From Gary... Food is...

Food; one of my favorite topics!!!  Food means different things to different people: My great-aunt Elizabeth frequently used to say- "you either eat to live or live to eat". (and she lived a whopping 105 years) The Weight-watchers meetings I attend weekly remind me that eating can be both healthy and fun.  Just this past Monday, I heard about PB2, which is powdered peanut butter.  At only a small fraction of the fat, I hope to find it an enjoyable substitute to the "normal" kind.  Oh, I went off on a tangent and forgot about the picture.  Meatloaf, topped by mashed potatoes and a garnish- and it looks like dessert???  What is dessert anyway?  A custom, a necessity, a pleasure, indulgence???  When I was eight years young, my great-aunt Helen and her husband Gardner took me to Thornie's restaurant in Troy one evening.  I remember it because it was the first time I had ever been in such a place.  Even though it was suppertime, I ordered a Western omelet with cheese.  When I was done, Helen said"and NOW, what would you like for DESSERT"???  After a long silence, I said- may I have another one of those things, please?  It was the best dessert I have ever had, barring none!!!  The Bible has a great deal to say about food, more than I can fully discuss in this brief post, but the following verses are but a few that involve food....

Genesis, Chapter 3

 6  When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. 

Matthew, Chapter 6

25  Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  26  See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 

Matthew, Chapter 25

34  Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;   35  for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 

John, Chapter 4

 34  Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.

Romans, Chapter 14

  13 Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.  14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.  16 Then don’t let your good be slandered,  17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.  18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.  19 So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.  20 Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating. 21 It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak. 

Food can be many, many things to different people, but it is NOT EVERYTHING!!! Like everything given to us by God it should be used correctly and thankfully received.  God will give us what we really need and we should give to others as well.  Unfortunately, I am still working on all this, but I am making progress.  Take a few minutes today to think about your relationship with food  and others today- maybe at lunch or supper; I will!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Unequal yokes and mixed marriages

Unequal yokes & mixed marriages

Does 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 forbid a Christian to marry a non-Christian? The verses say, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?...What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?" Paul concludes the section with the prophetic call, "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord...and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Opinions divide on this and, in the end, this section won't settle the matter. Hughes thinks it intends to include marriage and Hafemann thinks it has nothing to do with marriage. You can line names up on either side of the question. Our broader theological views will lead us to our conclusion on a passage like this.

"Do not" is a present imperative. As it so often does it probably means, "Stop becoming" unequally yoked with unbelievers. Whatever is involved in this unequal yoking not only are they to stop it, they are also to "come out from among" those with whom they are or would be tempted to be unequally yoked. "Come out" is an aorist imperative and the call is for a clean and decisive break. In the Old Testament setting a clean break with Babylon (and what it stands for) is called for. If they make that heart-break with Babylon God would receive them as his people and would bring them out of captivity. The implication clearly is--clear to me at least--that if they wont make the break they break with God.

It would appear that if marriage to a non-Christian is embraced in this unequal yoking concept that not only must Christians stop doing it they must also come out from under the unequal yoke. It's difficult to think that Paul would teach that we shouldn't get ourselves into an anti-God and anti-Christ relationship but that it would be all right to stay in it once were in it. Add to that the "come out". If we should conclude that that would mean we had to withdraw from a marriage with an unbeliever then we'd have trouble with 1 Corinthians 7 where he forbids a believer to initiate the dissolution of such a marriage.

Of course we might say that the mixed marriages of 1 Corinthians 7 were originally marriages between two non-believers and one became a believer whereas here it speaks of marriages where believers entered a marriage with a non-believer. We could argue that Paul forbids the breaking up of the first and calls for the breaking up of the second. That would be a valid distinction but does it ring true to the texts? We have two mixed marriages and one is to be maintained (it's not a continuing unequal yoke?) and the other is to broken from? In any case, we'd need to be prepared for the consequences of our theology. If marrying an unbeliever is becoming unequally yoked and is light fellowshipping darkness what does "come out" mean?

Other complex issues arise. Such as, is a mixed marriage a "real" marriage or does God not recognize it? If he does not recognize it where does that leave the two people involved? And the children of such a union? And if "come out" means to terminate the marriage what is a church to say to those who refuse to terminate? Are they "living in fornication"? It goes on from there. If he does recognize it why does he call for it to be dissolved? This is not a "tidy" question.

Perhaps all of that is too much for us to face. In the face of this passage is it permissible to say, "God says we shouldn't do it but if we initiate and continue to maintain that Christ/Belial, light/darkness union then we don't have to "come out"? Does the section read as though that's permissible? It doesn't to me. It reads like a blunt, no punches-pulled call with awful consequences implied if the "come out" is sidestepped or ignored. 

Whatever the text is dealing with it demands a stop to initiation and a severance of an existing situation.

For myself, I don't think this section is dealing with such relationships.

This specific section may not speak to "mixed marriages" but I don't think that that is the end of the matter. I've seen marriages take place between two Christians that made me wince. I've seen business relationships entered that looked morally doomed from the start. I've seen destructive friendships entered despite loving and wise warnings. And I've seen marriages between a believer and a non-believer that spiraled down precisely because the believer came to realize that her faith meant more to her than she had known. Believers who marry non-believers make decisions for their children and their grandchildren. This means that a decision to marry a non-believer is a very serious decision indeed. 

All that is true even though I don't think 2 Corinthians 6 has anything to do with marriage in particular.

It isn't hard to "apply the principles" (as we put it) of such a text. But that's a far cry from saying "this passage teaches this." An act or an attitude may be wrong without an explicit text to condemn it. Sin is more than an act, it is heart-leaning, an attitude, a willingness to be morally stupid. We can sin without violating an explicit text.

Oh, I've also seen mixed marriages that turned out to be ideal--where both ended up as Christians and I've marriages between two Christians that went nowhere but down.

There aren't many things more stupid than Christians relying on a forbidding text to keep young people from marrying non-believers without offering rich, warm, inspirational biblical theology about Christian destiny, mission and maximum joy. By the time some young man or woman is speaking of marriage to a non-believer it's already too late to quote a verse of scripture.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Crucifixion Of Jesus (Mk.15:21-32)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                  The Crucifixion Of Jesus (15:21-32)

INTRODUCTION

1. Thus far in Mark’s account of the passion of Christ, we have seen...
   a. The agonizing prayer in the garden of Gethsemane - Mk 14:32-42
   b. The betrayal of Judas and arrest in the garden - Mk 14:43-50
   c. The beating and mocking at Caiaphas’ house - Mk 14:65
   d. The denial by Peter - Mk 14:66-72
   e. The scourging, beating, and mocking by Roman soldiers - Mk 15:15-20

2. By this time Jesus would have been physically exhausted...
   a. Awake for more than 24 hours
   b. Suffering from the beatings and scourging already inflicted

[But the worse was yet to come; condemned to death by crucifixion, the
Roman soldiers led him to the place where He would be crucified (Mk
15:20).  With the aid of Mark’s text, let us follow Him...]

I. LEADING TO THE CRUCIFIXION

   A. SIMON COMPELLED TO BEAR HIS CROSS...
      1. Jesus started out bearing His cross - cf. Jn 19:17
         a. Likely the wooden crosspiece (patibulum), weighing 30-40
            pounds
         b. But it proved too much for Him
      2. Simon of Cyrene compelled to bear it for Him - Mk 15:21
         a. Mark identifies him as the father of Alexander and Rufus
         b. The latter possibly known to the church in Rome - cf. Ro 16:13

   B. BROUGHT TO GOLGOTHA...
      1. A place near (outside) the city - cf. Jn 19:20
      2. Golgotha a modified transliteration of the Aramaic word for
         "skull" - Mk 15:22
      3. Calvary comes from the Latin word for "skull" - cf. Lk 23:33

   C. WINE AND MYRRH OFFERED BUT REFUSED...
      1. A narcotic drink was sometimes offered to criminals to deaden
         the pain of crucifixion
      2. Jesus was offered such a drink, but refused - Mk 15:23
      3. Perhaps choosing to experience the ordeal of crucifixion with
         His full senses

[Next we read of...]

II. THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS

   A. AS DESCRIBED BY MARK...
      1. "They crucified Him" - Mk 15:24,25
      2. Amazingly restrained, as are the other gospel writers! - 

         Mt 27:35; Lk 23:33; Jn 19:18
      3. Especially when it was "the cruelest and most hideous
         punishment possible" - Cicero

   B. AS DESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR...
      1. Simon is ordered to place the cross beam on the ground, and
         Jesus is quickly thrown backwards with His shoulders against
         the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front
         of the wrist. He drives the heavy, square, wrought-iron nail
         through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to
         the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to
         pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and
         movement. The cross beam is then lifted in place at the top of
         the vertical beam The left foot is pressed backward against
         the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail
         is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees
         moderately flexed. The Victim is now crucified. As He slowly
         sags down with more weight on the nails and the wrists,
         excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the
         arms to explode in the brain--the nails in the wrists are
         putting pressure on the median nerves.
      2. As he pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment,
         He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again
         there is searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves
         between the metatarsal bones of the feet. At this point,
         another phenomenon occurs. As the arms fatigue, great waves of
         cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep,
         relentless throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the
         inability to push Himself upward. Air can be drawn into the
         lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in
         order to get even one small breath. Finally carbon dioxide
         builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps
         partially subside. Spasmodically He is able to push Himself
         upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen.
      3. Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending
         cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as
         tissue is torn from His lacerated back as He moves up and down
         against the rough timber. Then another agony begins. A deep
         crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills
         with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost
         over--the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level--
         the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick,
         sluggish blood into the tissues--the tortured lungs are making
         a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. The body of
         Jesus is now in extremis, and He can feel the chill of death
         creeping through His tissues His mission of atonement has been
         completed. Finally He can allow His body to die. - C. Truman
         Davis, "The Crucifixion of Jesus. The Passion of Christ from a
         Medical Point of View," Arizona Medicine 22, no. 3 March 1965:
         186-87, as quoted in The Expositor's Bible Commentary Vol. 8,
         ed. by Frank Gaebelein ([1984] pp. 779-80.

[Even the doctor’s description cannot adequately express what suffering
Jesus endured on the cross for our sins.  Before we close, let’s
summarize what else is revealed surrounding the crucifixion...]

III. SUMMARY OF OTHER DETAILS

   A. THE GARMENTS...
      1. When they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting
         lots - Mk 15:24
      2. As foretold by David - Ps 22:18

   B. THE TIME...
      1. Mark says it was the "third hour" - Mk 15:25
      2. This would be 9am in the morning

   C. THE INSCRIPTION...
      1. Pilate had the charge or accusation made against Jesus posted
         on the cross
      2. It was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin - Jn 19:20
      3. Each of the gospel writers record the inscription slightly
         different
         a. Mark:  "The King of the Jews" - Mk 15:26
         b. Matthew:  "This is Jesus the King of the Jews" - Mt 27:37
         c. Luke:  "This is the King of the Jews" - Lk 23:38
         d. John:  "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" - Jn 19:20
      4. Reconciling the apparent discrepancy
         a. The full inscription may have been "This is Jesus of
            Nazareth the King of the Jews"
         b. Written in three languages, it may have been abbreviated,
            and each gospel writer simply chose that which reflected
            his purpose in his gospel

   D. THE TWO THIEVES...
      1. Two robbers were crucified with Jesus - Mk 15:27-28
      2. Possibly co-insurrectionists with Barabbas who had been
         released

   E. THE BLASPHEMY AND MOCKERY...
      1. Those who passed by, with the false charge made against him -
         Mk 15:29; 14:57-58
      2. The chief priests and scribes, taunting Jesus to make them
         believe - Mk 15:31-32
      3. Even the two thieves, though one later recanted - Mk 15:32; cf.
         Lk 23:39-43

CONCLUSION

1. Thus begins the six hours that will result in the death of Jesus...
   a. An excruciating death in of itself
   b. Made worse by the beatings and scourging, the mocking before and
      during

2. What can we learn from this terrible event...?
   a. The terribleness of the guilt of sin - Ro 3:23; 6:23
   b. The greatness of God's love for man - Ro 5:6-9; 1Jn 4:9-10
   c. The inspiration of Jesus' sacrifice - 1Pe 2:21-25

In our next lesson, we shall consider Jesus’ death and burial that
followed this terrible crucifixion.  But as you reflect on what Jesus’
endured, have you considered what you should do...? - cf. Ac 2:36-41

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011