Tuesday, April 5, 2011
April 5, 2011
Reading for April 4-8 Acts 23:12-24:21 Tuesday "Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor." Acts 24:21 If Mobs Stonings, Death Plots and Attempted Assassinations Don't Work, Get a Lawyer! Pastor's Reflections My "get a lawyer" comment really isn't fair. I simply can't believe that all the religious leaders were evil legalists. In fact I suspect that most were very good people simply doing their best to honor God. I'm sure some had ego and power motivating them just like some of us, but most were just honoring God in the only way they knew. So, what was their problem? Why are the Jewish leaders such "haters" when it comes to Jesus and Paul? This is where the lawyer comment comes in. One Jewish biblical scholar noted that from biblical time to today the legal field has been dominated by Jews and the field of science has been dominated by Christians. He speculated that the former is because Judaism is founded on Torah, The Law and the 613 additional commandments found in the Old Testament as well as the elaboration found in the Mishnah and Midrash and Talmud. Even though the Old Testament is full of grace (sacrificial system, escape from Egypt) still the way to be right with God had become rules "obey Torah". Christianity switches the order. God saves me. I accept his offer of salvation. In essence I accept God's acceptance of me. THEN I seek to obey, not to get right with God, rather because God has already made me right with him.
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oooooh! I like that. "THEN I seek to obey, not to get right with God, rather because God has already made me right with Him." I likey! That is so freeing, full of grace, no condemnation, no judgmentalism. The obey part is a response to God's love, not to obtain it. Most definitely a high-fiver! I will not doubt keep this in my thoughts for a while, and share that statement if you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteDear Pastor . . . soon look in your mail for a letter from the NPCLA (National Prevention of Cruelty to Lawyers Association)
ReplyDeleteHebrews 7:28
ReplyDeleteFor the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
In the world, once the law is chosen as a means to justice, there can be NO mercy or grace, only law.
Laws can be manipulated,
ReplyDeleteGrace cannot (and still be grace).
Jesus had much to say to the legalists and none of it good. Reading in Luke 11 with the "Six Woes of the Pharisees" which could have been titled, "Hypocricy":
"Now you Pharisees clean the outside fo the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness"
-"Woe to you.....you neglect justice and the love of God"
-"Woe to you.....you love the most important seats in the synagogues"
-"Woe to you....you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over
without knowing it."
*Interestingly, Jesus is interrupted by one of the experts and asked,
"Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also"
And Jesus replied,
_"Woe to you because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them"
-"Woe to you... you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.
-"Woe to you....BECAUSE YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE KEY TO KNOWLDEGE. YOU YOURSELVES HAVE NOT ENTERED, AND YOU HAVE HINDERED THOSE WHO WERE ENTERING"
Grace is the key to knowledge through Christ.
Grace is what allows us to know God, to read His word, study it, examine it, freely, without fear, to see the truth in it and not the assumptions of it.
The law is like a closed ended statement. Life in the Spirit is more like an open ended question, one we can receive answer to if we ask it and are faithful to receive it.