May 23, 2010
Matthew 5:7, 8
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Does mercy mean "get taken advantage of"?
Before leaving the topic of mercy, we talked again about being taken advantage of. A common attitude is "Once or twice is okay, but not all the time from the same person!"
Discernment is the ability to sense underlying causes and motivations. God's Spirit helps us to discern what is best, and He can help us know what the correct response is to each plea for mercy.
Giving people exactly what they ask for may not be the most merciful thing in every situation. Perhaps people need help in getting their lives changed, so that they don't keep making the same mistakes that call for mercy again and again.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to show mercy just as God has shown us mercy. As one example, this may not mean giving money to a brother-in-law every time he's in financial trouble. But it does mean trying to help that brother-in-law learn how to manage money better.
Mercy demands our involvement, but does not mean that we subject ourselves to the specific demands of other people. It means that we treat people as they need to be treated, just as Jesus has done for us.
Purity
Purity brings up images of being free of corruption, or of being innocent. Spiritually, our hearts and minds should be longing for God's ways. This takes us right back to God's mercy. We are no longer innocent, and we have allowed ourselves to be corrupted. God offers not only to forgive us, but to clean us up.
Jesus promises that we can become single-minded toward God. Our actions may still be misunderstood. They may even be misguided, since our judgment is not perfect. But our motivation can still be pure. That is, we really can act with the best of intentions. Those intentions must be focused on doing what God wants us to do.
Purity of heart is to will one thing, said the Danish theologian, Soren Kierkegaard .
Seeing God
This verse offers an astounding promise: It is possible to see God.
The promise may refer to heaven someday in the future. That fits with promises elsewhere in the Bible. But we believe it also refers to our present lives. Followers of Jesus claim to sense God directly.
By sensing God, people describe understanding His will, knowing what He wants us to do, and seeing the world from His perspective. The class discussion stressed that this is more than "I think God wants me to do this." Class members have actually experienced times when they were certain that God had communicated directly with them. And, in contrast, there are also times when we realize that we have not sensed God recently. This is often a reminder that our focus is no longer just on God.
Discussion also pointed out that recognizing God around us can lead to a deeper desire for purity. And purity is not a one-time thing. We talked about our regular need for God's work in our hearts.
This verse may describe a cycle of Kingdom living. We believe Jesus's words and ask God to forgive us and to give us pure motives. As our hearts are made innocent, we are better able to sense God at work in our lives and in the world around us. And then that sense of God's presence makes us eager to stay pure, focused on Him.
There are more aspects of "pure hearts" and "seeing God" that we can explore, so our time together on the 30th will address this same verse. David is back in town, and is looking forward to leading the session.
May 28, 2010
May 21, 2010
Mercy
May 16, 2010
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
This verse requires a definition of mercy. Initially, we listed forgiveness, compassion, and kindness as good descriptions of mercy. Then we added a key concept: undeserved.
We reflected on God's mercy to us. In our earliest days of following Jesus, some of us didn't really think we'd been that sinful to start with. Often, we make excuses for bad behavior. Rather than asking for forgiveness, we want God and others to understand that we had a reason for doing what we shouldn't have done. Or, we explain that we didn't really think it was wrong. Until we understand that we have actually done bad things, it is hard to understand what God's mercy is.
Some of us then shared about times when we realized how wrong we'd been. Sometimes, as we begin to see our lives from God's perspective, we begin to see how wrong our past lives have been. Other times, even with God's help available, we choose to ignore His help and deliberately do what we shouldn't. At such times, we are aware of how far away we are from real goodness. When we know that we have sinned, and we agree that we have no excuse, then we are in a position to recognize the mercy that God offers.
God offers us complete forgiveness. He doesn't excuse our actions by saying, "You couldn't help it" or "You didn't know better." He knows that we made bad choices, that we deliberately turned our back on what was good and right, and that we knew what we were doing. Even so, He says, "Let's start over. I won't hold it against you. Let me help you to become the good person I intended for you to be."
That is mercy.
And that is what we are supposed to offer to those around us.
Our mercy to others involves forgiveness, compassion, and kindness. And it needs to be put into practice. It isn't mercy if we just think about it. We need to act on these feelings in order for it to become mercy.
And if we become merciful, we need to come to grips with being taken advantage of. The nature of mercy is that it is undeserved. When we recognize how merciful God is to us, it will be easier to extend that mercy to others.
When we recognize how out-of-step we are with God, we have to ask for and accept the mercy God extends to us. Then we need to open our eyes to the need for mercy all around us. If we don't, we can become self-righteous. That would mean that we are pleased with what God is doing for us, but we've forgotten that we don't get the credit for the changes.
The previous verse in Matthew suggested that we can be filled with righteousness. This week's verse reminds us that the righteousness is a gift from God. There is no point congratulating ourselves on how good we've become. Our own goodness is because of God's mercy. He has forgiven us and loved us when we didn't deserve it at all. With this verse, we have the cure for self-righteousness. Any righteousness we have doesn't come from ourselves at all.
A writer suggested that this verse about mercy may be related to the earlier verse about "poor in spirit." Both verses deal with recognizing our own inadequacy. Discussion brought out how hard it is for the rich to enter heaven. The riches may not be material. Self-satisfaction can blind us to our own need for mercy.
We closed the session with hints that this verse may be more than just a promise. The Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 is immediately followed by a warning: We are to forgive others in order to be forgiven. And the parable of the unforgiving servant, Matthew 18:23-34, is immediately followed by the same warning: If we don't forgive others, we will not be forgiven.
As citizens of God's new kingdom, we are certainly supposed to work for God's will to be done. We have been offered the chance to see our own lives from God's perspective. We can even catch glimpses of the way the world ought to be. In those times, we know that we cannot live as God wants unless we accept the help He offers us. And we don't deserve that help.
In the same way, as citizens of God's new kingdom, we are to offer undeserved help to those around us.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
This verse requires a definition of mercy. Initially, we listed forgiveness, compassion, and kindness as good descriptions of mercy. Then we added a key concept: undeserved.
We reflected on God's mercy to us. In our earliest days of following Jesus, some of us didn't really think we'd been that sinful to start with. Often, we make excuses for bad behavior. Rather than asking for forgiveness, we want God and others to understand that we had a reason for doing what we shouldn't have done. Or, we explain that we didn't really think it was wrong. Until we understand that we have actually done bad things, it is hard to understand what God's mercy is.
Some of us then shared about times when we realized how wrong we'd been. Sometimes, as we begin to see our lives from God's perspective, we begin to see how wrong our past lives have been. Other times, even with God's help available, we choose to ignore His help and deliberately do what we shouldn't. At such times, we are aware of how far away we are from real goodness. When we know that we have sinned, and we agree that we have no excuse, then we are in a position to recognize the mercy that God offers.
God offers us complete forgiveness. He doesn't excuse our actions by saying, "You couldn't help it" or "You didn't know better." He knows that we made bad choices, that we deliberately turned our back on what was good and right, and that we knew what we were doing. Even so, He says, "Let's start over. I won't hold it against you. Let me help you to become the good person I intended for you to be."
That is mercy.
And that is what we are supposed to offer to those around us.
Our mercy to others involves forgiveness, compassion, and kindness. And it needs to be put into practice. It isn't mercy if we just think about it. We need to act on these feelings in order for it to become mercy.
And if we become merciful, we need to come to grips with being taken advantage of. The nature of mercy is that it is undeserved. When we recognize how merciful God is to us, it will be easier to extend that mercy to others.
When we recognize how out-of-step we are with God, we have to ask for and accept the mercy God extends to us. Then we need to open our eyes to the need for mercy all around us. If we don't, we can become self-righteous. That would mean that we are pleased with what God is doing for us, but we've forgotten that we don't get the credit for the changes.
The previous verse in Matthew suggested that we can be filled with righteousness. This week's verse reminds us that the righteousness is a gift from God. There is no point congratulating ourselves on how good we've become. Our own goodness is because of God's mercy. He has forgiven us and loved us when we didn't deserve it at all. With this verse, we have the cure for self-righteousness. Any righteousness we have doesn't come from ourselves at all.
A writer suggested that this verse about mercy may be related to the earlier verse about "poor in spirit." Both verses deal with recognizing our own inadequacy. Discussion brought out how hard it is for the rich to enter heaven. The riches may not be material. Self-satisfaction can blind us to our own need for mercy.
We closed the session with hints that this verse may be more than just a promise. The Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 is immediately followed by a warning: We are to forgive others in order to be forgiven. And the parable of the unforgiving servant, Matthew 18:23-34, is immediately followed by the same warning: If we don't forgive others, we will not be forgiven.
As citizens of God's new kingdom, we are certainly supposed to work for God's will to be done. We have been offered the chance to see our own lives from God's perspective. We can even catch glimpses of the way the world ought to be. In those times, we know that we cannot live as God wants unless we accept the help He offers us. And we don't deserve that help.
In the same way, as citizens of God's new kingdom, we are to offer undeserved help to those around us.
May 13, 2010
We Can Be Righteous - Aligned with God
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
After coming to grips (at least a little) with the concept of unanswered prayer last week, we moved on to the second part of the blessing Jesus gave. Here, He promises that if we really want to, we can be filled with righteousness.
First, we worked on defining righteousness. It involves being made right in God's sight. We used the phrase "aligned with God" as perhaps a good description of how we can be changed. Galatians 5:22-23 describes a life that is Spirit-led. Such things as love, joy, peace, and patience should be the natural result of the Spirit at work within us.
This righteousness is based on God's work within us. We can't earn it, and we don't deserve it. But if it's what we hunger and thirst for, it can be ours.
So we then concentrated on what it is like to hunger and thirst for God and His direction.
We thought of times when we'd especially longed to be good, to be more like Christ. Some described deep longings that they couldn't put words to, reminding us that the Spirit helps us pray when we don't know how. We also considered that some of our desires may be poorly focused. What we think we want doesn't turn out to satisfy after all. Isaiah 55 opens with a description of such misplaced efforts: Why spend money on what isn't food? And your labor on what doesn't satisfy?
We were reminded that "hungering and thirsting" are not once-for-all in our natural lives. In the same way, we can get to the point where being close to God is as important on a regular basis as eating or drinking. Perhaps one benefit of fasting (going without food for a while, in order to focus on God) may be to show us what hunger for God can be like.
In addition to fasting, there are other ways to help us focus on our relationship to God.
One person journals her thoughts and prayers. In this way, she can focus her attention on a specific characteristic of righteousness for an extended time period.
Disciplines such as Bible reading, praying, fasting, or journaling can become habits. We do need to make even our good habits intentional, or our "hunger and thirst for God" may become "settle for this much of God."
Discussion also brought out a few more points worth keeping in mind:
The class did
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
After coming to grips (at least a little) with the concept of unanswered prayer last week, we moved on to the second part of the blessing Jesus gave. Here, He promises that if we really want to, we can be filled with righteousness.
First, we worked on defining righteousness. It involves being made right in God's sight. We used the phrase "aligned with God" as perhaps a good description of how we can be changed. Galatians 5:22-23 describes a life that is Spirit-led. Such things as love, joy, peace, and patience should be the natural result of the Spirit at work within us.
This righteousness is based on God's work within us. We can't earn it, and we don't deserve it. But if it's what we hunger and thirst for, it can be ours.
So we then concentrated on what it is like to hunger and thirst for God and His direction.
We thought of times when we'd especially longed to be good, to be more like Christ. Some described deep longings that they couldn't put words to, reminding us that the Spirit helps us pray when we don't know how. We also considered that some of our desires may be poorly focused. What we think we want doesn't turn out to satisfy after all. Isaiah 55 opens with a description of such misplaced efforts: Why spend money on what isn't food? And your labor on what doesn't satisfy?
We were reminded that "hungering and thirsting" are not once-for-all in our natural lives. In the same way, we can get to the point where being close to God is as important on a regular basis as eating or drinking. Perhaps one benefit of fasting (going without food for a while, in order to focus on God) may be to show us what hunger for God can be like.
In addition to fasting, there are other ways to help us focus on our relationship to God.
One person journals her thoughts and prayers. In this way, she can focus her attention on a specific characteristic of righteousness for an extended time period.
Disciplines such as Bible reading, praying, fasting, or journaling can become habits. We do need to make even our good habits intentional, or our "hunger and thirst for God" may become "settle for this much of God."
Discussion also brought out a few more points worth keeping in mind:
- Personal righteousness is internal, not for show. We need the fruit of the Spirit, not just the peelings.
- Righteousness extends to the larger world. As we become more like Jesus, we see that the world around us is not the way it should be. We become concerned about un-right (un-God-like) conditions in our workplaces, our communities, and globally.
- We need to keep our edge. Rather than being content with what we've already gained, we have to focus on becoming more and more like Jesus.
- Circumstances are not a reflection of our righteousness. Bad things still happen. Other people still have free will. This world is still opposed to God. Our best efforts may not improve the situation. But God's promise for this time is that we can be aligned with Him and His purposes. Eventually, the entire universe will be transformed; but not yet.
The class did
May 5, 2010
Unanswered Prayer
May 2, 2010
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst . . .
Class members shared some of their hopes, not all of which seemed to be happening for them. We looked at some other Bible verses that suggested we could have whatever we want.
We all agree that some prayers should not be answered the way we originally wanted. We don't see the big picture. We don't have enough information. Our motives aren't as pure as we sometimes think.
And of course, Jesus, who told us we could have whatever we ask for (at least conditionally), didn't pray that way in Gethsemane. The night He was going to be betrayed, He asked to be released from the plan. But He didn't "ask without doubting." Instead He prayed "But whatever you decide, I'll go along with."
We all seemed comfortable with understanding prayer as communication, not magic. Naturally God won't release His power to us just because we really want that job, that award, that relationship. The world would indeed be horrible if misguided people could not only punch each others' noses but also wield supernatural power against each other. Of course each of our requests needs to have God's approval before being implemented.
So why does the Bible seem to offer outlandish answers to prayer?
Perhaps we need the reminder that nothing is impossible for God. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that God could do "immeasurably more than we ask or imagine." Our expectations need to be high. It is too easy for us to settle for the easy, for what we can do on our own. We need to be reminded that God has more for us, and He invites us to dream big. And that means even bigger than ourselves.
Sometimes our big dreams are not quite what He deems best. His primary goal is not our individual happiness. He has established a new kingdom, and He wants us to be part of it. We are part of His plan to reconcile the world to Himself. Our happiness is a byproduct of the new world He is creating. He has huge plans for us, far beyond our immediate happiness. We need to be open to the possibilities He sees for us.
So we are encouraged to bring our outlandish requests to God, understanding that He may redirect us. And we can trust that He really does know what's best.
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst . . .
Class members shared some of their hopes, not all of which seemed to be happening for them. We looked at some other Bible verses that suggested we could have whatever we want.
- John 14:13-14 says "I will do whatever you ask in my name."
- Mark 11:23-24 says "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have it, and it will be yours."
- Psalm 37:4 says God "will give you the desires of your heart."
So why don't we get what we really, really want?
Each of the promise verses we looked at had a condition attached, or an alternate explanation. Jesus was not promising us "magic wand prayers," where we just need the right incantation to make things happen. He was describing a relationship. "Join my Father and me in this new life, and you will discover power you never dreamed of." "One side benefit of following me is that you will sometimes be given assurance of what you can accomplish." "As you become part of the new kingdom, God will change your deepest desires to reflect the world as it should be."
Prayer is not supposed to be a shopping list that we drop off at God's door each day, expecting Him to do what we think best. Instead, it is a conversation between friends (or family members), where we are free to express our desires and He is free to suggest alternatives.We all agree that some prayers should not be answered the way we originally wanted. We don't see the big picture. We don't have enough information. Our motives aren't as pure as we sometimes think.
And of course, Jesus, who told us we could have whatever we ask for (at least conditionally), didn't pray that way in Gethsemane. The night He was going to be betrayed, He asked to be released from the plan. But He didn't "ask without doubting." Instead He prayed "But whatever you decide, I'll go along with."
We all seemed comfortable with understanding prayer as communication, not magic. Naturally God won't release His power to us just because we really want that job, that award, that relationship. The world would indeed be horrible if misguided people could not only punch each others' noses but also wield supernatural power against each other. Of course each of our requests needs to have God's approval before being implemented.
So why does the Bible seem to offer outlandish answers to prayer?
Perhaps we need the reminder that nothing is impossible for God. Paul wrote to the Ephesians that God could do "immeasurably more than we ask or imagine." Our expectations need to be high. It is too easy for us to settle for the easy, for what we can do on our own. We need to be reminded that God has more for us, and He invites us to dream big. And that means even bigger than ourselves.
Sometimes our big dreams are not quite what He deems best. His primary goal is not our individual happiness. He has established a new kingdom, and He wants us to be part of it. We are part of His plan to reconcile the world to Himself. Our happiness is a byproduct of the new world He is creating. He has huge plans for us, far beyond our immediate happiness. We need to be open to the possibilities He sees for us.
So we are encouraged to bring our outlandish requests to God, understanding that He may redirect us. And we can trust that He really does know what's best.
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