THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE AT REST (1)

Augustine’s Confessions is a journey into a Christian leader’s journal of struggle, openness and brokenness. This timeless classic is the first example of a Christian leader (after the Apostle Paul) of opening up his heart to his readers. It is a profound example of humility and a genuine search for God. In Book I, chapter 1, paragraph 1 there is the following famous insight about human beings:“The thought of You (O God) stirs man so deeply that he cannot be content unless he praises you, because you made us for yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you” (Saint Augustine’s Confessions,  translated by R.S. Pine-Coffin. 1961; 1983 reprint; New York, NY: Penguin Book Classics; page 21).

            I am struck by Augustine’s initial phrase…”The thought of You (O God)…” It makes me want to ask, “What kind of thoughts about God stir us deeply?” Over the years, without really being aware of it, my own experience, study and relationship with God has been slowly but surely answering that question intuitively. Right now, here are some of the thoughts about God that stir me so deeply. What about you?

1.      The awesome creative power of God.

2.      The unfailing love of God.

3.      God’s covenant commitment to me no matter what.

4.      The absolute trust I can place in His care for me.

5.      His comfort as a loving Heavenly Father.

6.      His image planted within me (Imago Dei).

7.      His utter forgetfulness when he forgives my sins!

8.      His being as the very source of truth and reality

9.      Everything beautiful (tob, Hebrew) and good as part of his original design on the earth

10.  His desire to be sought after and found

11.  His absolute opposition to anything evil

12.  His sovereign rule and power over the universe

13.  The relinquishing of his son for sinful humanity

14.  The incarnation

15.  Three beings in one (Godhead/Trinity)

16.  Mystery of God’s plan unveiled in Jesus

17.  His eternal presence in heaven

No doubt you can add to this list. But each one of these areas raises the hair on the back of my neck as I contemplate the very existence of God. I pray that I will never get to the point in my life where these cease to stir my heart deeply! 

In Christian love, Curtis

HOMECOMING

One of my favorite Christian authors is Henri J. M. Nouwen. One of the most gripping books he ever wrote was called, The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming. He chanced to come across a reproduction of Rembrandt’s Prodigal Son painting. Sometime later he had the opportunity to actually go to St. Petersburg, and see the painting in person there in a museum. Through a friend of his, he was able to sit and meditate on the painting for over four hours. His book contains his thoughts on this experience.

What is unique about this book is that  Nouwen weaves together parts of the biblical narrative, parts of Rembrandt’s own story, and his own reflections inspired by the painting itself. This tri-fold weaving of resources makes for a memorable and remarkable writing that forces one to think of deep issues of the heart.

When his friend introduced Henri to the Hermitage museum, he was afraid that,  with all of the time and trouble it took to arrange a personal encounter with the painting, he would disappointed with the actual picture itself. He maintains the exact opposite. He says, “Its grandeur and splendor made everything recede into the background and held me completely captivated. Coming here was indeed a coming home”(p.8).

“Homecoming” is the dominant metaphor for Nouwen as he views the painting and reflects on the biblical story and how it touches the deep recesses of his own needy heart. This metaphor never grows old or out-dated. In the beauty of coming home, Nouwen maintains that reconciliation, forgiveness and love are felt and extended. This is what makes home so beautiful.

Viewing the painting itself, one sees the son kneeling in front of the father who gathers the son’s head into his bosom, placing both hands on the back of his shoulders. Brokenness embraced is a  beautiful thing. Throughout this entire book Nouwen is slowly but surely building a strong case for brokenness being the ground of our Christian being. Only through our own poverty can we expect to feel the rich embrace of the Father’s love.

In Christian love, Curtis

CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY

This will be my preaching/teaching theme for 2012. Some lessons will come from the book of Colossians. Read the following passage from the apostle Paul’s writing:

²⁶ “…The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

 ²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.” (Colossians 1:26-28)

Rarely do we think of “the glorious riches of the mystery of Christ” as being experienced in the particulars of “Christ in you, the hope of Glory.” I can see the apostle Paul writing to remind the Christians there in the church at Colossae that Christ lives in each of them, and as such, they are the richest people on the face of the earth.

The mystery that was hidden for ages and generations has now been disclosed to God’s people. How gloriously rich we are to have Christ living in each of us, and living among all of us! How gloriously rich we are to have such a hope of glory! How gloriously rich we are to have access to the kind of godly wisdom  that will make us mature in Christ!

I marvel at the implications of Christ being in us. He is the ground of our hope of glory. He is the only one that can impart the kind of wisdom that will produce spiritual maturity. May we all claim the glorious riches of the mystery of Christ!

In Christian love, Curtis

THE BOOK THAT BREATHES NEW LIFE

The above caption is the title of a book by Walter Brueggemann. In this book he addresses the issues of scriptural authority and biblical theology. In the next few weeks I will be addressing some of the comments and insights he provides in this work. Below is his first sentence in the Preface:

            “The matter of biblical authority is ancient, endlessly vexed, and of immense importance in the church”[page xiii].

            I have always personally found the issue of biblical authority a difficult topic to get my mind around. This is for several reasons.

First, articulated versions of “biblical authority” seem to be founded on different concerns from scripture itself. Usually (and historically) appeals are made to “scriptural authority” to manipulate you to see and practice things the way I do. It is almost as if the issue of “biblical authority” becomes the big stick of orthodoxy to wield over those we want to control.

Second, I do agree with Brueggemann that it is an issue of “immense importance in the church.” The role of Scripture in the life of the church is one of the most important topics Christians can think about. Perhaps we have viewed this topic almost schizophrenically…individually I can read Scripture the way I want to; communally you need to read Scripture my way so I can make sure you are right with me and my understandings.

Third, I am fascinated how Scripture just assumes authority over the life of the Christian and the community of faith without spelling out a full-blown doctrine of “scriptural authority.” I would say that the Bible only has the power to authorize if a person allows it to.

For me personally, I like how the Psalmists address the matter of biblical authority. It is a recognition of the powerful influence and interaction that one has with the word of God. Listen to this…”Blessed is the man who delights in the law of the Lord, and on  his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). This is a perfect example of allowing the Word of God to have a claim on one’s life. Indeed, if it is the delight of my heart, and I meditate on it day and night, its authoritative and transformative properties will shape me into a “blessed” person!

In Christian love, Curtis

PUTTING A “MODERATE EDUCATION” TO USE!

Abraham Lincoln is one of my favorite American presidents and personalities to study. I was reading his March 9, 1832 Address to the People of Sangamon County. In reading that written speech one learns that Lincoln had a strong view that every person should receive a moderate education. His reasoning was so that every person would be able to do three things:

1.    Read the histories of his own and other countries.

2.    To appreciate the value of our free institutions.

3.    To experience advantages and satisfactions to be derived from being able to read the Scriptures, and other works of a religious and moral nature.

As you can imagine, it was number 3 that really caught my attention. I would say that all of us have received a “moderate education.” I am wondering if we fully “experience the advantages and satisfactions” that come with reading such material?

Being able to read the Scripture for ourselves and interpret them faithfully because of such attention to reading is a blessing beyond comparison! Historically, generations before us did not have that privilege. Only after the printing press, the work of Martin Luther, and the translating of Scripture into current languages did such privilege become commonplace for nearly everyone.

This coming year, we want to encourage one another to become involved in the E-100 Bible Reading program. 50 Passages from the Old Testament and 50 passages from the New Testament have been selected as essential ones to read in order to gain a broad, comprehensive view of the Bible.

Each week I will print in the bulletin and the Sunday morning Worship Assembly Bulletin both readings for the upcoming week. The first reading assignment for the week of January 2-8 is #1—[Creation] Genesis 1:1-2:25;    #51—[The Word Became Flesh] John 1:1-18.

     If you need a bookmark for your Bible, see me Sunday and I can make sure you get one. You may also want to get a journal to take notes on  your reading for this year. May God bless each one of you on this journey!

In Christian love, Curtis

THE PRAYER OF GOD

          “The prayer of God”—this the strangest reference to prayer in all of the New Testament. I was made aware of this expression while reading Joseph Longking’s Notes on the Gospels, volume 2. This antique book was published in 1840 by Carlton and Porter in New York. It was given to me as a gift. As I began reading LESSON I the author comments on a section of Luke’s gospel, 6:12-19. It is in verse 12 where the expression under consideration occurs.

            “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

            After checking 30 different English versions and translations of the Bible, 2 translated this expression at the end of verse 12, “The prayer of God”(Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition; Young’s Literal Translation).

            While commenting on verse 12, Longking quotes Wesley. “Mr. Wesley renders the passage, he ‘continued all night in the prayer of God,’ and says, ‘the phrase is singular and emphatical, to imply an extraordinary and sublime devotion (page 2).

            This made me ask the following questions: Since the expression “the prayer of God” is a literal translation of the Greek phrase, what are we to make of it? How are we to understand it? Why is it used this one time in reference to Jesus’ prayer life? Is it a dynamic of the spiritual/divine aspect of prayer that only Jesus could experience? Grammatically, it could refer to Jesus’ prayer being directed to God, or it could be prayer coming from God.

            I am not sure we have to choose one or the other. I think what Luke is trying to say is that while Jesus spent that night on the mountain in prayer, he talked with God and God talked with him. Wouldn’t you just love to have been there eavesdropping on that night-long conversation! Perhaps the intense opposition building up against his ministry, and the need to choose twelve apostles the next day provided the need for this conversation.

            The Wycliff Bible, (Old version republished by Terence Noble, 2001) says this, “he was all night dwelling in the prayer of God.” Presence and conversation, mutual exchange of the divine/covenantal relationship.

            I am wondering what it might mean in my own prayer life to “dwell in the prayer of God?”

In Christian love, Curtis

What is the Protestant principle?

Historically and theologically Christianity tends to get divided into 3 major groups: Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox. There are other ways of conceptualizing all of the Christian groups that have materialized over the centuries, but for the purpose of this article we will stick to these three. I want to reflect on the following quote:

“Christianity is final only in so far as it has the power of criticizing and transforming each of its historical manifestations; and just this power is the Protestant principle.” Paul Tillich, The Protestant Era

Would you agree that this is the “Protestant principle”? Perhaps Tillich is thinking of Martin Luther and his protest and critique of the church of his day with the 95 theses nailed to the door of the monastery in Wittenburg. If so, what is Tillich talking about?

Plainly, since the Protestant Reformation the church has learned to be self-critical in each of its historical manifestations. To be sure, each denomination and religious movement sometimes reaches the point of ceasing to do this. Church history has shown that when the church becomes complacent that is the beginning of its demise.

I am not sure that I would have stated like Tillich that this is “the” Protestant principle. It seems several principles actually converged to produce the Protestant movement. I am listing them below. You may want to add a couple of your own after looking at it.

1. The Bible available in the vernacular and available to every person to read for themselves.
2. The priesthood of all believers.
3. Moved Christianity from the cloisture to the community
4. Believed that everyday work was a divine calling.
5. An emphasis on personal conversion and individual piety
6. Some form of millennialism, Christ’s return for a 1,000 years (or, for non-millennialists, Christ’s Second Coming)

Each of these principles were significant in the Protestant Evangelical movements of the Great Awakening. Interestingly, as contemporary Christianity is being expressed in new and different forms, these 6 principles are still alive and well. Books could be, and have been, written on each of these 6. Suffice it to say, each of these principles are rooted in a biblical world-view that seeks to take faith seriously. Where do you see these principles working in your faith today?

In Christian love, Curtis