As I was leading a study on “The Love Chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13, I spent time on the words Paul uses to define this love, “agape.” Beginning in verse 4, he proceeds to use several phrases to describe this type of love. Of course the prototype definition is found in John 3:16, where we read that God has so much love (agape) for man that he sent his one and only son to die so that whoever believes may have eternal life. I’m part of the “whoever group” just as you are if you have received Christ as your Savior.
As I was going through the phrases Paul uses to define “agape” in 1 Corinthians 13, I discovered that love never really allows sin in someone else’s sin to stop me from being kind to them, or thinking the best of them, nor should it stop me from wanting the best for them. Agape does not allow me to be suspicious or jealous of them, and it certainly should take away any joy I might experience as they “reap what they deserve.” Agape is selfless.
Agape always wants the best, (of course this is Jesus); agape always celebrates when good things happen to others as well as to me; and agape always hopes for the best no matter what the circumstances may appear to be.
Paul simply ends this admonition to walk in “agape” love by saying that even though God has some pretty cool things waiting for us, such as the spiritual gifts described in the previous chapter, the only thing that will be left standing in the end is love.
As a pastor, I’m often wondering how effective programs and other plans that we hatch are going to be. I should remember that none of those things will make a difference if there is not “agape.”
This Scripture reminded me that it really doesn’t matter if I attend a Seeker Sensitive Church or an Emergent Church or perhaps even a Traditional one. If love is not there, it won’t matter.
Always In Pursuit!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Dinosaur Brains
About 20 years ago I purchased a book entitled, “Dinosaur Brains.” Written for the business world it challenges readers to do things differently than had have previously done them.
Part of the premise is that the brain of a dinosaur was supposedly about the size of a walnut. (Not sure how anyone knows that for sure since there haven’t been dinosaurs around for a long time to prove or disprove this.) The theory is that a dinosaur’s brain was only developed to the point of coordinating instinctual actions such as eating, fighting or running. Some have contended that a dinosaur’s brain was fully developed at birth. In other words, they never got any smarter than the day they were born. Whatever abilities the dinosaur possessed were there from day one.
Diminutive brain size could be one of the reasons dinosaurs no longer exist. They really could only do what came naturally to them and did not have the ability to make adjustments. They got hungry and ate whatever was in their path. And if they didn’t eat it, they probably stomped it since some of them were about as big as house. They had no logic or reasoning abilities.
I suppose at times I’ve acted a bit like a dinosaur and only done what came natural to me. My behavior seemed right at the time but in the long run, it wasn’t.
I think God gave Solomon some insight into things like this. In two of his proverbs Solomon gave a warning about “dinosaur brains.” He said there was a way that seems right (or a way that comes natural) but it really won’t lead to anything but your death.
I think this may be why Jesus encouraged us to take His yoke upon him. He was inviting us to a different way of thinking and acting. This certainly was the motive behind his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6 & 7. He was giving a new way of thinking or a new way to reason things out. The old way was only leading to extinction. Jesus was offering life.
I don’t think any of us are different than the dinosaurs. If left up to our own instincts, we will self-destruct. But if we give our lives to God and take His yoke upon us, we will find life and life abundantly.
Always in Pursuit
About 20 years ago I purchased a book entitled, “Dinosaur Brains.” Written for the business world it challenges readers to do things differently than had have previously done them.
Part of the premise is that the brain of a dinosaur was supposedly about the size of a walnut. (Not sure how anyone knows that for sure since there haven’t been dinosaurs around for a long time to prove or disprove this.) The theory is that a dinosaur’s brain was only developed to the point of coordinating instinctual actions such as eating, fighting or running. Some have contended that a dinosaur’s brain was fully developed at birth. In other words, they never got any smarter than the day they were born. Whatever abilities the dinosaur possessed were there from day one.
Diminutive brain size could be one of the reasons dinosaurs no longer exist. They really could only do what came naturally to them and did not have the ability to make adjustments. They got hungry and ate whatever was in their path. And if they didn’t eat it, they probably stomped it since some of them were about as big as house. They had no logic or reasoning abilities.
I suppose at times I’ve acted a bit like a dinosaur and only done what came natural to me. My behavior seemed right at the time but in the long run, it wasn’t.
I think God gave Solomon some insight into things like this. In two of his proverbs Solomon gave a warning about “dinosaur brains.” He said there was a way that seems right (or a way that comes natural) but it really won’t lead to anything but your death.
I think this may be why Jesus encouraged us to take His yoke upon him. He was inviting us to a different way of thinking and acting. This certainly was the motive behind his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6 & 7. He was giving a new way of thinking or a new way to reason things out. The old way was only leading to extinction. Jesus was offering life.
I don’t think any of us are different than the dinosaurs. If left up to our own instincts, we will self-destruct. But if we give our lives to God and take His yoke upon us, we will find life and life abundantly.
Always in Pursuit
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I had an interesting experience this morning while preparing for my Sunday school lesson on 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. (I can always hear the television announcer from the popular show, “The Love Boat” when I talk about the love chapter.)
As I was doing some background reading on the chapter, I noted the word used for love in 1 Corinthians 13, “agape” was coined specifically for New Testament writers. This word did not exist in classical Greek. In other words, if you read something written in Greek other than the Scriptures, you wouldn’t find the word “agape.”
In classical Greek there were several words for “love” each denoting brotherly love, emotional love or physical love however none of these words describe the kind of love God exhibited when He sent His one and only son or the love that God desires to see within His family.
So, once again I discovered a time when there just weren’t words to describe God. He is beyond human explanation. I’m reminded of Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (NIV)
It only makes sense that if he is able to work beyond what we can imagine, we just won’t be able to find the words to describe Him.
There just aren’t words……..
Always in Pursuit
As I was doing some background reading on the chapter, I noted the word used for love in 1 Corinthians 13, “agape” was coined specifically for New Testament writers. This word did not exist in classical Greek. In other words, if you read something written in Greek other than the Scriptures, you wouldn’t find the word “agape.”
In classical Greek there were several words for “love” each denoting brotherly love, emotional love or physical love however none of these words describe the kind of love God exhibited when He sent His one and only son or the love that God desires to see within His family.
So, once again I discovered a time when there just weren’t words to describe God. He is beyond human explanation. I’m reminded of Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (NIV)
It only makes sense that if he is able to work beyond what we can imagine, we just won’t be able to find the words to describe Him.
There just aren’t words……..
Always in Pursuit
Monday, March 9, 2009
I recently started reading Chaim Potok’s book, “The Chosen,” because I found the summary and commentary so intriguing.
“The Chosen” is a novel set prior to and near the end of World War II and centers around the tension existing between a father and son. But the tension was not unique to that father and that son. The commentator described it as, “tensions between the two poles of tradition and progress that almost inevitably develop within any culture.”
It actually hurt to read that statement. The idea is nothing new. Our world is full of tensions stemming from “progress.” I guess it hurt because I see this same tension hindering families, businesses and even the church.
Why does progress have to be an enemy? Don’t we have enough to battle against? Every tradition was once a progressive act itself, replacing an earlier form or method.
Tradition isn’t bad. It gets us to where we are and positions us for the future. But tradition can become caustic if we begin to worship it. I’m reminded of the time when God sent snakes to bite the Israelites in the desert (Numbers 21). [God also provided healing in the form of a serpent cast in bronze.] If those bitten by the snakes in the desert would simply look up to the bronze serpent on the pole, they would be healed. This was not only progress for those bitten, but it was prophetic for those searching for the Messiah.
However, by the time Hezekiah became king, hundreds of years later, the Israelites had begun worshipping the bronze serpent on the pole. Out of a heart of obedience, Hezekiah broke it into pieces so they could no longer worship it, as had been their tradition for hundreds of years (2 Kings 18).
I wonder if progress was what God had in mind when he spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said, “forget the former things do not dwell in the past. I’m doing a new thing.” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
In Pursuit
“The Chosen” is a novel set prior to and near the end of World War II and centers around the tension existing between a father and son. But the tension was not unique to that father and that son. The commentator described it as, “tensions between the two poles of tradition and progress that almost inevitably develop within any culture.”
It actually hurt to read that statement. The idea is nothing new. Our world is full of tensions stemming from “progress.” I guess it hurt because I see this same tension hindering families, businesses and even the church.
Why does progress have to be an enemy? Don’t we have enough to battle against? Every tradition was once a progressive act itself, replacing an earlier form or method.
Tradition isn’t bad. It gets us to where we are and positions us for the future. But tradition can become caustic if we begin to worship it. I’m reminded of the time when God sent snakes to bite the Israelites in the desert (Numbers 21). [God also provided healing in the form of a serpent cast in bronze.] If those bitten by the snakes in the desert would simply look up to the bronze serpent on the pole, they would be healed. This was not only progress for those bitten, but it was prophetic for those searching for the Messiah.
However, by the time Hezekiah became king, hundreds of years later, the Israelites had begun worshipping the bronze serpent on the pole. Out of a heart of obedience, Hezekiah broke it into pieces so they could no longer worship it, as had been their tradition for hundreds of years (2 Kings 18).
I wonder if progress was what God had in mind when he spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said, “forget the former things do not dwell in the past. I’m doing a new thing.” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
In Pursuit
Monday, March 2, 2009
One of the great honors bestowed upon pastors is to conduct the funeral of one who is loved and revered within the church. I have such an honor today. My friend David Gray passed from this earth to his new home last week and today we celebrate.
We celebrate with laughter (Dave was quite the cut up from time to time) and we celebrate with tears. Dave was taken from us too soon. He will be missed.
When you know someone for almost 20 years as I have known my friend, you see the good, the bad and the ugly. But when someone is your friend, you only remember the good. The good outweighed the bad and ugly.
Dave was a faithful man. Once he committed to do something, you could consider it done.
Dave was a servant. He was always the first to volunteer if someone needed help. Many benefited from his strength when they moved or from help with a car repair or from a stack of boxes that he was able to procure from his own workplace. (I conjecture the stack of boxes was paid for out of his own pocket more often than not.)
The one thing I will always remember Dave for was the love and care he gave his wife Dixie when she was unable to do so for herself. Dixie passed away 20 months ago. She had suffered from Parkinson’s disease and needed constant care. The tears in Dave’s eyes over her loss weren’t even dry when he became ill himself.
I saw Dave provide this care for her with a smile on his face. His love didn’t come through just in times of health or when times were good but in not so good times and in times of sickness.
It will be an honor to lead this time of celebration for my friend’s life. I know a great reunion took place in heaven. Dave made a beeline for Jesus, maybe to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (the three he sang about so often and so loudly) but then he found Dixie. I think they’re dancin’ and probably will do so for a few thousand years.
Goodbye my friend! See you in the morning!
Always In Pursuit!
We celebrate with laughter (Dave was quite the cut up from time to time) and we celebrate with tears. Dave was taken from us too soon. He will be missed.
When you know someone for almost 20 years as I have known my friend, you see the good, the bad and the ugly. But when someone is your friend, you only remember the good. The good outweighed the bad and ugly.
Dave was a faithful man. Once he committed to do something, you could consider it done.
Dave was a servant. He was always the first to volunteer if someone needed help. Many benefited from his strength when they moved or from help with a car repair or from a stack of boxes that he was able to procure from his own workplace. (I conjecture the stack of boxes was paid for out of his own pocket more often than not.)
The one thing I will always remember Dave for was the love and care he gave his wife Dixie when she was unable to do so for herself. Dixie passed away 20 months ago. She had suffered from Parkinson’s disease and needed constant care. The tears in Dave’s eyes over her loss weren’t even dry when he became ill himself.
I saw Dave provide this care for her with a smile on his face. His love didn’t come through just in times of health or when times were good but in not so good times and in times of sickness.
It will be an honor to lead this time of celebration for my friend’s life. I know a great reunion took place in heaven. Dave made a beeline for Jesus, maybe to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (the three he sang about so often and so loudly) but then he found Dixie. I think they’re dancin’ and probably will do so for a few thousand years.
Goodbye my friend! See you in the morning!
Always In Pursuit!
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