The other evening I heard the words of Jesus in my spirit - Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."
I opened the scriptures to read and re-read the surrounding events that frame the account. When Jesus spoke these words, He was interacting with the Pharisees. He responded to their accusations, accusations that were spawned by their efforts to find fault with Him.
For the past several days, I have repeatedly returned to these words. This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me - what a sharp indictment! As I pondered the implication of these words, I asked the Holy Spirit how the Pharisees got to the point of honoring with their lips only. I am certain that they would have assumed that they were honoring God completely. In my own life; how do I know that I am not in the same place?
The answer came in the next phrase - And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. The connection was and is clear. When I put forth man-inspired teachings and present them as God's mandates, I become like the Pharisees, honoring God verbally only.
My mind travelled back through my personal journey with God. I realized how frequently I clung to paradigms that were contrary to scripture, especially as they had to do with God and the church. It feels like a dangerous proposition to honestly compare my own belief system with the truth of scripture. I have noticed that when we are confronted with a conflict between our own belief system and scripture, it is much easier to cling to our own paradigms and reject scripture. Now, we would never freely admit to our decision. Therefore we hold on to our belief systems all the while presenting them as truth from God. We even search the scriptures to discover a verse or two that will lend credence to our man made perceptions.
I have also discovered how dangerous it is to point out the difference between between our man-inspired teachings and the truth as revealed in scripture. If you dare to make mention of the differences, you will be viciously attacked by those who are most deeply invested in their own paradigms. The Pharisees resisted the exposure brought by the person of Jesus. As the exposure continued, they became increasingly vociferous in their attacks until eventually they betrayed Him to death.
Regardless of the cost, we must follow the example of Jesus. He did nothing of His own. His teaching was not His own. His words were not His own. His belief system was shaped, not in a self-centered intellectual manner, but in the place of submission to the will of the Father. If we freely allow our paradigms to be challenged by the Holy Spirit and scripture, we can expect that our worship will not be in vain.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
the image of God
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)
These words describe the creation of the very first people. In the image of God – our species bears the likeness of God, something that can not be said for any other living being. What a privilege!
Several years ago I had a conversation with an older gentleman, a complete stranger, about God and about our creation in the image of God. To this day, his words still resonate in my heart as truth. “We were created in the image of God but the problem is that ever since our creation we try to create God in our image”.
You see, we somehow assume that God is like me. In Isaiah 44, God speaks to His people. He points out the foolishness of their created idols and images carved out of wood. The craftsman cuts down a tree. With some of the wood he builds a fire with which to bake his bread and cook his meat. With the rest of the wood he carves an image according that reflects his ideas of god, sets it up and calls it his god. What foolishness!
Yet before we cast stones of criticism, it might be helpful to examine our own tendencies. While today we are too sophisticated to carve an image out of wood to worship, we still create our own image of God. Not surprisingly our image of God looks remarkably like us. The writer of the Proverbs speaks to the outcome of our created images - There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25).
Is there any wonder that the ministry of restoration, healing and life can so rarely be found in the church world today? Is it any wonder that true transformation is more theoretical and less an actuality in those who call themselves Christians? Is there any wonder that believers, wounded by their entanglement in sin, have repeatedly told Bev and I that they find more death than life in their interactions in the church world.
How do we deal with our inborn tendency to create a god in our own image? The answer can be found in the person of Jesus. Look at the words of Paul to the church at Corinth - …lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord…(2 Corinthians 4:4-5). Jesus was the only man that ever fully lived in the image of God. He was “God with us”.
The problem with the person of Jesus is that He to this day is a controversial man. When we approach Jesus apart from our preconceived notions of who He is, we discover how frequently His words and actions assault our personal paradigms. At the point of offense, the choice we make will determine whether we cling to the way that seems right to us (that will lead to death) or whether we allow the Christ to be formed in us that allows the image of God truly shine forth.
These words describe the creation of the very first people. In the image of God – our species bears the likeness of God, something that can not be said for any other living being. What a privilege!
Several years ago I had a conversation with an older gentleman, a complete stranger, about God and about our creation in the image of God. To this day, his words still resonate in my heart as truth. “We were created in the image of God but the problem is that ever since our creation we try to create God in our image”.
You see, we somehow assume that God is like me. In Isaiah 44, God speaks to His people. He points out the foolishness of their created idols and images carved out of wood. The craftsman cuts down a tree. With some of the wood he builds a fire with which to bake his bread and cook his meat. With the rest of the wood he carves an image according that reflects his ideas of god, sets it up and calls it his god. What foolishness!
Yet before we cast stones of criticism, it might be helpful to examine our own tendencies. While today we are too sophisticated to carve an image out of wood to worship, we still create our own image of God. Not surprisingly our image of God looks remarkably like us. The writer of the Proverbs speaks to the outcome of our created images - There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25).
Is there any wonder that the ministry of restoration, healing and life can so rarely be found in the church world today? Is it any wonder that true transformation is more theoretical and less an actuality in those who call themselves Christians? Is there any wonder that believers, wounded by their entanglement in sin, have repeatedly told Bev and I that they find more death than life in their interactions in the church world.
How do we deal with our inborn tendency to create a god in our own image? The answer can be found in the person of Jesus. Look at the words of Paul to the church at Corinth - …lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord…(2 Corinthians 4:4-5). Jesus was the only man that ever fully lived in the image of God. He was “God with us”.
The problem with the person of Jesus is that He to this day is a controversial man. When we approach Jesus apart from our preconceived notions of who He is, we discover how frequently His words and actions assault our personal paradigms. At the point of offense, the choice we make will determine whether we cling to the way that seems right to us (that will lead to death) or whether we allow the Christ to be formed in us that allows the image of God truly shine forth.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
hymns
As I get older, I noticed that my music choices change with the passing years. I deeply appreciate the hymns written hundreds of years ago. While not every hymn is theologocially correct, many of them are written from the perspective of people whose struggles in life gave rise the words and music.
Perhaps another reason for my appreciation for hymns has to do with me. As a young and insecure pastor, I was drawn to "cutting edge" music. My insecurities gave rise to the desire to be cool. While I deeply enjoy the music written from the hearts of young followers of Jesus, I am also acutely aware that today's "worship" songs are at times an effort to write the latest "cool" song. They are written, less from the heart and more from soulish motivations.
To sing the songs that thousands of believers have sung for hundreds of years makes my heart glad. To be part of "the great cloud of witnesses" (see Hebrews 12:1) gives connection to those who have gone before me. I am not an island, disconnected from the saints throughout the ages. My voice joins with them in praises to the Creator.
Perhaps another reason for my appreciation for hymns has to do with me. As a young and insecure pastor, I was drawn to "cutting edge" music. My insecurities gave rise to the desire to be cool. While I deeply enjoy the music written from the hearts of young followers of Jesus, I am also acutely aware that today's "worship" songs are at times an effort to write the latest "cool" song. They are written, less from the heart and more from soulish motivations.
To sing the songs that thousands of believers have sung for hundreds of years makes my heart glad. To be part of "the great cloud of witnesses" (see Hebrews 12:1) gives connection to those who have gone before me. I am not an island, disconnected from the saints throughout the ages. My voice joins with them in praises to the Creator.
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