Try Again, Harder

Colossians 1-2

All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.

What rules have you tried (or had foisted upon you) for forcing yourself to do what's right?

How did that work out for you?

Why are rules generally ineffective at checking self-indulgence?

Sail On

Philippians 3-4

Some scholars believe they see in Paul's letters a bit of a change from the gospel preached by Jesus Christ. You will never prove that by Philippians. We hear a crystal clear echo of the Sermon on the Mount in these words:

Their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are two kingdoms--two worlds--earth and heaven. Our lives will always be oriented toward one or the other. Lately Christians are fond of saying that life is a journey. If so it must have a destination.

What is the goal of your life? And are you sticking with it?

Inside Job

Philippians 1-2

It's always there in Paul's writing. In every letter. In every chapter. In nearly every verse. He always comes back to the same message, never so clearly stated as here:

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

The way we behave matters. And God gives us the ability to live righteous lives:

For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

• We can be change on the inside--and will to do what is right.
• We can be changed on the outside--and actually do what is right.

That, friends, is the holy life.


You've got to live right. Your behavior matters.

No Shelter

Ephesians 5-6

Ephesians is the Magna Carta of Christian living, the authoritative handbook for spiritual growth. I'd love to preach for six months on this letter--there are diamonds scattered on every page.

But on to our chapters for today ...

Get a load of this: Don't have sex with anyone you're not married to--and don't even talk about such things. People who do that have no place in the Kingdom. Don't even talk about such things.

Dude. I dare you to say that on the campus of any Christian university.

Paul offers no quarter for lax morals on any point. I used to call that legalism. Now I call it holiness.

To what lengths will you go to avoid evil?

How People Change

Ephesians 3-4

It's not one thing or the other. It's both and. Spiritual growth is a matter both of God's work in the Holy Spirit's power strenthening our inner being (3:16) plus our decision to put away the former way of life (4:22).

God strengthens us; we behave differently.

That's how I see it, anyway. You give it a shot--summarize the dynamics of spiritual growth in 50 words or less.

Anybody?

Incredible

Ephesians 1-2

Between writing what we read yesterday and today, Paul has been attacked by a mob, arrested, and removed from Jerusalem under guard because of a plot on his life.

Does that show in his writing?

These are among the gentlest of Paul's words, written to the Ephseian church, for which he held particular affection. If you don't feel loved by God after reading these chapters, try reading again. It is incredible to think that we, you and I, and the focus of God's love and attention.

How does it feel to be loved?

Where No Man Has Gone Before

Romans 15-16

Paul was an ambitious guy. A high achiever. Type-A on steroids. He was a visonary, a leader, and a fighter. So was John Wesley. So was Martin Luther. So were many other people whom God greatly used to build the church.

Most of us have ambition also. We have dreams—like preaching in Spain, maybe. Or leading a revival in our city. Or translating the Bible into a new language. Or writing a best-selling book that makes us instant celebrities and fabulously wealthy, all for Jesus' sake.

So here's the question: How do you tell the difference between God's vision for your life and your own dreams? Can they be the same thing?

What's the difference between an intense, driven, Type-A man of God and a plain old jerk?

Nice to See You

Romans 13-14

Being right is no excuse for offending other people. Even when they are in the wrong, it's up to you to get along with them.

Among other things, Paul says—

• Pay your taxes, even when you dislike the ruling government.
• Love others, and treat them with respect.
• Don't argue with people who have weaker faith than you do.
• Go out of your way to avoid offending people, even when they're being small minded.

If I didn't know better, I'd figure Paul wrote this letter to my church.

Whom do you have the most trouble treating respectfully? What do you think you should do about it?

The Big Bend

Romans 11-12

Here's the big turn in Romans, where Paul concludes his theology lesson (ch. 11) and starts talking about how that theology should affect our lives.

This, btw, is the imperative of Bible study. We do not read the Bible merely to find out what it says. We read so that our lives may be transformed by the truth.

Romans 12 is mostly macro commands: "Be transformed." "Let love be genuinie." "Overcome evil." (Street-level comes in following chapters.)

If you were writing a letter to yourself, what is first instruction you would give on how to live like Jesus?

UR Loved

Romans 9-10

This is the weird part of Romans, where Paul goes off on what seems to be a tangent about the Jewish people.

But it's not, really.

By claiming that God loves everybody and that anyone--even non-Jewish people--can be part of God's family, Paul (and Jesus before him) appear to be changing the rules. The Jews, after all, are God's chosen people.

But what is a Jew? That's the question Paul raises here. Is it a literal descendant of Abraham? Umm ... no, not unless want to start counting Palestinians as Jews. It is the children of Abraham who are so by faith that are part of God's family.

And that is anyone who beleives in God through the message of Jesus Christ, his son.

Confused yet?

Bottom line: God loves everybody. Even you ;-)

Why I Teach the Bible

I got a call from Catherine today. She's a Sunday school teacher from Michigan who wanted to share an idea for improving the Wesley Bible Studies, which I produce. She also shared a bit of her life and the challenge she faces in living the way Jesus lived.

"As I was studying the lesson for this week," she said, "I broke down and wept. This message is so important for our group, and so challenging. For those of us who are older ... I just don't know if we can do this."

The lesson is based on 1 Corinthians 8, which urges Christians to be tolerant and loving in spite of having different convictions on certain issues. For the gang at Corinth, the issue was eating meat sacrificed to idols. Some would, some wouldn't and the tension threatened to divide the church.

Recently my own denomination faced similar questions over the use of alcoholic beverages. Other Christians are wrestling with the ordination of women, changes in worship styles, and the rise of postmodernity.

These are challenging times not only for Catherine but for all of us who are dealing with the screaming pace of change in the church. Boomers and busters. Moderns and postmoderns. Traditionalists and progressives. Can we learn to focus attention away from ourselves, onto Jesus, and be tolerant of each other when we disagree?

I hope so. And I'm thankful that we have Paul's advice to guide and convict on this very point. Scripture enlightens us. It comforts us. And just occasionally it kicks us in the pants—as it will this week, when some 38,000 people study this lesson and are reminded that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."

"I want to thank all of you," Catherine said, "for producing these lessons for us. It helps us so much to study God's Word."

And I want to thank you, Catherine, for doing what you do. Studying God's Word—and teaching it to others—is best tool we have for being transformed to become like Jesus.

Your Answer Please

Romans 7-8

Simple question today.

Which chapter represents the experience of a Christian right now--Romans 7 or Romans 8?

In other words, is Paul saying that we will all struggle with temptation, invariably failing, until we finally get to heaven?

Or is he saying that used to be the way we lived before we met Christ; but now that Spirit of God has set us free so that we are able to live transformed lives that please God?

Tick tock, people. I need an answer ...

Woo Hoo!

Romans 5-6

Human beings are remarkably simple creatures. That's the short version of Romans 5-6.

Left to ourselves, we sin. Given the Law as a guide, we break it. Freed from the law by the death of Christ, we embrace grace so fully that we, guess what, use our freedom to fall back into sin.

We are oriented toward sin, and nothing can change that. Or can it ... ?

"But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification."

Read that one again, Sport. Slow and easy. Roll it over in your brain. Ponder it, like.

YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO SIN! JESUS CHRIST HAS SET YOU FREE!

Say "Woo hoo!" somebody. That one's worth shouting about.

Why Me Lord?

Romans 3-4

If you find this argument hard to follow, you're not alone. Even Peter thought some of Paul's writing was a little dense.

Here's the point: Everybody has failed to please God, so it's only by his grace that we are saved. If you trust him, you're in. If you trust yourself ... well, I couldn't advise you to try that.

Why is it so hard to admit that God is God and we are not?

Can I Get a Do Over

Romans 1-2

Ahh, Romans. Here is the master work of the great apostle, our summa theologica, as it were. Here Paul lays out his understanding of Christian theology from A to Z--actually, from sin to salvation.

As usual, roughly the first half of the letter (chapters 1-11) deal with theory, and the rest applies that theory to life.

Paul begins where the Bible begins, with sin. Using ye olde misdirection play, he gets you nodding in agreement as he declares that murderers, perverts, and children who disobey their parents (my personal favorite) deserve death--then he points the finger back at us decent folk.

You who preach against homosexuality, do you lust after a coworker?
You who rail about immigration, do you cheat on your income taxes?
You who wage war against "infidels," do you dishonor God by taking his name in vain?

Here's the big question in Romans 1-2: "What's your excuse for not honoring God and obeying his holy law?"

Answer: There isn't one.

On Holy Ground

1 Corinthians 12-13

Paul's coup de grace in the argument for aspiritual authority is his own spiritual experience--a vision or visitation (he himself was unsure which) of heaven. This experience convinced him, at least, of his own authority as an apostle and doubtless provided a bedrock for his own spiritual development.

What role does spiritual experience play in your own life? Have you ever, for example, spoken in tongues? Been visited by an angel? Been involved in or witnessed an exorcism? Heard God speaking to you?

If so, what was the effect of this experience on your spiritual life? On others?

Send Your Tax Deductible Gift Today

1 Corinthians 10-11

If I were to write a letter to the North American church, it would be 2 Corinthians. The church there was facing nearly the identical situation we face, in which money and the appearance of success would suffice for genuine spiritual leadership.

Based on Paul's writing, what would be some markers of--

1. A healthy church?
2. Godly leadership?

Fundraising

1 Corinthians 8-9

Again, Paul uses the kitchen sink argument on the Corinthians, this time to elicit a voluntary financial contribution for the needs of famine-stricken Christians.

Count the appeals in these two chapters:

"You did this before."
"You can."
"It will prove the genuineness of your faith."
"It'll be an honor to me if you do (and a black eye if you don't)."
"They need it."
"I know you will."

Why does Paul have to go to such great lengths to say simply this: "Christians are suffering; we need your help"?

Why is fundraising such a difficult chore?

Purity and Power

2 Corinthians 6-7

Hey Team ... I'm back from the General Conference of The Wesleyan Church, which was in Orlando this time (held every four years). This conference was historic in that the first woman was elected as a General Superintendent in our church. Jo Anne Lyon also happens to be one of my authors at Wesleyan Publishing House. Woo hoo!

A dominant theme of our conference was the notion holiness. What does it mean to be separate from the world, as Paul urges in this passage?

Is this something the Holy Spirit has to dictate to each individual's conscience? Or can we together have a collective conscience that warns us to stay away from certain things that are impure or would draw us away from God?

If so, what would those things be?

I Guess One Wouldn't Hurt

Galatians 5-6

The odd thing about following rules is that the more you concentrate on them, the more you are in danger of breaking them. This is the problem with lust or alcohol or gossip or putting a bean up your nose. The more you think about not doing it the more likely you are to actually do it.

Another problem is the discovery of freedom by people who have been raised under legalism. When they finally discovery grace, they go crazy with it. This is why, for example, people who have been raised as teetotalers almost never learn how to drink in moderation. They're usually better off renouncing legalism but continuing to refrain from drinking.

What about you? Which is your temptation? To run toward legalism or fall into licentiousness (Fancy words meaning "too much law" and "too much freedom")?

PS: BTW, today I'm on my way to the General Conference of The Wesleyan Church, which is being held in Orlando. I hear wireless is crazy expensive at the conference center, so unless I can snag some free wireless time, I may be offline for a few days.

Read! Comment! You can do it!

I Think I Can

Galatians 3-4

If you can follow Paul's argument in these chapters, all I can say is that you're a far better biblical scholar than I.

Personal appeal, legal argument, biblical exegisis, rhetoric, allegory--Paul throws in everything but the kitchen sink to get the Galatians to abandon the hope that they can please God by obeying the law.

Not that I'm a better writer than Paul, but I can sum up that argument in one word: "Impossible!"

Why is it so tempting for people to believe that they can be good on their own?

How Long Is Too Long?

Galatians 1-2

Fourteen years. That's the length of time between Paul's conversion and his active ministry.

Fourteen years, by the way, is also the length of time Jacob labored in order to win Rebeckah.

Fourteen seconds is how long I will wait for most things. Maybe fourteen minutes for someting important.

How long are you willing to wait for what God has promised?

It's True

1 Corinthians 15-16

It seems to me that the Resurrection would be the one Christian doctrine we wouldn't have to fight for. Among Christians, I'm talkinng about. This is the defining idea of our faith. Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again.

Yet from the earliest days, the apostles have had to not only assert but also insist upon the idea that this is true: Jesus Christ is alive.

This, by the way, is the looming challenge of our age. We, too, will have to defend, even among Christians, the idea that Jesus literally rose from the dead--and that we will too.

Do you believe this?

How's That Again?

1 Corinthians 13-14

For the record, Paul's teaching on tongues clarifies exactly nothing. About like his telling women to cover their heads "because of the angels" (11:10).

What's the rule concerning speaking in tongues in your church?

A. Sure, fine, whenever the Spirit moves you.
B. Wait your turn, and only when the pastor is standing by to interpret for the group.
C. In private, knock yourself out. But not in public worship services.
D. Tongues is of the devil.

Based on these chapters, what do you think a church's policy should be about speaking in tongues during Sunday worship?

Picking and Choosing

1 Corinthians 11-12

How do you determine which of Paul's instructions are culturally bound--that is, intended only for Christians living in that one particular time and place--and which are generally applicable to all Chritsians everywhere?

For example, very few Christians require men to wear short hair or women to wear head coverings during worship. We figure that was a first-century thing. Or maybe even a bias of Paul's. Yet we universally acknowledge his instructions on communion.

Whey do we observe some of his instructions and not others? How do you decide which to follow and which to ignore?

Bonus Pay

1 Corinthians 9-10

Lots of people like to argue about the value of professional clergy.

Some people think there should be no such thing. Laypeople should sort of take turns leading the congregation, and nobody should get paid for being a pastor.

Others want to have designated pastors and pay them, but their strategy is to pay them poorly enough that they must hold other employment or live at a very low economic level.

Some, of course, have gotten rich in the ministry. Frankly, these are very few.

The only idea that never seems to get much traction is the notion of performace-based pay for clergy. Is that what Paul argues here? The evangelist, in this case, gets a share of the harvest.

Would we conclude from this that a successful evangelist would get paid more than one who saw few conversions? Would this mean that a pastor whose coongregation has fewer members this year than last should expect no raise--or a pay cut?

What do you think?

I Do

1 Corinthians 7-8

Paul has a healthy and pragmatic view of sex, but a rather odd view of marriage, don't you think?

If you really need sex, go ahead and get married. Otherwise, you're better off single. Is that right?

Do you think Paul said this only becuase he beleived Jesus would return very soon, or did he simply have a dim view of marriage in general (see esp. v. 28)?

Since this instruction was clearly Paul's opinion and not a matter of right or wrong, and because it was predicated upon the mistaken idea that Jesus would return within Paul's own lifetime, can we simply disregard this instruction?

So here's what I'm asking: Is it OK to cut this chapter out of the Bible? And isn't that what we've done, for all practical purposes?

Discipline

1 Corinthians 5-6

Truly, very little has changed in 2,000 years. This fifth chapter of 1 Corinthians might well describe the American church. We have become so enamored of grace that we have neglected discipline. We are so bent on reaching the world (evangelism) that we fail to mark a distinction between the church and the world (holiness).

But I'm preaching to the choir here. Let's get off the self-righteous horse and grapple with the same issue that Paul does.

How do you deal with sinful behavior among members of your church? How many rules can you lay on people, and how strictly do you enforce them?

Would you ever be willing to do what Paul advises and kick somebody out of your church? For what cause? Toward what end? And how?