Thursday, 21 June 2007
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
Worry - a cultural norm?
I wanted to make one further observation concerning anxiety.
The modern, western, capitalist, culture thrives on the inducement of anxiety.
'You need this new thing!'
'You must look like this!'
'You should live here, in a house like this!'
Our economy requires a certain level of worry as it's fuel, driving us towards increased consumption. The church is not immune to this onslaught. Add to this misguided, middle-class sensibilities and you have a recipe for anxiety.
We can feel that to worry a bit is somehow godly, we might call it 'concern' but actually it's just old fashion anxiety.
Our calling is to transformation.
Romans 12 v 2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let's allow the Holt Spirit to bring about this radical change.
The modern, western, capitalist, culture thrives on the inducement of anxiety.
'You need this new thing!'
'You must look like this!'
'You should live here, in a house like this!'
Our economy requires a certain level of worry as it's fuel, driving us towards increased consumption. The church is not immune to this onslaught. Add to this misguided, middle-class sensibilities and you have a recipe for anxiety.
We can feel that to worry a bit is somehow godly, we might call it 'concern' but actually it's just old fashion anxiety.
Our calling is to transformation.
Romans 12 v 2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Let's allow the Holt Spirit to bring about this radical change.
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Matthew 5 v 6 (Filled people don't worry)
We can't leave this verse without noting that Jesus elaborates on it in chapter 6 v 25-34.
The heading given by the NIV is similar to most including the ESV and states 'Do not be Anxious'. I'm not sure this is the most useful title as it seems to refer mainly to the opening verses of the paragraph. A better phrase might have been 'Seek first the kingdom' putting it positively rather than negatively. Jesus himself ends on this more optimistic note.
Life, food, drink, clothes, the future.
All these things are specifically named as not worthy of anxiety. Men and women of the Kingdom, who have a heavenly Father looking after them have no need to fill their minds with this kind of anxious turmoil.
Anxiety is an enemy of peace and faith. It seeks a dominant roll in the thought life of the believer and, if given sufficient energy, will speak fear and despair into the mind.
It needs ruthless treatment!
The way to deal with it is spelled out clearly and here is our connection with the beatitude.
Rather than spending our energies worrying about all these things, SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
We've already seen the promise that the man seeking the kingdom will be filled. The mind filled with, the life pursuing the advance of the Kingdom of God has little room for anxiety.
Anxiety also assumes God doesn't have things under control, that somehow events have run beyond His sovereign hand.
Jesus consistent answer, even to his closest friends when they voiced their anxiety in this way was.
Matthew 8 v 26
6And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
So the answer for the anxious is positive action.
Seek first the Kingdom!
The heading given by the NIV is similar to most including the ESV and states 'Do not be Anxious'. I'm not sure this is the most useful title as it seems to refer mainly to the opening verses of the paragraph. A better phrase might have been 'Seek first the kingdom' putting it positively rather than negatively. Jesus himself ends on this more optimistic note.
Life, food, drink, clothes, the future.
All these things are specifically named as not worthy of anxiety. Men and women of the Kingdom, who have a heavenly Father looking after them have no need to fill their minds with this kind of anxious turmoil.
Anxiety is an enemy of peace and faith. It seeks a dominant roll in the thought life of the believer and, if given sufficient energy, will speak fear and despair into the mind.
It needs ruthless treatment!
The way to deal with it is spelled out clearly and here is our connection with the beatitude.
Rather than spending our energies worrying about all these things, SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD!
We've already seen the promise that the man seeking the kingdom will be filled. The mind filled with, the life pursuing the advance of the Kingdom of God has little room for anxiety.
Anxiety also assumes God doesn't have things under control, that somehow events have run beyond His sovereign hand.
Jesus consistent answer, even to his closest friends when they voiced their anxiety in this way was.
Matthew 8 v 26
6And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
So the answer for the anxious is positive action.
Seek first the Kingdom!
Friday, 15 June 2007
Righteousness (more from Matthew 5 v 6)
The goal of this verse is the passionate pursuit of righteousness, resulting in happiness and fullness.
Yet it was that very thing that evaded the Israelites for generations.
Many references to righteousness in the OT are made with regard to the law. How the people were doing in their keeping of the law was a measure of their righteousness before God.
Deuteronomy 6 v 24
The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.
Knowing the stories as we do we are only too aware of the terrible struggle the Israelites had attempting to keep this law.
Over the generations what becomes increasingly apparent is that they are never going to experience the blessings that come with righteousness because they can't keep the law.
They didn't even inherit the land because of their righteousness.
Deuteronomy 9 v 4
After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you.
They did get the land but only on account of the wickedness of the occupying nations.
The situation becomes progressively desperate leading to a divided nation and exile. All through these experiences the dawning of a universal truth grows and builds. They need saving, they and we need a saviour!
Righteousness was and is never going to be achieved by keeping the law, in attempting to achieve righteousness via the law all that is actually achieved is condemnation (which is at least an accurate assessment) or falsely as with the Pharisees, pride.
Paul puts it like this
Romans 3
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
So our righteousness is found only in Jesus.
To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to hunger and thirst for Jesus. To desire his company, a continued filling with His Holy Spirit and through the power of the indwelling Spirit of Jesus to become like him.
To line our lives up in this way is to demonstrate a life which begins to resemble the description Jesus is giving of this happy, fulfilled man.
Yet it was that very thing that evaded the Israelites for generations.
Many references to righteousness in the OT are made with regard to the law. How the people were doing in their keeping of the law was a measure of their righteousness before God.
Deuteronomy 6 v 24
The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.
Knowing the stories as we do we are only too aware of the terrible struggle the Israelites had attempting to keep this law.
Over the generations what becomes increasingly apparent is that they are never going to experience the blessings that come with righteousness because they can't keep the law.
They didn't even inherit the land because of their righteousness.
Deuteronomy 9 v 4
After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you.
They did get the land but only on account of the wickedness of the occupying nations.
The situation becomes progressively desperate leading to a divided nation and exile. All through these experiences the dawning of a universal truth grows and builds. They need saving, they and we need a saviour!
Righteousness was and is never going to be achieved by keeping the law, in attempting to achieve righteousness via the law all that is actually achieved is condemnation (which is at least an accurate assessment) or falsely as with the Pharisees, pride.
Paul puts it like this
Romans 3
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
So our righteousness is found only in Jesus.
To hunger and thirst for righteousness is to hunger and thirst for Jesus. To desire his company, a continued filling with His Holy Spirit and through the power of the indwelling Spirit of Jesus to become like him.
To line our lives up in this way is to demonstrate a life which begins to resemble the description Jesus is giving of this happy, fulfilled man.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Matthew 5 v 6 cont.
The man who is beginning to walk in meekness (Matthew 5 v 5) is going to need something else to fuel his thinking. He is no longer fighting his own corner, he has deposed himself from the throne of 'self'.
In this verse we see Jesus offering a new focus - something better to live for.
Before this man would be seeking position and power all under the terrible banner of pride. His thoughts and energies spent on self promotion and a seeking of the limelight.
Now this hunger and thirst to live for something has a new centre - He has seen Jesus and His righteousness.
Only a passionate and vigorous pursuit of His righteousness will satisfy. All else fades as this happy man devotes is life to the pursuit of Righteousness.
What is righteousness?
In this verse we see Jesus offering a new focus - something better to live for.
Before this man would be seeking position and power all under the terrible banner of pride. His thoughts and energies spent on self promotion and a seeking of the limelight.
Now this hunger and thirst to live for something has a new centre - He has seen Jesus and His righteousness.
Only a passionate and vigorous pursuit of His righteousness will satisfy. All else fades as this happy man devotes is life to the pursuit of Righteousness.
What is righteousness?
Hunger and thirst for righteousness
Matthew 5 v 6
The better understanding of 'Blessed' which seems to carry more meaning in our culture is the word 'Happy'.
Here in verse 6 Jesus is preaching and teaches that;
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
Immediately it becomes apparent that there is a double positive here. A verse with a blessing at both ends. Happiness and fullness are both being offered as the result of hungering and thirsting for righteousness.
The two verbs 'hunger' and 'thirst' are both the result of natural appetites. There could not be more familiar cravings. We all, on a daily basis, respond to our sense of hunger and thirst, we know where to go and what our bodies need in order to satisfy their demands.
Yet the focus of these, oh so familiar, appetites is not food and drink but righteousness.
The question that must be answered is "Where do I find satisfaction in the search for righteousness?"
The better understanding of 'Blessed' which seems to carry more meaning in our culture is the word 'Happy'.
Here in verse 6 Jesus is preaching and teaches that;
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.
Immediately it becomes apparent that there is a double positive here. A verse with a blessing at both ends. Happiness and fullness are both being offered as the result of hungering and thirsting for righteousness.
The two verbs 'hunger' and 'thirst' are both the result of natural appetites. There could not be more familiar cravings. We all, on a daily basis, respond to our sense of hunger and thirst, we know where to go and what our bodies need in order to satisfy their demands.
Yet the focus of these, oh so familiar, appetites is not food and drink but righteousness.
The question that must be answered is "Where do I find satisfaction in the search for righteousness?"
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