Scripture… As We Live It #207
This is the 207th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me so there’s no reason to ever do anything about the poor since it’s a lost cause. (Matthew 26:11 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #206
This is the 206th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
But some of you have been anointed by the Holy One, and some of you all have knowledge. (1 John 2:20 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Replay: Continued Proclamation about the Kingdom of God in Acts
Two years ago, I wrote the post “Continued Proclamation about the Kingdom of God in Acts.” If I remember correctly, we were studying the Book of Acts together at the time. When I study books, I tend to study the book as a whole as much as possible before studying individual pieces, paragraphs, sentences, words, etc. In this way, the author’s purpose and intent is easier to distinguish. So, was Luke exhorting his readers (of Acts) to see themselves as “missionaries” sent by God to continue proclaiming the kingdom of God? I think so.
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Continued Proclamation about the Kingdom of God in Acts
Have you ever noticed how the Book of Acts starts:
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:1-3 ESV)
There are two things I want to point out: 1) Luke’s first book (the Gospel of Luke) dealt with “all the Jesus began to do and teach” which indicates that this book (Acts) deals with what Jesus continued to do and teach. 2) After Jesus’ resurrection, he talked to many people about the kingdom of God.
And the end of Acts, we read this passage:
He [Paul] lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:30-31 ESV)
Again, there are two things that I’d like to bring up: 1) Paul taught about Jesus with boldness and without hindrance even though he was under house arrest. 2) Paul, as with Jesus earlier, was proclaiming the kingdom of God.
Thus, at the beginning of Acts and the end of Acts (as well as several other places in the book – Acts 1:6, 8:12, 14:22, 19:8, 20:25, 28:23) we see the importance of speaking about and proclaiming the kingdom of God. Furthermore, we see that this type of proclamation is a continuation of what Jesus was doing and that the proclamation was unhindered even when the one proclaiming was imprisoned.
It seems, then, that Luke intended his second volume to be a treatise on the expansion of the kingdom of God. However, Luke did not intend Acts to be a treatise on the beginning of the kingdom. His Gospel explained that Jesus was the beginning of the kingdom of God. Similarly, Luke did not intend Acts to be a treatise on the end of the expansion of the kingdom. Instead, the kingdom continues to be proclaimed at the end of the book.
From just after Luke finished writing Acts until today, a reader would get the idea that the kingdom of God continues to expand and therefore must continue to be proclaimed. The reader would close the book seeing himself or herself as the one to proclaim the kingdom.
There are obviously other themes in the book of Acts (i.e. dependence on the Spirit, the kingdom community created by the Spirit, the gospel’s defeat of worldly systems), but we should never overlook the emphasis on the proclamation and expansion of the kingdom of God. This, along with many other aspects of the book of Acts, makes the book a missionary book, in the sense that those reading the book recognize that they are “sent” (apostello, missio).
So… you are sent to proclaim the kingdom of God and to see the kingdom of God expand.
(By the way, did you notice that we’ll only see this theme if we read the entire book, not just memorize one verse or passage?)
Scripture… As We Live It #205
This is the 205th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit as your leader has been refreshed he has refreshed by you all you all. (2 Corinthians 7:13 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Replay: Fasting and Feasting to the Lord
Four years ago, I wrote a post called “Fasting and Feasting to the Lord.” Today (and historically for some), people tend to divide activities into the physical and the spiritual. Eating, for example, is a physical activity that only affects us physically. However, according to Scripture, fasting (not eating) or feasting (eating… alot) can be an extremely spiritual activity that affects our relationship with God and with one another.
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Fasting and Feasting to the Lord
A couple of weeks ago, I was studying the topic of fasting. At that time, I thought that I was going to be teaching from Matthew 6:16-18 –
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18 ESV)
I was already familiar with the passage in Isaiah concerning fasting –
“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isaiah 58:1-7 ESV)
But, I was not familiar with the following passage from Zechariah –
Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: “Say to all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves? Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and the South and the lowland were inhabited?”
And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets.
Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. “As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate.” (Zechariah 7:4-14 ESV)
It is clear from these passages that fasting and feasting (from Zechariah 7:6) pertains to more than the absence or presence of food and drink. In fact, I would suggest that, according to Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7, fasting and feasting pertains to more than our relationship with God. Instead, God intends fasting and feasting to turn our hearts toward him, toward one another, and toward those who are hungry, homeless, poor, oppressed, fatherless, widowed, and foreign.
These are not contrary or contradictory ideas. Turning our hearts toward God will automatically turn our hearts toward other people. Why? Because God’s heart is with people. It is impossible to read Scripture without seeing that God cares for people and expects his children to demonstrate that same love and concern. In fact, if our hearts are not turned toward others, then our hearts are not properly turned toward God. If we do not demonstrate love toward others, then we do not love God.
Notice especially this rhetorical question from Isaiah 58:7 – “Is it [the fast that God chooses] not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” This fast goes far beyond giving up food and drink. It actually goes beyond turning your thoughts toward God. This rhetorical question recognizes that when one of God’s children turns his or her thoughts toward God, that person’s thoughts are also turned towards those who have physical needs, and that person acts to relieve those needs.
I have “fasted” before, meaning that I have given up food for a specified period of time. I still have several journals that I wrote during these “fasts”. But, when I compare my “fasts” to Scripture, I see that my “fasts” were not of the type that God chooses. I remember learning many things during “fasts” – many things about God and many things about myself. But, if I honestly compare my “fasts” with the fasts that God desires (as described in Isaiah 58 and Zechariah 7), then I must admit that I did not truly fast before God. How do I know? Because my heart was not turned toward those who were suffering injustice, oppression, hunger, poverty, etc. Since my heart was not turned toward others, I certainly did not act as God desires.
I wonder… am I willing to fast now?
Scripture… As We Live It #204
This is the 204th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
…submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. But, all of you should not submit to one another. Only some of you should submit to others. (Ephesians 5:21 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #203
This is the 203rd passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. But, only accept those who esteem (or do not esteem) the same days as you. (Romans 14:5 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #202
This is the 202nd passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.” (And, no, this isn’t an April Fools joke…)
As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. Unless, of course, you agree with that divisive person. In that case, you should support that person and encourage him to continue to stand firm for God. (Titus 3:10-11 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #201
This is the 201st passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
Give to the one who begs from you as long as you know he’s not going to misuse your gift, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you as long as you know that she can repay you. (Matthew 5:42 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #200
This is the 200th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
But you are a chosen race many chosen races, a royal priesthood different royal priesthoods, a holy nation several holy nations, a people various peoples for his own possession, that you may proclaim argue with one another about who better understands the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)