The Result of Submission - Unity

Well, I could just scream.  I just typed out this huge post about last night's lesson and for some mystical reason, it wasn't autosaving and I hit Publish and got a screen saying, "We're Sorry.  We can't perform that operation."  Aaarrgghhh.  Maybe it's a good thing, though, because I was feeling pretty preachy.  So let's try AGAIN.

While researching for last night's topic, I came across a website that has all different kinds of sermon outlines with Bible verses etc.  I found one that was dead on what I wanted to talk about, so I just borrowed it verbatim, only adding my commentary along the way.  You can see that outline here.  This post will be limited to my thoughts on the topic.

During this series of lessons we have been studying submission / hupotasso.  When you put it in context of battle, I get it.  I get that as Christians we are at war with Satan.  He is roaming around seeking those he can devour.  He is like a wolf at the door.  He wants me, my soul, my children, and their souls.  He wants you.  I get that for an army to be successful, there must be order in the ranks.  With the new understanding I have gained in the past couple of months, I see that I am called to hupotasso, to arrange myself in order under.  As Shannon has pointed out, we have a problem with the word SUBMIT, not the theory behind it.  So as the saying goes, change your vocabulary, change your life.  Now instead of SUBMIT (and all of the negativity that I have associated with it), I say that I am called to arrange myself in order under.  I am good with that.

Sticking with the military theme, the purpose of arranging yourself in order under is to be better in battle, to be unified.  The most tangible benefit of hupotasso is UNITY.  This means UNITY at home and UNITY in the church.  To be a unified church, the church must have the right attitude, the right doctrine, the right organization, and the right spirit.

To have the right attitude, we must be content with ourselves.  Paul wrote that he was content in plenty and in want.  When he wrote the letter on contentment, he was in a Roman prison.  He was not afforded Constitutional rights or civil rights.  He was tortured, cold, hungry, sick, alone.  Yet he found contentment in his circumstances.  How?  Through Christ, who strengthens him.  We must also be content with our fellow man.  We are to live at peace.  We are to rejoice with those that rejoice, weep with those that weep.  Our neighbor's struggle is OUR struggle.  We are to be patient and kind.  This build UNITY.  Lastly, we are to be content with God and the authority of Christ.  Those not in submission to the authority of Christ will cause disharmony.

To have the right doctrine, we must focus on the one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one Father.  Many of you know that my husband and I have had our ups and downs during our 15 year marriage, but one thing that we keep coming back to is our unified plan for our family.  We are on the same page.  We have the same fundamental beliefs about how to be a family.  So the problems we face are constantly being held up to our foundation.  We certainly get distracted and sometimes forget the foundation, but then we snap out of our selfish needs and get back to basics.  We love each other.  We love our children.  We love God.  We want to guide this family through the world in such a way that we all make it to heaven.  That is our fundamental goal.  The same should be true for the church.  We love each other, we love the next generation, we love God, we want to guide this church family through the world in such a way as to get us all to heaven.  Jude 1:3 calls us to contend for the faith entrusted to all saints.  Two thousand years ago Christ died on the cross. These years later, we are still telling the story. I saw a movie the other night called The Road. As a whole the movie wasn't that good, in my opinion. But there was a line in it where the son is talking to the father about why they are on this path, why don't they just give up like everyone else. The father says they don't give up because they are carrying The Fire. They are the good guys. They have been entrusted with goodness, and it is their obligation to carry that into the future.  We have been given the Word of God.  Sticking to that foundation will build UNITY and grow the church.

To have the right organization, we have to internalize that we are many members in one body.  Christ rules us from heaven, but we are the hands and feet of the church.  We each have a purpose.  Some are called to teach, some to preach, some to pray, some to help those in need.  As we've said before, God is perfect.  His creations are perfect.  God made you exactly like you were supposed to be.  Moses didn't believe he was fit to deliver the Israelites because he couldn't speak well.  God told him that he was made perfectly for the job (he was the Israelites' huckleberry).  We have to believe that we each have something to offer the body.  Every single cell of the body is necessary for the body to work properly.  Dr. Seuss says, "“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”  You are you for a reason.  You have gifts given to you by God for use in His kingdom.  Value those gifts in yourself and value the gifts given to others.  Everyone has something to offer the body.  Finding value in yourself and in others will build UNITY because you will see that we are all needed. 

To have the right spirit, we have to realize that when there is UNITY in a family or in a church, growth and edification will result.  Where there is division, fragmentation and decay result.  I just read a book review that says that a big predictor of a future divorce is eye rolling after a comment by a spouse.  Something that seems fairly harmless leads to a lack of UNITY.  I am sure that the same applies to the church.  Have you ever rolled your eyes (even if only on the inside) at an announcement made by an elder?  I know I have.  That is the beginning of a lack of UNITY.

In class, we had Chris Radcliffe visit and lead us in a song that struck a chord with me.  This song has a chant like quality to it.  I like songs like that.  I know we have learned that the first Century church didn't really sing with melody and harmony.  They simply chanted verses from the Scripture.  I like chant like songs for two reasons.  One, it makes me feel closer to the first Christians, those who personally knew Jesus.  Two, it is a way to get a simple, clean thought into my heart and head.  So here is the song we sang.  Click on the title to hear a version of it.

They'll Know We Are Christians

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

And we pray that all unity may one day be restored

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side

We will work with each other, we will work side by side

And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand

And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

Here's another version where the singer replaces the last line of the second verse with "we'll give up all our dignity and crucify our pride."  I like that a lot.

Now the last thing I have to say on this is that I think as Christians in America we don't realize how good we actually have it.  I Googled "persecution of Christians today" and retrieved headline after headline about Christians across the world being killed simply for being a Christian.  In one article, a priest and some deacons were stopped on a road in Pakistan (I think) and were told to convert to Islam.  When they refused, the were shot.  In another article, a church was burned killing the women and children inside.  This is happening in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, India, Vietnam, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc., all while the government either turns a blind eye or even participates.  Christian martyrdom isn't a thing of ancient Rome.  This is now.  This is real.  We have to put aside our small problems for the strength of the church and to show solidarity for the Christians being persecuted around the world even as you read this.

Link to In Christ Alone

Listen to In Christ Alone by clicking here.

I'm Your Huckleberry - Joelton CoC Ladies Class - 5/26/10

I should hand out popcorn - I have 3 movies references this week!!

Have you ever seen the movie Tombstone? It is a retelling of the life of Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and Doc Holliday and their standoff at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. In one scene, a member of the Clanton gang threatens Wyatt Earp on the streets of Tombstone, challenging him to a gunfight. Wyatt Earp declines the invitation. Doc Holliday, played by Val Kilmer, eases into the street. The Clanton guy yells at Earp and his brothers, “Aren’t any of you brave enough to fight me??” Doc Holliday casually says, “I’m your huckleberry.”

The settlers knew of a European berry called the hurlteberry. Finding a fruit that looked similar, the Americanized version of that word became huckleberry. The word huckleberry then came to refer to a small, insignificant person, a person of lower standing. Hence the title of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. He wanted to evoke a feeling of lower stature. Then over time, a phrase came into being, “I’m just a huckleberry over your persimmon.” This means I’m just a little bit better than you at that. This was then shortened to what Doc Holliday said in Tombstone, “I’m your huckleberry.” This means that he’s just a little bit better than someone else for the job, just the right person almost like he was made for the job. You may be small and unassuming, but if you’re someone’s huckleberry, then you are just the right person for the job they need done.

You might ask how does this apply to a ladies Bible class at Joelton?

If you were here last week, you got a tiny glimpse at what has been on my mind lately. I discovered a new word in the Bible that has really been on my heart. It has truly inspired me and made me have a sense of peace about my role as a wife and God’s plan and purpose for me.

Genesis 2:18 says, “The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

We know that God is perfect, God is love, God is divine. Everything that he makes, says, and does is perfection manifest. The helper is the being that God made for Adam. We know that if God made the helper then it must be perfect and complete. It must be just the thing for the job. It must be Adam’s Huckleberry.

Helper in this verse is a translation of the Hebrew word ezer kenegdo. Here are some other ways it has been translated.

help meet - KJV

helper suitable - NIV, NASB

helper comparable to him - NKJV

a suitable companion - the Message

a helper fit for him - ESV

a suitable partner for him - CEV

a helper who is just right for him - NLT

huckleberry - MBS (that’s me!)

Kenegdo means alongside, counterpart, or facing. Ezer is derived from 2 words meaning “power” and “strength.” So it could be said that God said, “I will make a strength and power alongside for him” or “I will make a powerful and strong counterpart for him.” Verse 20 of Genesis 2 says that after being in the Garden surrounded by animals of every kind, trees and plants of every kind, “No suitable helper was found.” “No suitable strength was found.” “No suitable power was found.”

The word ezer is used twenty-one times throughout the Bible, and in every other instance it is used to describe God himself, particularly when you REALLY need him to come though for you.

”There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty.” (Deut. 33:26)

"Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.” (Deut. 33:29)

'I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.' (Ps. 121:1-2)

'May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help.' (Ps. 20:1-2)

'We wait in hope for the LORD, he is our help and our shield.' (Ps. 33:20)

When ezer is used to describe God, it is when the person in need of help is in desperate need of help, in need of a life saver. Most of these are in situations of life and death and God is your only hope, your only way out.

Why does man need an ezer?

It’s like the end of Pretty Woman. Julie Roberts tells Richard Gere all she wants is a knight on a white horse to come in with his banners flying to rescue her from the tower. In the last scene of the movie, Richard Gere shows up at her apartment and climbs the fire escape to her window. He is deathly afraid of heights. He says to her, “What happens to the knight after he rescues the maiden?” She says, “She rescues him back.” Why would man need to be rescued back?

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Satan is on the move. He is looking for ways to undo us, to separate us from God. If Satan is on the prowl, looking to devour us, we need to be ready. So what does Satan look like?

I am reminded of a line from O Brother, Where Art Thou. The three heroes of the movie have just picked up Tommy at the crossroads. They ask Tommy what he is doing out there at the crossroads. He says he had a meeting with the devil. They ask, “What did he look like?” George Clooney’s character pipes us and explains that the devil is a red, scaly creature with a bifurcated tail and pitchfork. Tommy replies, “Oh, no, sir. He looked just like you fellows.”

2 Cor 11:12-15 says “And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

We are told right here what Satan looks like. He can look like an angel of light. His servants can look like a servant of righteousness. Or as Tommy in O Brother, Where Art Thou said, he can look just like you fellows, just like me.

Acts 13:10 tells us some of what he is up to. “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?” He is trying to trick us, to lead us astray. He is seeking to destroy us at every turn.

Mark 4:15 says he wants to rip the word out God out of our hearts, “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.”

For those reasons, man needs an ezer. Man needs a lifesaver. It is a dangerous world for a person seeking God’s will. Just ask Joseph, Moses, Esther, Job, David, Abraham, Paul, Stephen, John the Baptist, ask Christ.

Last week I used the song Night with Ebon Pinion to describe the love Christ had for the church. This week I want us to listen to a song that I use to empower myself to stand against Satan. This song helps me remember from whom I should derive my power. It is not from my schooling, not from my achievements at work, not from my net worth, not from my family name. It is only from Jesus Christ himself.

IN CHRIST ALONE

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

'Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

'Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand. Here in the power of Christ I stand. Through Christ’s power I will figure this out. I will be molded into the person God wants me to be.

I have mulled this new word, ezer kenegdo, over for the past couple of weeks. I can’t figure out how to adequately express to you how much this means to me. I can’t figure out how to transmit to you the gravity of this word.

There are moments in my life when I feel almost like I am floating above myself and viewing my life from the outside. I can see the big picture. I can catch a glimpse of the design. I guess really what it is is seeing a piece of God. When I get very still and quiet and let this word, this verse seep into me, I can see the big picture. I can see the point.

I know that not everyone in this class struggles with the submission issue. Like I said last week, there are certain things that do not tempt me, that are not stumbling blocks to me. This just happens to be one for me.

I feel like this word and the true meaning of it, and not the meaning assigned to it by the translators, is who I am. I feel refreshed by this word. It really has brought me a great deal of peace when thinking about submission. The God who designed me to be like Him – to provide a strength and power to someone in need – asks me to arrange myself in order under my husband. He designed me perfectly, made me my husband’s Huckleberry. So how can I question his request to arrange myself in order under my husband? And furthermore, I know that hupotasso (submit) is a military term. With Satan roaming around like a lion seeking to devour me, I get that my family will only succeed if there is order in the ranks.

I was sharing this word ezer kenegdo with a friend last week and wondering why I had never been told by anyone as a child, in Christian marriage counseling, in ladies classes, that I was designed to be a strong counterpart, a life line for my husband. She said that she had some of the same questions. Why she was taught that the only definition of a good wife was to completely forsake your identity, to become a martyr? I hope that everyone else in this class is getting a least a smidgen of what I am receiving personally from this. My eyes have been opened, my heart softened, by what I have learned. I can be myself and have my opinions and still be every bit as much of a Christian wife as one who isn’t as opinionated. I can be a powerful, strong lifeline for my husband – actually I am designed to be so! I hope that you can find your strength and power and that you have clarity and a glimpse of God’s plan. Thank you for working through this with me.

Submission and the Married Man - Joelton CoC Ladies Class - 5/19/10

We are obviously a ladies class, particularly interested in what the Scripture holds for us. We have already learned that everyone is called to submit. Our favorite verse is the one stating that wives are called to submit to their husbands. So perhaps a good way to set up a study on what that means is to first look at what a husband’s responsibility is. And it’s always easier to look at what someone else is supposed to do, rather than what I am supposed to do…

Also, I have been torn about how to strike a balance in this class. At first I thought this topic would be too married women focused. I didn’t want that because there are members of the class who aren’t married, and sometimes there will be people in our lives who may need guidance who aren’t married. So I think we need to learn about how the Bible applies to people in circumstances unlike ours, but even so, I didn’t want this to seem like a married ladies class. But the topic tonight is a little narrow. I can only hope that those of us who aren’t married can still take something from the topic – I believe that you will still learn about the heart of God and his plan for our life, even if this doesn’t directly apply to you.

As we have learned, God designed the world with a system of authority. Those in authority will be called to answer for the exercise (or lack of exercise) of that authority. This extends to husbands, wives, parents, teachers, elders, etc. When you are put in the role of leader, whether it is as a husband, as a parent, or as a teacher, you are to exemplify God. You are to be a model of God. Failure to model God properly is what will lead to a harsh judgment because it will mean that you have misrepresented God.

Ephesians 5:22-28 - 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

In 1 Peter 3:7 another requirement of the husband is found. “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

So the list that we have now of the requirements of a husband include:

1. Be the head of your wife

2. Love your wife

3. Be the spiritual leader of the home

4. Live with consideration and respect

HEAD OF THE WIFE

1 Corinthians 11:3 - Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

This seems like a pretty simple directive. The problems come in with self gets in the way. People want what they want, almost like children. I can tell Joseph not to pull my glasses off my face and he cries. He wants what he wants. Grown ups act the very same way. God devised a simple plan for us, but we insert our selves and mess it up.

Christ is the leader of the church. All decisions made are for the benefit of the church. Did we ever see Christ exhibit selfishness toward the church? Did he make a decision so that he could personally gain? Did he make decisions that benefited the church in the present, but set it up for failure in the future? You can imagine there were tough decisions to be made for the church by Christ.

This is all just my imagination at work, but do you think Jesus wanted to call Judas as an apostle? Knowing the result of that decision, can’t you imagine that there might have been a part of Christ that dreaded making that decision? Here are some verses about the result of that decision.

John 6:70 -  Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!"

John 12:3-6 - 3Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Luke 22:3 - Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

Matthew 26:14-15 - 14Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.

Matthew 26:25 - Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."

Matthew 27:3-5 - 3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4"I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 5So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

What was the benefit of selecting Judas as an apostle? Why was this leadership at work?

Christ made a decision which he knew would result in pain, torture, humiliation, and eventual death. Why did he do that?

The end result was Jesus death on the cross which was the ONLY way the church could receive eternal salvation. We are told time and again that Jesus was the only avenue by which the church would be saved.

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all …” (1 Timothy 2:5)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

LOVE YOUR WIFE AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH, SACRIFICING YOURSELF

We know that when Jesus was on the earth he was a spiritual being in an earthly body. The fact that he was in an earthly body meant that he experienced earthly feelings and temptation.

I can tell you that there are some things on the earth that simply do not tempt me to evil. I have never been tempted by alcohol. The idea of allowing a beverage to make me act recklessly or to make me careless with my money just holds nothing over me. Satan cannot use alcohol to tempt me. Don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of other things that he can use, just not alcohol. For a temptation to exist, there must be a desire in your heart. When we read in Matthew 4:1-11 about the temptation of Christ, we need to keep in mind that the things presented to Christ by Satan had to have been things that appealed to Christ’s earthly body or there would have been no temptation. The text would have possibly read that Satan showed Christ things that he hoped would provide a temptation. But instead the text said that Christ was taken to be tempted by Satan.

In this instance Christ made a decision to forego what would be immediately gratifying because to do so would be the ruin of the church. If he had turned the stones to bread, had chosen to show Satan that the angels would save him, or had chosen to pledge allegiance to Satan in order to rule the whole world, there would be no church today. There would only be evil. Instead, 2000 years later there is still a church, a body of believers to stand for God.

The ultimate sacrifice, of course, was on the cross. I know we have probably all read or been told the verses from the Bible recounting the last supper, the prayer in the garden, the carrying of the cross, the beating, the piercing of his side, and his ultimate death.

Even though it is not Scripture, one way that helps me envision the act of his death is the song Night with Ebon Pinion. The lyrics say,

Night, with ebon pinion, brooded o’er the vale;

All around was silent, save the night wind’s wail,

When Christ, the Man of Sorrows,

In tears, and sweat, and blood,

Prostrate in the garden, raised His voice to God.

Smitten for offenses which were not His own,

He, for our transgressions, had to weep alone;

No friend with words to comfort,

Nor hand to help was there,

When the Meek and Lowly humbly bowed in prayer.

“Abba, Father, Father, if indeed it may,

Let this cup of anguish pass from Me, I pray;

Yet, if it must be suffered, by Me, Thine only Son,

Abba, Father, Father, let Thy will be done.”

Christ knew how terrible this was going to be. As we’ve already talked about, he had an earthly body. The nails driven into his hand actually hurt. His thirst on the cross felt to him the same way it would have felt to us.

This is the same level of love that a husband in submission to God is to exhibit to his wife. That’s a lot to live up to.

SPIRITUAL LEADER

Joshua 24:14-15 - "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

The husband is to lead his household by the word of God. This should involve leading the family in devotion, prayer, worship, singing, etc. But how is it that he is to lead the family? As a servant.

Philippians 2:5-7 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Christ could have come to earth and said, “I’m God’s son. Do as I say.”

But instead he chose to be a servant. A Godly husband desiring to be like Christ will choose to be a servant. In John 1:1-15, Jesus washes the apostles’ feet. Verse 15 states, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” He didn’t just tell the apostles what to do, he showed them. A husband is to Practice What He Preaches.

LIVE WITH CONSIDERATION AND RESPECT

I am a big fan of this one. I also like Proverbs 31:28 - "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her."

• Be considerate refers to treating a spouse with the utmost care and love. It is the husband’s responsibility to set the tone of love and care! Keep in mind that this was called for in a time and culture that considered women lower than farm animals! It was taught in a culture where the male ruled in absolute dominance. The mandate to love in 1 Corinthians was abnormal.

• Weaker partner refers to the physical condition of women or perhaps their social standing. The application is to show more consideration. This is not because of inferiority or that one is better than the other. We have different strengths and weaknesses, but we are all heirs.

• As heirs means we can fellowship together in Christ. We both receive love from Christ and are equal participants in salvation.

• Hinder your prayers means the husband who fails to show consideration jeopardizes his ability to communicate effectively with God. When we refuse to follow God’s plan, we become separated from God and his blessings.

So this week we saw that the husband has four basic requirements in his relationship with his wife:

1. Be the head of your wife

2. Love your wife

3. Be the spiritual leader of the home

4. Live with consideration and respect

And we also saw that to understand how a husband is to act, we have to look to how Jesus treated the church. We saw that Jesus made tough decisions that only served to benefit the church. We saw that Jesus sacrificed his personal comfort for the good of the church. We saw that Jesus sacrificed his life so that the church could have eternal life. We saw that Jesus lead by example with the heart of a servant. We know that Jesus lives with us in consideration. Despite our flawed condition, we are all joint heirs.

Our memory verse for the week is not pulled from the lesson, but is just a reminder of why we are here, what our goal should be. It is Psalms 119:10-11 - "I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."

From the Mouth of Babes

On the way home from church last night, I was talking to Robert about how I tied a Rolling Stones song into our Bible study.  He is a budding musician and is beginning to have an interest in classic rock and roll.

I was telling him how Sympathy for the Devil talks about Satan's presence at every evil thing from the beginning of time; about how any time someone ever committed an evil act throughout history, Satan was there.  He was at the Holocaust, he was at the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr, he was at the Crusades.

I said, "Satan was there for every evil thing man has done."  From the backseat, Marina said, "So was Jesus."

Wow.  That is true.  Every time man has committed an evil act, two beings were present, Satan and God.  The transgressor chose to commune with Satan rather than God.  Think about that the next time you are tempted to sin.  Satan and God are both there.  Whom will you choose?

And to think that this profound observation came from my 6 year old... 

Lost in the Garden - Joelton CoC Ladies Class - 5/12/10

DISCLAIMER - I borrowed MUCH of this lesson verbatim from Internet resources and didn't keep track of all the sites I used to be able to give them proper credit, so if you've seen portions of this elsewhere, it is the product of that person, not me!  Thanks!

Have you ever had one of your children or a coworker rush up to you and start sputtering out the pieces of a problem in a way that you can’t really follow because you just don’t know what they are talking about? You might say to them, “Wait. Let’s go back to the beginning.” You need a foundation to even begin the discussion.

We are in the same situation. The best way to understand submission is to go back to the place where submission was instituted – the Garden of Eden.

We know that God spent 6 days creating the earth and all of the things in it. He knew the value of his creation – Genesis 1:31 - God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

Genesis 2:4-9 - 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens- 5 and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground- 7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The pinnacle of this creation was man and woman who lived within God’s care. He provided them with everything they needed – food, shelter, companionship. It was a perfect paradise.

Question to class: What things are present in your life today that are the result of removal from paradise?

Answer: cancer, diabetes, alzheimers, floods

There was only one requirement placed on Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:15-17 - The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

So this is the beginning. The beginning of mankind. The beginning of rules, of order. In verse 15, it says God placed the man in the Garden to work it and take care of it. That is the first time anyone was given a job, an order, a responsibility. Verse 17 is the designation of the tree of knowledge. Adam is told that he is not to eat from that tree.

Question to class: Why would God even put a tree in the Garden from which Adam could not eat?

Answer: in order for Adam’s obedience to God to be from Adam’s heart, there had to be a choice for Adam to make. If there were no choice, Adam wouldn’t be a true follower of God. He’d be more like a robot. God didn’t create a robot, he created a human.

Why did God give us free will then? Wouldn't it have been easier and nicer to create mankind as inherently good.

It seems to me that God's purpose with mankind is to have eternal fellowship with those who truly love Him. Therefore, to create us as inherently good robots, without the potential for the opposite character, evil, would not allow for true love. For only love that comes from a free choice of the will is TRUE LOVE. Voluntary choice is the key - love isn't genuine if there's no other option.

Part of this discussion is also, not just why did God make us with free will, but why did God even make us? The short answer to the question is “for His pleasure.” Revelation 4:11 says, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Colossians 1:16 reiterates the point: “All things were created by him and for him.” Being created for God’s pleasure does not mean humanity was made to entertain God or provide Him with amusement. God is a creative Being, and it gives Him pleasure to create. God is a personal Being, and it gives Him pleasure to have other beings He can have a genuine relationship with.

Being made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27), human beings have the ability to know God and therefore love Him, worship Him, serve Him, and fellowship with Him. God did not create human beings because He needed them. As God, He needs nothing. In all eternity past, He felt no loneliness, so He was not looking for a “friend.” He loves us, but this is not the same as needing us. If we had never existed, God would still be God—the unchanging One (Malachi 3:6). The I AM (Exodus 3:14) was never dissatisfied with His own eternal existence. When He made the universe, He did what pleased Himself, and since God is perfect, His action was perfect. “It was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Also, God did not create “peers” or beings equal to Himself. Logically, He could not do so. If God were to create another being of equal power, intelligence, and perfection, then He would cease to be the one true God for the simple reason that there would be two gods—and that would be an impossibility. “The LORD is God; besides him there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:35). Anything that God creates must of necessity be lesser than He. The thing made can never be greater than, or as great as, the One who made it.

Recognizing the complete sovereignty and holiness of God, we are amazed that He would take man and crown him “with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5) and that He would condescend to call us “friends” (John 15:14-15). Why did God create us? God created us for His pleasure and so that we, as His creation, would have the pleasure of knowing Him.

So all we know is that God made us simply because he wanted to. He wants fellowship with those who love him. Loving God is determined by making an informed decision to follow his Word.

BUT… We all know that Satan tempted Eve. Genesis 3:1-7 - “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

Unfortunately, the serpent tempted the woman into believing that submission to God’s will wasn’t good for her, that God was only trying to keep her from something wonderful. Sound familiar? I’ve said in here before, this is the same lie that Satan tells me every day. “You will be like God,” he told her.

It makes me think of the Rolling Stones song, Sympathy for the Devil. The lyrics of this song outline how Satan has been there at every evil thing throughout history, the Holocaust, the massacre of the Russian czar and his family, the Crusades, etc.

Pleased to meet you / Hope you guess my name / what's puzzling you / Is the nature of my game

Satan is there in every evil thing. He just uses different characters, different names, different theologies, different movements. He might have a different name and try a new strategy, but do not be fooled. It is still Satan at work.

Who knew you could pull Biblical insight from a Rolling Stones song?

There was the obvious consequence of being removed from the Garden, but this would turn out to be the least of Adam and Eve’s problems. The ground would become hard, making survival difficult, there would be pain in child birth, etc.

Genesis 3:16-19 - To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." 17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

The good news is we can escape Adam and Eve’s curse by submitting to God.

A primary example of this is King Solomon. Old Testament heroes are known for their trust in God, but Solomon’s story is unique in that at a very young age he is to lead Israel at its peak of power. He had every right to riches and military might, but instead of asking for these things, before he ascends to the throne he simply asks God for “a discerning heart to govern and to distinguish between right and wrong” (1 Kings 3:9). As a result of Solomon’s passion to seek and submit to God’s wisdom, he is blessed.

“I will give you what you have not asked for,” God tells him, “both riches and honor – so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings” (1 Kings 3:13). Just like in the Garden of Eden, human submission is accompanied by financial provision.

Solomon’s Proverbs are full of wisdom concerning God’s provision.

“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

More good news is that by Christ’s submission on the cross, the curse on man has been reversed.

2 Peter 1:3-4 - 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

The first verse of this is going to be our memory work for next week. Hope to see you there!

Thought Provoking Comments from 4/28/10

In last night's ladies class at Joelton, two comments were made which I feel need some particular attention and contemplation.

First, after some of us younger ladies were going on about how just the word "submit" makes us feel anger and bitterness, Nancy looked at us and basically said, "What's the problem?" She said it with an absolute pure heart, just trying to understand why we had such a visceral reaction to the concept. That moment has not left me yet. All I can say is, "I don't know what the problem is." I can tell you all my history, familial examples of women in my life, cultural icons who have influenced me, etc. But I cannot put my finger on why I don't want to follow God's plan for me in this area of my life.

In other areas of my life, I am perfectly willing to stand out from the world. We do not let our daughter wear provocative clothes, we do not let our children go to areas of the park unattended, we rarely let the children spend the night places, we homeschool. We do all sorts of things that people in our life sometimes think is "weird." I embrace those things. I am ok with my friends rolling their eyes at me when I say, "No, Marina cannot go to the playground without me." Why is it that in this one area I can't overcome my raising and just do what God wants me to do?

Next, Andrea said that she has a sketch at home of Jesus holding a lamb. Jesus has the lamb in his arms with its head over his shoulder. The lamb is resting peacefully, not flailing around and struggling. Andrea said that looking at that image brings her peace.  She wants that feeling.  She wants to be in the arms of Jesus, like a lamb protected by the Shepherd.  She is completely willing to submit to Jesus because it brings that level of comfort and peace.  

She then noted that submitting to those in authority is, in essence, submitting to Jesus.  It is the SAME thing.  She suggested that perhaps when we find ourselves in a situation where we are called to submit we should superimpose the face of Christ on that person and realize that we are not submitting to THAT person.  We are submitting TO CHRIST.  Wow. 

After voicing my feelings on submission for the past couple of weeks, I feel like I need to make it clear that I do not think I am just a constant pain to my husband and / or boss.  I just know that deep down inside of me there is this tiny little spot that is just mine, a tiny little speck that sits there waiting.  It's waiting for my husband to make what I think is a wrong decision for the family.  It is waiting for the elders to choose something for the church with which I do not agree.  It is waiting for the boss to have me do something in some ridiculous manner.  It then grows a little.  It is as if I can feel if taking on a life of its own wanting to well up and escape.  Intellectually I know that this is Satan.  I have never been drawn to alcohol or drugs or fighting or jealousy, but I can imagine that it must feel kind of the same.  Satan finds a tiny little chink in your armor and just starts picking at it, one little speck at a time.  Eventually what was a tiny little crack becomes a fissure which becomes a crater.  So this class and this study is a way for personally to shine the light on that speck inside me.  As Paula said, if I keep my sin in the darkness, it will just grow unchecked.  I want this speck in me to run and hide from the Light.  Thanks for accompanying me on the journey and hopefully you'll get something from it as well!