The Seed and the Family
For the last few months, we’ve been studying Genesis together on Sunday mornings. We’ve noticed that the first half of Genesis follows the line of “the seed” – that is, the line of descendants of Adam that led to Jesus Christ.
Yes, others are mentioned, but the focus is on Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, and then Isaac and Jacob. The text mentions others who are part of Adam’s, Seth’s, Noah’s, Abraham’s, and Isaac’s family. But, most of the emphasis are placed on descendants that lead to Jesus Christ.
But, it seems that something changes after Jacob. Suddenly, the focus changes to the entire family. The line of “the seed” goes through Judah, and Judah is certainly included in the text. But others are emphasized as well, especially Joseph.
When you continue through the Pentateuch, again the emphasis is on all of Jacob’s (Israel’s) family and not just Judah’s family.
Have you noticed this double emphasis (the line of the seed and the family of Jacob)? Why do think the emphasis shifts from just “the seed” to the entire family of Jacob?
Internet Ministry: What is it?
A couple of months ago, I was asked to write a post about internet ministry. Since I was preparing to leave for Ethiopia, I said that I would write the post after I returned. As I was studying and thinking about the topic, my post turned into a series of posts.
In this first post, I want to define what I mean by the term “internet ministry.” Now, to be completely honest, this is my definition. While my definition may be similar to others, I wanted to define the phrase in a way that express what I think about ministry itself. So, I’ll begin my definition with the term “ministry.”
As many, many scholars have pointed out, the English term “ministry” comes from the same Greek term as the English term “service.” “Ministry” is “service” and “service” is “ministry.” In the New Testament, there is not difference. So, in my definition there is no difference either. “Internet ministry” is “internet service.”
But, serving whom? In Scripture, service is also directed toward other people.While it may be beneficial to do something that benefits only yourself, this is not service. For example, if I write a book, but do not show it to anyone, it is not an act of service. It only because a possible act of service when I then share that book with others. So, “ministry” or “service” is directed toward others and interact with others in some way.
Thus, “internet ministry” is “internet service directed toward and interacting with other people.”
Now, what about the “internet” part of the phrase “internet ministry?” For this series, I will include any technology, app, or function that uses the internet as “internet.” That may seem obvious, but this means that both email and cell phone apps could be included in the phrase “internet ministry.”
On the other hand, simply having a computer program does not mean that I would include that program in the phrase “internet.” For example, I often use BibleWorks, but I would not include that software package in the term “internet.”
There is at least one more statement that needs to be made about “internet ministry.” I’m writing this from the perspective of a child of God – from someone who desires to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. As such, my intentions in serving others is so that those other people will be drawn to the love of God and begin following him as well. In other words, I want to see people grow in maturity toward Jesus Christ as the ultimate goal.
So, I could give a hungry person food as an act of service. But, as a child of God, I also give them that food to demonstrate the love of God and to attract them to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This idea is not found in the terms “ministry” or “service” but should always be found in the life and actions of a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Thus, as a Christian, my idea of “internet ministry” must include the idea of helping someone grow in their understanding of God and in maturity in Christ.
So, “internet ministry” is the use of online services, apps, functions, and technologies in order to serve people with the intention of helping those people grow in maturity towards Christ.
Trust
Mark at “Called Out In Kansas” wrote a very good post this week called “On Faith – Volume 1” (I’m hoping that title indicates that further “volumes” are to come). In this post, Mark talks about how his understanding of faith has changed. He concludes:
So, the crux of the post is this:  faith is an important part of our Christian walk, and faith is a bi-product of our Christian walk.  We use our faith to walk in Christ, and like a muscle, the more we use it the more it grows.  As a charismatic I felt condemned if I didn’t have enough faith.  Now I understand that there are things I will stand in faith for, but haven’t walked in Christ long enough to grow into that level of faith, and so I may not see the final manifestation of what I prayed for.  This is no cause for guilt or condemnation, it just is what it is.  The longer I walk the more I will grow in faith, and the greater works He can do in and through me.
As I told Mark in a comment, I’ve started to think more and more of “faith” as trust. How much do I trust God? Do I trust God in spite of anything that may or may not happen with my life?
But will you “Stop”?
Three years ago, I wrote a post called “But will you ‘Stop’?” The point of the post is simple: we can study, and explain, and discuss, and argue, and teach, and preach, and examine, and analyze, etc. But if we do not obey, then all of the above is moot.
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John at “Jesus the Radical Pastor” shares a post called “The Meaning of ‘Stop’” which was originally written by Tim Perry from Durham University. He uses caricatures of modern hermeneutical methods to examine the meaning of the word “STOP” on a stop sign. Here are some of my favorites (although there are many hilarious examples):
5. A fundamentalist, taking the text very literally, stops at the stop sign and waits for it to tell him to go.
6. A seminary-educated evangelical preacher might look up “STOP” in his lexicons of English and discover that it can mean: 1) something which prevents motion, such as a plug for a drain, or a block of wood that prevents a door from closing; 2) location where a train or bus lets off passengers. The main point of his sermon the following Sunday on this text is: when you see a stop sign, it is a place where traffic is naturally clogged, so it is a good place to let off passengers from your car.
10. A NT scholar notices that there is no stop sign on Mark street but there is one on Matthew and Luke streets, and concludes that the ones on Luke and Matthew streets are both copied from a sign on a street no one has ever seen called “Q” Street. There is an excellent 300 page doctoral dissertation on the origin of these stop signs and the differences between stop signs on Matthew and Luke street in the scholar’s commentary on the passage. There is an unfortunate omission in the dissertation, however; it doesn’t explain the meaning of the text!
Yes, these are funny and very close to reality. But, I wonder: how many people who study the stop sign would actually stop?
I enjoy a good scholarly study of a biblical passage. But, if you want to teach, start by living out what you are teaching. You can study and outline and explain and exhort, but if your life does not match what you say, then you are not teaching (in the NT pattern of teaching). Consider this passage from Jesus:
The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you- but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. (Matthew 23:2-3 ESV)
And this passage from Jesus:
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. (John 14:23-24 ESV)
And this passage from Paul:
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 ESV)
And this passage from James:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13 ESV)
So, study the stop sign. Examine the stop sign. Analyze the stop sign. Read what others say about the stop sign. Discuss the stop sign. But, most of all, STOP!
Missing the Target
Our target is to be like Christ. Right? That’s what Paul says:
…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… (Ephesians 4:13 ESV)
Imagine that all of your beliefs, traditions, practices, everything were rolled up into one score and placed on a target (like a dart board) in relation to your distance and direction from being “like Christ.” Obviously, no one would hit the bulls eye.
Now, imagine that other people’s “mark” were placed on the target (like other darts on the dart board) in relation to their distance and direction from being “like Christ.”
Would we be more comfortable with those who scored closer to us, or to those who scored closer to being “like Christ” but on the other side of the target from us?
If we can figure out why most are more comfortable with others who are closer to them instead of others who are closer to Christ, we may understand why we don’t live in and demonstrate the unity that we have in Christ.
What do you think?
The Sheep or Shepherding?
Rod left a comment on my post “Rejected” that I want to give more visibility.
His comment was an excerpt from a Christianity Today article called “To Serve Is to Suffer.” Here is part of the article:
The biblical model of community life is Jesus’ command to love one another as he loved us—that is, for members to die for other members (John 15:12-13). The model of Christian leadership is that of the Good Shepherd dying for his sheep, not abandoning them when the situation gets dangerous (John 10:11-15). When God calls us to serve him, he calls us to come and die for the people we serve. We don’t discard people when they have problems and cannot do their job properly. We serve them and help them come out of their problems. We don’t tell people to find another place of service when they rebel against us. We labor with them until we either come to agreement or agree to disagree.
When people leave a church because they do not fit the program, it communicates a deadly message: that our commitment is to the work and not to the person, that our unity is primarily in the work and not in Christ and the gospel. The sad result is that Christians do not have the security of a community that will stay by them no matter what happens. They become shallow individuals, never having true fellowship and moving from group to group. Churches committed to programs can grow numerically, but they don’t nurture biblical Christians who understand the implications of belonging to the body of Christ.
The way we treat people who disagree with us demonstrates whether we love the people or the work… (By the way, I think this is true for all believers, not just elders/pastors/leaders.)
Discipling as Discipleship
Recently, I was talking with a friend about teaching. My friend said that he thought he learned more by teaching (both the study beforehand and the act of teaching combined) than his students learned. I’ve heard many, many people make this same kind of statement.
In fact, I noticed the same thing when I first started teaching Greek. Although I had taken several classes in Greek grammar, Greek exegesis, and even Greek linguistics, I learned more by teaching an introductory Greek course than I learned in all of those classes combined. (Obviously, I needed the foundations of what I learned in those classes, though.)
Furthermore, I think that I learned things by teaching that I never would have learned if I had remained a student… that is, if I had never tried to teach someone else.
So, if my friend’s statement and other people’s statements and my own experience are any indication, then teaching is a good way for the teacher to learn. In fact, teaching may be the only way for the teacher to learn certain things.
Lately, I’ve been wondering if this is true of discipleship as well. Is making disciples a good way of being discipled? Do we become better disciples (are we discipled) when we help disciple others (make disciples)?
As we help people mature in their faith and help people follow Jesus, are we then in the process helped to mature in our faith and helped to follow Jesus?
Furthermore, could it be that there are aspects of being a disciple of Jesus that we will never learn or understand or obey until we are in the process of discipling others?
To me, these seem like simple, rhetorical questions, all of which would be answered, “Yes!” But, practically, I (and others that I’ve observed) tend to live as if the epitome of discipleship is to continue to be discipled by the master discipler.
When Jesus told his disciples to make disciples, he included this: “teaching them to do all that I commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) It would seem that as Jesus’ disciples made disciples, they would teach them to “make disciples.” Otherwise, the disciples would not be teaching others to do all that Jesus commanded the disciples to do.
But, if my assumption at the beginning of this post is correct, then discipling other is not simply a matter of obedience… it is a form of discipleship itself. In the process of discipling others, we are discipled. Thus, if we fail to disciple others, not only do we fail to obey the teachings of Christ, we also fail to be discipled ourselves.
Perhaps this seems strange or convoluted or even confusing. But, this is what it boils down to: to be a disciple of Jesus, we must make disciples. While we are making disciples, we are being discipled ourselves.
Rejected
Do you know what happens when you question someone’s traditions or you question the status quo? Eric from “A Pilgrim’s Progress” knows, and he writes about it in his post “If you Challenge the Status Quo…”
Speaking of church traditions, Eric says:
If you open your bibles and then look at your church, you will most likely see some inconsistencies. In some churches there are few; in others there are almost too many to count. When you point these things out, the following ten things will happen from at least some people:
-You will not be welcomed.
-You will be scorned.
-You will be talked about behind your back.
-You will be ignored.
-It will be labeled divisive.
-You won’t be trusted anymore.
-You will face rejection.
-You will be told that you just don’t understand.
-You will be told to trust those in authority.
-You will be told that it was that way then, but it is this way now.
Yep. Eric’s right. I’ve seen all of those reactions.
Although, I have noticed that people will be more likely to listen to you if they actually know you (you share your life with them and vice versa) and if your life is a good example of godliness.
What do you think? Have you faced any of these reactions? Have you reacted this way before?
I saw he went to church
Eric left a comment on my post called “He went to church.” He called the comment “I saw he went to church,” and it is exactly what I was hoping people would think about when they read my post. You see, it’s easy to read something like my post and point fingers at other people. But, Eric put the problem right where it exists… with each one of us.
Here is Eric’s comment:
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I saw he went to church
I noticed my neighbor’s recently emptied home. He doesn’t seem to look up and wave when we drive by any more. I noticed he was often out washing his car while we passed by going to church. I thought “he should be going to church, not washing his carâ€. Now his home is emptied and he is suffering the consequences. I wondered if I should ask him to go to church. But then, a strange thing happened. He came to church! I am certain he looked at the carefully placed “How to Become A Christian†section of the bulletin. It’s right on the front! He listened intently to the pastor’s sermon, so I know he heard what I think he needed to hear. He even gave money during the offering time, so I know he must have been blessed by the praise songs. I didn’t get to talk to him because we had to hurry to the restaurant for lunch, but Deacon Smith said his family sat by him and said it was great to meet him. So, I am sure he felt welcome. I am glad I saw that he went to church.
I sure felt better knowing he wasn’t home washing his car. He is finally getting right with God.
A Rest Area Conversation
A friend of ours moved to Europe a couple of years ago. She keeps us updated on her life through email. She came to visit a couple of months ago, but we were not able to spend time with her.
In Europe, she’s building relationships with people and sharing the gospel with them. In a recent email, she shared this story with us about a friend of her’s (J.) who is not yet a follower of Jesus. She gave me permission to share part of her email:
The next day, we were driving back to M. late at night. J. and I were sleeping while G. was driving. I felt like I needed to pray for J. for some reason. We stopped at a rest area and J. and I got out to go to the bathroom. She said to me, “You know, while we were in the car, I was saying my prayers. I don’t know why, but any time I am anxious and I say my prayers and talk to God about it, it really helps and I have so much peace.” I affirmed what she said and talked about how that’s what I do as well and how God made us to find joy and peace in Him. She then said, “I have heard everything over and over again….and I don’t know why I cannot surrender. But He (God) is not making it very easy for me. I cannot get it out of my mind. It’s like I cannot even enjoy life without him.” I saw tears in her eyes and for the first time I saw the “break down” inside of her in which I could tell the Holy Spirit was revealing the truth not as a concept but as a reality….and one that she needs! We both had tears in our eyes as I excitedly spoke to her of God’s love for her and his patience and how he wants her to know him and how nothing else will ever satisfy her. (emphasis in original email)
What a great story! I’m so glad that my friend iS faithful to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to share her life with the people that she’s meeting. I pray that all of us would be just as faithful!