Scriptures and the Power of God

After the Pharisees failed to trap Jesus in his words about paying taxes, their rivals the Sadducees had their turn:

"That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?'

Jesus replied, 'You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.'

When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching." ~ Matthew 22:23-33

Sometimes I wonder if we are often in error - even though we may know the Scriptures - but because we do not know the power of God.

• "If a person dies before he's baptized - even if he's heard and believed and repented and confessed and is on the way to the church and is killed in a car wreck - he's lost and forever damned."
  
  Really? The God who held the sun still in the sky for a day can't prevent or delay the death of someone who wants to be immersed into Christ before he can do so? The Son of God who stilled storms and calmed lakes can't forgive a broken, desperate soul who recognizes His divinity ... even if he's being crucified a few arm's-lengths away?



• "If a person doesn't understand that she is being baptized for the remission of sins, her baptism counts for nothing and she is condemned to an eternity in hell."
  
  Oh? The God who knows the number of hairs on our heads and the number of IQ points inside them and the teachings we have been barraged with - for better or worse - by folks with the best of intentions teaching us at our churches ... that God can't credit the belief of such a faithful one (as He did with Abraham) as righteousness ... or at least the deep desire for it?



• "If God is love and is not willing that any should perish, then eventually He will save everyone."
  
  Then, the God who obliterated all the evil tenants of the earth in a flood, ordered the herem-extermination of child-sacrificers, and whose Son spoke in no uncertain terms of the fates of those on His left and His right ... they were just joshing? That there is only kindness and no severity to those who will not believe? That He is merciful, but not just; loving but not righteous? Because, as I understand it, it is impossible for Him to lie.

We could go on and on. (Many have.) If we did, we would probably still be arguing as much from our ignorance of Scriptures as of the power of God.

But I think we especially underestimate His power.

And that may help explain why we so seldom pray and let Him work through us as powerfully as Paul did:

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:20

Earth Day Wednesday, April 22

This message is from Michael, co director of Alternatives for Simple Living www.simpleliving.org

How will you be spending Earth day? We hope you will be able to spend time enjoying creation and support efforts to encourage the wise stewardship of the planet earth.

A common comment these days is "Now is the time we need to start living more simply." Usually this comment is made in the context of the current economic situation, where people are losing their jobs and investment income.

That is a good reason, but I think the reason we need to live more simply is more than adapting to an economic downturn; it is about the survival of human life on earth. "Live simply so others
can simply live" says it clearly. We in the, so called, developed world cannot continue to consume in the fashion or amount we have grown accustomed to and expect that life on Earth will thrive let alone survive.

David Korten, in his new book, Agenda for a New Economy; From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth writes, "Unless we are voluntary simplicity initiates, we are inclined to increase our consumption in tandem with growth in our income, placing an even greater burden on our planet. We often say with pride, "I can afford it," without asking whether Earth can afford it."

Earth Day asks if the planet can afford humankind's careless use of resources, particularly the extravagance of the richest third of the Earth's inhabitants. Our faith traditions ask whether we are being faithful managers or stewards of God's creation, and reflect back to us, that as we care for creation we are showing love to God and neighbor.

Have a great Earth Day,

Michael

Hello from Lubbock!

I'm staying with a high school friend and his family and enjoying reconnecting with them. I'm here for the ZOE Conference at the Monterey Church of Christ. I'm involved with ZOE because we help people break free from legalism and experience a new journey with Jesus Christ.

We help people with stepping stones like articles on Wineskins.org, conference experiences in worship, great speakers such as Mike Cope, Jeff Walling, Randy Harris, Scot McKnight, music in CD and printed sheet music for fresh approaches to worship, and a Growing Deeper Spirituality program. Check all this out at www.wineskins.org and www.zoegroup.org

Plans are to return to Tulsa Saturday night, and I'll be preaching Sunday on Matthew 5:38-42.

May our love with God grow deeper and passion for our world go wider.

--Greg

P.S. Here are the small group questions for this week:

Small Group Questions

Read Matthew 5:38-39

Tell about an experience you've had in your family, work, church where you've seen someone living out Jesus teaching.

Have there been times when your punishment or "justice" exceeded the wrong done? For example, for parents: can you tell about a time when the punishment you gave your children inappropriately exceeded their wrongdoing?

How can we live this teaching out in our homes, work, church, neighborhood?

Read Matthew 5:40-42

Tell about an experience you've had in your family, work, church where you've seen someone living out Jesus teaching.

How can your small group give to those who ask, share your "two coats" with someone in need, go the "extra mile"?

How can we pray for you?

Daniel Mwaza Fast

During Lent I'm on a Daniel Fast. No, not Daniel in the Bible.

My friend, Daniel Mwaza, in Uganda told me how to lose weight . . . He said, "Stop eating so much."

So I'm eating half of the normal American calorie intake (which about matches intake of half the world), with about 4 oz of protein a day.

I lived seven years in Uganda, and this fast helps me remember those days when I saw children in villages eat their one meal for the day, a handful of beans and some cassava (yucca root).

Fasting can heighten your awareness of God, lead to deeper prayer and discernment. It can also lead to poor brain function. I could barely make it through a seekers Bible study last night after our Neighborhood Kitchens meal, but God gave me the power to finish when we discussed from Mark 3 the way the evil spirits bowed down in the presence of Jesus. We saw that nothing can prevail against God, nothing.

The last few weeks have been a bittersweet whirlwind with my move to lead minister of Garnett Church of Christ and the exit of my friend and co-worker, our former lead minister Wade Hodges.

I'm very happy to preach and help lead this church under the guidance of our shepherds, the teamwork of a great staff, and in partnership with an incredible congregation that is seeing before us the greatest opportunity in decades--probably since the bus ministry--to reach out to our neighbors through Neighborhood Kitchens, Angel Food, Food Pantry, where we see hundreds of guests and fellow servants seeking the Lord, community, life.

We're also looking for a full-time children's minister and rebuilding a great ministry to children as well as continuing an incredible student ministry that Lance Newsom and Deanie Johnson and a band of volunteers run so very well.

Last night, a Garnett teacher taught class, filled with both children from families currently at Garnett and children of adult guests who are checking out what this community is all about. She was headed home and said she was hungry. We had fed more than 200 guests and our beloved Chef Roy was not there to stretch food like he normally does (he was home recovering from surgery). So we ran out of food, and this teacher had been last in line. She was heading home with her boys, hungry but smiling, another kind of fast for the sake of the kingdom and the mission of this congregation.

The Kindnesses of the Lord

"I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us ─ yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.” ~ Isaiah 63:7

One of the ways we worship is telling the kindnesses of the Lord, and it is certainly not worship that is restricted to a preaching minister, worship leader, minister or someone sharing thoughts at the Lord’s table. Any and all of us can tell of His kindness toward us – Isaiah calls them “the deeds for which he is to be praised.”

“If you cannot sing like angels / If you cannot preach like Paul / You can tell the love of Jesus / You can say, ‘He died for all.’ “ – There Is a Balm in Gilead (traditional spiritual)

The Place Was Shaken

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." ~ Acts 4:31

After Peter and John stood up to the Sanhedrin – the same ruling council that had condemned Jesus probably just a few weeks before (Matthew 26:59) – they rejoined “their own people” and prayed boldly, a prayer of praise to God and request for His inspiration and power. It was a kind of second revival – another “aftershock” - after the wind-and-fire events of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the earthquake at Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:51). Peter and John had preached Christ boldly right in the temple courts ever since. Should we not also be about the business of boldly proclaiming Jesus … praying together our praise to God … asking for His inspiration and power in us, used to His glory?

Four-Dimensional Jesus

" Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." ~ Luke 2:52

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." ~ Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27

That's right. He grew four ways: in wisdom (mentally, intellectually; in mind), in stature (or strength; physically; in the ability to do things to His glory), in favor with God (spiritually; in His soul), and in favor with men (socially; in His heart for others). So, as a community of believers, we have an opportunity to grow and fill out each other's deficits and have our deficits enriched by their gifts. Surely God wants us to grow in all four dimensions - including our worship - just as Jesus did.

What will 2009 bring?

Could you have imagined one year ago what 2008 would bring? Can you imagine what events will happen in your life in 2009, what will happen internationally?

What can you do in 2009 to be ready for the changes that will occur in your life and in the world? Since I was a child I have made personal goals at the beginning of each year. I no longer make personal goals but try to think about the communities I'm in and what our community goals will be.

Last night my family sat down to a beautifully prepared meal my wife made. Pork tenderloin wrapped around spinach and provolone cheese, sauteed peas, mushrooms, carrots, salad, and potatoes. Jill offered the children a copy of our family's one year Bible to read personally and suggested we read it together as well. We talked about what the year would bring, we discussed how we were getting our house in order individually and collectively.

Next week our church will have these discussions, sitting around meals, in offices, in coffee shops. I'll have these conversations with various ministry leaders, shepherds, fellow ministers at Garnett. I'll talk to Eric, Keith, Lara, and others on the ZOE team and we'll discern what God is leading us to in 2009. I'll meet with Jeff Krisman and talk about what will happen with Neighborhood Kitchens/Wednesday night meals at Garnett.

To begin this year, I'll also talk with Leonard Allen about what's going on with Leafwood/ACU Press that I can help with. We have a few cool things up our sleeves in all these areas. I'll check in with Clint Davis about Kibo's goals--he and I met yesterday in his yard, but for a different purpose: to cut a pesky tree that was damaging his house. I'm glad I'm down off that roof and the limb is safely down without breaking windows. We were proud of ourselves!

January is really about conversations of direction and purpose in the communities I live in. We don't make goals as much as we prepare ourselves for what could come, for what God is doing in the world. Will we be ready to face challenges that come, and what do we need to do and be to be ready? That question is more important than the goals we make. Are we shaped in the image of Christ? How do we do that so we're ready for opportunities and challenges that life and God bring our way?

So our exercise fitness, the way we eat, the way we daily pray, fast (or not), enter in Scripture and thought of fellow Christ followers, all serves the purpose of the communities of Christ followers I live in. For many years my goals were about fitness and Bible reading and books to get through and degrees to obtain, but those things all serve the end of my life becoming shaped into the image of Christ in the communities I'm in.

What communities do you need to talk to about what 2009 will look like? Enjoy talking and acting on those conversations.

May God bless those talks. Happy New Year 2009.

Treasures in Heaven

When we are tempted to invest our faith in things like clothes or cars or cash, Jesus inevitably reminds us that there will also be things like moths and rust and thieves:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~ Matthew 6:19-21

When we put our faith in that which lasts, our hearts and lives and investments of time, talent, energy and wealth will naturally follow.

The Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew’s gospel has a unique focus on “the kingdom of heaven,” but it is Luke who records that Mary was told that the kingdom would be eternal:

“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.’ ” ~ Luke 1:30-33 (see also Daniel 2:44; 6:26)