How Could This Happen?

There is a common sentiment among conservative evangelicals that we must “win back” America for God particularly in the public sphere. Found within that is a growing sense of shock or even horror at the present situation with the continual eroding of acceptance toward Christianity and particularly the cross. Even now there is a law suit by the American Atheist association against the placement of two steel cross beams from the World Trade Center in a WTC memorial. The reason simply being the beams resembled a cross and many rescue workers found great solace in it. Some have even marveled at this attack because they are not concerned about the Star of David that was cut from the metal beams or even other religious paraphernalia coming from the WTC site. Why the specific focus on Christianity? Rather than ask why us, I feel the real question should be why is it only starting now? Why are so many Christians surprised at the various attacks against their faith? Maybe the American Christian needs to reexamine their Bible looking for what the New Testament authors expected from the non-believing world around them. Maybe if we stand for the cross as much as they once did we should expect the same sort of treatment.

I know this will make for a longer post, but consider the following passages, all quoted from the ESV.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matthew 5:10-12 - ¹⁰ "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ ¶ "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

John 15:18-21 - ¹⁸ ¶ "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Acts 5:41 – ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

Romans 8:16-17 - ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Philippians 1:29 - ²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Philippians 3:10 - ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

2 Thessalonians 1:4-7 - ⁴ Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. ⁵ ¶ This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering-- ⁶ since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels

2 Timothy 4:5 -⁵ As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (note it does not say “avoid suffering” but “endure”)

1 Peter 2:19-23 - ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ²² He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³ When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Take up your Cross, and follow Jesus.

Just a Nugget

One of the frustrating things when preparing a sermon is discovering some interesting nugget in Scripture that we just do not have the time to unpack or disclose during the sermon. We wish we could because we personally find it fascinating. Unfortunately we live in a world governed by the god called the clock, and to it we must bow, so we leave out these interesting little nuggets.

A couple weeks ago I preached just such a sermon. There was so much I would have loved to share with the congregation, but time constraints as well as keeping a flow to the sermon just forced me to leave it out. My text was Ephesians 6:5-9, and since I could not share this nugget in the sermon, I figured I would share it here for the occasional wandering eye to read.

One of the points I made in the sermon was how this passage took the greater pericope of 5:21 through 6:9. Before 6:5 Paul is talking about submission but arguably stays at the surface level. In 6:5 he takes it to a new, deeper level by saying “Slaves, obey your masters… with a sincere heart.” This is important because of the nugget I am about to disclose.

In all our major English translations, the word “heart” appears twice in 6:5-9. In the Greek however, something different is happening. In verse 5 the Greek term is kardi,a (kardia). Translating this term as “heart” is the normal translation, and common sense tells us Paul is talking figuratively and not about the actual blood pumping muscle. The nugget is that in verse 6 Paul switches words on us and uses the word yuch, (psuche). Typically we would translate this word as “soul” but not here. Why?

Here is my two cents. “Heart” is a good translation. Paul, when using both words here is talking about the innermost being of a person; the very essence of what makes that person a unique human being created in God’s image. The reason for utilizing both I believe is because Paul wants the hearers to realize he is talking about an all-encompassing idea. He wants the slaves to serve whole-heartedly, holding nothing back, and this must be a joyful, pleasurable desire from deep within. The service being rendered is not done “because I must” but “because I truly desire to do it.”

Given he is using this to help expand his idea of submission, we begin to realize just how incredible a call Paul is making. This goes way beyond anything we can do naturally. It is only by supernatural, Gospel empowerment that we are able to go this extra distance. God changes our hearts, and that heart change exudes itself even in how we submit to authority and one another… and even to Christ himself.

Oldest-Known Bible Now Available

What is considered the oldest text of the New Testament known to date has been reassembled and is available online for your free viewing pleasure.

The codex sinaiticus originally was found in the Monastery of St. Catherine but was divided in the mid-1800's among several universities. Now it has been reassembled and is available online for free.

Why is it so important? As noted on the website;

Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament. Its heavily corrected text is of outstanding importance for the history of the Bible and the manuscript – the oldest substantial book to survive Antiquity – is of supreme importance for the history of the book.

This will be a helpful tool for many New Testament scholars as we seek to continually understand the early church period as well as in the area of textual criticism, opening the doors to many who once found access to these documents difficult.

The website is here.