6/28/13

From Gary... Periodic indulgences


The Weight-watchers weight-loss program is the best one I have ever used to lose weight.  I only get truly hungry on rare occasions and I am eating more healthfully that I ever have.  Periodically, though, I get the urge for something "less than wonderful" for me and today is one of those days.  I went out for breakfast this morning and as soon as I entered my vehicle I had pork chops on the brain. Not sausages or steak or even my beloved liver-  pork chops, it had to be pork chops. Why I don't know; I just had a craving.  And the thing is- it is OK on weight-watchers to do something like that once in awhile.  So, when I came home and saw this picture, I actually felt good about myself because whoever took the time and trouble to come up with this "Periodic Table" of meat is hooked-totally!!!! There are more important things in this world than meat (go ahead, just try telling the person who made this table!!!) and one of them is your fellow Christian. In ancient Corinth, meat was often offered to Pagan gods in temples and afterward sold in the meatmarket. So, Christians who ate meat in the presence of others who it might bother had a problem- do I eat it or not???  Here is the apostle Paul's answer to the problem...


1 Corinthians, Chapter 6
 12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything.  13 “Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods,” but God will bring to nothing both it and them.

Chapter 8
 1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.  2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know.  3 But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.  4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.  5 For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many “gods” and many “lords”;  6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.  7 However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.  9 But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.  10 For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol’s temple, won’t his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?  11 And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.  12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble. 

Paul is saying that food in reality is nothing- take it or leave it.  But, if by my eating meat that MAY have been sacrificed to an idol may hurt another's conscience, I should not eat meat!!!  Now, I agree with Paul about being sensitive to another's person's conscience, but I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE PERIODIC TABLE AT THE TOP.  Liver should be number 1, followed by pork chops and then turducken!!!!!  And one more thing- eat more GATOR.  We just have too many of them in Florida!!!!

From Bill and Laura Dayton... A parent says to their child



A parent says to his child, “Please clean up the mess in the living room.”

The child says to the parent, “But I didn’t make the mess!”

The parent says to the child, “Did I ask you who made the mess, or to clean up the mess?”

(Proverbs 6:6-8).

In 26 years of church work, the most common phrase I have heard is: “Something or someone is needed….”

What happens when something is not done or someone doesn’t respond? Where does the blame fall?

This insect, without “chief, officer or ruler” carries out its responsibilities without being told, coerced, petted or bribed. Provisions are needed at harvest, so the ant gets to work on the task of harvesting. The ant sets about by responding to the need.

The ant doesn’t point out the luxurious lifestyle of the queen ant or the mistakes of manager ants. He simply sees the need and gets the job done.

To the ant, the words “Something must be done” are turned around to, “I must do something.”


So go consider the ant, and be wise….

From Jim McGuiggan... Acts 2 and Dreaming Dreams

Acts 2 and Dreaming Dreams

Joel 2:28-29 spoke of a day when Israel would be purged of people bent on the evil of deserting God; a day when the Spirit of God would be poured out not only on kings and prophets and exceptional leaders—but on “all flesh”. It’s likely that Joel didn’t have all nations in mind when he said “all flesh” (on the other hand, it’s maybe just as likely that he did). The immediate context speaks of the various strata in Jewish society rather than different nations; sons and daughters, young men, old men, servants, male and female—all would share in the lavish outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 
One of the results and part of the proof that God had indeed opened the new age and had made the Spirit available was the prophetic word, the dreaming of dreams and visions seen that would be experienced by all levels of the community. It’s clear enough that Peter (Acts 2:16-18, 37-39) would take Joel’s promise to apply to Gentiles as well though it isn’t clear that he thought they could share in it apart from Torah observance. Click here for a little more on that. 
What kind of dreams and visions would these be? That’s a good question but it isn’t the kind of thing Joel or Peter has any interest in. The two prophets are more concerned with God’s fulfilment of his promises and they leave the issue of “what kind of dreams are they?” untreated.
Were they predictive dreams and visions; the kind the Magi got when warned against Herod? Were they prophetic visions; the kind Ezekiel and others received from the Lord? Or visions of instruction; the kind Peter and Cornelius got in Acts 10? Why not? Were they the kind that comes as a result of “ordinary” reflection on the Lord and his word; the kind we see and dream when we think to ourselves, “Wouldn’t that be wonderful if and when…”? Why not? God can lead us to dream and see things that don’t have the marvel of prediction in them though they are marvellous and God-generated. [You’ve never experienced something like Martin Luther King’s dream?] Whatever is honourable and good and fine in all our imagining and wishing and labouring is of God! [Not all that we dream and wish and labour for is honourable and fine and good.] 
However we construe the nature of the dreams and visions Joel’s interest is in the radical change that such dreams were to herald. They would be the work of the Spirit and they would be one of the markers that God has delivered his purged people and that the pain and loss of the past was for the past! When God revealed himself things would be different. 
Oh. 
And were they different? Okay, so now young men and women dreamed dreams and saw visions, but how did that differ from Joel’s day; was he not seeing visions and dreaming dreams? 
Is that what the promise has come to; words and dreams and visions? Where’s the power? Where are the deeds? Talk and imaginings are fine but is that what comes after the long wait? More talk about “one of these days”? More speech like, “I have a dream”?  
When righteous people wrestle with entrenched evil and powerful vested interests, are we to say, “One of these days…?” When desperate people fight awful battles against clinging sin that threatens to spill their souls like blood in the streets are we to speak of dreams and visions? 
Hmmm.

©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 Jim McGuiggan... Acts 19 and the Ephesian fire

Acts 19 and the Ephesian fire

There's no way to come up with a modern equivalent to 50,000 drachmas in terms of pounds and pennies or dollars and cents but it comes out at something like 50,000 working-days pay. That's what these converts burned! Books they once made a living by or books they shaped their lives by; books they now thought were an offence to Jesus who had become their Lord—that's what they burned! See Acts 19:17-41.
When you're not into magic and gods and idolatry of the crass and obvious kind I'd have thought their bonfire, while impressive, wouldn't bespectacular but since Ephesus was a town that would literally riot over the idol industry you've got to sit up and pay attention. Maybe to burn your entire tobacco crop in Virginia or your vineyards in France or your poppies in South America or to destroy your dairy-herd in parts of England—maybe that would come close to the emotional equivalent of what they did. [You have your own illustration?]
They burned a lot of money!
They burned an established means of livelihood!
They burned an offence to Jesus, the Lord Christ!
They burned bridges that led back to idolatry!
They said a definitive and permanent no to the satanic!
They made themselves a threatened minority!
They defied their vast city!
They became part of a tiny group that defied the colossal world!
Augustine said in his Confessions (4:14:21), "One loving spirit sets another on fire." That's an established truth we keep forgetting though millions of us have experienced it more than once. These nameless Ephesians make you feel like standing up to applaud and even the atheistic (or has he been misread and was a Joban figure instead?) Nietzsche, taking a brave stand against a lily-livered religion that make weakness a virtue and honourable strength a vice—he commands our admiration. When in his Thus Spoke Zarathustra the prophet urges a would-be follower: "Neglect not the hero in your soul!" we're reminded that however wrong he was, Nietzsche wasn't gutless, in his own life he took his own medicine and we're compelled to think how lightly many of us hold our inherited creeds.
If we are sensitive at all, there are people all around us, Christian and non-Christian who disturb our sleep.

©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 Cleansing Of The Temple (Jn.2:13-25)



                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                 The Cleansing Of The Temple (2:13-25)

INTRODUCTION

1. It is common to think of Jesus as a gentle, peace-loving man...
   a. He certainly presented Himself as such on most occasions - e.g.,
      Mt 11:28-30
   b. People felt comfortable in bringing their children to Him - e.g.,
      Mt 19:13-14

2. Yet on occasion Jesus displayed strong righteous indignation...
   a. Such as when He visited Jerusalem during the Passover at the
      beginning of His ministry
   b. As He drove the moneychangers and merchandisers out of the temple
      - Jn 2:13-15

[What prompted this outburst of anger?  What gave Jesus the authority to
do this?  What lessons might we glean from this event?  As we seek to
find the answers let's first note...]

I. THE REBUKE OF THE LORD

   A. MERCHANDISING HIS FATHER'S HOUSE...
      1. The Lord's rebuke reveals the reason for His outburst - cf. Jn 2:16
      2. The sellers of oxen and sheep, along with the moneychangers,
         had turned the temple into a house of merchandise
      3. It was to be a house of prayer, they had turned it into a den
         of thieves - cf. Mt 21:13
      -- The Lord was angered by the manner in which some used religion
         to make money

   B. MIGHT WE BE GUILTY OF A SIMILAR OFFENSE...?
      1. What if we attend church simply as a form of "networking", to
         make business contacts?
      2. What if we take advantage of our relationship as brethren to
         further a multilevel marketing business, a home-based business,
         or any other financial enterprise?
      -- The Lord's temple today is the church, we must be careful lest
         we defile it as well (cf. 1Co 3:16-17)

[The Lord has ordained that those who preach the gospel be supported (1
Col 9:14).  But He is angered by those who view the Lord's temple
(people) as a way to get rich.  Next, we note that His anger was
prompted by...]  

II. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD

   A. ZEAL FOR HIS FATHER'S HOUSE...
      1. The disciples were reminded of an Old Testament prophecy - Jn 2:17;
         cf. Ps 69:9
      2. Jesus had zeal (fervor) for God's house, for it's intended
         purpose (a house of prayer)
      -- His great zeal for His Father's house moved Him to action

   B. HOW IS OUR ZEAL FOR THE LORD'S HOUSE...?
      1. Remember, today the Father's house is the church - cf. 1 Ti 3:15
      2. Do we have great zeal for the church?
         a. That it fulfill it's intended purpose (to make known God's
            will)? - cf. Ep 3:10-11
         b. That we are troubled when we see people try to turn it into
            something else, such as social club, or a purveyor of 
            entertainment?
      -- If we have zeal for the Lord's house, we will not rest silent
         when others pervert its purpose

[Of course, the action we take may not be the same as what Jesus did. 
Indeed, He took up "a whip of cords."  What right did He have to use
such a display of force?  That's what the Jews wanted to know...]

III. THE AUTHORITY OF THE LORD

   A. THE SIGN THAT PROVES HIS AUTHORITY...
      1. They wanted to know what sign (miracle) He could offer to prove
         His right to cleanse the temple - Jn 2:18
      2. Jesus offered His ability to rise from the dead as the ultimate
         proof - Jn 2:19-22
         a. Later, He would restate His claim to have this ability -Jn 10:17-18
         b. His resurrection proved that He was the Son of God - cf. Ro 1:4
      -- He has been given the authority to exercise such judgment as
         cleansing the temple - cf. Jn 5:22,26-27

   B. WE DO NOT HAVE THE SAME AUTHORITY...
      1. We are to judge with righteous judgment - Jn 7:24
         a. At times we must distinguish between "hogs" and "dogs" - Mt 7:6
         b. We can distinguish between good and bad fruit - Mt 7:15-20
      2. But our authority to judge is limited - Mt 7:1-5
         a. There are things we cannot judge in this life - 1Co 4:3-5
         b. There are people we are not to judge - 1Co 5:11-13
         c. Vengeance in particular belongs to the Lord - cf. Ro 12:
            17-19
      -- While Jesus is our example (cf. 1Pe 2:21), there are some
         "steps" that He took that we cannot take

[The reason we cannot emulate the Lord in every case becomes evident as
we consider...]

IV. THE POWER OF THE LORD

   A. THE POWER THAT JUSTIFIES HIS ACTION...
      1. John mentions how many came to believe in Him because of His
         signs - Jn 2:23
      2. John also makes note of His unwillingness to commit Himself to
         others at this time
         a. He had no need to, because he knew all - Jn 2:24
         b. He had no need to, because he knew what was in man - Jn 2:25
      -- Jesus is revealed as one who can discern the hearts of men 
         - cf. Mt 9:4; Re 2:23

   B. WE DO NOT HAVE THE SAME POWER...
      1. We cannot discern the hearts of men like the Lord can; note
         these comments:
         a. "Our Lord knew all men, their nature, dispositions,
            affections, designs, so as we do not know any man, not even
            ourselves."
         b. "He knows his crafty enemies, and all their secret projects;
            his false friends, and their true characters."
         c. "He knows who are truly his, knows their uprightness, and
            knows their weaknesses."
         d. "We know what is done by men; Christ knows what is in them,
            he tries the heart."
         -- Matthew Henry Commentary
      2. Since we cannot read the hearts of men, we must be careful
         a. We are unable to always know the motives of others
         b. We must approach those in opposition with humility - cf. 
            2Ti 2:24-26  
         c. We must approach brethren overtaken in a fault with
            gentleness - cf. Ga 6:1

CONCLUSION

1. In contending for the faith (which is a solemn duty, Jude 3)...
   a. Some often use the example of Jesus cleansing the temple to
      justify their behavior
   b. As they lash out in anger (righteous indignation?) towards those
      teaching error

2. Is it right to appeal to Jesus' example in this case...?
   a. Can we appeal to every example of Jesus?
   b. If so, are we justified to use a whip of cords as well?

3. The immediate context offers reasons to answer carefully...
   a. Jesus possessed unlimited authority to judge man, proven by His
      resurrection from the dead
   b. Jesus possessed divine power to read the hearts of men, we
      sometimes cannot even discern our own hearts

4. There are times for righteous indignation...
   a. But some things must be left to the Lord, the righteous Judge
   b. We must avoid what might actually be "self-righteous" indignation!

While we may not always be able to emulate the Lord's prerogative to
judge, we should certainly strive to copy His zeal for His Father's
house.  Is our zeal for His church what it ought to be...?


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Mark Copeland... The Water Turned To Wine (Jn.2:1-12)


                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                   The Water Turned To Wine (2:1-12)

INTRODUCTION

1. John's purpose in his gospel was to produce faith - Jn 20:30-31
   a. Which he sought to accomplish by recording the "signs" done by
      Jesus
   b. Not all of them, but enough to produce faith in Jesus as the
      Christ, the Son of God

2. The "signs" Jesus performed were miracles...
   a. Expressions of supernatural, divine power
   b. Designed to attest His unique relationship with God - cf. Ac 2:22

[The first sign recorded by John took place shortly after Jesus had
acquired His first disciples...]

I. THE SETTING

   A. IN CANA OF GALILEE...
      1. On the third day - Jn 2:1
         a. The third day after Jesus made two more disciples
            (Hendriksen)
         b. Taking two days to reach Galilee from Judea (JFB)
      2. In the city of Cana - Jn 2:1
         a. Cana was about 4 miles NE of Nazareth, and SW of the Sea of
            Galilee
         b. Jesus had wanted to go to Galilee - cf. Jn 1:43
         c. Nathanael was from the city of Cana - cf. Jn 21:2

   B. AT A WEDDING FEAST...
      1. The mother of Jesus was there - Jn 2:1
      2. Likewise Jesus and His disciples, who had been invited - Jn 2:2
         a. Jesus and His disciples were not ascetics - cf. Mt 9:14
         b. He came eating and drinking - cf. Mt 11:19

   C. WHERE THE WINE HAD RUN OUT...
      1. As noted by the mother of Jesus - Jn 2:3
         a. She appears to have some role of responsibility and
            authority - cf. Jn 2:5
         b. The invitation to Jesus and His disciples may have been a
            last minute thing
         c. Running out of wine would have been an embarrassment to
            Mary, if she were in charge
         d. She tells Jesus; perhaps hinting a request? (RWP)
      2. Jesus responds to His mother - Jn 2:4
         a. "Woman"
            1) Not a term of disrespect in those days - cf. Jn 19:26;
               20:15
            2) Though a subtle hint may be implied by its use instead of
               "Mother" that their relationship of mother and son was
               changing
         b. "What does your concern have to do with Me?"
            1) Perhaps a mild rebuke for her anxiety
            2) Perhaps too much like Martha? - cf. Lk 10:41
         c. "My hour has not yet come."
            1) This suggests that Mary's request was more than just a
               desire for a gift of wine
            2) Perhaps she wanted a supreme manifestation of Him as the
               Messiah
            3) That event would come later, with His death and
               resurrection - cf. Jn 2:18-19; 12:23,27; 17:1
            4) His mother sought for a supreme sign, but at that time
               only a secondary sign could be fittingly given
            5) I.e., the triumph at Pentecost was not to be achieved at
               Cana (McGarvey)

[Despite the subtle rebuke, Mary evidently sense a willingness on Jesus'
part to do something.  So she instructed the servants to do whatever He
says (cf. Jn 2:5). This leads us to...]

II. THE MIRACLE

   A. THE WATER TURNED TO WINE...
      1. Beginning with six empty water pots - Jn 2:6
         a. Normally used for the Jewish rituals of purification - cf.
            Mk 7:3-4
         b. Capable of holding twenty or thirty gallons (two or three
            firkins, KJV) each
      2. Filled with water - Jn 2:7
         a. As instructed by Jesus
         b. Filled to the brim
      3. A sample drawn and taken to the master of the feast - Jn 2:8
         a. As instructed by Jesus
         b. Carried out by the servants
         c. Apparently what was drawn was still water; it became wine
            before reaching the guests - cf. Jn 2:9

   B. THE IMPACT ON THOSE PRESENT...
      1. Upon the master of the feast - Jn 2:9-10
         a. He tasted the water that was made wine
         b. Not knowing where it came from, he called the bridegroom
         c. Telling him that he kept the good wine for last, contrary to
            normal custom
      2. Upon the disciples of Jesus - Jn 2:11
         a. It was the beginning of signs Jesus did in Galilee - cf. Jn 4:54
         b. In which Jesus manifested His glory - cf. Jn 1:14
         c. Their faith in Jesus was even more strengthened

   C. THE IMPACT ON US TODAY...
      1. It should not be to justify the custom of social drinking
         a. The word "oinos" can refer to fermented wine, but not
            necessarily
         b. Alcoholic drinks today are much stronger than those in Bible
            times
         c. The Bible is filled with the dangers of drinking - cf. Pro
            20:1; 23:29-35
         d. We do well to consider the influence of our example - cf.
            Ro 14:21; 1Co 10:31-33
      2. This miracle of turning water to wine reveals Jesus as:
         a. One who honors the bond of marriage by His presence at the
            wedding
         b. One who bestows His gifts lavishly; if in the physical
            realm, how much more in the spiritual?
         c. One whose infinite love is made effective by His equally
            infinite power
         d. One who, accordingly, is the Son of God, full of grace and
            glory
         -- William Hendricksen, New Testament Commentary

CONCLUSION

1. After this miracle in Cana, Jesus went down to Capernaum - Jn 2:12
   a. Capernaum, a city on the northwestern shore of Galilee, visited
      frequently by Jesus
   b. Together with His mother, His brothers (cf. Mt 13:55), and His
      disciples
   c. Though they did not stay many days - cf. Jn 2:13

2. The disciples of Jesus must have been excited...
   a. They had heard the testimony of John the Baptist concerning Jesus
   b. They had borne their own initial testimony as to Jesus
   c. Now they had seen this "sign" that Jesus was truly what they
      believed Him to be!

More signs to come would increase their faith in Jesus.  They can have a
similar affect in us as we continue to read and study the gospel
according to John...




Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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