Sunday, November 06, 2005
"Believe the Unbelievable...
Receive the inconceivable. See beyond your wildest imagination.” ~Steven Curtis Chapman
Demonstration—God is so good at it. Instead of writing down myths and legends for our insight, the Lord uses all of history, man’s time on earth, from beginning to end, as revelation. Jesus gave us a clue, as John writes in his gospel. Did you ever notice what a great showman He was? He blatantly ignored Lazarus as he lay dying; was it for His benefit or the disciples, to dodge the authorities? Uh…was He afraid? Maybe Mary and Martha needed to grow spiritually? John plainly describes the crowd at Lazarus’ resurrection. This time, Jesus wasn’t going to perform for a couple of people. He waited so that the whole community could witness God’s power. So that we couldn’t miss the point, He prayed, aloud and said, “I’m not saying this for You, Dad. I’m saying it for them.” Later on, in John 12:28-30, Jesus is quoted again:
“Father, glorify Your Name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there (and heard it) said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to Him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.”
The picture paints a view of our Father which, if we apply to all of history—a ‘show’ for all of mankind to see—we will read God’s Word in a whole new light. I have always read my Bible to find what God is teaching me…something I can apply to how I live. This idea I am proposing (the sense I received from Edith Schaeffer) is enough different that it has transformed my faith. The Bible is not just a collection of life lessons. There are faith lessons abounding…not lessons in story or myth form—not allegory. History. Science. Who is our God and what is He up to? These lessons give us deeper understanding, wisdom, closer relationship with our God, a means for defending our stronger faith, a reasonable faith, and insights beyond our wildest imagination! Genesis reveals origin and condition of man, covenant and promises of Abraham’s story and Isaac’s salvation (a snapshot of the Lamb). Joseph and his personhood pointing to the personhood of Christ, and then Moses’ obedience and reception of God’s Law, the old covenant as a precursor to Christ bringing the New! This is where we will pick up from God’s continuing Story.
Demonstration—God is so good at it. Instead of writing down myths and legends for our insight, the Lord uses all of history, man’s time on earth, from beginning to end, as revelation. Jesus gave us a clue, as John writes in his gospel. Did you ever notice what a great showman He was? He blatantly ignored Lazarus as he lay dying; was it for His benefit or the disciples, to dodge the authorities? Uh…was He afraid? Maybe Mary and Martha needed to grow spiritually? John plainly describes the crowd at Lazarus’ resurrection. This time, Jesus wasn’t going to perform for a couple of people. He waited so that the whole community could witness God’s power. So that we couldn’t miss the point, He prayed, aloud and said, “I’m not saying this for You, Dad. I’m saying it for them.” Later on, in John 12:28-30, Jesus is quoted again:
“Father, glorify Your Name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there (and heard it) said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to Him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.”
The picture paints a view of our Father which, if we apply to all of history—a ‘show’ for all of mankind to see—we will read God’s Word in a whole new light. I have always read my Bible to find what God is teaching me…something I can apply to how I live. This idea I am proposing (the sense I received from Edith Schaeffer) is enough different that it has transformed my faith. The Bible is not just a collection of life lessons. There are faith lessons abounding…not lessons in story or myth form—not allegory. History. Science. Who is our God and what is He up to? These lessons give us deeper understanding, wisdom, closer relationship with our God, a means for defending our stronger faith, a reasonable faith, and insights beyond our wildest imagination! Genesis reveals origin and condition of man, covenant and promises of Abraham’s story and Isaac’s salvation (a snapshot of the Lamb). Joseph and his personhood pointing to the personhood of Christ, and then Moses’ obedience and reception of God’s Law, the old covenant as a precursor to Christ bringing the New! This is where we will pick up from God’s continuing Story.
