oops!

If you are reading this it is likely that I messed up and commented while logged in to my wordpress account.  I have moved over to Blogger.  So, look around a bit and when you are ready to subscribe to my feed or share a comment, make sure you jump over to Blogger so that you won’t miss out on what’s new and I’ll be able to promptly reply.  A lot has changed since I left this blog so I have imported some of my recent blogs over from my blogger account just in case someone stumbles upon this one and wonders where I went.  Also, there are newer posts that I have not imported to my wordpress address so be sure to read about what Christ has been doing since the move.  The link is provided below:

Deconstructing Neverland the weblog of Bobby Auner @ Blogger

>A glimpse of our gathering

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Today (Sunday) we met with a group of families we haven’t seen in some months.  It was refreshing to be gathered with so many believers in one place again. I love being with the children of God and today was a special treat.  We arrived at 10:30 in front of the house along with another family at the host’s house.  Everyone was very happy to see us.  We received a warm welcome of hugs and offers to help carry our numerous belongings and children into the house.  I liken it to an American version of greeting with a holy kiss.  Once inside and unloaded, the children scattered and I started conversing with the man of the house, admiring the handiwork of his new patio.  We were soon joined by the other father who arrived at the same time as my family and I learned how they had been working together to secure a good running vehicle for him at a fair price.  Before long other families arrived and soon all the fathers were gathered on the back patio.  Inside, moms talked homeschooling and children played together.  Outside, dads talked cars, jobs, theology and mission.

When we entered the house and gathered in the living room (and the dining room) I looked around and saw a lot of new faces.  Families that were not there the last few times we were and it was good to meet them.  We sang a few songs together (one brother plays the guitar very well) mingled with prayers and scripture readings.  As our singing ended and all was quiet for a brief moment, a woman burst forth in beautiful praise to our Lord.  Then the Spirit moved in such a way to bring to mind a scripture or a teaching from many members of the body, each passage or word building on the rest.  It was richly edifying.  Multiple members at work building up the rest of the body.  There was no schedule of speakers, no list of scriptures yet there was perfect order and someone was clearly in control and guiding the participation.  The themes of Christ as our high priest, the preciousness and necessity of his blood, the weight of our sin and unworthiness, and his example becoming our call to serve were some themes that were expounded.  All this before we entered into the next passage of scripture that had been predetermined.

It was marvelous to see Christ at work building his Church.  It was glorious to see Christ manifested through the working of his many members under his headship.  Not tossed to and fro by different doctrines but gathered together with one theme and one song:  Praise be to the lamb that was slain and to the victory that is ours because of his love.

How was your Sunday morning gathering?

>God says we should love our enemies, does God love Satan?

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This is the question posed by our five year old during the early morning homeschool hours.  Liberal statists everywhere are going nuts at this point with the knowledge that we talk about God during school hours.  Shocking that we would indoctrinate our children, I know, but this question was a doozy, especially coming from such a young aspiring theologian.  Our son posed the question to their mommy/teacher who in turn shot me an email forwarding the probing doctrinal dilemma. I received the email at lunch.  A perfect time to ponder the deep things and meditate on the depths of God’s love.  My mind swirled with weighty thoughts.  Giving an answer to the question was tough enough.  Answering a five year old adds multiple levels of difficulty.  I felt like I a kid snatched away from my flag football game and placed in the pro bowl, the big opponent before me ready to trample me.

I decided to write a response to my wife that I knew was inadequate to read to our son but I hoped it would equip her to handle the answering herself.  Uh, no.  Didn’t get off that easy.  She hadn’t even read the response by the time I got home and so the ball was back in my court. YAY!  So over dinner we had a string of questions and answers.  That’s right, I went catechism style.  I think the boys got it.

Now I’m really afraid. Our boys are five and seven and they are asking us questions that most believers never even consider.  Now I have to figure out how to balance scriptural study with personal discipleship so that I can be ready with answers to their seminary level questions.  Does that balance even exist?  I always feel like I am falling short one way or the other.

Enough of my rambling…help me out folks.  How would you answer a five year old who asks such a question?

God says we should love our enemies, does God love Satan?  Wow, just, wow.

>A modern day parable

>So, a couple days ago my wifey posted a parable of sorts that I found very interesting, prophetic even.  Here is a pinch:

Behind Blue Eyes: A short story: “Once upon a time there were two wood cutters. They led similar lives and both had a deep love for both God and their families. They both worked for sunrise to sunset and both avid readers. The first man came home every evening and kissed his wife and hugged his children and then would spend the rest of the evening reading. He read all of the great dead theologians and he read all of the great living theologians.”

I don’t know where she comes up with this stuff but I dig it.   If you haven’t read her blog before you should definitely jump over and check it out.  What she writes is raw and straight-out-of-the-box.  I admire her genuine style.

 

>Suffering with Jesus by serving with Jesus

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Something hit home with me today at work.  One of my co-workers confided in me with an issue that was very burdensome for him.  It has the potential to cause a lot of strife and uncertainty in his relationships and finances.  I listened carefully as he shared this burden with me and them we continued with our work (we are both plumbers).  At the end of the day I couldn’t get his problem off my mind.  It was like I was carrying his burden with me even though it didn’t directly effect me.  Yet, somehow I hurt with him and needed to pray about it.  As I lifted the burden up I was given a strong desire to wait until my co-worker came out to his vehicle and ask him if I could pray with him.  He gave me permission and then laid out some more details of the things he was worried about most due to this new valley in life.  We prayed together.  Actually, I did all the talking, he mostly cried.  I didn’t expect that.

It has been far too long since I have had obeyed the urge to drop what I was doing and pray with someone.  In order to spur many on to do the same I would tell you that it gave me great joy and satisfaction to pray with my friend…but it didn’t.  In fact, I felt worse after praying with him.  You know how sometimes people tell you what they are going through and you say “I understand” but we really don’t?  Well somehow, I did.  I understood what he was going through.  I felt his pain.  I wanted to make it all go away, say that everything would be okay (and mean it).  But I couldn’t.  All I could do was pray that God would take care of it and trust in His faithfulness.  Hopefully our prayer together encouraged him to do the same.

As I have meditated on this today something struck me.  While I was with him, bearing his burden, I felt his pain and suffering.  I was obeying the call to serve him and it brought me suffering.  I had heard and read that obedience and suffering go hand in hand but I always thought about it in terms of persecution and martyrdom. This suffering was neither, this was the everyday ebb and flow of life kind of suffering.  It had nothing to do with me yet it was made mine.  It reminded me of Jesus.  He bears our burdens everyday.  He suffers with us.  He suffers for us.  He does so in service to us.  This is what our King does in His kingdom and we are a part of it.  We are privileged to join Him.  We can suffer with Him by serving with Him.

>Riches come through community, not individualism

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God does not reveal the unsearchable riches of Christ to individuals.  Christ is only revealed through his body.  The ministry of one man, for years and years on end will only give a tiny glimpse of God’s greatness in Christ.  In contrast, many members, rooted and grounded in love and grace toward one another, will provide a collection of glimpses, resulting in a more full manifestation of Jesus Christ.  This was the prayer of Paul for the Church in Ephesus.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV)

Something that jumps at me in this passage is how Paul prays that Christ will dwell in your hearts.  Your representing a plurality of hearts which he thereafter calls you (singular) representing the one body made of many members.  It is this singular body made of many members that may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.


If we sit, week after week, under the ministry and teaching of one man, never seeking the unified diversity of the whole body as it ministers to one another, how can we expect to know the love of Christ or to be filled with all the fullness of God?  Without every one of us walking

… in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV)

with this understanding:

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. (Ephesians 4:7 ESV)

how can we expect to get here?

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
(Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV)

I’ll dare say it again.  God does not reveal the unsearchable riches of Christ to individuals.  We must not continue seeing ourselves only as helpless, hungry, needy sheep (which we are) but also as Christ filled, Holy Spirit empowered, children of the Most High God called to walk as such in love and truth toward one another.  It is as a body, complete with all of its members at work, that Christ is revealed.

>An endless bloodbath in your honor

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I stumbled across a website with a program that calculates the number of animal sacrifices necessary under the Old Testament sacrificial system to atone for sin.  You simply input the day of your birth and it shows you how many animals would have been slaughtered over your lifetime to pay for your sins.  As of today I am up to 53,682.  A lot of sin needs a lot of blood.

The blood still runs.  Today it is no longer the blood of bulls and goats that God requires to atone for sin.  In fact, the sheer magnitude and perpetuity of the slaughtered creatures demonstrates that their blood is inadequate.  Praise be to God that Christ died and shed his own perfect blood for our sins.  Now our great high priest, Christ Jesus, has taken a seat because he finished once and for all the necessary bloodshed.

Believers need to remember the blood everyday the same way the Jews looked upon the blood on the alter everyday.  It is this continual reminder of Christ’s finished work that keeps us free from guilt and able to walk in righteousness.

So check out the site and tell us how many sacrifices you would have required under the old covenant.

http://crossward.info/bullsandgoats

>Praising my wife at the gates

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I tell her all the time that words can’t express how I feel.  That doesn’t mean I won’t try.   I think about my love for my beautiful bride and the best words I can fathom are those written about Christ’s love for his.

My love, my reason for being born, I look with joy toward a future of sharing life together.  There is nothing that could take my eyes off you.  Where I am, you are.  Where you are, I am.  We are one, inseparable.

I am determined to have you no matter what.  If you turn from me, I’ll follow you.  If you forget about me, I’ll still remain near.  If you leave the warmth of my embrace, I’ll pursue you.  If you sin against me, I’ll forgive you.  Your sins have been covered by the blood there is no longer any guilt or condemnation.  I could be mocked, cursed, spat upon, beaten, hated, neglected, betrayed, and bruised but it would be woth it if it was necessary to have you near me.  I would die for you, lay my own life down for you because you are worth that much to me.

When you see yourself lacking, I see you as full.  When you see flawed, I see perfect.  When you see fallen, I see the righteousness of God.  When you hurt, I hurt.  When you have a burden, I’ll carry it for you.  When you weep, I weep.  When you smile, I smile.  When you laugh, I laugh.  When you are happy, I am happy.  Your joy is my joy.  Your pain is my pain.  Your life is my life.

My Father has demonstrated His love for me by giving me you.  Before He laid the foundations of the world you were in my arms.  I am convinced than neither life nor death nor angels nor powers nor things present nor things to come can seperate our love.  No one can take you out of my hand.  You are my beloved and I am yours.

My sister, my love, my bride.
It’s a joy to have you by my side.
These are just a few words with which I say:

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

>preaching: one another or 1 to all the others?

>With all the conversation over at the gospel coalition blogs about the centrality of expository preaching in our gatherings, a re-post by Alan Knox gives some excellent biblical examples of church gatherings where the model is not monologue but dialogue.

So, there certainly may have been instances where only one person spoke during the meeting of the church. But, Scripture does not give us many of these examples. Instead, we primarily have examples of several people either speaking or having the option to speak when the church meets. Similarly, when teaching specifically about the church meeting, we are not instructed that only one person should speak, but that all should have that option. It seems that in general, even when one person primarily spoke during a meeting, and even when that person was an apostle like Paul, there was the possibility and probability that others would take part.

Click above. You want to read the entire post.

>Look Who’s Talking!

>I read a blog today that deeply troubled me. To many it may be old hat, but for me…when I see someone coming to these conclusions and publishing them I am deeply troubled. Especially when that someone is a greatly respected leader of mine. I am talking about a post today from Thabiti Anyabwile entitled God’s Doing the Talking.

His post is in response to a review of his recent book What is a Healthy Church Member in which the reviewer noted his concern with Thabiti’s term “expositional listening” and how the traditional worship service built around the sermon undermines the priesthood of all believers.  (I wonder if he is referring to Eric’s blog post ????)

Here is what Thabiti writes:

The fatal flaw in my reviewer’s comments was his tendency to think that the service at its best is a conversation between man and man, a human dialogue, a gathering of people of rather equal status speaking to one another. But is that really what’s happening in preaching and in the gathered worship of the church?

The very structure reflects a running dialogue–not between the people gathered, though we “speak to one another in songs,” etc.–but fundamentally between God and His people.

When God speaks through the exposition of His word there certainly will be many reactions, but as our Sovereign speaks there should not be an interruption in favor of our pooling our comments and sharing our insights.  Our best wisdom is foolishness before God.  Better to first listen to the One who speaks, then talk with one another about it afterward.

These conclusions imply that God only speaks through a well prepared expositional sermon delivered from a pulpit by a professional pastor.  God speaks beginning with the call to worship and ending with the benediction.  Everything else is just “after” talk.

Brothers and sisters, let me encourage you.  God dwells within his body, the church.  There is no part of the body that is not necessary, not needed, or just an afterthought.  We are all servants of Jesus Christ and we are expected to minister to one another as He leads us to when we gather together.  Ministry is for professionals and we are all in the business of doing His business of advancing the kingdom therefore we are all professionals and our reward is in Heaven with Christ.  There is something very special about faithful preaching that is true to the Word of God and we are ALL called to be preaching that word.  We are not all , apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers but we are something special.  We are members in the body of Christ.  The preeminent, righteous, sinless, soveriegn, benevolent, maker and master of the heavens and earth dwells within you.  Walk by faith in that truth and study God’s Word.  God will speak through you.