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On my way to work this morning the radio station to which I was listening had an announcement regarding some of the up-coming fall TV shows. I found myself reacting to the announcer’s casual monologue. What he was describing was entertainment comprised of watching godless and adulterous relationships, of watching actors and actresses portraying a society whose values consisted of lust, deceit, betrayal, violence, murder and virtually any other godless form of lifestyle. The radio announcer described the opening scenes of a new season of one popular TV serial as “dark and twisted”! Hmmm…, just what I was needing to build me up in my faith and my daily walk with God.
I wonder if Jesus might have used the analogy of sulfa and penicillin!
I turned the radio off and was musing about the role of the Christian in society. Here we are, God’s holy people, living squarely in the middle of this culture of ours with its sordid view of entertainment. We are in it but not to be “of it”. God has kept us here for a reason. Jesus told us we are to be salt and light. As we interact with our culture, what does that look like?
It is the prerogative of the Gospel to transcend culture – to transform culture! We are to be culture influencers! It seems to me, however, that we also need to be very careful that the opposite does not happen - that our culture does not exert a godless influence on us through the “entertainment” that it serves up.
Here are some questions with which I wrestle:
1. Are we allowing our “personal culture” to be influenced daily by the transforming power of the Gospel? Do we vigorously clear away from our lives anything that would restrict that process? What safeguards have we put in place to ensure that this happens? With such a pervasive godlessness in our culture’s entertainment how do we keep ourselves from being influenced? Do we divorce ourselves completely from radio, TV, movies and the like? If not, where do we draw the line at what we allow ourselves to watch - to be entertained by? There are definite dangers – how do we recognize them? For example, can our entertainment so accustom our ears to the kind of speech that the Bible defines as “corrupt, foolish or coarse” (Eph. 4:29 & 5:3,4) that we become desensitized to it? That is only one of the many areas where moral desensitization can set in. Are there areas in our “comfortableness” with the culture of our society where we have been blinded by it?
2. Are we allowing the Gospel’s transforming power to flow through us to the culture around us? In all the spheres where we have relationships with people, what positive, godly effect does our being there have on those around us? Is there a measure of intentionality about it? Do we ever stop and contemplate how we are influencing others? Last night at the badminton club I am part of one of the guys was casually throwing around some rather offensive language. I wrestled with how to respond? What did salt and light look like in this situation?
3. How important is all of this to us? Is it a priority in our lives?
God used that transformation as a means to explain another transformation that God wanted to work in their lives – the Gospel.
I remember as a child watching a marvelous transformational metaphor take place. My parents were missionaries in a very remote village on the island of Kalimantan, Indonesia. The people among whom we were living were plagued with a bizarre condition called Yaws or tropical ulcers. These putrid, infected lesions were both debilitating and disfiguring. It is also extremely contagious. When my parents first arrived in the village a large percentage of the local population was affected by this condition. Parts of arms, legs, hands and faces were eaten away. To this day I can still smell it. It was horrific.
With minimal medical experience and limited resources my parents began to treat the villagers. These people had never been exposed to sulfa drugs or penicillin and within weeks of initial treatment those dreadful sores completely dried up and healed. It was nothing short of miraculous. God used that transformation as a means for my dad and mom to explain to the villagers another transformation that God wanted to work in their lives – the Gospel.
To me that is a picture of what we as Christians are to be in the society and culture in which we have been placed? What miracles might we witness as we allow the Gospel to be radiated through our lives to our culture and the people of our culture? I wonder if Jesus might have used the analogy of sulfa and penicillin!
(This was also posted on the Northwest Baptist Seminary website for which I am the webmaster.)
Over the years of my Christian life I have often grappled with the questions, “How can I have a relationship with someone I cannot see, hear or touch? What kind of a relationship is it if one party is limited by being bound to this humanity?” I know, and have preached on the theologically correct answers to these questions. I recall J. Sidlow Baxter preaching a series of messages back during my bible college days where he encouraged us to read the Gospels photographically and see Jesus as the Gospel writers portray Him - a practice I have often undertaken over the 30 or so years since. As I have read through John’s Gospel I have taken careful note of Jesus words in 14:7 “If you have known me, you will also know my Father. From now on you know him and have seen him.” As I have grown in the Christian disciplines and pursued my walk with God I have learned to hear from his Word and rejoice in intimate fellowship with Him. But there still arise those moments when ‘feelings’ and faith seem to be on opposite sides of the experience pendulum.
This past summer I read a book that had a profound impact on my perception of my relationship with God. The book is The Shack by William P. Young. It is a powerful story of a father’s overwhelming grief in the face of horrific tragedy and how God turns that grief into an opportunity to get to know the Heavenly Father. It is difficult to classify this book. Is it fiction? Eugene Peterson’s comment on the book cover seems to imply that it is allegory. As I read it, I couldn’t help but try to get into the author’s mind and ask, “what motivated this book?” Is it autobiographical? What ever the genre the impact on me was telling. As I was reading it on the plane I kept looking around to see if anyone was noticing my tears. I wept out of sheer joy as my perspective of what God desired in relationship was deepened. I wept out of a profound sense of being humbled by the Father’s passionate love. I wept out of a refreshed intense longing to know Jesus more. I wept as the Spirit took that story and breathed into my soul a new understanding of His desire to draw me closer.
The Shack is a book I would recommend to every Christian. You will be drawn into a fresh understanding at God’s ineffable love for his children and the kind of relationship we were intended to have with Him.
(This was also posted on the Northwest Baptist Seminary website for which I am the webmaster.)
Becky’s folks came up to visit and see their first grandchild. We had a wonderful time together as a family.
Have you ever been bemused by God’s way of doing things? I have, and in the end have stood in awe of His timing, patience, grace and goodness.
A number of years ago (in another world) I taught at a Bible college deep in the jungles of Kalimantan (formerly known as Borneo). For several years I had a student who was a source of great consternation to me. It seemed that no matter what subject I had him for he just could not “get it”! His academic situation came up repeatedly in our faculty meetings but no one had the heart to say, “Sorry, he just isn’t making it - let him go!” So from year to year we granted him a provisional pass to the next level of study and every year we wondered. But he kept pressing on. Everyone loved him. His gentleness, humility and transparency captivated all who knew him.
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I was responsible for student accounts at the time and one day he came to my office to ask for some money from his account. I had just reviewed the books and his account was more than empty, so I asked him, “On what basis are you asking me this?” (literal translation). He pulled himself up straight and declared, “On the basis of the grace of God!” I could hardly contain myself and found some extra funds that we had for just such an occasion - grace funds! Total dependence on the grace of God seemed to be the theme of his life.
In his fourth and final year I was assigned to be his practicum supervisor and evaluator. He was pastoring a church in a nearby village and I went with him several Sundays to evaluate. I had taught him homiletics but his sermons bore no resemblance to anything we had studied. I was seriously considering recommending to the school that he was not cut out for the ministry. However, after the services I went with him as he walked from home to home in that village, praying for people, encouraging them to be strong in their faith, counselling, advising and loving - and the people loved him in return. The church in that village had never been so healthy and vigorous. We graduated him that year (with no little sense of misgiving) and that was the last I saw of him for 14 years as my wife and I were denied extensions to our visas and returned to Canada that summer. In the intervening years we have often wondered.
I had the privilege this summer of returning to Kalimantan and visiting in this same young man’s home and witnessing the amazing grace of God. He is married with three children. He and his wife are involved together in a marvelous cross-cultural ministry. As we spoke I learned that he has already planted a church amongst a very difficult people group. He has turned that church over to another man to continue the pastoral work and is now in the process of building a second work which involves not just a church plant but also a Christian school as well - again, in the midst of a most difficult ethnic group. It defies human explanation.
Oh, the wonderful grace of Jesus! God’s economy is one of utter grace.
In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.
Judges 21:44
Eli the priest of God at Shiloh was the default leader of Israel at the opening of the book of 1 Samuel. He was elderly and his two sons, Hophni and Phinnehas, performed the regular priestly duties at the Tent of Meeting. The second chapter of 1 Samuel records that those two sons were evil, ruthless, dissolute, immoral and godless men. How is it that they were allowed to continue to “minister before the Lord”? The answer is found in the fact that their father was a leader with a profound lack of spiritual understanding. He was not a spiritual man. It seems to me that the culture of the day that we find mentioned at the end of the book of Judges has seriously affected this leader of his people and clouded his spiritual understanding. As I read the account I find the following indicators.
1. Spiritual insensitivity
With Hannah – Eli assumed she was drunk (1:14). Maybe it is a statement on Eli’s spiritual expectations that his natural reaction to Hannah’s weeping before the Lord in the tabernacle was to accuse her of drunkenness. Why would he jump to that conclusion unless his ability at spiritual discernment was severely dulled.
With Samuel – it took three attempts to wake Eli to the fact that God was calling the young boy (3:1-9)
2. Spiritual inattention
With his sons – Eli disregarded their wickedness (2:22). Despite one feeble rebuke recorded in 2:22-25 the condemnation was leveled at him by an unknown messenger from God that he was honoring his sons above God. He had lost sight of spiritual priorities.
With God – God’s visitations to his people were rare and His word was rarely heard in those days (3:1). It would seem that the reason for the scarcity of God’s revelation was because Eli, the priest, was not listening to God. He was not spiritually inclined to seek for the voice of God and so it became silent.
3. Spiritual ignorance
The ‘man of God’ who came to Eli and warned him of God’s impending judgment had to remind Eli of God’s calling and anointing on the priestly lineage (2:27,28). It is quite an indictment that the man of God levels at Eli. The rhetorical questions, “Did I not…” imply that Eli has either forgotten or is totally ignorant of God’s dealing with Israel and particularly God’s appointment of the priestly line.
4. Spiritual imprudence
In the account of Eli’s death it is recorded that he was old and very fat (4:18). When the man of God rebuked Eli he condemned him because he had made himself fat off the illicit spoils provided by his sons (2:29). Gluttony blurred Eli’s capacity to think and act as a spiritual leader should.
5. Spiritual indifference
When told of God’s judgment he shrugged it off almost fatalistically (3:18). His response, “He is the Lord, let him do what seems good to him” stands in stark contrast to David’s casting himself on God’s mercy after being rebuked by the prophet Nathan. Once again this points to a lack of a true understanding of God’s nature and God’s dealings with people.
It seems to me that the story of Eli should make every Christian (and particularly those in leadership) take a long hard look at their own spirituality. Are there areas of our lives where the culture of the day has dimmed our spiritual vision or dulled our sensitivity? What do our lives demonstrate as to the quality of our spirituality. Do we need to wake up and take stock?
(This was also posted on the Northwest Baptist Seminary website for which I am the webmaster.)
As the dark years of Israel’s history, recounted for us in the book of Judges, draw to a close and we see the transition of national identity from cowering fugitives into a great kingdom - a remarkable leader is used by God to bring Israel back to Himself. That leader is the prophet and judge of Israel, Samuel. Given the cultural, social and religious milieu at the time of his birth and early childhood it is even more remarkable that he became the man that he did. In a previous article we looked at the influence of Samuel’s mother, Hannah, on her son’s development into a highly respected leader. It was her faith, prayer, nurture, perseverance, integrity and care that deeply influenced this little boy and encouraged him to become the man he did.
But there is another person who, I believe, also had a profound influence on Samuel’s growing up years. That person is his father Elkanah. Here is what I observe about this man from 1 Samuel 1-3.
1. He was an ordinary man, husband, father in the context of his society and culture. But he was also a man who stood tall above the cultural anarchy and religious apathy of the day. (c.f. Judges 21:25)
2. He was not a national or religious figure. He was not a tribal head or clan elder but he was an upstanding leader in his own home and family. (1 Samuel 1-3)
3. He, personally, was a faithful, God-fearing, deeply religious man as evidenced by his regular pilgrimages to the tabernacle in Shiloh to offer up sacrifices to the Lord (1:3).
4. He did not keep his religion to himself but faithfully led his family in the worship of the One True God - encouraging their individual participation. It is noteworthy that the writer of 1 Samuel took the time to detail how Elkanah gave portions to each member of his family - adults and children. He was doing his best to ensure that his family knew God and followed in His ways (1:4).
5. In his conversation with Hannah in 1:8 we get the sense that he is a devoted, loving and tender husband. This one factor alone would be significant in Samuel’s healthy emotional and social development.
6. Elkanah fully supported Hannah in the fulfillment of her commitment to the Lord regarding Samuel (1:23). Penninah, the rival, aside - one gets the sense of a family unit that are in one in heart to follow God.
In an age of religious turmoil, waywardness and spiritual ignorance, Elkanah stands tall as a godly man, loving husband and competent father. Samuel, his son, could not have been anything other than indelibly influenced by his father’s example.
Dads! The challenge is there for us. Let’s never underestimate the power of the example of a godly, faithful and committed father to influence the next generation. Some will even go on to become great leaders.
Recommended reading: 1 Samuel 1-8
I am intrigued with the rise of Samuel’s leadership as described in the first few chapters of 1 Samuel. After the years of Israel’s spiritual, moral and national decline as described in the book of Judges the years of Samuel’s leadership stand sturdy and tall. Under his faithful and godly guidance Israel regains her faith in God as well as her sense of nationhood under God. Samuel was a giant among leaders. What fascinates me are the people surrounding him during his growing up years.
What contributed to his development as a leader? What about the people surrounding him? In his earliest years there is his mother, Hannah; there is Hannah’s rival Peninah (with all her children) and there is his father, Elkanah. Later, as he begins his tenure as the understudy for the temple there is Eli, the priest and default leader of the day along with his two evil sons Hophni and Phinehas. Then there were the Israelite worshipers who came to the tent of meeting there in Shiloh to offer sacrifices and worship the One True God. What influence did these people have on young Samuel? What did they contribute to the development of this great leader to be?
Hannah is the first influence in his life. Imagine with me young Samuel growing up under Hannah’s godly care. I get the sense from the conversation between Hannah and Elkanah in 1:21-23 that Hannah intended to pour herself into her little boy during the years that she had him and before she was to give him into the Lord’s service. It is likely that from his earliest recall he would hear the stories of Hannah’s sorrow and ultimate blessing. Hannah probably retold many times how God answered her prayers. I am sure Samuel was also quite aware from early on of his mother’s promise to God. My guess is that Hannah had a great deal to do with Samuel’s growing up with a deep sense of awe of God and His goodness.
Samuel probably could see early on the contrast between his mother and that other woman, Peninah. The gentleness contrasted with the sneering, the selfelessness contrasted with the pettyness… Even though we are not given many details, I doubt that Peninah’s character changed much with the birth of Samuel and the contrast must have been instructive to him. His mother’s character and godliness were great influences in his life.
Hannah was a woman of prayer. She understood prayer as communing with God. When Eli questioned her in the tabernacle, Hannah described her prayer as "Pouring out my soul to the Lord" (1:15). I believe Samuel’s deep and close relationship with God began here on Hannah’s knees. Hannah’s prayer in chapter 2, recorded for all succeeding ages, gives us a little glimpse of this woman’s considerable understanding of God and his ways. I believe it can be safely infered that she did not stint in communicating these truths to her young son.
Commentators vary on how old Samuel might have been when he was presented to the Lord at the temple. But short time or long, Hannah was probably the most influential person in the development of this leader.
Put yourself into the picture of the yearly pilgrimages from Ramah to Shiloh. Imagine with me the excitement preceeding the event. Samuel in Shiloh waiting impatiently for the day to come when his mother and family would arrive. Hannah in Ramah, lovingly putting the finishing touches on the garment she made for her little man every year. There is a faraway look in her eye, a tiny smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. She will see her little boy soon. "How tall will he be by now"?
It is what the text does not tell us that intrigues me. Was Hannah’s heart lifted to God daily on behalf of this little man? Did she ever worry? Did doubts ever creep in? - "Did I do the right thing?" "Did I really have to give him to God for all of his life?" Did intense longing for her first-born ever cloud her eyes with tears?
What influence do you and I have in the lives of the youngsters around us? What do they see in us? Are we praying for the children in our sphere of influence? Are we contributing to the development of tomorrow’s godly leaders? Allow me to encourage us to take another look at the influence of this godly woman on an entire nation through her influence on her son and let’s ask God how we can be used of Him in similar ways.
Note: The topic for the fall ACTS Seminaries Pastors’ & Mentors’ Day is "Children Matter"
I am curious about Paul’s usage of the word ‘godliness’ (eusebia) in his letter to Titus on several counts. The first is that Paul makes it clear throughout the letter that the pursuit of godliness is a normal practice in the life of the believer. In the very first sentence he writes:
From Paul,a slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. (NET Bible)
Second, each passage in this letter that deals with the core teaching on salvation (i.e. that salvation is provided freely by God’s grace and mercy and not because of any of our doing) inevitably concludes with an exhortation to godliness being expressed through good works (2:11-14; 3:4-8). Godliness, then, is the outworking of the inner work of salvation and it is expressed in good works. The entire letter seems dedicated to describing what godliness must look like in the lives of God’s people. That ‘look’ is linked to living righteously, “denying ungodliness”, and doing good works.
Third, Paul exhorts Titus to challenge all of his listeners to lives of godliness. The challenge is thrown out to church leaders (elders and overseers), to men and women, to husbands and wives, to young and old, to slaves and freemen - godliness is for all.