New Psalms Teaching Series - Unfailing Love

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither --whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:1-4

Hello Grace Church family + friends! I wanted to fill you in on what we're planning to do on Sunday mornings this month. 

During March, leading up to Easter Sunday, we will be journeying through a few Psalms together. Known to some as "the hymnal of the Old Testament," the Psalms are an ancient Hebrew collection of prayers and spiritual songs meant for both personal and liturgical use. The Psalms are packed with honesty and a wide array of emotion. They possess expressions of both faith and doubt. They encourage as well as exhort. And they continually remind us that God is the present ruler (over all) and that his love is unfailing. 

Here's the line up:

Blessedness + Wisdom - Psalm 1

March 6th

Darkness + Lament - Psalm 88

March 13th

Thanksgiving + Salvation - Psalm 118

March 20th

Want to read a great introduction on the book of Psalms? Check out this intro from Dr. Tremper Longman. 

Grace + Peace, 

P. Heath

Ruth: The Cycle of Kindness

The Book of Ruth is a fascinating and stirring novella about a young, childless widower named Ruth meeting and marrying a gentleman named Boaz. It was truly a match made in heaven (pun intended!) and an absolutely beautiful story.

In the story of Ruth, God, through ordinary and everyday means, works mightily to accomplish his Jesus Mission; and the story reminds us that the darkest and loneliest times in life are not times to give up or to stop doing what is right. No, quite the opposite. It's in those dark and lonely times that we must trust in God all the more. For it is in the It is in those dark and lonely times that God often does his most loving and powerful work!

The Book of Ruth - General Info about Date, Authorship, and Original Audience: 
The story of Ruth is placed by the narrator in the time of the judges, but no indication is given as to when in this several-century period it took place. If the genealogy at the end of the book has no gaps, the events would best be placed in the second half of the twelfth century, roughly contemporary to Jephthah and Samson. [1]

The book is named for its main character, Ruth, a Moabite widow who married the Bethlehemite Boaz. She became an ancestor of King David (4:17, 22) and thus an ancestor of the Messiah (Matt. 1:1, 5–6). The author of Ruth is never named in the Bible. According to rabbinic tradition (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 14a–15b), Samuel is the author. However, some say this is unlikely, since Samuel died before David actually became king, and it seems that Ruth 4:17–22 implies that David's kingship was an established fact at the time of writing.

In the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, the book of Ruth finds itself placed in The Writings, the third and final portion of their canon. Traditionally, the five shortest books in The Writings – Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentation, Ecclesiastes, and Esther – were/are referred to as “The Scrolls” and were/are read during the five major festivals – Passover (Song of Songs), the Feast of Weeks (Ruth), the Ninth of Ab (Lamentations), the Feast of Tabernacles (Ecclesiastes), and the Festival of Purim (Esther).

The Story:
Ruth is placed during the dark and tumultuous times of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). In Judges, people did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25) which lead to “the cycle of sin” which was repeated throughout the book:

18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. ~ Judges 2:18-19

There’s also a cycle in the book of Ruth – a cycle of kindness/mercy (hesed) is displayed throughout the book by Ruth, Boaz and YHWH. A simple thematic division of the book of Ruth could quite possibly be – The kindness of Ruth (ch. 1), the kindness of Boaz (ch. 2), the kindness of Boaz and Ruth collide (ch. 3), and the kindness of God (ch. 4).

The story sets out in the period of the judges, Elimelech, Naomi, and their sons leave Bethlehem because of a famine to sojourn in Moab. Naomi's husband, Elimelech, dies there. Mahlon and Chilion, the sons, marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Ten years later the sons die too, leaving no children. Naomi has lost her family and devastated (1:1–5). Learning that the famine in Israel is over, she decides to return to Bethlehem; Orpah stays behind, but Ruth, after expressing her love and loyalty to Naomi, accompanies Naomi back to Bethlehem (1:6–22). At harvest time, Ruth goes to glean in a field that happens to belong to Elimelech's relative, Boaz (2:1–23). Naomi knows he is an eligible kinsman-redeemer. Following Naomi's daring plan, in a midnight encounter at the threshing floor, Ruth, at great risk to herself, boldly asks him, as a redeemer, to marry her (3:1–18). After a closer kinsman refuses to take Ruth, Boaz redeems all the property of the deceased and marries Ruth (4:1–12). They have a son, Obed, who becomes the grandfather of King David (4:13–22). Ruth is no longer a childless widower and Naomi has a family again. 

The Jesus Mission in Ruth:
The Jesus Mission is what the message of Old Testament points to. Typically, the pointing is subtle; but nonetheless, it's the underpinning theme and purpose throughout it. Simply stated, The Jesus Mission is the plan of God to make right and correct the wayward world. Throughout the writings of the Old Testament we can begin to see the hope of Christ, the One appointed by God to crush evil and sufferings, take shape. And coming Christ/Messiah is coming to put an end to sin and all its horrible ramifications. This plan is first revealed in Genesis 3:15 where God promises to put an end to the rebellion and perverted-nature of sin by crushing the serpent's head through the seed of the woman. And thus begins the line of Christ, “the seed of promise.” This line (Gen. 11) can be traced to Abraham when God makes a covenant promising that through Abraham “all the peoples on the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 11:3). Ruth & Boaz are two of the many individuals included in God’s Jesus Mission (Matthew 1:1-6).

As a foreigner and ancestor of David (4:17, 22), Ruth is a forerunner of the universal blessing and supreme act of kindness/mercy that Christ's redemptive work has ushered in. Many Old Testament prophecies anticipate a new King David (e.g., Jer. 33:15, 17; Ezek. 37:24; Hos. 3:5; Zech. 12:7–10) reigning over Israel and incorporating the Gentiles into his benevolent empire (e.g., Isa. 55:3–5; Amos 9:11–12). This expectation is fulfilled in David's “son,” Jesus the Christ or Messiah (cf. Matt. 1:1–6; Luke 3:31–33; Acts 13:23; Rom. 1:3–5).

In him, the “gospel” preached beforehand to Abraham (Gen. 12:3; Rom. 15:8–12; Gal. 3:8), that all nations will be blessed, is fully realized (Rom. 4:9–12; Gal. 3:7–9, 14).

Through Christ, David's throne is reestablished forever (Acts 15:16; Rev. 3:7; 5:5; 22:16) and his reign is universal (Matt. 28:18–20; Rom. 1:5; 15:8–12). In him, people from all nations and the entire cosmos become redeemed from the corruption of sin and death – which is the ultimate of merciful redemption!

The Controversy: 
The book of Ruth is not without controversy though. There are apparent sexual connotations in the “threshing floor” scene in 3:1-15. Our English translations have a difficult time articulating some of the phrases – and for good reason! The phrase “uncover his feet (NIV)” in vs. 4 and 7 in Hebrew is an euphemism for the male genitalia. (For example, the same Hebrew wordings appear in 1 Sam. 24:3 which is translated “to relieve himself” – referring to King Saul going pee in cave.)

In addition, the Hebrew wordings which are translated “lie down (NIV)” in vs.4 and “lay down (NIV)” in vs.7 are almost always used to denote sexual relations.

This is not the only controversy or apparent breaking of God’s law in the book of Ruth. There’s the issue of Ruth being a Moabite, which is not even addressed in the book! In Deut. 23:3-6, the people of Israel are prohibited from welcoming the Ammonites and Moabites into the assembly of God. Elimech and Naomi’s move to Moab, their allowance of the sons to marry Moabite women, Bethlehem’s welcoming of Ruth, and Boaz’s marriage to Ruth (a Moabite) isn’t even addressed in the slightest!

Also, the outworking of the laws concerning re-marriage, levirate marriage and kinsman redeemer seem to be very loosely adhered to.

Interesting….what are we to make of these apparent violations of God’s Law?

Mercy/Kindness as "The Heart of the Law":
Barry Webb, in Five Festal Garments, gives us some insight into these apparent violations of God’s law and a little background in the purpose of the book of Ruth helps. Traditionally, the book of Ruth is/was viewed as one of the 5 Old Testament books (known as “The Writings”) which were liturgically read during the 5 festival Hebrew seasons. Ruth was read during the Feast of Weeks (or Pentecost) which was the time of harvest and a time commemorating the giving of the law to the Israelites. Webb writes:

“Life is always more complex than law alone can handle, and what we see in Ruth is custom that reflects the spirit if not the letter of the law, and in doing so distinguishes between its lesser and weightier matters. Ruth is a Moabitess, but she is also a widow and a landless alien who has taken refuge under YHWH’s wings. And the author of Ruth apparently takes the view that, in such a case, it would be inappropriate to invoke the ban on Moabites. This ban on Moabites was no more intended to exclude someone like Ruth than the ban on the Canaanites (i.e. Ammonites) was to exclude someone like Rahab, and, if we are to take the book as a guide [to live out the law of God], Boaz is a model of law-keeping rather than law-breaking. In other words, the book identifies the spirit of the law as kindness [Hebrew - “hesed” which is also translated as “mercy”], or more specifically, loving-kindness.

So, the reading of Ruth during the Feast of Weeks would have been a tremendous way to remember the importance of not legalistically (and therefore, improperly) living out the law of God, but rather living out the spirit of the law. And the spirit of the law is and always has been love – particularly, loving-kindness which always displays itself in acts of mercy to those around us!

…but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:18

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

Here are some great resources to help you better understand the Book of Ruth:

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^[1] Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary : Old Testament

The Gift of God's Law

As we enter into March we also enter into a new teaching series at Grace Church. The Gift of God's Law will introduce us into the biblical topic of God's law. And it will aim to shed light not only on why God gives his people law, but also on what his various laws actually invite us to do.

The good news of the Gospel of God's Kingdom is that everyone is welcome to come into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 4:23-25); and this invitation to enter the Kingdom is a gift. But, although all are welcome to freely enter, no one may enter on their own terms or in their own way. There is a King. Therefore, there is a law. There is a right way to live. And this too is a gift.

Come and see. Let's discover the gift of God's law together.

...this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome...
1 John 5:3

March 1st - The Law + The Mess
Heath will be sharing on how God's law is a gift. It aims to keep sin at bay and it continually invites to live life as it was meant to be (Psalm 119).

March 8th - The Law + Belonging 
Chuch will be sharing on the 1st commandment (Exodus 20:3) and how it creates a paradigm to understand the entirety of God's law.

March 15th - The Law + Love
Heath will be sharing on how love is the summation of the law for all time and in every culture (Matthew 22:36-40).

March 22nd - The Law + A City on a Hill
John will be sharing on how God's law propels us to speak and display truth, grace, and justice -- to be a people of influence and renewal (Matthew 5:14-16).

March 29th - The Law + The Shalom of God
Heath will be sharing on how the law exposes our sinful inadequacies and reveals our need for Christ as Savior (Romans 7:7-25). 

4 Tips on Gathering Well

Be Intentional:

When you come on Sundays, consider why we do what we do. As a church, our mission + vision is to drive all we do: "Grace Church is a community of changed people committed to serve + renew the Greater Dunedin area with the movement of the Gospel." Everything we do is to this end and it can be summarized with discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20). 

So, when we come to a Grace Church Sunday morning Gathering, let's remember WHY WE GATHER and come with an intentionality to grow, to learn, to serve, to give, to encourage, and to worship. 

Do not come solely for social reasons. Do not come to be entertained. And do not come out of some begrudging sense of obligation (whether to God or to your church community). 

Come because the MOST SATISFYING OBJECT in the universe has invited you to come and experience Him the best way we can, together.

Be Committed:

So come with a clear intentionality and, may I add another key component, come regularly. Make our time of worship, service, and teaching a core part of your week. God, most certainly isn't to be viewed as an "add-on" to your weekly endeavors and neither should His people (nor our involvement with His people). "Let us not [give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrew 10:25). 

Also, as expressed in earlier seasons of Grace Church, positive, forward momentum is a huge help to the advancement of any church. A huge momentum-killer is a low turnout to church meetings. When you come, and arrive on time, your simple presence and participation can do a lot for our church's forward momentum. Please consider that and realize what a crucial part that plays in the kingdom-building cause of our mission + vision.

Be Punctual:

Also, and related to that, being on time is also very important. When a large percentage of the Sunday morning crowd is 10 to 20 minutes late, unintentionally, a negative message is sent to our new comers and visitors. When the auditorium is empty at 9:56am, not only does the already big DHS auditorium feel empty, there's also, and more importantly, no one there to greet them and welcome them in their seats. And they can very easily get a sense that corporate worship may not be a priority to this group of people. Obviously, that's not the case for us and we don't want new comers to feel awkward, so let's do our best to be on time.

Be Expectant:

Come ready to learn. May I encourage you to invest your mind and prayers into our teaching series and/or topic. Give some thought to the text ahead of time. Listen to the Grace Church Podcast to catch up if you missed a week. Consider doing some of the extra readings recommended throughout the series. Check the blog and Facebook page for more resources and quotes. 

The more personal effort you put in to our teachings, the more you will, inevitably, receive. (This same principle applies to Community Group. Not reading through the questions and prayerfully thinking through them, before your Community Group, will significantly hinder your opportunity to grow and be discipled through our Community Group ministry.) 

So, may I encourage you to come ready to be challenged and ready to learn.

In summary, coming with intentionality and expectancy while remaining committed and punctual will greatly help our Sunday morning Gathering experience together. 

Let's keep going! May we experience all the spiritual growth and vitality we possible can together! 

Join the Revolution...

With a domineering sense of entitlement, we often confuse our wants with needs. We camouflage greed with being relevant and materialism with the fruits of our labor. Self-restraint is viewed as weakness and overindulgence is often accepted and celebrated and pursued.

Ironically, our pursuit wealth and comfort has actually made us quite poor and full of stress. Stressed, overly busy, often worried, and at painfully at odds with the people we should love, joy, peace and rest seem to be perpetually fleeting.

The teachings of Jesus, love your neighbor as yourself, forgive and bless your enemies, it is better to give than to receive, etc. often seems upside down or backwards. But, given our state of anxiety and discontentment, perhaps we’re are the ones upside down.

Come. Let us sit at the feet of The Great Rabbi and listen as He invites us into a renewed way of living. We call it the Kingdom of God and, yes, it is Gospel (good news) to our soul!

May we embrace the invitation to come into the Kingdom through Jesus the Messiah; and may we join the revolution in daring to believe that the seemingly upside-down ways of Christ are actually right side up.

Hope to see you Sunday as we continue in our series on The Sermon on the Mount - UPSIDE DOWN IS RIGHT SIDE UP. All are welcome so bring a friend!

Being the Kingdom in the Here + Now - Upside Down is Right Side Up

“The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed. It is the nearest thing to a manifesto that he ever uttered, for it is his own description of what he wanted his followers to be and to do.” 

~ John Stott

Judging by the crowds and various groups of people gathered to listen to the words of The Great Rabbi, The Sermon on the Mount was most likely delivered at the height of Jesus’ popularity (Matt. 3:25-4:1). Jesus forgoes his normal teaching style, the parables, and teaches his disciples, as well as the listening crowd, in a more straightforward manner. It is an extreme sermon for it calls us to an extreme life, i.e., a Kingdom of Heaven kind of life. One author writes, “at times we will find ourselves wishing it were less clear” because its words are so convicting. As we study the sermon we will realize that these instructions lie at the heart of our Savior’s message. If we are to understand Jesus and his agenda of the Kingdom of Heaven, we must begin to make sense of this sermon.

Now, the sermon as a whole is the outworking of what Jesus called The Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew, the author of this particular Gospel, has just informed us, “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom.” Matthew is now elaborating on exactly what the gospel (good news) of the Kingdom was.

The first thing to realize about Jesus’ Kingdom talk is that it was a new way of describing God’s redemptive activities. Outside of John the Baptist proclaiming, “the kingdom of heaven is near” the phrase is not found in the Old Testament or in any of the intertestamental writings. But yet Jesus spoke about it all the time. The kingdom of heaven this, the kingdom of God that…he talked about it constantly.

Why? What was he doing?

The Kingdom The word he was using for “kingdom” could also be translated or understood as dominion and royal rule, kind of like an empire. The Jews and Greeks gathered to listen to Jesus knew a lot about empires. The were smack-dab in the middle of the one of the most successful empires known to man – the Roman Empire. And the Jews knew even more about empire, particularly oppressive empires. Their history is marked with one oppressive empire after the other – the Ancient Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Seleucids, and then the Romans. Embedded deep in Hebrew expectations was a coming a Messiah who would finally and ultimately put an end to oppressive empires and establish the Davidic Kingdom promised long ago (2 Sam. 7; Psalm 89 and 132).

Jesus was deliberately drawing their attention to those messianic promises made centuries before as he was preaching “the gospel of the kingdom.” However, Jesus went about teaching the Kingdom in a very different way that almost all of them expected. Rather than leading them into yet another violent revolt or war to establish empire/kingdom, Jesus was teaching them a better, more powerful way. God’s way of establishing his eternal Kingdom here on earth was going to go in a completely against-the-grain and unexpected route.

Just what was that unexpected, counter-cultural way of ushering in God’s Kingdom into this world? Well, that’s just what Jesus’ sermon was all about. It was a sermon defining and describing Kingdom living in the here and now.

“Blessed” – The Way Life Should be Lived The sermon begins with the famous Beatitudes. Each beginning with the word μακάριος (makarios /mak·ar·ee·os/ adj.) which is translated “Blessed.” Sometimes this word is understood to simply mean “happy.” But Jesus is speaking about much more than our feelings. He is not stating how people who live like this may feel, but what God thinks of them and declares them to be: they are “blessed.” The priestly blessing given to Aaron in Numbers 6 may best represent what Jesus is talking about when he refers to the “poor in spirit” as being blessed: “…may the LORD bless thee, and keep thee; may the LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; and may the LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” The Beatitudes begin with a gospel (good news) to the spiritually bankrupt – those who thought they were divinely rejected are now proclaimed to be divinely accepted!

So, much more than a temporary or circumstantial feeling of happiness, to be “blessed” is a state of well-being and divine blessing that already belongs to those living like this (i.e., recipients of the kingdom of heaven, the inheritors of the earth, the comforted, the satisfied, those who receive mercy and see God, etc…). John Stott writes, “Just as The Beatitudes describe every Christian (at least in the ideal), so the eight blessings are given to every Christian . . . The eight qualities together constitute the responsibilities, and the eight blessings the privileges, of being a citizen of God’s kingdom.” It is much more than a mental state but a condition of a blessed life – KINGDOM LIFE – where God is with you and within you.

Being the Kingdom in the Here and Now! The Beatitudes begin and end with the phrase “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus was explaining “the kingdom” by describing what the participants of “the kingdom” are and do. The rest of the sermon continue on those lines.

We are to seek and strive to be the “kingdom of heaven” here on earth, albeit imperfectly, from now until Jesus returns! 

May the words of The Great Rabbi guide us to that end!

Understanding the Beatitudes - Upside Down is Right Side Up

The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-10, may be Jesus' most well-known portion of teaching, as well as his most misunderstood portion of teaching!

Matthew 5:3-10
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Beatitudes serve as an introduction to the "The Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7) which is an announcement of good news that something is starting to happen in the world, namely, the Kingdom of God. In these 8 poetic and rhythmic verses, Jesus is saying that the world is being made new, and that this new way is being inaugurated through and in Him.

So, the beatitudes are not descriptions or techniques telling us how to obtain “blessing” by applying the proper procedures to our lives - they're not mechanical formulas for getting what we want.

Rather, as N.T. Wright has said,

They are a summons to live in the present in the way that will make sense in God’s promised future; because that future has arrived in the present of Jesus of Nazareth. It may seem upside down, but we are called to believe, with great daring, that it is in fact the right way up.

Here are some resources to better help you understand the message of The Sermon of Mount:

Sermon on the Mount (The Story of God Bible Commentary) The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7 : Christian Counter-Culture)

Redeemer Bible Church Sermon Series on Sermon on the Mount

A Veil Rent + A People Sent

Why do we gather in our churches?  Is it simply to come and think about a sermon?  Or is to encounter something spiritual? Or is to analyze the “pros and cons” of our church’s musical style or the effectiveness of the preacher?  Or do we gather to say hi to our friends?  All of these may very well be a part of our gathering experience, but none of them are to be why we gather.

As we look to answer this question, may I bring our attention to a particular happening that occurred deep within the Hebrew temple the very moment Christ died.  All three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke) inform us “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt 27:51, Mark 15:38, & Luke 23:45).

The temple veil which was rent (torn) into two was undoubtedly THE VEIL between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.  The first time this veil is mentioned is in Exodus chapter 26 when God was informing Moses about the construction of the tabernacle and the tabernacle artifacts.  The Most Holy Place, within the tabernacle, was a to be where God dwelt amongst his people.

Reminiscent of the Garden of Eden, where God originally dwelt with humanity, God was once again making a home here on earth with his newly formed people and various details of the tabernacle suggest it was indeed a “mini-Eden.”

Some of these parallels include the east-facing entrance guarded by cherubim (Gen. 3:24), all the gold (Gen. 2:11-12), the lampstand which was  reminiscent of the tree of life (Gen. 2:9), but mainly, the dwelling and relational presence of God.  Thus God's dwelling in the tabernacle was a step toward the restoration of paradise (of Eden), which is to be completed in the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21–22).

The entire Hebrew camp would circle this tabernacle, but no one was allowed to enter behind the veil, into the Most Holy Place, where God’s special presence resided, except for the High Priest who entered once a year for the Day of Atonement in which he would represent the people and mediate between the people and God (Leviticus 16).  He would, in a sense, bring the people into the holy (God’s special presence) and vicariously through the priest, the people could enjoy the presence of God.

The word used for “holy” in these accounts is “קֹ֫דֶשׁ” (qodesh, pronounced ko'-desh).  All these “holy things” mentioned in Exodus – the temple, the priesthood, the items within the holy place and the most holy place – were beautiful and precious to the people of Israel; but they were precursors of something better. They were wonderful; but they were not perfect.  A brief description about a particular plate (i.e., the consecration plate) which was to be worn on the forehead of the High Priest, as described in Exodus 28:36-38, informs us of “the iniquity of [their] holy things.” 

You see, there was still something missing, something not right between the people and God. 

This is why God’s special presence remained behind the veil and not amongst the people.

The author of Hebrews informs us that Christ came to fulfill the lack due to “the iniquity of [their] holy things” and he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by shedding his own “unblemished” and perfect blood in order to cleanse our consciences and bring us into God’s perfect presence once for all (Hebrews 4:16; 9:11-14).

The veil stood to remind the people that they couldn’t get into the qodesh (the holy) – the veil kept people out.   It also served as a reminder that God’s special or relational presence was behind the veil – the veil kept God in. 

The account of the renting of the veil in the Synoptic Gospels (Mathew, Mark, and Luke) undoubtedly serve to inform us that we are now able to be let in, so to speak, and enjoy God’s relational presence; but it also informs us that God’s relational presence was let out!  No longer was the temple necessary.  No longer was God’s relational presence contained in the Hebrew tabernacle or temple.  Now God’s relational presence has been divinely unleashed into the world – the veil is rent!

God’s presence was once again going to fill the earth as he did when he first made the world (Isaiah 11:9).  And though one day, in the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21 & 22) God will completely dwell on the earth with humanity forever, the way he fills the earth now is IN US and THROUGH US!

This is why the Apostle Paul refers to Christians as God’s temple (1 Cor. 3:16 & 6:19) and New Testament authors refer to the Christians as Christ’s priests (Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6; 1 Peter 2:9-10).  We now represent Christ and we are to “bring Christ” with us wherever we go as we show + tell his Gospel message.

The role of the priest was to mediate.  They looked/look to take care of the needs of others; they are bold with grace and compassion.  A priestly person is someone who is sympathetic, not judgmental, towards the needs and imperfections of others.  Jesus was the perfect priest for the people and he calls us to follow after him. 

In the Scriptures we often see God identifying with the broken (e.g., Matthew 25:31-46; Prov. 14:31; 19:17).  Why does God identify with the poor?  Answer: because God desires to be there. 

God cares for the hurting, the lost, the underprivileged, the broken, the abandoned, the weak, the sick, the dying, the orphans, the insecure, the emotionally unstable, the greedy, the unfriendly neighbor whose dog poops in your yard….  He cares for your workaholic coworker, your alcoholic friend, your hurtful family member…. 

Where is God when the world seems to be falling apart and the pains of everyday feel overwhelming? God is there caring for the hurting when we are there caring for the hurting.  God is there IN US and THROUGH US when we are acting priestly on his behalf.

So, getting back to original question as to why we gather for church on Sundays and connect in our various Community Groups throughout the week?  The answer: to be reminded that the veil is rent and we have been sent to bring him and his marvelous Gospel to the world.

CREED: You Are What You Beleive

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord… The Apostle’s Creed

The Latin word, credo (from which we get our English word creed), simply means I believe. It's the first word of The Apostles' Creed - an ancient articulation of central Christian beliefs. Throughout the history of church, and in particular, throughout the early history of the church, the Christians formed and embraced creedal statements to clarify the Christian faith and to distinguish true content from error or false representations (e.g., The Apostle's Creed, The Nicene Creed, and The Athanasian Creed).

Though the creeds serve a great purpose in summarizing central Christian truth, they are not Scripture; rather, as with all theology and sound beliefs, the ancient Christian creeds were shaped by Scripture.  

What do believe?  

What's shaping your beliefs?

Everyone believes something about God, therefore everyone, in one way or another, is a theologian. The question is not whether you do theology or not, but whether or not you are good at it!  And it’s not whether or not your beliefs are developing and being shaped, but whether or not your beliefs are being shaped by the right resources!

So where do you look for truth?

What has and is shaping your understanding about God?

Throughout this teaching series in January, we will be learning how to think and live theologically – highlighting each week that a proper and ever developing view of God radically shapes our living.  And, in our Community Groups, we will be working through the Apostle's Creed together.  Great times are ahead!

"May the Lord as His blessing to reading, hearing, and doing of His holy Word."  Hope to see you at each Sunday Gathering!

January 6^th - Theology + Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

During this study, we will begin this series with the only proper starting point for discovering and understanding God - HIS HOLY WORD.  What is the Christian view of Scripture and its authority?   How did God give it to us?  How are we supposed to understand it and apply it?

January 13^th - Theology + Humility

1 Peter 5:5-6

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Pastor Randy, from our sending church, Grace Christian Fellowship, will be preaching on this Sunday!  As we continue to develop and evolve in our understanding of God, not only does our view of God change, but our life is changed as well.  An ever increasing understanding of God inevitably brings correction, perspective, and blessing into our lives.  In essence, a sound theology leads to a robust doxology!  How does an increasing and enlarging view of God produce humility in our lives?  What is humility?  Why do we need it? How do theology and doxology go hand in hand?

January 20^th - Theology + Peace

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

An ever reforming and expanding belief in God enlarges our understanding of who God is and helps us understand what His rescue mission, the missio Dei (e.g., John 3:16), for the world is.  When our belief is sound, our living can be sound; and, like the Apostle Paul, we can experience an inner peace that powerfully enables us to thrive in any situation.  What is Christian peace? How can a healthy view of God help us in our difficulties and trials?  How can our understanding of God’s character bring about peace in our lives? 

January 27^th - Theology + Love

Colossians 4:14-17

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ...Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus...

Steve Lee will be sharing the Word this Sunday and challenging us to understand that an ever expanding and improving belief in God, when done rightly, produces humble, worshipful, peaceful, and loving people.  Far too often, Christians come across as either fundamental jerks or namby-pamby liberals! Jesus was neither Jesus was full truth and grace.  He was firm in his beliefs and just as firm in his love and acceptance of others!  Theology is nothing more than the pursuit of knowing and experiencing God more; and as we do theology, we become more and more like him.  How should a better view of God produce love within us and enable us to live out the greatest commandment?  What is the Christian understanding/definition of love? How is it different from other types of love?  What does it mean to love God?  What does it mean to love others? 

Two Gospels

"This is the man, this is him, whom you so often hear promised you, Augustus Caesar, son of the Deified, who will make a Golden Age again in the fields where Saturn once reigned, and extend the empire beyond the Libyans and the Indians" - Aeneid book VI , Virgil

This month is always a busy and hectic one: Gift giving, family visiting, party throwing, overtime working (especially for the hospitality industry), the holiday season is for many the craziest time of the year. This is a big reason we wish to remind the community that though we are bombarded by everything our culture has made this time into, it is also a great time to reflect on what this time really is, the season of Advent. And the Advent means the gospel has come in the kingdom movement of Jesus.

Pastor Heath has done a masterful job with the current sermon series, "Thy Kingdom Come" and after relistening to and reflecting on the many things and challenges made the past few Sundays I wanted to drop a brief encouragement to all, the Gospel of Jesus is truly really authentically genuinely good news.

The above quote would have the Roman readers of the time believing that the Emperor was the son of god and that his reign was one that would usher in a golden age. The reality however is that one fifth of the worlds population was under the rule of Rome and most of those held in an oppressive grip of domination, there was no golden age for them, no good news to be found in the rule of the supposed "son of the Deified".

Many today would have the world believe that the Gospel (good news) is to be found in the right education or political solution, in having enough money or in societal standing. Like the fallen Roman empire of old those who hear this version of gospel find no true hope in this message either, no real good news.

 The gospel of Jesus is that he has come and he is victorious. Jesus is Lord which means that Caesar  as any of the persons, leaders or "solutions" of our day, is not.

This season take time to remember what really matters and why we are really here, to build a kingdom that cannot fail, a kingdom of Shalom, the Kingdom of God. In Jesus true justice finds a standing in our world, beauty again flourishes, evil is bade to slither away once and for all. The hope, peace, joy and victory of the Kingdom of God inaugurated in the movement of Jesus is good news.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

Give the Gift of Church Planting!

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
~ Jesus, Acts 20:35

Merry Christmas to all the friends, supporters, and encouragers of Grace Church of Dunedin! 

Christmas is always a fun (and busy!) time of the year - family, friends, Christmas songs, claymation, Rudolph, stockings, eggnog, shopping, Adam Sandler's Hanukkah songs, mistletoe, Christmas lights, sparkling grape juice, etc.  In addition to all those jolly activities, the times of corporate worship during Advent Season are always some of my most favorite.

A lot of Christians talk about keeping Christ in Christmas and come up with great ways to remember the advent of our Lord; but have you ever considered how Christmas and church planting go together?  Yes, as Christians, Christmas/Advent is a special/sacred time to remember the gift of Christ; but it should also be a time of remembering why he came! 

What is “the reason for the season?”

In our current teaching series, Thy Kingdom Come, we've been learning about the Kingdom of God, why Christ came and is coming again, and what it means to live in his kingdom in the here and now.  According to Isaiah 9:6-7, Christ came in order to bring the Kingdom of God to earth; and with that Kingdom comes peace, redemption, and life as it should be (i.e., shalom). Verse 7 concludes with stamp of God's zealous promise to do it.  In the New Testament we learn that God's plan to "do it" is the through the expansion of the church, i.e., church planting (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:7-8; 15:41; 16:5; Matthew 16:18)!

Give the gift of church planting - give to the cause of the kingdom!

So, this Christmas season, may I encourage you to consider giving the gift of church planting.  There is still much Kingdom work to do; and the Gospel transforms lives and communities primarily through local churches.  As one leading missiologist, C. Peter Wagner writes, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven."

Of course, you can give to Grace Church, because we are still a new church plant!  We still have a lot of goals that can only get done through additional and continual income.  But, as you know, we eagerly desire to come along side and help other young and new church plants, laboring intently to see lives redeemed and communities renewed.  We have given money and resources away to several new plants and organization during the past 10 months; the last recipient (of $1200.00) was Unveiled Church in New Port Richey.  (We are excited about what God is doing there!  Please pray for them!)

So, prayerfully consider if there's anything extra you can do this holiday season.  There's much Kingdom work to do!  As you are probably well aware, there are 3 Ways to Give to Grace Church.  Remember, every dollar helps, no gift is too small to make a difference in building the Kingdom!

On behalf of the other Grace Church elders, James Gleichowski and Steve Lee, we wish you and your family a most blessed Christmas! We also hope and pray that your partnership in building the Kingdom through church planting will mirror the redemptive love of our Savior who went to where the people were, cared for them with compassion, and spoke to them the good news of the kingdom.

Thank you for praying for and laboring with Grace Church!

grace + peace,
Heath


P.S. In order to receive your 2012 tax-deduction, your end of the year gift needs to be in by January 31, 2012.

For more on giving to Grace Church and questions about our budgets, please email James@GraceChurchofDunedin.com.

The Mighty Caesar Augustus + His Finite Empire Vs. The Humble King of Kings + His Eternal Kingdom

Grace Church is about to begin a new sermon series entitled, Thy Kingdom Come.  We’ll be spending 5 weeks reflecting on the advent (coming) of our Messiah.  The word Messiah comes from a Hebrew term which means "anointed one." Its Greek counterpart is Christos, from which we get the word Christ.  Christ was not Jesus' last name! It was his title and his calling. The Messiah/Christ was a promised future king who would rule on David's throne, forgive sinners, restore justice and establish a forever kingdom of love, joy, peace, and love (e.g., Isaiah 9:6-7).  Jesus came teaching us to live in light of the coming kingdom (Matthew 4:17).  He taught us to long for and pray this coming kingdom.  And he was born so that he could die in order to bring forth this great kingdom.  This is what Christmas is all about!

I’m getting ready to preach tomorrow about two kingdoms – The Roman Empire vs. The Kingdom of God.  Many present day Christians do not comprehend the political, economical, and sociological context of Jesus’ day.  And for that reason, it’s hard to grasp the full message of the N.T. writers.  The message of Christ and the Gospel of God’s Kingdom (Matthew 4:23) was an incredibly volatile political message.  When you look at it through a historical lens, It is no wonder why the early was so persecuted and it is equally clear why the revolution of Christianity spread like wildfire through an oppressed people under Roman tyranny.

I found the following article by Doug Wilson, very helpful and I wanted to pass it along…

Who was this Caesar Augustus? Why does Luke bring him into the story? Much more is involved that a simple time indicator. Octavius as a young man was the adopted son of Julius, and the heir apparent. By the birth of Jesus he had assumed the throne, and was the emperor. In 40 B.C. a blasphemous coin was struck in Gaul which showed the two-headed god Janus, with Julius on one side and Octavius on the other. The inscription said, "The divine Caesar-and the Son of God." There was an Egyptian inscription which said that Octavius was a marvelous star, "shining with the brilliance of the great heavenly Saviour. Then, in 17 B.C. when a strange star appeared in the heavens, and Augustus commanded a twelve day Advent celebration, a ceremonial embrace of Virgil’s statement: "The turning point of the ages has come!" During the reign of Augustus, the cult of explicit emperor worship took firm root, especially in Asia Minor. This region was to become the center of persecution of Christians-and for this precise reason. Even his taken name indicates the problem. The ruling title Augustus was taken by him, which means "worthy of reverence and worship." He was, in short, homo imperisosus. Caesar Augustus was simply the last in a long line of ancient men who believed in humanistic empire. But God was sending another kind of emperor, and another kind of empire entirely. 

This is what gives force to Luke's juxtaposition. Given what Luke understood about Caesar Augustus, and the identity of the Christ, this story from his gospel has to be seen as a rivalry of kings. The fact that Christ was born in Bethlehem-thus fulfilling the prophecy of God-as the result of a command from Caesar (to tax!) has to be seen as a supreme irony. If the rulers of that age had known what they were doing, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8). And of course, the problem was evident even earlier. Had they known what they were doing, Augustus would not have lifted his finger to tax the world. But he only did this because God lifted His finger-to save the world. 

God sent Christ to bind the strong man. "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth" (Luke 11:21-23). Luke knows what he doing here. Matthew records that Herod knew of the threat. But Augustus knew nothing of it, and Christ came to conquer the world-his throne is David’s and His kingdom will never end (Luke 1:32-33) This is the accusation against Him later (Luke 23:2). Luke also records the defiance of Peter and John-"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). They are quoting from a coin which ascribed this same saving authority to Augustus. The early Christians preached another kind of saving king, contrary to counterfeit salvation offered by Caesar (Acts 17:7). And we should note in passing that it is no offense against the magistrate to acknowledge that Christ rules over him (Acts 25:8). 

Christmas therefore reminds us of the fundamental antithesis. And in response, we have three basic options-we can affirm the antithesis (by faith alone), or we can blur or deny the antithesis, or we can misplace the antithesis. When it comes to the celebration of festivals like Christmas, our role is not to blend in with an unbelieving crowd. What does the holiday mean? It means the kingdom of God, not man. 

Where do we start? What are we to do? Begin at the beginning-do not run before you walk. Remember God’s Son, God’s word, God’s day.Remember the contrast of kings-remember the rival saviors. But we have a Savior, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). And here is true potency-the power we have is in the name of our king. There is no other name which brings salvation.

How to Read Genesis?

Old Testament scholar and author John Walton (Old Testament Professor at Wheaten and author of Zondervan’s NIV Application Commentary on Genesis) offers some important reminders with regard to how we should approach a reading of the book of Genesis. First and foremost, says Walton, we have to approach Genesis for what it is, which is an ancient text.  Therefore, we must interpret it through a lens of what we know of the Ancient Near East and attempt to ask the questions the original author(s) would have been asking. 

Here’s a video with Dr. Walton explaining these very matters:

Related to the above video, John Walton discusses the content of Genesis 1 and how it should be read. The account in Genesis is not intended to be an account of material origins, says Walton. Therefore, if that is so, the Bible has no narrative of material origins—and if that is so, we don't need to defend the Bible's narrative of material origins against science's narrative of material origins.  I think it’s imperative that we ask contextual questions about what the original authors would have been trying to convey through the text of Genesis ch.1 and not laying on the text questions it wasn’t meant to answer (e.g., creationism vs. evolution, literal or non-literal, etc.).

Check out what Professor Walton has to say:

Q+A - Should Genesis be Read Literally and Historically?

First and foremost,  we have to approach Genesis for what it is, an ancient text.  Therefore, we must interpret it through a lens of what we know of the Ancient Near East and attempt to ask the questions the original author(s) and audience would have been asking, not what we (modern day readers) would be asking and wondering when it comes to the origin of all things.

So I think it’s imperative that we ask contextual questions uncovering what the original authors would have been trying to convey through the text of Genesis ch.1-11 (such as monotheism, human significance, and human and cosmological connectedness) and not laying on the text questions it wasn’t meant to answer (e.g., creationism vs. evolution, literal or non-literal, the age of the earth, the ever expanding cosmos, etc.).

There are many aspects of Genesis 1 that simply do not make scientific sense - for example, the sun was created on the 4th day when vegetation was created on the 3rd day.  When Christians speaks of 7 literal days and use the biblical time-line to date the age of the earth there are also significant scientific problems.  

Now, for those who really want to hold to a view of Genesis being literal history and a true account for the order of creation and the age of the earth, there are some suitable (but challenged) answers and/or theories to these questions. But to view the purpose of the Genesis text as answering these questions is a hermeneutical error.  Modern science did not play a role in the mind of the original audience.  We must be careful not to approach Genesis this way. 

As with all literature, there are interpretative rules which need to be applied.  For example, we do not read the newspaper the same we read Moby Dick and we do not read The Hobbit the same way we read Who Moved My Cheese.  Genre, type of literature, must play a big role.

Genesis 1 is song or a poem (rhythm and repetition), not historical narrative.  (for example):

• the repetition of "it was good"
• the building of the days - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc...
• the Hebraic symbolism of 7 - being the number of completion

In comparison, listen to the introduction to Luke's Gospel, which is historical narrative: "Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you..."

Clearly different and thus we must interpret them differently.

Also, something we must consider when reading Genesis, which is an Ancient Near Eastern piece of literature, are the other Ancient Near Eastern writing styles and cultures.  Archaeologist and other academic fields have uncovered many writings from times that predate the Hebrew culture - thus predate when our Bibles where written.

Most scholars agree, Genesis is an anthology - a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler or compliers (which one of them I believe to be Moses) over time. It is more highly unified than most anthologies, however, because all of the material falls into one congruent narrative. But it’s not like modern day history; it’s primarily a collection of what may be called hero stories – intermittent tales focused on a central character with whom the reader is to identify with – interspersed with genealogies. Even more specific, the first three chapters belong to a genre known as origin stories and the rest of Genesis also has affinities with the epic genre.

There are certain motifs that ring true in almost all Ancient Near Eastern literary findings on mythology, epics, and/or origins.  For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Epic of Atrahasis, and and the Tale of Adapa we find very similar themes and motifs found in the Bible:

• tricky and evil serpents 
• gardens
• food that gives and takes away life
• floods that kill of human race except one man, his close family/friends and some animals 
• In Sumerian list of the Kings we find lineages with extremely long life spans - indicating the significance of their rule

For more about the Bible and how it's similar to other ancient wittings, listen to "Hello, My Name Is..." (from the Grace Church podcast).

The bottom line...I think the question of whether Genesis, and in particular Genesis 1 -11, being a historically accurate account of what happened or not is not a hill we should die on!  That's not the point of the text.

The text is to be read theologically and typologically:

• It reveals to us the Maker of all things, the origin of all life - God 
• It reveals that all of creation was wonderful and good
• It reveals that all of humanity is significant and is the pinnacle of all creation -  for we, and we alone, are created in the image of God
• It reveals that all of humanity - since Adam means "man" and Eve means "woman", rebelled against God's created order; we were expelled from God's presence (typologically expressed as a "garden"); and the shalom of God (peace and perfect order) was replaced with a brokenness and an ever present evil.  Thus, it reveals that life is not as it should be.

I think Christians far too often get their undies all in a bundle over things that we should not be overly concerned with.  We end up looking foolish and, even worse, arrogant and spiteful because of this.

And let's be rational objective about both views...

If God is eternal and sovereign, as Genesis describes no matter how you read it, literally or non-literally, couldn't he create something outside of the scientific norms?  Couldn’t he have created plant life one day and the sun the next?  Couldn’t he create a rock that's a 60 billion years in a nanosecond?  Couldn't he have created species to have such strong DNA similarities with only small percentages of difference which separate a human from a dog?  Couldn’t he do that?  I think so.

And if God is eternal and sovereign, as Genesis describes no matter how you read it, literally or non-literally, couldn't he have simply chosen to reveal himself to the Hebrew people in a way that was culturally relevant - using symbolism and motifs they were already familiar with?  Do you even think that a finite people could even understand how the only infinite Being actually created everything?  Do you you think they, or we for that matter, could even understand how he actually did it all?  Don't you think there will be always be a wonder to how God works and how things came and come together?  I think so.

All the scientific questions are extremely interesting and worth peacefully discussing and contemplating. But let's NOT superimpose modern questions, that really make little difference in the whole scheme of things, onto these wonderful ancient documents that were meant to reveal the only true God who made everything, the purpose of humanity, what went wrong in the world (i.e., why there is death, pain, heartache, and suffering), and how, in the Gospel of Christ, promised in Genesis 3:15 and as N.T. Wright expresses it, God is putting everything in the cosmos back to rights again.

For more on the message of Genesis and how we can apply it's truth to our life - check out our teachings from our series entitled, Genesis: The Promise, on the Grace Church podcast.

As always, grace + peace to all of you.