Forgiveness

Last week we looked at Matthew Chapter five and all of the difficult things that Jesus had to say in that passage. One transitional thing I meant to say but somehow left out, was that Jesus’ warning of "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees you will surely not enter the kingdom of heaven" was not a warning for us to DO more than the Pharisees or to "do better things" than the Pharisees. I think what he was getting at was that the Pharisees managed to know the letter of the law and not live it out. That's why we talked about specific ways we could live it out, practically in service to the poor in our area. However, even that list of good things to do should not be taken as a pharisaic to-do list but rather as a response to knowing God and His will.

While last week we looked at a whole section of various difficult words from Jesus, this week we begin to look at places where he said short and specific things. This week is Matthew Chapter 6:12-15: "Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.... for if we forgive others our heavenly father will forgive us, but if we do not forgive others neither will our heavenly father forgive us."

Personally, I can't think of a much more disturbing passage than this passage right in the middle of the Lord’s prayer. Jesus does not mince words in telling us our forgiveness from God is contingent upon the extent to which we are able to forgive others. In short he is saying, "God, deal with us as we deal with others." When I think about how I frequently deal with others unfairly, I sometimes cringe at this. “God forgive me as I forgive my kids!” “God forgive me as I forgive my coworkers.” Truth is, I usually only forgive those who I think deserve to be forgiven. Is that how God deals with us?

If God deals with us the way we deal with others, I think many of us might be in big trouble. This week we want to look at this difficult passage and talk about its implications for our lives, our families, our marriages and our homes.

Mark

The Inconvenient Truth

Summer is in full swing, lots of travels for all of us at Springfield. The Moores are just back from Arkansas where all went well at camp other than an unfortunate broken arm for Grady. We are back for good now with no plans to head anywhere anytime soon! (What a relief.) Many thanks to Kenneth and others who filled in so admirably. One family that is traveling right now is the Strattons who are in Little Rock for the birth of Garrett Alexander Davis who was born on July 5th! Baby and mother are reportedly doing well.

Starting this week we begin looking at a series that will take us through the summer. I am calling it "The Inconvenient Truth".... the 7 toughest things that Jesus ever said. Anyone notice where I got that title? Some of you will recognize that it is blatantly stolen from Al Gore's new documentary about global warming. I have not seen it, but apparently Mr. Gore made the movie to remind Americans that some truths we may not want to hear could turn out to be deadly serious. I read a review recently where even some of his most harsh political enemies suggested maybe some of The Inconvenient Truth is something we should listen to.

As the Lord's church we are not nearly as interested in the Inconvenient Truth about global warming as we are in the Inconvenient Truths about what God expects from his created humans. Jesus had a habit of telling inconvenient truths to people. "Sell everything!" he said. "Unless you hate your father and mother..." he told one questioner. "Let the dead bury the dead..." He had a lot of very difficult sayings that, when we read them today, tend to get explained away as circumstantial or cultural or even meaning the opposite of what he actually said. Our goal in looking at these tough words will be to consider that perhaps some of them should be taken at face value. It might be a little inconvenient to put these messages to work in our lives...but since Jesus claimed to be the Way, the Truth and the Life maybe the adjective "inconvenient" placed before each of those words should be at least part of what we should expect as we follow Him.

Mark

What's On Your Mind?

Basically, what we listen to, look at, think about, ponder—what we experience or expose ourselves to sticks with us, especially if we feed on it regularly.

As I write, I have about 3 or 4 songs I recently listened to taking turns running through my head. My brain collected them several days ago when I found a website where you can watch a variety of full-length music videos, ranging from pop to rap to country and rock. Some songs had positive messages, some negative messages, and some were neutral. Music style is an individual preference, so I’m not advocating any particular kind of music. The point is, good or bad, what we take in, stays in. What we feed on fills us.

Philippians 4:8, then, isn’t just some pie in the sky, out of touch with reality kind of passage, a way to escape what’s happening around us, but direction given based on the facts of how we are made and how our thoughts, what’s on our minds, make a big difference.

Meditating on God’s word (Psalm 119: 9-16), thinking on certain things (Php. 4: 8), and setting our minds on things above (Col. 3: 2) is just plain good for us. We are buoyed up, strengthened, and reassured of God’s hand in our lives and His work in this world. We can focus on His good gifts (James 1: 17) around us.

The way we approach each day, relate to others, and give witness to our Lord begins with what’s on our minds. Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10: 5) and allow your minds to be renewed (Rom. 12: 2). We can learn to discern what is beneficial (1 Cor. 10: 23) and make better choices about what we let into our lives, doing all in humility, without a self-righteous attitude or placing judgment on others (Gal. 6: 4). What’ll be on your mind today?

CTL

An Obscure Prophet with a Great Message

In sports, whenever you play at the same time as someone great, your accomplishments tend to go unnoticed. In basketball, for example, Karl Malone dominated for years, but as a contemporary of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, no one talks much about him even though his stats were often better. Same for every soccer player who played with Pelé or every business leader who led companies the same time as Donald Trump. Some people get all the press while others do great things without much recognition.

If you have ever suffered such injustice, Micah the prophet feels your pain. He was a contemporary of Isaiah the prophet, living and preaching in Israel around 500 BC. In fact, Micah's writings are so similar to Isaiah's that scholars disagree about who was more influenced by who. Some suggest both may have been influenced by an even more unfortunate third prophet who is now forgotten by history.

Although he is one of our more obscure prophets today, Micah was evidently not all that obscure during his time. He spoke boldly and did not pull any punches as he spoke to Israel on behalf of the Lord. One very famous passage is in Micah 6:8 where he boils it all down for the people of Israel and for us today many centuries later. He says, "This is what the Lord requires. That we act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord."

Today we will talk about the 2500-year-old challenge and ask whether the people of God are doing any better at meeting God’s "requirements". How much do we focus on justice and mercy and humility? Or are we sometimes known for being bullies (the opposite connotation of what "acting justly" implies), being hard line and being just a little bit arrogant about the fact that we "walk with God"? If we were truly convinced that justice and mercy and humility were at the top of God's list of things he wants to see, how would it change our daily "walk" with Him?

Mark

Perseverance

It was a little, wooden, black train engine. He wanted it so badly. As he grappled with the side rails of his changing table -- reaching with tiny fingers to sit up and grasp the prize, face filled with determination, I just stood there and cried. "O Lord, why does it have to be so hard?" my mind pleaded. "Why can't he be like other little boys?" Other little boys. Like the one I assumed I had. Little boys who roll all over the floor, who pull up on the furniture. Little boys who could sit up and grab the little, wooden, black train engine, with much less effort. "Why does he have it so hard?" I ask the Almighty God, the maker of heaven and earth.

Zeke is crying now and has resolved for the moment just to lie back down and give up the struggle. I am tempted to just give him the toy, but I think better of it and instead place my hands on his little limbs and pray for him. I pray that his brain will be whole and healthy, that his arms and legs will be strong. I pray for his little spirit -- that it will also be strong and not be crushed under the challenges he faces. I pray that one day the little, wooden, black train engine will be easily in his reach. Then, we try again. I place my hand under his neck and gently coax him. "We're going to try it again," I said with enough determination for the both of us. His hands grasp the side rails. His toes curl and legs raise up off the table with the effort. His face is red and a small vein rises in his forehead. And then, he sits up. He sits up and grabs the little, wooden, black train engine.

A giant smile covers his face as he chews on the much desired prize. Life is filled with these kind of moments, I suppose -- moments when perseverance is put to the test; moments when we are tempted to just throw in the towel; moments when it just feels easier to lie back down. These are our spiritual work-outs. God at work. I smile too. Surely, God is cultivating an amazing young man . . . . "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" (Romans 5:2-4).

Copyright 2006 by Melanie Simpson. Permission hereby granted to reprint this gracEmail in its entirety without change, with credit given and not for financial profit.

Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,

Selah

that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.

Selah

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.
God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
(1-7)

Psalm 66

Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name.” Selah

Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man’s behalf!
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.

Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.

If I had cherished sin in my heart
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
(1-6, 8-9, 18-20)