Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

How willing are we to serve in Jesus’ name?
As I was dwelling on the Parable of the Good Samaritan, I began thinking about the actions of all of the persons involved in this passage of scripture. And, I wondered, would I do differently, walking in their shoes?
The lawyer was an expert in Jewish religious teachings of Mosiac law. Eternal life was a current topic of religious debate. He thus answered Jesus’ question by stating the Jewish Shema, a Hebrew text consisting of three passages from the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 6:4, 11:13–21; Numbers 15:37–41) and beginning “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.” It forms an important part of Jewish evening and morning prayer and is used as a Jewish confession of faith.
He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind
(from Deut 6:5) and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.”(from Leviticus 19:18 - “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”)
Jesus responded, “You have answered correctly - do this and you will live.”
(Leviticus 18:5 “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.”)
Yes, Jesus died to bring salvation to the world, but this does not absolve us from loving God with all of our being, and loving our neighbor, even as Jesus loves.
We can readily identify with the man - everyone; mankind - at the mercy of the world, who was attacked, beaten and robbed. Mankind has a history of descending. From Genesis to Revelation, we get a picture of descent, especially if Satan has his way with us. Satan: robber, murderer. Taker, of lives. What will be left? Sin! Robbers and thieves act out, “What you have is mine, if I can take it from you.”
The priest and Levite represent ritualism and ceremonialism. Perhaps they tended to think, “What I have is mine, and I am going to keep it.” They were a privileged class. There were many rules & regulations governing them. For example, they had to dress a certain way, and carry out very specific actions as worship. They were not to defile themselves, such as by contact with a corpse. Priests could not even attend a burial except of a close relative. Was the man possibly dead? They knew the dangers, and avoided them. Wouldn’t you?
The Samaritan embodies the concept, “What I have is yours if I can help you.” I found these words from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
“It is lamentable to observe how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is a beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also sets forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserable men.”
Ritualism, ceremonialism, and legalism could not save the man, nor nor can it save mankind. The question is not whether we will have eternal life, but whether that life will be with God, rather than with Satan. Jesus, through the Grace of God, offers salvation. Having chosen Jesus, then, let us embody fully this example: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

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Scripture: Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1, NKJV)

I had thought often about going on a church sponsored mission trip. An opportunity opened up for me shortly after I retired. A local church was going to Monterey, Mexico, to spend some time working with a mission church. The trip was basically youth oriented, and I would be one of the adult chaperones.
We attended several training sessions to prepare us for the experience. Most of the group had never been to another country. We would be guests at one of the local churches, helping work on an outreach project for them. Proper dress (clothing) and societal customs were explained, along with some differences we would likely find in accommodations for personal cleanliness.
For example, lengthy showers were discouraged, as hot water would be limited. Sanitary systems in many countries are limited in what you can flush down them. That’s just the way it is; be a good guest, respect their way of life.
At one session, everyone was asked what they were expecting to do while on the trip. Some were interested in handing out gospel tracts on the streets, or participating in Bible-based dramatic presentations. Some were looking forward to working with the youth in vacation Bible school. Others planned to help with painting the storefront church building.
I had no particular task or service picked out. When it was my turn to share, I responded that I just wanted to be useful. Whatever was needed, help with that. I knew that I was limited in doing physical things, like handing out tracts, because that involved walking the neighborhoods. I was scheduled to undergo hip replacement surgery later that summer.
We reviewed some useful phrases in Spanish, the local language. There were some chuckles when they covered things like ¿Dónde está el baño? - Where is the bathroom? Probably most of us never thought there would be a need for that question. However, as we had some free time to visit the local shops, some of us decided to explore the Gigante supermarket. I was with one of the adult volunteers, who exclaimed, “Man, I sure need to find a restroom.” We didn’t see any. I went up to a man stocking shelves, and asked, ¿Dónde está el baño?
He replied so rapidly that my two years of high school Spanish, fifty years previous, couldn’t follow. But he pointed. We went in that direction, and there it was: el baño. It wasn’t much, just one short phrase, but it was useful.
One of our projects was to modify the concrete block walls of the old store. There was a block layer with the group, and the local men mixed mortar. They needed someone to cut and fit block. That I could do. And I was again able to be useful.
I had prepared a mix of nuts and raisins for snacking. As I pulled out the bag of goodies, I noticed the local men watching. I offered the bag to them, and they helped themselves. The smiles and attitude adjustment went beyond language limitations. Sharing whatever you have can also be rewarding.
We were experiencing travel difficulties with the Mexican bus company on the return trip, delays that discouraged many of the youth, who were starting to wind down from their “mountain top experience.” A few well chosen words were useful in directing thoughts to blessings, rather than gloomy grumbling.
Paul covers a number of ways that we can be useful to God, and His Church, in the epistle to the Romans (Chapter 12). Little things, perhaps, like sharing, listening, comforting, rejoicing, weeping with those who weep. Showing mercy, and cheerfulness. As a living sacrifice, our reasonable service becomes the mortar which bonds the Christian community together.
Everyone can be useful — usefulness is serving God, and doing so is worthy of honor.

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* Pointers
* Scripture: Jesus said, "The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do . . . "
(Mt. 23:2, 3a, NKJV)

A man walking his Pointer, a hunting dog, responded to an inquiry about the dog's ability to point at game, "Yes, he does well in the field," he replied, and added that he was also a friendly dog. "
"It must be great to have a good, friendly hunting dog," commented the admirer. "Well, yes, for hunting, maybe, but when a thief robbed our house, the dog welcomed him in, and pointed to all of our valuables."
Ahh! The fine line between good and bad from the same thing.
Get the idea? Many things are good if used for their intended "good" purpose, yet bad when out of place. After all, God looked at the whole of His creation, and called it good. Never-the-less, we sometimes wonder about the bad that results even from good things.
For example, what is your first thought when you hear the word "fire?" You might think of a fire burning down the house, or a fire in the grill to cook food. Quite a difference, but still fire, both good and bad.
Ready for another? Pharisee . . .
If you are familiar with the New Testament accounts concerning the Pharisees you likely have an image of 'hypocrites,' and 'blind guides, those harsh words coming from Jesus, no less. (cf. Mt. Chapter 23)
. It is important to understand the forces at work in the Jewish world during the centuries between the Old and New Testament periods to better understand the issues here.
The armies of, and successors to, Alexander the Great promoted Greek culture in all the lands they conquered, including Palestine. Among the influential groups that emerged from this time period when observance of God's laws was endangered by pagan influence were the Sadducees (a priestly party favoring the Greek views) and the Pharisees.
"Pharisee" means "separated" because they separated themselves from the secular and ungodly ways of the world of that day.
Read Jesus' words carefully and thoroughly. Jesus commended the Pharisees for pointing to God, because they interpreted the laws governing daily life in accordance with Mosaic tradition, i.e., the "Laws and the Prophets" (See Mt. 23:2-3.) Jesus came to fulfill those Laws. Basically, the Pharisees made very positive contributions to religious observance at a critical period in Jewish history.
Some, however, crossed that line from good to bad. They were welcoming in practices that "shut up the kingdom against men" (vs. 13) and were pointing people toward the wrong things, sometimes placing too much emphasis on minor details while ignoring the weightier matters of the law, such as justice, mercy and faith. (Mt. 23:23)
In truth, our beliefs and religious practices as Christians are much closer to those of the Pharisees than to any other sect of Jesus' time.
As Christians, our lives should display love of God, faithfully pointing toward Him. However, we must be careful that we do not welcome beliefs and practices that rob us, and others, of God's promise.
September 17, 2006

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* The Lambs Finally Got It!
* Scripture: Jesus said to Peter, "Feed my lambs;" "Tend my sheep;" "Feed my sheep." (from John 21:15-17)

O Happy Day! The lambs finally got it! They all stayed with the rest of the flock when it came time to move.
We practice a system of grazing that requires frequent moves from one section of the pasture to another. Once we have the portable fences set up for the next paddock, we open the fence and let the sheep move onto fresh grass.
The older sheep know the routine, and stand waiting whenever they see us getting ready. The lambs, though, are so full of life and vigor that they seem to lose track of where mama is and what the rest of the flock is doing.
"Lambie-Lambie-Lambie-SHEEP!" Heads pop up, grazing stops, and the sheep move toward the shepherd. It takes a while for lambs to associate the shepherd's call with a move to a better pasture, though. Running and leaping is such fun that it takes some of them a while to notice that they have been left behind. Then they are apt to panic and try to go through the fence rather than the open gate. They may also turn and run the opposite way, away from safety, away from nourishment.
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs, tend my sheep." What if the Shepherd is willing, but the lambs won't cooperate?
Thinking about this gives me a new appreciation of the task Jesus gave Peter:
I can just imagine Peter praying about it. "Lord, about these sheep of yours: Some never seem to catch on. They don't associate the Good Shepherd's call with a better life ahead. They are having such a good time that they don't gather with the rest of the flock."
"They seem to prefer pleasure and comfort above the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Mt. 4:4)
"I call them to come to Your gate in the sheepfold, Lord, but they either do not hear me, or ignore my call. They seem to have no problems hearing the call of the evil one, though. I am not an hireling who leaves the sheep. I would be willing to lay down my life for the sheep, just as you did for all of us. I fear that some of them will be left behind and lost forever."
We, as Christians, find ourselves in Peter's shoes. We are both sheep and shepherds, in the tradition of Matthew Chapter 10.
As sheep, we need to listen to the call of The Good Shepherd.
As shepherds, we need to share with the sheep 'out there' that Jesus is indeed the door, the way to salvation, and lead the lambs to find the pasture of eternal life.
June 18, 2006

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* Support Systems
* Scripture: Paul wrote, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11, NKJV

We do many things without thinking about them. Breathing, for instance. Most of the time I give no thought to breathing at all, but I can control it to a certain extent, like when the doctor says, "Take a deep breath and hold it." Automatic breathing is probably a good thing, considering how often I forget things any more.
Likewise, we seldom give thought to the many people who provide services for us, because we do not personally see them at work. People who operate and maintain the electrical power system, for example, or gas, water, and the "tele' services. We notice when the system goes down, but even then little thought is given to the many people behind the service technicians who come to our neighborhood.
Few people are able to totally sustain their lives without input from others along the way. Our clothing, our food, the tools we use and the companionship we enjoy require us to look beyond ourselves to discover the many relationships that seldom enter our thoughts.
Consider, then, the armor worn by a soldier such as Paul describes in his letter to the Ephesians. Find a picture of a completely equipped soldier if you can, or a knight from the middle ages. You will see that the "whole armor" that Paul recommends is quite complex, made up of many pieces, all held together by laces, belting and straps. It is highly unlikely that the soldier could put on a full suit of armor by himself, let alone possess the skills needed to build it.
There would be several levels of metal workers, from the miner of ore, to the smelter and refiner, and the fabricator of parts. The sword maker was and still is a specialist in the trade. Leather working passes through several stages, as well.
Was the fully armored soldier thinking of all of these people as he moved forward into battle? Probably no more than we think of all the people who have contributed to the spiritual armor with which we should equip ourselves: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the Word of God.
Have we alone equipped ourselves? Are we standing alone? By no means! Praise God, we stand shoulder to shoulder with countless numbers of "Christian Soldiers," following the saints who have preceded us and sacrificed for us. We owe what we have and hold dear to parents, teachers, pastors and preachers, refiners and fabricators of the spiritual armor with which we go forth.
Paul adds, "Praying always with all prayer a supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints -" (Ephesians 6:18, NKJV)
June 4, 2006

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Scripture: “And the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.”
(Acts 11:26b, NKJV)

The eerie, wailing, screeching sound woke me at a pre-dawn hour. This banshee-like scream was accompanied by a strange glow in the sky, punctuated by flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder. This was neither a summer thunderstorm, nor a howling hurricane, but a January snow storm in central Ohio. I was witnessing the arrival of what has come to be known as the “Great Blizzard of 1978.”
The rapidly intensifying storm pulled bitterly cold air across Ohio on winds of 50 to 70 mph. Rain turned to ice and snow as the temperature plunged 21 degrees — from 34 to 13 — between 5 and 6 a.m. Temperatures hovered around zero but the wind chill made it feel like 60 below. Atmospheric pressure fell to 28.28 inches at Cleveland, the lowest ever recorded in Ohio.
This storm met all of the criteria for a true blizzard, as defined by the National Weather Service: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater, considerable falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility frequently to 1/4 mile or less for a period of three hours or more.
The term “blizzard” is often applied to any snowfall amount, disregarding the wind and time factors, and is thus not a correct use of the word.
Clarity in communication depends upon the selection of the proper descriptive word. “Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” But what, exactly, does it mean if someone writes, “The windstorm decimated the forest”? Surely you know what a decimal is, or one tenth of something. A decade is from the Latin word for ‘ten.’ The verb decimate originally alluded to the Roman punishment of executing one man in ten of a mutinous legion. Was the legion utterly destroyed? No. Did the writer mean that only one tenth of the forest was destroyed? Who knows?
“Plethora” is a word that I find to be irritating in many uses. This word refers (and has always referred) to an overabundance, an overfullness, or an excess. The phrase “a plethora of” is essentially a highfalutin equivalent of too many.
Unfortunately, through misunderstanding of the word's true sense, many writers use it as if it were equivalent to plenty or many. So what does it mean to read, “There is a plethora of apples this year?“ The writer could have meant “many,” or “There is an over abundance; way too many apples.” Who knows?
When we go into a store, and see the words ‘Good’, ‘Better’, ‘Best’, on products, we form an opinion about the quality and resulting price. Most folks would be very upset if the merchant labeled the cheapest, lowest quality product as “The Best.” So why should we accept sloppy, inaccurate uses of words?
Consider the word, “Christian.” It should refer to one who’s life is manifested toward God and Christ, filled with and guided by the Holy Spirit. Christians should be known by their “fruitfulness” in internal graces: kindness, humility, gentleness, love, self control, and peacefulness. The Christ-like person should exemplify Christ in all aspects of their life, as befits an “heir of God, and joint heir with Christ.” (Romans 8:17)
Unfortunately, some toss the word “Christian” about as casually as they do words like blizzard, decimate, and plethora, disregarding the true meaning of “Like Christ.” ‘Christian’ is sometimes used as a default word to label a person who is not a believer of some other religion, or who lives in a predominately Christian country or region, regardless of their relationship to Christ.
May we who call ourselves ‘Christian’ exemplify Christ in all aspects of our lives, even as the disciples of the Church at Antioch.
February 14, 2010

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Scripture: Paul wrote, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19, NIV.
Woe to pedestrians who traverse uneven pavement! The Romans, who contributed the word for foot travel, tried their best to build perfect roads.
Alas! Neither then or now do roads stay perfectly flat, and a block that projects above its neighbors is destined to catch the toe of those of us who walk upright on two pedes - er, feet. It becomes a stumbling block.
The writers of the Bible were well aware of the stumbling block, and often used the expression as an example of obstacles in our walk with God/Jesus. Paul speaks of stumbling in his letter to the Romans, 14:13. He is speaking to Christians, there! A Christian as a stumbling block? Oh! Yes, read Romans 14, and learn what Paul was finding in the churches. He is writing specifically about eating practices, what was acceptable and what was not. Read between the lines a little. Consider 14:10. Judging others is a tricky business; the Lord will be the ultimate judge of us all.
Yet judge we do. Special practices; sacred do’s and don’ts. Thy way and my way make for an uneven pavement for another trying to follow us.
The topic of church attendance came up at our Bible study. It seems that not everyone who is asked to come to church with us is willing to do so. Why not? What can we do or say that will bring in the lost, the lonely, and the seekers. Let’s face it - every institution of worship should be filled! We should not have to drag people to church. They should be so desirous of filling their souls with God that our world would be bubbling with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Ro. 14:17b).
Is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit what people see and think when they see us; our/the ‘church’? If not, then are we a stumbling block? Sure sounds that way, to read about stumbling blocks in the Bible.
Check out Isaiah 8:11-17. Here, God is a stumbling block! God?
We are “Resurrection People” if we believe the message of Easter. Jesus, the Christ/Messiah, became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, each and every one in the whole world. He died on the cross, was buried, and rose again. Resurrection!
Do you believe that? Many believe in Jesus, but not in the Resurrection. It has become their stumbling block.
We’ve heard the call: Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. (Mk. 1:3)

Be on the lookout for stumbling blocks. Neither create them, nor allow them to remain as a trap that others might stumble.
March 3, 2002