praise for the Messiah

Advent begins in a couple of days. One of my traditions is listening to Handel's Messiah, a lot. I've already started.

I commend it to you. Even if you're not wild about opera like me. (I basically hate opera. I guess Les Miserables is considered opera, and I did like it. ) Anyway, the Messiah is awesome. It's actually called an oratorio.

When I was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of the Advent in Birmingham, I requested the choir (and one of the paid singers) sing "And he shall lead his flock like a shepherd." It was perfect.

It's all about Jesus. the whole thing, over and over.
And it's all Scripture, one after another.

The story goes that Handel locked himself into an attic room or inside a garden temple and had his food brought to him and did not emerge until he had written the whole piece with every part for voice and instrument. Here's some more background from Wikipedia:

> "In the summer of 1741 Handel (age 59), at the peak of his musical prowess but depressed and in debt, began setting Charles Jennens' Biblical libretto to music at his usual breakneck speed. In just 24 days, Messiah was complete."
> "Although the work was conceived and first performed for Easter, it has become traditional since Handel's death to perform the Messiah oratorio during Advent"
> It was premiered during the following season, in the spring of 1742, as part of a series of charity concerts (aiding local hospitals for the mentally ill)"
> "Handel conducted Messiah many times and, as was his custom, often altered the music to suit the needs of the singers and orchestra he had available to him for each performance. In consequence, no single version can be regarded as the "authentic" one."


I'm very thankful for, and blessed by, Handel's Messiah.
All praise and honor and glory and blessing be to Him!!

the peace of Jerusalem, 2

“For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be still, until her righteousness emanates like bright light, and her salvation blazes like a torch.”
Isaiah 62:1

I do not believe that God is finished with Israel, or the Jewish people. I believe God's promises and call to the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remain. I also believe their hearts are veiled and hardened but that there will be a turning in repentance and faith to the Messiah, and they will be regrafted into the root which is their forefathers. And that will be a great day of salvation. (Romans 9-11)

One of God's promises to the Jewish people is a land. However, that alone is not something that realistically sways, or ought to sway, world or regional politics. But history ought to be. A state for a historically persecuted race is a very good argument. The fact that Israel has not initiated conflict in its 59 years of statehood is (yes, this is true). The fact that the only land that Israel has "seized" has been in conflicts they engaged defensively and maintained land won for their safety and security ought to be acknowledged in world politics. History has been rewritten in a number of ways. And, of course, Islamic Fundamentalism's commitment to eradicate Israel is, or ought to be, a critical issue in world politics.

This is not to say that Israel is guilt-free, I'm not saying that. The settlements in disputed land is one problem, and is wrong. But again, this does not compare in the least to the Arabs trying to take the land prior to and immediately after Israel's declared statehood by the U.N. It does not compare to however many countries' armies massing at their borders in 1967, nor with a surprise attack on Yom Kippur in 1973. And it does not compare morally to terrorism. Period. (Another problem on Israel's side was the war in the spring of 2006 with Lebanon, or rather with Hezbollah entrenched in Southern Lebanon. In principle I don't think it was wrong for Israel to seek to defend itself, but it apparently was disproportionate.)

I'm not necessarily against a Palestinian state at this time. There just ought to be honesty and truthful history.

the Peace of Jerusalem

It's been a while since I've posted here. I have kept up with "The Restoration Project" daily Bible readings if you haven't checked that out. Link.

This picture, as you probably know, is of Jerusalem. It's taken from the Mount of Olives. The wall from left to right near the bottom of the picture is supporting the Temple Mount, a large platform expanded by Herod, to host the Temple and Temple courts. In Jesus' day it was amazingly splendid, one of the wonders of the world. The pretty gold domed building is the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim holy site built over a rock where Mohammad is said to have ascended to visit with God. It's also believed to be the site where Isaac was bound and Abraham passed the test of loving God more than his beloved son. (Muslims have control of the Temple Mount.)

Israel and the Palestinians are in the news again. A handshake, an agreement, a pledge to come up with a peace plan by the end of next year. We really ought to heed King David's call:

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
'May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
and security within your towers!'"
(Psalm 122:6-7)

This whole topic has been coming up as we've been discussing "Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith" (by Marvin Wilson of Gordon College) and some of Dwight Pryor's teachings (www.jcstudies.com).

Is God finished with the Jewish people and the nation of Israel? Have they been forever cut off because they generally rejected Jesus the Messiah? What about God's promises to Abraham? God's promises to the people through Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah...?

I'll share more over the next week or so (and I definitely do not have the answers, but I do have some thoughts) . For now, let us "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" and the peace and security of all who love her, and her people.

Prayer for First Sunday of Advent

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Thanksgiving

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Noah's covenant and us

We talked last Tuesday night about what are called the Noachide Laws, or the Laws for all mankind, given through God's covenant with Noah. In the text in Genesis, there are only a couple of commands that God gives: basically don't murder, and don't eat the flesh with the blood in it. The rabbis developed this, and articulated seven laws that they said were general laws concerning all humanity. They were:

1. Do not murder.
2. Do not steal.
3. Do not worship false gods.
4. Do not be sexually immoral.
5. Do not eat a limb removed from a live animal.
6. Do not curse God.
7. Set up courts and bring offenders to justice

(You can google this and get lots of good info. such as:
"The U.S. Congress officially recognized the Noahide Laws in legislation which was passed by both houses. Congress and the President of the United States, George Bush, indicated in Public Law 102-14, 102nd Congress, that the United States of America was founded upon the Seven Universal Laws of Noah, and that these Laws have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization. They also acknowledged that the Seven Laws of Noah are the foundation upon which civilization stands and that recent weakening of these principles threaten the fabric of civilized society, and that justified preoccupation in educating the Citizens of the United States of America and future generations is needed. For this purpose, this Public Law designated March 26, 1991 as Education Day, U.S.A.")

What's really interesting about this to me is that it is very likely that when the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 came together to decide what should be required of the Gentiles who were coming to Christ, whether they should formally become Jews or not through circumcision, they very likely discussed and reflected in their decision these Noachide Laws.

Also, in Jesus' day, it had been determined by the sages that for the sake of life (that is threatened life) one could break all the commandments except commit idolatry, immorality, or murder. This too may be what's reflected in the Jerusalem council's decision.

These laws are similar to the Ten Commandments, but with some obvious differences. I just think it's amazing that the Jerusalem Council would be so sensitive and concerned with how to include the Gentiles in this move of God that they didn't even instruct them (us) to observe the big Ten. Their graciousness toward the Gentiles eventually led to the tension and fueled the split between the synagogue and the church. Their point wasn't so much to enforce laws, of course, but the way of Jesus who is the embodiment of all we are to be and do.

4th Day Confession of Faith

Here's Lancelot Andrews' Confession of Faith for the 4th day:

I believe in the Father's lovingkindness;
in the Almighty's saving power;
in the Creator's providence for guarding, ruling, perfecting the universe;

in Jesus, for salvation;
in Christ, for the anointing of His Holy Spirit;
in the only begotten Son, for adoption;
in the Lord, for His care as our Master;
in His conception and birth, for the cleansing of our unclean conception and birth;
in His sufferings endured that we, whose due they were, might not suffer;
in His cross, for the curse of the law removed;
in His death, for the sting of death taken away;
in His burial, for endless corruption in the tomb ended;
in His descent, whither we ought, that we might not go;
in His resurrection, as the first fruits of them that sleep;
in His ascension, to prepare a place for us;
in His sitting, to appear and intercede for us;
in His return, to take unto Him His own;
in His judgment, to render to every man according to his deeds;


in the Holy Ghost, for power from on high,
transforming unto sanctity
from without and invisibly
yet effectually and evidently;
in the Church, a body mystical
of those called out of the whole world
into a commonwealth of faith and holiness;
in the communion of saints, members of this body,
a partaking with one another of holy things,
for assurance of the remission of sins,
for hope of resurrection and translation to life everlasting.

Third Day: Confession of Faith

Here's Lancelot Andrews' Confession of Faith for the 3rd day of the week:

Godhead: love, power, providence.

Salvation: anointing, adoption, dominion;
conception, birth, sufferings,
cross, death, burial;
descent, resurrection, ascension,
sitting, return, judgment.

Breath: holiness,
calling, hallowing,
communion of saints and of saintly things,
forgiveness of sins,
resurrection,
life eternal.

Lancelot Andrews' Private Devotions

I mentioned Lancelot Andrews (1555-1626) in my sermon yesterday. He was a bishop in the Church of England, a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, an apologist for King James I, a scholar appointed to work on the King James Version of the Bible, and a man of prayer. His "Private Devotions" remains helpful and inspiring for one learning to be a "self-feeder."

I shared that the early church (200-400 ish) taught people that the way to deal with temptation was to memorize the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer and say them frequently. In this way one would know what to believe, to whom to pray, and what to pray. Bishop Andrews confessed / prayed the Creed every day in some form as part of his private devotions.

His daily prayers were framed around six parts: (1) Meditation and Adoration, (2) Confession of Sin, (3) Prayer for Grace, (4) Confession of Faith, (5) Intercession, and (6) Thanksgiving.

He gives an example for us of how to pray the Creed, day by day - beyond reciting verbatim. On the "Second Day" he did literally say the Apostles' Creed, with the following tag at the end: "And now Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee; in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let me never be confounded." I'll share several of his entries this week. (The book I have is by Alexander Whyte, "Lancelot Andrewes and his Private Devotions.")

Below is the Confession of Faith from "First Day" (of the week). This is the longest one.

I believe, O Lord, in Thee,
Father, Word, Spirit, One God;
that by Thy fatherly love and power all things were created;
that by Thy goodness and love to man
all things have been gathered together into one in Thy Word,
Who, for us men and for our salvation,
became flesh,
was conceived, was born,
suffered, was crucified,
died, was buried,
descended, rose again,
ascended, sat down,
will return, will repay;
that by the forth-shining and operation of Thy Holy Spirit
hath been called out of the whole world
a peculiar people, into a commonwealth of faith in the truth and holiness of life,
in which we are partakers of the communion of saints
and forgiveness of sins in the world,
and in which we look for the resurrection of the flesh
and the life everlasting in the world to come.
This most holy faith once delivered to the saints I believe, O Lord;
help Thou mine unbelief,
increase Thou my little faith.

And vouchsafe to me
to love the Father for His love,
to reverence the Almighty for His power,
to Him, as unto a faithful Creator, to commit my soul in well doing.
Vouchsafe to me to partake
from Jesus of salvation,
form Christ of anointing,
from the only begotten Son of adoption;
to serve the Lord
for His conception, in faith,
for His birth, in humility,
for His sufferings, in patience and in impatience of sin;
for His cross, to crucify occasions of sin,
for His death, to mortify the flesh,
for His burial, to bury evil thoughts in good works,
for His descent, to meditate upon hell,
for His resurrection, upon newness of life,
for His ascension, to set my mind on things above,
for His sitting on high, to set my mind on better things on His right hand,
for His return, to fear His second appearing, for His judgment, to judge myself ere I be judged.
From the Spirit
vouchsafe to me to receive the breath of saving grace,
in the holy Catholic Church
to have have my own calling, sanctification, and portion, and fellowship of holy things,
prayers, fastings, groanings
watchings, tears, sufferings,
for assurance of the remission of sins,
for hope of resurrection and translation to eternal life.

not all have faith

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
(2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

I mentioned briefly the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church in my sermon yesterday. Of course, the one day is more a reminder to call the problem to our attention than to just pray one day about it. (Though a day of united prayer is awesome and extremely important!) You can find more information about people and places, about governments and mission groups, about the persecuted and those persecuting at: www.persecutedchurch.org
There are a whole bunch of links there. The Voice of the Martyrs is one that Brooke keeps up with through a monthly newsletter - they've been serving the persecuted church for a long time. I like to know the areas or countries that are hot spots, and Open Doors has a list (I'm sure some of the others do too). Another one, not on the list, is The International Justice Mission, or IJM . While IJM is focused on human trafficking, this includes in some cases the persecution of Christians.

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
(Hebrews 13:3)

Prayer for Sunday, November 11

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

more on blessing

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
And God blessed them.
(Genesis 1:27-28)



The LORD bless you and keep you
The LORD make his face shine on you and grace you
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace
(Numbers 6:24-26 - pictured in Hebrew above)

I love this blessing theme. A while back I began noting every place my Bible referred to blessing. This grew out of (again) my time in Israel, and a book that was recommended entitled "The God of Israel and Christian Theology" by Kendell Soulen. His point in the book is first to smash supersessionism, or displacement theology, the position held by many Christians that God is through with Israel, that Israel was just basically a womb for the Messiah and especially because of her general rejection of him God is finished with her. He articulates the biblical narrative as principally about:

Creation
Covenant
Consummation

Most of us evangelicals have understood the principle biblical narrative as sin and redemption, that it is the "scarlet" thread running through and tying the whole story together. Now, again, lest my friends get nervous - this theme of sin and redemption, of the lamb slain before the foundation of the world, is hugely important and imperative, but it serves the theme of creation, covenant, and consummation.

With this perspective, God is not through with Israel. They are still integral to his purposes and plans (as Paul is driving at in Romans 9-11). How this will all come together we do not know, except to say that God is not finished with Israel, that there will be a turning to God which will mean life from the dead, and that whatever it specifically means "all Israel will be saved" (see Romans 11). However, this is really not my point today.

Soulen writes that God's design and desire in creation, covenant, and consummation is an "economy of mutual blessing" and "dependence." And he points out that this blessing is communicated in relationships of "differentiation": Creator and creation, man and woman, man and the rest of creation, parents and children... Jew and Gentile. This is beautiful and tremendously significant. I'll try to develop in some more in the near future.

Finally, in this context of "The God of Israel and Christian Theology", Soulen articulates the gospel this way:

the gospel is the good news about the God of Israel's coming reign, which proclaims in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection the victorious guarantee of God's fidelity to the work of consummation, that is, to fullness of mutual blessing as the outcome of God's economy with Israel, the nations, and all creation. (p. 157)

God bless you!

American Gangster

Wow - this was a rough movie, but a powerful look at corruption, greed, power, selfishness, sin and death... and on a huge scale. These reminders are important, even though disturbing.

http://www.americangangster.net/

And here's a review of it at crosswalk.com:
http://www.crosswalk.com/movies/11558378/

We saw a documentary last night with the real Frank Lucas and Ritchie Roberts. The movie, and the documentary leaves me sad and grieved. It causes me to continue to ask, "How can I, can we, as followers of Jesus, make a difference?"

It also makes me thankful.
I have never been offered drugs, not in Junior High, High School or college or since. I'm sure there are a number of reasons why, but first, it the grace of God. It was a gift of my parents living in the protected suburban town of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, and of having great friends. But there were drugs there. My Catholic upbringing helped, and again, my parents instilling the fear of discipline and a ruined life, and the belief that I could have a "prosperous" life (and I mean this in a good, healthy sense).

And of course, thankfulness which is so key to a healthy life, ought to lead to some kind of action. Not just continuing to avoid vices, but to take action for the healing of the world.

Lord, thank you for all your gifts - give us grace to be people and build communities that heal the world around us. With all humility and wisdom and courage. With your gifts of healing and love and truth. We give ourselves again to fulfill our baptismal covenant, and to continue your ministry on earth. Amen.

The Agony (by George Herbert)

I shared this last Wednesday evening. I love this poem... especially the last two lines:


Philosophers have measured mountains,
Fathom'd the depths of seas, of states, and kings,
Walk'd with a staff to heaven, and traced fountains
But there are two vast, spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them; Sin and Love.

Who would know Sin, let him repair
Unto Mount Olivet; there shall he see
A man, so wrung with pains, that all his hair,
His skin, his garments, bloody be.
Sin is that Press and Vice, which forceth pain
To hunt his cruel food through every vein.

Who knows not Love, let him assay,
And taste that juice, which on the cross a pike
Did set again abroach; then let him say
If ever he did taste the like.
Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.

(by George Herbert, Anglican priest, 1593-1633)

who sought who? or, the first seeker

This hymn was the offertory at the 10:00 service yesterday - what great words:

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me;
it was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea;
'twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
as thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee;
for thou wert long beforehand with my soul,
always thou lovedst me.

(anonymous, ca. 1878)

Prayer for Sunday, November 4

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

the old path forward

The following is an article by Diana Butler-Bass on cultivating ancient spiritual disciplines versus offering church programs.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2007/10/willow-creek-repents-by-diana.html

I'll summarize it.

Butler-Bass concluded a few years ago in a book "The Practicing Congregation" -
"Congregations that intentionally engage Christian practices are congregations that experience new vitality."

She continues, quoting Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, one of the largest churches in the U.S., and pioneer of the "seeker" model of church, a good, godly man and great leader:

After an extensive study of their congregation (and several similar churches), Willow Creek's leaders concluded participation in programs did not inculcate Christian discipleship and that they had spent "millions of dollars" on programs thinking that they would help people grow—only to find that there was no real increase in parishioners' love for God or their neighbor.

"We made a mistake," says Hybels: "What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become 'self-feeders.' We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own."

Notice what Hybels says is missing: intentionality, practice, and vitality. Or, as the Leadership blog put it, "Spiritual growth doesn't happen best by becoming dependent on elaborate church programs but through the age old spiritual practices of prayer, bible reading, and relationships. These basic disciplines do not require multi-million dollar facilities and hundreds of staff to manage."

This is our desire at Church of the Apostles. May God help us walk the old path as we move forward.