I'm sure this is about the thousandth time this headline has appeared in the paper, but it is pretty interesting nonetheless!
FOXNews.com - Has Noah's Ark Been Found on Turkish Mountaintop?
Posted using ShareThis
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Jesus’ Conversation with Nicodemus – Part 1, Background
My Bible study group is going through the book of John right now, and some of the things we have discussed about this topic have been very intriguing to me, so I though I’d share some of our thoughts and insights with you.
John 3:1-21
There are two things that I believe are important to understand when looking at Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus: why John wrote and the portions of the previous two chapters of the gospel John wrote. I have learned how important it is to look at a historical document’s (or any other writing, oral history, video, photograph, etc.) purpose, to look for the author’s agenda; to understand what they are attempting to get across. When a picture is taken, the photographer chooses what to include and exclude. If a photographer is taking a picture of a slum area and shows a run-down building with graffiti and broken windows, are they trying to show a slum’s poverty or its recent upswing in crime, and why did they leave out the newly renovated park next door: because it doesn’t show the photographer’s purpose. It is the same with the written word; the author chooses how to phrase his writing and what to include or not to include. In the case of the gospel of John, he states clearly at the end of the book that there were more things that Jesus did than could fill John’s book (John 20:30-31 and 21:25). John also states clearly his purpose in writing: “…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31.)
John is writing so the readers will believe, not to show a chronological story of Jesus’ life. With his purpose discovered, it is also important to remember that it is a very Western idea or mindset that things occur in chronological order. This is not so in many Middle Eastern cultures, and is especially not true of the Jewish culture (of the time). John places Jesus’ overturning of the money changers’ tables in the temple in chapter 2, while the other gospels place it during Passion Week, just prior to Jesus’ death. Many look at this as an error in the Scriptures; however, if you look at John’s purpose for writing and the themes, style, and rhythm of the entire book, it is fairly clear that he couples events and conversations to emphasize a point of Jesus’, as well as to show who Jesus is and why He is so important. This is true of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (as well as the second portion of chapter three where John the Baptist discusses with his disciples that it is through belief in Jesus that one receives eternal life). John’s writings are with a purpose, each event seems to be paired with another which emphasize who Jesus is and what His purpose was in coming as man.
Following this emphasis of John’s style of writing and points he is making to the reader, it is important to note when reading this conversation with Nicodemus that portions of the previous two chapters are reflected in the dialogue and statements that are made. First, when Nicodemus says to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2), it is almost a direct reflection of the demand by the Pharisees at the end of the previous chapter to have Jesus “prove” his authority by miracles (John 2:18). (Interestingly enough, Nicodemus is a Pharisee and uses the word “we” when he comes to Jesus. So, it would seem that not all Pharisees were out to get Jesus. Some saw His authority and wanted to know more, to understand who He was and why God sent Him.)
The second portion that needs to be looked at in light of a prior chapter is John 3:19-21 (John 1). John’s use of light and dark in this chapter needs to be read and understood in light of the first chapter of the book. But first, we have to understand why John labels Jesus as “the Word” in chapter 1. If we go back to Genesis 1, it is another “In the beginning” phrase (John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1), written in John 1:1 to specifically bring Jewish readers’ attention to Genesis Chapter 1. Although my writing here is in no way a theological statement, it is interesting to read about creation in light of John’s labeling of Jesus as the Word. I almost picture God speaking “let there be light” and Jesus, being the Word, makes it happen (John 1:3). The Greek word logos used in John 1:1 does not just mean "word," it became a technical term in ancient Greek philosophy; to the readers it had the connotation of the ordering of the universe. So, again, looking back at Genesis, God spoke the words, and the world was created. John’s point? We must again look at why he wrote the gospel of John. John wrote so that we would “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...” (John 20:31.) Jesus was always. From the very beginning of creation, Jesus was. John is declaring that Jesus is God. (John 1:34.)
Second, after the introduction of who Jesus is, John writes about Jesus’ purpose. “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:4.) Again, look back at John’s purpose for writing, “…and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31.) This also reflects back on Genesis; God created life, Jesus was with God, the Word. Not only was Jesus at our creation, He is what makes us alive; through Jesus we have life.
The light that John discusses needs to be looked at in real terms. What is light but the absence of darkness; it illuminates the dark and shows us what we cannot see. Jesus shows us who we truly are, He illuminates our life. At that point, we have two choices: choose the dark or choose the light. With the choice of the light, Jesus, we “have life in his name.” (John 20:31.) We have life because of Jesus in two ways, first through creation and second through belief.
Bringing us back to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, the above text from John 1 reflects this conversation in John 3. The right to true life, to belong to God, is not a birthright (as the Jewish nation saw it), but it is through God that we have this gift. The Word was born physically to show us this fact, that it is not our physical acts of obedience that gives us grace, it is our choice to accept the light, to believe.
John 3:1-21
There are two things that I believe are important to understand when looking at Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus: why John wrote and the portions of the previous two chapters of the gospel John wrote. I have learned how important it is to look at a historical document’s (or any other writing, oral history, video, photograph, etc.) purpose, to look for the author’s agenda; to understand what they are attempting to get across. When a picture is taken, the photographer chooses what to include and exclude. If a photographer is taking a picture of a slum area and shows a run-down building with graffiti and broken windows, are they trying to show a slum’s poverty or its recent upswing in crime, and why did they leave out the newly renovated park next door: because it doesn’t show the photographer’s purpose. It is the same with the written word; the author chooses how to phrase his writing and what to include or not to include. In the case of the gospel of John, he states clearly at the end of the book that there were more things that Jesus did than could fill John’s book (John 20:30-31 and 21:25). John also states clearly his purpose in writing: “…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31.)
John is writing so the readers will believe, not to show a chronological story of Jesus’ life. With his purpose discovered, it is also important to remember that it is a very Western idea or mindset that things occur in chronological order. This is not so in many Middle Eastern cultures, and is especially not true of the Jewish culture (of the time). John places Jesus’ overturning of the money changers’ tables in the temple in chapter 2, while the other gospels place it during Passion Week, just prior to Jesus’ death. Many look at this as an error in the Scriptures; however, if you look at John’s purpose for writing and the themes, style, and rhythm of the entire book, it is fairly clear that he couples events and conversations to emphasize a point of Jesus’, as well as to show who Jesus is and why He is so important. This is true of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (as well as the second portion of chapter three where John the Baptist discusses with his disciples that it is through belief in Jesus that one receives eternal life). John’s writings are with a purpose, each event seems to be paired with another which emphasize who Jesus is and what His purpose was in coming as man.
Following this emphasis of John’s style of writing and points he is making to the reader, it is important to note when reading this conversation with Nicodemus that portions of the previous two chapters are reflected in the dialogue and statements that are made. First, when Nicodemus says to Jesus, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2), it is almost a direct reflection of the demand by the Pharisees at the end of the previous chapter to have Jesus “prove” his authority by miracles (John 2:18). (Interestingly enough, Nicodemus is a Pharisee and uses the word “we” when he comes to Jesus. So, it would seem that not all Pharisees were out to get Jesus. Some saw His authority and wanted to know more, to understand who He was and why God sent Him.)
The second portion that needs to be looked at in light of a prior chapter is John 3:19-21 (John 1). John’s use of light and dark in this chapter needs to be read and understood in light of the first chapter of the book. But first, we have to understand why John labels Jesus as “the Word” in chapter 1. If we go back to Genesis 1, it is another “In the beginning” phrase (John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1), written in John 1:1 to specifically bring Jewish readers’ attention to Genesis Chapter 1. Although my writing here is in no way a theological statement, it is interesting to read about creation in light of John’s labeling of Jesus as the Word. I almost picture God speaking “let there be light” and Jesus, being the Word, makes it happen (John 1:3). The Greek word logos used in John 1:1 does not just mean "word," it became a technical term in ancient Greek philosophy; to the readers it had the connotation of the ordering of the universe. So, again, looking back at Genesis, God spoke the words, and the world was created. John’s point? We must again look at why he wrote the gospel of John. John wrote so that we would “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...” (John 20:31.) Jesus was always. From the very beginning of creation, Jesus was. John is declaring that Jesus is God. (John 1:34.)
Second, after the introduction of who Jesus is, John writes about Jesus’ purpose. “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:4.) Again, look back at John’s purpose for writing, “…and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31.) This also reflects back on Genesis; God created life, Jesus was with God, the Word. Not only was Jesus at our creation, He is what makes us alive; through Jesus we have life.
The light that John discusses needs to be looked at in real terms. What is light but the absence of darkness; it illuminates the dark and shows us what we cannot see. Jesus shows us who we truly are, He illuminates our life. At that point, we have two choices: choose the dark or choose the light. With the choice of the light, Jesus, we “have life in his name.” (John 20:31.) We have life because of Jesus in two ways, first through creation and second through belief.
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did
not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not
receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent,
nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became
flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the
One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:10-14)
Bringing us back to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, the above text from John 1 reflects this conversation in John 3. The right to true life, to belong to God, is not a birthright (as the Jewish nation saw it), but it is through God that we have this gift. The Word was born physically to show us this fact, that it is not our physical acts of obedience that gives us grace, it is our choice to accept the light, to believe.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Can I Truly Say That His Grace is Enough for Me?
At worship this week, we sang “Your Grace Is Enough” sung by Chris Tomlin. (I’ve placed the lyrics at the end for anyone who doesn’t know the song.) Something hit me while I was worshipping that really made me think about my life. I know God’s grace is enough to save me, that’s a no-brainer. But what I wondered is whether I am content or satisfied with God’s gift of grace.
In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul is responding to the Philippians’ concern for him while he is imprisoned in Rome. Paul’s response to their concern and gifts is that he has “…learned how to be content with whatever I have.” (v. 11) Am I content with what I have? God has given me this huge gift of His grace; I am forgiven and loved by the God who created all and is all. Am I selfish enough to continually desire more? Yes, and that is what hit me when I was signing “Your Grace Is Enough.” I don’t live my life like God’s grace is all I need. I live my life like that gift He gave me, sacrificed for me, is a right and that I deserve more.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that we shouldn’t ask God for whatever is in His will, but I don’t believe that I seek His will often enough to know what God wants for and from me. I have to learn to let go of my desires and learn to embrace God’s desires. God desires me to live for Him, not for me. God desires me to love others, not just myself. God wants me to use my time, energy, talent, and money for His work, not for my selfish desires.
All too often, I look at my life and think, why don’t I have this, or why don’t I have that. I need to learn to look at my life and thank God that I have what He has given me and be content with it, not continually want and desire more. I need to look at my life and do my best to honor God for his gift of grace. I want to be able to truly say to God that His grace is enough for me. Being single at 32, this is, more often than not, a very difficult thing to say. I want to be able to say it and mean it with everything that I am. I want God to be my all and I want to recognize that He is all I want and need.
"...it’s when we’re on the brink of personal collapse that we’re best able to shift the direction of our soul from self-protection to trusting love. The more deeply we enter into the reality that life without God is sheer desolation, the more fully we can turn toward Him.... The richest love grows in the soil of an unbearable disappointment with life. When we realize life can’t give us what we want, we can better give up our foolish demand that it do so and get on with the noble task of loving as we should. We will no longer need to demand protection from further disappointment. The deepest change will occur in the life of a bold realist who clings to God with a passion only his realistic appraisal of life can generate." - Dr. Larry Crabb, Inside Out
“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” - Socrates
“The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays…. Unless this victory over the world is begun in the heart, a man has no root in himself, but will fall away, or at most remain an unfruitful professor. Yet these vanities are so alluring to the corruption in our hearts, that without constant watching and prayer, we cannot escape the world, or obtain victory over the god and prince of it.” (1 John 2, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.)
1 John 2:16 “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”
Proverbs 15:15 “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”
Proverbs 27:20 “Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.”
Ecclesiastes 1:8 “Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.”
Your Grace Is Enough
Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters in to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart
[So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me]
Great is Your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along
[Chorus x3]
Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me
Composed by Matt Maher
In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul is responding to the Philippians’ concern for him while he is imprisoned in Rome. Paul’s response to their concern and gifts is that he has “…learned how to be content with whatever I have.” (v. 11) Am I content with what I have? God has given me this huge gift of His grace; I am forgiven and loved by the God who created all and is all. Am I selfish enough to continually desire more? Yes, and that is what hit me when I was signing “Your Grace Is Enough.” I don’t live my life like God’s grace is all I need. I live my life like that gift He gave me, sacrificed for me, is a right and that I deserve more.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that we shouldn’t ask God for whatever is in His will, but I don’t believe that I seek His will often enough to know what God wants for and from me. I have to learn to let go of my desires and learn to embrace God’s desires. God desires me to live for Him, not for me. God desires me to love others, not just myself. God wants me to use my time, energy, talent, and money for His work, not for my selfish desires.
All too often, I look at my life and think, why don’t I have this, or why don’t I have that. I need to learn to look at my life and thank God that I have what He has given me and be content with it, not continually want and desire more. I need to look at my life and do my best to honor God for his gift of grace. I want to be able to truly say to God that His grace is enough for me. Being single at 32, this is, more often than not, a very difficult thing to say. I want to be able to say it and mean it with everything that I am. I want God to be my all and I want to recognize that He is all I want and need.
"...it’s when we’re on the brink of personal collapse that we’re best able to shift the direction of our soul from self-protection to trusting love. The more deeply we enter into the reality that life without God is sheer desolation, the more fully we can turn toward Him.... The richest love grows in the soil of an unbearable disappointment with life. When we realize life can’t give us what we want, we can better give up our foolish demand that it do so and get on with the noble task of loving as we should. We will no longer need to demand protection from further disappointment. The deepest change will occur in the life of a bold realist who clings to God with a passion only his realistic appraisal of life can generate." - Dr. Larry Crabb, Inside Out
“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” - Socrates
“The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays…. Unless this victory over the world is begun in the heart, a man has no root in himself, but will fall away, or at most remain an unfruitful professor. Yet these vanities are so alluring to the corruption in our hearts, that without constant watching and prayer, we cannot escape the world, or obtain victory over the god and prince of it.” (1 John 2, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.)
1 John 2:16 “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”
Proverbs 15:15 “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”
Proverbs 27:20 “Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.”
Ecclesiastes 1:8 “Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.”
Your Grace Is Enough
Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters in to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart
[So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me]
Great is Your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along
[Chorus x3]
Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me
Composed by Matt Maher
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)