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 5:9; Philippians 4:18);</li><li>Working out our salvation with fear and trembling <b><i>pleases </i></b>God (Phil. 2:12-13);</li><li>Bearing fruit and growing in faith <b><i>pleases </i></b>God (Colossians 3:10);</li><li>Living according to our calling <b><i>pleases </i></b>God (2 Thessalonians 1:11);</li><li>Caring for our families <i><b>pleases </b></i>God (1 Timothy 5:4).</li></ul>God does not merely put up with or pity his children; he is pleased with them. Paul makes this explicit, reminding his readers that the Father was pleased to redeem us and make himself known (Ephesians 1:5, 9). Thus, Wright observes, </div><div><blockquote>What the Christian is to do is <i>to please God</i>, to bring a smile to the Father's face, to give him delight, to gladden his heart [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">5</span></b>].</blockquote></div><div>God may be easier to please than we think. He's not looking for perfection; Jesus achieved that for us. We will fail. We will miss our cues. We will have mediocre days and fall short of excellence. Fortunately, God is pleased with our earnest efforts at obedience. He is pleased with mustard-seed faith. He is pleased with his sons and daughters, not because we are <i>impressive </i>but because we are his <i>impression</i>.</div><div><br /></div><h1><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: Putting People over Performance</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">Being easy to please but hard to impress requires me to pay careful attention to my ambition and view of others. We live in an age where impression management is constant. We save face in person. We create personas online. We like to be liked and view any public venue as a place for performance [<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">6</span></b>]. Not only is this exhausting, it is misguided. Healthy relationships do not hinge on flawless performances. Love eliminates the need to be impressive. Love expresses pleasure in others.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">If you struggle with ambition, impression management, or a view of God as constantly displeased, consider the following five ideas.</span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Address Your Ambition</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>My dreams of fame have fizzled. I didn't make it to Hollywood. Celebrity status eludes me. The closet I've come to a viral video is a random clip of a retired missionary whacking a piñata. (Diana! Diana!).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hkaq2Sixghk" width="320" youtube-src-id="Hkaq2Sixghk"></iframe></div><div>The church I lead remains small. My dreams of being discovered reveal my selfish ambition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Honestly, most people I know do not have their dream job. Their marriage and family plans took major detours. They are still waiting for that perfect vacation, big payday, or comfortable retirement. These, too, hint of selfish ambition. We all struggle with it.</div><div><br /></div><div>To be clear, wanting a good family, career, home, social circle, and retirement is not bad. Working hard to secure these desires can evidence healthy ambition, strong work ethic, and patience. It is when these desires become demands, entitlements, or our sole measure of success that selfish ambition manifests itself.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>So, are you feeling irritable, unnoticed, and under-appreciated? Are you feeling cheated, envious, and driven by discontentment? Are you making comparisons with others and considering yourself more deserving?</i> If so, you likely need to address your selfish ambition. Do so by meditating on Philippians 2:1-11.</div><div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Celebrate Imperfection</span></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I've never preached a perfect sermon. I've never written a perfect blog post. I have not raised perfect children. My marriage is not perfect. Nor is my faith. My church. The teams I have coached. Imperfection is their common bond, and, of course, the fact that I love them.</div><div><br /></div><div>God, too, loves imperfect people. Me. You. Peter the Rock and Mary of Magdalene. His love will perfect us, like the perfect Son whose impression we bear (Ephesians 4:24; 1 Corinthians 13:12). Meanwhile, through our imperfections God's goodness emanates. The apostle Paul makes this clear: we are imperfect vessels through which the glory of God shines (2 Corinthians 4:7). Our weaknesses make room for his strength to show (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).</div><div><br /></div><div>I have seen this reality play out, again and again. One person's struggle with addiction helps him support other addicts. Another person's failed marriage helps her counsel a couple in crisis. A leader's failures give her insight for current challenges. In each of these cases, imperfection open the door to improvement.</div><div><br /></div><div>To celebrate imperfection is not the same as cheering for mediocrity. Rather, we accept how an imperfection makes space for personal growth and God's grace. We need both. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>So what imperfection can you celebrate today?</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Pay Attention to Performing</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I was born a performer. As the third child in a pack of four, I needed to be noticed. I acted noisy, silly, stupid, and ornery to get attention. And when these behaviors got me into trouble, I reversed roles and became a good boy. Depending on the audience, I played the part of hero, villain, or comedic relief.</div><div><br /></div><div>The performer's impulse has not left me. Sometimes when I preach, it can feel like a performance. Sometimes when I lead, it can feel like a performance. When I push buttons in social settings or post images on social media, it can feel like a performance. In our digital age, stages are everywhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS40umYzZAI6ljZi2knzJqTNvqd66Ekk52SyfZSVQ_hRdVmwSDhEkGCp110lRo4UeRPRQtPy2rJPPrt53FCoamUW3nQbAN_9ag7cQQTFWl17czwm-iAPmqVFcb1WyMHz01tba7Ig3L5T2ebTdP9M2QBKsEJ52d4qLiPi0eTU2NZGmlbBXkVVNqnGWkTA/s1000/st,small,845x845-pad,1000x1000,f8f8f8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS40umYzZAI6ljZi2knzJqTNvqd66Ekk52SyfZSVQ_hRdVmwSDhEkGCp110lRo4UeRPRQtPy2rJPPrt53FCoamUW3nQbAN_9ag7cQQTFWl17czwm-iAPmqVFcb1WyMHz01tba7Ig3L5T2ebTdP9M2QBKsEJ52d4qLiPi0eTU2NZGmlbBXkVVNqnGWkTA/w400-h400/st,small,845x845-pad,1000x1000,f8f8f8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>The struggle here is real. </div><div><br /></div><div>Moreover, the line between passion and performance often feels blurry. When I talk about topics that excite me--theology, family, books, sports, podcasts, or church--my volume naturally rises, voice naturally quickens, and hands spin into motion. Without thinking, passion moves me. However, as soon as I notice my movements, they feel exaggerated, staged, aiming to leave an impression.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wanting to affect others is not bad. God created us to impact our friends and neighbors in positive ways. The performer impulse is driven by something else. The performer lowers the bar, striving for impression over impact. </div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>"Wow, she's beautiful!" </div><div>"Man, he's funny!" </div><div>"That dude drank a whole gallon of milk? What a nut!" </div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Impressions are arbitrary metrics. They come and go quickly. They dare us to get noticed. They make little impact. Pay attention to your inner performer; stages lurk everywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Publicize When You're Pleased</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Our world could use more good news. Our family, neighbors, and friends could use more encouragement. When you combine our bias toward negativity with our tendency to complain, life can feel underwhelming, disappointing, or tragic. Surely, we all experience moments and seasons that deserve a good lament.</div><div><br /></div><div>But we must not overlook the fact that life is filled with beauty, grace, wonder, and goodness. We see beauty in a morning fog. We feel grace in a fresh start after a recent failure. We smell wonder in the hint of fall blowing in the September wind. We taste goodness in a slab of ribs smoked to perfection. God created us with sensory inputs designed for pleasure: <i>trees pleasing to the eye and good for food</i> (Genesis 2:9). </div><div><br /></div><div>Goodness marked all of God's creation in the beginning (Genesis 1:3, 9, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). Much of this goodness remains. David reminds us that God's right hand holds eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11). The Preacher instructs us to eat, drink, and be satisfied (Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:13; 5:18; 8:15). Paul tells us to enjoy all created things and accept them with gratitude and prayer (2 Timothy 4:4-5). In other words, we have reason and permission to be pleased.</div><div><br /></div><div>Gratitude is the natural response when feeling pleased. Gratitude publicizes our good pleasure. The more specific our words of thanks the better we communicate our pleasure.</div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>"Thank you, Mother, for that delicious homecooked meal that you spent two hours making for us."</div><div>"Thanks, Dad, for staying up late to make sure I got home safely."</div><div>"Jim, I appreciate you for being the kind of friend who doesn't interrupt me when I start rambling. You give me time to vent before I get to the point."</div><div>"Thanks you, Heavenly Father, for putting up with my daily neglect of my relationship with you, for sticking by my side when I spend more time trying to make impressions on others than be your impression to them."</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><i>How will you publicize your pleasure this week?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Delight in God's Delight in You</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>God delights in you. He does. It's real, undeniable, and eternal. Remember what NT Wright says? We <i>please God, bring a smile to the Father's face, give him delight, gladden his heart</i>. We do. It's real, undeniable, and eternal.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, we have a difficult time believing this. It's the kind of knowledge that surpasses knowledge, according to Paul. Thus, he prays believers in Ephesus will have the inner strength to know how long, wide, high, and deep the love of God is (Ephesians 3:18-19). To know, in David Benner's words, that God is <i>giddy, head-over-heals in love</i> with them [<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>7</b></span>].</div><div><br /></div><div>The theme of God's delight in his people pervades the Scripture. He calls us his treasured people (Exodus 19:5). He sings and dances over us with delight (Zephaniah 3:17). He woos us even when we are wayward (Hosea 2:14). He loves our sin into oblivion (Psalm 103). He lavishes us with affection as his beloved daughters and sons through Christ (1 John 3:1). </div><div><br /></div><div>Simply put, God delights in you. He does. It's real, undeniable, and eternal.</div><div><br /></div><div>So quit wasting your time trying to impress him (or others) and delight in his delight in you. He is especially fond of you [<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>8</b></span>].</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">1</span></b>] My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>2</b></span>] For example, God created the world with words--all of its beauty and variety--and sustains it by his Son (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6; Proverbs 8:22-31; Colossians 1:15-17). Furthermore, he rescued prodigals, redeemed exiles, and reconciled enemies through the Cross (Luke 15; 19:1-10; Mark 10:45; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">3</span></b>] Sadly, this theological gem remained hidden from me for the first half of my Christian life. I considered God distant, critical, and passive; I called myself depraved. I assumed that </span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">my greatest efforts only exposed my massive ego.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">my best efforts at best amounted to self-righteous rags.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">my purest motives always reeked of selfish ambition. </span></li></ul><span style="font-size: x-small;">When depravity is core to your identity, then God seems impossible to please. We do better when we realize the <i>imago Dei</i> is at our core. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">4</span></b>] This collection of verses is adapted from Wright, <i>Justification</i>, Kindle Loc. 2214-22. He provides this caveat: "this is not the logic of merit. It is the logic of love."</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">5</span></b>] Wright, <i>Justification</i>, Kindle Loc. 2214.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">6</span></b>] Building off observations by political scientist, Yuval Levin, Carl Trueman mentions this several times in <i>Strange New World</i>. Formerly, institutions (e.g., family, church, education) served as centers for character development; currently, they provide platforms for self-expression (40, 100). This is only exacerbated by social media, which "has allowed lives to become acts of public performance" (74).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>7</b></span>] Benner, <i>Surrender to Love</i>, 22.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>8</b></span>] This sentiment comes from <i>The Shack</i>.</span></div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-58668773010755260322022-08-24T15:56:00.006-04:002022-08-24T15:56:41.283-04:00God Said, "It's Time to Memorize" (TGSM #5)<p>"It's time to memorize," said God.</p><p>I sat with my Bible open for morning devotions, a pen and journal at hand. Then God showed up.</p><p>"It's time to memorize" is the fifth word from God in this series.<span style="color: #2b00fe;">*</span> Though given to me, I pray this phrase challenges you.</p><p><br /></p><h1><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Setting: Momentum Youth Conference 2018</span></b></h1><p>For several years I held a staff position for <a href="https://buildmomentum.org/conference/" target="_blank">Momentum Youth Conference</a>. I wrote curriculum based on the main sessions and <a href="https://1drv.ms/w/s!AjZZJ4CWfRlgpS8KdcevNdd1-xhy?e=5gKXkc" target="_blank">select Power Tracks</a>. These consisted of a summary, outline, reflection questions, and application ideas from the talk. They were intended to help youth leaders, parents, or students revisit powerful teaching moments.<span style="color: #2b00fe;">**</span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0JPNblgs7xFB9m-JBo9ERXurLoS4-bkUIwq9lnz2xKO15KDthMWw7e12RqenZ21QuBjvoTQIgLTcwEjp9T0mzXgBFuZXObLKjonehr7vArGogVcr9tytbXRT0teyjFWIO5m73YRYROe_xcpI3lZ3jI7pgDtn9L2oDBNBar-FWWwYe6n1MGtQlH3JRA/s2819/Theme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="2819" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0JPNblgs7xFB9m-JBo9ERXurLoS4-bkUIwq9lnz2xKO15KDthMWw7e12RqenZ21QuBjvoTQIgLTcwEjp9T0mzXgBFuZXObLKjonehr7vArGogVcr9tytbXRT0teyjFWIO5m73YRYROe_xcpI3lZ3jI7pgDtn9L2oDBNBar-FWWwYe6n1MGtQlH3JRA/w400-h133/Theme.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As a staff writer, I was invited to IWU campus for the duration of conference. I shared a townhouse with other Momentum workers. Main sessions and Power Tracks comprised a small portion of the day, so I had ample opportunity to read, write, socialize, jog, and nap. Time alone and time with God were abundant. It was a dream job.</p><p>But I was struggling. My journal records my feeling lonely, underappreciated, and unseen. I wanted credit for my contribution to the conference; I received none. I wanted an invitation to sit with others at lunch or dinner; I received few. The calendar only added to my sense of isolation: it was my seventeenth anniversary.</p><p>Fortunately, God never leaves us alone. He never leaves us at all. And Jesus is with us always to the end of the age (Isaiah 43:1-3; Matthew 28:20; 2 Timothy 4:17; Hebrews 13:5). </p><p>The Triune God meets us in his Word and creation. He meets us in our circumstances, conscience, and spiritual community. That morning he met me. With my Bible open for morning devotions, pen and journal at hand, I thought, "It's time to memorize." This was not God's audible voice. If fact, it was barely <i>my </i>voice in my head. It was, however, an unshakeable impression, an enduring phrase, a challenge from God to get his work in my heart. </p><p><br /></p><h1><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: Words Worth Memorizing</span></h1><div>I could cite, quote, or refer to many self-referential verses in the Bible touting its own authority. A few will suffice.^</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="text Isa-40-8" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-NIV-18429" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">The grass withers and the flowers fall,</span><span class="indent-1" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-40-8" style="position: relative;">but the word of our God endures forever. (Isaiah 40:8)</span></span></li><li><span class="indent-1" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Isa-40-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="text 2Tim-3-16" id="en-NIV-29870">All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,</span> <span class="text 2Tim-3-17" id="en-NIV-29871">so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)</span></span></span></li><li><span class="indent-1" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Isa-40-8" style="position: relative;"><span class="text 2Tim-3-17">For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)</span></span></span></li></ul></div><div>What I find more compelling is the way Jesus and the apostles weave Hebrew Scriptures into their teachings. Sacred texts oozed off of Jesus's lips. They spilled into his conversations, informed his identity, shaped his stories, moored his morals, and equipped him to overthrow the devil and endure the cross.</div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><blockquote>When we read the Old Testament, we read the Bible Jesus
read and used. These are the prayers Jesus prayed, the poems he memorized, the
songs he sang, the bedtime stories he heard as a child, the prophecies he
pondered. He revered every “jot and tittle” of the Hebrew Scriptures. The more
we comprehend the OT, the more we comprehend Jesus.<span style="color: #2b00fe;">^^</span> </blockquote></span></div><div>For Jesus, Bible reading was not a casual activity; it was lifegiving. Like Psalm 1 suggests, day and night, Jesus meditated on God's Word, and it nourished him. Some have estimated Jesus quoted or alluded to the Hebrew Scriptures at least ninety times. He spoke it during his temptation. He cited when summarizing his sacrificial mission. He alluded to it in his parables and exposited it in his sermons.<span style="color: #2b00fe;">^^^</span> </div><div><br /></div><div>Remarkably, Jesus made these references by memory. Only once do we see him handling a scroll and reading the Hebrew text (see Luke 4:16-17). Indeed, Jesus committed Scripture to memory to guard his heart, strengthen his soul, and guide his ministry. He took time to dig divine truth deeply into his heart. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiho-2FTc3H6GBknuyPUIb1jcom3cGp34MghxEpeKy6MUljeb8hhSgccnVBR4kV62H9es4glT0K8Lam7iJqK1-Yjlimw3eMRDHMSFE3YhquyamyT5ccGIAN5yUGkH7SrqMNiUmloSvLQ7dJMpM20u_HKI1yYqvaEOnvN_K18j7kdthKiL6PiyFeFiIylw/s1048/Know%20By%20Heart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="1048" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiho-2FTc3H6GBknuyPUIb1jcom3cGp34MghxEpeKy6MUljeb8hhSgccnVBR4kV62H9es4glT0K8Lam7iJqK1-Yjlimw3eMRDHMSFE3YhquyamyT5ccGIAN5yUGkH7SrqMNiUmloSvLQ7dJMpM20u_HKI1yYqvaEOnvN_K18j7kdthKiL6PiyFeFiIylw/w400-h191/Know%20By%20Heart.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>We should too. It's time to memorize! </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><h1><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: Making Scripture Memory Priority</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">Memory may feel unnecessary in a digital culture. When I can plug a key word into Google or BibleGateway to find it, personal recall feels inefficient or too effortful. Sadly, I bought this lie. Four years passed before I responded to this divine nudge. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">To help you avoid the procrastination trap I fell into, I have provided two reasons and five tips for Bible memory.<span style="color: #2b00fe;">#</span></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Reason 1: You cannot access what you do not input.</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>According to Daniel Kahneman, <a href="https://www.shortform.com/summary/thinking-fast-and-slow-summary-daniel-kahneman?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwmJeYBhAwEiwAXlg0AXfwtzhu1-KRNXLGKf9mWi61d6goi4dBmZGXybwhyHXoo17onIpCExoC3MwQAvD_BwE#summary-start" target="_blank">our brain combines two systems</a>. System 1 thinks and acts automatically; System 2 works slowly and methodically. Other psychologists, neurologists, and researchers of human behavior and habit describe the dual nature of the brain: emotional-and-analytical; conscious-and-unconscious; left-and-right; upstairs-and-downstairs. Amid diverse descriptions of the brain, there is consensus that it works on two levels. Most of it is automatic, and memory drives automatic responses.</div><div><br /></div><div>Memories may be shaped by heightened emotion, personal impact, or repeated exposure. We remember a first kiss, a best friend's betrayal, or breaking an arm because of their emotional impact. We cannot forget dad's lame joke about the walrus or songs from our childhood because of repeated exposure. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some Bible verses come to us automatically because of their emotional impact. Most Bible verses come to us because of repeated exposure. Of course, the Spirit also helps with our recall, but I suspect he works with our cognitive processes rather than around them.<span style="color: #2b00fe;">##</span></div><div><br /></div><div>During his wilderness temptation, Jesus easily combatted Satan by quoting familiar passages of Scripture (Matt 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-11; cf. Deut. 6-8). Repeated exposure dug Deuteronomy deeply into his heart. The same could be said about this quick-witted responses to Pharisaical traps. He knew the greatest commandment by heart (Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 6:4-5). Even his response to power-hungry disciples came from the overflow of his meditation on Isaiah 53 (Mark 10:35-45).</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus accesses what he input. So it is with us. Repeated exposure to Scripture becomes readily accessible when we need it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Reason 2. Scripture memory edges out stressful thoughts</span></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I rarely get a full night of sleep. I wake with my mind processing problems for the day to come. Getting back to sleep can be a challenge. Thus I've created a game. Whatever time shows on the clock, I convert to a Bible chapter and verse and try to cite it from memory. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: red;">1:14</span></b>: "The Word of God became flesh and dwelled among us..." (John)</div><div><b><span style="color: red;">2:20</span></b>: "I have been crucified with Christ..." (Galatians)</div><div><span style="color: red;"><b>3:33</b></span>: "The son of Amminadab, the son of Ram..." (Luke) [I had to look that up!]</div><div><br /></div><div>If that doesn't work, I meditate on a well-known text: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) </li><li>"The Lord is my Shepherd" (Psalm 23)</li><li>The Shema (Deut. 6:4-5)</li></ul>In any case, Scripture memory eases my stress about tomorrow while lying awake in the middle of the night. </div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div>And in the middle of the day, Scripture memory recalibrates my thinking. I can become obsessed about my schedule, my sermon, leadership principles, cross country practices, finances, or family issues. The mental churning wears me down. I need a healthy break for my brain.</div><div><br /></div><div>Often our mental stress lead us to mindless distractions: social media, Wordle, or consuming empty calories. Scripture memory allows us to meditate on truth rather than medicate with distraction. (Wow! That line was worth the price of this blog. Read it again.)</div><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Tip 1: Make a Goal</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Decide if you want to do a passage
every week, two weeks, or once a month. Adjust as needed. Always have the next
verse ready. Moreover, it helps to have a core set of passages you want to commit to memory. Below I've listed twenty-two great passages to get you started. Some are longer than others, but do not let that intimidate you. The longer the passage, the more your get to linger with it, letting it shape your heart, mind, and soul.</span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Tw Cen MT",sans-serif">Old Testament</span></b><span face=""Tw Cen MT",sans-serif">: Genesis 1:1-2, 26-28; Exodus 20:1-17;
Leviticus 19:1-2; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Joshua 1:7-9; Psalm 23; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah
40:30-31; Micah 6:8 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Tw Cen MT",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">New Testament</span></b><span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">: Matthew 6:33; Mark 10:45;
Luke 19:10; John 1:14; 3:16; 14:6; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:38-39; 12:1-2; 1
Corinthians 13:4-7; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 4:4-6; 13;
Colossians 3:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Hebrews 4:12-16; James 4:7; 1
Peter 5:7-8; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 1:9; 3:1-3</span></p></blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;">Tip 2: Use Motions</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether you use sign language or
custom-made gestures, getting the body involved helps get the verse in your
bones. This is not just for kids. Adults need it more since our brains, sadly, have moved from the developmental stage into a steady decline. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Personally, I've been working through Ephesians 3:14-21 but have struggled with the dimensions of God's love. Then I added hand motions: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the length [hands pointing straight forward]</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the width [hands spread far apart to my sides]</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the </span>height<span style="font-family: inherit;"> [hands overlapped, lifted above my forehead]</span></span></li><li><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the depth [bottom hand lowered to waist level]</span></span></li></ul><div>If you want my gestures for the Great Commandment, let me know in the comment section.</div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;">Tip 3: Make It Visible</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Post written or printed versions of
the passage in prominent places throughout the house (e.g., refrigerator,
bathroom mirror, bookmark). Keep a copy in your car or pocket. </span>Use whiteboards, notebooks, or index cards to write the verse repeatedly until its grooved into memory. If you have an inner artist, let it flourish. Draw the verse so its imagery sticks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;">Tip 4: Break It Down</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Divide the verse into logical
sections—prepositional phrases, clauses—and keep building until it’s complete.
Break down its meaning, too! Be sure that as you add new phrases, you review former ones. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A decade ago, I sought to memorize the Sermon on the Mount. The task felt overwhelming until I realized I could take it one blessing at a time. Then salt. Then light. Then law. Then antitheses. You get the point. (Full disclosure: I never finished.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 107%;">Tip 5: Review Daily</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Establish a regular time (e.g.,
breakfast, bedtime) and place (kitchen table, bedroom) to recite the passage. </span></span>Having accountability with family or friends can help. <span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Repetition →</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"> memorization.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5pt;">A few weeks ago, an older woman from the church recited a psalm for our Engaging Hour Class. I knew she had a few biblical poems memorized. In fact, she has nearly twenty psalms in her repertoire. "But I have to go through each one of them every week," she explained. Without regular review, our Bible memory gets hazy.</p>
<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div>I could write more, but I won't. It's time to memorize. God said so. Get to it. You will be blessed.</div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span class="text Ps-1-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">1 </span></span></blockquote><p> </p><span class="text Ps-1-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">Blessed is the one</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-1-1" style="position: relative;">who does not walk in step with the wicked</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Ps-1-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">or stand in the way that sinners take</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-1-1" style="position: relative;">or sit in the company of mockers,</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Ps-1-2" id="en-NIV-13942" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">2 </span>but whose delight is in the law of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span>,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-1-2" style="position: relative;">and who meditates on his law day and night.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Ps-1-3" id="en-NIV-13943" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; left: -4.4em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">3 </span>That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-1-3" style="position: relative;">which yields its fruit in season</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><span class="text Ps-1-3" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">and whose leaf does not wither—</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;" /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Ps-1-3" style="position: relative;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-1-3" style="position: relative;">whatever they do prospers.</span> (Psalm 1:1-3, NIV)</span></span></blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div>* My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>** I have no data on how often they were downloaded, but after four years of service and a three-year COVID interruption, my job disappeared.</div><div><br /></div><div>^ It is worth noting these passages validate the authority of God's Word before the 66-book canon was established. In their original context they spoke of the authority of God's spoken word through the prophets (Is. 40:8), inspired Hebrew Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16), and incarnate Word (Heb. 4:12). The principle of authority does apply to our canon, as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>^^ <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">Yancey, </span><i style="font-size: 16px;">The Bible Jesus Read</i><span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">, 25</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">^^^ <b>Jesus's</b> </span></span><b style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">OT Citations</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">: Gen. 2:24; Exod. 3:6; 20:12–16, 21:17; Lev. 19:18; Duet. 5:16–20; 6:4–6, 13, 16; 8:3; Pss. 8:2; 22:1; 31:5; 78:2; 82:6; 110:1; 118:22, 26; Isa. 6:9–10, 13; 29:13; 53:12; 56:7; 61:1–2; 66:24; Jer. 7:11; Hos. 10:8; Mal. 3:1; Zech. 13:7.</span></div><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><b>Jesus's</b> <b>OT Allusions</b></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">: Gen. 3 (Abel); 6–9 (Noah); 12–25 (Abraham & Lot); 28:18 (Jacob’s ladder); Lev. 14 (cleanliness laws); 25 (Jubilee); Num. 21:4–8 (lifted snake); Deut. 15:11 (perpetual poverty); 19:16 (law of witnesses); 1 Kgs. 17 (Elijah); 2 Kgs. 5 (Elisah); Isa. 5:1–7 (vineyard); 49:6 (light of nations) Jer. 31:31–33 (new covenant); Ezek. 34:23–24 (good shepherd); Dan. 7:13–14 (Son of Man); 9:24–27 (abomination of desolation)</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div> # <span style="font-size: 16px;">The five tips are adapted from the <b>Parenting on Purpose</b> resource I published for our church earlier this month. </span><a href="https://www.graceintheburg.com/community-new/resources/parenting-resources/2-knowing-the-bible-by-heart/file.html" style="font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">Find it here</a><span style="font-size: 16px;">.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div>## Jesus tells the disciples the Holy Spirit will guide them in all truth (John 16:13). While some might make a case for direct revelation from the Spirit (i.e. divine download of truth), it does not fit the pattern of Scripture whereby God uses human agents to give revelation and human effort to grow in understanding.</div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-85174941013641602472022-04-20T08:37:00.003-04:002022-04-20T08:37:25.110-04:00God Said, "You Give OF Yourself, But You Do Not Give Your SELF." (TGSM #4)<p>"You give <i>of </i>yourself, but you do not give your <i>self</i>," said God.</p><p>Here was a divine a riddle. The words turned in my head numerous times before clicking. Then the enigmatic phrase bloomed and became an epiphany.</p><p>"Yes. Yes, I do," I whispered.</p><p>"You give <i>of </i>yourself, but you do not give your <i>self</i>," is the fourth word from God in this series. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[1]</span></b> For those who tend to hide behind dutiful service, personality labels, or ministry roles, I pray you are especially challenged.</p><p><br /></p><h1><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Setting: Talking on the Phone & Walking Alone</span></b></h1><p>The global pandemic disrupted my second year of doctoral studies. I had been looking forward to my time in California: setting aside work and family obligations for two weeks; mingling with other believers; spending weekends with my brother; and eating hearty servings of theological discourse and cafeteria fare. For me, doctoral studies were indulgent.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaRepr-yZBzN2hW1-KN4BWJ4cqNZUhMmGV56nGTyS2wPNLF90YHAgw2TI2la9c8J_ptT_CYmSADCceIHzV15De2vzTjrWZB2R5HjOXsaD3_p1wfPUwC-BTO5r3drT5kIJcUn1N3KYAOFHLNJ-dy41LwoePHHcvMyN_w5vWIG8ocXzRsz35UzdYM3ODg/s3840/IMG_20190524_165508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaRepr-yZBzN2hW1-KN4BWJ4cqNZUhMmGV56nGTyS2wPNLF90YHAgw2TI2la9c8J_ptT_CYmSADCceIHzV15De2vzTjrWZB2R5HjOXsaD3_p1wfPUwC-BTO5r3drT5kIJcUn1N3KYAOFHLNJ-dy41LwoePHHcvMyN_w5vWIG8ocXzRsz35UzdYM3ODg/w225-h400/IMG_20190524_165508.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First classroom. Then the court. I am going to miss this!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When the pandemic did not clear up quickly, Biola's administration moved our summer courses online. It was a necessary precaution, affecting students and educators around the globe. I understood but not without lamenting.</p><p>In an email to my professor, I explained the importance of the residency to my soul. Embodied engagement has no rival. He understood and also lamented. So did my classmates. None of us was thrilled about ten days of digital education, but we had no other options.</p><p>Thus my professor pieced together an interesting plan: 30-minute phone calls with every member of the class. "Schedule a time, take a walk, make the call, and talk." Dr. Porter was a poet. He was also my first phone conversation.</p><p>I strolled a bike trail while discussing discipleship, friendship, and prayer with him. Thirty minutes flew by. At some point, God interrupted me with this thought: "You give of yourself, but you do not give your self." I juggled my conversations with Steve and God, God and Steve, until I solved the riddle.</p><p>"I don't give my <i>self</i>," I told Steve. "Not fully. I'm always holding something of my self back, hiding behind another question for someone else to answer, another insight to push someone else along." <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[2]</span></b></p><p>Steve listened. He affirmed the insight. A true friend and follower of Jesus does more than give; he gives himself. I had a long way to go. Perhaps the next eight phone calls would take me there.</p><p><br /></p><h1><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: A Self-Giving God and Call to Die</span></h1><div>Jesus invites us into a life of giving. Of course, this goes beyond generosity with our time and energy, money and stuff, words and influence. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[3]</span></b> Giving can actually mask greed. If you don't believe me, refresh your memory about Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11). Moreover, sometimes we give with strings attached or withholdings declared.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes the kind of giving Jesus calls us to is reckless. If you don't believe me, refresh your memory about the would-be disciples who wanted to sleep on a bed, bury their dead, or maintain their wealth (Matt. 8:33-37; 19:16-22). </div><div><br /></div><div>Even if reckless giving is the exception to discipleship, selfless giving is the standard. Jesus modeled it by emptying himself of his <i>self</i>. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[4]</span></b> Paul's Christ Hymn (Phil. 2:6-11) describes Jesus's letting go of heavenly glory, status, and independent access to his divine powers and becoming a lowly, humble, obedient-unto-death human. The cross graphically marked Jesus's <i>kenotic </i>existence. And it became the symbol for the surrendered, sacrificial, self-giving life expected of his followers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><i style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #800180;">When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die</span>.</i> <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[5] </span></b></blockquote><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"></span></b></div><div></div><div>The first followers of Jesus took this call to die seriously. Ten of the twelve men Jesus appointed as apostles died as martyrs. Many church fathers and mothers aspired to martyrdom. Polycarp and Ignatius are icons. Although this overly literal reading of Jesus's call to carry a cross glamorizes death, it certainly challenges the comfort-seeking impulses of American Christianity.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAIo_Dw8VST2yJFOUjh_raI2qhjARBILkRgJG_73WqfsD95hl3958QI8Yl-G5r2-jmk4mZkLVAanmv2itv6kEEoocgI4wxwICe3QqgmygEiXXOdCuAr2H9A-e7N5ywSrhY2-3U30DI9T_d7RAXuvZUhj6L10twQug1zLJQms4XOKeM3Ox9Q_8ljnEjGg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAIo_Dw8VST2yJFOUjh_raI2qhjARBILkRgJG_73WqfsD95hl3958QI8Yl-G5r2-jmk4mZkLVAanmv2itv6kEEoocgI4wxwICe3QqgmygEiXXOdCuAr2H9A-e7N5ywSrhY2-3U30DI9T_d7RAXuvZUhj6L10twQug1zLJQms4XOKeM3Ox9Q_8ljnEjGg" width="240" /></a></div></div><div>Followers of Jesus like me freely give <i>of </i>ourselves, but we do not fully give our <i>selves</i>. Our giving, in all its forms--money, words, time, influence, attention, service, friendship--holds back something of our selves. To give our selves to God or others puts us at their mercy. Most of us prefer self-protection.</div><h1><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: Why Giving Our SELVES Matters</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">I naturally give <i>of </i>my self; giving my <i>self </i>is a different story. It's more risky and vulnerable. It requires wisdom and confidence. Below are a four reasons God gave me this word.</span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Giving My <i>Self </i>Surrenders Me to God's Mercy</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Two blind men from Jericho heard Jesus coming. They cried out from their dark corner. "Lord Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us." While the crowd tried to silence them--to assuage their guilt or so Jesus could march onward--the blind men persisted. They ignored the masses and cried again for mercy (see Matt. 20:29-34).</div><div><br /></div><div>Cries for mercy come when our present need exceeds our desire to appear independent. We admit weakness. We confess struggles. We surrender and ask for help. To deny their longing for sight (or to feign contentment in their blindness) would have kept these men from receiving God's mercy. They needed his mercy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I need it. We all need it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Often our greatest obstacle to receiving God's mercy a spirit of independence. And yet, his mercy meets where we are most naked and vulnerable, broken and blind.</div><div><br /></div><div>David Benner warns against false selves. He writes, <span style="font-family: inherit;">"The self that God persistently loves is not my prettied-up pretend self but my actual self—the real me. But, master of delusions that I am, I have trouble penetrating my web of self-deceptions and knowing the real me. I continually confuse it with some ideal self that I wish I were." <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[6]</span></b> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Benner, we only experience the fullness of God's love when we confess our blindness and surrender our masks. Only then can we surrender our actual, real, impaired </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">selves </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">to him. Here mercy descends and transformation begins.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Giving My <i>Self </i>Kills My Many Selves</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>In the social media age, we all manage many selves. Our online personas differ from our embodied presence. However, this is nothing new. Paul was bold in letters and meek in close quarters (2 Cor. 10:1). Moreover, humans historically have worn myriad relational hats. I am husband-father-pastor-student-professor-son-author-coach-neighbor-friend. The order changes depending on who inhabits the room. You might be teacher-mother-wife-caregiver-PTO member-hostess-recovering alcoholic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AGPtSkpr5tA" width="320" youtube-src-id="AGPtSkpr5tA"></iframe></div><div>My <i>self </i>can get stretched, distorted, or parceled out according to the diverse roles I play. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[7]</span></b> Managing or maintaining these selves is exhausting. It's draining. Dehumanizing, in fact. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[8]</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>To give my <i>self </i>is to set my many curated selves on the altar as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1-2). To take inventory of them. To corral them. To pin them down, bind them, and slay them. (RIP: Witty Twitter City Timmy) This is to choose integrity over influence, giving my one <i>self </i>to my Triune God. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[9]</span></b> Fortunately, he's much more gracious than the masses. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Giving My <i>Self </i>Awakens My True Self.</span></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The quest for identity rages in our secular age. On the bright side, this search for identity has pulled hidden figures from the shadows and hurting people from the margins. However, this quest has a menacing side. It has exacerbated political tensions, upended age-old binaries, and propelled a rising generation to new heights of expressive individualism. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[10]</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Carl Trueman explains the philosophical, political, and pop cultural forces at work in the last two hundred years from whence expressive individualism has emerged. <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[11]</span></b> What bears repeating here is the crushing pressure placed on every soul for self-definition. In our secular age, identity comes from within; it is neither a gift of God nor product of genetics nor outcome of societal (e.g., family, education, politics, economics) forces. Indeed, I am the captain of my fate, author of my own story, and engineer of my liquid identity.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so are YOU (times 8 billion).</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, this misses the biblical treasury of identity statements. From the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-2) to the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22), God's view of humans has been astounding. We are his Image-bearers, Children, Vessels, Workmanship, Crown, Saints, Ambassadors, Bride, Temple, Chosen, and Beloved. Our identity comes from eternity past and lasts for all time. Our identity comes without conditions and in spite of our transgressions. This identity does not erase our individuality, but each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, being fully made into our true, Christlike selves.</div><blockquote><div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>The
more we get what we call ourselves out of the way and let Him take us over, the
more truly ourselves we become. There is so much of Him that millions and millions
of ‘little Christs,’ all different, will still be too few to express Him fully...</i></span></span><span face=""Tw Cen MT",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[12] </span></b></span></div><div> </div></blockquote><div></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Giving My <i>Self </i>Opens Me to Genuine Friendship</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I have many good friends. Today I had breakfast with one and coffee with another. Every night I share a bed with my best friend. My life is full with these friendships; I give plenty to them. But my life and friendships could be fuller, if I gave more to them. More of my <i>self.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Here is the norm:</div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">I do more listening than talking. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I ask questions more than answering them.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I withhold my thoughts and opinions until they are solicited.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I am more likely to quote authors and cite podcasts than share memories.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't want to bother others. </div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't want to burden others.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't want to look fickle or ill-informed to others.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I express myself in sermons and blogposts and cede conversational spaces to others.</div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Some of these realities stem from my pastoral vocation. Others tie into my personality and life stage. Being a middle-aged parent of teenagers is a friendship desert. The adolescent oasis of friendship is a distant haze. Not only are opportunities for friendship fleeting, I am out of practice in being vulnerable.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJFPAQS3-W8iVZGkqw972CvzkaKBpbd4hYyk3BiUfae0Rx76EBhlkzNdAW7L1ICiR8SJoYMA9L2kzGRRu61sGbA1lPZH4SQ0vjN307Kh2Yg-YjExrT2c9zMKEDNJVTxxhFcaZyV-DO5xkrfteaDCPYuSkHpU9KepNmyhlmey8XeYaF1J8pfcjFdRDqg/s1800/3c344af0ccde8f0819a781532f4c02b2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJFPAQS3-W8iVZGkqw972CvzkaKBpbd4hYyk3BiUfae0Rx76EBhlkzNdAW7L1ICiR8SJoYMA9L2kzGRRu61sGbA1lPZH4SQ0vjN307Kh2Yg-YjExrT2c9zMKEDNJVTxxhFcaZyV-DO5xkrfteaDCPYuSkHpU9KepNmyhlmey8XeYaF1J8pfcjFdRDqg/w400-h266/3c344af0ccde8f0819a781532f4c02b2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>God wants all of us to have a few genuine friends with whom we can be vulnerable. A genuine friend listens. She asks you questions, hears your stories, and draws out your opinion. She bears your burdens and lets you be a bother. She doesn't let you off the hook. She embraces your true, raw, real, fickle self. She sees you as God does: holy and beloved. </div><div><br /></div><div>Though not every friendship will reach this level, genuine friendships are glorious. I might have more myself, if I gave my <i>self </i>more to them.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div>God said, "You give <i>of </i>yourself, but you do not give your <i>self</i>." This was a word for me, but it may have relevance to you. You may need to:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Give your raw <i>self </i>to God's mercy. </li><li><span style="background-color: white;">Get rid of your false selves.</span></li><li>Find your true <i>self </i>in God's story.</li><li>Discover genuine friendship through vulnerability.</li></ul></div><p>The last of these reasons continues to resonate with me. Perhaps this self-disclosure is not earth-shattering, but it's a start. I need practice. I need friends. We all do.</p><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div>[1] My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response. Finally, it is worth noting that when I use the word <i>self </i>in this article, what I mean is the biblical word <i>soul</i>, which is our entire person (body, mind, emotions, spirit) in relationship to God and others. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>[2] I wrote about this word in a reflection paper for my class: "<span face=""Tw Cen MT", sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I remember the exact location on a paved trail. The
words arrested me. As I have pondered the phrase, I’ve realized my tendency to
keep people at a distance by serving them: a listening posture, a word of
advice, a calculated story, an outward focus. While this sounds virtuous, Jesus’s
message exposed my avoidance of vulnerability. To constantly be on the giving
side keeps me from sharing my needs and receiving from others."</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Tw Cen MT",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div><div>[3] I'm grateful for the <a href="https://www.ilikegiving.com/">I Like Giving</a> group that provides meaningful videos and broadens their definition of generosity to seven forms.</div><div><br /></div><div>[4] This is Joseph Hellerman's translation of the kenosis passage in Philippians. I like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Embracing-Shared-Ministry-Status-Matters/dp/0825442648/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Q78WIYYJT9YK&keywords=shared+leadership+hellerman&qid=1650378443&sprefix=shared+leadership+hellerman%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1" target="_blank">his explanation</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>[5] Bonhoeffer, <i>Cost of Discipleship</i>, 89 </div><div><br /></div><div>[6] See Benner, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Being-Yourself-Self-Discovery-Spiritual/dp/0830846123/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1M9XQ7LO0CSXO&keywords=gift+of+being+yourself&qid=1650381965&s=books&sprefix=gift+of+being+yourself%2Cstripbooks%2C93&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Gift of Being Yourself</a></i>, 57. This is part of a trilogy, which also includes <i>Surrender to Love</i> and <i>Desiring God's Will</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>[7] This idea of dividing our self reminds me of Harry Potter and the way Voldemort hid pieces of his soul in horcruxes as a way of immortalizing himself. I wonder if our many selves are not an effort to transcend time, space, and death.</div><div><br /></div><div>[8] Andrew Root diagnoses this in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Congregation-Secular-Age-Keeping-Ministry/dp/0801098483/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+congregation+in+a+secular+age+andrew+root&qid=1650379193&sprefix=congregation+in+the+secu%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Congregation in the Secular Age</a></i> (2021), as he unpacks the acceleration of time in our Late-Modern Age and how it has made us all feel busy, guilty, and depressed. He writes, "Depression is the shadow side of authenticity" (11). That quotes is worth your actually reading the footnotes!</div><div><br /></div><div>[9] In my daughter's <a href="https://www.flipsnack.com/focus/brio-sample_febmar2022/full-view.html" target="_blank">February-March issue of Brio Magazine</a>, they shared a story of a social media influencer, Lily Kate Cole, who began to go public with her faith and instantly lost thousands of followers (see "Internet Famous," pp. 14-16). To live with integrity is to gather these various selves into our singular, God-given, embodied soul and demand they profess the same beliefs and values and demonstrate the same morals and character at all times and places.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>[10] Of course, expressive individualism has four fatal flaws. </div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Expressive individualism is cultural. It's a new movement and primarily a Western one. Millions of people denying a gender binary have created a new trend. Thus, expressive individualism may be more of a pendulum swing than actual progress. </li><li>Expressive individualism is inauthentic. In truth, for most, expressive individualism is not content with merely expressing one's uniqueness, its proponents also wants their uniqueness externally validated. A strong push for legislation, education, and medical intervention provide evidence of this need for validation. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></li><li>Expressive individualism has an impossible aim: validation. Self-expression is not enough; we want our SELVES approved by others. In reality, we cannot force people to validate others on their own terms. We can criticize, cancel, shame, and cause financial harm to people who will not play tolerant, but to coerce them to think a certain way would be inauthentic. </li><li>Expressive individualism is exhausting. The continuous need to define, redefine, and reinvent oneself allows for no rest. Rather than helping people find their true SELVES, many have lost their soul in the relentless quest for identity.</li></ol></div><div>[11] See <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Triumph-Modern-Self-Individualism/dp/1433556332/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PPAA0PVQCHSS&keywords=rise+and+triumph+of+the+modern+self&qid=1650379820&sprefix=rise+and+triumph+of+the+modern+self%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self</a></i> or his recently published and condensed work <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Strange-New-World-Activists-Revolution/dp/1433579308/ref=pd_bxgy_img_sccl_1/134-9213019-0201135?pd_rd_w=LEf3g&pf_rd_p=6b3eefea-7b16-43e9-bc45-2e332cbf99da&pf_rd_r=BSTW4JV3V6TKS46630RS&pd_rd_r=ecfd80c1-b0cf-455e-8a63-d4c84e860f97&pd_rd_wg=7DbPi&pd_rd_i=1433579308&psc=1" target="_blank">Strange New World</a></i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>[12] Lewis, <i>Mere Christianity</i>, 190.</div><br />Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-91338363638283352702022-03-30T09:28:00.003-04:002022-03-30T09:28:22.469-04:00God Said, "I See You. I've Never NOT Seen You" (TGSM #3)<p>"I see you," said God. "I've never NOT seen you."</p><p>This phrase spoke comfort and peace to me. It was not a warning from God Most High about his ever-watchful eye on my ever-wandering heart. The Heavenly Father is not Big Brother. His omniscience and my future judgment do not fill me with foreboding as they did during adolescence, when zealous preachers and "gospel" tracts described in vivid detail the Judgment Seat of Christ.*</p><p>Giving an account to God for my life no longer haunts me. Apocalyptic images of a heavenly courtroom no longer cause panic. God's intimate knowledge of my every move no longer causes distress (Psalm 139). If fact, I delight in his gracious, permanent gaze.</p><p>"I see you. I've never NOT seen you," is the third word from God in this series.** Though spoken to me, I trust this is a hopeful word for you.</p><p><br /></p><h1><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Backstory: A Child Wanting to Be Seen</span></b></h1><p>I used to like hiding. With friends I would initiate games of Hide-and-Seek with with a special catch: they didn't know we were playing. In other words, I would just follow an impulse to hide, crawling under a bed or climbing into a closet. Then I would wait to see if anyone noticed. I would remain hidden until they found me.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglm5XIJITGDZzvaUD7QKBGF2b8LkZfwyI9v_PJlSa9LD71TlpiGSUrrYS1Otj8nng2h39YKGeBbdPp8NrW0yVptVfTaPq-bBxmRoDQFKL6OVIQjm442-ev1QBfyiVtHW77zvyB5If5dl8XR4qgMJdXiwGFLRSQYLkV_rcHAUNZEwYnnOuzgRreCDmekA/s1920/little-boy-1635065_1920.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglm5XIJITGDZzvaUD7QKBGF2b8LkZfwyI9v_PJlSa9LD71TlpiGSUrrYS1Otj8nng2h39YKGeBbdPp8NrW0yVptVfTaPq-bBxmRoDQFKL6OVIQjm442-ev1QBfyiVtHW77zvyB5If5dl8XR4qgMJdXiwGFLRSQYLkV_rcHAUNZEwYnnOuzgRreCDmekA/w400-h266/little-boy-1635065_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin: initial; padding: initial;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/ambermb-3121132/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1635065" style="cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">ambermb</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1635065" style="cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Eventually, my friends caught wind of my plot. I heard them in the upstairs hallway of their house. They approached the guest bedroom, where I was tucked into a ball underneath the bedside table. I held my breath and listened as one of them muttered, "Why does Tim always hide?"</p><p>"I don't know," replied the other. "But it's annoying."</p><p>Their footsteps receded. The game ended. I remained clutching my knees to my chest, feeling smaller and more hidden than moments before.</p><p>As a kid, I desperately wanted to be seen. I was the third child of four. My eldest brother was the athlete. My elder brother was the scholar. My sister was the lone girl and youngest of the lot. I was an inconspicuous, middle child. So I acted out. I'd misbehaved to get attention. Or I'd threatened to run away to be chased after. When those efforts backfired, I directed my energies toward acting. And when my path to Hollywood seemed unlikely, I pursued a more noble platform: pastoral ministry. </p><p>For fifteen years of Sundays, I have captivated an audience and commanded a stage. [Cue the laugh track.] Overstatement aside, I can honestly claim that people notice me. A pastor is a public figure. My life is on display.</p><p>Nevertheless, I have realized that being noticed is not the same thing as being seen.*** When we notice something, it gets our attention; when we see something, our attention is held. You <i>notice </i>car accidents, tattoos, and homeless people. You <i>see </i>your son curled in pain after a hard fall. You <i>see </i>your spouse pale as she fights a panic attack. You <i>see </i>your friend standing taller after a promotion. </p><p>To see someone requires us to slow down, lean in, and carefully inspect. You can notice people without loving them, but love is a prerequisite to truly seeing them.</p><p>A few years ago, God said to me, "I see you. I've never NOT seen you." It was a summons to come out of hiding. He slowed down, leaned in, and declared his love to me.</p><p><br /></p><h1><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: A God Who Sees</span></h1><div>God receives the name "El Roi" from Hagar, an unlikely candidate for theological precision. Her story is a subplot of Abram's tale. She is an Egyptian slave who becomes a child-bearer for the family when Sarai's infertility appears insurmountable. God has promised Abram a son whose birth will launch cascade of blessings (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-5). Unfortunately, the elderly couple has passed their prime. Thus, they enlist Hagar as a surrogate at Sarai's prompting. Hagar conceives a child.</div><div><br /></div><div>All is not well in Abram's household. Hagar's pregnancy does not solve a theological problem but causes marital tensions. Sarai is envious of Hagar and angry at Abram. After a period of mistreatment, Hagar gets the message and flees.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXmze-cDH5GgfcaBQ9V7dBT9EfjKApm_AU6jeBD8JaHu5swXZ61TwC7L_fqd2fNY_BDq_bdlmvEZZfUJYtAolv7KPNgbt-2-i_zuMg5EkKmykoRvsBORnLr1-zUHXrG09_kuRYK-hqlP2gympZaj50jYry7gGpvzAKVpZrLb9zT28tm2lKDH8NSMYaew" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="640" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXmze-cDH5GgfcaBQ9V7dBT9EfjKApm_AU6jeBD8JaHu5swXZ61TwC7L_fqd2fNY_BDq_bdlmvEZZfUJYtAolv7KPNgbt-2-i_zuMg5EkKmykoRvsBORnLr1-zUHXrG09_kuRYK-hqlP2gympZaj50jYry7gGpvzAKVpZrLb9zT28tm2lKDH8NSMYaew=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">wikimedia commons: 1835 Corot Hagar in der Wildnis anagoria </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Near a spring in the wilderness the tearful, pregnant refugee meets meets the angel of the LORD. He encourages Hagar to return. He provides a name for her son: Ishmael. He affirms God's compassion: "The LORD has heard your misery." He describes her future: many heirs and much conflict (Gen. 16:7-12).</div><div><br /></div><div>Hagar responds by coining a name for the LORD. At this point in OT history, others have spoken with the LORD (e.g., Adam) and called upon his name (Gen. 4:26), but Hagar is the first in the biblical record to give God a name.^ Her act is remarkable both in its boldness and beauty. She calls him El Roi: <i>The One Who Sees Me</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><blockquote><div>God saw Hagar. He had never NOT seen her. For he is the God who sees.</div><div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>Jesus makes a similar statement in the Sermon on the Mount. The Heavenly Father sees when we give in secret, pray in secret, and fast in secret. He also sees when we live for public praise or practice private sin (Matt. 6:1-18). He sees us. He never NOT sees us.</div><div><br /></div><div>In his exhortation against worry, Jesus speaks of God's persistent, caring gaze. Moving from lesser to greater, he says, "God also watches over you." </div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Matt-6-25" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"></span></span><blockquote><span class="text Matt-6-25" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-6-26" id="en-NIV-23309" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-6-27" id="en-NIV-23310" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matt. 6:25-27, NIV)</span></span></blockquote><span class="text Matt-6-27" id="en-NIV-23310" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></div><div>He returns to this comparison again, valuing a soul over a sparrow. God sees both. He cares for both. His love for humans exceeds sparrows. </div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Matt-10-28" id="en-NIV-23446" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"></span></span><blockquote><span class="text Matt-10-28" id="en-NIV-23446" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-10-29" id="en-NIV-23447" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Matt-10-30" id="en-NIV-23448" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj">And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matt. 10:28-30, NIV)</span></span></blockquote><span class="text Matt-10-30" id="en-NIV-23448" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></div><div>Hagar felt it. Jesus said it. I heard it. God sees us. He has never NOT seen us.^^</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><h1><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: Being Seen & Spiritual Health</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">I can draw several important implications from the truth that God sees me. They are especially helpful in our busy, media-driven, relationally-challenged age.</span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Being Seen by God Redeems Broken Attachments</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div>From a young age, we delight in a parent's watchful eye. We want to be seen. </div><div><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: left;">"Mommy, watch me jump on the trampoline." </div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: left;">"Dad, are you coming to my baseball game?" </div></div></blockquote><div><div><br /></div><div>Those who specialize in attachment theory, a psychological study of relational bonds and boundaries, suggest that "Being Seen" is one of four keys to healthy attachment.+ <a href="file:///C:/Users/spran/OneDrive/Documents/Talbot/Reading%20Assignments/TTMN%20823/Human%20Attachment%20and%20Relationality.pdf" target="_blank">Interestingly. recent research suggests our childhood attachments have a direct connection to our attachment to God.</a> When our parents fail to see us, we project a similar distance or disinterest on God. Fortunately, through the hard work of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and nurturing of good relationships, we can rewrite this belief in adulthood. <i>God sees us. He's never NOT seen us.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Being Seen by God Kills the Need for the Buzzfeed</span></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Social media has conditioned us to claw for attention. Some people post their lives. Others live through posts. This is a trend among my daughters' peers, who spend their days assembling the perfect outfit and striking unnatural poses for photoshoots. I once heard the average selfie takes five minutes and 10+ tries before a teenager will post it. I've heard of others who remove a post if it hasn't gained enough traction. Behind this impulse to broadcast is a desire to be seen. </div><div><br /></div><div>Personally, I feel the buzz and can feed off reactions to my Facebook page, Instagram account, YouTube channel, and blogposts. (By the way, Comment, Like, and Share this!) Its pull was greatest during the pandemic, when our church services only aired online. I watched the Great White Eye in the top left corner giving me a count of concurrent viewers; the figure was abysmally low. I had to remind myself regularly: <i>God sees me. He's never NOT seen me.</i></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Being Seen By God Reduces Loneliness</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>The ability to connect in our digital age is limitless. At any hour and across any distance, we can reach others or be reached. Sadly, our interconnectivity has not resulted in intimacy. Loneliness has been rising for years; the pandemic accelerated our sense of isolation. Recent studies from <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/mettes-lonely-americans/" target="_blank">Barna </a>and <a href="https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/reports/loneliness-in-america" target="_blank">Harvard </a>have quantified loneliness: 31-36% of US adults; 61% of young adults suffer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Though Christians are not immune to feeling alone (25% experience it according to Barna), the doctrine of Christ's abiding presence can lessen its sting. Jesus closed his Great Commission with the promise, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Matt. 28:20). The apostle Paul encountered Christ standing by him when all his other companions deserted him (2 Tim. 4:16-17). Not only does Jesus stay with and stand by us, he sent his Spirit as our constant comforter (John 14-16; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:20-22). Though we may feel alone in the world, we are never left alone. Jesus stands beside us. The Spirit dwells within us. They never NOT see us.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Being Seen By God Increases Confidence</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>In 2010 I entered the Columbus Marathon. My father said he would find me at some point during the 26.2-mile race. I wove through downtown, across OSU's campus, around suburban neighborhoods. All along the way, I surveyed thousands of faces looking for my father. Knowing he was watching built my confidence, gave me energy, kept me running.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoOlN5QDF_r7QxsczkovgroSVjxh3BYR5v5kloOK7_o4hI98rLV8iXURVocJiG9WWII9GqCZA6r0t7QH6ND0X9YlgHWZbwDdJfqQmx1mh9JviczQFNXJAfrkOZZdxnaxDiCDjmAnx7UXFWwwrgCHC9S5bOQ0hBHFbLEzN6TEsz4mGRocgRmYEsTqS2g/s1920/marathon-3753907_1920.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoOlN5QDF_r7QxsczkovgroSVjxh3BYR5v5kloOK7_o4hI98rLV8iXURVocJiG9WWII9GqCZA6r0t7QH6ND0X9YlgHWZbwDdJfqQmx1mh9JviczQFNXJAfrkOZZdxnaxDiCDjmAnx7UXFWwwrgCHC9S5bOQ0hBHFbLEzN6TEsz4mGRocgRmYEsTqS2g/w400-h266/marathon-3753907_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Image by </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/995645-995645/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3753907" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">995645</a><span style="background-color: white;"> from </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3753907" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>So it goes with my Heavenly Father. He watches me as I preach, coach, and volunteer in public. He views my quiet hours of study, anxious moments of doubt, and grand sessions of dreaming. He observes me as a husband, father, and friend. His loving gaze gives me energy. His shining countenance keeps me going. He sees me. He's never NOT seen me. He watches with pleasure because I am his child. My confidence brims knowing I am his.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you have read this far, I want to assure you that God sees you. This word to me is a word for you. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">You are not alone. </span><i>God sees you. He's never NOT seen you</i><span style="background-color: white;">. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may be a tearful outcast like Hagar. Rest assured: <i>God sees you.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may feel broken, unloved, and incapable of attachment. Rest assured: <i>God sees you.</i></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may lament the loneliness that plagues us in our digital age. Rest assured: <i>God sees you</i>.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may be restless in your life stage, weary by your service, or gasping for air on Mile 22. Rest assured: <i>God sees you.</i></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><i>He's never NOT seen you</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">And he will see you through.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div>* To be clear: I believe in final judgement. I believe in followers of Jesus giving an account for their lives, how they stewarded their bodies, days, and words (2 Cor. 5:10; cf. Rom. 14:10). I want to be purged of my lifelong, fleshly resistance and litany of unconfessed sin. This is freedom. And I'll humbly receive any reward the Father wants to dole out to me. I also believe in the reality of Hell as an eternal realm of separation from God. It is the landing place for Satan, demons, and those who reject Jesus.</div><div><br /></div><div>** My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>***There are a variety of reason for this. First, preaching should primarily focus on Christ, not the pastor. We are windows, not mirrors. Second, personal stories from the pulpit are selective and controlled. Oversharing is irresponsible. Third, sermons are monologues; they are not conducive to conversation. In healthy dialogue, we become more visible to our conversation partners.</div><div><br /></div><div>^ Thanks to Fitzpatrick and Shumacher for noting this as one of many "firsts" in their book, <i><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Worthy-Celebrating-Value-Elyse-Fitzpatrick/dp/0764234366/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1648641739&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women</a></b></i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>^^ One caveat is worth noting here. On the Cross, the Father likely turned his face away from his Son. As he became the embodiment of SIN and a curse for mankind, the Father forsook the Son. Jesus captures this in his quotation of Psalm 22. Our hymns convey this in lines like, "The Father turned his face away." We cannot be certain if this expresses existential angst or an actual, relational turn from the Heavenly Father, but I suppose it is both. Habakkuk 1:13 says something similar about God's inability to look at sin.</div><div><br /></div><div>+ I first learned about the 4 S's from <i><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Power-Showing-Up-Parental-Presence/dp/1524797715/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27F41ALFP9HOD&keywords=the+power+of+showing+up&qid=1648045361&sprefix=the+power+of+showing+up%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Power of Showing Up</a></b></i>. The others are Security, Safety, and Soothing.</div><div><br /></div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-29566239992881555732022-03-16T14:30:00.003-04:002022-03-16T14:30:54.648-04:00God Said, "There's So Much More for Us." (TGSM #2)<p>"There's so much more for us," said God.</p><p>I believed him and still do. I jotted these words in my prayer notebook; I revisit them often. God whispered them to me at the end of a prayer retreat. He assured me Leesburg Grace Church had many good chapters remaining in our story.</p><p>"There's so much more for us," is the second word from God in this series.* I suspect it is a hopeful word to anyone leading a local church or invested in serving Jesus for eternal impact.</p><p><br /></p><h1><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Setting: Leesburg, IN (July 2018)</span></b></h1><p>Summers are no breeze for a pastor. My rhythms changes, but the pace does not slow. The summer of 2018 our church hosted Operation Barnabas. Conferences consumed half of July. I oversaw a pastoral internship, enjoyed a vacation in the Outer Banks, survived a dog attack, and officiated three weddings. My contribution to ministry outside of my church included speaking at a soccer camp, drafting a commentary, and creating curriculum for a youth conference. In other words, summer days were a blur.</p><p>Amid the bluster of activities, I had begun to question my impact and motives. A journal entry at the end of June captures my inner dialogue. I wrote:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>I am but a small player in the kingdom of God. At times I feel like my words are golden. Wisdom, sage. Ideas, brilliant. Fame, immanent. </i>Silly Tim.<i> This lure to become well-known is misguided. Moreover, it would be somewhat miserable. The traveling and attention fame brings would certainly lead to loneliness. I am but a small player in the kingdom of God.</i></p></blockquote><p>This line of thinking was not new to me.** Fortunately, prayer retreats disabuse me of my delusions of grandeur. The one in early July served this purpose. I spent the afternoon reading, singing, and interceding while seated on the church stage. Eventually, I reflected on life at Leesburg Grace. In my journal I described feeling "tentative." Inconsistent attendance will do this to me, but I pondered some relational tensions and potential departures of key families. To God, I inked a confession followed by a prayer:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><i>I did not build this congregation. I don't hold it together. I merely shepherd, serving, loving, preaching, connecting.</i></p><p><i>God, I ask you to build this people. I ask you to hold us together. I ask you to empower me as their shepherd.</i></p></blockquote><p>Then God said to me, "There is so much more for us." </p><p> </p><h1><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: On the Church and Her Impact</span></h1><div>Jesus and the apostles cast a compelling vision for The Church. Jesus spoke of her tenacity. The Gates of Hell could not thwart her (Matt. 16:18). Church members had spiritual authority and bore witness to Christ's victory over death and sin (Matt. 16:19; Acts 1:8). Her numbers increased daily in Acts. Her impact spread deep and wide.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD57RCpIiPfE4xLC_BxrDH3BgTRaU9h5UQSFzCVkC1bVliF-Fj8XTSIGK8z_pXXAJDQSX36EAS8WR0KaEAi-Wp26qVWgORadixPQmBtU9lW9Q_idevekj8oCth_WKU6HevVXdpdYPI5nwGza70BHpNGoktPYluWmVm1xRTuUUNPyDkTP4gx560zwE1yA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD57RCpIiPfE4xLC_BxrDH3BgTRaU9h5UQSFzCVkC1bVliF-Fj8XTSIGK8z_pXXAJDQSX36EAS8WR0KaEAi-Wp26qVWgORadixPQmBtU9lW9Q_idevekj8oCth_WKU6HevVXdpdYPI5nwGza70BHpNGoktPYluWmVm1xRTuUUNPyDkTP4gx560zwE1yA=w245-h400" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=church&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>The apostles echoed Jesus's high regard for The Church. Paul described The Church with diverse metaphors--body, bride, building, household--which highlighted her interdependence, relationality, and durability. The Church would mediate the presence of Christ on earth and in heaven (Eph. 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-11; 4:11-16) and uphold truth in the world (1 Tim. 3:15). Peter called The Church a royal priesthood, holy nation, and God's possession (1 Pet. 2:9). </div><div><br /></div><div>These are declarations about the universal church. They are awesome. Nothing captures the boundless capacity of The Church as Paul's famous benediction:</div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Eph-3-20" id="en-NIV-29272" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"></span><blockquote><span class="text Eph-3-20" id="en-NIV-29272" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Eph. 3:20-21, NIV)</span></blockquote><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NIV-29273" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"></span></span></div><div>However, what Jesus and the apostles teach about the universal church should not be universally applied to local churches. Local church are always temporary without necessarily being tenacious. Not a single church plant of Paul's still exists. Local churches are often more authoritarian in structure than they are spiritually authoritative. Church history reminds us of papal feuds and celebrity pastor falls. Local churches often experience division more readily than interdependence. This dates back to Corinth and describes the church-hopping phenomenon of our age.</div><div><br /></div><div>The founders of my beloved Leesburg [Grace] Brethren Church gathered their first assembly in 1964. Perhaps I will officiate Leesburg Grace <strike>Brethren </strike>Church's funeral in 2032. Or not. The fact is someday she will die. No local church comes with a lifetime guarantee. Nevertheless, the temporal nature of the local church does not take away from the impact of her contextual, missionary role.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNLJAPB5YcgQSLgabSWVRnB0VtG-VR9oZtwZd_22bU5vZ7HEXZT9QiS3pYwekvaIGOyIT_9YBqZ8BCeAffi2p0IF9_TlNgN4ytNXDq1T8ukzWgt7SP9IKFgAhMpIGXSiDvDYS58jtwMo0uk8Jt1wGHwY70NGYTRQRg3bQU0c_8Mr5vi4Sn28Al6GBPlA=s3264" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2176" data-original-width="3264" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNLJAPB5YcgQSLgabSWVRnB0VtG-VR9oZtwZd_22bU5vZ7HEXZT9QiS3pYwekvaIGOyIT_9YBqZ8BCeAffi2p0IF9_TlNgN4ytNXDq1T8ukzWgt7SP9IKFgAhMpIGXSiDvDYS58jtwMo0uk8Jt1wGHwY70NGYTRQRg3bQU0c_8Mr5vi4Sn28Al6GBPlA=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div>Every local church is a witness to God's transforming grace through Jesus in a particular time and place. Local churches reach real people within their spheres of influence. Though they cannot reach everyone, they surely impact those whom they touch with the gospel. Local churches help rebuild families, drill wells, or break strongholds that rob people of freedom in Christ. They provide theological training, relational support, and models of virtue. Over time they spark spiritual renewal and social change. </div><div><br /></div><div>At her best, any local church can do immeasurable good--more than we ask or think.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/frAhTy3Y2AY" width="320" youtube-src-id="frAhTy3Y2AY"></iframe></div>Sadly, local churches--from ancient Ephesus to modern-day Leesburg (IN)--can become sleepy, inward, fractious, proud, secular, bombastic, or cold. We can lose our moorings and drift from our mission. We can lose our vision and stutter along. We can squander our potential.</div><div><br /></div><div>As embodiments of The Church, local churches need the vision of Jesus and the apostles refreshed. We need a word from God to reenergize us. I repeat what he said to me: "There's so much more for us."</div><div><br /></div><h1><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: My Ministry Aspirations</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">God's utterance provided four insights. First, it exposed a perennial threat to my ministry. Second, it broadened my focus in three areas--Leesburg, life change, and the Long Game. </span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Selfish ambition subverts ministry impact.</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Humans achievements are astounding. We can create technology, construct cities, write novels, initiate treaties, and eradicate diseases. By virtue of the <i>imago Dei</i>, we can defy all odds and leave our imprint on the world. This requires ambition. This drive for impact can be good. However, when ambition becomes selfish--driven by our aims and our fame--it moves us in a dangerous direction. Adam, Eve, and the people at Babel left an imprint of selfish ambition that haunts us today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Selfish ambition means working hard to benefit yourself (Phil. 2:3). Personal comfort, security, or pleasure may provoke selfish ambition. Moreover, the desire for fame, recognition, or power fuels selfish ambition. There is no shortage of this in the social media age. Well-known pastors and twelve-year old influencers feel it. They feed it. And it subverts their impact for God.</div><div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Leesburg Grace Church is my primary sphere of influence. When I dedicate more time developing content for an invisible audience, selfish ambition lurks. When I measure my impact by views, comments ("Good sermon, pastor"), and shares, rather than life change, I am stoking ambition. My greatest impact is local, where service subverts selfish ambition.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">2. God places local churches in particular communities.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Local churches inhabit remote villages, small towns, city blocks, and suburban areas. They are located everywhere in our country in an effort to reach everyone without having to drive for an hour. (Thank you John Wesley.) Although the pandemic forced many local churches into the immanent domain of cyberspace, most local churches maintained their physical addresses. They realized parking lots, sanctuaries, and rooms for nursing mothers still matter for weekly worship and community outreach. Designated meeting times and centralized gathering spaces convey the importance of being local. To paraphrase a colleague of mine, "The local church is <i>in </i>the community <i>for </i>the community."</div><p><span style="color: #3d85c6;">I know there is more for Leesburg Grace Church in its host community. Our connection to the town has always been tenuous. Few of our people live along its iconic brick streets. However, we have a good ties to the school, where we support an ongoing ministry to girls. Moreover, we maintain a reputation for service, hospitality, and hot dogs. In the next three years, I suspect a greater harvest. </span></p><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. God changes lives in local churches.</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>The local church bears witness to life change. It does not always come in dramatic fashion during Sunday morning altar calls or annual Women's Retreats. Rather, life change in the local church follows natural progressions: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>grieving with parents after a miscarriage or celebrating the birth of a child;</li><li>honoring a high school graduate or hearing a teenager's testimony after camp;</li><li>coming alongside a woman with cancer or befriending a recent widower;</li><li>showing up for a baptism service or applauding a member's recent promotion at work.</li></ul><div>Spiritual growth is slow but steady. Local churches should take note of these moments or milestones that mark spiritual change. Pastors, parents, and spiritual leaders should curate stories of overcoming sin, staving off temptation, developing character, gaining insight, and giving witness. These narratives bear repeating to assure people that God is at work among us.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Since this word from God, I have felt a growing passion to share more stories of God-at-work-among-us. My voice and vantage point already has enough air time at Leesburg Grace Church. I want to create a culture of testimony and story-telling where our people are<a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2021/09/discerning-sacred-echo-what-is-god.html?q=locate+God" target="_blank"> able to LOCATE God</a> and articulate his work in their lives. This is the focus of my doctoral project.</span></div></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><div style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. God plays the Long Game through local churches.</span></b></span></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">In the short run, a local church does not stand a chance against a good cat video. Cat videos go viral; local churches plod along. Cats videos grab your attention immediately; local churches train your souls for eternity. YouTube and TicTok excel at spontaneity, instant gratification, and vapid impact. God bless them in their game. However, for The Church, these goals are anathema. </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Local churches exist for the Long Game. We preach long-form sermons. We teach long-term truths. We cultivate long-lasting relationships. We follow the long-standing Lord and long-suffering Savior, Christ Jesus. And we do it in local communities for the Long Haul: the older generations teaching the younger the goodness of God (Deut. 6; Pss. 78:4-6; 145:5).</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div>I am approaching my fifteen year anniversary at Leesburg Grace Church. Though I want to have a successor by age fifty-five, I hope to remain at this church for the Long Haul. Not only do I consider the long-standing pastor a romantic idea, I think such stability is vital for a church, as long as that pastor remains healthy. Thus far, I remain vibrant and committed. After thirty years of ministry, I want to have seen God dramatically exceed my expectations. It is a regular prayer (Eph. 3:20-21).</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">I do not know where you stand with your local church. Your role in her ministries may leave you tired. Your recent history with the church may be feeding discouragement, isolation, or doubts. No local church is perfect. Every local church is in process. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">And yet, each local church is part of The Church, of which Christ is the Head, Bridegroom, and Royal Priest. And we are his body, bride, and ambassadors. We assume our roles on local stages with local casts from our local churches. Here and now the show must go on because <i>there's so much more for us.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div>* My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>** The drive for fame dates back to middle school where I was voted by classmates "Headed to Hollywood" and college where classmates deemed me "Most Likely to Publish a Book." To misquote Shakespeare, to whom I attribute my first taste of the spotlight, "I had greatness thrust upon me." The rascally Malvolio says something like this in <i>Twelfth Night</i>. He embodies my delusions of grandeur.</div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-25945655708493677702022-03-02T08:49:00.002-05:002022-03-02T08:49:09.598-05:00God Said, "That's Okay" (TGSM #1)<p>"That's okay," said God.</p><p>I heard his voice in my head. It sounded like my voice but with greater assurance and deeper resolve. Admittedly, I talk to myself and listen to myself. A persistent, inner dialogue rambles, revolving around writing projects, sermon outlines, and lingering tasks on my to-do list.</p><p>This was not my normal, intracranial conference. This was a conversation with God. And when the Heavenly Father talks with me, I keep notes on what he says. "That's okay," is the first I will unpack.*</p><p><br /></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Setting: Winona Lake, IN (February 2020)</span></b></h1><p>Perhaps you've heard of 2020. I lived it. Then again in 2021. This was our shared human experience. Fortunately, a fresh word from God prepared me. As COVID began its perilous creep across the country--from coastal cities to midwestern towns--I enjoyed an unseasonably warm walk in Winona Lake. God was my conversation partner for my monthly prayer retreat.</p><p>This recurring block of time offers a setting where I am open to his voice. I clear my schedule, slow my pace, and focus long enough for true, spiritual communion. As I prayed on that particular Monday, several matters consumed me:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>My next sermon in a riveting series from Revelation 1-3.</li><li>A heavy load of assignments in year two of my doctoral work.</li><li>The burden of a slowly growing congregation at Leesburg Grace.</li><li>Ongoing struggles with our adopted son, my wife's anxiety, and my leadership flaws.</li></ul><div>Prayer doesn't come easily to preoccupied minds. Intercession is an act of "taking every thought captive to Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). Rarely do I have enough energy to articulate all my worries. This is not a bad place to be. This is where the Spirit steps in to intercede. We tap out; the Spirit steps up. We surrender; God speaks.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwatAFUixn99a2iqehn9ozsP3e7R45JWzClLm0RMKBycNq1d_3g4owdF7_xINhfUUqLxFbgm4RvoIOC8dZCfFoagKi67eaxCHhuPZVD2ChMDw5YTCnyr0KBq2Vd64JmAYPW4xVWlFZNQSwuJX-NObwynoqggq5GThmC3Oj93uVA6yyS12BN7v_8Y6mIQ=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwatAFUixn99a2iqehn9ozsP3e7R45JWzClLm0RMKBycNq1d_3g4owdF7_xINhfUUqLxFbgm4RvoIOC8dZCfFoagKi67eaxCHhuPZVD2ChMDw5YTCnyr0KBq2Vd64JmAYPW4xVWlFZNQSwuJX-NObwynoqggq5GThmC3Oj93uVA6yyS12BN7v_8Y6mIQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fotorech from Pixabay.com</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>As I walked and talked with God about these consuming matters, their gravity began to press my shoulders toward the pavement. I felt sluggish, confused, defeated. It was not a new feeling. Thus I told God, "I'm having a midlife crisis. I don't know anything."</div><div><br /></div><div>He said to me, "That's okay. Humility is a great place to learn."</div><div><br /></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Scriptures: On Humility and Learning</span></h1><div>Humility is a biblical virtue. Although it would not have shown up on the typical Greco-Roman lists of prized attributes, the authors of the NT include it many times (Phil. 2:3; Col. 3:12; 1 Pet. 5:5). "Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and he will raise you up," James says (4:10; cf. 1:9-10). His teaching echoes the Jewish wisdom tradition. Humility is countercultural and sage.</div><div><br /></div><div>More importantly, humility is Christlike. Paul commends his readers in Philippi to emulate Jesus, who "humbled himself, took on the form of a slave, body of a man, and died on a cross" (Phil. 2:5-6, para.). Paul's interpretation of Jesus as humble was not novel. Jesus self-identifies as humble.</div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><blockquote><span class="text Matt-11-28" id="en-NIV-23488" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj">Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Matt-11-29" id="en-NIV-23489" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj">Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Matt-11-30" id="en-NIV-23490" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj">For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt. 11:28-30, NIV)</span></span></blockquote><span class="text Matt-11-30" id="en-NIV-23490" style="background-color: white;"><span class="woj"></span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">In one of his greatest invitations, Jesus beckons his followers to a life of pervasive and personal learning. The Master Teacher, a consummate learner himself (Heb. 5:7-10), embodied humility so his disciples could emulate it.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A disciple does not have to know everything. <i>That's okay</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A disciple may have many matters that consume her (Luke 10:41). <i>That's okay</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A disciple may doubt her leadership potential or miss an evangelistic opportunity. <i>That's okay</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A disciple may lack clarity in his theology or lament a recent bout with depression. <i>That's okay</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A disciple may have a midlife crisis. <i>That's okay</i>.</span></div></blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">But is it really?</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Absolutely! If humbling circumstances open us to God's guidance, wisdom, revelation, and love, then they're okay. If they paralyze us with fear and/or propel us toward methods of self-protection, self-medication, or </span><span style="background-color: white;">self-confidence that leave no space for divine redirection, then <i>we're </i>not okay and the circumstances have exposed us.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Fortunately for me, my midlife crisis moved me to confession: " I don't know anything." Yes, this was hyperbolic. I knew something. I knew I needed God. Sometimes that is all we need to know.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">The Significance: What I Learned in 2020</span></h1><div><span style="background-color: white;">God gave me this saying at the beginning of the pandemic. He spoke to me before disruption, division, and death rocked our country and the church. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I could fill pages with lessons I've learned since this word from God. I'll limit myself three applications. I suspect the following are most significant to any disciple who needs to hear these words: "It's okay. Humility is a great place to learn."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. A humble learner accepts limits.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">We are limited creatures. We are mortal. We are bound to the bodies we were born with. Trans-human adaptations and transgender alterations test the rule, but we will never master our biology. Nor will we ever pack all the information of the Internet into our tiny brains. Nor will we ever manage the endless web of connections offered by social media. Nor will ever we control weather, add hours to a day, or tame our wild hearts. Nor will online worship services ever satisfy the calling of the local church. The myth of progress, tools of science, and idol of efficiency have convinced us otherwise. They have compelled us to live at an unsustainable pace, constantly overreaching. The incarnation reminds us Jesus was okay with limits. We should accept them as he did.** </div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The last two years have taught me to accept the limits of my mortality and ministry. Pride drives me to spend my limited energy on creating content for a faceless, online audience. Pride deceives me into thinking I can solve the world's problems. Humility says slow down, be present, and say "I don't know."</span></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. A humble learner faces challenges.</span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">Barna's research continues to track resiliency in pastors. At the beginning of the pandemic, many pastors resolved to lead through it. As we move further from March 2020, more pastors have bowed out. Nearly 40% have (or are considering) quitting. This statistic follows the Great Resignation trend in other fields of work. For some, resignation is actually the courageous thing to do. For others, resignation means fleeing from challenges. Those who take this latter path dodge God's common means for character development. Key texts like Romans 5:1-5 and James 1:2-4 remind us that challenges refine us. Pain and suffering as ends-in-themselves may not be okay, but a humble learner will appreciate what they produce in the long run: maturity.</div><p><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The last two years have taught me to face challenges with creativity, deep friendships, and enduring hope. Challenges give opportunity for grit, reaffirming that the gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church. </span></p><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. A humble learner leans on others.</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>God designed us for interdependence. Healthy relationships are critical to human flourishing. COVID has illustrated this insight for our global population in the last few years. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the last two months, a cancer diagnosis for a woman in our church has had a similar effect. Viki's life has become a whirlwind of doctor visits, consultations, and surgeries. In between her medical appointments and pain management, she interacts with family, friends, and church to stay hopeful. Hundreds have overwhelmed her Facebook page and <a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/vikirife" target="_blank">CaringBridge site</a> with prayers and blessings. Encouragement cards line her mantlepiece. Cancer is a cruel teacher. Viki is a humble student. She is learning the art of leaning on others. </div><div><br /></div><div>Leaning on others goes against the grain of our western individualism and fleshly independence. Autonomy courses through our Adamic blood. We are fools to deny it. And facing challenges alone will eventually crush our bones. This is not okay. Indeed, we need one another.</div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The last two years have taught me to lean on others. </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The scientific, political, and sociological issues surrounding COVID were too complicated for me to navigate alone. I befriended local pastors, listened to podcasts, attended workshops, consulted my elders, and confided in my wife. They held me accountable and kept me on track as a leader. They were a divine reminder that I am never alone. </span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">Two years ago, I felt a midlife crisis approaching. I called out to God. He replied, "That's okay." He gave me a comforting word in a time of need. He does this: he is the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3).</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may be </span><span style="background-color: white;">on the verge of a midlife crisis or h</span><span style="background-color: white;">ave crashed against a limit. <i>That's okay</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may </span><span style="background-color: white;">be struggling with confusion, doubt, or fear amid a recent challenge. <i>That's okay</i>. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">You may feel alone. <i>That's okay.</i></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">I can tell you, "That's okay" because I know you'll be okay as long as you listen to God.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">No: God didn't tell me to tell you this. It's just something I learned from him in humble circumstances. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><i>That's okay.</i></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">Can you hear it, too? If you can't, press your ear closer to the ground. That's a better posture for listening to God.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;">____________________________________________</span><br /><div>* My purpose in the <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/02/things-god-said-to-me-introducing-new.html" target="_blank">"Things God Said to Me" Series</a> is twofold. First, I want to revisit and reprocess these divine utterances. Second, I want to encourage any reader to make a habit of listening to God. He still speaks. Any novel word will align with his written Word. All divine speech merits our response.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>** This is a theme of Pete Scazzero's writing in the Emotionally Healthy literature. See The <i><b>Emotionally Healthy Leader</b></i> or <i><b>Emotionally Healthy Disciple</b></i>, or listen to his podcast.</div><p></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-10424745008878539162022-02-15T08:39:00.000-05:002022-02-15T08:39:20.747-05:00Things God Said to Me: Introducing a New Series<p>God still speaks. He is a relational God. <i>Deeply</i>. Relationships do not thrive without communication. <i>Open and ongoing</i>. I talk to God and sometimes listen. God listens to me and sometimes talks. So it is with you, I hope.</p><p>Tuning our ear to God's voice requires some work.</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>You may have to <b>overcome the conservative bias</b> that describes God's speech in perfect tense. Hence, <i>he hath spoken</i>. He spoke in and through his word. This is true: He did. Also true: He still speaks; though Scripture and the Son provide the point of comparison for any contemporary thing he has said. If what we hear from God does not align with the Bible, then we ought to toss it out.</li><li>You have to <b>pay attention</b> to the ways in which God speaks: in his Word and creation, through our circumstances and consciences, by others and <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2021/09/discerning-sacred-echo-what-is-god.html?q=sacred+echo" target="_blank">sacred echoes</a>. </li><li>You need to <b>test it</b>. Write it down, chew on it, share it with another for confirmation or clarity.</li><li>You need to <b>respond</b>. Accept and obey what he says. Authentic hearing leads to doing. Read James and you'll see what I mean.</li></ol><div>I have previously written about hearing God. Others have said it better. For example, the follwing three insights from Dallas Willard have shaped my thinking on the topic.</div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">"The content of a word that is truly from God always conforms to and is consistent with the truths about God's nature and kingdom that are made clear in the Bible. Any content or claim that does not conform to biblical content is not a word from God. Period!"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"God does not intend to make us infallible by his conversational walk with us."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"<i>How lonely life is</i>! Oh, we can get by in life with a God who does not speak. Many at least think they do. But is it not much of a life, and it is certainly not the life God intends for us or the abundance of life that Jesus Christ came to make available."*</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">So now I move to new territory. Today I introduce my new series of posts: "Things God Said to Me." Each installment will have three parts. </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>1) What God Said and the Setting</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>2) What God Said and the Scriptures </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>3) What God Said and the Significance</b></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi83sdsbGRcoDHMX2uyG2m5FMpPplsFMzYVsa5y-uEKpivptOltkvK6VnJ-_M-17s6LZyqwDgTZHgd3pDUAGsbnEeQd_s5TFylKMDh90fxvwZ1x6RbuTYwYuN272T2z987z-unjFGgmOix3_CiA08I6NSSKrsZDF6zbjhwuZ_Q-Hi9YsNOThqSPJKm0UA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi83sdsbGRcoDHMX2uyG2m5FMpPplsFMzYVsa5y-uEKpivptOltkvK6VnJ-_M-17s6LZyqwDgTZHgd3pDUAGsbnEeQd_s5TFylKMDh90fxvwZ1x6RbuTYwYuN272T2z987z-unjFGgmOix3_CiA08I6NSSKrsZDF6zbjhwuZ_Q-Hi9YsNOThqSPJKm0UA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I keep these things God said to me in a prayer journal. Each one I scrawled on the page like an overeager scribe before the din of divine silence resumed. My list currently comprises thirteen sayings. They are pithy and personal. Each one is marked with a date; a few have contextual notes. They came at moments I needed assurance or direction. I revisit them regularly, like a favorite song, love letter, or encouragement note.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Recently, I have felt God nudging me to share them with others. These words are no substitute for the written Word of God. Rather, they endorse what the Bible teaches from page one: <i>God speaks</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And this is good.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">_________________________________</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Next Week</b>: God said, "That's okay..."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">* Dallas Willard, <b><i>Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God</i></b> (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Press, 1999), 178, 182, 186</div><div><br /></div><p></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-51014030678064711332022-02-09T10:00:00.004-05:002022-02-09T10:00:46.328-05:00Christian Faith and Mental Health: Six things I've been learning<p>Mental health issues have erupted in recent years. News media have spotlighted them. Celebrities and athletes have confessed their effect on their lives. COVID made the common place. </p><p>As the cultural stigma around mental health fades, it is critical that the church enters the conversation.<span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><b>*</b></span> Our church has responded. We started an anxiety support group a couple years ago and recently hosted a panel on mental health. We're so trendy.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhPI6FWBfZ-fgfrwtSvF8BdGtu7SJKjM4WHkRwgY8aTvG7aaZ4fk4n1PuNFKwRevHn9FtPFBoWKVMkkTWidvJTDyEQJw2TBLNTAcPWoYYmumOuGrlQuGuUAN9TQ-TjCfhSWtheDJjW6fvOraTQkar7baVbqWsTbh-vIG8Yu3kTxvZlZCRs3M2PyRSxA/s1280/Faith and mental health panel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhPI6FWBfZ-fgfrwtSvF8BdGtu7SJKjM4WHkRwgY8aTvG7aaZ4fk4n1PuNFKwRevHn9FtPFBoWKVMkkTWidvJTDyEQJw2TBLNTAcPWoYYmumOuGrlQuGuUAN9TQ-TjCfhSWtheDJjW6fvOraTQkar7baVbqWsTbh-vIG8Yu3kTxvZlZCRs3M2PyRSxA/w400-h225/Faith and mental health panel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Indeed, Christians are making headway into the troubled headspace that plagues so many of us. But to borrow from the apostle Paul, we should "excel still more" (1 Thess. 4:1, 10). So I'm learning about mental health challenges. I'm reading about it, listening to others, getting attuned to my emotional grooves, and inviting counselors and mental health professionals speak.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgr-n9AtJhYdijr1gHATMcYy9A6wC7fE7n5mxuhfHYOJiCh1o0krp6E9zvMCt0bxVJiDI2N905jPV___8yZYL8LxtJvoUZIzfcLJw08sq4DrMldfXyrJhDzuLhl_j_x2kOClufJTNkj88QWbKKsj67ZJMONvcTIchtMj4z_PhyTA156CtdvawbQ7mTuCQ=s3560" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1563" data-original-width="3560" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgr-n9AtJhYdijr1gHATMcYy9A6wC7fE7n5mxuhfHYOJiCh1o0krp6E9zvMCt0bxVJiDI2N905jPV___8yZYL8LxtJvoUZIzfcLJw08sq4DrMldfXyrJhDzuLhl_j_x2kOClufJTNkj88QWbKKsj67ZJMONvcTIchtMj4z_PhyTA156CtdvawbQ7mTuCQ=w400-h175" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here are a few things I've learned along the way.</p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">1. People don't speak with capital letters; we need clarity.</span></b></p><p>People experience trauma and TRAUMA. I can be anxious and ANXIOUS. My daughter seems depressed but not yet DEPRESSED. The capital letters move these challenges from troubling experiences to disrupting everyday function in the world. </p><blockquote><p><b><i><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">Capital letters put a clinical accent on mental health words.</span></i></b></p></blockquote><p>Here's the challenge: People don't speak in capital letters. They may hang their heads and draw out a their words. "I'm sooooo, depreeeeesssssseeed." Even that self-disclosure could be adolescent drama more than DSM-V depression.<span style="color: red;"><b>^</b></span> It could be a grumpy, work-from-home-while-parenting-and-educating-my-children dad, who simply needs a change of scene. Then again, the same man may be edging toward the great resignation, serious depression, or suicidal visions.</p><p>In a world becoming more flippant with mental health terminology, we have to learn who is using terms clinically and casually; who is disclosing TRAUMA and who is venting disappointment; who is approaching a meltdown and who needs a nap. We need to help people clarify. </p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">2. Thin descriptions limit our empathy; we need nuance.</span></b></p><p>A thin description applies a familiar label without any personal nuance. Mental health diagnoses often surface as thin descriptions. They lead to stereotypes and stigmas, which are shortcuts to understanding people. Thin descriptions can apply to any identity label; every <i>transman </i>or <i>evangelical </i>or <i>Asian </i>or <i>liberal politician</i> is a little different than the next.</p><p>In his book, <i><b>Finding Jesus in the Storm</b></i>, practical theologian John Swinton recounts his years of ministering among both the disabled and mentally challenged. He interviews people living with bipolar disorder, psychosis, and DEPRESSION, capturing their personal stories in his provocative text. In a surprising insight, one of Swinton's subjects admitted missing the voices she heard after medication "cured" her of schizophrenic episodes. With her cure came a loss, a new kind of loneliness, which resulted in a deeper sense of God's absence.</p><p>Too often we settle for these thin descriptions--a stereotype or set of symptoms--and fail to find an image-bearer in the particularity of her struggles. Swinton persuaded me that I must get beyond labels to individuals. After reading his book, I asked my wife, "What does ANXIETY feel like for you? How is it different than anxiety that many of us feel?" You could ask the same about a relative's seasonal affect disorder or friend's ongoing challenges with attachment. When we step out of the sterile pages of the DSM-V into the gritty details of another person's struggle, empathy naturally follows. </p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">3. People are lonely in this noisy world; we need to listen.</span></b></p><p>One of the best things we can do for someone struggling with M/mental H/health challenges is to listen. Listening is a lost art in our noisy world. We've been trained to spout, fume, rant, joke, and respond using all the social media tools at our fingertips. Behind the digital noise stand droves of lonely people. </p><p>According to author and sociologist Jean Twenge, the digital noise has only exacerbated the mental health problems in our world.<b><span style="color: red;">#</span></b> Although her research focuses on young adults, social media is no respecter of age: It can distress the seventy-six year old Trump supporter as much as the teenage girl who learns self-harm tactics on Tik-Tok.</p><p>Whether struggling or not, most people want an empathetic ear, a trusted friend, an invitation to express unfiltered feelings without feeling guilty about it. Such listening is biblical. James encouraged his readers to be slow to speak and quick to listen (1:19). Sadly, slowness is a lost art in our digital age. We rush. We hurry. And in our settled moments, we open our minds to the cascade of disconnected images, headlines, updates, RSS feeds, and targeted ads that glow from our screens. <i>Noise. Noise. Noise.</i></p><p>We need to learn to put our phones away, prioritize people, and listen actively. We need to lean forward and affirm others with follow up questions. Lest we fear active, empathic listening equals wholesale endorsement of another's choices, a mental health therapist on our recent panel assured us, "Active listening is not affirming." Rather, it is an act of human dignity and common grace. </p><p>Moreover, active listening does not require we have the answers to others' mental health challenges. Often we don't. Nor do we have to. Instead, we may refer them to a counselor, even offering to sit with them when they make the initial call.<span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><b>4. We are complex creatures; we must avoid simplistic answers.</b></span></p><p>We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:17). Although the Psalmist waxed poetic in this lovely phrase, it certainly captures what science continues to uncover. Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey wrote <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fearfully-Wonderfully-Marvel-Bearing-Image/dp/1514003872/ref=sr_1_2?crid=GFGYL212EY06&keywords=fearfully+and+wonderfully+made+yancey&qid=1644350580&sprefix=fearfully+and+wonderfully+made+yancey%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-2" target="_blank">a provocative book about the human body</a> based upon the psalmist's phrase. Science is an ally of the Bible, deepening our appreciation for the study of stars, cells, and anything in between.</p><p>Advances in neurology in recent decades underscore the complexity of human beings. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>How our brains wire pathways when we act and think is amazing. </li><li>How our brains go into fight-flight-freeze-or-faint mode when threatened is important but frustrating. </li><li>How we store long-term memory and process short-term data is impressive. </li><li>How I drive to work without really watching the road or drool when my cell phone buzzes is fascinating. </li></ul>The deeper brain scientists dive into the workings of our gray matter, the more mysterious it appears.<p></p><p>And that's just one part of human complexity. Add to these curious brains, genes fraught with family baggage, iron in the water, methane in the air, and COVID variants in the room, it's a wonder any of us experiences wellness. But we do. Many of us do. Because God made us resilient, strong, capable of thriving amid environmental hazards and biological disfunction.</p><p>For those who are not thriving, for those whose mental health disrupts their daily function, the reasons are complicated. So are the solutions. Here's a glimpse at the complexity:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Neuropharmacology is a relatively new science; a drug's side effects often outweigh its soothing. </li><li>Trauma runs deep, hiding in the basement of the brain, emerging in odd and inconsistent ways.<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">^^ </span></b></li><li>A mensuration cycle can intensify anxiety. </li><li>Low blood sugar messes with motor function.</li><li>A panic attack feels like a heart attack, which means its <i>not</i> all in our head.</li><li>Lingering back pain may be the offspring a father wound.</li></ul><div>In other words, mental health interacts with physical health, emotional health, and spiritual health. They are like a junior high dance. You cannot separate the various systems for too long. They eventually swarm together on the gym floor, taking new form. It's hard to slow the movement once the music picks up. So it goes with our bodies and brains. God made us holistic beings. Fearfully so. Wonderfully so. Quick fixes and simplistic solutions to mental health issues do not respect our complexity.<span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><b>##</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">5. A fix-it focus can slow recovery; we should try indirection.</span></b></p><p>A Christian psychology professor once told me about helping his son cope with obsessive-compulsive behaviors. He checked, double-checked, and google-checked his pockets before leaving the house. <i>Keys. Wallet. Phone. Keys. Wallet Phone. Keys. Wallet. Phone. </i>The symptoms fit into a classic, OCD diagnosis, but the dad refrained from applying the label. "I was afraid it would reinforce his struggle and name it as a problem," he said. </p><p>In some cases, clearly identifying a problem helps. We cannot overcome a faceless enemy or cast out an unnamed demon. Swinton, however, cautions against using battle or spiritual warfare imagery to describe mental health challenges. Nor should we reduce them to problems to fix. </p><p>Interestingly, indirect responses to mental health challenges at times prove more effective than direct effort. Sometimes a physical or mental distraction--a brisk walk, good book, or writing a list (any old list will do)--improves wellness. Moreover, some mental health challenges can be slowly replaced with virtues spelled out in positive psychology (e.g, gratitude, curiosity, forgiveness, self-control, humility). These forms of indirection can lead to recovery.</p><blockquote><p><b><i><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">We change not by mustering up willpower but by changing the way we think, which will also involve changing our actions and our social environment. We change indirectly</span></i></b>.<span style="color: red;">***</span></p></blockquote><p>Often the "solve-the-problem" or "fight-the-demon" mentality only exacerbates the struggle because it fixates on it. My wife's anxiety about feeling anxious is not uncommon. However, she learned from one of the people in her support group to call anxiety "an old friend." Of course, the byname is tongue-in-cheek, but saying it keeps her from battle pose: jaw set, clenched fists, heels dug in, and amygdala armed. Calling anxiety "an old friend" is not resignation but resolve to suffer a little longer. In the end, embracing suffering may be a quicker road to recovery than resistance.<span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;"><b>^^^</b></span></p><div><br /></div><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">6. Caring is a more realistic goal than curing; we need to care.</span></b></p><p>We will all die. Each of us inhabits a body prone to decay. Sickness may affect our lungs, bones, heart, gall bladder, reproductive organs, or brain. Though most illnesses can be treated and many symptoms soothed, some sickness will be incurable. This is true for our bodies and our brains.</p><p>Even Jesus, with the power of God in his fingertip, did not heal every disease. Nor did God grant relief from the thorn in the flesh to the apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12). These observations suggest that physical and mental health are not promised prior to the resurrection. Christian hope for universal wellness comes when Jesus returns. </p><p>A cure for all ailments is not available here-and-now.</p><p>This should not discourage doctors, counselors, and patients for working for cures and recoveries of all kinds. But we should do so in humility, realizing with every medical advance we add to our world unintended consequences. The electric lightbulb made us busy and tired. The smart phone made us lonely. Antidepressants are known to influence suicidal thoughts. Our best efforts at curing will always fall short.</p><p>Caring, on the other hand, has no expiration date, and negative side-effects are minimal. Caring humanizes people, treating them as image-bearers not label-carriers. Caring expands support beyond therapy sessions. Caring exemplifies Christ's abiding, patient, compassionate love for people. Such care will be tested when a cure remains elusive. But in God's wisdom, perhaps enduring care is part of an eventual cure. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>NOTE</b>: If you would like more information about the Anxiety Support Group--their story, structure, and resources--let me know in the comment bar, send me an email, or message me on Facebook.</p><p>__________________________________________</p><p><span style="color: red;">* </span><span>Actually, the church has not been silent in the mental health conversation.</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>Christian counselors abound. Resources about emotional health--overcoming addiction, depression, anxiety, and self-harm--have been available for decades; currently they flood the market. The field of positive psychology, which studies what makes people flourish, has many believers at the helm. For a great introduction on this, see Mark McMinn, <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Science-Virtue-Positive-Psychology-Matters/dp/1587434091/ref=sr_1_7?crid=27TSCQO1P8N4Q&keywords=mark+mcminn&qid=1644326998&sprefix=mark+mcminn%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-7" target="_blank">The Science of Virtue: Why Positive Psychology Matters to the Church</a></i></b> (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2017). Even a few Christian psychologists have written about complex topics like gender dysphoria (e.g., <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Gender-Dysphoria-Transgender-Psychological/dp/0830828591/ref=sr_1_4?crid=IINIHQWLM64M&keywords=mark+yarhouse&qid=1644316499&sprefix=mark+yarhouse%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-4">Dr. Mark Yarhouse</a>) and neurobiology (e.g., <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C15&q=william+m+struthers&btnG=" target="_blank">Dr. William Struthers</a>).</p><p><b><span style="color: red;">^</span></b> This acronym stands for the <b><i>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</i></b>. It is the fifth edition. Changes over the years validate new disorders, which allows them to receive doctoral referrals and insurance money. They also reclassify or move diagnoses out of the book to de-stigmatize them or normalize (e.g. homosexuality, Asperger's Syndrome). Psychological, psychiatric, medical, educational, and political players all have an investment in this resource. So do individuals seeking help.</p><p><b><span style="color: red;">#</span></b> This is not to say social media is all bad. It's broken news, told good stories, caused some laughts, and connected displaced family member and friends. Google search <i>Jean Twenge</i> and you'll find her webpage, podcast interviews, and her bibliography.</p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span> This advice came from a mental health counselor at our church during our recent panel discussion. It was simple and sage. She also stressed the importance of active listening.</p><p><span><b style="color: red;">^^ </b>The standard text on the effects of trauma on the body is Bessel Van Der Kolk, <i><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1644417252&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma </a></b></i>(NY: Penguin, 2014). Someday I promise to read it. In my community, we are blessed with an organization helping parents and educators help children with TRAUMA. See </span><a href="https://www.lostsparrows.org/">https://www.lostsparrows.org/</a> for their great work.</p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>##</b></span> This does not discount simple methods for dealing with complex issues. For example, two minutes of deep breathing does wonders for calming the heart and mind. Spending time in nature bathes restores the soul.</p><p><span style="color: red;"><b>***</b></span> James Brian Smith, Good and Beautiful God (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2009), 23.</p><p><b><span style="color: red;">^^^</span></b> One of our panelists mentioned our aversion to suffering. We quickly move to ease, erase, or eradicate suffering, when it is not only part of our fallen world but also formative to our growth as believers (Romans 5:1-5; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 4).</p><p><br /></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-27747948110835098482022-02-02T07:38:00.000-05:002022-02-02T07:38:03.782-05:00Deconstructing Faith: Four Reasons for a Moratorium on Faith Implosions<p>My in-laws bought their first home a few months ago. They moved two miles away, but it felt like a different world. Their previous street had become a demonstration of urban cosmetic surgery; newer, glossier, bustier homes replaced the sad, sagging, aging ones. Their block was a perpetual construction zone. As soon as the workers cleared the rubble from an old establishment, they began to set the foundation for the new one. And with the new homes came new homeowners.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQKj-InYyGimwGusQObu1CzQwTw8ik4sQjHoHaz_Vcyrz27iH1L8MbokIpdMgadVPbol1oKeMjZACe5MGM_g2qulQzq7BmbBdnuD9teo1kz5BF4NBR4OM5TwCROmlQPzCZ3UAuBY2G_QZEzJ1vYwgWslT6KOQqz_z7d-qwRjga4wylJ6wlK0VWDihhXA=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQKj-InYyGimwGusQObu1CzQwTw8ik4sQjHoHaz_Vcyrz27iH1L8MbokIpdMgadVPbol1oKeMjZACe5MGM_g2qulQzq7BmbBdnuD9teo1kz5BF4NBR4OM5TwCROmlQPzCZ3UAuBY2G_QZEzJ1vYwgWslT6KOQqz_z7d-qwRjga4wylJ6wlK0VWDihhXA=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #191b26; margin: initial; padding: initial; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/mwitt1337-889520/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1675164" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Malachi Witt</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1675164" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Not so on their recently inhabited corner of Chicago. Two miles away, houses were protected by a moratorium. So were homeowners. For six months residents were granted relief from demolition crews, deconstruction sites, and extreme metropolitan makeovers. This ensured long-term homeowners and their long-standing homes would remain undisturbed a little while longer.</p><p>The thing about deconstruction zones is that they rarely stay that way. Developers cannot leave a vacant lot alone. Likewise, our<i> </i>souls eschew big empty spaces. The impulse to rebuild, replace, or fill space compels us. So we raze, and then we raise.</p><p>What happens to urban neighborhoods is happening to evangelical faith. Deconstruction stories abound. Faith implosions are trending. In my previous post I identified <a href="https://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2022/01/deconstructing-faith-four-reasons-why.html" target="_blank">four reasons to pay attention to this trend</a>. In part two, I suggest four reasons we need a moratorium on faith implosions.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">1. Faith implosions mischaracterize many evangelicals</span></b></p><p>Any group of people is easy to mischaracterize. We mischaracterize others out of ignorance, due to limited or selective contact. Some racial, ethnic, religious, or gender discrimination results from relational distance. We may also mischaracterize others based off bad experiences. A few chauvinist bosses can ruin the reputation for all male employers. A few feisty lesbians can color the LGBTQ+ community with an air of aggression. A few merciless evangelicals can make the whole lot feel like, well, mercenaries. Groups are prone to mischaracterization.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpLFrf0Zb0Bwp6W2Ymm91F5R7M0OXigqBYtoMGFvZh8hyMc38eUOnbm_fYE_n12DaMrhhU-DhBJZj_UVAa_nWCbgT07SD23ulRdzrJHqASCTo2NfVHazbP3lzt4diE2roaYmWanEVjZf998JSa_Gy7zrjpgjvQ693yVnDcBAo5-AwGpszbs8DjyylgMg=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpLFrf0Zb0Bwp6W2Ymm91F5R7M0OXigqBYtoMGFvZh8hyMc38eUOnbm_fYE_n12DaMrhhU-DhBJZj_UVAa_nWCbgT07SD23ulRdzrJHqASCTo2NfVHazbP3lzt4diE2roaYmWanEVjZf998JSa_Gy7zrjpgjvQ693yVnDcBAo5-AwGpszbs8DjyylgMg=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #191b26; margin: initial; padding: initial; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/931527-931527/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=882184" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Richard Revel</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=882184" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>As a group, evangelicals have not helped their image problem with political posturing, bombastic personalities, constant infighting, celebrity-pastor worship, and inconsistent sexual ethics. But these are caricatures. They make a great SNL punchline or easy excuse for leaving a church. The problem is that caricatures of any group lack nuance and discernment.</p><p>In reality, evangelical Christians cover the spectrum. We have Bible-thumpers and bleeding hearts, celibate gays and sex-addicted strugglers, theologically astute and folk believers. To call evangelicals naïve, narrow-minded, politically conservative, anti-everything, and poly-phobic stereotypes us. Few of these Straw Men comprise my band of fellow worshippers on Sundays or evangelical peers across the nation. Though I see them online, in sitcoms, and hear them spoken of by some who have deconstructed their faith, these Stick Figure evangelicals are thinly described.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">2. Faith implosions get too selective with the Bible</span></b></p><p>The Bible is a difficult book to read, study, understand, and apply. It's a compilation of writings collected in smaller compilations (Torah, Writings, Prophets; New and Old Testaments) over 1500 years by 40 authors in 3 languages. It's old, foreign, and filled with literary styles, figures of speech, and cultural norms from bygone days. Its authors and audience are not always clearly named, so ascertaining "What did it mean?" (i.e., using a grammatical-historical hermeneutic) requires some guesswork. These external challenges make biblical interpretation tough but not impossible.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/khNxMTwJ51M" width="320" youtube-src-id="khNxMTwJ51M"></iframe></div><p>In addition to these external challenges, we have internal ones. We have cultural blind spots, personal limitations, and, at least in the West, a built-in repulsion toward authority.<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">*</span></b> These internal factors also make the Bible a hard book to digest.</p><p>Those who have deconstructed their faith recognize many of these challenges imbedded in biblical interpretation and want freed from them. They scrutinize the inconsistency of interpretation among evangelicals. </p><p><i>Why do you praise the abolition of slavery but condemn gay marriage? </i></p><p><i>Why do you permit women to worship without head coverings but not preach? </i></p><p><i>Why do you take the six creation days of Genesis 1 so literally but not Jesus's exhortation to "turn the other cheek"?</i></p><p>At the heart of these questions is the charge that evangelicals import their own meaning to the Bible. There is some truth to this. In his book, <i><b>The Blue Parakeet</b></i>, Scot McKnight admits we all "pick and choose" parts of the Bible to apply. Though, knowing his audience will cringe at the notion, he provides an alternative, saying, we all "adopt and adapt" biblical teaching to fit our cultural context.<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">**</span></b></p><p>However, to say that there is<i> a range of interpretations</i> among evangelicals about ethical or theological matters is NOT saying <i>anything goes</i>. Humility requires us to hold our interpretations with openness. As my former professor often said, "I reserve the right to be wrong." And we must. I didn't know the apostle Paul. Nor did I live in ancient Corinth when he wrote those letters. (Was it two? Or three? Or four?) My interpretations require a bit of reasoned guesswork. All interpretations do.</p><p>Nonetheless, interpreters also have the Holy Spirit, rich resources for study, the local church as hermeneutical community, and two thousand years of church history to guide us from an "anything goes" mentality. That the church has maintained many doctrines and moral standards over its lifespan (and discarded errant ones) should give us some confidence.</p><p>Ironically, the progressive impulse may prove far more selective (picking and choosing, adopting and adapting) with the Bible than those who honor traditional interpretations. Honesty cuts both ways.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">3. Faith implosions reduce the formative power of tension</span></b></p><p>The idea of Hell does not warm me. I don't like to think of people living (or dissolving) in fiery, eternal oblivion, ever-separated from God. Those who love this imagery are odd. The doctrine of Hell, like so many Christian doctrines, surfaces tension.<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">^</span></b> My aim is not to provide a definitive answer on <i>this </i>question but to point to it as illustrative of <i>any </i>theological tension that can plague believers. They are legion.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>How can I be a sinner and a saint? Depraved and wonderfully made? </li><li>Do I have free will or has God predestined everything? What if I miss God's will?</li><li>How do I show compassion without letting go of conviction? </li><li>Can a Christian be gay? Can a godly, educated woman preach?</li><li>If I am more than a conqueror in Christ, then why do I feel so defeated?</li><li>Why do some churches allow for divorce and others condemn it?</li></ul><p></p><p>These questions can gnaw at us. They can devour us. Answers to such questions can feel unsatisfying or evasive. They can cause distress and distrust. They can push us from the Bible, the church, and God because we want to relieve the spiritual tension they cause.</p><p>But tension will persist within and outside of the church. Why? Because reality is broken. Chesterton explains, "The real trouble with this world of ours is not that is is an unreasonable world, nor even that it is a reasonable one. The commonest kind of trouble is that it is nearly reasonable, but not quite."<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">^^</span></b></p><p>In his typical wit, the garrulous Brit expounds on this idea in <i>Orthodoxy. </i>His chapter "The Paradoxes of Christianity" pokes at contradictory criticisms against Christian convictions (say that six times quickly).</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Christianity devalues AND over-esteems family</li><li>Christianity oppresses AND elevates women</li><li>Christianity heralds martyrs AND hates suicide</li><li>Christianity promotes meekness AND violence</li><li>Christianity is restrictive AND freeing</li><li>Christianity celebrates unity AND diversity</li></ul><p></p><p>According to Chesterton, accusers have lined up on every side of the faith and beat it with a stick. He adds, "If Christianity was wrong, it was very wrong indeed."</p><p>Of course, these paradoxical charges against Christianity expose the tension evangelicals feel. We feel it from within as we wrestle with our convictions. We feel it from without as we respond to menacing voices. The desire to escape the tension is understandable but not advisable. God wants us to "run wild" amid the tension not run away.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">The more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">#</span></b></p></blockquote><p>Indeed, we meet God in tough questions, tight quarters, dark nights, and wrestling matches. The tension builds perseverance, character, and clarifies our hope. It forms us. We must not flee to newly constructed homes of straw or sticks.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">4. Faith implosions reduce and misrepresent Jesus</span></b></p><p>Many who deconstruct their faith still affiliate with Jesus. They recite his love ethic. They laud his prophetic voice and inclusive posture. They long for his vision of the inbreaking kingdom and pray for it to come. Their quibble is not with the person of Jesus but the institution and religious tradition that claims his name. (They also disapprove of painted renditions of White Jesus whose his sun-bleached hair and steel-blue eyes were foreign to the first century Mediterranean world.)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0T_XyNXRqeOZWQ_iMAco_0HebxSoB2ouUdO1RA43jP6GQTEOhdnh_g4D1sG2wzHl8_BSM683U5cI-koTWLGY09wwO3hvOvdKHZxcojsGP3T_tkrKfddpfq6RsHNyNBx-bQwnKQ24H5RGAJayXmwWPKQsFWDKTcGLAbkgdsyZR9a3eJ5VxUxvX0lbDDQ=s377" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0T_XyNXRqeOZWQ_iMAco_0HebxSoB2ouUdO1RA43jP6GQTEOhdnh_g4D1sG2wzHl8_BSM683U5cI-koTWLGY09wwO3hvOvdKHZxcojsGP3T_tkrKfddpfq6RsHNyNBx-bQwnKQ24H5RGAJayXmwWPKQsFWDKTcGLAbkgdsyZR9a3eJ5VxUxvX0lbDDQ=w279-h400" width="279" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Technically, these eyes are brown.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Unfortunately, their rendering of Jesus can be as misconstrued as the White Jesus painting they deplore. In their faith deconstruction, they reduce Jesus, downplaying his piety, miraculous power, and passion. </p><p>Jesus was a good Jew. He followed customs for feasts, sabbath practice, and Torah observation. His reinterpretation of religious practices did not eliminate the Law but elevated it (Matthew 5). The Sermon on the Mount sent an impossible standard. His habit of prayer, solitude, and singing were models for his disciples. To redact his piety reduces his humanity. He was fully human and rather religious.</p><p>Jesus was a miracle worker, albeit reluctant at times. The laws of nature could bend to his will; he could heal, walk on water, change the weather, or manufacture food. Demons surrendered to his voice. The devil fled from his presence. These powerful signs bore witness to the inbreaking kingdom of God. To strip him of his miraculous powers reduces him to a social worker. He was Spirit-empowered but selective in whom he helped.</p><p>Jesus came give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45 cf. Isaiah 53). This was his mission statement. He predicted his death, fixed his steel-blue eyes on Jerusalem, and set out to meet his bloody fate (Luke 9:51). Though he petitioned his Father to release him from suffering, he embraced the tension and prayerfully conceded: "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). Then he died on the cross for our sins. Jesus was not the unwitting victim of a ruthless God. He trusted the Father's plan and entrusted his spirit to his care (Luke 23:46 cf. Psalm 31:6). To reinterpret the Atonement as an unjust act of child-sacrifice reduces Jesus's volition. He gave himself willingly.</p><p>Certainly, I am guilty of reducing and misrepresenting Jesus. His complexity transcends my capacity to comprehend him completely. The apostle Paul said something similar about Christ's immeasurable love (Eph. 3:17-19). This, however, should drive us to want to know him more deeply, not settle for a reduced version of Jesus (Phil. 3:8-14). </p><p>Indeed, life with Christ (i.e., faith) requires us to press on. We are encouraged to "forget what lies behind," which may entail folk religion, hollow tradition, sin, hypocrisy, and empty practices. What Paul's does not encourage is deconstruction. Not entirely. Not now. Not without a moratorium to allow us another look at this long-standing neighborhood called the Christian faith.</p><p>As for me and my house, we choose to remain on this imperfect block until Jesus comes to reclaim it.</p><p><br /></p><p> ___________________________</p><p><span style="color: red;">*</span> My small group is currently reading <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Misreading-Scripture-Western-Eyes-Understand/dp/0830837825/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=misreading+scripture+with+western+eyes&qid=1643732327&sprefix=misreading+scri%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible</a></i></b> by Richards and O'Brien. Their subtitle makes two claims. First, we make mistakes when we read the Bible without intending to. Second, that we can "read the Bible better, suggests it is comprehensible.</p><p><span style="color: red;">*</span> See McKnight, <i><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Parakeet-Rethinking-Read-Bible/dp/0310331668/ref=sr_1_2?crid=F1ERB41ZB08W&keywords=the+blue+parakeet&qid=1643732475&sprefix=the+blue+parakeet%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-2" target="_blank">The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible</a></b></i> (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 18-19. There is an updated, paperback version of the book. McKnight sheds light on various poor approaches to Scripture. He also mentions a tendency to describe Jesus in terms of our personal preferences. His book closes with several applications of a relational reading of Scripture, understanding how its big story applies to Sabbath practice and women roles in ministry. </p><p><span style="color: red;">^ </span>For example, what are we to do with people who have never heard the gospel? What about people who bear godly fruit in their lives apart from a confession of faith? In reality, we do nothing with them because one's arrival in Heaven or Hell is not up to us. God determines our landing spot. Nonetheless, this question has been around at least since Origin (185-264). Christians have historically grappled with the literal, everlasting nature of Hell. (Will we people see the worms if they are cloaked in outer darkness?) In the past few decades, the doctrine seems especially odious. The tension surrounding it (<i>Does it exist? For whom? How long? If it's not real our eternal, then what do we make of Jesus's numerous references?</i>) is causing some to believe in annihilationism, universalism, or an intermediary state with second chances for redemption. For a summary of these views and their merits, see Preston Sprinkle and Francis Chan cover these views of Hell clearly in <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Erasing-Hell-About-Eternity-Things/dp/0781407257/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1643733279&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Erasing Hell: What God Said about Eternity and the Things We've Made Up </a></i></b>(Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2011)</p><p><span style="color: red;">^^</span> G.K. Chesterton, <i><b>Orthodoxy </b></i>(New York: Image Books, 2001), 81.</p><p><span style="color: red;">#</span> Ibid., 88-97. Christian faith does not try to alleviate tension but embrace paradox. In the previous post I mentioned how people leave Christianity in pursuit of mystery. They don't like evangelical certainty. However, these paradoxes Chesterton describes, or the God Isaiah describes (Isa. 55:8-9), remind me that there's something both mysterious and romantic about orthodoxy.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-79341957852032788002022-01-18T07:30:00.001-05:002022-01-18T07:30:00.173-05:00Deconstructing Faith: Four Reasons Why Faith Implosion Are Trending<p>Talk of "deconstructing faith" has exploded in recent years. <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-kissed-christianity-goodbye/id1569401963?i=1000532552144" target="_blank">Joshua Harris did not start the conversation</a>, but he certainly tried to monetize the trend. Before him, Barbara Brown Taylor, Bart Erhman, <a href="https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2018/bonus-podcast-losing-faith-and-keeping-faith-sean-mcdowell-and-bart-campolo" target="_blank">Bart Campolo</a>, Peter Enns, Rachel Held Evans, and your college roommate deconstructed. You might be considering it, too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjBHmIUuBHSuZ5wmeq48Uk7q4ViV3QiJ1D8iIKAq27_B9P9fJwzON6Of4MN8daIfNvCYFfYpfh-TQ9SBFWeZRjx20Z9-h5eU7oBulnO3vJFMDAdIjpHz-iFZhZty5agY3V_gxucNVKOUg0GZBClgPOU_hNWoJqWJwqAIqSxssusidsjekRcU7CLDnjNQ=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjBHmIUuBHSuZ5wmeq48Uk7q4ViV3QiJ1D8iIKAq27_B9P9fJwzON6Of4MN8daIfNvCYFfYpfh-TQ9SBFWeZRjx20Z9-h5eU7oBulnO3vJFMDAdIjpHz-iFZhZty5agY3V_gxucNVKOUg0GZBClgPOU_hNWoJqWJwqAIqSxssusidsjekRcU7CLDnjNQ=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #191b26; margin: initial; padding: initial; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/cybercomputers-206006/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1082855" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">CyberComputers</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1082855" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>While I am not an advocate for deconstructing Christian faith, I believe there is value in considering the rationale behind deconstruction stories. To adapt a phrase from Socrates, "The unexamined faith is not worth living." This post considers four notable reasons for the surge of Christian faith implosions.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">1. Faith implosions have exposed folk Christianity.</span></b></p><p>Theologian Roger Olsen introduced me to the notion of "folk Christianity."<b><span style="color: red;">*</span></b> This is an overly simplistic version of Christian thinking wrapped in American ideals. It's bumper-sticker theology. For example:</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Hate the sin; love the sinner.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Let go and let God.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Jesus is my king. Trump is my president.</i></p></blockquote><p>Every major faith system has forms of folk religion; American evangelicalism is not immune. Many who have deconstructed their faith in recent years have not disavowed life with Jesus. Rather, they decry the shallow folk religion that pervades the church: pulpit-pounding, world-bashing, praise-singing, Amen-shouting, sin-shaming, politicking.<b><span style="color: red;">**</span></b> Their criticism hits home.</p><p>When considering the systemic struggles and opportunities we face in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkv16DMfibU" target="_blank">our complex age</a>, we need more nuance and less pith. We need more robust, theological dialogue and less tidy, definitive homilies. We need to ask more provocative questions and spend less time maintaining lame traditions.</p><p>Folk Christianity is easy to transfer but it rarely transforms anyone. It deviates from historic Christianity. Many of those who have deconstructed their evangelical faith have departed from folk religion. They have exposed an impostor to orthodoxy.</p><p><b><i>Are there elements of folk religion in your faith?</i></b></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;"><b>2. Faith implosions have exchanged </b><b>certainty for </b><b>mystery.</b></span></p><p>Two decades ago, theologian Robert Webber led a resurgence in ancient liturgical practices. His movement caught traction and turned into a trademark: <a href="https://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/robert-e-webber-s-legacy-ancient-future-faith-and-worship/" target="_blank">Ancient-Future Faith</a>. Webber tapped into a hunger for mystery, which the Information Age was beginning to crowd out. He trained people on incarnate modes of worship from the early church, including call-and-response, holy kiss, and Eucharist.</p><p>Other writers, theologians, and worship leaders served as companions to the Ancient-Future ethos.<b><span style="color: red;">***</span></b> They taught on prayer labyrinths, sacred Scripture reading, solitude, monastic retreats, and other spiritual formation activities. At the core of this growing curricula was a hunger for divine encounters, a burning bush experience, a hint of the <i>mysterium tremendum</i>.<b><span style="color: red;">^</span></b></p><p>This longing for God is admirable. According to Ecclesiastes, the longing is universal (Eccl. 3:11). We all pine for God's presence, strength, comfort, beauty, and peace. We want him to show up in unexpected ways and shake us, move us, make all things new. </p><p>Those who have deconstructed their faith have found God mean and predictable: wrathful, aloof, or benign. They have found their questions about God met with simple answers: excuses, proof-texts, or unconvincing theodicies. They have found Bible teaching too neat and its adherents too certain.<b><span style="color: red;">^^</span></b></p><p>I can understand the desire for more mystery: Most details of our lives can be forecast, predicted, or reduced to an algorithm. For the sake of monetization, Big Data has bled from our world much of its mystery. At least theology, the chief of sciences, should have some surprises left for us. </p><p>In fact, it does. I'm certain of it because our God dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16) and his thoughts transcend ours (Isa 55:8-9).</p><p><b><i>Where are you too certain? Where do you cultivate a sense of holy mystery in your faith?</i></b></p><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">3. Faith implosions have grown intolerant of religious hypocrisy.</span></b></p><p>A consistent feature among those who have deconstructed their faith is an intolerance for religious hypocrisy. Not only are the sex scandals and power plays of prominent pastors abhorrent but also the noticeable silence on issues of racial injustice, judicial reform, and immigration in the White evangelical church.<b><span style="color: red;">+</span></b> However, in the last two years, that silence has been broken by prophets, social media, and "woke mobs."</p><p>Although many flinch at words like <i>privileged, intolerant, fragile, bigoted, homo/transphobic, </i>and <i>complicit</i> (why not, as they fly like arrows plucked from a bow?), every criticism deserves <i>some </i>consideration. In fact, we can often learn <i>more </i>from our ideological opponents than we do from our echo chambers.</p><p>Faith de-constructors have stepped out of the echo chamber of White, middle-class, American evangelicalism. They listened to the hurting and marginalized. They grew tired of the religious show on Sunday, when the ethics of the marketplace reigned in the church the rest of the week. They lost patience with a shrink-wrapped, single-serving gospel (guaranteed to change one-heart-at-a-time) when systemic injustice held many in our society captive. They grew intolerant of moral failures by evangelical leaders and the Twitter feed of its political messiah.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcZEWLrfMo8MmcdDlgl62aQ75laQggo7q2Y7hVAn0K7u_o_nLJdq_O5okGhRxj3qRY8m9MqojKRVulEpQWjbhpxAmMNbtC2hM2jR3FzPXYIDUNeHZjcF2ZjZvz-AU1w_UIC2xWmDIWMNyPenhAJWXQ-NbSzB5PWUGBZrh4iinD99la8YPe0FvpFER3Kg=s3981" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2986" data-original-width="3981" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcZEWLrfMo8MmcdDlgl62aQ75laQggo7q2Y7hVAn0K7u_o_nLJdq_O5okGhRxj3qRY8m9MqojKRVulEpQWjbhpxAmMNbtC2hM2jR3FzPXYIDUNeHZjcF2ZjZvz-AU1w_UIC2xWmDIWMNyPenhAJWXQ-NbSzB5PWUGBZrh4iinD99la8YPe0FvpFER3Kg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p>These criticisms are neither novel nor errant. Such injustice was evident in Sodom and Gomorrah, Bethsaida and Chorazin, Samaria and Jerusalem. Prophets of old--Amos, Isaiah, Zechariah, Jesus, and James--all spoke out against them. They called for justice, repentance, and social reform. Their words stung.</p><p>However, what made their prophetic voice more powerful was the fact that they did not speak as defectors of the faith but protectors of it. They campaigned against religious hypocrisy without losing their religion. Their courage is exemplary. </p><p><i><b>What social issues have you been too silent about? How do you handle criticism?</b></i></p><p><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">4. Faith implosions have (almost) fully embraced the full embrace of others.</span></b></p><p>Over the past few decades, attitudes about sexual identity have dramatically shifted in American culture.<b><span style="color: red;">++</span></b> What was stigmatized in the Eighties was normalized in the new Millennium. Today LGBTQ+ identities are certified and celebrated in most places. Inclusion, tolerance, and self-expression rule the day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzIxTpeGHBkqc-ioA0yJ2rnnQC_OcRo-Q1uPyOX_jq4w1_4PIeSrsn1PxAPWijtUuQoMAjpT_nUbwPr-XrcNMEPgZzjfnWR9QtObVoj71hjaBeaZNhEJ9mE3YsgKxpJbrXFuHkynpWiRF6rcz53fmLBbv9H5P_6K_A7gf3sMHbdg7naQ8fov8P8meTKg=s430" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="117" data-original-width="430" height="87" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzIxTpeGHBkqc-ioA0yJ2rnnQC_OcRo-Q1uPyOX_jq4w1_4PIeSrsn1PxAPWijtUuQoMAjpT_nUbwPr-XrcNMEPgZzjfnWR9QtObVoj71hjaBeaZNhEJ9mE3YsgKxpJbrXFuHkynpWiRF6rcz53fmLBbv9H5P_6K_A7gf3sMHbdg7naQ8fov8P8meTKg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of bumper-sticker theology. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>This shift in acceptance has also surfaced in the church. In general, Millennial and Gen Z Christians do not consider a gay, lesbian, or trans- identity wrong, sinful, or against God's design. The same generalization could be made for those who have deconstructed their faith. A variety of factors have caused them to reconsider the traditional, historic Christian view of marriage and sexuality.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A close relationships with an LGBTQ+ person.</li><li>A frustration with the church's inconsistent sexual ethic.</li><li>A negative reaction to the missteps of the 90's Purity Culture movement.</li><li>A rethinking of the <a href="https://1drv.ms/b/s!AjZZJ4CWfRlggsdDp_puu1012JBwyA?e=jAY3qD" target="_blank">6 passages that directly address same-sex sexual practice</a>.</li><li>A rethinking of biblical ethics in general.</li><li>An ideology of inclusion and tolerance at the expense of religious disagreement.<span style="color: red;"><b>#</b></span></li><li>The influence of philosophical shifts, familial structures, and LGBTQ+ ideology in pop culture.<b><span style="color: red;">##</span></b></li></ul><p></p><p>Together these factors have an overwhelming force on those wrestling with their faith. Dissatisfied with folk religion, certainty, and hypocrisy in the church, but committed to loving like Jesus, they elevate "unconditional embrace of (almost) everyone" to the top of their virtue list. They even have precedent for promoting love in the apostle Paul (see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians+3%3A12-14&version=NIV" target="_blank">Colossians 3:12-14</a>).</p><p>I say "almost everybody" because <a href="https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2021/one-faith-no-longer" target="_blank">according to one report</a>, those who have deconstructed (specifically Progressive Christians) have one group who remains difficult to embrace: evangelicals. Indeed, their tolerance for their former selves rates low. The deconstructed Christian may be quicker to embrace his trans-man neighbor than a former mentor from his late, evangelical church.</p><p>What this underscores is the challenge of loving people with whom we disagree. Whether our difference centers on theology, ethics, politics, diet, or favorite show on Hulu, some tension always results. To avoid or reduce tension, it is easier to live with an all-or-nothing mindset. Some Christians reject everything to ease tension. Some Christians embrace everything to ease tension. Perhaps we are not so different after all.</p><p><i><b>Who do you have a hard time embracing? Where do you feel tension with people?</b></i></p><p><br /></p><p>Faith implosions continue to trend. Deconstruction stories abound. And yet, many of these people continue to cling to Jesus, look for mystery, work for justice, and embrace others. Their concerns and laments have some merit. Folk religion, uncritical certainty, hypocrisy, and intolerance do not reflect the heart of Christ.</p><p>On the other hand, deconstruction is dangerous. Next week I will address four cautions for those on the verge of a faith implosion.</p><p>__________________________________________</p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">* See <b><i>Questions for All Your Answers: The Journey from Folk Religion to Examined Faith</i></b> (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 14-18. Folk evangelicalism arose in the 60's and 70's. The privatization of faith and anti-intellectual posture bolstered it. Folk Christianity often disparages the world, more likely to spew condemnation than show compassion. It's antidote, according to Olsen, is examined faith. His book wrestles with 10 bumper-sticker doctrines.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">** I'm currently skimming <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wholehearted-Faith-Rachel-Held-Evans/dp/0062894471/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EWF57C9F2VVQ&keywords=whole+hearted+faith&qid=1642439582&sprefix=whole+hearted+faith%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Wholehearted Faith</a></i>, written by the late Rachel Held Evans and Jeff Chu. Three chapters into her work, her love for Jesus and his kingdom ethic radiates. Likewise, her tenuous relationship to evangelicalism stands out. I really appreciate Evans's tribute to her parents firm graciousness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">*** Webber influenced many of the so-called "Emergent Church" authors: e.g., Doug Pagitt, Richard Rohr, Phyllis Tribble, and Brian McLaren. There is resonance in the spiritual formation literature, as well: Richard Foster, Ruth Haley Barton, Dallas Willard, John Mark Comer, Henri Nouwen, and Thomas Merton (earlier). These integrate diverse, religious resources from Catholic and Protestant traditions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">^ I thank my friend and colleague Adam Copenhaver for his article, <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a02216564b05fc4bbf1a61d/t/5fb7c800559ae42d50c5f73f/1605879830817/BET+7.1+Interior+PDF_200629.pdf" target="_blank">"Luke as a Pastor of Doubt: Faith and Certainty in Lucan Perspective,"</a> where he quotes several former evangelicals praising "doubt." Moreover, he cites Peter Enns calling "certainty" a "sin." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">^^ This phrase comes from a German thinker, Rudolph Otto, whose work I encountered in R.C. Sproul's book <i>The Holiness of God</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">+ Scot McKnight and Laura Berringer deal with these issues in their compelling book, <i><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Church-Called-Tov-Goodness-Promotes/dp/1496446003" target="_blank">A Church Called Tov</a></b></i>. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">++ In <i>Emerging Gender Realities</i>, Drs. Yarhouse and Sadusky describe three standard, Christian approaches to sexual identity. The first group, the Integrity-Leaning Posture, views any sexual identity that deviates from monogamous, heterosexuality as a sin. The second group, the Disability-Leaning Posture, treats non-normative sexual identities as a byproduct of the fall--an undesired difference, perhaps rooted in biology or brain chemistry. The third group, the Diversity-Leaning posture, celebrates myriad expressions of sexual identity (pp. 86-94). All three of these approaches are represented in most evangelical churches across the country. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"># David French's comment about the world tolerance is worth the price of <a href="https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2020/divided-we-fall" target="_blank">this podcast interview</a>. It may not hold up in a fierce debate, but it certainly made me pause, chuckle, and nod my head. French also explains why disagreement is so difficult in our polarized age, citing a sociological feature called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window" target="_blank">Overton Window</a>: an acceptable range of political discourse for the majority of people. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">## Spend a month or two on Carl Trueman's <b><i>The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self</i></b> for the details. Here's the first of a five-part lecture: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCVBLjONMVc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCVBLjONMVc</a></span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-11093592294248899452021-12-22T15:43:00.004-05:002021-12-22T15:43:39.530-05:00Preparing for Glory: Christmas Reflection (3 of 3)<p><span style="font-family: Tw Cen MT, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">In the two previous posts, I wrote about our "Perishable Bodies" and "Potent Bodies." Both of these truths create a theological paradox. Below are three responses to this paradox. </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>1. Keep Perspective:</b> Our bodies are perishable AND potent</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If we focus too much on the <b>perishability</b> of the
body, we can become anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, or despairing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If we focus too much on the <b>potency</b> of the body,
we can become obsessive, narcissistic, oppressive, or indulgent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A healthy perspective of our bodies—seeing both its
perishability and potency—keeps us humble, grateful, and engaged in the
everyday task of living well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: large;"><b>2. Persevere: </b>You CAN Press on as You Perish</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Sometimes the body’s perishability will sound an alarm.
Sickness, surgery, diagnosis, lingering aches, and sleepless nights have this
effect. And if it’s not our body shouting at us, it might be the suffering you
hear from loved ones, see online, or learned while watching tornado coverage on
the nightly news. I’ve said many times in the past two years, “It’s hard to be
a human.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When the alarm of suffering sounds, and it will, we
must tap the potent side of our bodies and aim to persevere. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Both James and Paul, two writers from the Bible, agreed
on the importance of perseverance. James wrote, </span><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">2 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Count it all joy,
my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,</span></b></span><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><sup>3 </sup>for you know that the testing of your
faith produces steadfastness.</span> <span class="text"><sup>4 </sup>And
let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking in nothing.</span></span></b><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> (1:2-4)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">And Paul added, <b>“[W]e rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,</b></span></span><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span class="text"><sup>4 </sup>and endurance produces character, and character
produces hope,</span> <span class="text"><sup>5 </sup>and hope
does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our
hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”</span></span></b><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> (Romans 5:3-5)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7TTZ99hPiYU" width="320" youtube-src-id="7TTZ99hPiYU"></iframe></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I know this is easier said than done. Nonetheless,
perseverance says “This is not the end. God is not done. I must press on and trust
him to help me.”</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: Tw Cen MT, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>3. Prepare: </b>Bodily Suffering Is a Form of Heavenly Preparation</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus died—his body flogged, pierced, exhausted, and
wrapped in graveclothes. He perished. But three days later, God raise him to life
in an imperishable body. Every highlight of Jesus’s life centers on his
body—birth, death, resurrection, return. But the resurrection is the linchpin
of Christian hope.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">When the apostle Paul writes about the
resurrection, he tells his readers, “Not only do you have assurance and hope
because of this act of God, but you also have a picture of what eternal life
looks like. You will have bodies. They will be imperishable. They will be
glorious.” Let me use his words:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">50 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I tell you this, brothers: flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit
the imperishable.</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> <span class="text"><sup>51 </sup>Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed,</span> <span class="text"><sup>52 </sup>in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet
will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be
changed.</span> <span class="text"><sup>53 </sup>For this perishable
body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.</span> <span class="text"><sup>54 </sup>When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and
the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is
written:</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="line" style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">“Death is swallowed up in victory.”</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<span class="text"><sup>55 </sup>“O death, where is your victory?</span><br />
</span></b><span class="indent-1-breaks"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 6pt;"> </span></b></span><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">O death, where is your sting?”</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="first-line-none" style="background: white; margin-top: 12.0pt;"><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">56 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text"><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law.</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> <span class="text"><sup>57 </sup>But thanks be
to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This life, in our perishable-but-potent bodies,
prepares us for life to come. We are preparing for glory. We are preparing for
life with God, free from tears and pain and suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Nutrition,
exercise, and sleep won’t get us to God. Hard work and good deeds won’t get us
to God. That all perishes. Only faith in Jesus will get us to God. And here’s
good news of great joy, Jesus first came to us—in a perishable body—to bring us
to glory with him.</span></span><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">_______________________________</span></div><div><div class="post-body entry-content float-container" id="post-body-998362095602784467" style="background-color: white; color: #3e3f3c; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-right: 110px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;">This is part three of a talk crafted for Parkview YMCA's Livestrong Christmas Banquet (Dec. 2021)</span></p></div><div class="post-sidebar" style="background-color: white; color: #3e3f3c; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 16px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 0px; width: 290px;"><div class="post-share-buttons post-share-buttons-top" style="position: relative;"><div class="byline post-share-buttons goog-inline-block" style="display: inline-block; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-right: 0px; position: relative;"></div></div></div></div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-9983620956027844672021-12-15T08:00:00.001-05:002021-12-15T10:34:20.164-05:00Potent Bodies: A Christmas Reflection (2 of 3)<p><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Our lives start and end in bodily fragility, dependence,
and weakness. We cannot escape these imperishable bodies.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">But it’s not for lack of trying. We have countless
resources for strengthening our bodies, sculpting our bodies, healing our
bodies, rehabilitating our bodies, and nourishing our bodies. Good exercise,
sleep, and nutrition energize and sustain our bodies. These perishable bodies
are potent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can run marathons.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can birth babies.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can mow lawns and
shovel snow.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can process emotions
and digest food.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can endure scrapes,
sunburn, and shingles.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can recover from Cancer
and Covid.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can punch a hole in
wall and thread a needle.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can swing a golf club
and flip over a record.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can hug a crying
friend or reset a broken bone.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can chew steak into a
pulp and swallow it down a pipe.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can speak words of blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">They can cry tears of joy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Indeed, our bodies are potent. They are powerful. They
are intricately designed. They are, in the words of an ancient Hebrew poet,
“fearfully and wonderfully made.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW9a2oLxbsJaTPOKoJqeTkz4BTP7K1uvXkR53CKwIi67hsXEue3O66fOU997xNacJlhagHrlv0cFaykXDIGTLq8lWI3SYEjI-RPXIGvw-0r4YBaG-BhvemGuiaHkF-vA-gWS_WXATr8Y-kZccjhK5ifdP-gFQsexLBXGbr8nsd2zc39ehPwpv3muqyBg=s547" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="547" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW9a2oLxbsJaTPOKoJqeTkz4BTP7K1uvXkR53CKwIi67hsXEue3O66fOU997xNacJlhagHrlv0cFaykXDIGTLq8lWI3SYEjI-RPXIGvw-0r4YBaG-BhvemGuiaHkF-vA-gWS_WXATr8Y-kZccjhK5ifdP-gFQsexLBXGbr8nsd2zc39ehPwpv3muqyBg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;">This potency is God-given. God created bodies. Jesus lived
in body. The body is the way in which we lovingly engage the world around us. Christian
philosopher, Dallas Willard, reminds us of <a href="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/access2021app.appspot.com/o/resources%2FgoodBody.mp3?alt=media&token=89886586-71a5-4558-9d08-b7cac6ac056b" target="_blank">the essential goodness of the body</a>. He
writes, “My body is the original and primary place of </span><i style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;">my dominion</i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;"> and my
responsibility. It is only through it that I have a world to live” (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-Heart-Putting-Character-Christ/dp/1615216324/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=renovation+of+the+heart&qid=1639515734&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Renovationof the Heart</a>, 161).</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">How do we make a mark on
the world?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> With our bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">How do we eat, drink, and
be merry?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> With our bodies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">How do we interact with
God and others?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> With our bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">What do we present to God
as instruments of righteousness?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> Our bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">What do we train and
maintain to live godly lives?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> Our bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">What do we offer as a
living sacrifice that is pleasing to God?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> Our bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2020/11/masculinity-and-my-patchy-pathetic.html" target="_blank">Our bodies are at the core of our identity</a>, activity,
and obedience to God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;">And yet, these strong bodies under our care are also
susceptible to forces all around us. Our “dominion,” to use Willard’s word—what
we can do—is limited.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Your body may be God-given and potent, but, as you well
know, that doesn’t provide you a religious exemption from Cancer, Covid, kidney
stones, restless legs syndrome, seasonal affect disorder, acne, infertility,
PTSD, high cholesterol, or panic attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">These bodies are potent but not omnipotent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">These bodies are powerful but not imperishable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Theses bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made but
also fragile.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">This is one of the paradoxes of Christian teaching:
Your body is both perishable and potent, potent and perishable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">So what do we do with this?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[Stay tuned for Part 3, "Glorious Bodies."]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;">_________________________________________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif;">This is part two of a talk crafted for Parkview YMCA's Livestrong Christmas Banquet (Dec. 2021)</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-8622708263476819832021-12-14T08:34:00.001-05:002021-12-14T08:34:36.049-05:00Perishable Bodies: A Christmas Reflection (1 of 3)<p><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">For a follower of Jesus, Christmas is a profound
reminder about the potent-but-perishable nature of our bodies. Jesus, the Son
of God, came to earth <a href="http://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2018/12/a-body-prepared-advent-reflection-1-of.html" target="_blank">in a body.</a> He experienced nine months in his mother’s
womb before a crude birth in a feeding troth in Bethlehem, where he was wrapped
in swaddling clothes.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0z00OFsWN7w-s4qrADlngzK9R6Qx7A-fbDliGf04JvN07xgajK24NX5nVMEiZwrmUxtZkXe-BOeZKslOTCsWIBYoCfibtX0xFVcoo4uFLORv9i2hYERTymBrfXB6RYmwKJ7Ga5F56Xy-F6ZPv8eEn5V5bWqf7XvdIdFao_0m3cUSk_B2ttfFy_OKxBA=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0z00OFsWN7w-s4qrADlngzK9R6Qx7A-fbDliGf04JvN07xgajK24NX5nVMEiZwrmUxtZkXe-BOeZKslOTCsWIBYoCfibtX0xFVcoo4uFLORv9i2hYERTymBrfXB6RYmwKJ7Ga5F56Xy-F6ZPv8eEn5V5bWqf7XvdIdFao_0m3cUSk_B2ttfFy_OKxBA=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pixabay</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">His bodily fragility is captured in modern hymn:</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fragile
finger sent to heal us. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tender
brow prepared for thorn. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tiny
heart whose blood will save us. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Welcome
to our world.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He shared in our bodily fragility from birth. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moreover, you might remember the Christmas story in
Matthew with those mysterious Magi and that murderous King Herod. Both the wise
men and Jesus’s family dashed out of the little town of Bethlehem before the
king’s henchmen arrived wielding swords. Jesus escaped
death for the time being but, tragically, many infants did not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As he grew, Jesus became less fragile but not less
perishable. His old neighbors from Nazareth tried to throw him over a cliff. He
faced deadly waves and serious thirst. Religious leaders plotted his execution.
Crowds cried for him to be crucified. His fully grown body hung from a cross,
fully exposed to mocking crowds and dark clouds. His arms and legs were nailed
to the wood. Just to catch decent breath was a battle. In his final moments the
King of the Jews had little dominion over his perishable body.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We enter and exit this world in perishable bodies. We
palpably feel our own fragile fingers, tender brows, aging eyes, aching
Achilles, and irritable bowels. (For at least a few of those symptoms, I speak
from experience. However, I won’t divulge which ones because I don't want to get too personal!) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That power, strength, and freedom we felt as a teen or
thirtysomething escapes us. Our physical “prime” is short-lived. (Merry
Christmas, right?)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I remember reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Edge-Generations-Meaningful-Future-ebook/dp/B004GUSDNQ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=life+on+the+edge+dobson&qid=1639487938&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyS1ZPWFlMMTVLNFVVJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTkwNjUwM1AyV0oyNzZKQzNPUSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTAxMjY2U0ZXRkYzM0xQTUY3JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==" target="_blank"><i><b>Life on the Edge</b></i> by James Dobson</a>
during my freshman year at Grace College. Dobson deals with different phases of
life, from infancy to senior years. As a college student, I was in my prime:
physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially. (Notice I didn't say "emotionally.") In this phase, I didn’t know what I didn’t
know. What I <i>did </i>know was I was going to rule world. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then something from the book rattled me. Dobson described
the eventual role reversal I would experience with my parents. Most adults face
it in their fifties when they become caregivers for aging parents. At the time,
my mother, nearly fifty, had become her mother’s primary caregiver. My
grandmother, nearing eighty, had Alzheimer’s. She was perishing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So were my parents: gradually but certainly. I could
see it in new wrinkles around their eyes, grayer hair, and an increase of pills
in their daily battery of medication. Their speech or stride hadn’t slowed…yet.
Their memory suffered no gaps…yet. But the inevitable signs of perishing showed
on their aging bodies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Kingdom-David-Arnold/dp/0593202228/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Q2EQ5X2ZLZO1&keywords=electric+kingdom+david+arnold&qid=1639487993&sprefix=electric+kingdom%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Author David Arnold wrote</a>, “But in the book of the
body, age is setting, always happening, always growing.” This is true.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My wife experienced a role reversal at age nineteen. Discovering
her mom on the basement floor after a major stroke was traumatic. Her mother did
not die that day, but her perishable body began to unravel. For the next fourteen
years, her ability to drive, speak, or dress herself diminished before <a href="http://sprainedankle.blogspot.com/2013/04/marmie-companion.html" target="_blank">she finally perished</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But we don’t need to reverse roles or live long to
experience the perishable nature of our bodies. Two years ago, I visited a
couple from my church after a miscarriage. The baby’s body was wrapped in a
blanket. So fragile. So tragic. So perishable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our lives start and end in bodily fragility, dependence,
and weakness. We cannot escape these imperishable bodies.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">[Stay tuned for Part 2, "Potent Bodies." I promised, it gets more hopeful!]</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">___________________________________________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">This is part one of a talk crafted for the Parkview YMCA's Livestrong Christmas Banquet (Dec. 2021).</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-28372209801829244802021-12-07T15:23:00.003-05:002021-12-07T15:23:29.165-05:00Encountering God: How to Get Beyond Bible Studies<p>Bible studies still work. People will show up to homes, church buildings, or Zoom meetings for them. Mothers may gather every Tuesday morning (especially if there is childcare) to talk about Philippians. Men may start the work week with breakfast, the book of Hebrews, and a pile of bacon. (This is essential.) Many others may come on Wednesday nights if the latest teaching by Beth Moore or Francis Chan fits into their schedules. </p><p>If you book (study) it, they will come.</p><p>Some come out of duty. Others come out of boredom. Many attend out of curiosity or for clarity. Most come for connection. They want to share their spiritual life with others. All these reasons for attending a Bible study have merit; even duty has its place.</p><p>Personally, I want to get beyond Bible studies. To be clear, I love the Bible. Studying, teaching, and preaching the Bible are central to my pastoral vocation. Living the Bible is central to my vitality as a follower of Jesus (Matt. 28:19). Furthermore, I recognize that understanding is critical to application. We cannot apply what we do not know.</p><p>On the other hand, for decades I have heard various Christian leaders lament our glut of biblical knowledge and anemia in application. "We are educated beyond our obedience," a former mentor was fond of saying.</p><p>Unfortunately, even this criticism surfaces a deficient view of Scripture. <a href="https://prezi.com/view/hj9MhGROgDGBZRLLoCVH/" target="_blank">The Bible is more than a map, playbook, self-help guide, or training manual</a>. We must not treat the Bible like instructions to assemble our latest, unpronounceable piece of furniture from IKEA. (Yes, there are unpronounceable names in the Bible. Yes, following biblical instructions will likely result in a better product. Yes, Swedish meatballs are delicious. But I digress.)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgugBp1S3IUb8XXTWuCgLm_wH2-SUGw6djno6Wr3rLM2lErHoZL8nkuZs5vdes3FgerAmRyTrnv3Crt0mrWXW6dUVuOu7Saxpt6iyUNfl3pe_LbiE456eLR1M3SEhSRcXQtUQT-XaoloVu990S2Lv1Co_PLLtpRxIdAE1yMV4_Qve6BGNA3VvAJMlQegw=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgugBp1S3IUb8XXTWuCgLm_wH2-SUGw6djno6Wr3rLM2lErHoZL8nkuZs5vdes3FgerAmRyTrnv3Crt0mrWXW6dUVuOu7Saxpt6iyUNfl3pe_LbiE456eLR1M3SEhSRcXQtUQT-XaoloVu990S2Lv1Co_PLLtpRxIdAE1yMV4_Qve6BGNA3VvAJMlQegw=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" style="background: none rgb(248, 249, 250); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We must get beyond viewing the Bible as interesting content or ethical instructions. Rather, the Bible is divine revelation. It is a living word from the Living Word (John 1:1-4; 5:37-40; Heb. 1:1-3, 4:12). It was God-breathed and the divine vapor cloud lingers (2 Tim. 3:16).</p><p>The Bible began as an encounter with God. Its authors recorded story after story of God speaking, making, naming, working, resting, sending, and saving. God tasked Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, and more than thirty other priests, scribes, and apostles to put these encounters into writing. They wrote, edited, collected, and organized them into a canon comprising Jewish and Christian Scriptures. Both testaments, the Old and New, are testimonials of divine encounters. In fact, "testimony" is Walter Brueggemann's preferred way of speaking of the Old Testament. He writes,</p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></p><blockquote>[Testimony is] the largest rubric under which
we can consider Israel’s speech about God... [It is] a reliable disclosure about the true character of God. <a href="https://d.docs.live.net/60197d9680275936/Documents/Talbot/DMin%20Project/Redeeming%20God%20Talk%20Proposal.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></blockquote><p></p><div>The early Christian church deeply valued this written testimony of divine encounters. They added to it their own: four gospels, Acts, Paul's letters, the general epistles, and Revelation. Though some of the twenty-seven NT books were more contested than others, early manuscript evidence and citations by Apostolic Fathers suggests high regard for these inspired writings.</div><div><br /></div><div>In fact, historian Larry Hurtado considers the centrality of the Scriptures as a distinctive feature of early Christian faith. In comparing the emerging church with its surrounding culture, Hurtado can find no other religious movement as committed to its holy writings. That Christians gathered weekly in homes around a text to encounter God was unique in the ancient world. He writes, </div><div><blockquote>In fact, to my knowledge, among the many other Roman-era religious groups, there is simply no analogy for this variety, vigor, and volume in Christian literary output... For early Christianity, however, there are no known church structures or inscriptions prior to sometime in the third century AD, but there is this huge catalogue of texts.<span style="font-size: x-small;">[<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u>2</u></span>]</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div>From its conception, Hurtado muses, Christianity has been "a bookish religion."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwFFX1f8VYWRSC6pgz2Hxqia-iRIO8Hpz5EYolsWBnLFWNwvDyMGR0cgNTLopf18lDAdWhcVVawjzcK_eMWi_uBA9yXRybXiQZcmjVVj6LMEVkc3cMlOIrgMDwiTlA0y_sJ5uK1ucZxWDLjArPgKCLQ4yR_WZcQqPqd5KmI3RR7aK1cEwpOsqmqOXP0g=s1408" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1408" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwFFX1f8VYWRSC6pgz2Hxqia-iRIO8Hpz5EYolsWBnLFWNwvDyMGR0cgNTLopf18lDAdWhcVVawjzcK_eMWi_uBA9yXRybXiQZcmjVVj6LMEVkc3cMlOIrgMDwiTlA0y_sJ5uK1ucZxWDLjArPgKCLQ4yR_WZcQqPqd5KmI3RR7aK1cEwpOsqmqOXP0g=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><div>Unfortunately, mass production, literary criticism, information overload, and the creep of secularity has corrupted our view of the Bible. Many treat the Bible a tame, partial, or politicized book devoid of God's breath. It has become nothing more than a theological proof-text, religious-exemption source, anthology of ethical tales, or a Godly Gal's Guide to a Better Life. While the Bible <i>should </i>influence such matters of everyday life, it must get beyond mere pragmatics, politics, and dogmatics.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible intends to bring us to God. When originally spoken, God's word came to us. Revelation was a divine encounter. Reading the Bible should be, too. The divine medium reveals the Divine Messenger. He has spoken. He is still speaking. If we put down the bacon and truly listen at our next Bible study, we might encounter him.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipTW5BjAdj3DZWqG4-YM5Y0bPxqd-4_y9dnAZmUwg2XNqzxyfrfNhm0MANFX9BtHlc_QSt93kDGuQ-R-Ky5h0BZK7emRoBS0hA04HP3-cxz5hMnzgxH9L8LtoKEPpn8JnK0b3x1NvwjSV_X6qIT-ZRB9aDm37D9R-RQ7wwtcRGzr0uW0jfPpY_LGmvqw=s987" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="987" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipTW5BjAdj3DZWqG4-YM5Y0bPxqd-4_y9dnAZmUwg2XNqzxyfrfNhm0MANFX9BtHlc_QSt93kDGuQ-R-Ky5h0BZK7emRoBS0hA04HP3-cxz5hMnzgxH9L8LtoKEPpn8JnK0b3x1NvwjSV_X6qIT-ZRB9aDm37D9R-RQ7wwtcRGzr0uW0jfPpY_LGmvqw=w400-h175" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
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<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="https://d.docs.live.net/60197d9680275936/Documents/Talbot/DMin%20Project/Redeeming%20God%20Talk%20Proposal.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Brueggemann, <i>Theology of the Old Testament: Testimony, Dispute, Advocacy</i>, 118, 121.<o:p></o:p></p>
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</div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">[<u><span style="color: #2b00fe;">2</span></u>]</span> Hurtado, <i>Destroyer of the Gods</i>, 119-120. The whole forth chapters, "A Bookish Religion," is phenomenal (pp. 105-141). Hurtado describes the distinctive innovations of early Christian writing, copying, punctuating, binding, circulating, expositing, defending, and reading the text. </p><p><br /></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-73181576590388093492021-11-30T16:22:00.002-05:002021-11-30T16:22:39.164-05:00My Fragility: How I'm Managing Fluctuating Emotions<p>A month ago I shared with someone how spoiled I feel as a pastor. I am paid to study, process, and preach the Bible. I walk with people I love through milestones or misery in their lives. My particular station provides me with flexibility to serve beyond the walls of our church and see the world. I am free to focus on what I am good at. Indeed, I am <i>spoiled</i>.</p><p>I should be careful what I celebrate. Days after my happy confession, I swung to the other side of the joy pendulum. Rather than riding an emotional high, I began to fight voices of accusation, doubt, and failure. "You're wasting people's time. Your sermons overload people with information; they help no one. Visitors won't come back. People are leaving. Your organizational ineptness will be your undoing. You're overrated." Indeed, I am <i>rotten</i>.</p><p>Some of this is spiritual warfare. Some of this is midlife crisis. Some of this is the residual, mental health effect of pastoring during a global pandemic. And some of this is reality crashing through.</p><p>I am spoiled. I am rotten.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WkWifbHyhSbQXu3l-coNhbm9tW8dJ584J9cSuI3XobE7T2t8GgNmtCx0TmHHX2nh3Fx_xPUASltqmnwpAIeDwK3Gdzm_yHTgHYeXDGsl-_fiRr2SuhhQxHHDtgxY4ueOIA29NF72tlno/s1920/smiley-2979107_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WkWifbHyhSbQXu3l-coNhbm9tW8dJ584J9cSuI3XobE7T2t8GgNmtCx0TmHHX2nh3Fx_xPUASltqmnwpAIeDwK3Gdzm_yHTgHYeXDGsl-_fiRr2SuhhQxHHDtgxY4ueOIA29NF72tlno/w400-h225/smiley-2979107_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; margin: initial; padding: initial; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/absolutvision-6158753/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2979107" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Gino Crescoli</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2979107" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Mostly, though, I feel fragile. The emotional ups and downs grow tiresome. I am not alone. This post shares three ways I (try to) manage my fluctuating emotions.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">1. Verbalize Fluctuating Emotions</span></b></p><p>Stuffing emotions is never good. Then again, dumping them on anyone nearby can be equally disastrous. We must learn to verbalize our fluctuating emotions <b><i>in healthy ways</i></b> <b>at proper times</b> <b><i>to the right people</i></b>. In other words, Facebook dumps and Twitter rants rarely work. (How about Blogger? wrote Tim to himself.)</p><p>My two healthiest forms of verbalization are journaling and personal conversation. I journal two or three times a week, but I rarely skip a journaling session when my emotions are fluctuating. I write what I'm feeling, what caused it, and how the feelings affect my thinking. I don't try to sound polished; my journal is for me and God, but if my grandkids discover it after I'm dead, they're welcome to it. If I do any emotional dumping in my sermons or on social media, it is always toned down (i.e., #filteredfeelings)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qu-CVuFs0cI" width="320" youtube-src-id="Qu-CVuFs0cI"></iframe></div><p>For personal conversation, I walk and talk with my wife or enjoy an evening of reflection on the front porch. My inner circle also comprises a few friends, fellow pastors, accountability partners, and elders from my church. If my spoiled-rotten life begins to spin out of control, I will seek out a spiritual director or counselor. These are the right people.</p><p>The proper time to verbalize my fluctuating emotions is after they surface and before they explode. I am much quicker to journal than talk. I integrate journaling into my morning devotional times. A night of sleep tends to take the edge off the emotions, so my entries benefit from a reflective tone.</p><p>Timing conversations requires more effort and sensitivity. I don't like talking to my wife about my sorrows when she's coming down from a panic attack. If my friends have just expressed a lament, I don't like to heap mine on top of the pile. Thus, I tend to rely on regularly scheduled breakfasts, lunches, or coffee dates with others before opening up emotionally. </p><p>Verbalization serves as a release valve for our fluctuating emotions. However, for the benefit of others, we must resist oversharing or inappropriate vulnerability. Instagram and the pulpit are poor confession booths.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">2. Exercise Fluctuating Emotions</span></b></p><p>According to Dallas Willard, an emotion is a preconscious thought. According to neurologists, emotions can flood our brains with chemicals and trigger odd physiological responses: flight, fight, freeze, or faint. Our preconscious thoughts energize or immobilize us. The connection between the brain and body is intimate. </p><p>Of course, this psychosomatic connection goes both ways. Physical activity often makes us feel better. A tough workout, grueling yard work, or a power nap can moderate our fluctuating emotions. Every one of us has experienced this reality. Thus we should exercise our fluctuating emotions.</p><p>My wife likes to walk in the woods when her anxiety creeps up. I enjoy jogging when I feel defeated or incompetent. You may ride a bike, swim laps, lift weights, mow the lawn, organize shelves, scrub floors, or hit golf balls when your emotions fluctuate. The activity diverts our minds from the emotional aches and pains. Unfortunately, eating ice cream and watching TV only provide temporary diversions because they do not engage the body-mind complex.</p><p> </p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">3. Refocus Fluctuating Emotions</span></b></p><p>I have learned to refocus my fluctuating emotions with biblical affirmations. The apostle Paul wrote of this often in his letters. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). Taking our thoughts captive Christ helps us knock down strongholds (2 Cor. 10:1-5). We can replace anxious thinking with grateful, true, right, pure, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy thoughts (Phil. 4:6-9). Setting our minds on "things above," namely Christ, sets us on a glorious trajectory (Col. 3:1-4).</p><p>The key to refocusing is <i>replacing </i>internal, emotional mutterings with objective, biblical truths. Anger, anxiety, depression, envy, and the hideous lot of spoiled, preconscious thoughts fade slowly on their own. We're better off to force them out God-spoken words about our God-given identity. For example:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I am not a waste of time and space; I am God's workmanship. <i>So are you</i> (Eph. 2:10). </li><li>I am not a complete failure; I am more than a conqueror in Christ. <i>So are you </i>(Rom. 8:37)</li><li>I am not a lonely loser; I am a friend of Jesus. <i>So are you </i>(John 15:13-15).</li><li>I am not a babbling fool; I am an ambassador for Christ. <i>So are you</i> (2 Cor. 5:20).</li><li>I am not overrated; I am an overcomer. <i>So are you</i> (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26).</li></ul><div>Accepting <a href="https://vintagelawrence.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ANDERSON_WhoIAmInChrist.pdf" target="_blank">our identity in Christ</a> is a profound way to refocus our fluctuating emotions.</div><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div>Tomorrow another month begins. Surely my emotions will fluctuate. At times I'll feel spoiled. Then I'll feel rotten. Fortunately, God will help me manage this fragility by verbalizing, exercising, and refocusing. I pray he helps you, as well.</div><p></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-82658307144165730512021-11-23T08:15:00.005-05:002021-11-23T08:18:59.027-05:00A Good, Good, and Very Joyful God<p><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Writing is one of my regular joys. I love
crafting sermons, posting blogs, and coming up with devotionals. Even typing
the draft of my doctoral project brought me a certain level of happiness.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1-6eTDz-Hlrg8Wc3Pvl6BdqNa13yn-xf9CwpcgoHXQZrKbokVRHCo634c_jEj8Ng8kQPSJ485PJz7N_vQnfX6XqRe7Cuv0a3wLkuOARUVdvR2fGTrHk6z3qLSswb1IdDZHXZqkAkMh-K/s1280/WIN_20211115_16_54_22_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1-6eTDz-Hlrg8Wc3Pvl6BdqNa13yn-xf9CwpcgoHXQZrKbokVRHCo634c_jEj8Ng8kQPSJ485PJz7N_vQnfX6XqRe7Cuv0a3wLkuOARUVdvR2fGTrHk6z3qLSswb1IdDZHXZqkAkMh-K/w400-h225/WIN_20211115_16_54_22_Pro.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selfie after sending the official proposal to my Prof.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is something in the creative
process that energizes me. I suspect you feel the same. Perhaps you’re not into
creating documents, but you may harness your creative powers to</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">draw an interesting
picture</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">troubleshoot a home
improvement project</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">fix a new recipe</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">make a peaceful
environment for your child</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">navigate a tricky
conversation</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">organize a messy closet</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></li></ul><!--[if !supportLists]--><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">As you can see, I left a few bullet
points for you. Humor me. What creative activities bring you joy?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">When I think of Creator God bringing our
world into existence, I suspect he was happily engaged. Maybe he was even
giddy. If you read the Genesis text, the word “good” echoes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">It was good. Good. Very good.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">Moreover, God was excessive in
creation. Reread the description of fish, birds, and creeping things. The land,
sky, and oceans <i>teemed</i> with life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">Most importantly, God delighted in his
work. He <i>blessed</i> the creatures. He <i>blessed</i> his image-bearers. His
spoken blessing was both an expression of his joy and an endorsement of his
work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">All our little acts of creation are
contingent on our Creator. We imitate the one who made us when we make songs,
meals, drawings, games, or beds. Our joy in creating reflects his joy towards
Creation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paul reminds us, we are his
workmanship created in Christ Jesus for the good works he prepared beforehand
that we might walk in them (Eph. 2:10). Our good (and creative) works please
him (Rom. 12:2; Phil. 2:13). God is happier than we are.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB6wmO3ax0sfCLu3IZARuJcpUfe-qI5fmagbaFpAoA5ocfpm9_-41YKKj7w9Uef5kxEaU34Q5KaBRxj1q-nzYgmllt5K52uMsEKlHKHc_oY5t6J2WQqqNiPrEcxCj0bF8A4Wqv5xxmfFT/s791/Willard+Quote.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="791" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB6wmO3ax0sfCLu3IZARuJcpUfe-qI5fmagbaFpAoA5ocfpm9_-41YKKj7w9Uef5kxEaU34Q5KaBRxj1q-nzYgmllt5K52uMsEKlHKHc_oY5t6J2WQqqNiPrEcxCj0bF8A4Wqv5xxmfFT/w400-h171/Willard+Quote.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">And we can be pretty jubilant. When
Mordecai wrote an edict to reverse Haman’s earlier one, he skipped around town.
He danced a jig (Esther 8:15-17). His joy dwarfed what I feel when I finish writing a sermon,
blog post, or Esther devotional.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">But God’s joy dwarfs the rest of ours.
He delights in his work. “He has the eternal appetite for infancy,” Chesterton
wrote. His experience of joy is <i>continuous</i>, <i>deep</i>, and <i>rich</i>,
wrote Willard. (I bet they smiled when they wrote those lines!) In fact, God is
so full of joy, he is bursting to share it. And he does. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">And it is <i>good, good, very good</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">*This was originally published as part of the Esther sermon series at Leesburg Grace Church.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tw Cen MT",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-no-proof: yes;">_______________________________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="color: #800180; font-family: "Tw Cen MT", sans-serif; font-size: 18.6667px;">Leave a comment and share what brings you joy on this Thanksgiving week.</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8WVeJwDJrnaiIn4-4ulxuNbhtv231zu5XEPgfYyHNMGzfbLk23-h9TWhjev08HGM7G7T1QJ4296xjToBO5S2wg7mGC1S-orlcs0aSgfg_WWrQkS5SNoeDYPSihVXzK4ug4bbt8ntZTVg/s450/qrcode_apprenticeinstitute.org.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8WVeJwDJrnaiIn4-4ulxuNbhtv231zu5XEPgfYyHNMGzfbLk23-h9TWhjev08HGM7G7T1QJ4296xjToBO5S2wg7mGC1S-orlcs0aSgfg_WWrQkS5SNoeDYPSihVXzK4ug4bbt8ntZTVg/s320/qrcode_apprenticeinstitute.org.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use this QR Code to hear a <i><b>Things Above</b></i> podcast from James Brian Smith about God's joy.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-20389687773346312222021-11-16T08:10:00.004-05:002021-11-16T08:10:57.353-05:00Are You Squeamish about Faith Experiences? A Few Reasons to Reconsider<p>Last week a friend strolled past my house in the early morning. I went outside and greet him from my porch. "How are you doing?" I called.</p><p>"Really good," he responded. "I've had a great walk with God."</p><p>Still in my pajamas, I left my porch and met him in the street. I wanted to hear more: faith experiences inspire me. My friend proceeded to share with me a few things God told him.</p><p>What is your response when someone says, </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"God told me...";</li><li>"I heard Jesus's saying...";</li><li>"I knew the Spirit wanted me to...";</li><li>"God gave me unbelievable peace";</li><li>"I felt Jesus's empathetic presence";</li><li>"The Spirit filled me with power"?</li></ul><p></p><p>These are experiential claims made by Christ-followers. They are personal and subjective. They have a different ring to them than theological truth claims. American evangelicals often get squeamish about articulated faith experiences.</p><p>On the other hand, American evangelicals appreciate theological claims. We <strike>get excited about</strike> value phrases like "the perspicuity of Scripture" and "the efficacy of prayer." We proudly stretch out the syllables when pronouncing "substitutionary atonement."* We enunciate "THE GOSPEL" in all capital letters. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPqjmyaaaEqhmhdhNPe7hmDngac4ZpgwrklQtUbwHjC0vjItsIfUOoSTimywwojKxoI0ZZTRdazfVtxKZSdHwzjxokBG5aziRBphWhOll3WLZUv7J_OtVjluDcSw37rrk1BTjmj8xI14E/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="640" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPqjmyaaaEqhmhdhNPe7hmDngac4ZpgwrklQtUbwHjC0vjItsIfUOoSTimywwojKxoI0ZZTRdazfVtxKZSdHwzjxokBG5aziRBphWhOll3WLZUv7J_OtVjluDcSw37rrk1BTjmj8xI14E/w400-h328/image.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="extiw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:WriterHound" style="background: none rgb(248, 249, 250); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;" title="wikipedia:User:WriterHound">WriterHound</a><span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;"> at </span><a class="extiw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/" style="background: none rgb(248, 249, 250); color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" title="wikipedia:">English Wikipedia</a> from WikiCommons<span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start;">.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Evangelicals have preferred theology over experience for decades. In the 1970s, historian Richard Lovelace warned evangelicalism was "in danger of becoming a tame lecture circuit."** According to Skye Jethani, the danger has been realized. In an October 2021 interview on the <a href="https://barna.gloo.us/videos/cpw-jethani-deckel" target="_blank">Church Pulse Weekly podcast</a>, he criticized pastors for treating their congregation members like "brains on sticks." Preachers sermonically infuse biblical information into the brain but leave the body and emotions to languish.^ (Guilty as charged.)</p><p>Pastors and church leaders need to emphasis the experiential side of faith. By its very nature, faith is experiential. It may begin with reason--faith most certainly is NOT unreasonable (Heb. 11:1)--but it surpasses mere cognition. Faith comprises <i>personal </i>convictions, <i>personal </i>assurance, and <i>personal </i>interactions with God. Hebrews 11 spells this out with a series of remarkable, personal experiences. Men and women of God acted in faith when reason alone would not have carried them through. </p><p>Though faith experiences are personal, they are also <i>communal </i>because they are meant to be <i>shared</i>. Again, I appeal to Hebrews 11. The Hall of Faith is a microcosm of the entire Bible, which is an anthology of faith experiences crafted, collected, and circulated for the ages. They are given to us to interpret our personal experiences in light of credible faith experiences of the past. In other words, <i>our personal experiences prove the rule of faith, they do not set the standard</i>. In a sense, all personal faith experience is actually interpersonal (or communal) since it stands beside others.</p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #800180;">When has God showed up in your life? What has he said to you? How has he called you?</span></p></blockquote><p>Finally, if we are too squeamish about faith experiences, we will misread Scripture. Some of the most profound, New Testament teachings only make sense when experienced. The following four verses highlight the experience of God's love, peace, and empathetic presence.</p><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">And hope</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> does not put us to shame, because <b>God’s love</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b> has been poured out into our hearts</b> through the Holy Spirit,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5, NIV; emphasis added)</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Eph-3-17" id="en-NIV-29269" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,</span><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span>may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, <b>to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,</b></span><span class="text Eph-3-19" id="en-NIV-29271" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"> </span>and to know this love that surpasses knowledge</b>—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17b-19, NIV; emphasis added)</span></span></p><p><span class="text Eph-3-19" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NIV-29449">Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.</span> <span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NIV-29450"><b>And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts</b> and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7, NIV; emphasis added)</span></span></span></p><p><span class="text Eph-3-19" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Phil-4-7"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Heb-4-15" id="en-NIV-30030">For we do not have a high priest who is unable to <b>empathize with our weaknesses</b>, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.</span> <span class="text Heb-4-16" id="en-NIV-30031">Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with <b>confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need</b>. (Hebrews 4:15-16, NIV; emphasis added)</span></span></span></span></p><p>To understate or devalue faith experience strips these verses of their full effect. </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #800180;">When did you last experience God's love, peace, and empathetic presence?</span></p></blockquote><p>Faith affects our whole being. It is personal but also shared by God's people throughout the ages. And faith allows us to experience the full weight of many biblical texts. </p><p>We should not be so squeamish about faith experiences. Rather, we should rest in the fact that God wants his people to experience him. He wants us to feel his <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">“strengthening, testifying, loving, and
energizing presence” through the Spirit.^^</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span> His eternal, inscrutable, and relational nature invites us into a boundless experience of him. That is, if we experience him as more than brains on a stick.</p><p style="text-align: left;">__________________________________</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*In case you need me to translate these theological claims to a more rudimentary level, here you go: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Perspicuity of Scripture = "The B-I-B-L-E, now that's the book for me..." It's readable.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Efficacy of prayer = "Prayer works." </span></li><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Substitutionary atonement = "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus." His death paid a price neither my life or death could achieve because he lived and died perfectly.</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">** Lovelace, <i>Dynamics of Spiritual Life</i>, 237</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">^ Philosopher James K.A. Smith has provided a similar critique of the church. He contests we are not "thinking things" but creatures of habit driven by their loves. The task of the church, then, is to help its people reorient their love for God and others through liturgy, spiritual formation, and other habits. See his book, <i>You Are What You Love</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">^^ Theologian Steve Porter writes about the "experiential dimension" of our growth in Christ (i.e., sanctification) in his article, "Sanctification in a New Key: Relieving Evangelical Anxieties over Spiritual Formation" in the <i>Journal for Spiritual Formation and Soul Care </i>(1:2: 2008), 144-147. Moreover, this "experiential dimension" may mean we experience the grief and groans of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16, 26-27; Eph. 5:30) or our own bones under divine discipline (Heb. 12:7-13). Some experiences of God will be uncomfortable.</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-77311372550988384212021-11-09T08:07:00.003-05:002021-11-09T08:07:31.313-05:00Surrendering to God's Agenda: Becoming Like Jesus (Part 2)<p>God the Father set the agenda for Jesus’s life. We find an early
picture of this in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+2%3A41-52&version=NET" target="_blank">Luke 2:41-52</a>. As a preteen, Jesus’s parents dragged him to
the customary visit to Jerusalem for one of several, annual feasts. They likely
traveled with extended family in a caravan.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Like any good road trip, this one became memorable because Mary
and Joseph left the city without their son. It took a day before they noticed. Again,
they turned around, headed back to Jerusalem, and, after three more days, found
Jesus in theological conversations with the religious teachers (2:46). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">All present in the temple were impressed with Jesus’s insights
(2:47). Correction: All but Mary and Joseph were impressed. The boy’s parents
were vexed (2:48). Anxious parents can quickly turn angry. (You may have
learned this after breaking curfew!)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When asked to explain himself, Jesus simply replied, “Didn’t you
know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (2:49).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They didn’t know this. Nor did they understand (2:50).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nonetheless, the reunited family returned to Nazareth together
this time; Jesus held close to his mother’s side (2:51). Luke highlighted
Jesus’s obedience to his earthly parents. But this submission to mom and dad is
not the main point of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Look at Jesus’s enigmatic statement again: “Didn’t you know I had
to be in my Father’s house?” (2:49).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What is obscured by the translation is a tiny word in the Greek
text that means “it is necessary.” When Jesus said, “I had to be in my Father’s
house,” Luke literally wrote, “<b>It was necessary</b> for me to be in my
Father’s house.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Perhaps this does not seem like a big deal, but when combined with
other times Luke recorded this simple Greek word (<i>dei</i>) on the lips of Jesus, we
have a beautiful list of purpose statements.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; color: #4472c4;">“<b>I
must preach</b> the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as
well; for I was sent for this purpose”</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #4472c4;"> (4:43).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; color: #4472c4;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The Son of
Man <b>must suffer</b> many things and be rejected by the elders and
chief priests and scribes, and <b>be killed</b>, and on the third day <b>be
raised</b>” (9:21 cf. cf. 13:33; 17:25; 24:7, 26).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="woj"><span style="background: white; color: #4472c4;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“For the
Son of Man <b>came to seek and to save the lost</b>” (Luke 19:10).</span></span></span><span face=""Calibri Light",sans-serif" style="color: #4472c4; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The question is who compelled Jesus to preach, suffer, die, rise,
seek, and save the lost? Who sent him for this purpose? Even as a twelve
year-old debating genealogy records in a courtyard in Jerusalem, Jesus knew his
Father set the agenda for his life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He knew this in the Garden of Gethsemane when he perspired blood
and asked for his Father to take away his suffering. Thus, he prayed, “Not my
will, but yours be done” (22:42).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDETr9YdTxqIRMbHxLl2hO18YehZssr3ynEEKe8qI2BsxZfP_FCiBtC3k7AFUbYvBf_fxW7-hWwWwLJQoMw5KRxMK6FJAsgsp0rArjUo4biUX1QkCRiyoeFH4MMNqZ-tv_b7-mZGxKgYf1/s1920/jesus-gdffd6f0cd_1920.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDETr9YdTxqIRMbHxLl2hO18YehZssr3ynEEKe8qI2BsxZfP_FCiBtC3k7AFUbYvBf_fxW7-hWwWwLJQoMw5KRxMK6FJAsgsp0rArjUo4biUX1QkCRiyoeFH4MMNqZ-tv_b7-mZGxKgYf1/w400-h400/jesus-gdffd6f0cd_1920.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; margin: initial; padding: initial; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/debradeka-19003134/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=6138136" style="cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">debradeka</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=6138136" style="cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He knew it on the cross when crowds mocked him, disciples
abandoned him, and his Father forsook him because he bore the weight of our sin
on his shoulders. Thus, he prayed, “Father into your hands I commit my Spirit”
(23:46).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Surrendering to the Father is not easy because we cannot visibly
see him or audibly hear him. It is not easy because he calls us to high moral
standards, like sexual purity and releasing grudges. It is not easy because he
asks us to share our faith to people who find it oppressive, repulsive, or just
plain odd. And it is not easy because we inhabit a world that trains us to live
selfishly, comfortably, and constantly distracted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But surrender is <b>necessary </b>(<i>dei</i>)<b> </b>if we want
to imitate Jesus and join him on mission. So, how do we surrender like Jesus? Below are three simple (but not easy) practices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">1. Start the Day with Surrender</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Start the day with an act of surrender.
Jesus often woke up early and spent time with God before dawn broke (Mark 1:35).
As a high school student, you likely wake up before the sun. But school
beckons, so you get showered, dressed, fed, etc. I’m not asking you to get up a
half hour early for devotional time. (Nor am I stopping you!)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No: This is a simple prayer to start the day after the alarm
rudely awakens you. Open your hands and say, “Father, I give this day to you.”
Pray it daily. Say it and mean it. State it aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">2. Habituate Surrender through Prayer</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In his darkest hour, Jesus’s prayed
“Not my will, but yours be done.” He didn’t want to suffer, but he wanted to stray
from God’s plan even less. I am almost certain Gethsemane was not the first
time Jesus prayed, “Your will be done.” In fact, that language is embedded in
his Model Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13). Because Jesus regularly prayed “Your will be
done,” he could pray it naturally in crisis. Make this prayer a habitual one.
Pray it before school, work, big decisions, small expenses, and in response to sermons.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">3. Surrender Your Old Self and Put on the New</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The apostle Paul often commended his readers to “take off” old,
fleshly behaviors and “put on” new, Christlike ones (see Ephesians 4;
Colossians 3). One aspect of surrendering is acknowledging our sinful, selfish
tendencies and asking God to remove them. You may surrender your anger, lust,
greed, or inability to stop saying mean things about your homeroom teacher.
This is a specific form of confession. Because disciples are works-in-progress,
you will realize you have to surrender these broken parts of yourself
repeatedly.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Reflection Questions</b>:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"></p><ul><li><span style="color: #4472c4;">What are key elements to your agenda in life? How is God steering this agenda?</span></li><li><span style="color: #4472c4;">What makes surrender difficult for you?</span></li><li><span style="color: #4472c4;">Which of these three acts of surrender are you likely to practice this week?</span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">__________________________________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I originally wrote this devotional for the Winona Lake Grace Brethren High School Retreat (Fall 2021).</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-63836737494809323792021-11-02T09:39:00.001-04:002021-11-02T09:39:00.171-04:00Gods, Cogs, or Fully Human: Becoming Like Christ (Part 1)<p>We vacillate between two extremes as human beings. We act like
gods or cogs. To act like a god is to <b>overreach</b> our God-given boundaries;
to act like a cog is to <b>underachieve</b>, turning off our minds and operating
by instinct or algorithm. I’ll explain both.</p><p><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">We Are NOT Gods</span></b></p><p>We see as early as Eden our first human parents overstepping their
God-given boundaries. The Creator offered a good, good, very good world for
Adam and Eve to steward. He gave six positive commands (be fruitful, multiply,
full, subdue, tend, care) and one negative command (don’t eat from the tree of
knowing). We know the story. Sadly, they insisted on breaking the one
prohibition, helped along by the serpent who tempted them. He said they would
“be like God” if they ate the fruit (Gen. 3:5). This pattern of denying God and
enthroning oneself is endemic (Rom. 1:18-32). Humans must accept their
limitations and moral boundaries; we are not gods.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">We Are Not Cogs</span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYp7g2-oA3UWswCbMyIsDYA1RFukXKiBqX59IRWPZQ1MNH_WE7SfSO2xLP9DDR-NnhLRBN0jnlhfRtx-9ZYixeNScY6eFfu7BCJyAXgLqTBzpi9bVTU5Z38vFiTPbHX8rU2Yp4yBIg9u3/s1920/gears-g9a053a594_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYp7g2-oA3UWswCbMyIsDYA1RFukXKiBqX59IRWPZQ1MNH_WE7SfSO2xLP9DDR-NnhLRBN0jnlhfRtx-9ZYixeNScY6eFfu7BCJyAXgLqTBzpi9bVTU5Z38vFiTPbHX8rU2Yp4yBIg9u3/w400-h268/gears-g9a053a594_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; margin: initial; padding: initial; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/mustangjoe-2162920/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1236578" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">MustangJoe</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1236578" style="color: #191b26; cursor: pointer; margin: initial; outline: none !important; padding: initial;">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191b26; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">We also lose our humanity when we act like cogs. You see this in
the mindless worship of idols in ancient Israel. Bible scholars have noted that
“we become like what we worship.” Worship of blind, deaf, mute, inanimate
objects turns us into creatures that lack sense. The Israelites act like cogs
when they worship a golden calf (Exod. 32). The prophet Isaiah calls those who
make and buy idols mindless cogs (Isa. 44:8-20). Today, this same behavior
shows up in how we sacrifice our humanity on the altar of sports, social media,
online shopping, and video games. Humans must not be thoughtless consumers; we
are not cogs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>Jesus Was Fully Human</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When we consider the full humanity of Jesus, we note he developed
like the rest of us. Jesus entered the world as a baby, requiring his mother’s
nursing and father’s nurture. He adopted their religious customs but made his
faith his own in early adolescence (Luke 2:41-52). He grew in wisdom and
stature. He learned a trade. He cared for his family. Then, as an adult, he
launched out on his own to fulfill his messianic ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jesus’s humanity included his full range of human experiences and
emotions. Like the rest of us, he encountered myriad joys and pains. He
hungered, wept, and bled. He feasted, laughed, and slept. His brow furrowed
with anger. His arms reached out to embrace. Jesus knew the stifling heat of crowds
and tender compassion of a shepherd for his sheep. In a rare moment of
self-disclosure, he invited his disciples to draw close to him and experience
his gentleness. Jesus displayed emotional depth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7JsuPNPCjAX5HI9jOlEKMRGzQlgz7vnexoYzYZ7br7laXCy-5QeyisG47ObpeK920JCzQK8sniRtQ1K26wmhqvAC_gUe86OsAO5pkzrJVPpcicdUc_gxLBiz4jslbzfrRwwIqLV0vTN5/s1200/c97b0b0bcebadeafc92e28fde14a88a7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7JsuPNPCjAX5HI9jOlEKMRGzQlgz7vnexoYzYZ7br7laXCy-5QeyisG47ObpeK920JCzQK8sniRtQ1K26wmhqvAC_gUe86OsAO5pkzrJVPpcicdUc_gxLBiz4jslbzfrRwwIqLV0vTN5/s320/c97b0b0bcebadeafc92e28fde14a88a7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">Becoming Like Christ by Embracing Our</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">To be fully human is to be present, emotionally engaged, and always
developing. God made us this way. Jesus modeled this way. And he did it
perfectly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul presented Jesus as the prime example
of a fully present, emotionally engaged, and always developing human. “This is
our goal,” he wrote, “our perfect ending: to become like Jesus. Let’s do this
together. Let’s grow like Christ” (Eph. 4:11-16, paraphrased).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Don’t overreach. Don’t underachieve. Embrace your humanity just
like Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Reflection Questions</b>:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 25.68px;">What are limits you ignore? What are moral boundaries you cross?</span></li><li><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 25.68px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 25.68px;">What is an idol in your life? Where do you act like a cog, a mindless consumer?</span></span></span></li><li><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 25.68px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 25.68px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #4472c4; line-height: 25.68px;">How have you experienced Jesus’s gentleness or compassion?</span></span></span></span></span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">__________________________________</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I originally wrote this devotional for the Winona Lake Grace Brethren High School Retreat (Fall 2021).</span></p>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465332329406094938.post-80459122006107730612021-10-26T11:27:00.002-04:002021-10-26T11:27:44.424-04:00Six Reasons to Preach Books of the BibleMany modern preachers tend to follow a template to craft their sermon series. <div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>First Sunday</b>: Preach on Goals</li><li><b>February</b>: Preach on Relationships</li><li><b>April</b>: Preach on Hope</li><li><b>May</b>: Preach about Family</li><li><b>Summer</b>: Preach stand-alone messages</li><li><b>August</b>: Preach on The Church</li><li><b>December</b>: Preach another Christmas series with new wrapping and a fresh bow</li></ul></div><div>Somewhere along the way, we modern preachers fit a book of the Bible or two into our annual liturgy.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>In recent years, I have adopted this template. However, when I first started preaching, I labored through one book of the Bible per year. I spent my first fourteen months in the gospel of Mark. My next twelve months took our congregation through Exodus. Six years ago, I crammed Hebrews into a nine-month series.^</div><div><br /></div><div>Since 2016, my sermon series have contracted. Now I preach a New Testament (NT) book at the beginning of the year and an Old Testament (OT) book in the Fall. I cover each one in three months or less. The rest of the year, I develop series around biblical themes (e.g., discipleship, prayer, sin, Holy Spirit).</div><div><br /></div><div>Despite a shift in my methodology, I still prefer preaching books of the Bible. Below are six reasons why.^^</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">1. Preaching Books Respects the Canon</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible is a book of books. A long process of revelation, recording, arranging, and validating produced the Christian canon of sixty-six books. These books cover several millennia of history, numerous cultures, languages, and literary genres. Biblical diversity is astounding. And yet, each book contributes to the grand narrative of redemption spanning Genesis and Revelation. By virtue of their inclusion in the canon, each book of the Bible deserves some attention in the pulpit.*</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">2. Preaching Books Gives Time to Build Context</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Spending several weeks or months in a book of the Bible allows the preacher to build the historic context. Every Sunday the preacher can reiterate the conflict Matthew's audience faced or excess of the Persian Empire that Queen Esther had to overcome. Preaching excavates learning from ancient history, archeology, sociology, and linguistics to make sense of an ancient text. Before we translate the biblical message into modern applications, we must understand the book on its own terms. What it meant <i>then </i>informs what it means <i>now</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">3. Preaching Books Models Good Interpretive Methods</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>A preacher wrestles with two key questions: <i>What does the text </i>say<i>? What does the text </i>mean<i>? </i>To answer the first question the preacher practices <b>exegesis</b>. The second questions entails the practice of <b>hermeneutics</b>. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SVdQWVevrLcnEG4OolrLFM-A__pCkFvsCuDlkqQbqD86TT6BrB1VFkuCZVRWkkoJNqZTVdRSbf_SG3qWq1t44pt86HbB_TNSfciMEg1K6vcywoiZ5bpBemVNMnaJSJjTKTopYM6T7IiO/s1028/Hermenuetical+Task.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="1028" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0SVdQWVevrLcnEG4OolrLFM-A__pCkFvsCuDlkqQbqD86TT6BrB1VFkuCZVRWkkoJNqZTVdRSbf_SG3qWq1t44pt86HbB_TNSfciMEg1K6vcywoiZ5bpBemVNMnaJSJjTKTopYM6T7IiO/w640-h130/Hermenuetical+Task.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">From "Non-binary" series in May 2021<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Today much debate surrounds the latter question. People inside and outside the church accuse preachers of importing their own meaning to the text. While no preacher, or person, is immune to this problem, it is much easier to import meaning to topical/proof-texts than passages preached within their literary-historic context. A pastor who preaches books of the Bible models how to read it (<i>what it says</i>) and understand it (<i>what it means</i>), not simply how to prove a point.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">4. Preaching Books Saves Time</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>When a preacher moves through a book of the Bible, the biblical author has set the parameters. OT historical books break down into smaller narratives. The NT letters follow a pattern of introduction, thanksgiving, prayer, body, and final greetings. The gospels comprise Jesus's stories and sermons, often arranged more thematically than chronologically. Regardless of the genre, the biblical text gives the preacher a range of sermons that would be suitable for covering the whole unit. In contrast, devising topical sermons relies completely on the preacher's whim.**</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">5. Preaching Books Demands Creativity</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Spending months in the same book of the Bible can get tedious for a congregation. The historic context does not change. The biblical author's themes sound repetitive, as do the preacher's applications. Even the series logo can get tiresome. Some repetition is good, but monotony makes people tune out. Thus, an extensive series in a single book of the Bible should challenge the preacher to alter delivery styles (e.g., narrative, inductive, deductive, interviews), use media (e.g., video, Prezi, props), and provide diverse applications (e.g., prayer prompts, devotionals, service projects).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wzHo1PbsAL4" width="320" youtube-src-id="wzHo1PbsAL4"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #800180; font-size: large;">6. Preaching Books Covers Difficult Topics</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Inevitably, preaching through a book of the Bible forces people to consider some ugly topics. We cannot skip phrases like, "Wives, submit to your husbands," but must explain them to our egalitarian culture. We cannot pick-and-chose verses to substantiate our sexual ethic or demonize certain deviations from it. We cannot overlook the timeless temptation toward racial prejudice, financial greed, and idolatry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTTmD4Vid9F-w5WkVfAXlZSx8sV86B2WJGg1PQmhB6yFlmcrvalYrwFgDhJApX0b9wmkYvd6GwXEe3zDeftl9cOJCnqKHT90LCKT7gHhX0rNuFWJ7_6exuJ98cyFsQm6Fz341qbcfCIm6/s716/secular+people.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="716" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTTmD4Vid9F-w5WkVfAXlZSx8sV86B2WJGg1PQmhB6yFlmcrvalYrwFgDhJApX0b9wmkYvd6GwXEe3zDeftl9cOJCnqKHT90LCKT7gHhX0rNuFWJ7_6exuJ98cyFsQm6Fz341qbcfCIm6/w400-h133/secular+people.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Nor can we avoid the harsher aspects of God's character, namely his wrath and judgment on human rebellion. No: when we preach whole books of the Bible, the difficult passages expose our flaws and self-deceptions like a vanity mirror (see James 1:22-25).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>______________________________________________</div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">^ In fourteen years of ministry, I have worked through the following books of Bible either partially or fully (bold):</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">OT</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">:
Genesis, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Exodus</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, Deuteronomy,
Joshua, Judges, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ruth</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Nehemiah, Esther </b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">(</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">current)</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, Ecclesiastes, Psalms,
Proverbs, Hosea, Amos, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Jonah</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, Micah, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Habakkuk</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Haggai, Malachi</b></li><li><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">NT</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">:
Matthew, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Mark</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, Luke, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">John</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Acts</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Galatians</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, 1 Corinthians, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Philippians</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">,
Ephesians, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">2 Timothy, </b><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Titus</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Hebrews</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">James</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">1 Peter</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">, </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">1
John, </b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: -0.25in;">Revelation</span></li></ul></div><div>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">^^ Recently, an older woman from my church told me, "We like it better when you preach the Bible." What she meant was "when you preach books of the Bible." Even when I don't preach a full book, I'm still preaching the Bible. Regardless, preaching whole books helps me evade this criticism. This is not one of my top six reasons. Nor is this: "Preaching books of the Bible makes me feel more righteous." For some, I suppose this sentiment is true.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">*This does not mean every part of the Bible preaches neatly or deserves equal attention. A survey of Levitical laws or summary of Joshua's conquest is more edifying than a verse-by-verse exposition over the course of many months. Inversely, a three-month series in the Sermon on the Mount would be formative. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Pastor Bob Fettehoff captures this sentiment in an my article, <a href="https://graceconnect.us/the-long-view-of-sermon-crafting/" target="_blank">"The Long View of Sermon-crafting."</a></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Fee & Stuart's </span><i style="font-size: small;">How to Read the Bible Book-by-Book</i><span style="font-size: small;"> does a good job of summarizing the contribution of all sixty-six titles.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">** Contemporary preachers often opt for 3-5 messages, giving a month to each topic. How they choose their topics, frame them, and validate them with Scripture requires more creativity than moving from the beginning to the end of a book (e.g., Galatians).</span></div></div>Timothy Spranklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04465538086122207033noreply@blogger.com0