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Sex is Good! - Redemptive Themes on Marriage Part 1 in Song of Songs / Song of Solomon

5/27/2015

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Songs of Songs, or Song of Solomon, is a book that many people have not quite know what to do with. It is mainly filled with poetry between lovers.  exception that it is in the context of marriage, or at least in parts, a bride and groom about to be married or on their wedding night. 

Sex in the Bible, of course, is reserved for marriage. And in that sense, Song of Songs presents a different picture of sex. While sex is portrayed everywhere in culture, rarely is it portrayed in a husband-wife relationship. Hot, passionate sex between husband and wife--it does not exist, culture says. Only affairs are portrayed in this way.

So, in that sense, by showing that sex between a husband and wife is good and can be passionate, Song of Songs redeems sex. Many Christians get the idea that sex is bad. Any song on the radio that speaks of sex is automatically bad. Even Christian adults in a marriage relationship can think that those are bad songs. (Some Christians even grew up with the idea that dancing in one's own bedroom is bad as well.)

Take for instance the following passage from Song of Songs 7:7-12. If you did not know that this were from the Bible, what would be your first reaction if you heard the words to this song on the radio? 

This is beautiful poetry, but it is pretty explicit. It shows that sex is good, enjoyment of one another's bodies--and heart and emotion and spirit--is good.  The physical, sexual relationship in a marriage is good. By not presenting a good, biblical view of sex at age appropriate times, and only speaking of the negatives of sex, we leave people to be shaped by the culture or to have negative views of sex even within Christian marriage. Both views are not good. 

There is much sexual brokenness today. This is true outside of marriage. But it is true even within Christian marriage. Why? Because of sin and the fall. When God created Adam and Eve, it says that they were naked without shame. But when sin entered into the Garden, Adam and Eve realized that they were naked and felt shamed. 

Today, of course, there is still sin--sin that we commit, and sin that others commit against us. Those who have been emotionally or physically abused may find it difficult for them to be vulnerable or "naked" with their spouse. Sin damaged the earth physically, and age and decay and cancer entered into the world. These can interfere with a good sexual relationship. Spouses sin against one another with selfishness and biting or hurtful words and actions. Emotional and physical affairs cause much damage. 

But in Song of Songs, we see what God intends for sex to be like in a marriage. It is no coincidence that the height of the sexual expression is found in the middle of the book of Song of Songs--and that this lovemaking happens in the context of a "garden."  Song of Songs 4:12-16 says this:

He Says
12 You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride;
    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
    with choice fruits . . . 
15 You are a garden fountain,
    a well of flowing water
    streaming down from Lebanon.

She Says
16 . . . Let my beloved come into his garden
    and taste its choice fruits.


Clearly, this is the sexual relationship that God intended for Adam and Eve to have for one another in the Garden of Eden, where they were made to become "one flesh." In this Song of Songs, God shows us the type of sexual relationship he wants for Christian husbands and wives--passionate, overflowing, wild, and loving--with nothing, no sin, between them to hinder the relationship.

The more that couples put aside the sin of selfishness that is inside us all, the more that the sexual relationship will blossom. And Paul encourages Christian couples to continue to have sexual relations in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5.

The tiredness of the world, sins committed against us, sins of spouses against one another, can all make sexual relations difficult.  And yet, withholding sex, except by mutual consent, because their is sin and hurt, is not an option for Christian couples. Paul even says something totally radical here, that one's own body is not one's own. That is a radical kind of oneness that goes beyond just a metaphor. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but must yield it to her husband! Even more radical for that time--the husband does not have authority over his own body, but must yield it to his wife! That is radical stuff. It means that the offer should, in general, always be open unless there is agreement by both parties to abstain--and only then for a time. Of course, Christian love will temper this demand and take into consideration the spouse's state. But this is still radical. It is far different from the occasional offer when the time and circumstances are just right. It may require a change in lifestyle to make this possible in a marriage to allow time and energy for this relationship. It may require a change in attitude. It may require many things that may be hard, but it is still what God calls Christian couples to do.

Again, sin and selfishness messes all of this up. That is why the more that spouses seek to be like Christ, the better the sex will be. (And Paul says that sex itself protects against sin and affairs.) Song of Songs gives us a glimpse and understanding of the type of sexual relations a Christian couple ought to strive for in their marriage. Marriage and sexual relations can be difficult. But it can also be incredible, with God's help and blessings and a Christ-centered marriage.


What do you think of the image of sexual relations and marriage found in Song of Songs? What challenges do you see? What hope do you draw from this?
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Top 10 Romantic Compliments from Song of Songs that MIGHT NOT TRANSLATE TODAY!!

5/21/2015

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The Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, is another piece of Wisdom literature in the Bible. It describes in stark and explicit--though poetic terms--the physical and sexual relationship between a man and a woman, as well as intense emotional longing and romance. Viewed through the rest of Scripture, there is something about this relationship that also is intensely spiritual in nature. 

More on all of this later. What I wanted to point out in this post is how much the man and woman, husband and wife, really lay on the compliments. I have outlined some of these below. Now, guys, I would not try most of these lines at home--especially the highlighted ones. Telling your wife that she is like a "mare," that her hair is like a "flock of goats" might get you lying on the coach for a night, rather than its intended effect!

But what does this show us about a marriage relationship? Well, one thing it shows is the importance of building up your mate with words of love and admiration! And notice how both the man and the woman do this.

Here is a top ten list of compliments from Song of Songs that may not translate very well today!

  1. "I liken you, my darling, to a mare" (1:9).

  2. "Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead" (2:2)

  3. "Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn" (2:2).

  4. "Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate" (2:3).

  5. "Your neck is like the tower of David" (2:5).

  6. "You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling,
        as lovely as Jerusalem" (5:4).

  7. "Your navel is a rounded goblet
        that never lacks blended wine" (7:2).

  8. "Your waist is a mound of wheat" (7:2).

  9. "Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus (7:5)

  10. "Your breasts like clusters of fruit. 8 I said, 'I will climb the palm tree;
     
       I will take hold of its fruitl'" (7:7-8).

Which of these ten do you like best? What would be good modern day alternatives?


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Have We Lost Our Collection Minds on Sexuality in America?? - Get Wisdom, Share Christ! - Lessons from Proverbs

5/14/2015

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In reading and studying the book of Proverbs this week, I was reminded how God created the world in his Wisdom to work a certain way, and that it is foolish to go against this created order.

One of the topics covered in Proverbs is sexuality. I could not help think that on this issue, our country has lost its collective mind.
  • LOSS OF GENDER DISTINCTIONS - Facebook now has FIFTY-ONE! gender options to choose from.
  • TRIAL MARRIAGES - Trial marriages of two years with no obligation to continue are now being advocated.
  • UNIVERSAL GAY MARRIAGE and DEATH OF FREE SPEECH - The Supreme Court is likely to rule that gay marriage is a constitutional right--something which no state in the history of humanity legally recognized before the Netherlands around the year 2000; Canada's chilling death of free speech and state control on this issue should be a warning to us of what may soon come
  • OPEN MARRIAGES - I have read article after article saying that the only way to "save" the antiquated institution of marriage today is to have open marriages.
  • MANIPULATION OF SOCIAL DATA - Clear data that indicates that children from gay marriages suffer in such arrangements and that these marriages are vastly more promiscuous and unstable and "controlled out" to only look at "stable" gay marriages--which are a very low percentage"--to fit pre-determined politically correct conclusions.
  • ATTACKS AND CRIES OF BIGOTRY for TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE ADVOCATES - And anyone who says that God and nature teaches us that marriage was intended for a man and a woman--virtually unquestioned in this country for hundreds of years--is now decried as a homophobic bigot--even children of gay marriages who argue for this position and gay rights advocates like Kirsten Powers.
The book of Proverbs repeatedly says "there is a way to a man that seems right, but it leads to death" (14:12). The Father in Proverbs repeatedly entreats his Son to reject the illicit call of lady Folly and instead to follow God's way of Wisdom.

Here is one of the many passages on sexuality from Proverbs:

Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
A loving doe, a graceful deer--
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
For your ways are in full view of the LORD,
and he examines all your paths. (Proverbs 5:15-21 TNIV).

Such a teaching today on sexuality, if discussed in the public square, would be decried as bigoted (why only a man and a woman), antiquated (stay with the wife of your youth--who does that?), boring (what, no sex with strangers or another's man's wife?), and naive (what does love have to do with sexuality?). 

But Proverbs and the rest of the Bible teaches us that it takes a transformation of the heart to hear the call of Wisdom. And that is only possible through an encounter with Jesus Christ and the giving of a new heart and new spirit through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Ezek. 36:26f). 

So, to our fellow Christ-followers, while we rightly mourn the ungodliness of the world and the ungodliness that can be found in our own hearts, we cannot preach moralism to the world.The world will only accept God's Wisdom by encountering "Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30). (For more on how Jesus Christ leads us to accept Wisdom from God, click here.)


If we want to change the sexual condition of our country, we must change hearts. We must share Christ. Let us do so for Christ's sake, for the world's sake, for our country's sake, for our children's sake, for our sake. 

What do you think of the current trend in sexuality in America? As Christians, what should be our response?

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5 Major Christ and Redemption Themes Through Which to View/Preach the Book of Proverbs

5/13/2015

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As I state in a previous post on the book of Proverbs, Three Keys to Understanding Proverbs, on the surface, the book of Proverbs seems to be just a collection of wise, pithy sayings on, admittedly significant topics, but that could be viewed as good advice that could be found or offered anywhere--or least, a lot of different places.

But of course, even that surface reading (or, more, likely, a surface pulling out of just random proverbs) would paint a false picture, for the book of Proverbs is God saturated and based upon a God-centered worldview. This is true in particular for the first nine chapters of Proverbs, which is essential for understanding how to use and view chapters 10 through the end of the book.

The book of Proverbs also is seemingly devoid of any kind of references to Christ and any direct prophecies of him. This charge is probably true. However, Jesus himself (Luke 24:27f) and the New Testament writers in the way that they used the Old Testament clearly saw that Jesus was the hermeneutical lens through which Scripture was to be viewed. And when we look at the book of Proverbs through our understanding of Christ and the fuller redemptive story, we can see that there are typological and theological links to Jesus ALL throughout Proverbs.

Walking through some of the book of Proverbs, here are some of the Christ and redemption themes that can be applied to this book to give us a richer, fuller understanding of the godly wisdom. 

(Note: I am indebted to Old Testament professor Dr. Glenn Pemberton for helping me understand and appreciate the Wisdom literature (including Proverbs) and of the "First Testament" in its own right, to historical theology professor Dr. John Mark Hicks for some theological insights on Proverbs, numerous articles, and to especially to Johnathan Akins excellent book on "Preaching Christ from Proverbs.")

    1. Wisdom in Proverbs comes from Seeking God and Trusting the Father/King with Your Heart. 

      The book of Proverbs itself cites a number of different sources for the proverbs, including the words of the wise (22:17), Agur (30:1), and King Lemuel (31:1), and a father and mother's teaching (1:8). But the majority of the book cites King Solomon as its source (1:1; 10:1; 25:1) and emphasizes the father-son relationship as a teaching technique throughout the book. In the book, the king/father, repeatedly asks the son to listen to/accept/trust the father's teachings.

      Note Proverbs 2:1f

      1 My son, if you accept my words
          and store up my commands within you,
      2 turning your ear to wisdom
          and applying your heart to understanding--
      3 indeed, if you call out for insight
          and cry aloud for understanding,
      4 and if you look for it as for silver
          and search for it as for hidden treasure,
      5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
          and find the knowledge of God.

      The New Testament parallels to the above are all obvious when looked through this lens. We are called to seek the kingdom of God like in the parable of the pearl of great price, and to place our faith/trust in God the Father.

    2. Wisdom in Proverbs is a Gift of God.
      Solomon of course received his wisdom from God after asking God to give him wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-9; 4:29-31), and as we can see from the next section of Proverbs 2, the writer of Proverbs clearly attests that wisdom does indeed come from God.

      6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

          from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
      7 He holds success in store for the upright,
          he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
      8 for he guards the course of the just
          and protects the way of his faithful ones.
      9 Then you will understand what is right and just
          and fair—every good path.
      10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
          and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul (2:6-10)

      As is evidenced by Solomon's personal acquisition of wisdom, wisdom is something that God gives as a gift--but we must seek it out and "search for it as a hidden treasure." This gift is accessed by "accepting"/trusting the king's/father's words and treasuring his commands--which will bring about "fear of the Lord" and a change in heart as wisdom enters into it. 

    3. Wisdom is Proverbs Results in Life, Understanding, and Knowledge of Good and Evil
      There are many benefits from seeking and trusting the king/father. One clear benefit found in the Proverbs 2:1f passage is knowledge and understanding. This is something which Adam and Eve sought to take hold of on their own in the garden by partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In Proverbs, this knowledge and understanding comes as as a gift as part of trusting the king/father rather than one's own wisdom and understanding (3:4-5). And from this trusting also comes "success for the upright," a shield/protection from our enemies, understanding, and "pleasantness to our soul."

      In short, as innumerable proverbs testify, following the path of Wisdom results in the good life that God always envisioned for humanity which they could have had if they had trusted God in the garden. 



    4. Wisdom in Proverbs comes from a relationship with the Person of Wisdom.
      Both wisdom and folly are personifed as a young woman in the book of Proverbs--a common literary technique for that genre and time--each calling out to the son to follow her, offering enticements. One path way of course leads to life, and the other leads to death.

      Note particularly Wisdom's call in chapter 8:
      1 Does not wisdom call out?
          Does not understanding raise her voice? . . . .
      17 I love those who love me,
          and those who seek me find me.
      18 With me are riches and honor,
          enduring wealth and prosperity.
      19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
          what I yield surpasses choice silver.
      20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
          along the paths of justice,
      21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
          and making their treasuries full (8:17)

      This personification continues in 8:22, where Wisdom is seen to have been there at creation and before creation with God:

      22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
          before his deeds of old;
      23 I was formed long ages ago,
          at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
      24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
          when there were no springs overflowing with water;
      25 before the mountains were settled in place,
          before the hills, I was given birth,
      26 before he made the world or its fields
          or any of the dust of the earth.
      27 I was there when he set the heavens in place . . . 
      29b and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
      30     Then I was constantly at his side.

      In the strongest terms possible, Wisdom is seen as person to whom the son is called to intimately know and follow, and by entering into this relationship he will come to know the one who has been with God since before creation. Does this not have echoes of someone else? Hmm . . . . 

    5. But Wisdom in Proverbs/OT is Still Equated with Obedience--Pointing to the Need for Jesus, the Wisdom of God.

      As Jonathan Akin says,"Proverbs is a book in which Solomon trains his 'son' (the crown prince) in wisdom. The Bible defines Wisdom as obedience to the covenant (Deut 4: 6; 6: 1-9; 17: 14-20)." (Preaching Christ from Proverbs, p.27). In Deuteronomy, the King is required to write out a copy of the Mosaic law and impress it upon his heart (Deut. 17:18). And as in Deuteronomy 28, Proverbs lays out blessings and curses for those who follow Wisdom (who Obey) and Folly (and Disobey). 

      The problem, of course, in both Deuteronomy and Proverbs and all the rest of the Old Testament is that no one can perfectly follow this path of Wisdom/Obedience. Humanity has an ingrained habit of doing the exact opposite of what the Proverbs call for, and instead, like Adam and Eve, do not trust God with all of their hearts but do indeed lean on their own understanding (Prov. 3:4-5).

  1. What then is the solution? The solution, of course, is Christ. The book of Proverbs repeatedly talks about how there is a way to a man that seems right, but it is actually foolishness and leads to death (14:12). The world inverts what is God's wisdom--being kind, forgiving, generous, faithful--calls it foolish, and takes what God says is foolish--taking revenge, not forgiving, sleeping around--and calls it wisdom.

    In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul says this about Christ coming to earth and dying on a cross: "27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:27-30).

    Jesus is more than Wisdom personified--he is Wisdom incarnate! He became for us and lived the life for us that we could not live--and thus, became our redemption, giving us access to all of the blessings and promises found in the book of Proverbs and the rest of the Bible! 

    And Jesus clearly saw himself as the fulfillment of Wisdom, as he spoke in parables (see Prov. 1:6 - "for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise"), spoke of the wide and narrow paths that lead to destruction or life, and talked about "seeking" the kingdom of God. Wise men sought HIM in Matthew's gospel!!

    The prophecy in Isaiah about the Messiah in Isaiah 11:!f perfectly crystallizes how Jesus was the fulfillment of all Wisdom. Isaiah writes:

    1A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
    2The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord--
    3and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
    He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;
    4but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
    with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth (Isaiah 11:1f).

    Jesus lived this life of Wisdom with help from the Spirit--the same Spirit that we need to help us keep God's commandments, follow his laws, and live the wise life--that was promised in Ezekiel 36:26f.

    Through Christ and the Spirit, we access to all of the blessings that are promised. Christ lived the life of Wisdom that we cannot without him, and the Spirit helps change our heart and delight in the fear of the Lord/God's ways. So the book of Proverbs points us to the need for Christ and the hope and promises found ultimately in him!

    How do you see Christ and redemption themes being applied to the book of Proverbs? How has this changed your understanding of the book?

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If you raise children in the way of the Lord, will they really never depart from it? - 3 Keys to Understanding Proverbs

5/13/2015

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Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." This might be one of the most assuring--and scary--and misused passages of Scripture in the Bible. As I am preaching on Proverbs this week, I thought of this verse, which is a good verse to explore to understand and illustrate what the book of Proverbs is all about, and how to use and not use these proverbs.


As a parent, Christian, and minister, I desperately want my children to follow God, accept Christ, and be faithful Christians all of the rest of their lives. When my oldest child was baptized, it was one of the greatest days of my life. My oldest daughter has always had a good heart, love God, and do the right thing. She also has always been a deep thinker, is very smart, and always has had a lot of very good questions about God and faith.


At times I wondered if she might be "too smart"--too filled with questions--to take that faith step. However, that was not the case, and she made decision to follow Christ. I was so glad! Now, just two more to go--plus a lifetime of faithfulness. No pressure!


For parents raising children in the Lord, Proverbs 22:6 can be reassuring. If you have raised your kids to follow Christ, then you can trust that they will stay faithful. But . . . . what if he or she does not? As parents, we can fear not only that this might happen, but that if it does, it is our fault. 


And in fact, this is exactly what some Christian parents conclude when their children do not accept Christ or later fall away--that they are at fault--because of Proverbs 22:6. After all, if we believe the Bible, do we not believe that Prov. 22:6 is true?


While belief in God's word is good, we must understand the nature of different passages of Scripture--including the book of Proverbs. With that in mind, note these three things about this book and the nature of the proverbs found within it.

  1. 1. It takes wisdom to be able to know when to use proverbs--they are not automatically applicable to every situation.

    Note the opening of Proverbs:
    1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
    2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
        for understanding words of insight . . . 
    5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
        and let the discerning get guidance--
    6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
        the sayings and riddles of the wise (1:1-2, 5-6)

    Even the wise need wisdom for understanding proverbs and parables, and guidance for discerning how to use them. As the book attests, "A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg" (26:7).

    Probably the clearest example within the book of Proverbs itself of the need to use wisdom and discernment in using proverbs is found in the section right above the proverb just cited. Note the following two apparently contradictory proverbs:

    4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, 
    or you yourself will be just like him (26:4).


    5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes (26:5).

    Which is correct? Should you answer a fool or not? It depends on the situation--and that takes discernment to know!



  2. 2. Many proverbs give general truths, not absolute promises. 
    When the genre of literature of the Proverbs is not recognized, then it can lead to a number of problems, such as a crisis of faith in one's self (why is this proverb not coming true for me--what have I done wrong, or why is God not keeping his promise?) to judgmentalism against others (if they were living right, bad things would not happen to them).

    The first issue is dealt with in Job, which serves as a type of counterbalance to the rest of the Wisdom literature which says, generally, that if you live right and follow God, good things will happen. That is the basic gist of much of Proverbs, and it is generally true. But sometimes it is not, which is what Job discovered. Sometimes Satan is at work, people have free will, the proverb's truth may not be fully realized in this world but in the world to come. 

    The second issue is dealt with by Jesus, when he was asked the question, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind" (John 9:2)? This question by his disciples followed a natural wisdom literature idea, that bad things are the result of not mere accident, but sin. While that is often true, it is not always true, as Jesus indicates. 

    We must remember in raising children that people do have free well, Satan is at work, and sometimes, a child may go astray. While generally, they will come back, it is possible that they may not. That is not necessarily the fault of the parent. Even Jesus had a disciple, Judas, who betrayed him.

  3. 3. The Proverbs work best in the context of a relationship with Wisdom/Christ, not on their own. Proverbs 8:22f shows that God "brought forth" Wisdom, and Wisdom was with him in the creation of the world. Wisdom is thus largely the way that the world "works," so to fight it is foolish. So we can see many of these proverbs about money, sex, power, politics and more demonstrated in even the lives of non-believers and in the world at large. 

    However, repeatedly in the book of Proverbs, the Father exhorts his Son to "get wisdom!" Wisdom is personified as a woman calling the Son to follow her, just as Lady Folly also calls him down a different path. The Son is exhorted to choose to follow Wisdom, not Folly, and to devote his life to her. It is out of this relationship with Wisdom, make clear in Prov. 1-9, that the proverbs in Prov. 10f are "lived out" and become most fully a reality.

    No one can or has fulled lived out these parables and the wise life-which, according to Deut. 4:6 and other passages, is obedience to the law--except Jesus, who is the wisdom from God and wisdom incarnate (1 Cor. 1:3). And just as we have our best chance of keeping God's commands when we accept Christ and receive the Spirit (Ezek. 36:26f), so also we have the best chance to see the truths of the parables/wise live found in Proverbs realized when we have a relationship with Wisdom/Christ. 

    So if a child has never accepted the call of Wisdom/Christ, if he has rejected his Father's/parents' teachings, then he has much less chance of the proverbs working themselves out fully in his or her life. In a similar manner, if a child has never accepted Christ, then it is much less likely that he will continue in the "way that he should go." It is Christ who has the power to transform, not mere moralism or teaching about good living. We can teach all the proverbs we like, but without a relationship with Wisdom/Christ, there is little transformative power.


Proverbs has tremendous wisdom and value, but it is best understand and used when the genre is understood, as well as the fuller revelation that we have in Christ. 

How have you understood and used the Proverbs? How have you seen them misused? How do you see that the Proverbs point us to Christ?

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A Powerful Story of a Mother's Sacrifice - Joel Rosenburg's Wife in a WWII Concentration Camp

5/8/2015

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I am convinced more and more that the essence of preaching is the proclamation of the redemptive story--God reaching out to humanity out of his love, sending Christ to live and sacrificially die for us, and raising Jesus Christ from the dead. It is a story about God taking the blackest of life and bringing light into the world. It is about the restoration of hope through the cross.

We are not primarily preaching about morality or better behavior or better marriages--though following God can lead to these things, and they are important. Like Paul, we preach Christ and him crucified--the only story which has the power to truly change and transform our lives, our morals, our marriages, and our family relations.

So for me, no topical preaching lesson will have more impact than if it is connected to this redemptive story. That includes lessons like Mother's Day sermons. The story below tells of a mother's love for her child, which causes her to sacrifice everything for him.

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Solomon Rosenberg, his wife, his two sons, and his mother and father were arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust of WWII. It was a labor camp and the rules were simple: As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you will be exterminated.

Rosenberg watched his mother and father being marched off to their deaths when they became too weak to work. He knew that his youngest son, David, would be next because David had always been a frail child. Every evening when Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of labor, he would search for the faces of his family. When he found them, they would huddle together, embrace one another, and thank God for another day of life.

One day Rosenberg came back, but he didn't see those familiar faces. He finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping, and praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it's not true." Joshua turned and said, "It is true, Poppa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work, so they came for him."

"But where is your mother?" asked Mr. Rosenberg.

"Oh Poppa," he exclaimed. "When they came for David, he was afraid and he was crying. Momma said, ‘There is nothing to be afraid of, David,' and then she took his hand and went with him."

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That, my friends, is powerful. That, my friends, is redemptive. That, my friends, illustrates the kind of love that Christ has for us--a love so strong that he gave himself up for us. 

I would propose that what we find so good in mothers is that sacrificial, selfless love. It touches us because it points to that incredible sacrifice of Christ and the great redemptive story. Mothers have played an incredible part in this redemptive story, from Eve to Sarah to Tamar to Ruth to Bathsheba to Mary. And they continue to play an incredible part in this story in their lives of daily sacrifice. Mothers, we honor you for who you are and for who you so powerfully remind us of--Jesus Christ!

What stories in the Bible do you see that point to the redemptive roles of mothers?

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Ideas for How to Approach Mother's Day Sermons/Messages and Make Them Redemptive

5/4/2015

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Note: I am indebted to Scotland missionary JR Sheets for a discussion that we had today on how to make Mother's Day sermons redemptive. He suggested and we discussed together some of the approaches listed below. Thanks, JR!

Mother's Day sermons and the like can be challenging, I think. We want to address the topics that members and guests have on their minds on this day (there is nothing worse than having people show up on the Sunday before Christmas, for instance, and hearing a sermon on where Cain got his wife!). And the Bible does talk about mothers. However, other than Proverbs 31, it does not address really motherhood in an extended topical form, which is what many people are looking for on these days. So how should we approach this?

I believe that the role of the preacher is in large part to tell the redemptive story/Story of Redemption in each sermon as much as possible.

We are not there to preach mere moralism (though the redemptive story will lead to a higher moral standard), or just to highlight/give honor to different groups (though this can be a part of the redemptive story).

We are not there to merely give out knowledge or textual insights (though this can happen, if it is helpful to the message).

We are there (even on Mother's Day) to preach and proclaim the redemptive story of Christ throughout the ages.

With this in mind, how can we make Mother's Day and other types of topical sermons "redemptive?" Well, the most obvious answer to me is to show how, for instance, mothers fit into God's redemptive plan. Here are some ideas/passages to consider:

  • Highlight the creation story, including Eve, the mother of all living; show how Eve made mistakes, as all people (including mothers) do, but that God worked through Eve as well to bring about the redemption of all through the offspring of the woman (Christ)

  • Highlight Abraham and Sarah--showing how Sarah made some mistakes (in Egypt, with Hagar, impatience, laughing at God), but that God blessed her anyway and eventually fulfilled his promise by giving her Isaac as her son (God's timing is perfect in motherhood, even if we cannot always see it clearly), and that through one of her descendants (Jesus), all peoples would be blessed (Gen. 12:1f)

  • Highlight the women/mothers found in Matthew's genealogy (Hagar, Tamar, Ruth, Bathsheba); they were associated with scandal and messy family relationships and family strife--and yet, God redeemed their lives in this world, and also used them to bring about Christ into the world

  • Highlight Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was also associated with scandal (a perceived illegitimate birth), and the amazing fact that God trusted a mother to raise and nurture the Son of God!; (Luke notes that Mary cherished what was revealed to her about Christ)

  • Highlight John's version of the crucifixion, and how at the cross Jesus gave Mary the mother of Jesus to John to be HIS mother, and John to be HER son; at the cross and through Jesus, a Christ-centered community is formed, bringing together mothers and son, fathers and daughters, brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren--at the cross a family is formed for those who have none, and this family is stronger than any human family

To this I would simply add that many mothers feel guilt and feel inadequate in their role in the raising of children, juggled with being a wife or single parent, or working parent. They also may feel hurt or pain at their children having gone astray, and may even blame themselves. And if they cannot have children or have lost children, this is devastating.

The essence of the gospel is God taking all of the ugliness and stain of this life--all of our mistakes and sin and pain--and making it into something beautiful and redemptive at the cross. And God can do this for mothers as well. This is a biblical, redemptive message that shows mothers their part in God's story, which can give them help and hope. So, this Mother's Day, let's honor mothers for their role in bringing about Christ, the Savior of the world, and share the great Story of Redemption.

What are some passages on mothers that you see as being part of the Redemptive Story? How would you approach Mother's Day?

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Can Good Preaching/Storytelling Bring Happiness?

5/2/2015

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This Is the Key to Happiness, According to Psychotherapists


This article in Time magazine tells how the stories that we tell ourselves help determine our happiness.

While our ultimate goal in life is not to necessarily bring about "happiness," we can and should seek to help people discover the biblical shalom--goodness, peace, and meaningful life--which often leads to happiness. And changing people's self-understanding by helping them discover and adopt a new story is a way to bring about this happiness.

If this is true, then it is yet another reason why our sermons ought to seek to help people enter into the Christian story of redemption. Having stories as illustration is nice, but really, illustrating the purpose and meaning of a life with Christ should be the ultimate goal.

By taking this approach, God works through preaching to help people who are depressed about their current lives to see how a life with Christ can "redeem" their life's story and give them meaning and hope. And this, so say the therapists, may bring about greater happiness in this life--and certainly in the life to come.

Want an example? How about the apostle Paul and legalism? Before Paul encountered Christ, he was a legalistic,violent man, zealously persecuting Christians. After encountering Christ, he became the most passionate proclaimer of God's grace in all of the New Testament.

What are some other biblical and current day stories that could reshape people's self-understanding and give them hope and meaning?


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    Dr. James Nored (Doctor of Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a preacher, evangelist, church consultant, writer, and missional leader located in Fairfax, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C.

    James has served as a lead preaching minister, out-
    reach minister, worship leader, and more in Churches of Christ (300-700 in size) in the Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Dallas, & Washington D.C. areas, and he has given seminars around the country--helping churches grow using Next Generation strategies.

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