Two Mountains

 Beginning Scripture: Exodus 20: 18

When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpets and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” NIV 

Mount Sinai, Fear and Punishment

This passage from Exodus describes the reaction of Moses’ people to the awesome power of God as had been demonstrated on Mount Sinai with flaming fire, dark clouds, thunder and lightning, and trumpets blasting. They were scared and spoke their intention of obeying all that God had commanded of them. There is much fear and punishment spoken of in this part of Exodus and of course there are the ten commandments.

This is the picture and the aura surrounding Mount Sinai and those days. But there is also this that God tells Moses in Exodus 19: 4—6:

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” NIV

So, in these two passages from Exodus we see and hear so much about the beginnings and the future of God’s journey with his people in the Old and New Testaments. You might recall my devotional at the beginning of this month on the continuities and discontinuities in salvation history. Hebrews Chapter 12, the chapter we are studying in Sunday School today really illustrates this theme. The writer reminds his readers of the events at Mount Sinai.

He then moves the readers from the fearful and awesome Sinai to another mountain. There is a massive history and transition presented in this single chapter in Hebrews. For the writer encourages the Hebrew Christians, telling them that they have come up into Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and the church (Hebrews 12: 22-24).

Continuity and Discontinuity

So here again we see the discontinuity between the old and the new. Fearful Sinai – the old - and joyful Zion – the new. Of course, there is always the message that if we want joy, if we want the fulfillment of God’s promises to us of a better place, the end of our journey to his Kingdom, then we must obey, we must do his will. In the words of our pastor last Sunday, we must fulfill our obligations. We must be faithFULL – full of faith and trust in God. This is always our challenge is it not? Are we going to be a people looking forward in faith OR will we be stuck in our pasts, living in the shame of our dark and weak selves?

Still Pilgrims

To me these lessons for us in our pilgrimage are what makes being a Christian so life-giving and hopeful. If I and we follow Christ and his fresh message of love and salvation, then we will remain a redeemed people bound for glory. Mount Zion is not just a hill in Jerusalem beyond the walls of the old city.  Mount Zion is indeed the city of our living God where we are protected, safe, and living a life of light, in God’s light. That is our hope. Zion is the mountain where our faith has been rewarded and our hopes fulfilled.

I think each morning when we get out of bed to begin our day we are in a position to choose the fear and darkness of the Sinai spoken of in Exodus OR we can choose the faith, hope, and joy of mount Zion. We can make the decision to be in faith in our resurrected Christ who lived a life of love, compassion, and victory over pain and suffering.

Questions and Challenges

·         When we get up in the morning let us set our intentions on the light, love, faith, and joy of Jesus Christ.

·         As the day goes on when we are invited by mass media or others around us to enter into smoke and darkness and hopelessness, let us remember that we are people of Mount Zion, the new heavenly Jerusalem.

Prayer

Jesus, you are our hope and our salvation. Help us to avoid the darkness and negativism we are invited into each day. Help us love and care for one another as you did when you were on Earth and as you  continue to do. Lord, we do not want to deny our pain and suffering, it is part of life, but help us to remember that you are always with us, right by our side holding onto us for dear life, for your life with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We pray these things in your name, Jesus Christ, our precious savior. 

8-23-20

Difficult Conversations

Beginning Scripture:  James 3: 5 and 6  “So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body. And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster.”  The Living Bible

This rather sober cautionary message from James sets the stage for a topic and area of great interest to me over the last many years, the subject of conflict and conflict resolution, a subject not often discussed in some churches – and churches where there are many serious conflicts resulting in great harm and division.

 

God: The Great Mystery

The more I study Proverbs, the more admiration I have for Solomon and the other writers. Solomon has so many wise things to say about relationships in Chapter 25.  He begins by pointing out the mystery that surrounds God. God hides aspects of himself from us because he knows we couldn’t take him in in one gulp, or see him all at once. Remember the scene when God passes by Moses, and does not allow him to see his face, only his back. There is a lesson here - for me anyway.  Since I cannot see all or even a big part of God, I must have faith. I can only see God through a glass dimly, as Paul explains to the Corinthians. God will always be mysterious to us in this life. 

Qualities of a Good Leader

Solomon also describes the qualities of a good leader, one of which is to investigate and gather as much information as possible to speak and rule wisely. Solomon himself left his palace and went out into the neighborhoods. He listened to and helped ordinary people deal with their problems and aided them in securing justice.  He was always searching for knowledge of nature and human behavior. I think it is a tribute to Solomon that he mingled with the lowly to get their perspectives and acquire what knowledge they had. I think Jesus understood this path to wisdom-through-humility. He advised this: when someone invites you to a wedding feast – take the lowest place in the room.  In Luke 14:11 Jesus says:

                “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Solomon also counseled those who would be leaders to be godly and selfless.  They also should surround themselves with people of godly character.

Counsel for Relationships

Remember, Solomon was counseling people about what they should do in their relationships. So the thing I want to focus on now is what he said people should do when they have a conflict with each other.  This advice is especially relevant today, in a society prone to self-centeredness, materialism and greed. 

As a prelude to this advice I want to tell you about an incident I was involved in many many years ago when we had neighbors who were renting the house next door to us.  They had the bad habit of parking their cars on the grass, jutting their front-ends into “our” yard.  I really didn’t know the neighbors and my first thought was to report them to the city for legal action. That’s pretty bad isn’t it?  I have to say I was a lot younger and stupider then. But I don’t think I was that different from many people who want to rush to court to settle disputes in our culture full of legalistic drama. 

Having Difficult Conversations

The truth is, most people try to avoid difficult conversations every day - whether dealing with an under-performing employee, disagreeing with a spouse, or negotiating with someone. The Harvard Negotiation Project has much advice about dealing with difficult conversations. In fact a whole book was written about it. These are some of the things they suggest - with some of my own language and ideas added:

• Try to start a conversation about a dispute without defensiveness on your part.
• Listen carefully. Listen for unspoken meanings underneath what is said, try hard to read the person between the lines.
• Don’t let attacks or accusations throw you all out of balance. Stand firm, but listen.
• Don’t deny emotions.  Avoid telling people they “shouldn’t feel this way.” That will just put them off, probably even pretty badly.  Then, after this period of listening, eventually try to move on from emotion, putting an emphasis on helpful problem solving.

Based on: Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, By Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, Sheila Heen; November 2, 2010 Sold by Penguin

Now, for just a moment, let me go back to my unfortunate idea of running to the legal system with my neighbor when I could have just gone to their front door, knocked on it, and had a polite, good-humored and respectful conversation.

Solomon counsels against going right into court.  He said that conflict ought to be settled personally and privately if possible by the least invasive means available: He says in Proverbs 25:9 and 10  :

“Don’t be hotheaded and rush to court! You may start something you can’t finish and go down before your neighbor in shameful defeat.” (Living Bible)

Kindness and Tone

Our Sunday School lesson says that care should be exercised with the words and tone one uses in communicating concern. Proverbs 23, verses 11 and 12 say this:

The right word at the right time

    is like a custom-made piece of jewelry,

And a wise friend’s timely reprimand

    is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.   (The Message)

“Words of kindness and wisdom often effectively diffuse tension and make possible a peaceful resolution of difficult situations.”  Words have power for good or bad.  (Sunday School lesson  p. 67)   

Listen to Proverbs 25:15

“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.” (NIV)

The Free Will Baptist Approach to Conflict

I am so very impressed with the manner in which Free Will Baptists are advised to deal with conflict. Pastor Kevin Williford explained it this way, giving ample Biblical references to support each of these items:

Generally speaking, Free Will Baptists discourage Christians from suing other Christians and come very near to prohibiting church members from suing fellow church members.  In addition, the following are advised or required:  

1.       If possible overlook the wrong.  Show grace and give forgiveness since we ourselves have been the recipients of grace and forgiveness.  Our pastor goes on to say that he has known Free Will Baptists to forgive an unpaid debt when they could have legally taken the person to court over it. 

2.       Where it is not possible to overlook the wrong, go to the person and try to settle it quickly between yourselves.

3.       If the matter cannot be settled between the two members they should get two other church members to act as witnesses or mediators in the dispute. 

4.       If the dispute can’t be solved this way there are numerous other steps to be taken involving such people as church elders, deacons, church advisory boards, etc.

5.       There is no prohibition against suing those outside of the church, but as a general rule we still encourage people to overlook the wrong suffered - whenever possible - by extending grace and forgiveness. 

Again, I am struck by the way people are advised or directed to settle disputes within their relationships by interacting with each other rather than by involving civil authorities.  These are difficult conversations but they are worth it to keep people in relationship and within the church community.

Here are a couple of the Biblical passages that are the basis for this conflict resolution counsel:

Matthew 5: 25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way…”

1 Corinthians 6:1 “If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?”

Morsel of Wisdom: Dealing with a Disagreement

I cannot end this devotional without sharing one more little morsel of wisdom – this time about how to deal with someone with whom you disagree and I think it is well-thought out advice from Blaise Pascal: If you think someone is wrong, first point out where they are right, and then advise them to try to see it from another perspective.  People are usually open to seeing other perspectives while they might not be open to seeing where they are wrong. 

Prayer

Father, thank you for the wisdom of Solomon and our church members and leaders. Help us to gather the courage to face people with whom we have a dispute or a disagreement and to face them with kindness, grace and love.  We ask your continued protection from the Coronavirus for people throughout the world, especially for our health and medical professionals.  In the name of Jesus Christ our precious Savior we pray, Amen. 

Devotional for 5-3-20

               

How the Resurrected Christ Changed People

Opening Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15: 5-8

Paul describes the evidence that Christ rose from the dead and “that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time…  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.“

I read a book written by Lee Strobel, a journalist who started out being an atheist who was very skeptical about Jesus rising from the dead.  He had seen the changes that had taken place in his wife as a result of her conversion to Christianity and decided he would gather evidence about this Jesus, like a good journalist does, and after reviewing loads of Christian writings like that opening scripture, he finally became convinced that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead, that he was not just an ordinary or even an extraordinary man, but was also God. After completing his research and writing about it at age 29 he became a Christian and eventually even a pastor.  It could be said that the risen Christ changed this hard-nosed atheist journalist into a Christ- follower.

The Resurrection is Foundational

Today’s Sunday School lesson says that the Resurrection is foundational, that the early Christians never doubted it and they lived by it.  A while back I read a book about the 12 apostles entitled Twelve Ordinary Men.  The author, John MacArthur, throughout the book pointed out chapter by chapter for each of the apostles how they were “only human” in that they had flaws and weaknesses just like the rest of us who choose to follow Jesus.  But in each chapter he showed how their association with Jesus, the great teacher, changed them.  No! Jesus did not just change them.  He transformed them and much of that transformation did not happen until after Jesus rose from the dead.

By being with and experiencing Jesus and then the glorified Christ, the Twelve, as well as the apostle Paul became different men who had an intense commitment to spread the good news of salvation and redemption far and wide.  To me, the two apostles that stand out as examples to us are Peter and Paul.  Both of them had either denied or persecuted Christ. But they made radical turn-arounds in their lives due to their encounters with THE one whose radical love and example changed everything.  “A relationship with Jesus Christ always produces a powerful transformation in the believer.” (p. 46 of Sunday School lesson).

The Resurrection is Motivational

As I read that book: Twelve Ordinary Men, with each succeeding chapter each one of the apostles became my favorite guy.  But after reading and studying 1 Corinthians 15 and our Sunday School lesson, the disciple who is now my favorite is Thomas.

He believed only what he could touch or perceive with his senses.  He doubted that Jesus had risen.  I tell you that in my faith walk, from time to time I have been haunted by doubt. I was trained as a social scientist and came to respect the scientific method and its reliance on a disciplined gathering of evidence in order to demonstrate what is real as opposed to just being imaginary or simply a matter of opinion.  But now as a result of my faith walk and my belief in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I realize that science in inherently limited.  Not that I doubt the usefulness of science at all.  But I now know that faith is necessary if I am to become fully human and if I am to rise above my own feelings, weaknesses and limitations, and if I am to dwell in the Kingdom of God.

And it is my belief that enables me to have many many tiny resurrections.  I also have to say, it is my relationships with my church and my brothers and sisters there and with the other good people in my life that pull me out of my own darkness and limited ego-self into the Light. I have become aware in these weeks of shelter-in-place of my need to be in the physical presence of other people and to interact with them.  I’ve had moments of feeling lost and depressed just being cooped up in the house.  Thank God for my wife or I would be really crazy. 

Tiny Resurrections

I am reminded of what Paul said in Romans 12: 1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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.

In the Easter season I like to think and write about the way we humans can rise above what Paul calls the natural body.  When I get up in the morning, especially in retirement, my still sleepy body does NOT want to work.  In the flesh, my body wants to take it easy, wake up very gradually by sitting and reading or writing.  I do NOT want to do the work of cleaning the dishes, I do NOT want to exercise and I do NOT want to cook breakfast for Helen and me.  I’m ashamed to say it but that is Glenn in his natural uninspired self.

But listen to what our brother saint Paul asserts in verses 50 and 51:

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Listen, I tell you a MYSTERY: … we will all be changed…”

And I would add this sentence: We will be transformed. By faith and trust in God and his beloved Son, in small and sometimes large ways, we can rise daily above our natural impulses. When I am tuned into Jesus and when I remember my role as a Christian husband: I get up, clean myself up, go the kitchen, feed the cats, wash the dishes and then cook breakfast.  I am able to rise above my flesh that wants to lay around and read or watch TV.  And I do this NOT with resentment, but with joy.  My cleaning and cooking are tiny resurrections. At those small moments I am joining Jesus Christ the risen Lord. 

In Luke 9:23 we hear this from Jesus:

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

The Appearance of the Risen Lord

After his resurrection Jesus joined his disciples.  He did not use the doors to that room, but he just appeared to the them.  That is the glorified body that Paul spoke of.  It still had the wounds he suffered before he died. These wounds gave evidence that he was also the Jesus they walked and talked with them on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding roads, paths and hills.  It was the same Jesus whom they touched, conversed with and listened to.  It was the same Jesus they came to love. 

If we are to be raised up after our bodies die, we must do it with Christ.  I suppose it might be accurate to say that we are all like Thomas in a way.  We need the Christ who is really alive before we will be able to be raised up in power and glory. 

Questions and Challenges

1. Thinking about yourself before you were saved or reborn in Christ, can you identify with the Apostles and how they were before they experienced the risen Christ?  Please explain. 
2. What examples can you give that describe you as being in your natural state of mind and your natural body-self as opposed to your “believer” state of mind or your spiritual self?
3. Give examples of your “tiny resurrections.” 

Prayer

Jesus, please help us to become aware of ways that we suffer and die to self and how faith and trust in you gives us power.  Thank you for suffering and dying to show us the meaning of our own sacrifices and suffering.  Thank you for staying with us, for opening doors for us.  Please help us to appear as you in the presence of loved ones, friends and strangers so they will know you as risen Lord and Savior. 

Devotional for 4-12-20 Easter Sunday