Psalm of the Week - Psalm 23

Psalm 23.4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Lord, thank you for such beautiful Psalm that has encouraged mutlidutes of your faithful followers for thousands of years. I’m grateful that you are the good shepherd who cares deeply for your sheep. Even if we find ourselves in a dark place, maybe even fearing of death, we know that you are there with us. We think about our brothers and sisters around the world who live today in the valley of the shadow of death. Give them the comfort that comes from knowing you, the Good Shepherd. 

Psalm of the Week -- Psalm 22

Psalm 22.1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Lord, this Psalm reminds us of the plan from long ago for your own son, Jesus Christ to die on a cross. Jesus himself quotes this Psalm as he bears my sin on the cross. I will never be forsaken because Jesus was forsaken on my behalf! Remind me today of the high price of forgiveness. Remind me that it was my sin that deserved your judgment. May I be gracious with others today as I remember that you are gracious to me. You are an infinitely holy God who makes yourself accessible through the priceless sacrifice of Christ!

"If we want to read and to pray the prayers of the Bible and especially the Psalms, therefore, we must not ask first what they have to do with us, but what they have to do with Jesus Christ." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Rethinking the Love Chapter

Paul's classic love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 provides needed definition and substance to the idea of love. What is easy to forget is where 1 Cor 13 is located. It's after chapter 12 and before 14. (I know, brilliance). This chapter was not written to give ministers something to read at weddings, though it's certainly not a bad choice. Chapter 12 gives instruction about the body of Christ, the church. Each member is different but significant. One member cannot be more highly esteemed based on function. All parts are important. You realize the importance of your toe when you stub it on the coffee table. Chapter 14 centers on guidelines for the corporate gathering. The meeting should be done with respect for one another for the purpose of building up one another. Sandwiched between these chapters is chapter 13. What keeps the body members from waring? What keeps the corporate gathering from self-centered chaos? Love. Genuine love for God and others.

Here are the descriptors of love in verses 4-7 with a contextual reminder.

Love is patient and kind in the church

love does not envy or boast in the church

it his not arrogant or rude in the church 

It does not insist on its own way in the church

it is not irritable or resentful in the church

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing in the church

but rejoices with the truth in the church 

Love bears all things         in the church

believes all things in the church

hopes all things            in the church 

endures all things in the church

One Anothering

At SCC, we are currently in a mini-series on the doctrine of the church. This week, we are going to look at some of the one anothering passages in the New Testament. I put together this chart of the verses that include a "one another." Some of you may find it helpful.

Let me know if I've missed some.

One Another Verses

Psalm 19

“The more deeply we grow into the psalms and the more often we pray them as our own, the more simple and rich will our prayer become.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer I have encouraged us all to pray through the Psalms. Each week in our corporate worship service, we will read the next Psalm. I would recommend you to take the Psalm for the week, read it daily, and pray through the Psalm. I plan to start sending out a brief meditation early each week on the Psalm for the week. Here is a simple prayer based on just one verse, Psalm 19:1.   Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Lord, your world declares you are glorious. The sheer size, beauty, complexity, and uniqueness of the heavens declare day after day that you are the incomparable creator. The creation never stops carrying out it’s task of proclamation. You have also called people to proclaim your glory. May we join the chorus of creation today, taking every opportunity to tell of your glory.  Grace and Peace, Allen

More than Access: The tearing of the veil as a sign of judgment

When Jesus died, spectacular things happened. There was an earthquake, there were tombs raised, the world went dark, rocks were split, and the temple veil was torn from top to bottom. 

The tearing of the veil is typically viewed as something positive, noting that believers now have access to God. That’s good news, right? It is true, particularly as explained in the book of Hebrews that there is a veil through which we now have access, namely the body of Christ (Heb 10.18-25). But access to where? We have access to the new holy place, the new temple, the true temple, the Lord Jesus himself is our temple. The former things were shadows. The reality is Christ. 

Jesus and the Temple: Only one shall stand! 

Back to the tearing of the veil at the crucifixion. Why was the veil torn when Jesus died? You will remember that Jesus said early in his ministry that he would tear down the temple and rebuild it (Jn 2.19). This was of course memorable, after it took 46 years just to remodel this temple. But Jesus is speaking on a different level than what they understand. The scoffers remember Jesus talking about the temple at the crucifixion, they jeer him in Mt. 27.40 for saying he would tear down the temple. He was about to die and could not even save himself. He hardly seemed up to the task of dismantling a building. Yet, only a few verses later, “behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” (Mt 27.41) Maybe he was up for tearing down a temple, even on the cross.  

Theologically, here is what I think is going on. The point is not so much, “Man can go in or God came out.” The point is God in essence saying, “I’m at a different address.” God is no longer accessed via a brick and mortar (or curtain) temple, he’s accessed through the new holy place that is under construction, to be revealed 3 days later, the man, Jesus Christ. There is a debate in John 4 with the woman at the well about where to worship God. Jesus answers her question and reveals that one day “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (Jn 4.23)

Imagine being a first century Jew who suddenly had clear sight into the Holy Place. They had been told the stories. If you enter there, God will strike you dead, like Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10).  Their charade is exposed. The emperor(s) are exposed as empty peddlers of a system not true representatives of God.  

The Bigger Story: Way back in Exodus, God instructs the people to construct a tabernacle. They do. He comes down and dwells there in his glory-cloud (Ex 40). Years later, Solomon builds the permanent place for God, the Temple. He prays and God’s presence comes down (2 Chron 7). Years later, the glory-presence of God leaves prophetically depicted by the prophet Ezekiel (chs 8-11). Israel would be deported from the land, Jerusalem lost and the temple razed. Eventually, they would return from exile and rebuild the temple. But guess what never shows up in the new temple recorded Ezra-Nehemiah? The glory presence. 

It is prophesied in Haggai 2:9 that the glory of this (rebuilt) temple would be greater than Solomon’s temple. How so? It wasn’t in terms of appearance nor in terms of the glory-presence. Yet this is the temple (a remodel later) in which Jesus walks, the one who radiates the glory of God shows up in the temple, but the glory is now found in a man, Jesus Christ, not in the glory-cloud (Heb 1.3).

The glory has a new house, in the God-Man, Jesus Christ. He is the true temple. The tearing of the veil demonstrates the old way is now obsolete. Access is granted to a new and true holy place. 

Parenting in the Pew: A few suggestions for maximizing Sundays with little ones (Repost)

With promotion season here for many churches, here are some suggestions for maximizing Sundays with little ones. (Originally posted in Aug 2014)
---------------------------

Are you ever going to stop moving? There is no way you need to go to the potty AGAIN! Chairs are for sitting, not wallowing. Can you please stop looking behind you? No, you cannot have another peppermint. It will be over when it's over, stop asking. Sit still!

Have you ever whispered any of the above to a little one that you are desperately trying to keep subdued during church? I have. Having children in church is a wonderful if not sometimes challenging privilege. The idealism of a family all sitting in church quietly lined up like little angels is not usually reality for most of us. Some weeks you feel more like you are trying to wrangle a lab puppy, or two.   

As another Sunday approaches and promotion season has come for many churches to graduate the new kids into "Big Church," here are a few practical tips for parenting in the pew:

• Commit

The more committed you are as a parent to having your child consistently in church the better things will go. I believe corporate worship is immensely valuable. It is true that there may be portions of the service that fly over their heads, but the value of being together with the church family, singing songs of praise to God, hearing the Word read and preached is beyond any one sermon or service. The true value to having kids in corporate worship builds cumulatively. The importance of this time may not be apparent after a week, or two, or three, but over months and years our children will have ingrained in their DNA that this is an immensely serious and important time. As you commit to weekly worship, your children will look back years later and know this was important to mom and dad. 

• Prepare

Part of the tension for families is every week is a grind. You go to work; take the kids to school or school them at home; you run to and from practice then by the time Sunday morning gets here, you’re ready for a break. You think how nice it would be to ship the kids away for a few hours for some much needed refreshment in the Word. 

But remember what we are doing at church. Is there anything more important than gathering with God’s people consistently to worship the living and redeeming God? Our kids will grow up and leave home one day. What do you want them to remember about how your family valued corporate worship? As an afterthought? No, let’s prioritize this! 

Here are a few ways we can prepare well through the week: 

TALK: Take some time each week on a few occasions to talk about worshipping on Sundays. Remind your kids of what they learned and remind them that Sunday’s coming. Worship is a privilege not a drudgery. Communicate that to your kids.  

PRAY: Often times when we are at the dinner table as I pray before our meal, I will thank the Lord for our church. I think it’s important for our kids to know we are thankful for a group with which to worship. Pray for missionaries, pray for your elders, pray for special events coming up and those who are hurting in the church. Let your kids hear you pray specifically for the local body. 

PLAN: This is where a little bit of forethought goes a long ways. My wife is really good about having something for our kids to do during the service. We do not expect them to take copious notes (my kids are 8, 6 & 6). Be realistic. Many times, we will take a sheet of paper and make 3-4 columns on the page. We have the kids listen for key words. Usually a couple of simple ones like God or Jesus, and then something more sermon specific. If you know the text to be preached, you can look ahead and use a word like resurrection or grace. We have them make a tally mark each time they hear that word. Our kids have responded pretty well to this so far. 

We try to bring one maybe 2 things for kids to do to occupy their hands. But don’t give many options (they just go back and forth ad infinitum) and think of things that aren’t overly noisy. Many times just a pen and paper are fine. Occupied hands often times means quieter mouth.   

• Repeat

The question on Sunday morning doesn't need to be are we going, the question needs to be what time are we leaving. Before someone cries “legalist,” I do understand that occasionally folks miss church. I get it, I really do. But for the most part, if we are healthy, in town, and otherwise available, be there. You need it for your own soul and your kids need consistency. The more you do this the better it will be for you and them. 

• Relax

Do you know what you get when you toss a bunch of kids into a worship service? Noise. And that’s fine. Relax, they’re kids in training — works in progress, just like the rest of us. If they drop their pens (for the 10th time), or incessantly rattle some papers, or awkwardly stare at the new family behind them, gently move them along and reengage in the service. It’s OK! As a pastor who preaches weekly, I love seeing the little ones, noises and all, in our services. Your child is probably not nearly as noisy as you think they are. Of course we want to be respectful and try to minimize distractions, but in the big scheme, a little racket, occasional outburst, or noise is all going to be part of the process. I’ve had leaders in our church tell me that they love the noise that comes from the kids. It means we are depositing into the next generation!