Sermon: Luke 10: 38-42 Mary and Martha

Something I always find fascinating is the fact that brothers and sisters can turn out so differently. From the same father and mother can come very different people and personalities. So, for example, I have one brother, Neil, who has dirty fair hair, and is much more sporty than I am. We grew up in the same house, but are very different indeed. Watching family dynamics is interesting - how siblings get on together, whether they complement or contradict each other, spotting similarities and discovering differences.

For that special kind of people watching, the home of Mary and Martha (and Lazarus) must have been an interesting case study. Martha is probably older, she’s the one whose house it is, she’s the one who takes responsibility for the household, making arrangements and catering and all the rest. Mary, based on these verses, seems to be a different sort of woman altogether.

If you’re a Martha type, you might think of Mary as lazy, or workshy, certainly not fulfilling her duties or helping with her share of the work. If you’re a Mary type, you probably think Martha’s a bit uptight; Mary is just relaxed and wanting to make sure her guests are put at ease, chatting and being sociable.

We get an insight into the family because of their special guest. On Sunday mornings we’ve been following Jesus along the road up to Jerusalem. Tonight, we’re rewinding a little bit (as we intended to cover these verses in January). Jesus has arrived in their village, so Martha invites him in. And Martha is stressed.

I wonder how things work in your house if you’re having guests round for dinner or to stay. There’s maybe cleaning to be done; the floor hoovered and surfaces polished and dusted; the food needs to be prepared; the bathroom sparkling. The preparations may start weeks beforehand to make sure all is ready for the visitors.

Martha is in the thick of it, getting everything ready. Imagine her like a cartoon character with about twenty arms all doing something, trying to keep on top of all that has to be done. Her glasses are steamed up from checking the oven, and when the steam clears, she realises that she’s on her own in the kitchen. They have a very very important visitor, but Mary has abandoned her. So she goes looking for Mary, only to find her sitting at Jesus’ feet. It’s well for her can sit down, Martha thinks to herself. Mary has found the time to sit and listen to his teaching.

It seems so unfair. Martha working her fingers to the bone while lady muck sits listening to Jesus? Martyr Martha is doing all the work, and I do feel sorry for her. You see, I reckon that the Protestant work ethic makes us identify with Martha. We almost feel guilty if we sit down for a wee while, knowing there’s always something we could be getting on with.

Some of us even take pride in our busyness and non-stop-ness (if that’s a word)! I’ve even heard clergy colleagues complaining (or boasting, I’m never sure which) that they haven’t had a day off in over twelve weeks. It’s as if we’re meant to congratulate them on their hard work.

I know that there are some mornings where I look at the list of things I’ve to do that day, that I just launch straight in. The sooner I start, the sooner I might get a couple finished. After all, it all depends on me, doesn’t it? Have you ever found yourself thinking the same? I’ve so much to do, I’ll have to get it all done. It’s nearly made worse when you see the Mary types who don’t get worked up about work. It’s not fair.

So Martha takes the bull by the horns. She tackles Jesus. ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ Jesus, you see Mary sitting at your feet, but you’re not telling her to help. You’re encouraging her to be lazy. So sort yourself out, and sort her out as well!

Now if you were Jesus, how would you respond? Right Mary, break time is over, away back to work? But that’s not what Jesus says. ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’

Martha was distracted, anxious and troubled in her service for the Lord. She wanted to make sure everything was right for him. She was doing things for him, but she missed the one necessary thing. He was right there. She could be with him. She could spend time with him, but instead she chose to busy herself (and annoy herself) for him.

It’s good to serve the Lord. But there is something better - being with the Lord. Mary had chosen the good portion. She chose the thing that was best. The Lord Jesus was in her home, so she wanted to get the most out of that experience, sitting at his feet, listening to his teaching. She may not have realised, but Jesus was on his way up to Jerusalem. He was heading for the cross. How precious to have Jesus in her home, teaching her, speaking with her. And to think she could have missed out, like Martha, distracted by things that seemed to be important or urgent, things that may have been good, but not the best.

Now you might be thinking, well, it was all right for her. She had Jesus coming to her house, speaking to her, teaching her. Could we have the same? Just think what we have. We have the Spirit of Jesus living inside us. We have the teaching of Jesus written down, and the whole of the Bible is about him. We have this, in our own language. We have this access, any time, all the time. We have the opportunity to be like Mary, to sit at Jesus’ feet.

Bible reading isn’t a duty to be done, something you have to do, something to feel guilty about if you miss a day or two. Rather, Bible reading is a privilege. We get to do it (rather than we’ve got to do it). We get to read about Jesus, listen to his teaching, spend time in his presence. Surely we would want to do this?

Yet it’s so easy to be like Martha. Distracted. Caught up in the busyness of things to be done - even things for the Lord that we forget to be with the Lord. Perhaps we need to schedule times to spend with Jesus - make an appointment, mark out time in your diary; you may need to work hard at not working to carve out time from your activities.

In Acts 4, the Jewish council have Peter and John on trial because they were preaching the name of Jesus. The council were the high & mighty religious people. They tried Peter and John and found they were uneducated, common men. So how could they turn Jerusalem upside down with their boldness of preaching and healing? ‘They recognised that they had been with Jesus.’ They were able to do things for Jesus because they had spent time with Jesus.

For the Marthas among us, learn from Mary, as he sits at Jesus’ feet, and listens to his teaching. Savour the moments and find in them the strength to do what needs to be done.

This sermon was preached at the evening service in Aghavea Hall on Sunday 1st March 2015.

Book Review: Slogging Along in the Paths of Righteousness

Are you wanting to read and understand the Old Testament? Your first port of call should be Dale Ralph Davis. I've previously written about some of his books, especially his The Way of the Righteous in the Muck of Life, on Psalms 1-12. Having read that, I was hoping that the next chunk of Psalms would appear in due course. Now, here it is: Slogging Along in the Paths of Righteousness.

As in the first book, this is a series of sermons preached by Dale Ralph Davis on Psalms 13 - 24. Continuing the tradition, this is a great example of expository preaching at its best. The introductions draw you in, the exegesis is clear and helpful, and the application is pastoral and challenging. The way he breaks down the passage always seems to make sense, so that you wonder how you missed it when you previously preached it!

Here are a few of the stand out lines from the book:

On Psalm 13, reflecting on his own tendency to exercise damage control on his family's reputation, he wonders what would happen if the the compilers of scripture had edited out David's cry? 'David may well teach us to pray and show us something of the path from anguish to assurance.' Even in his 'triple trouble', David continues to pray, as an instinct of faith.

Psalm 14 is portrayed as a 'mongrel Psalm', looking as if a couple of themes have been thrown together. But he shows the coherence of the whole. With the Psalm's insistence that foolishness isn't 'a particular case but a universal condition - the whole race consists of rebels... we find ourselves facing a crisis bar none.' Yet Psalm 14 brings us to a most remarkable wonder. 'It forces you to posit the wonder of grace.'

On Psalm 15, 'Anything that brings you to your knees and shows you how pervasive your sin is and how much you need atonement and forgiveness is gracious.'

In Psalm 16, on a positively sheltered life, 'he ponders what anchors him, and also what alarms him.'

Psalm 19 is described as what we should see, hear and say - seeing the weightiness of God in the unspeaking always speaking sky; hearing the wonderful law torah of God; saying 'sin may be present but we may not identify or perceive it.'

Psalm 21's memorable line is: 'We are not particularly particular about particularising thanksgiving.' Although he also has this to say: 'Jesus' hesed love is not simply love - it is love with superglue on it.'

Psalm 23 is summarised as shepherd geography, where the shepherd takes the sheep. 'Now we can look back over the journey. The grassy pastures may be the normal place, the valley of the shadows the fearful place, in front of the enemies the dangerous place, and the house of Yahweh the abiding place.'

If you want to get to know the Psalms better, this little book would be a good place to start, for this collection of twelve Psalms. You could use it as a devotional, taking a psalm a day, or a psalm per week, drinking in its truth as shown by his teaching and application. Pastors will also find it helpful in raising possible structure and application in their sermon prep. Here's hoping that another collection is published in due course, and even that the whole Psalter is eventually covered! Slogging Along in the Paths of Righteousness by Dale Ralph Davis is available for Kindle.

Book Review: Five Festal Garments

Of all the many series Apollos/IVP have published in recent years, the one that I've valued most highly have been the 'New Studies in Biblical Theology' edited by Don Carson. I'm slowly working my way through the series, and Five Festal Garments by Barry Cooper was among the very best. The book springs from Cooper's two greatest passions - biblical theology and the exposition of the Old Testament as Holy Scripture. They combine wonderfully in the book.

The Five Festal Garments of the title refers to the Old Testament books of Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. In the introduction, Cooper explains the festal garments through the customary Jewish usage of these books. Recognising that they were always canonical, the problem arose as to how to 'wear' the Scrolls. The solution comes in their use in the Jewish lectionary as readings for the five major festivals. But 'no consensus has emerged about their proper use, or about how they can be the word of God for us today' as Christians. Rather, they appear to be the most neglected books in the scriptures.

These Christian reflections on the books are a great little introduction to each, with their structure and content setting the tone for each chapter. The outline he follows for each asks the key questions - (i) a reading of the text to discover its structure; (ii) the relationship of the book to the wider Old Testament; (iii) how the book connects to the New Testament gospel through 'promise and fulfillment.'

The Song of Songs is the 'Garment of Love', even as it raises the question of who is speaking to whom and what do they mean; and how are we to see it as part of the Bible? His starting point is that it is love poetry, 'but it is neither a philosophical treatise... nor a sex manual.' With the different settings and voices, some may think that it's a compilation of love songs, like a greatest hits album, but Cooper argues that it's one single love poem. With its links to Solomon, the wider context points to the wisdom of Solomon and the themes of love found in Proverbs 31 and elsewhere. The theological context emphasises three important ideas: affirmation of the body and sexual relationships (in its essential goodness with links to the original creation); it doesn't idealise singleness; and it celebrates sex as a one-flesh union. Connecting it to the New Testament, Cooper sees it pointing to the new heavens and the new earth with the implication that sex is good, but it is not the greatest good, with an even better joy in heaven where there is only one marriage, between Christ and his people.

Ruth is up next, the 'Garment of Kindness.' It's a gentle book, but with turbulence in the depths - 'kindness of a radical and controversial sort; a kindness that makes ripples.' While some may see it as a romantic comedy, Cooper finds an irresistable movement in the book, from death to life, barrenness to fruitfulness, emptiness to fullness, curse to blessing.' His obesrvations of the text are marvellous, linking in to the wider context of the judges and David's kingship, a micro-history of salvation as it impacts a household (with wider implications). The wider implications are drawn out in the final section, as kindness is shown to be the very character of God, as his kindness draws in the Gentiles through Jesus the ultimate kinsman redeemer.

Lamentations is the 'Garment of Suffering' used on the Ninth of Ab, the day of fasting for the destruction of the temple. As the name suggests, it's a dark shaft of tragic loss and acute anguish, but Cooper points out that it's also a closely worked 'ordered grief', with its acrostics and a common structure. The question of its setting was surprising for me - having thought it was naturally connected with Jeremiah, it appears that there are differences of opinion, whether it comes after the prophets, as part of the historical writings. The resonance with the rest of the Old Testament is in the confusion over the impregnability of Zion in some of the Psalms, compared to the experienced reality. Over all, it 'shows us God's wrath as a directly experienced reality.' Yet alongside the darkness, there are beams of light, with the hope that comes from God, even as he displays his wrath. This becomes even clearer as we trace those lines through to the New Testament, where 'The unfailing love and righteous wrath of which it speaks find their climactic meeting point in the cross.'

Ecclesiastes is portrayed as the 'Garment of Vexation' - which is perhaps the most enigmatic book dealt with. With few footholds in the hebel (mist), there are as many opinions on the book as there are commentators! Yet there is some clarity as the structure is examined, with the narrator opening and closing the book, before coming to the Teacher's instruction. 'The positive conclusions drawn from the expose of human frailty and futility in the preceding observation complex is that human beings should fear God. And fearing God is tied, by implication, to attentiveness to his Torah.' Again, there's a link to the theme of creation in the Old Testament, but Paul sets the creation's frustration in the context of redemption in Romans 8.

Esther is the last book considered, the 'Garment of Deliverance.' In seeking to understand Esther, the first task is to try to catch her distinctive voice. 'What is of particular interest is the way that theme [deliverance] is developed here. How is deliverance in Esther different from deliverance in, say, the exodus, or Judges, or the Joseph narrative?' Here, we find 'history as story rather than history as chronicle.' Remarking on the 'absence' of God from the text of the book, Cooper urges that to use the book is 'to clothe ourselves with the truth that God is sovereign, and to be reminded that he is always with us, even when he seems most absent, and that nothing can ultimately thwart his purposes.'

I really enjoyed this book, giving an introduction to some of the lesser well known books of the Bible. His approach was very beneficial, opening out from the book itself to its OT context to its whole Bible context. There is plenty of gold in this book, for anyone wanting to get to know these books a bit better. It's also very useful for the pastor preparing to preach a series in the books - as I had previously done when preaching and leading Bible studies in Ruth. The whole series of the New Studies in Biblical Theology is great, but this might just be the crowning glory. Five Festal Garments is available from Amazon.

Book Review: Jesus the Son of God

Readers of this blog will know that I always appreciate Don Carson's writing. One of his more recent works, Jesus the Son of God, is published with the intention to 'foster clear thinking' on the subject. With Carson's name on it, you can be assured that the intention has been fulfilled.

In his thorough way, Carson first tackles the Son of God as a Christological Title. Highlighting all the references to 'son of God' which are concerned with Adam, Israel, Solomon, Israelites, peacemakers, and angels, he then focuses on Jesus as the Son of God. The discussion is set within the context of recent controversy regarding sonship in Trinitarian theology, some specialist volumes on particular texts, and within discussions on egalitarianism v complementarianism and reaching Muslim contexts. Within the 'Son of God' references to Jesus, he identifies various categories: 1. a catchall term; 2. as Davidic king; 3. the true Israel; 4. pre-existence of Jesus.

The second chapter then focuses in on some of these select passages - Hebrews 1 and John 5. This chapter provides a case study in Bible study, as he shows his working out of the issues raised in Hebrews 1 through consideration of Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7. It is a delight to follow the logic, and to discover something which is blatantly obvious once he has shown you it! Hebrews is the culmination of the trajectory of anticipatory passages looking forward to the identity of the Son of God kingship of David's son. He then turns to John 5, finding the exegetical roots of the Trinity as Jesus explains how he is God and like God.

Chapter Three provides the outworking of the theology, as Jesus the Son of God is considered in Christian and Muslim contexts. For Christians, there is much to consider regarding the understanding of the various 'son of God' texts. Carson urges the reader to not fall for unjustified reductionism (in only seeing son of God as meaning one little perspective of the full range of meanings), nor of reading the full range of meanings into every instance. The call comes clearly to be careful in Bible study, which will issue in evangelism and worship.

In the Muslim context, there is a discussion of the different forms of Christian communities found in Muslim countries, specifically concentrating on the 'Insider Movement.' I don't think I had heard of it before, nor really considered the issue. Carson provides a series of points relating to Bible translation and evangelism for those working in Muslim contexts. These are helpful, as they show the dangers of translation into any language, and how ideas travel from one culture to another. The final point is the clincher, though, with the argument that new translations (devoid of Jesus being the Son of God and instead described as Messiah or some such other substituted word) amputate converts from the classic creeds and councils of the church; with the need for translators, missionaries and pastors working together for the transmission of the good news in every culture.

With a particular focus on a single issue, this book will be mainly helpful for pastors, missionaries and Bible translators as they seek to communicate what is meant by Jesus being the Son of God. A relatively short book, there is much to consider long after the reading has stopped. Carson's passion for Jesus and the truth about him is clearly seen, and will live with the reader in subsequent Bible study.

Jesus the Son of God can be found on Amazonand Kindle.

On Earth as it is in Heaven

As we read through the Bible, there can sometimes come the moment where you ask why a particular portion is there, in that way, in that much detail. Take, for example, the book of Exodus. As the name suggests, this book is about the way out, the exodus of the children of Israel from their slavery in Egypt.

Having been saved by the basket in the bulrushes and sent through the burning bush encounter with the LORD, Moses delivers God’s message to Pharaoh. The first half of the book is exciting, dramatic, tense, as Pharaoh consistently refuses to ‘let my people go’. The plagues come along, leading up to the Passover and the escape from Egypt. Having crossed the Red Sea, the people of Israel encounter God at Mount Sinai, where they receive the Law.

It’s then that the action seems to dry up. Almost out of nowhere, comes the instruction to build the sanctuary tabernacle, beginning in chapter 25 and going on for several chapters. I’m not crafty in the slightest, so the details of rings and poles and calyxes and tassels and clasps and all the rest leave me bewildered and confuddled. Why do we suddenly go from dramatic rescue to what appears to be interior design for the tent of God?

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask that our Father’s kingdom will come and his will be done ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’ And this little phrase gives us a clue about what is happening here in Exodus. When Moses is constructing the meeting place between God and his people, he doesn’t just make it up as he goes along. He’s not given free rein to come up with it himself.

Rather, the LORD tells him in Exodus 25:9 ‘Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.’ We find the same reminder in 25:40, 26:30, 27:8. The tabernacle that Moses is building on earth is to be on earth as it is in heaven. We get a glimpse of what the heavenly reality is like, because as the writer to the Hebrews says of this very verse, the priests ‘serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things...’ (Heb 8:5).

But now Christ has entered the holy place - not the tabernacle on earth - but in heaven, ‘not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood securing an eternal redemption.’ (Heb 9:12). In this way, the writer to the Hebrews helps us tie together the dramatic escape from Egypt and the minute details of tabernacle furnishings - as pointing towards the finished salvation work of Christ, our Passover and Great High Priest.

Bible Briefs: 2 Peter

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

Have you ever wondered what it was like when the first generation of Christians began to die out? The first disciples had walked and talked with the Lord Jesus. But they were beginning to die, mostly by martyrdom. The next generation hadn’t met Jesus during the days of his life on earth; they depended on the apostles’ teaching. So what do you do when the apostles are dying?

It’s this very circumstance that prompts Peter’s second letter. He knows that his own death is imminent (1:14), so he writes to the Christians who will come after him. What can they depend on? What should they hold on to? Peter’s resounding and repeated answer is to hold on to God’s word as the means to growth in the ‘grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ (3:18)

God has granted us ‘his precious and very great promises’ (1:4) which assure us of sins forgiven, our entrance into the eternal kingdom, and spur us on in the path of sanctification - adding to our faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love. (1:5-7).

Peter is making sure that these promises are recorded and remembered after he has put off his body (presumably through Mark’s Gospel), because Peter was an eye-witness and an ear-witness of the events of the Transfiguration: ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’ (1:17) Yet we have something more sure - the prophetic word, spoken by men carried along by the Spirit (1:19-21).

Just as in the Old Testament there were false prophets alongside the true, so the ongoing life of the church will have false teachers exploiting and corrupting. But don’t worry - Peter reminds his readers of how in the Old Testament God was able to rescue his people while punishing the unrighteous - Noah and Lot as prime examples. (2:4-10)

Holding to God’s word (by remembering the predictions of the prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour 3:2) through the apostles will help us answer the scoffers who ask what has happened to the promised return of Jesus. (3:4) God made the world by a word, the same word that now reserves the heavens and earth for judgement and destruction. But we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that God is slow to fulfill his promise - that supposed slowness is actually patience, in giving opportunity for repentance, but the day of the Lord will come, suddenly, unexpectedly.

Even as the earth is destroyed by fire, we have the promise of new heavens and new earth - where righteousness dwells. Holding on to this promise spurs us on to be ready for the new world - just as Paul in writing the scriptures has urged us.

From start to finish and beyond, God’s precious and very great promises give us everything we need for life and godliness - forgiveness, hope, clarity, witness to the person and work of Jesus, safety in the midst of false teaching, and the certainty of our eternal future with Christ. It’s all in God’s word, written for us, so keep reading, and keep going. and growing.

Bible Briefs: Ruth

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

The story begins with a family tragedy. Famine. Emigration. Death. A widow woman left bereft with two foreign daughters-in-law. It’s no wonder Naomi (‘pleasant’) wants to be called Mara (‘bitter’). Everything has been taken from her; and what remains she tries to send away. One daughter-in-law gladly goes home, but the other, she stays, stuck to her like superglue. ‘Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me... if anything but death separates you and me.’ This Moabite woman has been won to the LORD, even through the weak witness of a wandering widow.

They arrive back at harvest time. Her faithfulness to her mother-in-law is recognised and repaid by the farmer - abundant grace is shown to her as she takes refuge under the LORD, the God of Israel. The farmer just happens (!) to be a kinsman of the dearly departed, who becomes the kinsman redeemer to buy back the property and secure the inheritance of the family line.

It’s a well loved rags to riches romance. The story draws the reader in. But it’s more than just a wee story with a happy end and the returning of Naomi’s pleasure. Through the rescue of one family and the inclusion of a stranger, God is carrying on his great purpose of rescuing his family and the inclusion of strangers from all peoples and nations and tribes and tongues. The hero is God, the covenant-keeping LORD, who uses the heroine Ruth, and includes her in the family tree of the Lord Jesus himself.

When tragedy comes, we cannot always see God’s purpose. But keep trusting - he is in control and is advancing his great purposes. Just ask Naomi and Ruth.

Bible Briefs: Mark

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

When Mark begins to write his Gospel, he gives the game away in the very first sentence: ‘The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ (1:1) As John the Baptist and then Jesus appear on the scene, the reader knows who this Jesus is, but the crowds and the disciples and the religious leaders are all trying to work out just who he is.

As Jesus proclaims the kingdom, he works miracles and overturns the accepted standards of the religious leaders. The questions come thick and fast: ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority!’ (1:27) ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ (2:7) ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ (2:16) ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’ (4:41)

Eventually, Peter realises who Jesus is: ‘You are the Christ.’ (8:29). The question asked in the first half of the gospel has been answered. Who is Jesus? He is the Christ. Straight away, we’re plunged into the second half of the gospel, which asks (and answers) the question: What did Jesus come to do?

Within two verses, Jesus has already told the disciples that he, the Son of Man ‘must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.’ (8:31) From this point, Jesus is on the way to the cross, predicting his sufferings twice more, but his disciples just don’t seem to get it.

Almost a third of the gospel is taken up with the last week leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross, as Mark shares Jesus’ teaching and the disputes with the religious leaders. They, like Peter, should have recognised that the Messiah was in front of them, but they could not see it. Instead, they fulfill the scriptures as they condemn him to death. Yet as Jesus dies, one man does recognise who Jesus is, and what he came to do. A most unlikely of men: ‘And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”’ (Mark 15:39).

Who is Jesus? He is the Christ, the Son of God. He came to die for us. He came to rise again to new life for us. We know it from the very first verse, but Mark urges us to read on, to see and hear and discover this Jesus for ourselves, to become his disciples as we too come, and follow him.

Book Review: From Triumphalism to Maturity

In most churches and teaching environments I've experienced, Paul's 1st letter to the Corinthians is regularly tackled and taught through. But when it comes to 2 Corinthians, it's dealt with less often. There are the so-called 'purple passages' which might be preached in a stand alone fashion, but 2 Corinthians seems to be harder than 1 Corinthians. It's a letter that has always intrigued me, probably because it's harder to grasp, so I took a helper on holiday with me, in the form of Don Carson, in his book 'From Triumphalism to Maturity'.

The book takes the form of an exposition of chapters 10-13, but as you would expect, the whole letter is referenced and explained by the providing of context and illustration. Writing in the preface, Carson admits that he loves the apostle Paul, but the chapters under scrutiny are among the most intense he has written:

'Arguably, the most intense chapters in all of his writings are those studied here, viz., 2 Corinthians 10-13. Certainly they reveal more about Paul himself - his sufferings, values, motives, wrestlings, and self-perceptions - than any other four chapters of comparable length; yet far from promoting egocentricity, they point unerringly to Jesus Christ and to what it means to be a Christian.'

That really is the most concise summary of what the reader will find discussed, in suitably brilliant Carson style. There are closely argued discussion and weighing of various interpretations, rhetorical flourishes and glimpses of superb writing, helpful illustrations, and Carson's wit which drives the reader onwards.

There is much to be learnt and taken onboard by the pastor who seeks to emulate the 'super apostles' troubling the Corinthians, with corrective and clear instruction on the appropriate models of biblical ministry. Boasting in weakness rather than in imagined strength, in the grace of Christ is the repeated message, not depending on self. It's a key lesson to learn and remember for the pastor, or indeed the Christian, who thinks they have it all sewn up and can manage on their own.

From Triumphalism to Maturity is available from Amazon.

Book Review: The Message of Daniel

I've admired Dale Ralph Davis as a Bible teacher and writer for a long time. When I was preparing to preach through Daniel in the autumn term, I was delighted to hear that he had just published a new commentary on Daniel in The Bible Speaks Today series from IVP.

As you would expect if you've read his material before, this isn't so much a technical commentary as an enlarged and expanded series of sermons preached by Davis. Along the way he touches on some of the key issues and mentions some of the disputes found in bigger commentaries, but they aren't his primary function. His analysis of the text is first class; his exegesis is always spot on; but his illustrations are out of this world! The apparent ease with which he illustrates the passages, always having stories or observations that perfectly prove the point he's making could lead to a series dose of coveting - or even better, a determination to improve my own illustrations.

This would be a good book for anyone wanting to learn more about God working in and through difficult, even hostile situations. If you're feeling like you're in Babylon, trapped in exile (which, let's face it, is every Christian while we're still in this sinful world), you'll benefit from Davis' warm style as the truth makes its mark.

The Message of Daniel is available from IVP at 28% off the retail price.

Bible Briefs: Titus

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

When Paul sent Titus to the island of Crete, he wasn’t there for a poolside holiday. There was work to be done in leading the church and appointing elders. Paul’s letter to Titus enables us to read over Titus’ shoulder as God shows us what a growing church should look like.

Throughout the letter, there’s a constant refrain. It’s the theme tune that repeats over and over again, heard in every section of the letter: believing and behaving go together. What we do will flow out of what we believe. We’re called to live lives of integrity - where our faith and deeds match up.

We find it in the opening verse: ‘Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.’ (1:1) our knowledge of the truth must lead to godliness - believing brings behaving. The qualifications of the church leaders echo this (1:5-9), as does the testimony of the false teachers - ‘They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him’ (1:16).

As the letter progresses, there is specific application for various groups and profiles of people - old men, older women, younger women, and young men - all under the heading of ‘You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.’ (2:1) Healthy teaching must lead to right behaviour. Similarly with the slaves, their actions and reactions will be a sign of their faith ‘so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.’ (2:10).

This was the very reason Jesus Christ came: ‘who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness [the truth] and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. [godliness] (2:14). The same theme is loud and clear as we come into the final chapter, where our relationship to the authorities and to the world around us is dealt with. Reflecting on the kindness and love of God which appeared, in order to save us, Paul urges Titus to teach these things: ‘so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.’ (3:8).

As we rejoice in the glorious good news of the Saviour who came to redeem us, that grace must bring change as it ‘teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.’ (2:12-13)

No matter how far along the path of discipleship we have travelled, there’s always more to do in pursuing godliness - but don’t be downhearted, because God’s grace is the encouragement for godliness. Let’s keep going and growing together.

Sermon: Psalm 19: 1-14 Declaring God's Glory

“You’re not even listening!!!” You’ve zoned out, you’re miles away, and those are the first words you hear. Disaster (or so I’ve heard...), as you try to think back to what might have been said; the important instructions about the washing machine or what’s needed from the shops.

I like to go people watching sometimes. You’ve a spare half hour, and so you walk along the street, or you sit on a bench or in a coffee shop, and watch the people going by. You hear snatches of conversation; you catch stories being shared, but often times there are so many voices, such a cacophony of noise, that it’s good to get some peace and quiet.

Voices. Speech. With 24 hour news, TV stations and radio stations broadcasting all through the day and the night, there is always someone speaking. At least you’ll get peace when you’re in bed, unless your spouse is a sleeptalker. Voices are all around us, but David points us to another voice with a unique message. But you don’t need your ears - rather it’s a bit like the BBC programme: ‘See Hear’. All we need to do is look up.

‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.’ (1) The skies above us are speaking, their voice goes out to the whole word, pouring out speech and revealing knowledge. Just look at the first four verses and see all the ‘speaking’ words. Declare, proclaim, speech, words, voice...

As David looks up, perhaps as he was watching the sheep, he hears the declaration of God’s glory. The sky, the sun, the moon and stars all proclaim that God made them. They cry out to anyone who will listen. But when was the last time you tuned in? Just think of the spectacular sunset you saw (not this evening anyway) - it was telling you about God’s glory. But not just the sunset - the way the sun ‘runs’ across the sky is a witness; it’s as if it is a bridegroom running to meet his bride; a champion running for the finish line.

The heavens are speaking; they are telling all who will listen of the power and glory of the God who made them and put them in place. Are you listening?

So we’re getting through the Psalm, you know where David is going with it, but then, it seems that he has gone off in a completely different direction. When you’re buying a secondhand car, you have to watch out for a cut and shut. That’s where you had two cars - one damaged at the front, the other at the back, so the two cars are cut up, the good bits put together and made to look like a normal car. Is that what’s happened here? There’s a psalm about the skies, another about the law, so slam them together and don’t pass any remarks?

Now if you thought that was strange enough, what about the bit that David says next? You’ve made it over the gap, and then he says ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.’ When you hear of law, what do you think of? You might have in mind pictures of courts and judges and prisons. Hardly something that gives life and reviving?

The law of the Lord, though, isn’t just law, it’s the whole of the first five books of the Bible. It’s the teaching of the Lord, the teaching about the Lord. You see, this isn’t a big leap at all - from creation’s voice to the Bible’s voice. The law of the Lord also speaks of God’s glory, as it reveals God to us, in relationship - Lord, rather than God. That’s why David can say that the perfect, sure, right, sure law revives the soul, makes the simple wise, rejoices the heart and enlightens the eyes.

Even the commandments and rules and law of the Lord is precious. It’s more to be desired than gold; and sweeter than honey. Is this what we think of the Bibles in our homes? Precious and sweet? Or something that sits on a shelf?

We don’t just read the Bible to become Bible quiz geeks. Every year at our Boys Brigade Camp there was a Bible quiz on the Sunday night. There was always great competition to see which team would win. But much more important than a Mid-Ulster battalion medal, the Bible reveals God himself. The Bible speaks, telling us of God’s glory, laying out the warnings and rewards.

On Friday night I was in Belfast at the Northern Ireland football match. The chants start off quiet, one or two voices, but before long, most of the ground are singing along. In fact, it’s a good job the match was on Friday night rather than last night. There’s something powerful when different voices join together - in a choir or as we say the responses together, or when a crowd gets behind their team. The voice of the heavens joins with the voice of the Bible to declare and proclaim the glory of God in creation and in scripture. But to these is joined a third voice. David himself, the author of the Psalm, now joins in, seeking to align himself with the way the world is.

In verse 12, he recognises that the whole universe is ablaze with the glory of God, but he is out of step. ‘Who can discern his errors?’ Faced with the glory of God in creation and in scripture, we’re confronted with our sinfulness. Some choose to put their fingers in their ears and refuse to listen. It’s the point Paul makes in Romans 1:18-20, as we suppress the plain truth about God, seen in creation, but turn away from him. It’s the tactic we all try, but it’s unsuccessful. We are without excuse.

Rather, the Bible calls us to turn, to re-align ourselves with God, to repent as we confess our sins. It’s what David says: ‘Declare me innocent from hidden faults.’ It’s when we do this that we find ourselves in tune with the universe. The heavens declare God’s glory. The law of the Lord declares God’s glory. And now we see that David desires God’s glory. Having turned from sin, his desire is to please the Lord. The last verse isn’t just a nice wee prayer before a sermon. It’s a prayer for every moment of every day, that we will live for the glory of God.

Just as the heavens speak of God’s glory, so our prayer is that the words of our mouths will also point to God’s glory. Just as the law of the Lord performs heart surgery on us, reviving the soul and rejoicing the heart, so our prayer is that the meditation of our heart will tend to the glory of God. It’s as we admit that often our words and our thoughts aren’t in tune with God’s glory that we can be mindful of the need to change. David asks, prays, in this verse, as he sums up the whole psalm, that God’s glory will be his supreme purpose. Will you make this your prayer tonight?

This sermon was preached in the Brooke Memorial Hall, Brookeborough on Sunday 8th September 2013.

Bible Briefs: Ezekiel

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

The book of the prophet Ezekiel has always struck me as particularly odd. Perhaps it’s the opening chapter with the amazing vision given to the prophet with its details of the living creatures and the wheels within wheels which is hard to picture, and hard to understand. Having made it through chapter one, the reader is then faced with 23 chapters of doom, as the judgement and desolation of Jerusalem and Judah is declared.

As if the words weren’t enough, Ezekiel is commanded to act out the judgement by besieging a model of the city (4); by cutting his hair with a sharp sword (5); packing his bags and digging through the wall (12); and most horrific of all, by not mourning when his wife passes away (24).

The weight of the chapters lies heavy on the reader. The message is unmistakeable - sinners will not stand in the judgement of a holy God. That message is amplified as Ezekiel turns to the nations and addresses the same word to them (25-32). It seems as if there is no hope at all.

The people of God have neglected their God; the promises of God to Abraham look as if they will fail. What will happen? In the midst of the gloom, suddenly comes the promise of a new covenant - for the sake of God’s holy name - a new promise of a new heart and a new spirit leading to covenant faithfulness (36).

Ezekiel is taken to that most famous of his chapters, the valley of dry bones (37). Israel is dead and dried up, but these dry bones come together and live by the breath of the Spirit. New life is given in the place of death; leading to the vision of the restored (and greatly expanded) temple and city, the name of which closes the book: ‘The LORD Is There’ (48:35).

We find that the message of Ezekiel is not weird at all - it’s the story of the good news as it points to the salvation we have in the Lord Jesus. We, under the judgement of God, ‘dead in our trespasses and sins’ (Eph 2:1), like those dry, dusty bones, are made alive in Christ and being built into the spiritual temple (1 Pet 2:5) where we will dwell forever with God. You could almost say that it’s the Gospel According to Ezekiel - thanks be to God!

Bible Briefs: 1 Peter

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

Towards the end of Peter’s first letter, he writes that ‘I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.’ (1 Peter 5:12) While there may be false notions of God’s grace, Peter has written about the true grace of God, encouraging those who received the letter (and us too!) to stand fast in God’s grace.

What does it look like? How could we summarise it? It’s possible by jumping from the end of the letter to the very start, in two ‘e’ words: elect exiles.

Peter is writing to God’s elect - chosen by God the Father through the Spirit for the Son (1:2); born into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus, being built up into the spiritual temple on Christ the cornerstone. From 1:1 to 2:10, Peter describes what it looks like to be elect, ending in his great statement: ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God...’ (2:9)

It’s a great reminder of the wonderful privileges we have in Christ; the hope that is ours in Christ; the way we are being knit together as the church. Yet as we look around, things aren’t how we would like them to be. It’s plain to see we’re not home yet, that we are still exiles.

The rest of the letter (2:11 - 5:14) is taken up with Peter helping us to see how we should live as the elect who are still in exile. We should submit to one another as we follow the pattern of our Saviour; we seek to live for the will of God, and not our own evil desires; we may even suffer as Christians in a world and culture that is hostile.

In our exile, as we journey towards home, we’re to remember that we are elect - God’s chosen - and that he will finish what he has started: ‘And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.’ (5:10-11)

Bible Briefs: Introduction

One of the regular features of my monthly schedule is the production of the parish notes for the diocesan magazine. The drawing together the next month's service details isn't the issue - I'm normally reasonably good at planning ahead. Neither does the problem come with the compiling of the various reports and notices from the parish organisations. The leaders are great at feeding me the information in good time and keeping things updated. But there's one part of the notes that causes me some anguish: the Rector's letter.

In it, I'm not just writing to my parishioners - or at least those who get and receive the magazine. It's different to a parish weekly notice sheet, or a special letter to the parish in advance of harvest or Christmas. The diocesan magazine doesn't just come to our folk; it doesn't even just get distributed in each of the other churches in the diocese of Clogher; the diocesan magazine is on sale in Eason's Enniskillen branch and I'm sure in other local outlets. Friends in Belfast have told me that they receive a copy each month and are checking up on what's going on (and even my spelling, punctuation and grammar is checked by a former teacher!).

With such a wide audience, and such a diverse group of people (which, I suppose, is much like a blog), what to say? How to say it? What would bring most benefit to anyone who cares to read a few lines from the rector of a small, rural parish? For the first year or so, I tried to be topical - a short snappy introduction linked to the time of year, with a thought for the day reflection on a Bible verse. They're sometimes hard to write. The rest of the notes are done, the deadline is swiftly approaching, so occasionally no letter was included, nothing would come in a coherent fashion.

Recently, however, I've started a different approach. A couple have appeared, and it's a style that I think I'll continue and see through to the end. It's what I'm calling 'Bible Briefs' - a couple of paragraphs giving a brief introduction and overview of a book of the Bible, with the hope that it will help the reader to pick up their Bible and get stuck into the book.

They're arising out of my own devotions as I try to read bigger chunks of the Bible this year (ignoring chapter divisions and the wee inserted headlines which can sometimes be misleading), and spurred on by the search for the 'melodic line' of each Bible book. That phrase comes from Dick Lucas, the grandfather of The Proclamation Trust, who urges us to discover the key idea / theme / verse that drives the whole book / letter and transforms our understanding of the whole thing.

As David Jackman writes in 'The Practical Preacher':

One of the things The Proclamation Trust has tried to encourage over the years is thinking about the melodic line: every book has its theme tune. If your series does not get your congregation to the theme tune then they are not going to learn the Bible in the way in which it was written. They are going to learn it cut up into chunks by us, and I do not think we do it as well as God did it! So let us preach the Bible the way God gave us the Bible: book by book.

So these Bible Briefs will occasionally pop up on the blog. Together, perhaps we'll come to grasp God's big picture, and get to know the Bible better - because in it, we find the God who speaks to us in and through his word.

Sermon Audio: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

On Sunday morning I was preaching from the next chunk of Peter's first letter about the imperishable word - God's word is like a seed planted in our hearts, causing us to be born anew. To bear the fruit of love, we need to do some weeding. To grow strong as Christians, we need to long for the pure spiritual milk of the word. Listen in or download to your mp3 player.

Sermon Audio: Luke 24: 36-53

Yesterday was the final sermon from Luke's Gospel for a while, as we rounded off the post-Easter appearances of Jesus. We might be on the last page of Luke, but the story hasn't finished - in fact, it's only just beginning as Jesus continues Fulfilling the Scriptures.

Sermon: Luke 24: 36-53 Fulfilling the Scriptures

I have a really bad habit when I’m reading. I like to know how many pages I have left to read. So early on, I flick to the end to see the last page number. It’s not too bad if it’s a book on theology or history, but there is a time when it becomes a problem. Every so often, I like to read a thriller or murder mystery type book. The danger is, though, when I look at the page number, I might catch a glimpse of a spoiler - perhaps the name of the culprit as they’re driven away in a police car. Or the knowledge that a character must make it through the story.

Very often, the last page is the place where the whole story is understood - and not until then. If you read it through a second time, you realise there were hints the whole way through, but you only really get it at the very end. In some ways, that’s how it is with Luke’s Gospel. Having walked the Emmaus Road last week, we now find ourselves in the upper room with the disciples as they discuss what has happened. They know that Jesus is risen, but then suddenly, Jesus appears in the room with them.
While he is with them, he explains to them what has happened in recent days. Look with me at verse 44: ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you - that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’

Earlier this week I saw a photo of a movie script for a film Tom Cruise was starring in. All over the script he had added extra ideas and suggested different lines to those the writer had prepared. He felt free to improvise and make it up as he went along in the scene. But Jesus is saying here that the script of his life had been written in advance - and everything had to be as written. ‘Everything written... must be fulfilled.’

Now when he speaks of the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms, those are the three parts of the Old Testament. The scriptures together laid out what Jesus did; he lived in obedience to them, so that everything would be as they said. So why didn’t the disciples realise in advance? How come they didn’t understand that Jesus’ death was happening in this way for this reason? Why didn’t they greet the first Good Friday as a good day the way we do now? It’s because they didn’t at that stage understand the scriptures. As Jesus teaches them, he ‘opened their minds to understand the scriptures’ so that they could grasp it.

If the first disciples of Jesus needed God’s help to read and understand, how much more we? We need to come humbly, asking God to open our minds to receive his word - we’ll never understand them by our own power. Perhaps you’ve discovered that as you’ve tried to help someone to see why Jesus is so important; you’ve shared a verse of the Bible but they just don’t get it - even if it seems obvious to us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4 that the god of this world (the devil) has blinded the minds of unbelievers. We need God’s help to understand his word.

So what was it that ‘must be fulfilled’? Jesus gives us the three things that must be fulfilled beginning in verse 46. ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to’ ONE: suffer. The sufferings of the Messiah are written of in advance throughout the Old Testament - Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 to name but two. It’s why in verse 39 Jesus says ‘Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself.’ The hands and feet - the places on his body where the nails pierced him; the wounds of love are still to be seen; permanent reminders of Jesus’ love for us.

But that’s not all. ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to...’ TWO: rise from the dead on the third day. Jesus did not stay dead; the scriptures had promised that the Messiah would rise - and on the third day. Psalm 16, Hosea 6, as well as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. In the first part of our reading Jesus goes to great pains to make absolutely certain that he is risen from the dead - alive, bodily raised - inviting them to touch him, to see his hands and feet, and, because they still wonder and disbelieve for joy, he eats some cooked fish. This isn’t just a spirit; this isn’t a ghost; this is Jesus, raised from the dead. Just as was written in the scriptures!

Now you might be thinking to yourself that’s a great ending. There’s only a few verses of the book left. So Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, that’s nice. But he isn’t finished yet. You see, there were three things written of the Messiah. 1 - suffer; 2 - rise; THREE: that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Because Jesus is the Messiah, because he suffered death and rose again, he is the one who brings forgiveness of sins. It’s there in his words of greeting: ‘Peace be with you.’ In a world that is lacking peace; to people who are in guilt and shame of sin; Jesus brings them peace. Peace with God. Peace with each other. This peace is now to be spread, as repentance (turning from sin) and forgiveness of our sins is proclaimed.

One of the big employers in Dromore when I was growing up was a firm called John Graham. They do all sorts of things - build roads; buildings, all sorts of things. You’ve maybe even seen their distinctive green vans and huts and hoardings at their building sites. If you were to ring up their office, you couldn’t speak to John Graham now - he has long since perished, but the company continues to act in his name.

Last week the film critic Roger Ebert died. A few days after his death, his account sent out a new message on Twitter. He wasn’t tweeting from beyond the grave - rather his wife is carrying on his work. She is tweeting in his name.

Now John Graham and Roger Ebert have both died. But the risen Jesus sends the first disciples to act in his name - to do the final thing written of him on his behalf. From their starting point of Jerusalem, they are to go to all nations, proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins - because ‘You are witnesses of these things.’ Look back again to verse 39. What’s the word that jumps out in repetition? ‘See’ I had never seen it before, but now it’s like that children’s rhyme: ‘A sailor went to sea sea sea to see what he could see see see...’

The disciples were witnesses of Jesus’ death (hands and feet) and his resurrection (see) and of the forgiveness that comes through Jesus (they’ve experienced it themselves). They are sent out to all nations - but not until they have been clothed with power - the Holy Spirit.

We come to the end of Luke’s gospel, but we discover the story isn’t over. Rather, it’s only just beginning. Luke has written another book - the continuing story of what Jesus does, how the proclamation begins to be made in the Acts of the Apostles. And even when that book comes to an end, the story hasn’t finished. And that’s where we come in. Jesus, the Messiah, continues to send us out to act in his name, to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins both here in this parish and across the world. Jesus has done all that is necessary for peace with him; he empowers us with the Spirit; our task is to point to Jesus.

Having met with Jesus, the disciples would never be the same again. How will be step out in obedience to share the good news?

This sermon was preached in Aghavea Parish Church on Sunday 14th April 2013.

Book Review: Dig Even Deeper

Back in 2005, Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach released a really helpful book for anyone wanting to go deeper in their Bible study. Dig Deeper: Tools to unearth the Bible's treasure did exactly what it said on the tin. The tools were introduced, and worked examples given. Those tools (just as a reminder) are: the Author's Purpose tool; the Context tool; the Structure tool; the Linking Words tool; the Parallels tool; the Narrator's Comment tool; the Vocabulary tool; the Translations tool; the Tone and Feel tool; the Repetition tool; the Quotation/Allusion tool; the Genre tool; the Copycat tool; the Bible Timeline tool; the 'Who Am I?' tool; and the 'So What?' tool. You'll need to read that book to discover what they all are, and how they'll help your Bible study.

Fast forward to 2010, and the book under review - Dig Even Deeper: Unearthing Old Testament treasure. Andrew Sach and Richard Alldritt demonstrate the working of these tools as they guide the reader through a study of the book Exodus (using a 14 word summary of the book: beatings - bush - plagues - passover - water - whinging - father-in-law - fear - case law - covenant - tabernacle - calf - cleft - tabernacle.

I've enjoyed Andrew's ministry at St Helen's through the sermon podcasts, and it's easy to hear Andrew's voice in the book, as he continues to be clear and concise in explaining God's word. Both authors have an easy to read and easy to follow style, with some good illustrations and pointers along the way.

Don't think, however, that this is a breeze through Exodus, in which the authors will give you all the answers. This is a practical hands-on guide which constantly directs the reader to go back to the Bible and do some of the hard work themselves. The tools are wielded with great effect, demonstrating how they can be of use, and what they will unearth as time is taken to study God's word.

The writers also aren't afraid of flagging up the dead-end alleys and red herrings in Bible study - those times when we jump to assumptions. They're careful to bring us back to what the text actually says, and what it means. As well as the detail, they also focus on the big picture - the point of the whole book of Exodus: knowing God's name (character)

As it happened, I had been reading Exodus in my quiet times, and was a couple of steps ahead, but there were things I had missed. It was good to be able to think further about what I was reading, and to see what was lying further beneath the surface.

This is a really useful book, and would be profitable for preachers doing the background work on the text, or even the week-to-week preaching preparation, but it's not just for pastors. If you're wanting to study Exodus, whoever you are, then this is definitely a good starting point.

Book Review: Genesis in Space and Time

Day Five in the Genesis book tour.

This was the first book I've ever read by Francis Schaeffer, and I must confess, it took me a little while to get into his writing style. Some of the other books I've reviewed this week were more readable, but having got used to Schaeffer, there were lots of helpful insights in Genesis in Space and Time.

With a perhaps more philosophical approach, Frank Schaeffer underlines the importance of Genesis:

I wish to point out the tremendous value Genesis 1-11 has for modern man. In some ways these chapters are the most important ones in the Bible, for they put man in his cosmic setting and show him his peculiar uniqueness. They explain man's wonder and yet his flaw. Without a proper understanding of these chapters we have no answer to the problems of metaphysics, morals or epistemology, and furthermore, the work of Christ becomes one more upper-story 'religious' answer.

The book charts the 'flow of biblical history' through the opening chapters, with a good reflection on the wonder of creation (and of the 'time' before time - my term, not his). As he explores the revelation of God as Trinity in the creation, as well as the power of God, creating by divine fiat, the spirit soars. On the creation of man, he is perhaps at his finest:

A man is of great value not for some less basic reason but because of his origin. Thus the flow of history has tremendous implications for every aspect of our lives. I stand in the flow of history. I know my origin. My lineage is longer than the Queen of England's. It does not start at the Battle of Hastings. It does not start with the beginning of good families, wherever or whenever they lived. As I look at myself in the flow of space-time reality, I see my origin in Adam and in God's creating man in his own image.

Schaeffer doesn't confine himself to Genesis only, but makes connections with the rest of the scriptures, tracing the lines from the fall through to the cross and beyond. Despite my initial uncertainty, I'm definitely glad I made it through the book and benefited from Schaeffer's contribution. While some of the other books might only be of interest to the person specifically studying Genesis, this would be a great book for any student of our culture; people wondering why the world is the way it is, and what can be done about it; and all those wanting to grow in apologetics reasoning and engagement.