hausmouse

We at our church are in the midst of a situation right now that calls upon us as leaders to stand for what is right and make some decisions of a disciplinary nature. (My husband is senior pastor; we operate with a plurality of elders.) There is a person in a volunteer leader position with our youth. She is a professional photographer, and recently put extremely inappropriate photos on her facebook page, where she is friends with many of our teens and preteens. The choice she made to take the pictures -- not wise; the decision to post them -- very inappropriate. But the ones who came to us with this issue don't want their names used. And when there were other issues in the past with this leader's actions in other areas, no one wanted to 'do anything' because they didn't want to 'upset her' or 'hurt her.' Sometimes God calls upon us to make difficult leadership decisions at the cost of friendships, or relationships in the church. This is not quite the same as taking a stand in a non-Christian environment, but it is just as difficult sometimes to stand for what is truth and right, trusting on God to lead; We're praying about the fallout from all this, and would appreciate any of you joining with us in this. (There are a couple of other complications in this situation which I don't need to go into here -- just accept, if you will, the need for wisdom and pray accordingly!!) Thanks

Q1. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) Why does Paul emphasize salvation of all mankind in this letter? What does this suggest about the practice of evangelism in the Ephesus church? Paul is writing to Timothy, his son in the faith and someone he has placed in a position of responsibility for what should be a growing church. With the complication of false teaching, drawing people away, Paul is concerned that evangelism -- true evangelism that stresses the true gospel -- take place. I find it interesting that prayer for government (for kings and all those in authority) would lead to a peaceful atmosphere for the purpose of reaching the lost. Sometimes I think we don't realise just WHY we are to pray for government -- not for our own comfort and freedom exclusively -- it is also so that we can evangelise with effectiveness. (Humanly speaking, of course, understanding that God's sovereign grace and power lies in every effort at evangelism

Oh that each one of us would take this to heart. Fight the Good Fight. Stand for righteousness and truth. Hold fast to the gospel message and do not allow any other message to distract us from our purpose. Paul says that "If anyone else -- even an angel -- should come to you with another gospel, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:9) Our stand for the gospel can be a spiritual battle, and I think this exhortation has great application in today's culture of moral relativism. Where people teach that all ways lead to God, and you have your truth and I'll have mine, it is more important than ever to stand firm and fight the good fight. I think it's important to do this with gentleness and under the guidance of the Spirit. -- the servant of the Lord is not to be quarrelsome, but shoudl be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are inopposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance (2 Tim. 2:24). It is my prayer that I will be able to echo Paul's words at the end of my life -- that I have fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith. There is a poem by Robert McQuilkin that I found among my Dad's papers after he passed away from a brain tumor in 2004. It's long, but it expresses the prayer to 'end well." If you will endulge me, I've included it here: Let Me Get Home Before Dark It's sundown, Lord, the shadows of my life stretch back into the dimnes of the years long spent. I fear not death, for the grim foe betrays himself at last, thrusting me forever into life: Life with you, unsoiled and free. But I do fear: I fear that dark spectre may come too soon -- or do I mean, too late? That I should end before I finish or finish, but not well. That I should stain your honor, shame you name, grieve your loving heart. Few, they tell me, finish well . . . Lord, let me get home before dark. The darkness of a spirit grown mean and small, or fruit shriveled on the vine, bitter to the taste of my companions, burden to be borned by those brave few who love me still. No, Lord. Let the fruit grow lulsh and sweet, A joy to all who taste; Spirit-sign of God at work, stronger, fuller, brighter at the end. Lord, let me get home before dark. The darkness of tatered gifts, rust-locked, half-spent, or ill-spent, A life that once was used of God now set aside. Grief for glories gone or Fretting for a task God never gave. Mourning in the hollow chambers of memory, Gazing on teh faded banners of vitories long gone. Cannot I run well unto the end? Lord, let me get home before dard/ The outer decays -- I do not fret or ask reprieve. The ebbing strength but weans me from mother earth and grows me up for heaven. I do not cling to shadows cast by immortality. I do not patch the scaffold lent to build the real, eternal me. I do not clutch about me my cocoon, vainly struggling to hold hostage a free spirit pressing to be born. But will I reach the gate in lingering pain, body distorted, grotesque? Or will it be a mind wandering untethered among light phantasies or grim terrors? Of your grace, Father, I humbly ask,. . . Let me get home before dark. That poem describes the desire of a believer's heart, I think. We ought to keep on until the Lord calls us home. Keep on in the fight, running the race set before us with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus Christ the author and perfector of our faith, and with our feet firmly planted in His word. As a well-known teacher says, "There is not retirement in the time of war." So we need to stay in the battle and follow the lead of our Commander. Fight the good fight. I apologise for the length of this post -- but I did want to share the poem. Please let me know if it was out of line for me to do so.

Q3. (1 Timothy 1:17) What do we learn about God from this doxology? What do we learn about praise? Have you ever tried speaking out a doxology in your personal prayer or praise time? What effect does a doxology have on the speaker? I wonder why we decide that "King" means the Father. I'm not being disrepectful, I'm just wondering. The verses immediately preceding speaks of Jesus Christ coming into the world to save sinners, of Him demonstrating His perfect patience and of His granted eternal life to those who "believe in Him". It's all about Christ. So why the switch in the next verse? I read all these names and think they apply equally to the Son -- King -- yes, He rules. God the Father has given that to Him -- He will reign on the throne of David forever and ever. He is the Prince of peace, and the One who comes in power and might to set up His kingdom. He is my Lord now, but one day "every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (phil. 2) "My Kingdom is not of this world" (spoken to Pilate) But Jesus does have a Kingdom. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is eternal -- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He is the same yesterday today and forever. He is immortal -- the only Begotten of the Father. If you've seen Me you've seen the Father. He is the true Light, that coming into the world, illumines every man. He is invisible. Though we do not see Him we love Him -- and one day we will see Him face to face. That will be wondrous to me. And though He is now invisible, He has graciously left us His Spirit to teach us and guide us into all Truth. He is the only God -- "I and My Father are One." "... and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His Kingdom." (Is. 9:6-7) No wonder we fall flat on our faces as did Isaiah and John on Patmos -- we serve an infinitely glorious God, revealed in His Son and worthy of all praise and adoration. Amen and Amen

Q2 Paul addresses the issue of the Law extensively in Romans and in Galatians. I think it's important to remind ourselves, as Paul reminds us, that the Law is good, and holy and righteous. (Rom. 7:12) It is these things because it reveals the character of God. It reveals our own depravity and is a 'schoolteacher' to bring us to Christ. we were slaves to the Law, now we are set free as sons of the Living God. (Gal. 4) by the same token, those who try to keep the law, put themselves under its judgement. Paul knew this was his own story -- He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees; he knew the Law. He also knew the freedom of the grace received in Christ Jesus. In Gal. 4:12, Paul tells his readers to "become as I am" -- to move from under the Law into the freedom he found in Christ. So now, in 1 Timothy, he is reminding Timothy and the readers that those false teachers want to be known as Teachers of the Law. Thus they are guilty of all the law, and are enlsaved to it. It's as if Paul is saying, remember my story -- remember the place of the Law -- but most of all remember that the Law's purpose is to bring us all to saving faith in Christ. the "glorious gospel of the blessed God (v. 11). He and Timothy were very close -- they were spiritual son and father. So Timothy probably was well acquainted with Paul's testimony. He would understand quickly the need to emphasise the true gospel and to dispel the false teaching of these men that emphasised the Law. Personal stories can be powerfully used to bring believers back to where they should be in the faith walk.

Q.1 There were certain men who were wasting time engaging in pointless discussions. These topics perhaps made them look wise and knowledgeable, but Paul writes that they didn't really know what they were talking about. They grasped at minutia and lost sight of the important issues of the faith -- the things that Paul encourages Timothy with -- things like guarding the treasure within him (2 Tim. 1), like the hope that we have in Jesus Christ our Saviour (1 Tim. 4:10) or honouring widows and the elderly. Their offbase focus at Ephesus meant that instead of moving forward in the work of the gospel (v. 4) they were teaching a false gospel and some were rejecting the true faith (v. 19) "How does doctrinal controversy hurt the spirit of a church? How does it prevent growth? How does it keep the church from its mission?" Too often conscientious and Godly leaders spend time in what I call "putting out fires" instead of being free to teach the Word and 'shepherd' their needy flock. One area we've seen in our previous churches was when church politics became the focus instead of "what does the Bible say." Discussion of church government is an example where the Bible does not give precise, or detailed direction, and so people can spend endless amount of time trying to work out 'issues.' Clearly when our teaching moves away from expounding the Word of God, we do not grow. Again, to move a little into 2 Timothe it is all SCRITPTURE that is profitable for doctrine reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness -- that's how we grow, not by endless geneological disccusions, or man made myths. Our Lord told us to make disciples -- teaching them -- again, not our own ideas or 'myths,' but "All things that I [Jesus] have commanded. That's how we grow. That's how we fulfill our mission. amen

Hi. I'm not sure if this will get us too far off topic, but I don't see the connection between Psalm 82 and Exodus . As I read Psalm 82, I see that it is a Psalm of God's judgement coming agains His OWN people. Note verse 1 -- God takes His stand in His own congregation." This must refer to the Jewish people, who are being chastised for not ruling His people wil fairness and justice. In that case, they are 'sons of the Most High' in that the Jewish nation is God's chosen people. We, however, are truly sons of God by adoption -- because of our salvation in Christ. Being chosen especially by God and given a place of privilege. It is an unfathomable truth -- that the God who created the universe chose each of us who are His before the foundation of the world. Amazing, amazing grace, isn't it

How can an extreme symbolic interpretation cause a person to have too little respect for the Lord's Supper and its elements? Where is the balance, do you think? I fear that much of our Christian worship is easily made flippant these days. We dress casually (I'm ok with that) and we laugh a lot (I'm fine with that too); we often make a lot of announcements in our service (necessary, I acknowledge), but all these things have changed the way we approach worship. If we think of the bread as 'just bread' and the cup as 'just juice' or 'just wine' then there is a decided danger of taking it too casually. The manner in which that particular part of the service is conducted plays an enormous part in how we approach communion. Perhaps it has less to do with the symbolic interpretation of the elements themselves and more to do with the solemnity of the person/people leading in worship at that point. If the person leading guides the people to focus on Christ and to express thanks for His atoning work, then there will not be a casual attitude to the Lord's Supper. "This do in REMEMBRANCE..." must be first and foremost in our participation of the Lord's Table.

My understanding of Scripture is that Christ gave us a pattern to follow in partaking of bread and wine (or juice.) For me the elements are not literally His body and blood, but are figurative reminders of the incredible sacrifice made on my behalf. For me then, the bread and cup are wonderful mnemonic devices which place my focus on our Lord's sacrifice. They help me, along with all who participate simultaneously, to meditate together. In the centre of our worship, should be the fact of Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished for us, and in partaking in communion, I renew that emphasis. Because I believe the elements are figurative reminders, I look past them to Christ Himself. I appreciate that fact that the moments of communion every week are not about the actual elements, but about the Saviour who died and rose again. For me, the Lord's Supper is key in our worship service and along with the relevant Scriptures can take us to the crux of our faith.

Hi there. It feels good to be back. I've had trouble logging on since the problem with the 'hacker.' I'm looking forward to this study. It's a bit of an unusual topic for a study, and I am thankful for the opportunity to study the Lord's Supper. In recognizing that so many of us are from different backgrounds and traditions, I am looking forward to focusing mutually on the Biblical teachings surrounding our privilege of communion, and in understanding our commonality. We are all brothers and sisters in our Lord, and should all count it an honour to be able to participate in the Lord's Supper. After all, one day, we will all be together to celebrate the Marriage Supper and to fellowship together in the presence of our Lord.

At our assembly, we are just finishing up a series that has been stretching and challenging for many people. We have been challenged to reach out to our community, to extend a practical, Christlike hand to those who do not know Christ. For me, during this time, I have had the words of Christ ringing in my ears -- "If you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to Me." That can be used as a timely reminder to me to act as Christ would act. When I reach out in a new area -- feeding the homeless, volunteering at a women's shelter, clothing the poor, or any other unfamiliar territory, I can be assured that I am feeding Christ, comforting Christ, clothing Christ. I think those words are a rallying cry for us as believers, who can become complacent and secure in familiar surroundings, but who seldom get outside the safe walls of our Christian community -- to see the world as our Lord sees it, and to respond as He would respond. Where are our servant hearts today?

Hebrews 2:14 -- "Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives" If Jesus Christ, fully God, had not become fully human, He could not have redeemed us. In order to buy us back, the Redeemer had to be a near relative, had to be a kinsman. In order to take on Man's punishment for sin, Jesus had to be human. But if He were not fully God at the same time, then He would not have been perfect, without sin. His sacrifice would have been blemished, imperfect, and therefore worthless. He had to be God-man. He had to have both natures -- fully God, fully man. Aren't we all so very thankful that He took this upon Himself, -- He who knew no sin becoming sin, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Amazing truth... amazing love.

I really like the way "Magnus" expressed this amazing truth. Jesus Christ freely let go of His position as God, but never gave up His person as God. I think this is a truth that the Spirit of God confirms and speaks to us in our spirit, because it is hard to grasp with a finite mind. The Holy Spirit whispers to us, communicating within our inner being that this amazing message is true, even if we can't grasp all the implications of it. John reminds us that "we beheld His glory," but it was veiled in humility and humanity until Christ's death and resurrection. What a privilege His inner circle of disciples had when they saw Him transfigured before them... What a privilege we'll have one day to see Him face to face -- 1 John 3 -- one of my favourites -- we'll be like Him for we'll see Him face to face.

Q1. (1:1) What is the basic idea of "slave"? What is the root idea of "saint"? In what way are these words saying the same thing about a Christian's relationship to God? I remember being taught about the OT custom of releasing slaves under the Law. If a slave who had been given his freedom VOLUNTARILY placed himself back under submission and service to his master FOR LIFE, his ear was pierced with an awl, and he was forever marked as a bondservant -- one who voluntarily gave himself in service to his master. What it meant to anyone who saw him was "Wow! What an awesome Master that slave has -- He (the master) must be wonderful, for someone to voluntarily give himself to such a man." -- This just reminds me of what an awesome and wonderful Master we serve as 'saints' -- set apart, totally consecrated to live for no-one else except Jesus Christ.

Q4. (4:11-12) In what way does bad-mouthing a neighbor cause you to be a judge of the law? Why is it tempting to bad-mouth others, do you think? Only Christ and His words will be our judge. If I think I can sit in His place, I have put myself above the law. Not only am I not fulfilling the Royal Law, I am lifting myself above it. There is a time and a place to deal with our brother's sin (and I'm looking forward to the discussion for the end of James 5). But when we condemn ('bad-mouth') others, we are setting ourselves up in Christ's place, which is above the law. That is what Satan tried to do in the first place. That is a sin of pride. It's no wonder James' thoughts on humbling ourselves and submitting to God, are in such proximity to the caution against criticism and badmouthing our neighbours. I think it's tempting because, as I have already said, when I judge others, I am exercising pride. I think that is the one of the strongest temptations for any individual. We wrestle with pride, because it is a sin that Satan understands very well from first-hand experience. It was used in the Garden of Eden against Adam and Eve, and it is still rampant today, appealing to the very core of our flesh.