Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Cultural comment...
I just watched a clip of Susan Boyle singing on Britain's Got Talent. She's the new internet sensation... her voice is fantastic, to apparently everybody's surprise. Why is it surprising? Because she's 47 and plain looking. You don't have to be beautiful to be talented? I NEVER KNEW!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Why do they call it "Good"?
"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" Mark 10:17-19 The man goes on to claim that he has kept all these laws, a notion Jesus quickly dismantles.
Today is Good Friday, which seems somewhat ironically named. It is the day Christians all over the world especially remember the day our Savior was spit upon, beaten brutally, mocked, abandoned by His friends, made to carry a heavy beam on His open wounds, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a cross. So far, so... good? The sun turned black. The earth shook. Graves opened. Truly this was the Son of God.
Why is it good? Someone asked me that a few years ago and I have to admit my answer was lame. I said it was because of the death and resurrection being the Good News for all people. Which it undoubtedly is, but the epiphany I just had was that that is barely the whole story. Jesus' death wasn't about me. It was about God.
In Bible study last night, one of the questions was about the definition of the word "transgression" and what that means in terms of God's law, and its implications for us. The word as used in the Scripture means to cross a boundary. Take a quick journey with me back to the beginning of the redemptive history found in the Bible... God created Adam and Eve and gave them one rule. One boundary. "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil... the day you eat of it you will surely die." We know the drill. Eve ate. Adam ate. God kept His promise. Death entered the world... humankind was not good anymore. But with judgment, there was hope. God provided for their shame by killing an animal, the first death we see in the Bible, which shows both God's deep love for His people but also the gravity of sin. The only thing that can cover sin and its ramifications is death. Adam and Eve couldn't do it themselves; it was done for them by God. In that same part of Genesis, God administers curses but also the promise of great victory in Jesus.
"And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel."
The rest of the Old Testament shows the vicious cycle humanity has been in ever since: sin, judgment, sacrifice. Rinse and repeat. The hopelessness of humankind without God's provision. God's covenant with Israel, with the promises of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. God's patience as Israel whored themselves with other gods over and over. We also see God's promise to Abraham, but the way this covenant went down looks a little different. In Genesis 15 God reminds Abraham of His promises to make Abraham a great nation, with descendants too numerous to count. As assurance, God had Abraham cut animals in half, and then God Himself passed through the middle while Abraham watched. In that time, covenants were made in this way but both parties passed between the pieces to signify that if they broke the deal, then let that same fate happen to them. God took this on all by Himself. God is the one who does the work, not Abraham. God proves in His law that we can in no way keep it. We can't earn God's favor. No one is good except God alone.
That brings us to the New Testament.
"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'" Luke 2:9-11
Simple verses we hear all the time at Christmas, but frought with deep theological significance. The response of these shepherds in the field when faced with the glory of God was not "Oh look at the pretty angel!" It was abject terror. Any time God shows His glory to people in the Bible it is the same response. God's holiness compared to our sin shows us what we know deep down. We're toast. But again, with judgment comes hope. The angel tells them not to be afraid but gives them the reason why they don't have to fear God's holiness anymore. Christ the Lord, the Savior, has been born.
Jesus, fully God and fully man, born to live in perfect obedience where we can not. All those laws in the OT? Fulfilled. The law given in the NT, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself? Done. But the perfect obedience of Christ by itself doesn't save. There is still a problem. The wages of sin is death. God is just. His justice demands death to pay for our transgressions, just like in the Garden of Eden. That has not changed. God did not abrogate Himself. He is a God of love, but also of justice and of wrath. Jesus lived a perfect life, then underwent judgment. His crime, as posted above His head on the cross? Being the King of the Jews. The King of Abraham's people, the children of promise. God promised to take the punishment of any covenant breaking on Himself. God didn't break any rules. Yet all the wrath owed to all believers, throughout time and throughout the earth, was poured out by God onto His only Son our Lord. It's easy to flippantly say that Jesus died for my sins. Yeah He did. He died for my sins, but it wasn't just a simple death. It was taking God's anger in my place. And Adam's place. And Eve's place. And Moses' place. And David's place. And Abraham's place. And your place. How many believers have their been in the thousands of years humanity has been stumbling blindly around this earth?
Christ lived a perfect life and He died. But that is not enough either.
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God." Romans 6:3-10
Two days from now we remember Easter, the day Christ rose victorious over sin and death. We are baptized into His death. It's not fair, but it's just as if we have already received the death we are owed for our sin. We died with Christ, and we live with Christ. We no longer need to shrink in terror from God's holiness. It's the best news we could hear. It's truly good news. But it's not about us. In the first passage, Jesus points out some significant things: The young man is tragically misguided if he thinks he's good enough for God. Jesus is Himself God, and no one is good but God. Good Friday is about God's goodness. Where does that leave us? How do we respond to that? Here are some questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve?
A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
Q. 85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.
Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.
Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.
May this Easter season bring rest. Rest in Him alone. Let us forget our own goodness. It doesn't exist anyway. But let us all be refreshed in that knowledge, because otherwise we would have received the punishment Christ took. Let us strive after new obedience, today, and always, that we may prove our high calling to the world and as we look forward to heaven together. Amen.
'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" Mark 10:17-19 The man goes on to claim that he has kept all these laws, a notion Jesus quickly dismantles.
Today is Good Friday, which seems somewhat ironically named. It is the day Christians all over the world especially remember the day our Savior was spit upon, beaten brutally, mocked, abandoned by His friends, made to carry a heavy beam on His open wounds, crowned with thorns, and nailed to a cross. So far, so... good? The sun turned black. The earth shook. Graves opened. Truly this was the Son of God.
Why is it good? Someone asked me that a few years ago and I have to admit my answer was lame. I said it was because of the death and resurrection being the Good News for all people. Which it undoubtedly is, but the epiphany I just had was that that is barely the whole story. Jesus' death wasn't about me. It was about God.
In Bible study last night, one of the questions was about the definition of the word "transgression" and what that means in terms of God's law, and its implications for us. The word as used in the Scripture means to cross a boundary. Take a quick journey with me back to the beginning of the redemptive history found in the Bible... God created Adam and Eve and gave them one rule. One boundary. "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil... the day you eat of it you will surely die." We know the drill. Eve ate. Adam ate. God kept His promise. Death entered the world... humankind was not good anymore. But with judgment, there was hope. God provided for their shame by killing an animal, the first death we see in the Bible, which shows both God's deep love for His people but also the gravity of sin. The only thing that can cover sin and its ramifications is death. Adam and Eve couldn't do it themselves; it was done for them by God. In that same part of Genesis, God administers curses but also the promise of great victory in Jesus.
"And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel."
The rest of the Old Testament shows the vicious cycle humanity has been in ever since: sin, judgment, sacrifice. Rinse and repeat. The hopelessness of humankind without God's provision. God's covenant with Israel, with the promises of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. God's patience as Israel whored themselves with other gods over and over. We also see God's promise to Abraham, but the way this covenant went down looks a little different. In Genesis 15 God reminds Abraham of His promises to make Abraham a great nation, with descendants too numerous to count. As assurance, God had Abraham cut animals in half, and then God Himself passed through the middle while Abraham watched. In that time, covenants were made in this way but both parties passed between the pieces to signify that if they broke the deal, then let that same fate happen to them. God took this on all by Himself. God is the one who does the work, not Abraham. God proves in His law that we can in no way keep it. We can't earn God's favor. No one is good except God alone.
That brings us to the New Testament.
"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'" Luke 2:9-11
Simple verses we hear all the time at Christmas, but frought with deep theological significance. The response of these shepherds in the field when faced with the glory of God was not "Oh look at the pretty angel!" It was abject terror. Any time God shows His glory to people in the Bible it is the same response. God's holiness compared to our sin shows us what we know deep down. We're toast. But again, with judgment comes hope. The angel tells them not to be afraid but gives them the reason why they don't have to fear God's holiness anymore. Christ the Lord, the Savior, has been born.
Jesus, fully God and fully man, born to live in perfect obedience where we can not. All those laws in the OT? Fulfilled. The law given in the NT, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself? Done. But the perfect obedience of Christ by itself doesn't save. There is still a problem. The wages of sin is death. God is just. His justice demands death to pay for our transgressions, just like in the Garden of Eden. That has not changed. God did not abrogate Himself. He is a God of love, but also of justice and of wrath. Jesus lived a perfect life, then underwent judgment. His crime, as posted above His head on the cross? Being the King of the Jews. The King of Abraham's people, the children of promise. God promised to take the punishment of any covenant breaking on Himself. God didn't break any rules. Yet all the wrath owed to all believers, throughout time and throughout the earth, was poured out by God onto His only Son our Lord. It's easy to flippantly say that Jesus died for my sins. Yeah He did. He died for my sins, but it wasn't just a simple death. It was taking God's anger in my place. And Adam's place. And Eve's place. And Moses' place. And David's place. And Abraham's place. And your place. How many believers have their been in the thousands of years humanity has been stumbling blindly around this earth?
Christ lived a perfect life and He died. But that is not enough either.
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God." Romans 6:3-10
Two days from now we remember Easter, the day Christ rose victorious over sin and death. We are baptized into His death. It's not fair, but it's just as if we have already received the death we are owed for our sin. We died with Christ, and we live with Christ. We no longer need to shrink in terror from God's holiness. It's the best news we could hear. It's truly good news. But it's not about us. In the first passage, Jesus points out some significant things: The young man is tragically misguided if he thinks he's good enough for God. Jesus is Himself God, and no one is good but God. Good Friday is about God's goodness. Where does that leave us? How do we respond to that? Here are some questions from the Westminster Shorter Catechism.
Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve?
A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
Q. 85. What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse, due to us for sin?
A. To escape the wrath and curse of God, due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.
Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus Christ?
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.
Q. 87. What is repentance unto life?
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience.
May this Easter season bring rest. Rest in Him alone. Let us forget our own goodness. It doesn't exist anyway. But let us all be refreshed in that knowledge, because otherwise we would have received the punishment Christ took. Let us strive after new obedience, today, and always, that we may prove our high calling to the world and as we look forward to heaven together. Amen.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
a hymn for holy week
This is not a traditional Easter hymn by any means, but it has great application for why the incarnation and resurrection matter. It's one of my favorite hymns of all time, based on my favorite Psalm, and was written by Martin Luther. This is a slightly more modern version of his original hymn.
From depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?
To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth:
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy.
Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His Word
Upholds my fainting spirit:
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort, and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.
What though I wait the livelong night,
And till the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth:
Do thus, O ye of Israel's seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait till God appeareth.
Though great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free.
From all their sin and sorrow
From depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?
To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth:
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy.
Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His Word
Upholds my fainting spirit:
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort, and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.
What though I wait the livelong night,
And till the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth:
Do thus, O ye of Israel's seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait till God appeareth.
Though great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free.
From all their sin and sorrow
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A field guide to teachers
Teach"er\, n. 1. One who teaches or instructs; one whose business or occupation is to instruct others; an instructor; a tutor.
Most often found in the traditional construct of a school, teachers can come from any variety of background. Some students fear them in their natural habitat but this is most often unnecessary. In most cases, a productive and peaceful coexistence is desired by both parties and is perfectly achievable when the student follows certain educational, ethical, and proprietary guidelines.
EDUCATIONAL ADVICE
1. When a teacher has spent hours total in class explaining an assignment, giving examples, taking questions, and given the student weeks to do said assignment, the student is advised against saying to the teacher on the day before it is due, or the day it is due, any statement similar to the following: “I didn’t understand what we were supposed to do.”
2. When a teacher has given lesson plans well in advance, a separate sheet with due date reminders for a particular assignment, and reminded students in advance, the student is advised against saying to the teacher any statement similar to the following: “I didn’t know it was due today.”
3. Other phrases to avoid: “I didn’t know it was supposed to be typed.” “I don’t have it, is that ok?” “Can I turn it in tomorrow?” “My printer broke last night so I couldn’t do it” “I was busy this weekend and couldn’t do my assignment.”
Failure to follow these guidelines can lead to the following adverse affects on the teacher: irritation/annoyance, anger, an odd color change in the face area, shortness of breath, and/or apoplexy. In turn, the teacher may turn momentarily hostile to the student. If this situation should happen to you, apologize sincerely and back away slowly.
ETHICAL ADVICE
1. When a teacher has warned against any particular sources or methods in garnering research, they usually have good reason. A student can ask why, but don’t argue about it.
2. If this situation occurs, the student may think he/she is being clever by trying it anyway. When a teacher is crossed in this manner in their natural habitat, this often leads to dire consequences for the student, including, but not limited to, a suffering grade, the lack of respect from the teacher, and a trip to the appropriate authority’s lair/office.
3. If the student should happen to decide that they are going to plagiarize or cheat in some other way, he/she should not act surprised when the teacher catches it. Teachers are highly attuned creatures when it comes to authenticity of work. If you should find yourself in this situation, the worst possible reaction you could have is denial. Follow these steps: confess, apologize, and volunteer yourself for a trip to the appropriate authority’s lair/office. (The teacher will send the student there anyway; it’s better for the student’s well-being if they don’t make the teacher say it.)
4. The student should remember that in this case “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” The teacher is much, much savvier than the student. The student will get caught.
PROPRIETARY ADVICE
1. When approaching a teacher in his or her natural habitat, do not disrupt them in any of the following circumstances: they are striding purposefully down the hall, they have their head bent over papers or computer before school hours, or they are talking to another student/teacher/parent already.
2. If it is an appropriate time to approach a teacher, meaning they are not clearly occupied with other tasks or people, the student is advised to make sure he/she is not about to ask the teacher the following: any questions pertaining to topics already discussed, a question that another student just asked, or a question that has been answered on a hand-out of directions that the student has had in their possession for several days.
3. When the student sees a teacher at any time, the student is advised to make eye contact and offer an appropriate greeting. These can include, but are not limited to, a smile, the words “Good morning”, “How are you doing,” “Can I carry that” and/or “Let me get the door for you.”
4. When the student is leaving a classroom, the student is advised to say the following: “Thank you.”
Failure to follow these simple guidelines may lead the teacher to garner the irreparable impression that the student is a tool. Also, in using the guidelines, the student must be sincere. Teachers are well-adapted to smelling bull. “Bull” includes, but is not limited to, the following: Greetings in an unnaturally high voice, insincere compliments, smiles that drop as soon as the student thinks the teacher isn’t looking anymore and/or eye-rolling when the student thinks the teacher isn’t looking anymore.
CLOSING ADVICE
Students are also advised that in this technological day and age, they need to remember that if they are facebook friends with their teachers, then the teachers can see everything they are saying about school. Teachers are more adaptable to cultural changes than most students give them credit for. If the student wishes to successfully navigate through the teachers’ natural habitat, he/she must remember to work hard, be polite, and not ask dim questions. If the student fails to follow these guidelines and find himself in trouble, he shouldn’t panic. Just remember that sincerity goes a long way, as does chocolate, compliments, and the simple words “I’m sorry.”
Most often found in the traditional construct of a school, teachers can come from any variety of background. Some students fear them in their natural habitat but this is most often unnecessary. In most cases, a productive and peaceful coexistence is desired by both parties and is perfectly achievable when the student follows certain educational, ethical, and proprietary guidelines.
EDUCATIONAL ADVICE
1. When a teacher has spent hours total in class explaining an assignment, giving examples, taking questions, and given the student weeks to do said assignment, the student is advised against saying to the teacher on the day before it is due, or the day it is due, any statement similar to the following: “I didn’t understand what we were supposed to do.”
2. When a teacher has given lesson plans well in advance, a separate sheet with due date reminders for a particular assignment, and reminded students in advance, the student is advised against saying to the teacher any statement similar to the following: “I didn’t know it was due today.”
3. Other phrases to avoid: “I didn’t know it was supposed to be typed.” “I don’t have it, is that ok?” “Can I turn it in tomorrow?” “My printer broke last night so I couldn’t do it” “I was busy this weekend and couldn’t do my assignment.”
Failure to follow these guidelines can lead to the following adverse affects on the teacher: irritation/annoyance, anger, an odd color change in the face area, shortness of breath, and/or apoplexy. In turn, the teacher may turn momentarily hostile to the student. If this situation should happen to you, apologize sincerely and back away slowly.
ETHICAL ADVICE
1. When a teacher has warned against any particular sources or methods in garnering research, they usually have good reason. A student can ask why, but don’t argue about it.
2. If this situation occurs, the student may think he/she is being clever by trying it anyway. When a teacher is crossed in this manner in their natural habitat, this often leads to dire consequences for the student, including, but not limited to, a suffering grade, the lack of respect from the teacher, and a trip to the appropriate authority’s lair/office.
3. If the student should happen to decide that they are going to plagiarize or cheat in some other way, he/she should not act surprised when the teacher catches it. Teachers are highly attuned creatures when it comes to authenticity of work. If you should find yourself in this situation, the worst possible reaction you could have is denial. Follow these steps: confess, apologize, and volunteer yourself for a trip to the appropriate authority’s lair/office. (The teacher will send the student there anyway; it’s better for the student’s well-being if they don’t make the teacher say it.)
4. The student should remember that in this case “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” The teacher is much, much savvier than the student. The student will get caught.
PROPRIETARY ADVICE
1. When approaching a teacher in his or her natural habitat, do not disrupt them in any of the following circumstances: they are striding purposefully down the hall, they have their head bent over papers or computer before school hours, or they are talking to another student/teacher/parent already.
2. If it is an appropriate time to approach a teacher, meaning they are not clearly occupied with other tasks or people, the student is advised to make sure he/she is not about to ask the teacher the following: any questions pertaining to topics already discussed, a question that another student just asked, or a question that has been answered on a hand-out of directions that the student has had in their possession for several days.
3. When the student sees a teacher at any time, the student is advised to make eye contact and offer an appropriate greeting. These can include, but are not limited to, a smile, the words “Good morning”, “How are you doing,” “Can I carry that” and/or “Let me get the door for you.”
4. When the student is leaving a classroom, the student is advised to say the following: “Thank you.”
Failure to follow these simple guidelines may lead the teacher to garner the irreparable impression that the student is a tool. Also, in using the guidelines, the student must be sincere. Teachers are well-adapted to smelling bull. “Bull” includes, but is not limited to, the following: Greetings in an unnaturally high voice, insincere compliments, smiles that drop as soon as the student thinks the teacher isn’t looking anymore and/or eye-rolling when the student thinks the teacher isn’t looking anymore.
CLOSING ADVICE
Students are also advised that in this technological day and age, they need to remember that if they are facebook friends with their teachers, then the teachers can see everything they are saying about school. Teachers are more adaptable to cultural changes than most students give them credit for. If the student wishes to successfully navigate through the teachers’ natural habitat, he/she must remember to work hard, be polite, and not ask dim questions. If the student fails to follow these guidelines and find himself in trouble, he shouldn’t panic. Just remember that sincerity goes a long way, as does chocolate, compliments, and the simple words “I’m sorry.”
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