If you have an extra buck, buy this song. It is David Crowder's new song recorded at Passion '07. I like to tell myself that our prayers at the onething conference are part of the reason why this is so anointed!
ron
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Come to Me (Mt. 11:28-30)
I was writing a bit on Mt. 11 this morning and again was drawn back to one of my truly favorite passages in the whole of Scripture. I know I made a similar statement here, but I guess when your life is to mine the depths of something that will forever be 'exceedingly broad' (Ps. 119:96) you will come accross several 'favorites' which continue to draw you time and time again.
In Mt. 11 Jesus is establishing the various responses of people to His ministry; John's (vv1-6); the crowds' (vv. 16-19), the cities in which He ministered (vv. 20-24). He then turns and explodes in praise to His Father, the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth because of the wisdom and beauty of His leadership. The sovereign Lord, the one who possesses all power and could have chosen any way to reveal Himself and establish His purposes, was well-pleased to reveal Himself and His purposes to babes. It is His good pleasure to wait for those who will approach Him utterly aware of their need, fully dependent upon Him like a child (cf. 5:3).
Then Jesus says all things have been handed over to Him by the Father (i.e., all authority, understanding, knowledge, etc...) and that ulitmately the one who will know the Father is the one whom Jesus wills to reveal Him to.
Then comes the condition: Come to me! Jesus invites all who hear His voice to approach Him, to take His yoke upon them and learn from Him (i.e., become a disciple, listen to His word, and seek the grace it takes to assimilate the word into our daily experience). The call goes out to anyone and everyone who would humble themselves, recognize their need, and simply come.
It is to these, the ones who humbly come in continued relationship that Jesus promises rest. We can come in confidence knowing we will find rest because He is gentle and meek in heart. In other words, at the very core of His being He is gentle and meek. He both tenderly leads those who come to Him and uses His power to serve them and empower them along the way. His way is the easy way because it is light and easy, not that the requirements are loosened or that He demands something less than holiness, but that He ultimately gives His power and grace to those who come.
If we but come we will experience the easy yoke, the light burden that Jesus bears with us. His supernatural grace will guide us and our hearts will find ultimate rest in the experience of the power of His life in our innermost parts!
ron
In Mt. 11 Jesus is establishing the various responses of people to His ministry; John's (vv1-6); the crowds' (vv. 16-19), the cities in which He ministered (vv. 20-24). He then turns and explodes in praise to His Father, the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth because of the wisdom and beauty of His leadership. The sovereign Lord, the one who possesses all power and could have chosen any way to reveal Himself and establish His purposes, was well-pleased to reveal Himself and His purposes to babes. It is His good pleasure to wait for those who will approach Him utterly aware of their need, fully dependent upon Him like a child (cf. 5:3).
Then Jesus says all things have been handed over to Him by the Father (i.e., all authority, understanding, knowledge, etc...) and that ulitmately the one who will know the Father is the one whom Jesus wills to reveal Him to.
Then comes the condition: Come to me! Jesus invites all who hear His voice to approach Him, to take His yoke upon them and learn from Him (i.e., become a disciple, listen to His word, and seek the grace it takes to assimilate the word into our daily experience). The call goes out to anyone and everyone who would humble themselves, recognize their need, and simply come.
It is to these, the ones who humbly come in continued relationship that Jesus promises rest. We can come in confidence knowing we will find rest because He is gentle and meek in heart. In other words, at the very core of His being He is gentle and meek. He both tenderly leads those who come to Him and uses His power to serve them and empower them along the way. His way is the easy way because it is light and easy, not that the requirements are loosened or that He demands something less than holiness, but that He ultimately gives His power and grace to those who come.
If we but come we will experience the easy yoke, the light burden that Jesus bears with us. His supernatural grace will guide us and our hearts will find ultimate rest in the experience of the power of His life in our innermost parts!
ron
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The Kisses of His Word (Songs 1:2)
Well it is weekend again and a time for another meditation, but I realized that I did not post at all this week for my Matthew study. Part of me thinks I bit off much more than I could chew with trying to post such a great task for my first 'series' in the wordcasting world. So I stand at a crossroads. Road #1... chalk it up to foolishness and scrap the study on Matthew as a whole, undoubtedly posting on it from time to time. Road #2... seek to push through, feeling like this is just something that I could not stick to, or have the faithfulness for. Still not sure what road I will choose. In my heart I feel like I am reading a Robert Frost poem. Which here would be the road less traveled? I know that I am putting way too much weight on this all, but it is just funny to me.
Anyway...
I was meditating on Song of Solomon 1:2 this morning, asking the Father to let the Son come and awaken my heart with the power of His word. I was asking for the tokens of His affections to pierce my heart and speak identity and truth into my heart, causing what is dull and blind in my heart to be awakened and become passionate in the experience of His tender affections.
However I started to think of the audacity of this question, or rather we might use the language of the NT and say 'confidence' or 'boldness', in coming to the Father and asking such a question. There is something in our hearts that must stand confident before the Holiest One, knowing that we are fully accepted and delighted in, in order that we would ask Him to draw near to our hearts and cause our hearts to experience His affections.
What would it take for us to feel such acceptance. My mind immediately went to Paul's beautiful exposition of God's eternal purpose for the saints in Christ found in Ephesians 1:3-14. There is absolutely nothing that we can bring in our own account that causes us to have the full acceptance of the Beloved's eye. The only way that we can approach Him to ask for His nearness is that He ultimately bridge the gap and mark us accepted by His rich and tender grace. We can only approach according to the multitude of His mercy, not by the works of our hands, not by our righteous deeds, not by anything that we have to offer, but by His full acceptance of us in the Beloved.
Yet, it is in this place we can come to Him and, fully confident in our position and acceptance, hold the ear and heart of the Beloved and ask Him to draw near to us that our hearts might be awakened to everything which we have been created for (i.e., the experience of God's divine love upon every part of our being).
Then we can draw near, full of faith, full of confidence, approaching the throne of grace with confidence and asking that His nearness would be unto us our good.
ron
Anyway...
I was meditating on Song of Solomon 1:2 this morning, asking the Father to let the Son come and awaken my heart with the power of His word. I was asking for the tokens of His affections to pierce my heart and speak identity and truth into my heart, causing what is dull and blind in my heart to be awakened and become passionate in the experience of His tender affections.
However I started to think of the audacity of this question, or rather we might use the language of the NT and say 'confidence' or 'boldness', in coming to the Father and asking such a question. There is something in our hearts that must stand confident before the Holiest One, knowing that we are fully accepted and delighted in, in order that we would ask Him to draw near to our hearts and cause our hearts to experience His affections.
What would it take for us to feel such acceptance. My mind immediately went to Paul's beautiful exposition of God's eternal purpose for the saints in Christ found in Ephesians 1:3-14. There is absolutely nothing that we can bring in our own account that causes us to have the full acceptance of the Beloved's eye. The only way that we can approach Him to ask for His nearness is that He ultimately bridge the gap and mark us accepted by His rich and tender grace. We can only approach according to the multitude of His mercy, not by the works of our hands, not by our righteous deeds, not by anything that we have to offer, but by His full acceptance of us in the Beloved.
Yet, it is in this place we can come to Him and, fully confident in our position and acceptance, hold the ear and heart of the Beloved and ask Him to draw near to us that our hearts might be awakened to everything which we have been created for (i.e., the experience of God's divine love upon every part of our being).
Then we can draw near, full of faith, full of confidence, approaching the throne of grace with confidence and asking that His nearness would be unto us our good.
ron
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Weekend Meditation (Jn. 1:1)
I decided that sometimes on the weekend (it may not actually always be on a weekend) I am going to just post something that I have been musing on for a while. Though it breaks away from the Matthew study, and probably adds years to the amount of time it will take me to get through the gospel, it will be good for my heart to externalize my thoughts.
I have been thinking a lot about John 1:1 lately. Somehow it seems that I get drawn back to this verse time and time again. It truly is one of the most glorious verses in the whole canon of Scripture, and is one of those diamonds we will be discovering new facets to a billion years from now.
Before I continue I just want to write a little disclaimer. I am very aware of the holiness of the ground of which I am seeking to tread upon. There have been two thousand years of church history in which men have sought to comminucate the glorious relationships and Persons of the Godhead, their 'functions' and their interactions between one another. Every word seems to break down as you press it to its true meaning, seeming that every statement would need pages of qualifications in order to state it without it being heretical, or unbiblical in some way. I am not going to place the qualifications here. Yet, if there is something that I write that delves into the blatantly heretical please let me know. Or if you think of better ways to communicate these thoughts please give me thoughts. I am just musing a bit.
This time through I have been thinking a lot about Jesus' nature as the Word. I love this concept of Jesus as the communicative Person of the Godhead. It is one of the ways in which He relates to creation. Jesus ever seeks to communicate, to extrapolate and reveal the Father to those who are 'listening'. A thought cannot be shared amongst two parties apart from a means of communication. Thus, as Word Jesus 'functions' as an interactive point of communication between God and man.
But I think it also says something great about our ability to know God. A spoken word, though still communicating a thought or essence when spoken, does not fulfill its truely intended purpose unless there is a means by which it is received and comprehended. What does this say about the nature of man? Created as image bearers we have been given the inherent ability, the means which would be necessary, to hear and comprehend that great Word which has been spoken.
There is something within us which can receive the 'communication' of that which has been spoken. The beauty of this is that that which is spoken, the Word, is God! It is not some metephisical jargon, but there is something within us that has been created to receive, and comprehend the Uncreated! The very fact that He communicates Himself necessitates something or someone to receive His communication. But reception is not enough. There must also be the ability and means to understand that Word which is spoken.
Thus, in us is ability to hear (receive) and understand (comprehend) the very nature of God. This is ultimate communion. This is what we are seeking to do in prayer, in fellowshipping with the Spirit. We are seeking to have the very essence of God touch that which is essential within us that has been created for contact with Him.
Again, I feel like language breaks down in the ability to communicate these kind of things, and I know the strain is one that men and women have faced for two thousand years; and will continue thoughout all eternity!
ron
I have been thinking a lot about John 1:1 lately. Somehow it seems that I get drawn back to this verse time and time again. It truly is one of the most glorious verses in the whole canon of Scripture, and is one of those diamonds we will be discovering new facets to a billion years from now.
Before I continue I just want to write a little disclaimer. I am very aware of the holiness of the ground of which I am seeking to tread upon. There have been two thousand years of church history in which men have sought to comminucate the glorious relationships and Persons of the Godhead, their 'functions' and their interactions between one another. Every word seems to break down as you press it to its true meaning, seeming that every statement would need pages of qualifications in order to state it without it being heretical, or unbiblical in some way. I am not going to place the qualifications here. Yet, if there is something that I write that delves into the blatantly heretical please let me know. Or if you think of better ways to communicate these thoughts please give me thoughts. I am just musing a bit.
This time through I have been thinking a lot about Jesus' nature as the Word. I love this concept of Jesus as the communicative Person of the Godhead. It is one of the ways in which He relates to creation. Jesus ever seeks to communicate, to extrapolate and reveal the Father to those who are 'listening'. A thought cannot be shared amongst two parties apart from a means of communication. Thus, as Word Jesus 'functions' as an interactive point of communication between God and man.
But I think it also says something great about our ability to know God. A spoken word, though still communicating a thought or essence when spoken, does not fulfill its truely intended purpose unless there is a means by which it is received and comprehended. What does this say about the nature of man? Created as image bearers we have been given the inherent ability, the means which would be necessary, to hear and comprehend that great Word which has been spoken.
There is something within us which can receive the 'communication' of that which has been spoken. The beauty of this is that that which is spoken, the Word, is God! It is not some metephisical jargon, but there is something within us that has been created to receive, and comprehend the Uncreated! The very fact that He communicates Himself necessitates something or someone to receive His communication. But reception is not enough. There must also be the ability and means to understand that Word which is spoken.
Thus, in us is ability to hear (receive) and understand (comprehend) the very nature of God. This is ultimate communion. This is what we are seeking to do in prayer, in fellowshipping with the Spirit. We are seeking to have the very essence of God touch that which is essential within us that has been created for contact with Him.
Again, I feel like language breaks down in the ability to communicate these kind of things, and I know the strain is one that men and women have faced for two thousand years; and will continue thoughout all eternity!
ron
Friday, February 16, 2007
The Wise Men Worship (2:2, 11)
Well, still looking at the Magi in Matthew 2. At this rate I might make it to the Olivet Discourse by the time the events actually happen, but who knows.
I am struck by the purpose of the magi in coming to see the Child born King; it is to worship Him. I just find the inclusion of this word kind of interesting (will show why later). I think that if this was just a mere astrology thing, or a proper function that the wise men did, the word worshi would not be used. Now I know it means to bow down, to pay homage, but it also requires that you acknoweldge the one you are worshipping as Lord. It may also carry the sense of 'kissing' as in paying homage and kissing the hand of a Lord (maybe you pick up where I am going?).
Now Matthew is continually trying to evoke his readers to rightly worship the King of kings, the man who is God with us, the man who is Messiah, the Son of God who has been set on the Holy Hill of Zion to reign as king forever and ever (with me yet?).
I see in the coming of the wise men, though they are not explicitly kings, two Old Testament realities proving the kingship and messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth!
1. Ps. 2 - I believe that the Gentile magi are a foreshadowing of the coming day when the kings of the earth will bow down and kiss the Son (Ps. 2:11). This is the great exhortation of David, and I believe these wise men from Persia did it, at least in part. But there is a greater day when the 'wise men', judges, kings, princes, etc. will bow down and pay ultimate homage, kiss, worship, and exalt the man Christ Jesus, the one who was the Infant there whom they worshipped, as the King of the whole world.
2. Ps. 72:10-11, 15; cf. Is. 60:2-3, 6 - I also believe that these wise men are a foreshadowing of the coming day when the nations of the world will come and empty their storehouses of wealth and bring them to Jesus as He sits on the throne of His father David in Jerusalem. Thus, these three (?) wise men were, in a limited way, fulfilling prophecy when they came and bowed down and gave their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh at the feet of the Infant who was King of the Jews!
I am struck by the purpose of the magi in coming to see the Child born King; it is to worship Him. I just find the inclusion of this word kind of interesting (will show why later). I think that if this was just a mere astrology thing, or a proper function that the wise men did, the word worshi would not be used. Now I know it means to bow down, to pay homage, but it also requires that you acknoweldge the one you are worshipping as Lord. It may also carry the sense of 'kissing' as in paying homage and kissing the hand of a Lord (maybe you pick up where I am going?).
Now Matthew is continually trying to evoke his readers to rightly worship the King of kings, the man who is God with us, the man who is Messiah, the Son of God who has been set on the Holy Hill of Zion to reign as king forever and ever (with me yet?).
I see in the coming of the wise men, though they are not explicitly kings, two Old Testament realities proving the kingship and messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth!
1. Ps. 2 - I believe that the Gentile magi are a foreshadowing of the coming day when the kings of the earth will bow down and kiss the Son (Ps. 2:11). This is the great exhortation of David, and I believe these wise men from Persia did it, at least in part. But there is a greater day when the 'wise men', judges, kings, princes, etc. will bow down and pay ultimate homage, kiss, worship, and exalt the man Christ Jesus, the one who was the Infant there whom they worshipped, as the King of the whole world.
2. Ps. 72:10-11, 15; cf. Is. 60:2-3, 6 - I also believe that these wise men are a foreshadowing of the coming day when the nations of the world will come and empty their storehouses of wealth and bring them to Jesus as He sits on the throne of His father David in Jerusalem. Thus, these three (?) wise men were, in a limited way, fulfilling prophecy when they came and bowed down and gave their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh at the feet of the Infant who was King of the Jews!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The One Born King (2:2)
This will be a short little post, but it is a cool little on-ramp for meditation:
When the magi appear in Jerusalem, the captial city of Israel (even though they were under Roman authority at the time), they search through the city asking a question:
"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?"
The tense of their question is really interesting to me. They do not enter into the city asking the question, "Where is He who has been born to be the King of the Jews?" but rather their question certainly implies that Jesus has been borth as King of the Jews.
So, what does this say about the little Boy in Bethlehem? What does it say about this one who was, at this time, possibly learning to walk and talk, and who was growing both in body, in knowledge, and wisdom? It was clear to these Gentile wise men that there was to be no dispute in the matter, the one whose star had appeared in the east was the one who was born King.
No wonder Herod was deeply troubled, and the whole city with him. Imagine a caravan of thousands of Persians entering Jerusalem from the east, most likely adorned with vast amounts of food, clothing, camels, and abundant gifts to give to the newborn King whom they are inquiring of.
Herod, who was not truly a Jew, but had converted to Judaism, had been placed as 'king' over Judea. He hears of these wise men who have traveled possibly thousands of miles in order to visit the boy who had been born King! What disruption this would have caused!
Just a couple thoughts on that awesome phrase. From the moment of His birth, Jesus was and will always be King of the Jews!
When the magi appear in Jerusalem, the captial city of Israel (even though they were under Roman authority at the time), they search through the city asking a question:
"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?"
The tense of their question is really interesting to me. They do not enter into the city asking the question, "Where is He who has been born to be the King of the Jews?" but rather their question certainly implies that Jesus has been borth as King of the Jews.
So, what does this say about the little Boy in Bethlehem? What does it say about this one who was, at this time, possibly learning to walk and talk, and who was growing both in body, in knowledge, and wisdom? It was clear to these Gentile wise men that there was to be no dispute in the matter, the one whose star had appeared in the east was the one who was born King.
No wonder Herod was deeply troubled, and the whole city with him. Imagine a caravan of thousands of Persians entering Jerusalem from the east, most likely adorned with vast amounts of food, clothing, camels, and abundant gifts to give to the newborn King whom they are inquiring of.
Herod, who was not truly a Jew, but had converted to Judaism, had been placed as 'king' over Judea. He hears of these wise men who have traveled possibly thousands of miles in order to visit the boy who had been born King! What disruption this would have caused!
Just a couple thoughts on that awesome phrase. From the moment of His birth, Jesus was and will always be King of the Jews!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Visit of the Magi (2:1-12)
I won't talk about the whole of this visit here, but just a few things that pop out at me right away:
1. The magi did not visit Jesus at the manger! What? It is more likely (especially from the account in Luke about Jesus' dedication in the temple) that the magi came at some point between the Holy Family's return from Jerusalem and Jesus' two year birthday. I just like to throw that one in because of our preconcieved idea that the magi visited Jesus at the manger, but the text does not state this.
2. There were more than three people among the magi! I will not try to pinpoint exactly how many magi there were (the text does not say, so there could be three, or there could be more). However, it would only seem likely that there were many, many people with the magi (possibly thousands) in order to make the trek from Persia, i.e., a great caravan would have been needed to make the journey through the desert. Also, it is unlikely that three guys would have caused such a stir and troubled all of Jerusalem, as well as Herod (2:3). Finally, there would be no need for three lone guys to travel another way home, as to bypass Jerusalem, in order to go unnoticed (2:12). I assume three guys by themselves could have gone unnoticed if they needed, but rather a great caravan which must have gone another way in order to not be noticed in Jerusalem.
3. The star could be an angel! I am not going to expound on this, but it seems probable that it could be such. For example, some interpret this as the prophecy of Balaam in Num. 24, but there the star is the Messiah, here the star announces the Messiah. Also, a star does not move to the point where it stands over a place; hmmm....
4. These Gentile wise men were the first people to call Jesus the King of the Jews. Yet, all the people in Jerusalem, the scribes of the people, who knew where the Messiah would be born, would not go to receive Him. This also stands in great contast to the man Herod, who was Idumean, but had converted to Judaism, who thought himself king of the Jews. There is born, in a small town of Judea, the true King of the Jews!
Thats all for today, I am really going to try to post more frequently, although I am really busy with this school project.
Tomorrow I want to look at a couple of the cool meditation points from this pasasage.
1. The magi did not visit Jesus at the manger! What? It is more likely (especially from the account in Luke about Jesus' dedication in the temple) that the magi came at some point between the Holy Family's return from Jerusalem and Jesus' two year birthday. I just like to throw that one in because of our preconcieved idea that the magi visited Jesus at the manger, but the text does not state this.
2. There were more than three people among the magi! I will not try to pinpoint exactly how many magi there were (the text does not say, so there could be three, or there could be more). However, it would only seem likely that there were many, many people with the magi (possibly thousands) in order to make the trek from Persia, i.e., a great caravan would have been needed to make the journey through the desert. Also, it is unlikely that three guys would have caused such a stir and troubled all of Jerusalem, as well as Herod (2:3). Finally, there would be no need for three lone guys to travel another way home, as to bypass Jerusalem, in order to go unnoticed (2:12). I assume three guys by themselves could have gone unnoticed if they needed, but rather a great caravan which must have gone another way in order to not be noticed in Jerusalem.
3. The star could be an angel! I am not going to expound on this, but it seems probable that it could be such. For example, some interpret this as the prophecy of Balaam in Num. 24, but there the star is the Messiah, here the star announces the Messiah. Also, a star does not move to the point where it stands over a place; hmmm....
4. These Gentile wise men were the first people to call Jesus the King of the Jews. Yet, all the people in Jerusalem, the scribes of the people, who knew where the Messiah would be born, would not go to receive Him. This also stands in great contast to the man Herod, who was Idumean, but had converted to Judaism, who thought himself king of the Jews. There is born, in a small town of Judea, the true King of the Jews!
Thats all for today, I am really going to try to post more frequently, although I am really busy with this school project.
Tomorrow I want to look at a couple of the cool meditation points from this pasasage.
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