Wednesday, December 21, 2011
December 21, Day 355
To whom was Hebrews written and why? Those are critical questions if you want to consistently interpret the difficult passages found here. Is this epistle primarily for a groups of Jews who needed to decide if they would embrace Jesus as their Messiah? Or is it for Christians who were in danger of losing their salvation? Or (as I believe) is it to a group of Christians in danger of being stuck in a spiritual wilderness when God designed them to enter the Promised Land?
No doubt the target audience needed to deal with some false doctrines. One of those was worshiping angels. Another was making Jesus just a great teacher without recognizing that He is the Son of God. However, the core topic of this letter seems to be spiritual rest. "Come to Me, all you who labor...and I will give you rest," said Jesus. He called us to fight spiritual battles, but to do so while resting in Him; letting Him be God. It's one of our greatest challenges.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
December 20, Day 354
1 Peter is a letter of warning and encouragement. Peter understood that people would be tempted to walk away from the faith and back to their old lives. He also acknowledged the persecution that was happening to God's people everywhere and encouraged them to stay the course.
For instance, So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT) I have a friend who has gone back to the old way of living. My heart breaks as I read these verses.
Monday, December 19, 2011
December 19, Day 353
Paul was released from Roman house arrest and wrote this letter to Titus from Nicopolis. Titus was on the island of Crete, helping the churches there. Cretans were among those who heard the Gospel in their own language on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). No doubt they went home and started churches, though they had almost no instruction to help them. Now those churches were struggling with Jewish legalism mixed in along with proclamation that Jesus, their messiah had come. Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them. (Titus 3:9-11 NLT) It's certain that this letter would stay in Crete after Titus left, helping church leaders stand against the pervasive false teaching.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
December 18, Day 352
Timothy was like the son Paul never had. He had the early signs of being a great influencer who would help churches long after Paul himself was gone. Timothy was overseeing the church in Ephesus, which had about 60,000 members in various house groups. This letter is a classroom on how to have a stable, effective church. Paul sates his ultimate goal for this letter: The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. (1 Timothy 1:5 NLT)
Saturday, December 17, 2011
December 17, Day 351
Paul was confined to house arrest when he wrote this letter to his spiritual children in Philippi. I have started to understand a little of what it means to see someone cross the line of faith, then watch them start growing in Christ. I watch them make decisions and face life challenges. I watch them weigh out whether to follow God's way or go back to their old life. I pray for them and feel concern for them. That's the way Paul was here.
His "children" were facing legalists who wanted everyone to convert (via circumcision for the males) to judaism before they could become Christ followers. Some of them were squabbling. They needed to recapture their joy as they followed Jesus. Therefore, Paul wrote this letter from captivity and the whole thing is about joy. He longed for them to experience it just as he did. It's powerful!
Friday, December 16, 2011
December 16, Day 350
My reading in Ephesians today was like a long soak in a jacuzzi on a cold day. I was warmed and refreshed as I read of God's great love for us. Various passages comforted me while others challenged me. I hope you have time to read it slowly, pondering the words as you read.
I was particularly fed by a passage in the first chapter: God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. (Ephesians 1:9-11 NLT)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
December 15, Day 349
Paul's letter to the church at Colossae is full of deep encouragement and truth. It contains a passage that I found very difficult to comprehend until I took the time to memorize it. Since then, it is one of my most beloved in all the Bible. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:13, 14 NLT) He rescued us from the darkness, even though we had loved the darkness better than the light. Then He transferred us to His kingdom, where we found freedom and forgiveness. I plan to dwell on that truth all day today!
Philemon is a wonderful little personal letter from Paul about a former runaway slave named Onesimus. Somehow God had orchestrated events so that Onesimus found Paul, then decided to follow Christ. He was radically transformed. The time came for them to deal with his status in breach of Roman law. Paul sent him back (slavery was an accepted part of their lives), telling Philemon that Onesimus his slave was now his brother in Christ. Paul was very respectful and loving while being quite straightforward in his request. It's a powerful picture of how Christ transforms people and how the Gospel can be worked out in various cultures.
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