Category: Newtestament - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

John 3:14-21 - Lectionary for Lent 4B

3/8/2018

3/8/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading for this week, from John 3:14-21, refers back to our Old Testament reading in Numbers 21. Here Jesus explains that he is the fulfillment of the bronze serpent in the wilderness.

In Numbers, because of the people’s sin, God sent venomous snakes to bite and kill them. He then set up a cure. If people looked at a bronze serpent, lifted up on a pole, they would be rescued. Jesus’ statements seem to clarify that the looking was done in faith, trusting that God would rescue them.

Jesus describes himself as the fulfillment of the serpent in the wilderness. He, being fully human, but without sin, is visibly the very thing which brings death. Every human, with only two exceptions recorded in biblical history, dies. We all know that will happen. It’s inherent in our humanity.

Jesus, however, is not like us in a very important regard. He has no sin. Therefore, death cannot hold him. When he is lifted up on a pole, killed to death, he appears for all the world to be our complete equal, suffering death as well.

Jesus has a different solution, though, one which doesn’t show up in our understanding. He will draw all people to him, giving eternal life to all who believe. This is the way God loves the world. He loves it in such a way as to create life through faith in Jesus.

This is precisely what Jesus will do. After a few years of walking with his disciples, teaching them, and bringing healing and hope to crowds of people, he will be lifted up. The one who is perfectly human will become accursed in death for all the descendants of Adam. The one who is perfectly divine will be raised from the dead, bringing life to all who believe him. This is the Gospel of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

Ephesians 2:1-10 - Lectionary for Lent 4B

3/7/2018

3/7/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our New Testament passage from Ephesians 2 draws a very subtle distinction for us between the way we should consider sin and the way we should consider righteousness. Let’s take a look at just a few of the implications of the passage.

The apostle Paul says that we were dead in our sin and disobedience. The displeasure of God is fully earned by us. The God who has commanded that all his world remain very good, the way He made it, will not look with favor on any disobedience, great or small. When we fail to live in perfect obedience, love, and trust to God, and at peace with any of our fellow humans, we have justly condemned ourselves. It’s our fault, period.

How are we rescued? In verse 4, it is by God’s grace and mercy. This is nothing we deserve. It is not that God recognizes anything good in us. It isn’t that our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds. None of that! It’s God’s mercy that creates salvation. There’s nothing we could do, and even if we could, we wouldn’t do it.

Condemnation, then, comes from us. It’s our fault. Mercy is all God’s fault, if we can use that terminology. The only way I can be rescued from sin and death is that God chose to redirect his righteous anger against my sin. He chose not to condemn me. All the glory then goes to God.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

Just a Note - Acts 12:20-23

7/6/2017

7/6/17
The earliest Christians followed a Jewish tradition of pausing to pray, preferably together, first thing in the morning, about mid morning, at noon, about mid afternoon, and in the evening. “Just a Note” posts are brief observations made from Scripture readings not related to a lectionary. If I have one to post, it normally appears about 9:00 in the morning, at “the hour of prayer.”

There are a few passages in the New Testament which provide startling reminders that the God of the New Testament is exactly the same as the God of the Old Testament. Acts 12:20-23 is one of those passages.

Herod the king, the same one who lost Peter earlier in this chapter, has become angry with some of his subject people. After they worked at obtaining a peace treaty, Herod went to make an oration.

At this ceremonial political occasion, Herod accepts the acclamations of the people. He is a god, not a man. Herod the king, overseer of Israel, has publicly denied the true God. He is eaten by worms and dies.

The God of the Bible has revealed himself to his people. He has shown his patience and kindness. He has told his people how and where they can approach him. When they choose to worship other gods, or, worse yet, to accept praise as if they themselves are gods, there is no more patience in God’s attitude. He does not allow substitutes. He does not share his glory.

The Bible announces salvation only through Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning death. It is received only through faith. It is all by God’s grace, never by our works. May we grasp this better than Herod did.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

Get Ready to Stand

8/20/2015

Thursdays are for the New Testament - 8/20/15
Peterson, Eugene H., and Peter Santucci. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing up in Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2010. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 13, “The Wiles of the Devil and the Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-17” Loc. 2877-3121.

Peterson observes that Ephesians does not end with a rushing call to radicality (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2881) but to a disciplined readiness. The Ephesians stand firm as Christ has called them (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2891). This will bring maturity as we find our identity in Christ and among his people. We do have an enemy to withstand Peterson 2010, Loc. 2926). Peterson observes that there are many evil forces in the world but that here our biggest challenge may be identifying these unseen enemies (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2943). The tools we receive for this conflict are armaments from God (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2983). The six armaments are a representative sample of Christian character (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2994). Peterson observes that as time goes by we have a temptation to leave our post or remove some armor, a tendency we must resist (Peterson 2010, Loc. 3037). As the Ephesians stand firm they pray (Peterson 2010, Loc. 3053). This has been a recurring theme in the book. Prayer becomes the natural language of the Ephesians. This prayer is specific and focused on praying for others (Peterson 2010, Loc. 3072). Peterson observes that in the end, Tychicus is the only person named in Ephesus (Peterson 2010, Loc. 3102). He also appears in relation to Ephesus in Acts 20:4. This person had been with Paul and with the Ephesian church. They had a history and understanding of one another .This, Peterson says, should be the pattern as we practice resurrection. We do it together.

Finding Focus

7/30/2015

Thursdays are for the New Testament - 7/30/15
Peterson, Eugene H., and Peter Santucci. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing up in Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2010. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 10, “Holiness and the Holy Spirit: Ephesians 4:17-32” Loc. 2120-2316.

Peterson observes Paul’s use of “therefore” at Ephesians 4:1 and again at 4:17 to shift topics. He is making a transition to speak about “us: what we do and the way we do it” (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2131). Yet the focus of our life is always Jesus working in the church by the Holy Spirit (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2138). Peterson compares life in the church to rock climbing, an ascent from earth to heaven. God’s commands are the protective devices without which we have nothing to guide us or to grip (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2159). In this context, Peterson finds reason for the negative command, not to live as Gentiles (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2177). There is a right caution about life in Christ. The world around the Ephesians Christians was full of temptation to sin and to arrogance. This served as a backdrop for the positive commands to follow (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2194). Peterson discusses this in terms of “negative space,” a term artists use to refer to what is absent in a work of art (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2230). The prohibitions of Scripture may well serve to avoid clutter and allow us to see the real picture of our life in Christ. In this life centered upon Jesus, Peterson reminds us, we see the true Triune God (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2251). In the Trinity we learn especially that the God who cannot fit into our categories is very present and personal (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2260). This is especially the role of the Holy Spirit whom Peterson sees indwelling all the commonplace events of life, drawing attention to Jesus (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2300).

Now That's Unity!

7/23/2015

Thursdays are for the New Testament - 7/23/15
Peterson, Eugene H., and Peter Santucci. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing up in Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2010. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 9, “One and All: Ephesians 4:1-16” Loc. 1893-2117.

Peterson opens by observing the word “therefore” at the start of Ephesians 4. “The transition is not abrupt. It is not as if we can separate the being of God from being human and treat them separately. But we do separate them” (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1899). God is present in life. Peterson again emphasizes the simple and obvious ways human and divine interact, particularly in the context of church (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1910). This is the straightforward context for knowing God. Paul pictures this life in church as a “calling” (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1935). Peterson views the shift in Paul’s letter at this point as one from kerygma to paraclesis - from proclamation of who God and man are to an urging to life in light of the proclamation (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1950). Peterson’s exposition of the ideas of proclamation, teaching, and urging follows. He contends that this paraclesis goes on among Christians every day and is the heart of our “cure of souls” or “spiritual direction” (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1981). The relational element, the knowledge that we are in this life together, is of primary importance to a life of paraclesis (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2001). It is something pursued in community together. This, Peterson suggests, is what ties our theological lives and material lives together. It makes the oneness we see articulated in Ephesians 4 (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2037). As we seek to live together in the community of the church we become one body, growing up in Christ, all together, all growing (Peterson 2010, Loc. 2080).

Stop Drop and Pray

7/16/2015

Thursdays are for the New Testament - 7/16/15
Peterson, Eugene H., and Peter Santucci. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing up in Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2010. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 8, “Prayer and All the Fullness: Ephesians 3:14-21” Loc. 1668-1892.

Peterson reminds us that as Paul prayed in the middle of his letter, we too begin, continue, and end with prayer (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1677). The Church and Christ go together. Our prayer is for glory of Christ in the church. As Jesus is human and divine, the church is as well (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1687), a concept which is difficult for us. Yet “Christians are interested in understanding and participating in the life of church on the same terms that we use to understand and participate in the life of Christ - human and divine simultaneously, without diluting or compromising either element” (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1710). Peterson observes that some thirty years after Paul wrote to the Ephesians John, who cared for the churches in Asia Minor, wrote to Ephesus in Revelation 2-3. They had abandoned their love for Jesus. There are forceful words about a serious problem, one about which Paul had prayed before (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1745). This leads Peterson to point up the centrality of prayer in all our lives (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1756). He views this life of prayer in submission to the living God as our great participation in the Christian life. Paul’s prayer is that God will fill his people with all his riches (Peter 1795). Powerful words indeed! These riches of God are not merely outward riches, but inward as well (3:16-17) (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1831). Peterson emphasizes that in faith we realize the very Messiah living in us. In the end we see that the church is not merely a place or thing we build. It is that but it is also the mystical people of Christ (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1865).

Head and Body - Together!

7/9/2015

Thursdays are for the New Testament - 7/9/15
Peterson, Eugene H., and Peter Santucci. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing up in Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2010. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 7, “Church and God’s Manifold Wisdom: Ephesians 3:1-13” Loc. 1458-1667.

In Ephesians Paul makes clear that Jesus is the head of the church. The head and body need to be kept together. When considered in isolation we quickly go astray (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1466). Peterson reminds the reader that Christ was active prior to our faith (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1470). This work of Christ is, in Ephesians 2, centered in the church, which is the place he has made for us (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1484). In Ephesians 3:1-13, Peterson notes Paul’s pace relaxing (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1489). He speaks of himself and Jesus’ work in him. Even in this personal talk, Paul focuses on his goal. His life is all about Jesus, but it is Jesus working in Paul (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1507). Peterson further reminds us that Jesus is currently working in Paul in prison (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1518). He is a captive, describing freedom in Christ. Peterson compares the bondage and alienation from Ephesians to the isolation in which so many people live. Christ, who has made a place for his people, leads the church, “the workshop for turning knowledge into wisdom, becoming what we know” (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1571). Peterson emphasizes that the church is the place where we truly find ourselves and where we make sense of our world (Peterson 2010, Loc. 1605).