Thursday, November 26, 2015

Norman on dogma, doctrine and belief

I was just joking with the my girlfriend the other day about an angry comment I received. I was chided for thinking that I had studied too much until my head grew too big. Well, we bible school students would constantly receive such scoldings when we differ from the church's commonly held doctrine or belief (or as my professor calls it, opinion). Allow me to indulge in two hypothetical scenarios.

You have a piece of hardened skin on your sole that does not go away for a couple of months. You go to your doctor who tells you not to worry about it because it is just a corn, perhaps even giving you a cream for pain relief. You then bump into your friend who is in medical school, whose favourite subject happens to be dermatology. Instinctively you show your friend the corn and she tells you that it is unmistakably a wart and to go have it removed. Will you respond in anger and tell her off, "YOU STUDY TOO MUCH ALREADY, YOUR HEAD GREW TOO BIG?!"


Of course not! You would get a second opinion from perhaps a practicing dermatologist at the specialist clinic.


Perhaps you want to venture into investing in stocks and consult your friend who had been investing for a couple of decades. He did not receive any formal training and regards himself to be an average investor who just manages to make ends meet, thankfully because his wife holds a full time job. He tells you to buy a certain share. You then decide to look up your nephew who has been scoring close to a perfect GPA in finance for a second opinion. You then find out that he disagrees with your friend's insider tip. Do you get mad and tell him off, "WHY ARE YOU SO PROUD TO THINK THAT YOU KNOW BETTER THAN A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR TWENTY YEARS?!"


I don't so. Thankfully I have come to a point whereby I know how very little we know about interpreting the ancient text of Scripture and applying it to today's contemporary context. It is okay if others think I am wrong. What we young bible school students will continually face when we differ with conventional thinking, is that the older generation thinks that we are rebelling or trying to show up the older guard of preachers. Many of them have never gone to seminary, and have been faithfully but perhaps not too successfully shepherding the people and preaching hermeneutically sound sermons.


I love the church, especially one that is not preaching the full counsel of God. My heart is broken when violence is done to Scripture and methodologies of leadership would make any postmodern person cringe. I would be crazy to spend 4 years of my life studying in bible school just to prove that I am smart. Studying in a local university would earn me much more money and provide another galaxy of job security. I went because I could no longer resist the call and the prompting to do so.


With one year left to graduate, and with no guaranteed job (let alone a decent paying one) in sight, it takes so much faith to keep going and trying our very best to do our very best in our studies. We have no choice but to trust that God will take care of our monetary needs and perhaps even material wants. I just do not get fed by the 
esigetical preaching in pentecostal churches, and find it a challenge to focus if the worship or sermon is a tad too serious. Where would I feel 100% at home? A church that reveres God's Word that the preachers and teachers do their utmost not to put their own meaning into Holy Scripture, and yet relies on and welcomes the Holy Spirit to minister in the service and meetings. I hope that eventually I can find it in Singapore!


From Perspectives on Church Government:

Following the insights of other theologians, I have adopted a threefold scheme for the categorization of valid doctrines.' These categories are: "dogma," "doctrine," and "belief." The category "dogma" encompasses those tenets that make us "Christian." "Dogma" consists of concepts that are absolutely nonnegotiable for the Christian faith. To deny a tenet within the "dogma" category would be to deny a tenet of orthodox Christianity. Students typi­cally and rightfully place such concepts as the Trinity and the per-son and work of Jesus Christ in this grouping. The second category, "doctrine," includes those concepts that shape our understanding of the nature and ministry of the church. Differences of under-standing for concepts within this classification would not necessarily constitute a denial of the Christian faith, but differing perspectives on concepts within "doctrine" would determine differ­ences in denominational identity, nature of ministry, and such. My students (primarily Southern Baptists) typically place beliefs such as a regenerate church membership, believer's baptism, or a memorial view of the Lord's Supper in this category. The final cat­egory, "belief," encompasses those ideas that are important but can be matters of difference of opinion. Concepts within the "belief" category are matters on which Christians can "agree to disagree" without disruption or breach of fellowship. Differences of theolog­ical understanding for tenets within the "belief" grouping neither constitute a denial of the Christian faith nor separation into differ­ing denominations or churches. Students often place within this third category eschatological concepts such as the sequence of events and the timing of the second coming of Christ.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Longman III and Allender on how our relationships reveal our selfishness

Without the gospel, we would use even the people closest to us for selfish purposes; "even our good relationships... become a prime breeding ground for anger and frustration, lust and violence and even idolatry." I reckon that most of the time, the reason people leave jobs and churches or even the faith is because of relating to another person. Indeed I recognise that I am not much different from the corrupt tax collectors who "love those who love them" (Matt. 5:46; cf. Luke 6:32). I don't think I even desire to love with an other-centered love, yet that is what Christ calls me to. Sure it will help if there are godly people around me who model how to do that... 


From pages 56-58 of Breaking the Idols of Your Heart

When we are honest, we realize that even our good relationships cant fulfill our needs for intimacy. Other people let us down. They use us, as the Teacher recognized in Ecclesiastes 5: 11: "The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it." And we do the same thing to them. If we take a close look at ourselves, we realize we can't fulfill the needs of others. So our relationships become a prime breeding ground for anger and frustration, lust and violence and even idolatry...

When we sinners come together in relationship, the problems intensify; they don't go away. We feel not only the frustration created by the inadequacy of another person but also the guilt of our failures as a spouse, a relative or a friend.

Perhaps no other area in our life raises more questions than our relationships. Perhaps no other area in our life causes more anger, jealousy, disappointment and stress than other people. The Teacher, though he had positive things to say about relationships, recognized this frustration:
"This is my conclusion," says the Teacher. "I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle. Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of every thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman! But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path." (Ecclesiastes 7:27-29)

Don't be distracted by the Teacher's attitude toward women here. His words are not meant to be a definite statement of what is right. They are being quoted by the second wise man, who uses them as an example to teach his son. Remember, too, that the Teacher reflects life under the sun and that he prizes men only a tad better than women. If the Teacher were a woman, she would probably say the same thing about men.

The main point is that relationships are unsatisfactory. And even when they are good, as the Teacher ruthlessly points out, they all end in death: "Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth" (Ecclesiastes 9:6).

Our under-the-sun relationships can't supply us with ultimate meaning or purpose in life. Disappointments, rejections, betrayals, bereavements make this clear.

So what do we do? Should we adopt the devil-may-care attitude to which the Teacher resigns himself? "So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!" (Ecclesiastes 9:7). Or is there something more? Can we move from relational frustration under the sun to something better above the sun?

The answer is yes. But to understand how this works, we have to look beyond the Teachers cynical proclamations or even the wise mans admonition to obey God's commands. We have to look to the gospel—and the amazing love of God himself.

Why is it so hard to live in love and intimacy with God and others? The Bibles answer to that question is that deep down we love only ourselves. Love of self conflicts with loving another person. We want to be loved, but it hard to give love to another unless we get something in return. Indeed often give only as a way of filling our own needs. How often have we withdrawn from people to whom we have been close because we were getting nothing out of a relationship. How often have we wanted to be with another person because that person was making us feel good and was serving our own needs?

That kind of selfish love comes naturally to us. Its the ultimate source of the lust and violence that afflicts our relationships. But there's another to live and to love, as the apostle Paul points out in the thirteenth Chapter of 1 Corinthians. We often think of this chapter in the context of marriage, and indeed it is appropriately applied in that most intimate of human relationships. But Paul is really talking about attitudes and actions that should characterize all healthy loving relationships.

After asserting the importance of this alternative kind of love (1 Corinthians 12:31—13:3), Paul describes a heart that loves with passion and depth. First, the apostle tells us that love is patient and kind. It waits for the other, and it does so with concern, not irritability. It waits. It hopes. It loves beauty and justice and does not give in to the petty pleasure of seeing the one who hurt us stumble. Love is the Atlas of the soul; it keeps holding us up. It does not quit; it does not lose the memory of connection; it does not kill the dreams of reconciliation.

On the other hand, love wants nothing to do with jealousy or pride, which seek their own good at the expense of the other Instead, love cares for the other, not for the self. Love does not keep accounts, weighing the advantages of a particular relationship. It is not based on what we can get out of a connection, but on what we can put into it. Instead it sacrifices safety ("I wont let myself be hurt again") and deals a death blow to self-righteousness (After all I've done for them, I deserve better"). Love seeks the good of the other without denying the hunger of our heart or demanding that desire be satisfied.

It is this high call to other-centered love that strips us of any pretense that we love well.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Thomas on the life-giving love in a marriage

In the context of a marriage, Gary Thomas comments on Matt. 6:33 "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

The first paragraph sounds like a fulfilling marriage to me! Bet it is going to be built upon super alot of hard work of dying to self and giving of Christ-like love to one another. Too bad it doesnt just happen magically... 

How can we as sinful, selfish people do as such? Only when in surrender to the moulding of our hearts and wills by you Holy Spirit. We confess we are so prone to sinning again you and one another Lord, help us, if we so choose to be married, to do so with a kingdom framework - that we would seek to put our spouse as more important than ourselves, that a giving of ourselves would be the hallmark of our married lives. Give us a greater glimpse and understanding of how you love your church so that we can do likewise! Amen.

From page 17-18 of The Sacred Search:

When husband and wife are committed in Christ, growing together in the Lord, supporting each other in their spiritual walks, raising children in the fear of the Lord, loving each other out of reverence for God, joy abounds and miracles happen. Selfish people become servants. Self-centered children grow up to become workers in God’s kingdom. Strangers become intimate friends. Daily life is filled with the drama of kingdom building. There are plenty of mistakes, lots of repenting, times of frustration, sickness, and even doubts. But in the end, God’s presence prevails, people are transformed, kingdom work is accomplished, and trials are overcome. If two people join themselves around this mission—if they make their marital choice based on the best person with whom they can accomplish this mission—they are far more likely to have a fulfilling and soul-building marriage.

On the other hand, I’ve witnessed how miserable people can make each other when they live for themselves. Though their initial sexual attraction might have been off the charts, it is usually only a matter of months until they are saying and doing awful, awful things to each other, so awful that they will call a pastor on the phone, someone they don’t even know, because they are so desperate to find another way to live. There was a time when they couldn’t live without each other; every second, they had to be together. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Now they can’t bear to live together. When they’re in the same room, or in the same car, or on the same telephone call, they can’t stop fighting.

It’s made me realize that the old cliché is all too true: a good marriage is the closest two people will ever come to heaven this side of eternity; a bad marriage is the closest two people in an affluent society will ever come to hell. 

Such problems usually erupt from trying to build a life together without purpose, without mission, without something that not only establishes a connection but keeps you caring about each other for the next fifty to sixty years.

Wilkinson on searching for your audience's needs

Here's my attempt to highlight and summarise the ten primary vehicles for searching for your audience’s needs from Pages 312 to 321 of The Seven Laws of the Learner

Overview
A. Direct methods to find the need
1. Direct questions
2. Low-key interviews
3. Anonymous questionnaire
4. Interaction with family members
5. Personal visits to the student's home or work
6. Personal observation

B. Indirect methods to find the need
1. Books.
2. Magazines and newspapers.
3. Research studies and polls.
4. Individuals interacting with the public.


A. Direct methods to find the need
Use those best fitted to your personality, class and circumstances.

1. Direct questions. When the situation is casual and relaxed, ask your need-seeking questions directly. Here are a few ideas.

“Betty, I value your wisdom and insight and wonder if you could help me be a more effective teacher by telling what you think the three biggest problems are that people like you face today."

"John, I'm concerned that our class meet the needs of its members. Could you help me by giving two or three areas in your life that you wish we would address in the future?"

"Mr. Smith, what topics would you like to see taught during next quarter's classes?

Open-ended questions allow the student to be as personal as he wishes. People will respond to a sincerely asked question, especially when the teacher asks for help. Remove the threat and fear factor. Develop the regular habit of asking good questions and you'll be amazed how soon you have the right answers!


2. Low-key interviews. This method is less difficult than the first in that you don't ask questions directly or personally, but instead ask about general class needs:

"Martha, I noticed that our class seems to be feeling pressure lately. What do you think some of the reasons may be?"

"Frank, your kids are really growing up! How old are they now? What are the struggles kids their age seem to be facing these days?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith, did you happen to see the article on the front page of Sunday's paper reporting that Americans have never had more personal debt that today? How do you think debt is creating hardships for families in their midforties?"

Low key interviews can capture significant and practical insights that will give your content timeliness and personal interest.


3. Anonymous questionnaire. This is a most effective vehicle. A questionnaire can be controlled, involves more people that you could personally talk to, and asks questions on a variety of subjects. The key to its effectiveness hinges on three conditions.

First, the audience must know both the purpose and its ultimate use. It is for teacher's eyes only, or will the results be announced and discussed? Be aware that the latter purpose may reduce honesty.

Second, the audience must be convinced of the anonymity of the questionnaire. Any hint that they could be found out will tilt the response.

Third, the questions must be carefully constructed so that the responses present a true picture. The questions are as important as the answer. Frequently I'll distribute blank three-by-five cards with teh following open-ended questions and instruct the class to answer anonymously:

  • The biggest problem I struggle with work is...
  • Whenever my spouse and I get into arguments, it's usually about...
  • My biggest personal disappointment during the past few years was...
  • My greatest triumph as a person is...
  • When I get angry with God, it's usually because...
  • When I get to heaven, my biggest insight about what I should have been doing will be...
  • If somebody could give me one good piece of advice about how to raise my kids, it would be about...
  • Probably the area of my spiritual life that causes me the most problems is...
  • Rate your Christian walk on a scale of 1-10. The one area in my Christian life where I stumble the most is...
  • The sin I seem to wrestle with and rarely have the victory over is...
  • On a scale of 1-10, how honest were you in answering these questions?
Spend a few hours with those cards-they represent a gold mine of need. Quickly you will be able to identify the top ten needs in areas such as your students' work, family, and spiritual growth... Aim each class at one of the top three felt needs. Never again will you have to wonder if a lesson will hit the mark.


4. Interaction with family members. There are two ways to approach this: (1) comments by the student about his family; and (2) comments by the family about the student.  Vague, general, and open-ended questions about a student's family can reveal volumes to the discerning listener.


5. Personal visits to the student's home or work. The best insights are frequently obtained through a brief, personal visit to a person's home or place of employment. It's the only real way to walk in someone else's shoes. Today's classrooms are so unnatural and structured that students seldom reveal their true selves. We have to look elsewhere for glimpses of reality. Home is where our masks crumble and where needs lie right on the surface. Attitudes, atmosphere, frame of mind, harmony or disharmony, order or disorder, all are apparent to those who care enough to look.

You cant cant meet a need if you don't know what is. If you want to know your students, look behind the doors of their homes and offices.


6. Personal observation. This method focuses upon those clues which are available during all of life.

First, the questions people ask in and after class reflect areas of inner interest and need.

Second, body language speaks so loudly it often can be heard above spoken words. Arms folded, hands over mouth, body slouched, torso leaning aggressively forward-all carry loud messages.

Third, class attendance is probably the most direct indicator of how well you meet the needs of your audience. People's presence or absence clearly denotes what they think of your class. The more helpful the class, the more people will come for help!

Fourth, class discussions reflect needs which require further consideration. Whenever students try to keep the ball rolling on a given subject, you know you've hit oil.

Fifth, after-class activities and conversations mirror the true interests and concerns of your class because they are neither required nor structured.

Those are the major direct methods of find the needs of your students.


B. Indirect methods to find the need
Unlike the direct approach, which puts you face to face with your audience, the indirect approach offers valuable information through other people's research and experience. Although the information will frequently give you solid and dependable insights, it must be evaluated carefully as it does not deal specifically with your class.

Collect information around two basic frameworks: (i) topics that you know most interest your class; and (ii) characteristics of the age group of your class members, noting their problems and trends. There are many available sources for this information, but here are a few of the primary ones:

1. Books. Regularly browsing the shelves in your Christian and secular bookstores gives a snapshot of the bestselling books, and therefore conveys where the current interests and needs lie. Ask the store manager what trends he's seeing and what types of books people in your class' age bracket are purchasing. At the time I was writing this book the top four bestsellers were about money, business, sex, and health. When is the last time you taught on money, business, sex, or health?

2. Magazines and newspapers. Because the magazine industry is so consumer-oriented and must meet the ever-changing interests of the American public, it frequently presents a panorama of the needs of your targeted audiences. Pay close attention to the types of articles they feature as well as the types of books they review and advertise.

Magazines include valuable articles, surveys, and Q&A columns. Remember, people only read what they are interested in. And whether or not you agree with advice columnists, keep a close eye on the subjects they repeat or for which they receive overwhelming responses. They're not the most-read journalists in America by accident.

Want a real eye-opener? Take any well-known magazine and look at the Q&A section. Those are the questions people are really asking. Next Sunday, teach God's answer to those questions. I guarantee you nobody will move.

3. Research studies and polls. George Gallup and George Barna frequently conduct polls to establish the true feelings and positions of the public on myriad subjects.

4. Individuals interacting with the public. Doctors, dentists, barbers and beauticians, counselors, psychologists, guidance counselors, police, teachers, principals, and a host of others have their fingers on the public pulse and can be interviewed about the trends they see. I make it a practice to ask such "pulse people" about the problems they see on the rise.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Clowney on marriage as a reflection of covenant

I guess I have been guilty in letting the Hollywood portrayal of marriage shape my worldview more than the Bible's. We think of the romantic times spent together, of the lovely adventures and of the beautiful places in the world to travel to together etc, of the amazing material things we can purchase and the wonderful home we can build up together. Well all of these things are not bad in themselves, but they do not encapsulate the rich theological metaphor of marriage!

When we reflect on how God used marriage as a reflection of his covenantal love for his people (both ancient Israel and us today), how would that change the way we look at marriage? Do we bail out when things go sour? How often would we insist on having our own way? What then can do to honour our spouse given the beautiful metaphor that God has modelled for us?



From pages 93-5 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments

The prophet Ezekiel uses the figure of marriage to describe God's covenant relation to Israel. He speaks of marriage in its legal force as a figure for God's covenant made at Sinai. Yet it is not left as one contract among others. No, the Lord holds his people with jealous love. He cannot permit other gods to share his claim of love. The worship of other gods is the greatest offence against the Lord, whom the people of Israel must love with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The prophets describe the love of God for his people as the love of a father leading his son Israel through the desert. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son . . . It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them" (Hos. 11:1, 3). More often, the prophets speak of God as a loving husband. The time when God led Israel through the wilderness was a tryst with them. The Lord was wooing his people and leading them home to the house where he would dwell with them. When Israel turned aside in spiritual adultery, the Lord cried, "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? . . . My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused" (Hos. 11:8).

The Lord, the Creator, uses the image of a husband's love to show the love he has for Israel:
For your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer... The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. (Isa. 54:5-7)

The Lord gives his people tender names of love, the way a husband would proudly claim and perhaps even tease his wife, loving her for just the person she is. "You will be called Hephzibah [my delight is in her], and your land Beulah [married]; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married . . . As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you" (Isa. 62:4b-5).

Ezekiel 16 compares the Lord's love to that of a young man who discovers an abandoned baby girl, kicking in her blood by the side of the road. He finds the girl, washes and clothes her, and provides for her as she grows into a beautiful young woman. He then marries her, spreading his robe over her in protection and claiming her as his beloved bride. God says that he has taken to himself his bride, his people Israel. But the bride, wedded to the Lord in his covenant, becomes a prostitute, and offers up the children of the Lord to heathen gods. The Lord will judge her, but at last restore her and establish his covenant with her.

There will come a great and final day when the covenant is fulfilled, not by the faithfulness of the bride, but by the steadfast love of the Bridegroom. That day will bring the sealing of the love of the Lord for his people. " 'In that day,' declares the LORD, 'you will call me "my husband"; you will no longer call me my master" [Baal]' " (Hos. 2:16). In that day, the Daughter of Zion will sing, for "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zeph. 3:17). The prophet speaks of the Lord's deepest love, to be revealed with the coming of the Lord. Then at last, the Lord, the Bridegroom, will come to claim his own.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Clowney on how Christ transforms Israel's need for table separation

The term "Christian" is overrated. So many people calls themselves Christians and yet some I feel are some of the most horrible people I have ever come across. I do not know what to make out of that. I have no desire to love these enemies. No way do I regard them to be my "brother!" Perhaps if we are all being persecuted, there would be weeding out of the "nominal" followers. And yet I reflect on this attitude of mine and recognise that my heart desires to disobey a direct command of Scripture.

I thus gain a better appreciation of what it was like for the Jews in the early church to warm up to and come to accept the Gentiles. It really was not an easy thing to do! Perhaps the only manner it could have been done was by the empowering of the Spirit (interacting with their free wills). O Lord, I recognise the hate and disdain in my heart for certain groups of people. I admit that I do not want to love them or show them mercy, but help me confirm my heart to become more like yours. Let the change be less out of fear of judgment day, and more of a willingness to please you and bring joy to your heart. Amen.


From page 87 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments

The physical distinctiveness of Israel no longer marks the new Israel. For that reason the kosher diet no longer applies, and the separation of Israel from table fellowship with Gentiles is ended. The mark of the new Israel is love toward God and toward the people we meet—and the people we would rather not meet. This love, as we have seen, is the infinitely deepened love that Jesus showed to his Father and to us. The love of Christ draws and drives us to talk to people, to surprise others by seeing what they need.

Clowney on the true freedom of being enslaved to Christ our Saviour

I relate with the desire to live life "my way." Anybody, especially authority figures who have yet to win my respect, would find that I would do the opposite of whatever they try to force me to do. Because then I felt that I am the master of my own destiny and nobody can make me do what I do not want to do. It almost seemed that rebelling would be the most energising of endavours!

Oh boy, what a journey I have been on since then! While I still do not "show face" to authority figures who try to "pull rank" on me, I guess in many areas (previously zero areas) of my life I am periodically seeking to bring in line with God's will (as best as I can discern it). 

A quote by C S Lewis (from his book The Great Divorce) comes to mind:
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it.
I recall how obsessed I was with earning money, because my self-worth and self-identity depended on my grades and bank account. Materialism, alongside laziness, will be a continual temptation, and I have to continually remind myself of what the Jesus has done on the cross for me, and what that demands of me.


From pages 74-75; 98 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments

Sinners lambaste God's structures and portray them as restrictive and tyrannical. But the "yoke" that Christ took on himself and the one he asks us to take up is the obedience that brings freedom, peace, joy, and honor...

True freedom is not that shown by the man possessed by a legion of devils in Mark chapter 5. He was free—free of home responsibilities. He did not have to care for a wife or children. He could leave them and do his own thing. He resented the confinement of clothing. He took it all off. He could live where he wanted, so he lived in caves and howled all night. He disliked people. When they came through his haunts, he beat them up. When he was seized and chained, he had the preternatural strength to rip off the bonds and break the chains. Young people who resent the restraints of life at home need to reflect on the total freedom that Satan offers. The freedom of the demoniac was total bondage to a legion of devils. Satan is a destroyer, not a creator...

Apart from Christ, no true freedom exists. Submission to him delivers us from bondage to our pride, our evil desires, and our service to the devil. When we pray, "Deliver us from the Evil One, " we pray for freedom by enslaving ourselves to the will of our Savior, Christ...

To submit for Christ's sake is to submit to Christ where he has placed us. No other is master of our hearts. The submissive Christian is an odd combination. The world does not understand such a position. There is a strange power and independence to a man or woman who is not "for sale." How many times has a boss fired or refused to hire a Christian, when he realized that his heart was not for hire! On the other hand, submission to others for Christ's sake calls for service with dedicated dignity, "like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men" (Eph. 6:6-7). As Christians submit to the obedience to which God calls them, in the place of service where he has put them, they are strengthened by the Spirit to submit. In that strength. they serve with full hearts, and it is the Lord himself who will honor such service.

Longman III and Allender on how life "under the sun" is subjected to frustration

I am once again reminded of how futile life is if we only focus on life on this earth. I remember reading a recent trending post of advise that was supposedly given Steve Jobs - the gist is in the face of impending death, he would not be able to take the wealth he had accumulated, and that what he would bring along would probably be the memories of the good relationships he had had. He called the readers to invest more time and energy into meaningful friendships/relationships.

Do we as Christians subconsciously attribute pain and suffering to the devil, and pray or hope earnestly that God would defeat the enemy and deliver us? I can relate strongly when things do not go the way I hope it would. I am deeply saddened by the amount of violence to Scripture that is going on from the preacher's pulpit and from the cell leader's notes. I am grieved that church leaders pick and choose Scripture to justify the church's methodological demand of unquestioned submission to leaders. I am troubled that many Christians are unable to intellectually defend Scripture or a Christian worldview against the onslaught of the average postmodern young adult's worldview. I do not know what to do when I see worship leaders draw attention to themselves or just feed the crowd's desire to be entertained. I am frustrated that I do not yet know how to reconcile how blessed I was to receive the ministry of wonderful women cell leaders and teachers, and yet it seems that the reformed theologians make a better case for Complementarianism. I am conflicted as to whether the church should remunerate for services rendered. I am confused as to whether I should speak up of my deeply held convictions or keep silent so as not to come across as a brash smart alec out to show how smart he is.

Indeed it seems that my life is out of control, and the temptation is to seek to systematically bring everything under my power, in my little bubble of influence. O Lord help me see things from an eternal perspective, that I may live life having discovered, surrendered and accomplished your will.


From pages 34-36 of Breaking the Idols of Your Heart

Christians often ignore God's disruptions, attributing them either to Satan's assault or just to the way life is. We too quickly mask our frustration, saying something like, "Well, I may not know what is going on, but at least God does!"

We assume God will take care of those who pursue him. We find ourselves attracted to sayings like "the LORD does not let the righteous go hungry" (Proverbs 10:3 NIV) rather than to sad—but accurate—observation like the Teacher's:
The fastest runner doesn't always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12).
The Teacher does not even find comfort in the idea of an afterlife where God puts everything right. As he looks into the future, he cries out:
This, too, 1 carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God's hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor. The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don't (9:1-2).
No wonder the Teacher concludes, again and again, that life is "like chasing the wind" (1:14 and many other verses). If we pay attention, we easily conclude the same. Even though we try hard, we can still feel we are groping in the darkness with no ultimate success.

People today spend a lot of physical, emotional and spiritual energy trying to control their schedules, jobs and relationships. We assume that the solution to our lack of control is to find new systems, new rules, new methods, new "laws" for doing things. We think that if only we have the right systems, we can control the chaos.

Our experience and the Teacher's observations deny this assumption. We need to turn from frenetically chasing control to something better. Under the sun, we chase control, but we discover it is as difficult to grasp as the wind. However, we can choose to move from an "under the sun" perspective to an "above the sun" one.

Let's take some time to explain this terminology, which will play such an important role in this book. We have already observed that the Teacher uses the phrase "under the sun" to describe life and
God. The Teacher himself never uses the opposite phrase. We are coining it to explain the opposite perspective. In other words, while the Teacher kept his search for meaning and truth utterly earthbound, we want to look at life from Gods perspective as he reveals it to us in his Word.

How do we move from an "under the sun" perspective to an "above the sun" viewpoint? The answer ... is simply this: "fear God and obey his commands" (12:13). Put God first in your life. If you want to find meaning and purpose in life, look at reality from God's perspective, not your own limited view.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Congregations get the preachers they deserve

Mark Ashton and C. J. Davis reflect on Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's impactful contribution of the "Book of Common Prayer," and how the Anglican church today should apply the principles which sanctioned its writing.

We are often taught that we are to search the scriptures like the the people of Berea "day after day to see if our teachers/pastors were teaching the truth" (Acts 17:11). The question we have to ask ourselves as teachers and preachers of God's Holy Scripture: are we guilty of responding with anger if our preaching/teaching is pointed out to be not in line with Scripture? Do we, in our defence, spiritualise matters and hide behind "God told me so?"

How do we inspire others to love or value authority of God's Scripture? Only when we ourselves have a deep reverence when we approach the text, and seek to impart this love for wholesome spiritual food. 

O Lord, grant us a desire to meditate upon and preach your words as sensitively to the ancient and contemporary contexts. Help us rely and submit to you Holy Spirit, so that we will not add or subtract to the words of your Holy Word. We ask you to empower us to point others to surrender their wills to yours and to enjoy you forever. For Jesus sake, Amen.


From Pages 99-100 of Worship by the Book

...the experience of listening to the Word of God being taught ... will be a participatory experience. This is not to say that there must always be questions or discussion groups, but Bible preaching is not like an academic lecture or a performance. The Bible's own imagery suggests that the meal table is a better analogy for the sermon than the school lesson as we sit listening to the Word of God and "feed" on it together. That is why it is so important that, if at all possible, the members of the congregation have the Bible text open before them. It is why the most encouraging sight to see, while listening to a sermon, is not the preacher passionately gesticulating in the pulpit, but other members of the congregation listening attentively and poring over their Bibles to see "whether these things [are] so" (Acts 17:11 NRSV). It is why the preacher must make it clear to his congregation from time to time that his role is to teach the Bible faithfully and that it is their responsibility to check that he is doing so, "weigh[ing] carefully what is said" (1 Cor 14:29). It is why a preacher needs to be prepared to apologize to the congregation when further attention to a passage leads him to the conclusion that he has misrepresented Bible truth in some way in a previous sermon.

There are few more encouraging noises for the preacher than the rustle of Bible pages among the congregation when he announces his text. He should draw comfort from that, more than from sounds of approval for what he is saying during the sermon. A faithful congregation will draw faithful preaching out of their pastor. Conversely, it is very hard to persevere as a faithful teacher of the Word of God to a congregation that does not want to have it taught to them. To some extent congregations get the preachers they deserve, because preaching is a two-way process: the attitudes of preacher and congregation must unite in a humble hunger for God's Word... What matters is that Jesus Christ should be present—and he will be if his Word is being heard and obeyed.

Practical Advice for Service Leading and Annoucements

Mark Ashton and C. J. Davis reflect on Archbishop Thomas Cranmer's impactful contribution of the "Book of Common Prayer," and how the Anglican church today should apply the principles which sanctioned its writing.

Their helpful advise is applicable beyond their denomination (Anglian), as their heart of service unto the Lord and their fellow believers is something we all can learn from.

Ashton and Davis highlight the importance of planning for the service leader. That person would have to, as an offering unto the Lord, spend effort and time deliberating how to strike a balance between "gripping the interest and attention of the congregation, and communicating the seriousness of what is happening." The affirm the helpfulness of involving new individuals into the role, so as not to fall into having the role "restricted to some priestly caste." For them, training of new service leaders would require a balance of "encouragement and criticism."

With regard to announcements, they reiterate the importance of planning. They affirm that saints are not to be so involved within the church activities that they are unable to interact with the social world "outside," and that guilt should not be the main motivator to force congregants to attend activities/events. The authors suggest notice sheets and information desks as ways to further improve the communicating of announcements.


From Pages 95-8 of Worship by the Book

Leading the Service
The role of the service leader becomes more significant as more careful planning goes into the service itself. Well-prepared leading can make the difference between outsiders feeling welcome or not. It can help the congregation to grasp the theme of the service. But over-preparation can lead to dullness, and there is a place for spontaneity, impromptu humor, and off-the-cuff remarks as well.

The person leading the service must seek to achieve a balance between gripping the interest and attention of the congregation, and communicating the seriousness of what is happening. Some service leading is good at holding attention but communicates a sense of superficiality. It may be characterized by humor and quick wit but convey the flippancy of a TV chat show. Another style of leading is minimalist (often the refuge of the person who has spent little or no time in preparation). It may be justified on grounds of "not drawing attention to the personality of the leader," but it misses a valuable opportunity to edify the congregation. The bare announcement of a hymn or song number with no reference to the meaning of the words we are about to sing usually indicates that this is one part of the service that the service leader has not bothered to prepare. Recall David's "I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Sam 24:24). All too often Anglican church services have amounted to "sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving" that cost very little, certainly in terms of time spent in preparation by the person who leads them. No wonder they have been so ineffective for edification and evangelism and so monstrously dull for those who come (or prefer, perhaps wisely, not to come)!

If service leading is kept mainly in the hands of one person, it has the advantages of continuity, familiarity, and (so long as that person is suitably gifted) a uniformly high standard of leading. If the service leader is also the main Bible teacher in the church, the service leading will be another way he is able to teach doctrine to the congregation.

On the other hand, where service leading is a team ministry, the individuals involved may be able to prepare their own (smaller) part of the service in greater detail, with closer attention to its different aspects. A team ministry also publicly displays the corporate nature of the church's ministry and provides an opportunity for new individuals to be drawn into the role. Wherever possible, we should avoid giving the impression that Christian ministry is a one-man show.

In this matter it is probably best to try to have our cake and eat it, hard though that may be to achieve! We need the example of strong, theologically astute service leading to set the standard, but we also need to make clear that this role is not restricted to some priestly caste. It is healthy to see a new face and to hear a new voice fulfilling this ministry from time to time. But it must be done as well as possible, and that will mean training people to draw the best out of them by encouragement and criticism. Good leading draws less attention to the personality of the leader and focuses more attention on the purpose of the service.

The Notices (or "Announcements" in much of the English-speaking world)
These are often one of the dullest parts of a church service. But while the weekly services are the hub of the church's structured life, there will be other meetings radiating out like spokes from that hub, and the life of a church fellowship during the rest of the week is important. Ideally the church leadership will be checking very carefully that church activities do not grow and grow so as to invade and monopolize the leisure time of the congregation members and thus remove them from all normal social intercourse with the non-Christian world. But there will be some midweek meetings of the church that need to be advertised in the notices on Sundays.

So we should not be ashamed of the notices or try to stick them away in some corner of the service where they will do least damage. But neither should we let them become the opportunity for the minister to "have a go" at the congregation, heaping guilt onto them for past and possible future sins of omission, like failing to book for the Parish Weekend. No church should run on guilt, and the notice about an important meeting (like a monthly prayer meeting) must be carefully worded.

Once again, preparation is the key. The notices must be carefully prepared. They will not be well delivered if they are drawn from scraps of paper hastily assembled in the vestry just before the service begins. Careful preparation enables us to convey important information in the most efficient and concise way. Notices have a notorious tendency to fill more and more time. They need to be pruned of all excess verbiage. Where a notice sheet can be provided, it will save valuable service time. Or attention may be directed to a notice board, where further details of an event are available for those interested. Larger churches will sooner or later discover the value of an Information Desk, where inquiries of all sorts can be dealt with individually and sensitively, and where publicity handouts and fliers can be available in quantity.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Clowney on Jesus' transformation of the Sabbath to bring rest to others

Jesus' disciples and the early church did not observe Sabbath in sleep and slumber. Taking heed of Jesus' transformation of the commandment into a commission, their zeal for Yahweh was exhibited in their endeavors to bring an early rest to others. Evangelism was not separated from social ministry. How many of us believers today are compelled by the gospel to move from consuming to sowing? It is indeed a difficult response if we have allowed work and ministry (to fellow-believers) to wear us thin. O Lord forgive us of our idlesness, send us spiritual mentors to model for us what it means to have compassion for others, because we are clueless in moving beyond our self-centered lifestyles.

From pages 63-64 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments

Jesus' disciples spent the very first "first day of the week" together, rejoicing in the resurrection of the Lord. On that first resurrection Sunday the disciples seemed hesitant to announce Christ's triumph to the outside world, so stunned and amazed were they. Later, however, they used the first day of the week to announce the good news of the gospel and to exercise acts of mercy and compassion, as Jesus had taught them to do by his own observance of the Sabbath. In our Christian worship, we come together as a gathered body of Christ to honor him, to remind ourselves and the world that we belong to him, and to announce the resurrection of the Lord of the Sabbath, who offers true rest to those who receive him. As we call one day "the Lord's," we must be careful to show the love of Christ in New Covenant service to others, as well as coming together for worship, rest, and refreshment.

The Sabbath cannot sanction idleness. The Lord's covenant does not call us to spend the first day of the week uniquely on Sunday-afternoon naps. Though physical rest is surely a part of the first-day observance, the Lord's Day is also a day of activity, to be celebrated by fulfilling the commission that the Lord has given us. The promise of rest is transformed by the fact that the seventh-day observance becomes a first day observance. The celebration on the seventh day has been transformed by Jesus' resurrection. Christ's victory over the powers of darkness in his resurrection glory accounts for the shift in the New Testament from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week.

To follow Jesus on the first day of the week is not only to keep the first day as the Old Covenant people of God were required to keep the seventh day. It is to consider the first day as united to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and to look for opportunities to show devotion to him in activity that we know pleases him in the work of the kingdom. Christians have, through the centuries, used the first day of the week in caring for the sick and the poor, the oppressed and afflicted, and those whom we may reach with the message and the healing comfort of the gospel. In particular, those who are elders of Christ's church or deacons ministering in Christ's name have the responsibility of enlisting the service of the church to care for those in need.

The shadow of the Old Covenant has become the reality in the fulfillment of Christ's compassion and the calling of the Great Commission. Jesus transforms the Sabbath to make the whole world see the fruit of the gospel in the company of believers. The world must see in the life of the church the compassion of Jesus Christ in social ministry and evangelism. We sometimes forget the impact that Christian service has made in the midst of the agonies of this world. As the world watches us fulfill God's commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy, they will see the resurrection power of Christ and get a taste of the rest into which God is calling his own.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Clowney on how the work of the kingdom is rest

From pages 61-62 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments

Christ brings spiritual rest. He calls to the weary and burdened to come to him for rest. Yet even in that invitation, Jesus showed the heavenly nature of his rest. The Lord's Day doesn't yet offer us the satisfaction and joy we will know in our final rest. Jesus promised rest to those who took his yoke. How can a yoke bring rest to the burdened? Christ's yoke is an image of his lordship. We labor under his authority and in his power. Because we are laboring for him and by his strength, we have his peace even though we have not reached our final rest. Jesus blessed his disciples with the peace that he alone can give. Jesus gives peace with God, and peace in living for him, not for ourselves. We may cast all our cares upon him, for he cares for us. This peace might seem illusory, however, were it not for the promise of final rest.

The author of Hebrews describes the future rest that awaits the people of God: the perfect rest of God that has no ending. That hope of heaven awaits us. It is the place where we will enter into the rest of God the Creator: a rest in which perfect love will cast out all our fears; a resting place prepared ahead of us by our older brother, who will wipe away every tear; and a resting place where there will be no more sin or suffering or pain or separation or loneliness.

In Christ, we taste already the rest and peace found in his presence. To go and be with Christ is far better, but through the Spirit we already know the gift of Christ's rest. God, who rested from his work of creation, still works in providence and redemption. Jesus, the Son of God, has entered his rest, but he now carries forward his saving work until the final heavenly rest is ushered in.

Clowney on Paul's call to unity on differing views of the Sabbath

I often ponder about how Sundays are sometimes the busiest day of the week, when a day back with services and church activity is the perfect recipe for a tired believer (rather than a rested one). This is probably one of the most compelling reasons that has spurred a special interest in me to study whether we are bound to a Sabbath in today's modern context. Various Christian circles would inevitably have differing views on this... And in the dissimilarities, we are reminded to be united as one body in Christ who has fulfilled the commandment!

I guess I relate a little with the "man who wishes that he could be with God's people every day of the week," albeit for a differ reason. It is probably more "carnal" than "holy", more socio-emotional rather than theological. As an extreme extrovert, I long for a Christian community like that of Acts 2. When we gather together more often than the weekly Sunday service, because we want to rather than have to, what I envision is a rested loving covenant community: Modelling a surrendered will to the Holy Spirit, continually studying and applying Scripture; a deep love for Christ is exhibited in their encouragment and sharpening of fellow family members (1 Thess. 5:11; Prov. 27:17).


From pages 60-61 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments


Paul had to deal with the question of Sabbath observance in churches with Jewish and Gentile believers. He instructed them not to judge one another on the matter of Sabbath observance. The Old Testament observances of feast days, New Moon celebrations, and the Sabbath day were all shadows of things to come in Christ. "The reality, however, is found in Christ" (Col. 2:17). Paul counsels those who understand this reality to show love and understanding to those who are weaker in the faith, and have not yet realized the change that Christ has brought (Rom. 13:8). "One man, " writes Paul, "considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord" (Rom. 14:5-6a).

Yet we must not assume that the man "who considers every day alike" will show no interest in attending the gathering of the saints on the first day of the week. That man has reached a level of maturity at which he realizes that the service of Christ must be carried on just as intensively on Wednesday and Friday as on Sunday. He is the man who wishes that he could be with God's people every day of the week! The early church did meet together regularly on the first day of the week, and Paul elsewhere admonishes believers not to neglect these worship assemblies. The apostolic church met for worship on the Lord's Day, the day of Jesus' resurrection (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2), and we learn from the book of Revelation that John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10). In this sense the Sabbath rest is still celebrated: on the Lord's Day we find rest and refreshment in Christ and the richness of the eternal rest in which the Son of God is one with his people in the heavenly rest of his glory.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Grudem on why we should study theology with helps for others

From page 35 of Systematic Theology

We need to be thankful that God has put teachers in the church ("And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers . . ." [1 Cor. 12:28]. We should allow those with gifts of teaching to help us understand Scripture. This means that we should make use of systematic theologies and other books that have been written by some of the teachers that God has given to the church over the course of its history. It also means that our study of theology should include talking with other Christians about the things we study. Among those with whom we talk will often be some with gifts of teaching who can explain biblical teachings clearly and help us to understand more easily. In fact, some of the most effective learning in systematic theology courses in colleges and seminaries often occurs outside the classroom in informal conversations among students who are attempting to understand Bible doctrines for themselves.

Grudem on why we should study theology with humility

From page 33 of Systematic Theology

Peter tells us, "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble"' (1 Peter 5:5). Those who study systematic theology will learn many things about the teachings of Scripture that are perhaps not known or not known well by other Christians in their churches or by relatives who are older in the Lord than they are. They may also find that they understand things about Scripture that some of their church officers do not understand, and that even their pastor has perhaps forgotten or never learned well.

In all of these situations it would be very easy to adopt an attitude of pride or superiority toward others who have not made such a study. But how ugly it would be if anyone were to use this knowledge of God's Word simply to win arguments or to put down a fellow Christian in conversation, or to make another believer feel insignificant in the Lord's work. James' counsel is good for us at this point: "Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God" (James l: 19—20). He tells us that one's understanding of Scripture is to be imparted in humility and love:

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. . . . But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, hill of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13, 17—18)

Systematic theology rightly studied will not lead to the knowledge that "puffs up" (1 Cor. 8: l) but to humility and love for others.

Grudem on why we should study theology with prayer

From pages 32-33 of Systematic Theology

Paul tells in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that "the unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." Studying theology is therefore a spiritual activity in which we need the help of the Holy Spirit.

No matter how intelligent, if the student does not continue to pray for God to give him or her an understanding mind and a believing and humble heart, and the student does not maintain a personal walk with the Lord, then the teachings of Scripture will be misunderstood and disbelieved, doctrinal error will result, and the mind and heart of the student will not be changed for the better but for the worse. Students of systematic theology should resolve at the beginning to keep their lives free from any disobedience to God or any known sin that would disrupt their relationship with him. They should resolve to maintain with great regularity their own personal devotional lives. They should continually pray for wisdom and understanding of Scripture.

Since it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability rightly to understand Scripture, we need to realize that the proper thing to do, particularly when we are unable to understand some passage or some doctrine of Scripture, is to pray for God's help. Often what we need is not more data but more insight into the data we already have available. This insight is given only by the Holy Spirit (cf. I Cor. 2:14; Eph. 1:17-19).

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Clowney on what the law of the Sabbath pointed to

From pages 55-57 of: How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments

A SIGN OF REDEMPTION
God's creation rest and the Sabbath that marks it point to another rest—the rest of redemption. The Sabbath is the ordinance that expresses God's covenant with his people. It is a sign not only of creation, but of redemption. The Israelites keep the Sabbath as a memorial of their redemption from slavery in Egypt and of their being brought to rest in the land God promised them. The Sabbath looks forward to a complete and final rest in perfect communion with God. By marking out that day, God's children are reminded that they belong to God as physical creatures and depend on him for their very breath. They are also reminded that their purpose is not the labor itself so much as it is their communion with the God who made them.

A PEOPLE SET IN PLACE AND TIME
The Sabbath serves yet another purpose for Israel. It marks God's claim on the Israelites as his own people. They are a Sabbath-keeping nation. Their regular observance of their weekly holy day marked them out as belonging to God, in distinction from the pagan nations that surrounded them. This claim on them will one day be extended as God lays claim to many other people and nations. In this sense. the Sabbath is a sign not only for Israel, but also for the other nations whom God will incorporate in his rest. Isaiah tells of a day when God will say, "Blessed be my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance" (Isa. 19:25). The beginning of the accomplishment of this promise is God's faithfulness in rescuing his people and in showing his grace and his power to bring them into God's Sabbath rest.

In the land God gave them, there was to be a holy place, the temple, where God would set his name, but there was also a holy time. We are perhaps more familiar with the idea that God set apart a particular place where his people would come to worship him when they came to the Promised Land. The temple pictured God's dwelling among his people as the holy place of his presence. God dwells in Zion. We are less familiar with the idea of a holy time. The pattern of seven was applied to the holy times of God's law. The seventh day is joined with the seventh (sabbatical) year, since the land was to lie fallow on the seventh year. After seven sevens of years came the year of Jubilee, the fiftieth year, which was the climax of the sabbatical system. As we examine Christ's fulfillment of the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy, we will see that he accomplished all the times of the Sabbath, the Sabbath year, and the final Jubilee freeing all those enslaved by sin.

We see how rich the Sabbath principle is. It provided the people physical rest, which was a reminder of their created nature. It provided them with a reminder that God's presence offers them true rest. It reminded them of their redemption from slavery, and it held out a hope for them of a permanent rest to come, in the Promised Land. As the writer of Hebrews points out, however, "there remains . . . a Sabbath rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:9). As history moves on, it becomes obvious that the physical land of Israel is not the final rest.

THE SIGN OF A GREATER REST
There is a deep spiritual meaning to the Sabbath. True rest can be found only in the presence of God. In the Old Testament, God leads his people from captivity through the desert to the land of rest. In that land, the people meet with him in his temple and find peace and protection in his presence. Even this rest remains a symbol of the final rest that comes with Jesus Christ. The Sabbath, then, not only looks back to God's rest after he had completed his work of creation (Gen. 2:2-3) but also looks forward to the final peace given through Jesus Christ.