Notes from Bible Class

"The glory of God's undying love" didn't die ... even when He did. 


John 3:6  -- "That which is born of the flesh is flesh.  That which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
That's like in Genesis 1: "after its own kind."


John 3:11 -- Nicodemus was a teacher in Israel.  Jesus thought he obviously should've known the things Jesus was talking about -- known them from the Old Testament scriptures.  Jesus says, "We speak what We know and testify what We have seen."  That's like in Luke 24 where Jesus shows the disciples how the entire Old Testament is all about Him and His atoning work.  Nicodemus should've known the first promise of salvation (Gen 3:15), He should've known the story about the bronze serpent (Num 21).  He should've known about the "Son of Man" (in Daniel).  He should've known about all those water stories (Gen 8, Ex 14, Josh 3, Jonah, et al) and also how washing was used in the tabernacle worship.  He should've known about the Spirit's blowing where He wills (Gen 1, Psalms, 1 Kings 19, et al).  But when Nicodemus didn't know these things that he should've known, what does Jesus do?  He talks about the Son of God on the cross, and that God wants to save, not to condemn.

No Greater Joy

My favorite sympathy card arrived today.  I had the biggest, silliest grin on my face as I read it.  There was nothing silly about the card, but the joy I found in that card was so overwhelming that I couldn't help but laugh with delight.  And pretty soon, as I continued to think on it while washing dishes, my eyes began to tear up. 

In his third epistle John says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth."

My goddaughter quoted a hymn for me.  Only four stanzas because that's all that fit on the back of the card.  "All Christians Who Have Been Baptized ...."  Oh my goodness!  What better hymn when a person faces death -- her own or the death of a loved one? And there were so many awesome bits of her note.

But the best part of all?  The line on the card said, "May friends comfort you, faith uphold you, and loving memories heal your heart."  She crossed out "loving memories" and wrote in "Jesus."

[Oh, shoot.  Now I'm starting to get misty-eyed again.]

She said she didn't like the part about loving memories bringing healing.  So she adjusted the wording. 




John's right.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.

If Your Heart Condemns You

I never noticed how those two verses work in tandem.

John tells us (1 John 3)
If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

A condemning heart? No problem.  God is right and our heart is wrong.
A confident heart?  Again -- no problem. 

John isn't giving us a message of "Buck up and stop letting your heart condemn you, you pitiful weakling of a doubter."  Quite the contrary.  John says, "No matter how you feel, no matter what kind of accusations the devil hurls at you, Jesus' forgiveness takes care of it all and we are safe in Him."

It sure is great to have somebody who can point these things out to me ... even though it seems so obvious now that I wonder how I never saw it before.

'Tis the Word

Mark the sacrifice appointed,
see who bears the awful load.
'Tis the Word,
the Lord's anointed,
Son of Man
and Son of God.

Palm Sunday.  Palms.  Donkey.  Crowds.  The Passover psalm applied to Jesus.  "His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him" (John 12). 

Wait a minute.

These things --these things in Zechariah and the Psalms-- were written about Him. 

Moses wrote stories about Jesus.
Isaiah wrote about Jesus.
David wrote about Jesus.
Jeremiah wrote about Jesus.
Joshua and Samuel and Ezekiel and Solomon wrote about Jesus.

All those stories about Jephthah and Samson and Isaac and Ezra and Aaron and Nebuchadnezzar and Abel and Daniel -- they show us stuff about Jesus.  So when we sing this week, "Tis the Word," and when we're reading the story of Jesus' trial and scourging and crucifixion, it IS the "Word," the scriptures' stories, all tied up in one Man's suffering and death.

We Have Never Been in Bondage to Anyone

Pastor was talking in Bible class today about how we believe in the Word of God.  But it's not only words we believe.  Any religious leader can spout words.  The truth of those words is shown in whether the words come to pass (Deut 18:21-22).  The events of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection show that His words were true.  His own words came to pass in the historical events.  The words of the Old Testament prophets also were proven true in the historical events of Jesus' day. 

So I asked, "Did the Old Testament Christians believe in 'just the words' or did they have the events too?" confused because they obviously had not observed the events that occurred in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

Pastor pointed out the constituative event of the Israelites: the Passover and the crossing of the Red Sea.  That was their salvific event.  It saved.  It was a historical fact.  It was the fulfillment of the promise which came before.  It showed that the Lord was faithful to His word.



About an hour later, we hear from John in today's Gospel.  Jesus is telling His followers to abide in His word.  He tells them, "The truth shall make you free."  And what's the response from some of the Jews?

Free?  Huh?  We're free.  We're Abraham's descendents.  How come you're offering freedom?  We've never been in bondage to anyone. 

I laughed. 

Hello, guys:  Pharaoh.  Egypt.  Slavery.
Moabites, Amorites, Sidonians.
Ammonites, Canaanites, Philistines.
Assyria.
Babylon and Persia.

Yeah, I guess if they couldn't remember the historical events of their past, they're not going to be able to believe the words which came to pass in the unfolding of those events.

And neither would they believe the words which were soon to pan out in the events of Holy Week.

Why Malchus's Ear?

When Peter went hacking away with his sword in the Garden of Gethsemane, he cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest.  Pastor pointed out that this was not just a humongous injury.  This was his EAR. 

Apostles are to preach.  They are to save people through their words.  Hack off the ear and the fellow cannot hear the word of mercy.  What Peter did was violent and hurtful, to be sure.  But even more, Peter interfered with the man's hearing.  When Jesus healed Malchus, it wasn't just fixing an owie.  The miraculous healing gave back to Malchus the organ through which he could hear the preaching which saves. 

Jesus, the Plagiarist?

Well, maybe it's not considered plagiarism, seeing as how the Lord wrote the Old Testament.  So if He takes the words from the psalms and "makes them His own" in the High Priestly Prayer, that's not really stealing words, is it?

John 17: Sanctify them in Your truth; Your word is truth.
Psalm 119 (resh): The entirety of Your word is truth.

What's extra-nifty, though, is that the bulk of the High Priestly Prayer is about Jesus' praying for the preservation of His apostles and other disciples.  They're about to face temptation.  They're going to fall away.  And He prays for the Father to keep them.

And that's what Psalm 119:153-160 is all about.  "Revive me."  "Plead my cause."  "Redeem me."

My Lord and My God

Last weekend during the services, we kept hearing God call us "My people." 
The reproaches on Friday: "Oh, My people!"
And Friday's collect: "behold this Your family ..."
Isaiah 53: "for the transgressions of My people He was stricken."
Exodus 15: "in Your mercy You have led forth the people whom You have redeemed."
Isaiah 25: "the rebuke of His people He will take away."

And this week, Thomas:
"My Lord and my God."

"This Cup Is ... "

"This is My blood ..." Jesus says in the gospels written by Matthew and Mark.

But from Paul we read this very cool (and yet mind-boggling) thing:  "This cup is the new testament in My blood" (Luke 22 and 1 Corinthians 11).

This cup IS ... a ...

word.

Not "this cup contains ...."

Not "my blood is ...."

Any testament or a covenant is a word.

A promise.

This cup is a word.

That Wouldn't've Been MY Answer

Story: the raising of Lazarus (John 11)
Time: shortly before Holy Week
Characters: Jesus and Martha
Question:  I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?

And the answer from Martha?  

Nothing that looks like a reasonable answer to a direct question.

Yeah, yeah, sure, we're used to hearing the reading, so it may go in one ear and out the other.  But look how odd the answer is.

"People who believe in Me will not die, even though they die.  Do you believe that?"

"You betcha, Jesus.  I believe You're the Messiah."  



Wait -- He was talking about resurrection.  This interchange would make sense: "Do you believe I'm the Messiah?"  "Yes, I do."  And this interchange would also make sense:  "Do you believe that I give/am life for those dead?"  "Yes, You are."

But Martha's answer to the question about death-vs-life was "Yes, You are the Messiah."  

In other words, she knew the Old Testament scriptures to teach that the Messiah would come into the world to overcome death, to be the resurrection, to be life, to give immortality.  

I don't remember anybody teaching me when I was little that that's what the Old Testament was all about.  I don't even remember hearing that the Old Testament was all about Jesus -- much less that it was about the Anointed One who would bring to us eternal life.

But that was a no-brainer for Martha.

They Didn't Love Him Back

Okay, so Jesus was mocked.
And they beat Him up.
And the Father's wrath was poured upon Him.

Bad stuff.  Painful stuff.

But somehow, this morning, listening to Pilate say, "Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me," a different pain appeared. 

Those people scheming to get Him killed, those were His people.  He chose them.  He gave them not only their lives and breath, but their nation and their land.  He sent them prophets to call them back to Himself.  And now for three years He'd been healing them, preaching to them, forgiving them, helping them.

And it annoyed them so much that they wanted Him dead. 

These weren't just some people that a nice God wanted to save because He's full of love and goodness.  These were His very own people. 

What ache is there like the ache of unrequited love, especially when you're pouring yourself out for one who not only doesn't appreciate it, but hates you because you love?

Glorifying God

Glory.  

Big shiny powerfulness?  
Mighty awesomeness?

Pastor's always saying that God's glory is in His love, in His self-sacrifice, in His condescension for the sake of saving us.  Jesus is always talking about "His hour" to be glorified, and it turns out to be His suffering, death, and resurrection.

And there's the wrestling within me: Is His glory really about His suffering and death?  Isn't it about whoopin' the devil and triumphing in the resurrection and ascension?  Isn't His death just something to "get past" on the way to real glory? 

But look at what happens a few weeks later.  The disciples are out fishing and they see Jesus on the shore.  They bring the boats back to land and eat breakfast with Jesus.  Then Peter and Jesus go for that little walk and have that little chat: "Simon, do you love Me?" And the story ends with Jesus description of what would happen to Peter near the end of his life.  And then,
 

"This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God" (John 21:19).

Excuse me?
Peter's death would do what?

Glorify God?

Hmmm.  Puts a new spin on what "glory" is, huh?
 

And I Know Them

My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them,
and they follow Me, ...   (John 10:27)


Pastor pointed out on Sunday:  "I know them."  

Even though He KNOWS us, He still calls us to be His own.
Even though He KNOWS us, He remains faithful.

And because He KNOWS us, He knows how desperately we need to be saved.

So He gives us eternal life and allows no one to snatch us out of His hand.

Jesus' Assessment of Us

In the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays,
"You gave them to Me, 
and they have kept Your word.... 
 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; 
and they have received them, 
 and have known surely that I came forth from You; 
 and they have believed that You sent Me." (John 17:6, 8) 

Really?

The disciples had kept God's Word?
And they knew for sure that Jesus came from the Father?
And they believed that God had sent Him?
And they received His Word?

Sometimes I think, "Hey, were You looking at the same set of stories I'm lookin' at?"

Arguments about which of the apostles was the greatest.
Arguments over money being wasted on anointing oil for anoint Jesus.
Questions about Jesus' preaching.
Rejection of His words about going to Jerusalem to suffer.
The desire for their leader to kick Roman butt.

And on top of this, Jesus knew that He was about to be betrayed, and that Peter would deny Him, and that all His followers would abandon Him before the night was over. And yet, He says, "They have kept Your word." In spite of who they were, He says, "They received My words." Even though they seemed to be chock-full of unbelief, He says, "They have believed that You sent Me."



And here's the wonder of wonders --
He says the same about me.

He says that I believe in Him, that I cling to His Word.
That's what He declares me to be.
That's how He sees me.
And that is (slowly) what He forms me to be.

It's a wonder!

The Ears on That CAT!

We do not own an electric can opener.  Our can opener is a quiet little hand-crank thing.  Last night I opened a can of tuna.  Athena was downstairs, at the other end of the house, asleep.  Maggie asked quietly, "Shall I call KKK?"  "No," I answered, also quietly, "wait until I open the other can of tuna."

Moments later, the cat arrives in the kitchen, meowing piteously and smooching up against our legs.

Really?  Did she smell it?  Mere moments later, that far away?  Has she learned that "KKK" usually means "Come and Get It!"?  Has she learned what t-u-n-a means?

My jaw dropped and we laughed.  I have no idea what drew her to the kitchen, but she knew.




Then today I was proofreading.  I ran across Pastor's commentary on John 10 ["My sheep hear My voice ...]. 

The voice of the shepherd is familiar to his sheep.  They have learned to know the voice as their source of food, drink, safety, and well-being.

Wow.   Can you even imagine listening to God as attentively as Athena listens for hints of tuna?

This Is Serious Stuff

So, is fussiness a bad thing?  I've often noticed the particular care my pastor takes with the items on the altar after communion.  He sets the vessels in just the right place.  He makes sure the veil is neat and straight and the corners are folded just so. 

Some people might find that to be too picky.  But it sends a message (although I'm pretty sure that's not why he does it).  It sends a message that these things matter.  That this is serious stuff.  That this is not to be rushed through.  That something precious and important is happening here.

An article in Touchstone (hat tip: Rick Stuckwisch) illustrated the difference between the pastor and the soldiers at a military funeral.  The pastor was a little casual.  The soldiers were precise in executing their military rites. 

At the late service on Good Friday, the final distribution hymn ended a big fat minute or two (or three?) before Pastor was done at the altar.  Silence.  We waited.  We watched.  The silence continued.  He was taking his usual pains with making sure everything was just so.  More silence.

Earlier in the evening, we'd heard the Passion According to St John.  At the very end of the story, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus' body in linen and laid Him in the tomb.  And there was Pastor, ever-so-carefully draping the linen over the vessels where Jesus' body and blood had been minutes before. 

I was not the only one who had to brush away a tear.

Did it matter?  Would Jesus have been any less there, any less forgiving, had Pastor been hastier and more casual?  No. 

But it still matters.
The careful attention-to-detail confesses something about what's happening there, in that place, at that time, through that bread and that wine.  It confesses something about what that bread and wine IS.

And what do we confess when we hurry through and are okay with sloppiness?

Murder and Lies

Jesus told the Pharisees, You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  (John 8:44)

If God's word is truth,
and if God's word gives life,

then Satan's lies about doctrine
is how he murders.




His murder "from the beginning" was what he said to Eve: "Did God really say ...?"

Not Seeing

In Luke 24, we hear about the Emmaus disciples whose eyes were restrained, and they didn't recognize Him.

In John 20, we hear about Mary, weeping in the garden.  When she saw Jesus, she didn't know at first who He was.

I never put those two stories together before.  Huh.
The blind shall see ....  (Isaiah 29)

INRI

So at the beginning of Holy Week we hear the epistle  to the Philippians.  Because of His humbling Himself to the death of the cross, God highly exalted Him, so that "at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 

And then on Good Friday we sing, "Christ the rock of our salvation, His the name of which we boast ..."

And what inscription sits atop the cross?  Pilate wrote --and refused to wussify it-- "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."  That cross, that name, that dead body -- His the name of which we boast.



Galatians 6: God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If My Kingdom Were of This World

Jesus told Pilate that if His kingdom were an earthly kingdom, His servants would fight.

Hmmm.  Peter fought.  In the garden.  With a sword.  So apparently Peter didn't know what the kingdom of God was.  (Isn't it nice to know that our cluelessness is nothing new for God to put up with?)