Repent and Believe

December 5, 2010
Matthew 6:9-13
Your Kingdom Come

Where is the kingdom of God? People often think of it as in heaven. In Matthew, there are many references to the kingdom of heaven. In Luke, similar passages refer to the kingdom of God instead. Some of the Psalms mention God's throne in heaven, and the everlasting kingdom. This is why we often think of His kingdom as "up there." But there are clear passages in the Bible that say God's kingdom is on earth, too. Jesus announced the coming of the kingdom in Mark 1:14-15, saying it was "near."

When Jesus announced the kingdom, why did He tell people to "repent and believe"? The kingdom is to be within us. This happens through repentance and belief. Repentance means turning away from one thing and turning to another. In this case, it means turning from ways that are opposed to God's plan and turning toward Him. As we believe more strongly (by learning what God has done and what He offers), we are more likely to repent. And repentance is ultimately all or nothing.

Did Jesus tell us to repent in order to bring in the kingdom, or so that we could join the kingdom? Matthew 13 gives several parables that begin with "the kingdom is like." Most of them describe gathering and winnowing. In farming, winnowing is the process of removing the non-nutritious parts of the harvest and leaving just the good grain. The Greek word for repent is metanoia, related to our own metamorphosis. We are changed, and our actions are changed, as Christ's righteousness (goodness) is actually given to us ("imparted" is the term theologians use). This suggests that we are invited more to join the kingdom than to create it.

"I'm going to teach you some things. Turn away from your old ways and follow me . . .," Jesus seems to be saying.

The kingdom is often described as a gathering to a specific place. But we are nearer to the kingdom than that would imply. We can join it without waiting for the final gathering. Jesus said that the kingdom was "near." It is all around, but not yet recognized. And it can be described as being in enemy territory, since this world is often opposed to God's intentions.

"Near" may indicate a time frame as well as physical closeness. When Jesus announced that the kingdom was near, He could have meant both. "Look! Here I am! The promised kingdom is arriving now!" as well as "Change your ways and join me as I establish the kingdom in people around you." As people are transformed by God, they have an impact on the world around them. In fact, people have an impact (influence, help, hinder) on others all the time; followers of Jesus should have a positive impact.

When we become Christians, it is almost like finding a secret society. The church, when it is persecuted, flourishes. Ignoring the church is a more effective strategy if one wants to limit its effectiveness.

Jesus is the embodiment of the kingdom. It was made available through his death and resurrection.

If being a follower of Jesus Christ doesn't define you, you aren't a follower of Jesus Christ. David shared an introduction someone once made of herself: "I am Dianne Jones, a follower of Jesus Christ brilliantly disguised as a bank teller." Each of us is invited to become as close a follower as that.

The kingdom has a past, when it was begun by Jesus. The kingdom has a present, when any believer opens her or his life to allow God to work. The kingdom has a future, when Christ returns and all is placed under Him (meaning there will be no more enemy territory).

When we pray "your kingdom come," what are we praying for? We mentioned the expansion of the kingdom, justice in our world, removal of difficulties (especially those caused by evil), and holiness. When we deliberately pray for the kingdom corporately (as a group, knowing that we are joining with others to pray for the same reasons), we are asking God to bring about His plan and purpose for our universe. This prayer helps us to gain God's perspective for the world. And we hope to become messengers of the kingdom.

There are competing kingdoms. The kingdom of God is different from the kingdom of the world. We certainly want to identify ourselves with God's kingdom, but too much separation can keep us from connecting with those who are in the world's kingdom. Besides competion with the world's kingdom, the kingdom of God also has competition with our own lives. This part of the Lord's prayer asks Him to help us shift from selfishness to God's designs. This expresses our willingness to let God win, defeating our personal kingdoms.

Summation of the first part of the Lord's prayer:

• Recognition and adoration of God comes first (He is in heaven)
• There is intimacy and mystery in prayer (our Father has a hallowed name)
• God is not confined to a place (kingdom is everywhere)
• We can be resigned to God's will or cooperative

In the morning worship service, Pastor Brad emphasized many of the same points we'd discussed. Especially, some of us noted his declaration, "When we repent, we agree with God that the past will not have power over our future."

What's Missing in the Lord's Prayer

November 28, 2010
Matthew 6:9-13
More word studies from the Lord's Prayer

What's missing?

Jesus gave His disciples a prayer to help them (and us) connect more closely to God. The disciples already had several models of prayer from the Psalms and from traditions. The class listed several items that are sometimes included in prayers but which are not specifically mentioned in the Lord's prayer.

• "In Jesus' name" from John 14:13-14
• Holy Spirit
• Doctrines
• Vengeance, as in many of the Psalms
• "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever" was not in the earliest forms of the prayer
• Health or safety, yet many of our public prayers concentrate almost exclusively on hospital lists
• Telling God what's going on
• "Teach me your word, teach me your way"
• Preaching or making announcements (sometimes a temptation when someone forgot to cover things earlier in the service!)

Of course, not having the words doesn't mean the ideas weren't covered. The prayer has been prayed in public settings for nearly two thousand years, and it was probably intended as a public prayer. But it has served as a model for private prayer just as long.

The phrases "Your kingdom come, your will be done" are perhaps another way of saying "In Jesus' name," and probably inspired "Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory." And of course, the words of the prayer are Jesus' words, so that praying them may indeed be considered "in Jesus' name."

Asking God for what is needed today is easily expanded to cover more than daily food, so may include teaching or health.

Vengeance may actually be forbidden by the prayer, though asking for God's will may be seeking His justice.

And preaching, teaching (even doctrine), and making announcements are focused on communicating with each other, not with God.

Last week, the class looked at "Our Father." We continued looking at specific phrases.

In heaven: Where is God? The Old Testament often focuses on God's presence in Jerusalem, and in the temple (Psalms 48, 123), though it also shows that God is not localized anywhere (Psalm 122, Isaiah 66).

In Roman times, there were different gods promoted, with a resulting fear among many that they may not be worshiping their own gods properly. This phrase, "in heaven," might have been a subtle declaration that Jesus' followers were acknowledging the one, true God. The God Jesus leads us to is not a localized deity, only in charge of the temple or city where He is honored. Heaven suggests overarching authority.

We reminded ourselves that God is not limited to a heaven "out there somewhere." We need to balance between "God is not the same as us; He is holy, and He is in charge" and "God is closer than a brother."

We talked about some of the ways we try to keep that balance. Some of us have pictured God sitting in a chair near us in prayer groups, to illustrate His nearness. Some have heard worship leaders who describe God as watching our involvement in the service and challenging us to be demonstrative to show God how much we care about Him. Both these can be helpful, but both have drawbacks. God is more than just another participant in the prayer session, and He is certainly more involved in our worship than as a spectator.

Hallowed be your name: Hallowed means holy, set apart, and sacred. Name becomes a description of who a person really is, including title, authority, and power. We were reminded that the Jewish people have been very cautious about misusing the name of God, refusing even to pronounce it carelessly. For Christians, to take God's name in vain is to live in contradiction to His holiness.

Do our own lives demonstrate the holiness and power of the Christ we are following?

Ancient Hebrew thought suggested that there was power in knowing someone's name. The attitude of Treebeard, in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, was mentioned: He found the hobbits a bit hasty when they gave him their names right away, and was reluctant to do the same. (As Dale began to address a new topic, Elliott simply said "Dale," stopping the discussion for a moment and causing Dale to look at him. This was a deliberate demonstration of the power inherent in using a name to attract attention and to change what was going on.)

Thy will, debts and trespasses: Our discussions took us ahead to other parts of the prayer, without going into great detail.

When we are thinking of living holy lives, the phrase "thy will be done" can be a challenge to us. How completely do we mean that prayer? All of our life is to be centered upon God.

The class continues to wonder whether "debts" or "trespasses" is the better description of what Jesus was teaching us to forgive. The Greek phrase usually translated "debts" implies moral debts. The word "trespass" suggests crossing boundaries, whether known or unknown. And straightforward financial debts were a burden to many, if not most, people in first century Palestine.

Intimacy and Mystery: The Lord's Prayer

November 21, 2010
Matthew 6:9-13
Word studies in the Lord's Prayer

The Lord's prayer is used in many settings. Many sports teams pray it before their games. Our church says it together weekly, and has done so for years in the former Word and Table service. At least some Alcoholics Anonymous meetings use the Lord's prayer as part of recognizing a higher power.

The Lord's prayer has a wealth of meaning for disciples. But it is possible for anyone, even Christ-followers, to pray the words without thinking of the meaning. In that case, we could be accused of "babbling," as Jesus said the pagans did: reciting the words like a good-luck charm, without recognizing their meaning or allowing them to affect us.

This prayer is intended for disciples--those who've committed themselves to Jesus. Naturally, we need to know what we're saying. This knowledge grows through the years as we continue to follow. Luke chapter 11 describes another time when Jesus taught this prayer. It was when the disciples became aware that their own prayers were not as effective as they could be.

The class mentioned some of the notable elements in the Lord's prayer:

• "Give us our daily bread"--Trust God regularly and constantly. The burden is not ours alone; we can trust.
• "Reveal who you are"--The Message uses that phrase to capture the meaning behind "Hallowed be thy name"
• "Forgive as we forgive"--These go together. In case anyone missed it from the prayer itself, Jesus made it very plain in the next two verses.
• "Trespasses" or "Debts"--Both deal with shortcomings. Some of us prefer the concept behind debts. Trespasses may suggest deliberate offenses, while debts are debts whether we recognize what we've done or not. God offers to forgive all our offenses, and we need to do the same for those who've done wrong to us.
• "If God wills"--We discussed this concept earlier, and find it in the Lord's prayer as "Thy will" in "Thy kingdom"
• "Lead us not into temptation"--Would God ever lead us into temptation? Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He was tempted. But this is different from God actually tempting us. God does not tempt us (James 1:13-15), but we are drawn away by our own desires. The Message puts this as "Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil."
• "Our Father"--We are to be part of a community.
• There is no "In the name of Jesus" at the end of this prayer.

Overview

We looked at the order of thoughts in the prayer, and David mentioned the order of words in the Greek language. In Greek, the first word is "Father." The way to get the same sense in English is awkward: "Father of ours." The word Father recognizes a relationship between us and God, an intimate relationship.

"Hallowed by your name" suggests mystery. There is a balance to be struck between intimacy and mystery. "If I can explain God in all things, I don't need Him." A similar truth is found in other relationships. Total equality among human family members undermines parental responsibility and authority. In marriage, couples keep dating who recognize that there are still things they don't know about their partners. ("There's no mystery any more" is not usually a good description of a growing marriage.)

"Thy kingdom . . . Thy will" is an invitation for God to function as God in this world. This is more our recognition of who God really is, rather than an urging to a reluctant God to come down here and help us. God's concerns are top priority. When He is given proper place, we can move on to our requests and needs. (Speaking of "our needs" led us to recognize that US Christians are discussing issues the rest of the world doesn't have the luxury of worrying about. Most of the world is worried about survival. We often try to explain God completely.)

When evil circumstances hit us, we wonder if we're being hit by God. The mystery of God is not supposed to be fear-filled. It should be positive expectation, "What will God do next?" Parents try to help their children grow, which involves allowing the child to experience reality. That can be painful. But the parents still want the best for their children. Of course, this is idealized: Human parents are not perfect, and some are not the examples they should have been.

Father

The Old Testament compared God to a parent fourteen times. Some of these passages are Isaiah 49:15, 63:16; Jeremiah 3:4-5, 31:20. Jesus used "Father" to indicate love and trust. Disciples who find this intimacy in their God-relationship describe new freedom in their lives.

Our

The second word in Greek is "Our." The Lord's prayer is a community prayer, to be prayed by groups of disciples. It becomes a model for private prayers, and the "our" reminds us that we belong to a community. And the "our" includes Jesus, who prays with us, since we are His body. Sin isolates people. Trusting in Christ gives us a place of belonging.

Is "Thy Will Be Done" a Prayer of Faith?

November 14, 2010

Two weeks ago, someone asked if some of us use "Thy will be done" as a way of hedging our requests to God. Rather than really asking for something, perhaps we are just making suggestions.

We opened this week's look at prayer by considering this question.

First, we have to acknowledge that we humans may be misdirected in our prayers. We have limited understanding. "Thy will be done" can simply be an attempt to align ourselves with God. The attitude of the person who is praying determines whether the phrase is faith or humility--or doubt.

Sometimes, we find ourselves praying "This is what I want, so please approve it." By recalling "Thy will be done," we can keep ourselves from becoming so arrogant.

Prayer doesn't change God, but it changes us. "Lord willing" (the phrase used in James's letter to emphasize God's authority) can signal our openness to participate in God's image.

It was suggested that some things, such as healing, are always in God's will. But there are circumstances when His will is not carried out. The Bible (2 Corinthians 12) specifically mentions a healing that did not take place. Only God knows the future, so when we're praying we try to be aware that God's larger purposes may not include what we're now praying for.

Some people report being checked when trying to pray for something. At that time, we are again changed. Our attitude becomes, "Not what I want, but what God says is best." Trusting God completely, releasing everything to Him, sometimes allows God to answer the whole prayer. (Brandon gave us an example in his life, when his mother had to stop praying as though his healing were more important than trusting God. Once she released Brandon completely to God, trusting Him to do what was best, Brandon was in fact healed.)

Ruth Haley Barton's book, Sacred Rhythms, was mentioned. She shared the image of a pansy that has become rootbound. When the pansy is removed from the little pot, its roots are extending out, reaching for nutrients. In the same way, we need to be at least open to, even reaching out for, new approaches to God. "We long for something more."

Prayer should not be so much "so I can be forgiven and avoid Hell," but more "make me like You." Our prayers need to evolve as we mature in God's Kingdom. "Thy will be done" is a key part of such growth. We need to learn to trust God and to submit to His wisdom.

While Matthew gives us the Lord's prayer as part of a larger sermon, Luke's account (chapter 11) puts it in the context of the disciples asking for instruction. They weren't satisfied with the way that they had been praying. The Lord's prayer is the answer.

1) Why do we pray?

We want to communicate with our Creator, building a relationship (sometimes called communion). We reach the point where we want the time with God to be more than a "laundry list" of requests for God to fill. Some shared that as they have drawn closer to God, the time they spend in prayer has expanded naturally.

2) What is the purpose of prayer?

We want to be transformed into God's likeness. We want to tap into intimacy with God. (An example was given by a couple who have learned to be comfortable in each other's presence. They don't have to talk constantly, but they do enjoy being together.) Psalm 131:1-2 was given as an example of such a prayer.

Jesus taught His disciples how to experience intimacy with God. It is risky, because we need to expose ourselves. In our early prayers, we may have been seeking a way to control our lives ("Here's what I need today, Lord"). We need to move to surrender ("God, I trust that your way is best for me") instead of control.

Patterns of intimacy with others will affect our ability to be intimate with God. "Our Father" should open up such channels: relationship, intimacy, surrender. Of course, the word "Father" creates hangups for some people. We were reminded of Romans 8:26--the Spirit helps us in our weakness. When the imagery is inadequate, when our thoughts are not clear, the Spirit intervenes. "Thy will be done" reminds us to get back to God's meaning and purposes.

Next week, we will begin looking at other specific words found in the Lord's prayer. As an example, Jesus used the word "our" in front of Father. While it is certainly acceptable to pray in private (part of the passage even encourages this), we must remind ourselves that we are part of the Kingdom and that God is not just "mine."

Unwanted Answers to Prayer

November 7, 2010

Rather than focus on a specific scripture passage, the class worked through the concept of unanswered prayer. Actually, all prayers are answered, so we are really dealing with answers we don't want. To keep the perspective clear, two families were mentioned. Each family had lost a twenty-eight-year-0ld young adult in the past week or two. How do we reconcile such events with a God who invites us to ask largely, and who is known as a God of love?

The class discussions ranged widely, with many perspectives offered.

God is unpredictable, but not unreliable. Still, God's unpredictability raises questions. Those questions often do not have answers, at least in this world.

Christianity is a relationship theology, not an answer theology. That is, we are encouraged to become children of God, to talk with Him, to respond to His Spirit. We are not promised that we will understand everything that happens. We are to depend on God's presence, not His explanations.

Spirituality for the Road, by David J. Bosch, examines this topic, and David Wilson recommends it. Bosch calls some people "hawkers." They sell a "happy-ending" religion, which answers all our questions and solves all difficulties. But "a god who provides all the answers becomes an explicable god, but ceases to be God."

Too often, in their zeal to encourage people to trust Jesus, some Christians have suggested that God will answer all life's questions. The book of Job, as one example, clearly teaches otherwise.

Albert Schweitzer [a German doctor/theologian of the twentieth century who was a "Mother Teresa" in Africa] pointed out that "Christianity does not explain everything."

A note was found in the Jewish ghetto of Warsaw following the second world war. "I believe in you," wrote a Jewish man to God, "even if you've tried to dissuade me." He could not understand (any better than we can) why God allowed the persecution. But he did understand that God was not supporting the persecutors, and that God was still to be followed.

Augustine [a Christian at the time of the Roman Empire's collapse] wrote to God, "Better to find You and leave the questions unanswered than to find the answers without finding You."

A search for answers may be a search for control. When we understand something, or at least when we can explain it, we effectively put limits on it. We cannot put limits on God, so we might have guessed that we would not always understand Him or His actions.

At the same time, troubles shake any relationship. Can we trust that God really wants our best when we are in the middle of suffering? This depends somewhat on how close the relationship was before the difficulties arose.

Because we have a relationship with God, we know that He doesn't make bad things happen. We also know that He is troubled by things that are wrong. He is not impotent, but He doesn't always act.

We can be honest with God. [We might as well be; He already knows how we feel!] Even if we are angry, we can still trust that God is at work. God is not looking for passive partners; the Psalms, or Jeremiah 20, give us examples of people who do not like what is happening in their lives, but still believe that God is God. Even among humans, hiding our negative feelings does not build a stronger relationship; being honest may be the essence of communication.

Discussion with Pastor Brad

Pastor Brad Estep met with the class on November 7. He had sent us a discussion guide with four topics, and he invited comments on anything else of interest. The focus was on preparing the church for its next decade of service.

Mission/Outreach

Kathy Jones: In the past, the church specifically prayed that families with children would make Kansas City First their church home. We need to do this again.

Bill Schwarz: The church could host a vibrant scouting group. This has been a good community outreach method for other churches.

Margie Schwarz: Wednesday night programming, especially for the kids, should incorporate service activities. Focusing on helping others would be good discipleship.

Church Building and Grounds

Shane Chamberlin: The parking lot needs repair.

Pastor Brad: Many of the large-cost repairs are being done with legacy gifts, not out of current operating funds.

Financial/Debt/Endowments

David Wilson: It is one thing to ask for people to faithfully tithe. It is a different thing to teach good stewardship of the remaining 90%. We could help people learn to manage their finances, which would include the concept of legacy gifts.

Marlin Lutes: The church could offer short-term training sessions, such as Dave Ramsey's program. [Brandon Peterson is already a trained leader of Financial Peace University.]

Dale Jones: Some mainline congregations rely on endowments so that they do not have to respond to the wishes of the current congregation. This doesn't seem like a good thing for churches.

Pastor Brad: Endowments should be targeted for specific ministries or projects, rather than funding the normal, day-to-day operations of the church.

Ministerial Staff/Personnel

None of the class members had comments on this topic.

Other

Bill Schwarz: For 2020, we need to change expectations. At church, we think low expectations are acceptable, or even preferable. As one example, adults could be expected to serve one year as Sunday School teachers after spending five years learning.

Pastor Brad: Membership classes do include "expected commitments" for First Church members, but the expectations could be more widely shared.

When You Pray

October 24, 2010
Matthew 6:5-15
This is how you should pray . . .

We began with a review of Jesus' conflict with the religious leaders. He called them hypocrites. They were all about show, appearing to be good, without the substance. Their motivation was wrong. They wanted praise from others, not honor for God.

Today, we often think of hypocrites as doing what they say others should not do. Perhaps the definition has changed. The Greek term is often explained as stressing "play acting" rather than "not walking the talk." Not walking the talk is part of the definition even in Greek, however.

Jesus was saying, "My disciples do not pray for show."

When Jesus mentioned a "reward in full" for those whose prayers were meant to attract attention, what did He mean? Perhaps they sought affirmation from others. But that isn't praise worth having. Spiritually discerning people aren't fooled by such prayers.

What is the reward offered from the Father? The class mentioned such possibilities as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and having one's prayers answered. But the major reward seems to be a stronger relationship to God Himself. We can receive the "Praise of heaven" rather than "praise of other people."

Jesus' warned about babbling like pagans, sometimes explained as "vain repetition." If God already knows about the situation, our prayer isn't intended to get His attention. We shouldn't measure spirituality by the number of words in someone's prayer. Perhaps "embellishment" is a good term for what some prayers add. Such additions reminded us of the prayers of Baal's prophets in their struggle with Elijah (1 Kings 18).

If God already knows what we want and need, why do we ask Him? Prayer enables the relationship. We are acknowledging our dependence upon God. In Luke 18, Jesus gives the illustration of the persistent widow. Of course, we don't need to badger God. But we recalled Dr. Middendorf's abduction and the prayer offered by someone half a world away. (The podcast for his 10/17/10 messaage is available here.) Prayer is a faith-strengthener for one called to pray. Our involvement is desired by God, and it is expressed through prayer.

The Lord's prayer (verses 9-13) doesn't have a place to "insert requests here." Rather, "your will be done" is included. By mentioning specific needs and wants to God, we are acknowledging His power, whether the result is what I originally wanted or not.

David quoted Myron Augsberger about prayer: "Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, it is being willing to accept His will in our lives. Prayer moves the hand of God by giving Him the moral freedom to do in our lives what He has been wanting to do. God, in His sovereign practice, does not impose His will upon us."

But God's will isn't always done here. Meanwhile, a reward of prayer is our being faithful.

John Wesley was cited as saying "God only acts in response to our prayers." Several of us thought that was a bit extreme; after all, He created without anyone praying. [The more full quotation is "God does nothing except by prayer, and everything with it."]

We had questions about a picture of the universe with God saying, "I wish someone would pray so that I could rescue Jess Middendorf." But Daniel 10:12-14 suggests that our prayers actually make a difference in God's ability to act.

While requests aren't specifically mentioned in the Lord's prayer, they are demonstrated in other parts of Jesus' teaching. When we do ask for something, do we weaken the request by adding "but your will be done"? Isn't that sort of giving God an escape clause? That way, if the request is denied, we can convince ourselves that God was responding to the second part of the prayer rather than the first. Time was running short, so David wanted to move that discussion to the next session on October 31.

Prayer

October 17, 2010
Matthew 6:5-15
When you pray . . .

The first three topics in chapter 6 (giving to the poor, praying, fasting) all mention "they have their reward in full." Apparently our real goals determine where our success will lie. If our underlying reason for an act is to have publicity, then that's what we can expect to receive. In the business world, we are told that companies achieve what they really think is important (barring outside intervention). Perhaps our "religious exercises" also achieve their real goals. Some are aiming for public honor, and they can get it. Others are looking for closeness to God, and fortunately that is also attainable. But you don't get that closeness if your real goal is the publicity.

In addition to this passage, the Bible has other descriptions of prayer, some of which expand our understanding of appropriate prayer. Acts 1:14 and 4:23-31 were specifically mentioned as encouraging corporate prayer, which today's main passage doesn't mention at all.

This week's topic, prayer, had three main discussion points, as suggested in Jesus' comments.

Praying for show: Publicity

The purpose of prayer is to communicate with God. Sometimes this can and should be done in a public setting. But the public part ought to be incidental to the prayer, not the reason for the prayer. We have a desire to speak with God, and it just happens that we are surrounded by other people.

Public prayers may be thinly disguised efforts to evangelize ("We're going to have prayer at our table in this restaurant, and we invite all the rest of you here to join us") or to make announcements in church ("And Lord, we pray for Brother Jones there in Room 324 of the hospital"). We need to remember that we're talking to God in prayer, not preaching or teaching.

On the subject of prayer in restaurants, one restaurant worker pointed out that pray-ers are noted for being lousy tippers. If prayer before a meal is a legitimate form of witness (and this passage doesn't quite address the topic), then the rest of our witness needs to include proper respect for the servers, which includes appropriate payment for their service. (And 10% isn't adequate in today's restaurant market.)

Praying publicly is often a part of family training, and may be appropriate to help enforce the idea that God is present everywhere and deserves to be recognized. This led to a discussion on why so many Christians feel compelled to pray before each meal. We seemed agreed that this can be a reminder that God is the source of all blessings, including food. But there was also awareness that saying religious words before a meal (or before going to bed) may not be actual praying.

Praying for length: Repetition

Jesus' instruction about "not babbling" is best judged by us about ourselves. Trying to determine when someone else is babbling is dangerous. We do not know their mindset, or their ability to put their thoughts into words. Repeating phrases ("Father God do this, and Father God do that") could be laziness of thought; but it could also be deliberate emphasis on an aspect of God's character that the person praying needs to be reminded of. And those of us with better vocabularies and who are more comfortable may be able to babble without ever using the same words ("Lord, we thank you for the beauty of this day, and Father, your glory is obvious in today's sunrise").

Most of us feel that our prayers communicate better if we speak naturally. We try to avoid special prayer vocabulary (thee, thou) or a special prayer voice (suddenly deeper, or a different accent). But for others, these may be signs of special respect for God and recognition that He is not just anybody.

[We tried to impress upon our own children that you could speak to God as to a friend, but were pretty stunned when one child began a mealtime prayer with, "How's it going, God?"]

The caution about babbling, thinking we'll be heard because of how many words we say or how we say them, is more a caution for us as individuals, not a way to judge other people's communication with God.

Praying for informing God: He already knows

This has been a question many of us have struggled with: Why do we tell God anything? He already knows what's happened and what we need.

We recognize that prayer is communication, and communication is two-way. By bringing our concerns to God, we can become attuned to His perspectives. Many of us have had the experience of having our thoughts re-directed as we are praying. The Holy Spirit uses our openness to guide us.

By mentioning those things that concern us in prayer, whether they are praises, requests, or challenges, we are acknowledging that we want God involved in each situation. We also recognize that He is in charge.

And the Bible gives examples of God changing His mind because of prayers. Theologically, we have questions about how an all-knowing God can be persuaded to alter anything He has planned. But the Bible used that language to describe Moses' encounter with God. Other examples may not be as clear (Abraham and the destruction of Sodom, David and the census), but it still appears that our willingness to "argue the case" is one factor in God's actions.

Finally, we came back to the idea that God wants us in relationship with Him. A relationship requires communication, and prayer is our communication with God. We have been invited to participate in talks with God, not to manipulate Him but to get to know Him and to reveal ourselves (consciously) to Him.

Things that help us to pray better

We shared some things that have helped us in our own prayer lives.

• Keep the prayers genuine. Don't put on a special "religious mask" before God. It hinders relationship.
• Obedience. If God has given us instructions (directly from the Spirit, or through the Bible or a sermon), we need to follow those instructions. Failure to do so blocks the communication we're trying to have.
• Nature is inspirational. Getting away from all the man-made surroundings can remind us of God's goodness.
• Lectio divina. This is a method of prayer that involves scripture reading and application. The linked article is from Wikipedia for a broad definition, but there are other sites with a more devotional theme. Our own Nazarene Publishing House has some publications to help apply this method to specific Bible books.
• ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. This outline has helped several people broaden their prayer life.
• Visualize. Move the prayer time from just mental processes. Journaling, speaking aloud, or looking around can engage more of our mind and help to keep us focused on God.
• Use real language.
• Group prayer was an easy introduction for some into private prayer later.
• Conversational. We need to learn that we can come to God at any time. Emphazising conversational prayer (perhaps assuming that God is in the chair next to you and addressing Him there) can help us realize this.
• Take it to the cross. Creating a visual image helps some of us pray better.

Doing Good Privately

October 10, 2010
Matthew 6:1-4
When you give to the needy . . .

In the time of Jesus, righteous acts were seen as obligating God to give you a reward. This is similar to how many people view "being good" today. "With enough good actions, I'll be let into heaven." This isn't our understanding of God's promises, but it is a real mindset.

Responding to that mindset, Jesus said that many people were doing good things to enhance their reputations, not to glorify God. If the real reward we are seeking is praise from other people, then that's the only reward we'll get.

Immediately, the question came up about rewards in general. Does anybody ever do something without expecting some sort of reward? Is God, in fact, offering us heaven if we'll do good things?

There are rewards that are appropriate to a given action and those that aren't. If the goal of teaching is to pass information on to others, then it is legitimate to feel good when that informatin is transferred. That good feeling is an appropriate reward for teaching. If our real goal is a paycheck, and teaching is just a way to get someone to give us money, we will still get the money, but we won't have the same satisfaction in a job well done as we see the students learning.

The reward we want also affects how we do the job at hand. If the goal of a general is to win a battle in order to achieve security or to thwart attackers, that will involve a different strategy than if the goal is to set oneself up for later political office.

And God does offer us rewards, and they turn out to be very appropriate to what He wants from us.

Many of us can point to some amazing answers to prayer. Some observers believe that God does these things to help us learn to trust Him. But His goal is to get us to trust Him even without the amazing answers. That is why miracles seem more common when God is reaching new people, whether an individual or a nation. (Many reports of Christians raising the dead recently seem to come from Indonesia, for instance.)

An example was given of promising a child a bike if the child would just learn to read. The child couldn't see the value in acquiring a reading skill, but was very interested in a bicycle. The parent would have preferred seeing the child learn to read just because it was a good thing to do; but that wasn't happening. So, the reward was offered, the child got the bike, and now the grown child has a world of books for learning and enjoyment.

In that case, is God being tricky? Is this a classic case of "bait and switch"?

No, because the child in the example, or the new Christ-follower, learns to value the real rewards of the action, whether it is reading or doing good deeds. Until we've actually learned the correct behavior, we may not understand just how valuable it is in itself. Like a very good parent, God understands what we need and helps us to attain it.

A thought that came as I typed this up: I suppose the over-promises some TV preachers seem to make ("Follow God and you'll be rich beyond your wildest dreams", "Real Christians never have to suffer") may be bait and switch.

The "trumpets" that Jesus mentioned may have been literal trumpets. However, the alms boxes also had a trumpet-like opening so that it was easy to put money in but difficult to get it out. If these "box trumpets" were what Jesus referred to, then it might have been equivalent to saying, "Don't jingle the offering plate so people can see how much you give."

If the trumpets were literal, the rationale was likely, "Let's make a noise so that the poor will know that they can get something from me." But Jesus looked beyond the rationale to true motives. Selflessness will involve a struggle between sharing and bragging. The example was given of folks who adopt a family at Christmas and then are disappointed because there is no "thank you" afterwards. (Of course, that doesn't justify an ungrateful attitude on the part of the recipient; but the giver's motive should not be gratitude.)

How do we reconcile these instructions with the earlier words of Jesus, "Let your light shine"? One possibility is, "Let your deeds speak, not your devotional acts." That is, your changed life should involve honesty, compassion, putting others first, and many other counter-cultural actions. These should be obvious. But "acting religious" isn't necessarily as persuasive, and our motives may be suspect. If the goal is to be admired by others, we have the wrong motivation. God knows our heart's intent, and He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us know as well.

John 3 says "I must decrease so that Jesus can increase." This implies that we have done something that raises us up a bit in the sight of others, as in letting our light shine. But the focus must then be put back on Jesus, not ourselves. But unless we are actually doing something, how can Jesus be given credit?

We even asked, "Why are rewards mentioned at all? Why not just surprise us at the end of life? That would make it easier to do things for the right reasons."

The Old Testament barely mentions an after-life at all. Knowing what we do about the Resurrection and the promises of Jesus, we often recognize hints about heaven in the Psalms or prophetic writings. But one major branch of Judaism didn't even think there was an afterlife at all, and most of the hints we see (only in the Old Testament; the New is very clear) can be interpreted as "good life here for my family, if not for me."

It was suggested that when Jesus walked on earth, being fully human, He recognized that humans need motivation, so that the rewards were made specific. The fact that Jesus is fully human would include that He understands our needs. But some promises were already there. "Taste and see that the Lord is good," "Eternal pleasures at His right hand," "I have never seen the righteous forsaken" are all from the Old Testament.

Another note: And the theologians would point out that the pre-Bethlehem Jesus already was fully human, if not yet visible. But that doesn't change the fact that the fully human Jesus, as part of the Trinity, would have known what we needed.

Finally, one person suggested that part of our reward in heaven is getting to see the influence we had on earth.

Be Perfect - Love Your Enemies

October 3, 2010
Matthew 5:43-48
Love your enemies . . . Be perfect

David and I were in a training session last weekend, and we discussed the passage ourselves. One insight we shared was about being perfect. The context does not necessarily demand perfect actions. Instead, it is focused on perfect love.

With no notes from last week's session, I can't be certain what major points were made in the class itself. At the beginning of the October 10 session, I'll ask for the take-aways from this passage. I'll add a comment to this post that mentions the points that the class recalls.

Getting Even - Not an Option

September 26, 2010

Matthew 5:38-42



Since I left class early last week, I wasn't there for a lot of the discussion. However, David provided his notes for the class, and I post them here. [My own additions are in brackets.]

These verse represent the most difficult of the six "you have heard it said" statements.

• What Jesus asks of His disciples goes against natural inclinations. When we are hit, we want to hit back. When we are verbally attacked, the tendency is to strike back. When someone hurts us, we want to hurt them.
• It's one of the consequences of the Fall. We are curved inward and are ready to fight if threatened. But, according to Jesus, His followers respond differently.

How reasonable is this teaching? Why do you think Jesus would ask this of His disciples?

Let's look at the Old Testament Law for the specific instruction from which this teaching comes.

• Several references: Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; but specifically Deuteronomy 1916-21 gives the most complete insight into the instruction of the Law. ["Purge the evil from the land."]

What was the purpose of the Law?

The Law of Moses established a code of conduct for the Israelites that would not only please God, it would also give order to their society, in distinctively different ways.

What would happen when an offense occurred and there was no legal recourse for the offended party?

People take the law into their own hands and often respond excessively, the original offender responds, and chaos ensues.

• The main intent of the Law of Moses: To lay a foundation for justice. To control the excesses; in particular anger, violence, and desire for revenge.
• The Law provided the principle of "exact retribution" - compensation for an offense was limited to the exact equivalent and no more.
• And so, the law was designed to define justice, restrain revenge.

What is distinctive about how the Law is stated in Deuteronomy 19?

These were guidelines for judges, not for individuals. This is where the problem started. [The judges were to make a thorough examination first, being certain that they understood the entire situation before any action was taken.]

Scribes and Pharisees interpreted personally what was meant for judges to use in providing justice. Furthermore, they insisted on being able to respond to an offense - "It's my right!"

What happens when people take it upon themselves to "even a score"?

Do you think Jesus was speaking literally or hyperbolically when He said, "Turn the other cheek" or "Give them your cloak" or "Go the second mile"?

How do we interpret this lesson?

Jesus was not prohibiting justice. He was addressing the problem of a vengeful spirit; of getting even with someone who has offended or hurt us; dealing with taking the law into our own hands; of eliminating retaliation.

He also addressed the "spirit of animosity."

A crucial point to remember: Romans 12:19. God is the only one who can see the whole picture and how retribution can be fairly administered.

Jesus wanted His disciples to respond with a spirit of mercy, not a spirit of justice.

As followers of Christ, we not only do not seek to even the score, we seek the best for the offender. We do not rejoice if misfortune befalls them.

The Importance of Marriage, and Being (not just sounding) Honest

September 19, 2010
Matthew 5:31-37


In the late 1700s, two Americans had lived through the Revolution and seen the new country established. One of them, Thomas Jefferson, concluded that God may have set the universe in motion, but any good effects in the current world were the result of human action, not God's intervention. The other American, George Washington, understood that God had worked in the battles and in the creation of the new government. He interrupted his inaugural address with testimony that God deserved the credit and prayer that God would continue to guide.

The first attitude seems to have prevailed in Jesus' time. God created the world and gave Moses some good instructions, but now it was up to people themselves to live as well as they could. Jesus came with the news that there was more to life than carefully interpreting and following rules. God Himself wants to be involved in our lives, making us into good people who think about pleasing Him, not about following rules.

Because God wants to be part of our lives, the teachings of Jesus cover a wide variety of topics. In this class session, we looked at two of them: Marriage and Honesty.

Importance of Marriage

The marriage relationship is part of God's plan for social structure. Marriage is not required of each person; singleness is an option. But there is a definite purpose for marriage. The family unit is based upon a man and a woman committing themselves to each other. This commitment is described as "becoming one flesh," essentially creating a new life. And those who have experienced divorce agree that ending a marriage is very much like ending a life.

Marriage is best understood as a covenant, not a contract. In a contract, two people agree to the terms and conditions of further involvement. Each person is essentially saying, "My rights are as important as yours, and I will cooperate as long as you respect that."

In a covenant, a person commits to an action without an escape clause. God's commitment to Israel was a covenant. Israel could abandon God, but God would continue to offer His protection and guidance. The Old Testament book of Hosea was offered as an example. Both partners in a marriage covenant have committed themselves to the survival of the marriage. Rather than a 50-50 partnership, each person in a balanced marriage is ready to give 90 percent or more. Discussion suggested that both partners in a marriage often feel that they contribute far more than the other person.

Discussion about God's purpose for marriage brought out several interesting points:

• The influence of a marriage lasts for generations. So does the influence of a broken marriage.
• Our bodies are not separate from our spirits. Our actions in marriage, as in all of life, have an impact on our spiritual development.
• The power of our initial decision will influence how well that decision will be carried out. This is why it is important to understand the difference between God's view of marriage (intended to last a lifetime) and the view of many Americans (so long as it's easy).
• Our brains seem designed to create a marriage union as God designed it. We didn't have any trained psychologists in class to help us with the terminology, but it was understood that the brain functions best when a sexual union is permanent.

In a related passage, Jesus was asked about Moses' commands about divorce. Jesus re-phrased the question. Moses permitted divorce; he didn't command it. God intended for marriage to be a permanent covenant. However, if the covenant is broken, there is provision for recognizing this in the legal system. Jesus only mentioned adultery as evidence of the broken covenant. Many Christians today might expand that definition to include abuse, for instance. But the principle behind divorce is a broken covenant, not "incompatibility."

A book was found helpful by some in the class: The Best Year of a Groom's Life/The Best Year of a Bride's Life. (I may have the title wrong; I didn't find it by Googling.)

Being Honest

In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus reacted to the hair-splitting about what constitued a true oath. In Matthew 23:16-22, some of the fine distinctions are listed. If you swore by the gift on the altar, your statement had to be true; if you swore by the altar, it didn't. Apparently people were looking for ways of sounding honest without actually being honest.

Jesus threw that whole system out. His followers are to be known as honest. Period. Speak honestly, keep your word, and nothing more is needed.

Of course, in a society where everything is measured by how carefully a legal contract is phrased, Christ-followers are expected to sign contracts, take legal oaths, and so on. But Christ-followers are not to play legal games. They don't look for clever ways to deceive or take advantage.

There are some passages (Psalm 15:1-4, Deuteronomy 23:21-23) that emphasize how seriously God takes our promises to Him. Of course, broken promises are no worse (but also no better) than adultery or stealing, and God's grace can bring restoration. But disciples are offered a life of honesty, as God's Spirit works within us.

At the end of class, the topic of foolish oaths was touched on. Jepthah was mentioned, and his story is in Judges 11, with the oath in verses 30-39.

Jesus Elevates Marriage

September 12, 2010
Matthew 5:31-32
It has been said, Anyone who divorces his wife . . .

David gave us three goals for the discussion on marriage and divorce:

• No condemnation: The point of the passage is to view the importance of marriage, not to criticize those who have been divorced.
• God's values: The larger passage helps us see God's perspective on life, which certainly includes the marriage relationship.
• How to avoid divorce: As a pastor, David gleaned some insights from scripture and experience.

Why did Jesus teach about divorce?

In this section, Jesus has been clarifying what has gone wrong with the law's interpretation. The disciples needed tools to help others (and themselves; some were married) live godly lives. He gave specific applications for His followers. The previous topic was sexual immorality, and the meaning of marriage would be a logical progression. And, as in all the related passages, Jesus is raising the bar for His followers in order to change the world.

What is Jesus trying to communicate?

His followers are not to blend in with society. Exploitation of women is particularly condemned in this passage (and others). Jesus acknowledges the law, but then adds His interpretation. He wasn't correcting the law, but taking it back to its meaning.

His own authority is sufficient to establish a teaching. He doesn't brag about His authority, but simply assumes it. Gradually, His hearers began to realize who He must be.

Obeying the law

The religious system was devised to make it possible to obey the law. Obedience was thought to be the road to God, so loopholes were included (often designed by humans) for some of the difficult standards. Jesus was stressing the meaning behind the religious system. Jesus was pointing to a much higher standard, but He was also offering forgiveness and restoration, and He offers the Holy Spirit to help us live by the higher standard.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 gave some additional instructions about how divorce was to work in Jewish society. It required legal action, even back then, rather than just the whim of a man. But divorce was not the intention for people. Genesis 2:24 mentions "leave, cleave, and become" as the goal. In Matthew 19:18, Jesus says that human stubbornness and waywardness was the reason divorce procedures were given to the Jews.

God values marriage. He allows divorce.

Why is God opposed to divorce?

Divorce was a symbol of Israels' unfaithfulness, as described in the book of Hosea in the Old Testament. Marriage is a metaphor for our own relationship to God. The human pain and suffering in each divorce is symbolic of what God experiences in human rejection of Him. The descriptive phrase "one flesh" goes beyond the sexual union.

Some insights from David's pastoral experience

The three greatest causes of divorce: Money, sex, in-laws.

To singles: Make a good first choice. When you first sense a bond developing, talk about how you see your lives progressing. Take your time to be certain.

To couples: Something drew you together - keep the fire going. "Becoming one" is a process. To come to the end of life as "one flesh" is worth it.

Disciples should lop off body parts?

September 5, 2010
Matthew 5:27-30

Jesus offers forgiveness to all of us who have sinned, but that doesn't mean He regards sin as of no consequence. He allowed Himself to be killed so that we could have peace with God. Now that He is alive again and leading His disciples, He calls us to understand how important it is to live like His followers.

The passage includes instructions to pluck out our eyes if they cause us to sin, or cut off our hands if they lead us away from God. We do NOT think this is a literal instruction. But it must mean something or He wouldn't have said it. Jesus was emphasizing that His followers should be focused on Him and on His Kingdom. If friendships, hobbies, or habits separate us from God's ways, then we need to give them up. We are to have pure motives and desires as we follow Jesus. Anything that pollutes that purity is to be surrendered.

Jesus makes it quite clear that He is not very concerned about the external appearances. He is very concerned about our inner attitudes and motives. Avoiding technical adultery (the act) is admirable, but far more important is not dwelling on the possibilities in our minds. To "look at the menu without ordering," in one class member's phrase, is not acceptable sexual behavior for the devoted Christian.

We re-drew the circle that David used a few weeks ago. Jesus calls us to live in the center of that "Kingdom Circle," as close to God as possible. Trying to find the boundaries of the circle, and living as close to the edge as possible, is not Kingdom living as God plans it. Instead, that's what the "outward God-followers" were doing in Jesus' time and in ours. "So long as I don't actually DO anything, why should anyone care?" is the wrong attitude. Instead, we should understand that "God loves me, Jesus died for me, and I want to live all my life as close to their plan as the Spirit leads."

Class discussion also pointed out that sex is not the central focus of the Kingdom. Jesus acknowledged sexual sins and even expanded their definition. Paul mentions them in his letters to early church members. But they are not at all the center of Christian behavior. Pride, jealousy, and hatred are mentioned far more than sexual sins. But Jesus wants our entire lives centered upon God, and the sexual impulse needs to be under the Spirit's control as well.

When it comes to our behavior in this area, Jesus' words about cutting off hands and plucking out eyes may be similar to an admonition another class member shared, "Be not a baker if your head be made of butter."

Class discussion noted that these passages were originally given in a time when women were practically considered as property. The fact that Jesus places responsibility on men to control their thoughts is a major step in the recognition of women as equal citizens in the Kingdom. It took a long time for this principle to work through the Christ-movement, but Jesus' followers led the fight for women's rights, at least in Britain and the United States.

As we wrapped up our discussion, the following points were noted:

• The business of cutting off hands applies to much more of life than just to the sexual impulse. And maybe giving up music or the computer would be more effective in leading a God-focused life than gouging out an eye.
• A husband and wife can (but shouldn't) look outside the marriage for more than adultery. That is, it is possible to lust after other things than sex.
• Adultery is closely related to coveting. When we focus on things that are not ours, and that are not supposed to be ours, then we live outside God's best for us.

Reconciliation: It's up to me?

August 29, 2010
Matthew 5:23-26

Part of this passage seemed very reasonable. It's hard to focus on God when we're mad at another human. Before we can worship, we need to reconcile with those who've angered us.

Ephesians 4:26-27 says that our anger can give the devil a foothold. While none of us gave examples of the devil working in our lives, we did agree that anger and resentment interfere with our Christian life.

In this case, reconciliation is different than what Jesus offers us. We are to be reconciled with God through Jesus' death and resurrection. This means that we stop rebelling against God and His ways. We admit that we've been wrong, and that God knows best. We agree to let Him lead. Reconciliation with God means that we totally agree with Him.

But in this passage, a different form of the word is used. Instead of one side giving in completely, an agreement is to be reached by both parties, involving compromise and understanding. Obviously, this requires both parties to be involved. Matthew 18:15-20 gives an approach for dealing with those who have made us angry.

Another part of this week's passage really challenges us. Not only are we to make things right with those who've upset us, but we're also to make the first move if somebody else is mad at us.

We didn't mention it in class, but I suppose that one part of this is easier. If we know our actions have upset someone else, we do need to apologize and admit our error. But the passage goes way beyond our own actions. No matter what their problem with us is, if we recognize that there's a problem, we're supposed to try to solve it.

This way of looking at disagreements is very hard. The other person may be mistaken, may be selfish, may even be hateful. But we are to be as worried about their resentment as we are about our own. If our own resentment interferes with worship, so does theirs. And we have a responsibility to help them get over it.

The class pointed out that this carries out the theme from the earlier verses. We don't speak evilly of other people because they are valuable in God's sight. By calling them "fool" or "worthless," we devalue them. Helping them to get past their anger demonstrates that we value them as people, and that we want to help them live in close relationship to God.

This focus on other people's resentment can also help us get past our own self-justification, allowing God to give us a broader view of our actions and their consequences.

But reconciling with another human is a two-way street. The other person must be willing to take part in the process. We are not told to surrender to the other person. We read Romans 12:18 as well, where Paul basically says, "Do your best, but it does take two to agree."

We went back to the Matthew 18 passage for a little clarification. If we can't reach agreement one-on-one, we can involve another person in resolving the dispute. But if we aren't to speak evil of the person we've got problems with (Matthew 5:22), how are we to tell somebody else that we're even upset?

As we live by Jesus' principles, we become better at recognizing our own motives. This is one more case where making up a set of rules won't work. We have to rely upon the Holy Spirit to teach us whether we're really trying to resolve the situation or just complaining and criticizing.

This week's take-aways:

• We are to fight resentment within us, and also to help those who resent us. This reaching out to others expands our responsibilities quite a bit.
• Reconciliation with others is different from reconciliation with God. We are to reach a mutual agreement with other people. We are to surrender to God.
• When we speak of our frustrations to others, we should be really interested in reconciliation. We must avoid mere gossiping, or even revenge.
• The basic principle seems to be: Don't allow anger to build up or fester. Allow God to change you. And we have special obligations to help those who are angry with us.

Murder: Don't commit it; don't provoke it!

Matthew 5:21-26
You have heard that it was said . . . "Do not murder"

First, Jesus expands the definition of murder to include anger. A hateful attitude is not part of a Christ-follower's life.

Then, he adds a story that suggests we need to care about people's attitudes toward us as well.

These are great points to explore, but I wasn't in class last week. I have no idea what ideas were shared in class. So if you want to expand on these or other discussion points, or if you want to add your own insights, feel free to add comments to this blog.

Better than a Pharisee?

August 15, 2010
Matthew 5:17-20
. . . unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees . . . you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus began this section by saying that He had come to fulfill "the Law and the prophets." This is a phrase that describes the Old Testament scriptures.

According to the common interpretation of Jesus' time (and ours?), the way to know God was to obey the law. But in Jesus' time (and ours?), adherence to God's law is not the same thing as adhering to human traditions built up around that law. Jesus was often accused of being a lawbreaker. He did not believe the human interpretation of keeping the Sabbath was in line with God's law of love and compassion. He did not make His disciples keep the hand-washing tradition that was simply a ceremony. And He allowed His disciples to eat on the Sabbath, even though it meant violating a human definition of "harvesting" and "threshing."

Essentially, the religious leaders encouraged people to DO the law out of obligation. Jesus made the law a heart issue, emphasizing the meaning of the law and not its human interpretations. And in a very obvious sense, the atonement that the law provided for (covering human sin by regular blood sacrifice) was truly fulfilled by His death on the cross.

The Pharisees were among the most prominent religious leaders who opposed Jesus. Their movement had an honorable beginning. During the time when Jerusalem was overrun by enemies and the Jewish leaders were deported, some of those leaders agreed to honor God no matter the pressures from the conquerors. The stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (not eating unclean food, refusing to bow to an idol, refusing to pray to a human emperor) could serve as illustrations for how the Pharisees intended to live godly lives.

However, by focusing so much on their own good actions, they kept defining and re-defining what actions would be considered good, and what exceptions might be appropriate. (It was suggested that America's legal system may have some similarities today, as legal regulations change and loopholes are found.) By that focus on their interpretations of the law, they tended to lose the emphasis on being "like God." Instead, they were seen as self-righteous, mean-spirited, showy, and prideful, and could be described as religious bullies.

People who emphasize rules over relationships soon find themselves in a trap of their own design, which is not attractive to others. And when the "trap" is described as "God's will," then God Himself seems unattractive, too. Some of the consequences of living only by the rules were described in class:

• Conscientious people feel like they're walking on eggshells, too timid to act for fear of accidentally becoming impure.
• People fail to emphasize relationships and instead stress trivial rules.
• People live in a labyrinth of restrictions and avoidances.
• Separatists are tempted to act as judges and juries to those around them.
• Such lives do not attract others to God.
• People under tight rules start looking for loopholes.
• Eventually, people are led either to despair ("I am not good enough to live by all these rules") or pride ("I must be pretty good to be able to follow all these rules").

The Jehovah's Witnesses were mentioned as a modern example of folks who mean well but have become bound in rules. The Pharisees certainly meant well originally, but eventually their attention left God and landed on their own traditions. Perhaps Jesus' description of a freer way to live troubled some of their hearts; maybe they already had a sense of needing something more but were afraid to give up the traditions they'd lived by for so long. (Paul may have been such a person.)

When a person first learns of Jesus and is drawn to Him, the person has a great interest in becoming more like God. But "let's find some ways to become more like Jesus" is vastly preferable to "now follow these rules" as a discipleship method.

We did list some of the advantages to scriptural law (as opposed to human traditions):

• The law itself was intended to give us a guide to fulfill our inner draw towards joy.
• The law outlines consequences, helping to protect us.
• The law shows us what sin is.
• As we mature, rules are replaced by a relationship with God.

Jesus liberates us from the law to a new life in the Spirit.

When we enter the kingdom, the Spirit comes to live within us. The rule-keeping religion of the Pharisees lacked relationship. When Paul became a Christian, he used the example of Moses meeting God personally to describe how all Christians now have direct access to God through the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:16-18).

Our motivation now is to please Christ, not to keep laws. Jesus sent His Spirit to guide us from within, revealing Himself to us. Discussion stressed that hearing the Spirit's voice is not the same as listening to our conscience. David mentioned some new Christians he'd worked with whose lives changed as they recognized God's internal leadings. Joy mentioned their daughter who, as an elementary-age child, sensed the Spirit's voice within.

When Jesus said that our righteousness had to exceed that of the Pharisees, this is what He meant. Not that we could follow rules better, but that we would respond to the Spirit within us. Even in this passage, when Jesus warned against misleading others, He was not trying to give us yet another rule to worry about, but to guide us into a direct relationship with God through the Spirit.

David concluded by drawing a circle on the board. In the center, he put a dot to represent closeness to God. His experiences as a pastor led him to believe that when people were asking for "rules for living," they often meant, "How far can I get from God and still be in that circle?" Instead, we should be asking, "How close can I get to God?" Then we don't care about the rules at all. We just want to be like Jesus.

David did suggest one good response for those who legitimately want "rules" to guide them closer to God. He cited a definition that I found on-line under Susanna Wesley (mother of John the preacher and Charles the songwriter):

Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.

How salty can we be?

August 8, 2010
Matthew 5:13-16
Salt . . . Light

I wasn't present this week, so I only can report on the questions that the class was going to start with:

What frightens you about being salt and light in the world?

How far should we go to engage the world?

And, How can Christ-followers have influence in an age where evangelism is often considered harassment?

Those who were present are especially welcome to post their recollections of the discussions. Of course, anyone may give answers to the questions now whether the points were made in class or not.

Being salty

August 1, 2010
Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth . . . light of the earth . . .

The beatitudes (Blessed are those who . . .) speak to the essential character of the Christ-followers. The rest of Matthew 5, 6, and 7 (the Sermon on the Mount) deals with functioning as Christ-followers. We can regard the first 12 verses as an instruction list, followed by examples and applications.

The Sermon on the Mount has alway challenged those who want to follow Jesus. We come to God expecting Him to look at the world the same way we do. In these chapters, we discover that His view is much broader. Perhaps many older American Christians expect God to join them in emphasizing ethical purity. The current generation of Christians expects God to challenge them to change the world. These passages actually emphasize both, along with other dimensions (trust, contentment, focus) that we might otherwise overlook. By taking our time with these verses, we can get God's perspectives instead of just seeing what we already know.

Salt and light describe influence. These verses mark the transition from describing a Christ-follower to applying the Christ-life to our everday lives. In this sense, they definitely take the side of those who expect Christ-followers to affect the world around them.

The world that ignores God is dark and bitter, bland, and out of control. Many good things still happen in this world, even when it ignores God. But it is still decaying, and it is powerless to stop this process itself. Christ-followers can be salt and act as a preservative for a dying, decaying world.

Inevitably, the world without Christ takes good things and perverts them. The internet, so useful for communication and information, is a good example of a tool that can easily be used for bad purposes. Pornography was mentioned in class, but social bullying, misinformation, and identity theft all come to mind quickly as well. The world is dark, and it cannot generate its own light. Those who follow Jesus are expected to bring such light.

Salt has its own flavor, but it's primary purpose in cooking is to bring out the flavor in other foods. Those who follow Jesus can help to bring out the best in all their relationships. Their influence can help others see what God really intends. These followers can also be an inspiration to others to aim higher than they would have.

Salt also preserves. We who follow Christ are tobe stewards of the world. This involves helping the world ecologically, of course, but also socially and politically and ethically. By living with Kingdom standards, we can build and maintain relationships, remind others of God's purposes, and slow the decaying process.

Salt purifies. God made the world good. There is still good within most things, even if they are not obviously "Christian." A tendency toward bashing things we disagree with usually alienates. We might have more influence by standing for the good elements we see, rather than attacking the bad. (We were reminded that we are called to self-control, not other-control.) Our standards of integrity and morality should have a positive influence for Jesus.

When Jesus changed the description to light, He was making it clear that we are not to be "secret disciples." We are to be visible, illuminating the darkness around us. Light can provide guidance. By reminding others of truth, we can provide warning without resorting to bashing. The condition of the world is not positive. It needs a moral compass.

Christ-followers are to be different from the world around them. Jesus does say that it is possible to lose our saltiness. "Holy huddles" were mentioned as a way to lose our influence. By sticking with like-minded people only, we give up our ability to help others. The Pharisees who opposed Jesus started off with a good motive: Let's keep our lives aligned with God's ways. But by isolating themselves from others, they soon became self-righteous, exclusive, and opinionated, with a fortress mentality. The Church of the Nazarene emphasizes living a holy life, and has fought the temptation to become a fortress rather than a rescue station.

A final thought about salt: Salt on an exposed nerve causes pain: "The truth hurts."

Rejoice in Persecution - What?!

July 25, 2010
Matthew 5:10-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness . . .

David began the discussion by pointing out "These concluding words are disturbing words." Class members recalled stories of persecution, from biblical accounts (Acts 5, Acts 16) to more current episodes where missionaries were buried alive. Class members were aware that we currently face little more than mocking for being Christian.

These verses call us to rejoice when others cause us to suffer. Persecution can be aggressive, including physical pain, imprisonment, or other obvious and intentional bad treatment. Passive persecution can involve isolation, or exclusion, and may be the result of ignorance more than opposition.

Perhaps open opposition is easier to handle. It certainly seems less effective in hindering Christian action. In Bangladesh, the Nazarene leader is among the top targets of Al-Qaeda, but in only 16 years the work there has grown to over 1,600 churches, with 193 ministers ordained just last year.

Persecution is inevitable. Christ-following is not popular. "Syncretism" is the blending of additional elements into Christianity, making it more acceptable and therefore less effective. Raw Christ-following challenges the world's values with such concepts as these: forgiveness, humitliy, putting others first, the value of human life, and mercy. Essentially, followers of Jesus see a bigger story than "What can this person do for me?"

David recommended the movie Les Miserables for a portrayal of Christ-values in opposition to "normal" values.

Verses 11 and 12 elaborate on persecution, adding lies and verbal insults to the list of methods. Sometimes the attacks come from within the religious community as well. Christ-followers who live by different standards are sometimes accused of cramming their beliefs down the throats of others. Such faithfulness to Jesus' teachings can result in resistance or opposition, perhaps as a reaction to the voice of conscience. Persecution can be a sign that others recognize God's power. Madelyn Murray O'Hair, known as an atheist in the mid-1900s, was probably more a God-hater than a God-doesn't-exist-er.

We did remind ourselves that being persecuted for righteousness or for the cause of Christ is not the same as being persecuted because of foolishness or sin.

The verses mention persecution coming. They do not say "Flee from it," but they don't say "Seek it" either.

Verses 11 and 12 address the appropriate responses to persecution. We are not to display anger, or whine, or look for ways to retaliate. Nor are we to retreat, become litigious (arguing or even taking to court), or capitulate (give in).

Rejoicing, being glad, is vastly different from such "natural" reactions. The word "rejoice" is based on words meaning "leap exceedingly."

The Spirit within us allows rejoicing in our hearts.

1. Persecution allows us to identify with Christ in His sufferings. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Christian who died in a concentration camp, wrote "Suffering then is the true badge of discipleship."
2. When you suffer, it can be a proof that you are who you say you are. Jesus said that the servant is not greater than his master. Since Jesus suffered, His followers will suffer.
3. Persecution is a symbol of our destiny. "Great is your reward in heaven." This life is not all there is.

David shared an illustration drawn from American life. A young man, knowing nothing of the world except the farm he grew up on and the neighboring small town, learns about the big city. At first, he won't leave the comforts of home. Eventually, he journeys to the big city. Despite the dangers and differences, he recognizes that he now has opportunities he'd never had before. In heaven, we will wonder why we held so tightly to this world.

Jesus also mentioned that persecution puts us on the same path the prophets took. The book of Jeremiah tells how the prophet of that name was beaten and put in stocks (chapter 20), threatened with death (chapter 26), and left to die at the bottom of a muddy cistern (chapter 38).

Polycarp, an early church leader, was told to renounce Jesus or he would be burned at the stake. His response was, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"

As we wrapped up our class time, we were reminded that we won't really understand what Jesus was telling us until we experience persecution ourselves.

Persecution - The Next Step for Jesus Followers?

July 18, 2010
Matthew 5:10-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted . . .

The beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) can be seen as a sequence. The Beatitude Staircase was presented, based on an idea shown on the web. If a person were to apply the beatitudes in order, perhaps the final step in the sequence is verses 5:10-12, being persecuted. That is, as a person becomes more and more like Jesus, she or he becomes more and more at odds with the world. Since the world is not properly aligned with God and with the kingdom Jesus wants to build, the world will resist efforts to change it. This can result in actual persecution.

The ancient Greek writer Plato, with probably no influence from Hebrew thought and centuries before Jesus lived, discussed the idea of righteousness in his Republic. He cites Socrates, who pointed out that true virtue is good even without rewards. In fact, a truly righteous man would continue to live properly even if the world were to kill him.

But just what is persecution? It is more than just being inconvenienced. We hear of places where Christians are arrested, their families attacked, their jobs lost. In comparison, our occasional troubles with getting permits or having to live by secular laws are only nuisances, not persecution. Persecution seems to be a deliberate attempt to irritate, attack, or destroy a person. The class emphasized that motivation is key. The pressure or testing must be done on purpose.

A natural discussion point might be "When was the last time I was persecuted?" After all, persecution is at least partially defined by the one who suffers it. (One person did point out that people with paranoia will feel persecuted too easily; but even paranoids do face opposition.) During class, someone instead asked us to consider the other side of the question. "When was the last time I persecuted?"

Further defining persecution, the class noted that some persecution may be unintentional. There are power and control issues tied up with the difficulties we face. When we address issues of human rights, we may be especially likely to run counter to those in authority.

1 Peter 2:19-21 points out that not all troubles are "persecution for righteousness' sake." Our own unrighteous actions can create difficulties. We might face opposition for self-satisfaction rather than for our virtue. The beatitude promises blessings to those who suffer because they are living as Jesus wants them to.

This brought us to verse 11. Jesus moved from "behave in a righteous manner" to "for my sake." And the consequences were the same. God will be pleased, we will receive a reward, we will face a hostile world, whether our aim is "being good" or "being like Jesus." This is a pretty bold statement for one human to make to another. We are all used to Jesus saying things like this, because we've heard them for many years. But statements like these are why the early church decided that Jesus must actually be God. Otherwise, Jesus was taking too much authority upon Himself.

The gospel of John (chapter 6) records an incident where some people did get offended by such statements of Jesus. Even then, some remained with Him. They recognized that Jesus was speaking on God's behalf. They decided that the troubling statements ("living for me is the same as being good," "I am spiritual food for you") must have validity as well.

As we ended the session, these were the identified take-aways:

• The blessing talks about being persecuted for Jesus, not persecuted for doing wrong.
• All hard times and disagreements are not persecution.
• We Christians are sometimes accused of being hypocrites; this could be a reason for some of our difficulties.
• Persecution can be instructional.
• Persecution has a negative tone, but we are to be joyful.
• Persecution can stem from misunderstanding. There is a challenge to live above the misunderstanding.

July 11, 2010
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Our initial discussions covered several topics at once this week.

Creating peace: Christians may not actually create peace, but we can lead others into peace. This can be done on a personal level as well as a social level. That is, individuals need peace within, and we can help them find it. Also, we can try to advance peace between neighbors, co-workers, and family members. James 3:18 says there are those who "sow in peace." This is from a passage that describes people who are at peace with themselves and the world.

Fallen world: This world is broken, so peace cannot be completely achieved. On an international scale, the peace that England achieved in 1938 came at the cost of Czech independence. We need to examine the consequences of any peaceful solutions we accept. As followers of Jesus, we cannot look only to our own happiness while ignoring the effects on other people.

Non-Christian peace: There are ways to create peace that are not truly peaceful. During much of the twentieth century, Mutually Assured Destruction was the key to such international peace as was achieved. The threat of atomic response does not appear to be a Christian method. Again, an apparent international peace can come as the result of conquest, but imposing our will on others by force doesn't appear to be Jesus' method of bringing peace.

Real peace: Peace is more than "absence of conflict." If we are still worried about a situation after conflict is removed, this may not be the peace that God intended. We don't believe Jesus meant, "Just find a way to get along." We are to have more than a facade of peace, more than just an appearance. Jesus constantly stresses how important it is to have our inner selves aligned with God's purposes. If the outer "peace" creates inner turmoil in ourselves or others, then we have not shared God's peace after all.

Peace, truth, justice: The Bible stresses the importance of truth and justice as much as it stresses peace. In this fallen world, these are not easy to balance. Real justice requires correcting those who are wrong, and not allowing them to hurt others. This is not necessarily peaceful. And truth includes honest recognition of our lives, which again is not peaceful for everyone. In our personal lives, God's peace includes forgiveness for our unjust actions and help with recognizing our true natures. This undeserved help is called "grace," and we need to include it in our own efforts to build God's Kingdom. With this larger goal in mind, that of building God's Kingdom, some conflict may be appropriate in order to build a lasting peace.

Last week, we mentioned that peacemakers have real respect for those around them. With our own inner peace, this respect for others gives us a foundation for building peace around us. Our conversations can lead to mutually helpful solutions, creating peace.

The phrase "Children of God" is similar to the phrase Jesus used for James and John, "Sons of Thunder." Those disciples didn't literally have thunder as a father, but there was an obvious connection between their own lives and the noisy, blustery nature of thunder. In the same way, we cannot be "children of God" in quite the same way Jesus is, but there should be a strong connection between our natures and that of God. We might even hope to be seen as "about our Father's business" in this world, as our lives become more like Jesus.

But Jesus says here not that we would BE children of God, though that is mentioned elsewhere (see John 1:12), but that we would be CALLED children of God. Apparently this peacemaking business helps others to recognize God at work in our lives.

There are certainly other ways to recognize God's work, but peacemaking is perhaps one of the surest. Maybe peacemaking is so rare in this world that its presence is a much clearer indication that God is working.

This led to a discussion of being recognized. Later in this sermon, Jesus criticizes those who do good just so that others will praise them. This makes Christ-followers reluctant to receive public recognition for what they do for God. However, in this same sermon Jesus says that others are to see our good works so that they can praise God.

Apparently, it is important that others know that God is present and is working through us. But the importance is for their benefit, not ours. They need to know that a transformed life of peace is possible in this world. We do not need their praise or admiration, but they need to see something worth praising or admiring.

Once again, Jesus brings us back to motives. Are we doing our good deeds for the sake of the Kingdom, so that God's will can be done here on earth? Then let the recognition come as He finds appropriate.

The class mentioned the following points that stood out to them this week:

• Anyone who is a peacemaker can be recognized by the world, whether they are Christ-followers or not.
• Truth and justice are sometimes not the priority of peacemaking. [We didn't have time to discuss this further. Maybe we need to watch out for "peace" that just hides problems.]
• Mercy may trump justice, when we are making peace.

Defining Peace

July 4, 2010
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers . . .

Before moving on to verse 9, we looked at Isaiah 32:17-18. This passage says that righteousness leads to peace. This was written hundreds of years before Jesus talked about pure hearts (righteousness) and then encouraged us to make peace.

The class defined peace as absence of fear, as reconciliation, as being content and calm. Rather than "making" peace, it was suggested that Jesus's followers might be an influence for peace, or that they accept the peace of God rather than create the peace of God. The peace can be within each of us, or can describe our relationship with those around us, or can be offered to those who need it.

What specific steps can be taken to bring about peace?

• We can bite our tongues, holding back from stirring up more trouble.
• We can intervene when others are fighting. This may involve risk, humility, or sacrifice. And it may ask for compromise somewhere.
• We can generate dialog, either with those who oppose us or among those who disagree with each other.
• We can look for the "other side," trying to see the reasons behind others' actions.
• We can understand our own motives better.
• We can admit we're wrong and apologize for our own contributions to the dispute.
• We can look for "mutual purposes." Usually both sides have some commonalities. If these are stressed, then it may be possible to find ways to cooperate rather than to fight.
• We can be the first to look for reconciliation when there is conflict.
• We can treat others with respect, even if the differences seem "irreconcilable."
• We can help others to find peace within their own hearts as we share the good news, how God wants to transform each of us and to give us inner peace.

Peace should be more than just the absence of conflict. And an "uneasy peace" isn't really peace at all.

How responsible are we for the actions of others? We raised the issue of fair labor practices. If we buy from a company that is operating sweat shops, for instance, are we taking sides against those who are oppressed? Further discussion did point out that we may not have all the facts in many such cases. Finding the real source of conflict can help to make peace.

We left the discussion with a few more points that we can pursue next week:

• As important as peace is, Jesus Himself did point out (Matthew 10:34) that His primary purpose was not to "bring peace, but a sword." Perhaps there are some limits to how much peace can be attained in this fallen world.
• Can we actually make peace, in the sense of creating it?
• How many areas of life can be peaceful at once?
• Are there ways to make peace that aren't Christian?

Seeing God

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

David assured us that this verse was well worth several weeks of study. Matthew 5:8 is the core of the message the Church of the Nazarene communicates. The heart, the center of our will and motives and personality and thoughts, is to be pure, clean and without sin and with an undivided focus on God and on His kingdom. This purity of heart is a prerequisite to seeing God.

So, what does it mean to "see God"?

1. This can refer to our eternal destiny. When we die, we will go to heaven and "see God" there.
2. This can refer to recognizing God at work in the world today. We can "see God" in events around us.
3. This can refer to understanding God's will. We can "see God" as we discern His plan for us.

The class engaged in a bit of speculation. Will we actually see God even in heaven? We all expect to be aware of Him, but will He still be as unseeable as He was for Moses? Maybe we will have different sensory input altogether, rather than continuing with just earth's abilities. The resurrection promise includes a physical body, but it should be more than just what we are now. We have to admit that we don't really know much about this.

In the New Testament, there were several words available for the word "see." When recalling what Jesus said, Matthew could have used BLEPO or HORAO. BLEPO would have described eye function: The pure in heart will have eyes that detect God. Instead, he used HORAO: The pure in heart will be able to perceive God. This HORAO involves the concept of an "Aha!" moment.

When people HORAO, they understand each other's lives. Purity is the lens through which we understand or relate to God, building the relationship.

Seeing in this sense has to do with clear access to God. Absence of purity creates a dividing wall in our relationship. We still have access to God, but it is harder to recognize Him. There is an impediment to the close relationship He wants us to have with Him.

In the human realm, perhaps this is like a relationship between a parent and a child. Both sides can put up roadblocks. In a relationship with God, we think that only one side would put up such a roadblock. However, there is a warning in Romans 1:28. When people refuse the offer of God's relationship, He does let them have their own way. He "gave them over to a depraved mind." Our sinful actions have consequences, and result in distance from God.

We discussed how God offers access to those who have not heard of Jesus. Is there any opportunity for those people to come to God? The same passage that mentioned "depraved mind" also stressed that God reveals Himself in some way to each individual. The grace of God does touch each person. The Bible itself is written to those who have heard of Jesus; it barely mentions what God offers to other people. Those of us who know God are held to a higher standard (and those who are teachers even more so!).

Isaiah 6:1-7 and Hebrews 12:14 are passages showing that holiness qualifies us to see God, to perceive His plans and actions. This holiness includes ethical purity, keeping our own lives free from rebellion. Another dimension of holiness is "works of mercy," mentioned in Micah 6:8; our holiness needs to bless those around us. And Jesus, in Matthew 5-7, really stressed that holiness has to include the motivations and intentions of the heart, not just outward actions.

In order to live as God calls us and as we really want,

• we need the empowerment of God's Spirit.
• We need a clean, undivided heart.

Holiness gives us clear access to God, with joy in His presence.

Pure in Heart - Filled with the Spirit

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, . . .

We began with a quick summary of previous discussions on this verse. Having a pure heart is well-described as being single-minded in seeking the Kingdom of God. True satisfaction in life comes from such an attitude. We should stop trying to straddle the fence between God's plans and our own desires. When they are in conflict, we know that His plans are actually better for us.

Heart purity, single-mindedness, is the result of entire sanctification. David asked us whether this is a one-time, forever experience.

Having our hearts purified by faith can be a once-for-all step. We commit ourselves to choosing God's way over our own way. Biblically speaking, people continue to grow as Christians. That is, as we walk with God, He points out additional areas that need to be worked on. That initial commitment makes it much easier to keep saying "Yes" to His directions. Some in the class called this "being indwelt by the Spirit."

But we are also continually responding to God. We don't initiate this contact. He invites us to respond, thus deepening the relationship. A pure heart, devoted to God, can come in an instant. A mature character takes a lifetime of growth. Even after having our hearts purified, we can be distracted. It's not that we deliberately choose our own way over God's; we just lose sight of God's perspective and need our spiritual eyes opened wide again.

Being indwelt is different from being infilled. There are times when God's presence in our lives is overwhelming. Very often, we re-gain the awareness of God's role in our lives or respond to a new challenge for a closer relationship with Him. Many of those times, we feel like we've been filled with the Spirit all over again. This is the infilling that the Bible describes as happening over and over again in a Christian's life.

Acts 4:31 describes an early prayer meeting where a group of purified Christians were filled with God's Spirit again. Ephesians 5:18 says that Christians are to keep on being filled with Spirit. We all have times when we need a fresh touch of God.

• All of us are called to accept Jesus's forgiveness. This makes us true citizens of God's Kingdom, as God adopts us as His children and gives us a new, spiritual life.
• Then, we are challenged by His Spirit to commit ourselves single-mindedly to Him. Recognizing that we have many paths before us, we deliberately choose to follow His ways. We are far more alert to His Spirit's leadings when we've been entirely sanctified.
• After that, we remain open to the new directions God gives us. We are regularly refreshed by His Spirit as we follow Him.

God's leadership comes in different ways. Some of us are given specific career instructions. We sense God telling us to become ministers, leading others to know more about Him. Others are given a sense that their current jobs will be blessed as God works through them in the office, factory, garage, school, or wherever.

We had a very moving testimony that reminded us that the "Yes" to God isn't always immediately followed by a sense of God's special blessing. Sometimes we know that God wants us to do something, such as a career change or a cross-country move. We obey, but God's reasons aren't clear. There is a sense that we're where God wants us, but we find we have to remind ourselves of God's directions. We know that this experience is strengthening our faith, but it is not the same as in Acts 4:31, where God's Spirit immediately filled the Christians with a sense of joy and peace. This testimony was a great reminder that God deals with each of us in different ways at different times.

The class discussion brought out the importance of regular devotional periods. These are times when we read the Bible, praise God, pray, and listen for His Spirit to give us direction. David warned us about trying too hard. Sometimes Christians try to commit themselves to a devotional level that other Christians took years to reach. John Wesley, for instance, reportedly spent hours in prayer each morning, rising at 4 or earlier.

Instead, we should aim for something we know we can actually do. Perhaps fifteen minutes would be a better goal in the beginning. As we spend this short time with God regularly, we will find it easier and easier to sense God's Spirit leading us. And the time will naturally expand, not because we feel guilty about the time others spend, but because we are enjoying God's presence and just want to increase the time.

The discussion was centered on giving God time to speak to us. The amount of time, or when it is scheduled, is far less important than being sure we have time focused on God. We need to nurture the life of the Spirit within us.