Andy Stanley - Faith, Hope, Luck Part 4
At some point in our lives we ask for something from God
- what do you do when there’s no answer or you just hear silence?
Foundation of our faith is not an exp but Jesus
- we always try to figure out ways to get God on our side and do what we want
- the reason we continue to believe even when things suck is because of the person of Jesus
sometimes God will give us what we hope for, but he always gives us what he’s promised
- what happens when God doesn’t say yes to the things we hoped for
2 corinthians 12:7-8
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.”
- paul was given something that made him unimpressive and hard to be around
-- a physical affliction that ensured he would always be dependent on God
- for this amazing man of faith, there was a time when God was completely silent
- this can be of comfort because there are times when we wonder if God even knows our name
-- it isn’t the absence of God
- Paul had perfect faith if anyone had perfect faith and god still didn’t give him a yes
-- our goodness/faith level doesn’t make god listen or do things for us
2 cor 12:9
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
- CHRIST’S GRACE not our own
- grace is power/ability/energy to endure
- Christ’s grace is sufficient to keep us going
- this same grace is available to us as well!
-- the power that kept paul going is the same power that is available to us
- paul says “how can I walk away? I know Christ is true and my faith is based on him”
-- therefore Paul leaned hard on Christ because there was no other option
- paul finally got to the place that this was what God had chosen for him
-- for god to display his power through his weakness
- for the world to look upon the dreadful state he was in and see that God was using such weakness; it could only be God
- people were saying “are you serious? This is what you’re using to spread Christianity?”
- God’s will is for us to live lives dependant on him
-- that was the purpose of this ailment
-- God filled the gap in Paul’s life with his power, not paul’s
2 Cor 12:10
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- for Christ’s sake he delights in all of that crap
-- because when he is weak and powerless, he is strong
--- why? Because it is then that he is most dependant
- Paul has recognized that it is far better to be dependant on God than look good to the world
- God wants us to be dependant on him rather than fine in the sight of the world
- MY GREATEST WEAKNESS IS GOD’S GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIS POWER ONLY IF I DECIDE TO TRUST HIM
- if I choose to walk away from that, I walk away from his empowering grace that I so desperately need in the midst of something I cannot control or change!
-- I need the grace because I am out of control
- if I run from God I turn to other things that only break and pull me down
- the situation may not change, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t there
-- it may be God’s way of pulling us into dependence on him
-- without this affliction, I wouldn’t see my need for dependence
-- God’s grace is sufficient and available only if I come to him
- must go boldly and every time I go I will find grace and mercy in those moments of weakness even whenever God says no to my hopes
- it takes a lot more faith to endure a no than acquire a yes
-- when God says no, it is not a reflection of my faith
-- when god says no, I have an opportunity to be a reflection of his grace
- this is hard
-- Paul doesn’t want a God that allows his servants to suffer; neither do I
Here’s the kind of God I want: _________________________
- what does this paragraph say? Does it show I want to be God or God to be my butler?
-- is that really a god that I need? One that is a butler to everyone?
- I need a God who is bigger than me; a God who can empathize with me; and God who can pull me from the crap I experience; who can give me the strength to get through the crap I’m in
- that grace is available but I can’t get it till I lean hard on god
-- in that moment, it will be sufficient for you
- I can never make life the way I want it to be; god will never make life the way I want it to be
- what I can get is the grace and mercy to endure the way my life is
Showing posts with label Suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suffering. Show all posts
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Faith, Hope, and Luck part 3
Andy Stanley – Faith, Hope, Luck Part 3
No formula of “good things” ever gets God to bend to our will
- circumstantial faith is merely a way of trying to get control over God
- faith isn’t seeing God in the details, although that happens
-- foundation of faith is a person who lived 2000 years ago
-- faith = God is who he claims to be and that he’ll do everything he promised to do
-- bridge between faith and hope are the promises of God
--- the only things that we can count on god to do is what he promised
--- hope – I really hope this happens
--- faith – God, these are your promises and I’m holding you to those
God has not promised:
- to keep bad things from happening (just look at his disciples—they were beaten, stoned, martyred, stranded on an island, etc) John 16:33 – we will have trouble
- wealth (just look at his disciples—they were all poor)
? – if there’s nothing in it for us, why believe? Because Jesus is raised and this is true
- healing (John 5 – Jesus healed only one of the multitude of sick people)
- to reverse consequences of sin (sometimes he will, but not always. These are things we hope for that sometimes God answers)
- can never get God to do anything just by doing __________
Hebrews 4:14-16
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize (empathize) with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
- Jesus is able to empathize with our weaknesses because he has experienced those things
-- Jesus spent a night dreading the events of the next day
-- Jesus knows what it’s like to be betrayed
- every time we fail, Jesus has been obedient in those situations so God credits Jesus’ righteousness to us
- because of this, let’s go to God with confidence not formality (enemy of intimacy) out of fear of offending God
-- we can go to God boldly, with extreme emotion, bare, exposed, dependant
--- so that we may receive mercy/grace
- if we come boldly, we’ll receive something from God EVERY TIME
God has promised:
1. mercy: God will take our issue seriously because they are our issues (not necessarily because they are serious)
-He takes it seriously because he loves us, just like a father takes his children’s issues seriously because he loves his kids even if the issues themselves are trivial
-- God knows what we’re struggling!
-- John 11, Jesus weeps outside of Laz’s tomb because he was empathizing with our struggle
--- Jesus isn’t too big or too great to deal with us
2. grace: strength/energy/ability to endure
-- God hasn’t promised us to deliver us from our circumstances
--- he has promised to deliver us through our circumstances
-- every time he will give us the grace to endure whatever we’re struggling through
3. his presence!
- must go boldly to him! Must rely/depend on him even when we can’t see him!
- we want a “can of intervention” from God
-- we want him to do our bidding and our will
-- we want grace and mercy to us and justice to others
- this is the age of grace and mercy to all
- the age of intervention will come
-- it will be the end of the world as we know it
-- there will be a day when we get whatever we want; it will be the end of sin/sorrow/death
-- it will be bigger than our little worries/desires
-- it will also be the end of God’s extension of mercy/grace
- when we see god’s grace, it isn’t because we had great faith but because God is good and gracious
-- our faith is in the person of Christ not our ability to get God to do what we want
-- we can pray for anything we want! And we can go straight to God!
--- lean on God! lose everything that comes between us and God!
No formula of “good things” ever gets God to bend to our will
- circumstantial faith is merely a way of trying to get control over God
- faith isn’t seeing God in the details, although that happens
-- foundation of faith is a person who lived 2000 years ago
-- faith = God is who he claims to be and that he’ll do everything he promised to do
-- bridge between faith and hope are the promises of God
--- the only things that we can count on god to do is what he promised
--- hope – I really hope this happens
--- faith – God, these are your promises and I’m holding you to those
God has not promised:
- to keep bad things from happening (just look at his disciples—they were beaten, stoned, martyred, stranded on an island, etc) John 16:33 – we will have trouble
- wealth (just look at his disciples—they were all poor)
? – if there’s nothing in it for us, why believe? Because Jesus is raised and this is true
- healing (John 5 – Jesus healed only one of the multitude of sick people)
- to reverse consequences of sin (sometimes he will, but not always. These are things we hope for that sometimes God answers)
- can never get God to do anything just by doing __________
Hebrews 4:14-16
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize (empathize) with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
- Jesus is able to empathize with our weaknesses because he has experienced those things
-- Jesus spent a night dreading the events of the next day
-- Jesus knows what it’s like to be betrayed
- every time we fail, Jesus has been obedient in those situations so God credits Jesus’ righteousness to us
- because of this, let’s go to God with confidence not formality (enemy of intimacy) out of fear of offending God
-- we can go to God boldly, with extreme emotion, bare, exposed, dependant
--- so that we may receive mercy/grace
- if we come boldly, we’ll receive something from God EVERY TIME
God has promised:
1. mercy: God will take our issue seriously because they are our issues (not necessarily because they are serious)
-He takes it seriously because he loves us, just like a father takes his children’s issues seriously because he loves his kids even if the issues themselves are trivial
-- God knows what we’re struggling!
-- John 11, Jesus weeps outside of Laz’s tomb because he was empathizing with our struggle
--- Jesus isn’t too big or too great to deal with us
2. grace: strength/energy/ability to endure
-- God hasn’t promised us to deliver us from our circumstances
--- he has promised to deliver us through our circumstances
-- every time he will give us the grace to endure whatever we’re struggling through
3. his presence!
- must go boldly to him! Must rely/depend on him even when we can’t see him!
- we want a “can of intervention” from God
-- we want him to do our bidding and our will
-- we want grace and mercy to us and justice to others
- this is the age of grace and mercy to all
- the age of intervention will come
-- it will be the end of the world as we know it
-- there will be a day when we get whatever we want; it will be the end of sin/sorrow/death
-- it will be bigger than our little worries/desires
-- it will also be the end of God’s extension of mercy/grace
- when we see god’s grace, it isn’t because we had great faith but because God is good and gracious
-- our faith is in the person of Christ not our ability to get God to do what we want
-- we can pray for anything we want! And we can go straight to God!
--- lean on God! lose everything that comes between us and God!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Praying Our Tears
Tim Keller Sermon.
Psalm 39: 12-13
Psalms about weeping
-Psalms go deep into emotions
-alternate way to deal with feelings
--secular = feelings/emotions are the ruler of our lives; just express emotion
--religiosity = afraid of feelings; hide emotion
---Psalms = acknowledge/recognize our emotions but don't let the rule us
What do we do with your tears?
1. Expect tears
2. Invest tears
3. Pray tears
1. Expect tears
Psalm 126
- even if God is in our life, we must expect a lot of tears
--there will be pain in our life and we will experience very hard pain even if we're good
---no mention of repentance b/c none was needed despite the hurt
---means that suffering doesn't mean we're wrong
---following Christ may mean even more tears
----conversion metaphor: we are given heart of flesh to replace heart of stone; we become more vulnerable and sensitive
----as we grow in grace, we suffer/cry more
-we must expect tears so we won't be caught off guard
--if we don't we'll weep over the pain but also about weeping; this will break us
2. Invest tears
Psalm 126:5-6
- farmers sow seed, and return with joy because of what seed has become
- in this poetic image, the farmer is sowing tears
--don't avoid tears or let them happen, plant them as an opportunity for fruitfulness and growth to come
--"don't waste your sorrows" - not embrace/avoid sorrows but when they come, use them
- result of these tears/seeds = joy
--note: tears aren't giving way to joy; tears become and produce joy (both are biblical though)
--without tears, the joy wouldn't come
--the kind of joy we need is the kind that comes from tears because it changes us
How do I do this?
3. Pray your tears
- go to God with your tears
- this changes us and our tears
We must plant our tears...
...in a realization of his grace
- God understands our weeping; it's safe to open up to him
Psalm 39
-ends different than other psalms; "theological incorrectness"
-asks God to leave him so that he may have peace before he dies
-psalm of david - this doesn't make sense!
--we're not supposed to feel/think/talk like this
--this prayer doesn't make sense just like Peter's request for Christ to depart from him
---it shows God's understanding of our hearts and souls that he knows when to press, when to leave, and how to care for our needs
---he knows when we hurt, are in pain, and are desperate. He knows what we say when we're desperate and in pain
----this tells us that it is ok to pray/speak to God like this
----he wants us to be open and vulnerable with him; our deepest anger/tears belong in our prayers (pre-reflective outbursts) to God; we're to speak/feel in his presence because he's safe
...in a vision of the cross
- most important part
- why is God so understanding? he knows pain/sorrows/grief
--garden of Gethsemane: Christ said he is sorrowful to the point of death (saying his sorrows are powerful enough to kill him before the cross)
---God knows what it's like to cry out and feel like no one is listening
- why would God say keep coming even after we say turn away from me?
--because when Christ felt forsaken, God turned his face away
---Christ experienced what we should have; therefore God turns his face to us and will never forsake us
---Christ's tears on the cross produced joy; it produced our welcome to a relationship with God
when we feel pain, we feel guilty
- get rid of it by looking at the cross
--we're not being punished or abandoned because Christ already suffered that for us
--that is when we must plant our tears and let ourselves break open before God
get rid of self-pity
- weeping is ok, but not in self-pity
- self-pity makes us oversensitive, unable to forgive, self focused, touchy
- look at cross and say "you have really suffered for me, therefore I can be patient through this"
impatient tears?
- some people may have lost faith by seeing Jesus on the cross
- we must be patient and wait for God to move and grow our tears into joy
- plants don't grow over night, in the same way, we must be patient and wait
...with assurance of glory
- planting our tears will result in joy - no if's, maybe's, or might's
- all true prayer pursued far enough will result in praise no matter how painful
--may not be quick, may take a lifetime; don't rush it
- why I am afraid to weep: part of me says it may never end, fear
--but if we are assured of the glory that will inevitably result, we can participate in weeping and tears knowing there will be joy/glory in the end
--be quick to cry in repentance; am I happy enough to weep?
Psalm 39: 12-13
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,Psalm 126:1-6
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.
13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!”
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalms about weeping
-Psalms go deep into emotions
-alternate way to deal with feelings
--secular = feelings/emotions are the ruler of our lives; just express emotion
--religiosity = afraid of feelings; hide emotion
---Psalms = acknowledge/recognize our emotions but don't let the rule us
What do we do with your tears?
1. Expect tears
2. Invest tears
3. Pray tears
1. Expect tears
Psalm 126
- even if God is in our life, we must expect a lot of tears
--there will be pain in our life and we will experience very hard pain even if we're good
---no mention of repentance b/c none was needed despite the hurt
---means that suffering doesn't mean we're wrong
---following Christ may mean even more tears
----conversion metaphor: we are given heart of flesh to replace heart of stone; we become more vulnerable and sensitive
----as we grow in grace, we suffer/cry more
-we must expect tears so we won't be caught off guard
--if we don't we'll weep over the pain but also about weeping; this will break us
2. Invest tears
Psalm 126:5-6
- farmers sow seed, and return with joy because of what seed has become
- in this poetic image, the farmer is sowing tears
--don't avoid tears or let them happen, plant them as an opportunity for fruitfulness and growth to come
--"don't waste your sorrows" - not embrace/avoid sorrows but when they come, use them
- result of these tears/seeds = joy
--note: tears aren't giving way to joy; tears become and produce joy (both are biblical though)
--without tears, the joy wouldn't come
--the kind of joy we need is the kind that comes from tears because it changes us
How do I do this?
3. Pray your tears
- go to God with your tears
- this changes us and our tears
We must plant our tears...
...in a realization of his grace
- God understands our weeping; it's safe to open up to him
Psalm 39
-ends different than other psalms; "theological incorrectness"
-asks God to leave him so that he may have peace before he dies
-psalm of david - this doesn't make sense!
--we're not supposed to feel/think/talk like this
--this prayer doesn't make sense just like Peter's request for Christ to depart from him
---it shows God's understanding of our hearts and souls that he knows when to press, when to leave, and how to care for our needs
---he knows when we hurt, are in pain, and are desperate. He knows what we say when we're desperate and in pain
----this tells us that it is ok to pray/speak to God like this
----he wants us to be open and vulnerable with him; our deepest anger/tears belong in our prayers (pre-reflective outbursts) to God; we're to speak/feel in his presence because he's safe
...in a vision of the cross
- most important part
- why is God so understanding? he knows pain/sorrows/grief
--garden of Gethsemane: Christ said he is sorrowful to the point of death (saying his sorrows are powerful enough to kill him before the cross)
---God knows what it's like to cry out and feel like no one is listening
- why would God say keep coming even after we say turn away from me?
--because when Christ felt forsaken, God turned his face away
---Christ experienced what we should have; therefore God turns his face to us and will never forsake us
---Christ's tears on the cross produced joy; it produced our welcome to a relationship with God
when we feel pain, we feel guilty
- get rid of it by looking at the cross
--we're not being punished or abandoned because Christ already suffered that for us
--that is when we must plant our tears and let ourselves break open before God
get rid of self-pity
- weeping is ok, but not in self-pity
- self-pity makes us oversensitive, unable to forgive, self focused, touchy
- look at cross and say "you have really suffered for me, therefore I can be patient through this"
impatient tears?
- some people may have lost faith by seeing Jesus on the cross
- we must be patient and wait for God to move and grow our tears into joy
- plants don't grow over night, in the same way, we must be patient and wait
...with assurance of glory
- planting our tears will result in joy - no if's, maybe's, or might's
- all true prayer pursued far enough will result in praise no matter how painful
--may not be quick, may take a lifetime; don't rush it
- why I am afraid to weep: part of me says it may never end, fear
--but if we are assured of the glory that will inevitably result, we can participate in weeping and tears knowing there will be joy/glory in the end
--be quick to cry in repentance; am I happy enough to weep?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
God and Us
Colossians 1:1-14. Campaigner Lesson.
One of the first things that stands out to me that Paul calls himself an apostle by the will of God. It wasn't by his will or by a majority vote. Paul became God's ambassador to the Gentiles by the commissioning and sending of the LORD. That really puts into perspective what Paul has to say. Some may call him arrogant. Fine. But irregardless, he met Christ on the road to Damascus. I believe God is truly sovereign. Therefore, whatever is written is to be taken as divine revelation, not some trivial novel to be bruised and beaten for his tact or lack thereof. If God declares Paul an apostle, I think it's crucial that we scrutinize what he wrote, not for the purpose of declaring him inadequate or denying his authorship, but for the desire to abide in every last bit of Truth God speaks (intentionally present tense) through him.
One of the other things that struck me was the way Paul speaks about the Christian lifestyle. "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light" (1:9-12).
Here, he states that he prays the we "be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Who's doing the filling? Certainly not us are it is spiritual wisdom and understanding by which we come to know God's will. We were dead inside till given life through Christ. Faith, this life, is a gift only from God. This is God's role in our lives to fill us with this spiritual knowledge and understanding. However, Paul continues on to say that this filling will allow us "to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord." This is our role. Now that we have been awakened and filled, we are to use this to walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord. How is this done? Love God with all our entire being, yielding ourselves as a sacrifice, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. James also has a nice quote about religion that is undefiled in his first chapter. What is the purpose of walking in a manner pleasing to God? It is to bear fruit. Do we produce this fruit. No. It is shown in our lives only because we are connected to the true Vine and abide in him. We have been grafted onto him so that he is in us and we in him. Tricky. A branch apart from the vine is dead, but when grafted on to the source of Life, it begins to produce fruit as it was intended to do. This is the life that is pleasing to God, fulfilling our intended purpose of glorifying the LORD.
Then verse 11 starts out by wishing the we would be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might. What better to be strengthened with than with all power? Makes sense to me. However, I look at myself and notice I am weak and fallible. Heck, I barely crack triple digits when trying to bench while others do it without any trouble at all. Weak indeed. Fallible? I really don't even need to expound on this. If this is the case, then all power does not come from me but outside of my control.
When we look at Exodus, we gain insight as to the source of this all power. During a showdown with Pharaoh during the seventh chapter, Aaron throws down his staff and it becomes a serpent. Not to be outdone, Pharaoh's magicians imitate this miracle by their own "secret arts." At best, the score is even right now. However, Aaron's staff, in the hands of God, swallows up the other snakes. This displays God's ultimate sovereignty over any and all powers of the world. in the Egyptian mind, swallowing your opponent represented total superiority. Pharaoh's magicians were the best in the world. Their secret arts were dominated by God. The snake represented the most powerful god in the Egyptian mindset. This, too, was swallowed up. Pharaoh, his magicians, and their secret arts represented sin and death. This was swallowed up by Christ in victory through his resurrection. Clearly, the power of God is greater than anything this world has to offer.
According to his glorious might could mean several things. First, it could be in line with or in accordance with. This would mean that we are strengthened to do exactly what he wills for us to do. A second interpretation holds that "according to" would be synonymous with "assigned by." Either this all power is controlled by God, meaning God is fully sovereign.
Paul continues on to state the purpose of being strengthened by God's might. We are not to sit around boast. Instead, it is so that we might endure and be patient with joy, "giving thanks to the Father." The word endure implies some sort of pain or suffering. We are to remain steadfast through this pain. As well we are to be patient. This simply means we have to wait. If we're waiting, then we're on the terms on someone or something else. Is that a god of this world or the LORD who has proven his superiority over sin and death? Either way, we're a servant. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. However, the key to this section, I think, is the prepositional phrase "with joy." Many people in this world are so self-consumed that they cannot endure suffering or be patient. Others look outside themselves enough to exhibit qualities or endurance and patience but they are not focused on God so their suffering and waiting is pointless and fruitless. Too much suffering and waiting will eventually break them because all humans have a breaking point. But for the one who is focused on God, it is possible to suffer, endure, and wait with joy, even giving thanks to God.
How is this possible? There are two responses to this query. First, we have been strengthened by God according to his glorious might. Therefore, it is no longer through our strength that we endure, but his. As God is infinite, he has no breaking point. The world cannot break God as he is completely superior, demonstrated by his victory in Exodus 7 and Christ. Second, our suffering has a purpose. As seen only a few verses earlier, we are to be bearing fruit and glorifying God. That is the purpose of our lives. The end result makes it possible to endure and be patient with joy. Not only that, but we give thanks to the Father. When a carnal person is suffering, its wisdom directs it to end the suffering and seek the easy path. When a spiritual person is suffering, we endure and be patient with joy and give thanks because we know God will be glorified through it. This reasoning is folly to the natural person because it is through God's might that we understand (1 Corinthians 2:14). Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world (1 Corinthians 1:20)?
So if we are to give thanks in suffering, shouldn't we be considered masochists? To borrow from Paul, by no means! We give thanks because what we gained through Christ is greater than anything we could suffer in this world. When I was younger, I loved amusement parks. One day, my dad told me we were going to Hershey Park. The car ride there was excruciating. It seemed as if it'd never end. However, it was worth it because in the end I got to enjoy the roller coasters and other rides. During the ride, although it was difficult for me and something I had to endure, I was filled with great joy and thanking my dad for taking me. For us, Paul writes our reasoning for giving thanks much clearer than I ever could so I will let him explain. We can give thanks to God in the midst of suffering because he "has qualified [us] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." That grace, undeserved favor, is certainly worth giving thanks for in the midst of any suffering or excitement. It is the roller coaster at the end of the car trip. But again, we give thanks because it was given to us, not because we earned it.
In Colossians 1:9-10 and 11-14, we see Paul following the same pattern to illustrate the proper course of a life in Christ. It begins and ends with God. In the middle, God has allowed us to act and be a part of his perfect will. This, once again, is simply another example of the undeserved grace that we have received.
One of the first things that stands out to me that Paul calls himself an apostle by the will of God. It wasn't by his will or by a majority vote. Paul became God's ambassador to the Gentiles by the commissioning and sending of the LORD. That really puts into perspective what Paul has to say. Some may call him arrogant. Fine. But irregardless, he met Christ on the road to Damascus. I believe God is truly sovereign. Therefore, whatever is written is to be taken as divine revelation, not some trivial novel to be bruised and beaten for his tact or lack thereof. If God declares Paul an apostle, I think it's crucial that we scrutinize what he wrote, not for the purpose of declaring him inadequate or denying his authorship, but for the desire to abide in every last bit of Truth God speaks (intentionally present tense) through him.
One of the other things that struck me was the way Paul speaks about the Christian lifestyle. "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light" (1:9-12).
Here, he states that he prays the we "be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Who's doing the filling? Certainly not us are it is spiritual wisdom and understanding by which we come to know God's will. We were dead inside till given life through Christ. Faith, this life, is a gift only from God. This is God's role in our lives to fill us with this spiritual knowledge and understanding. However, Paul continues on to say that this filling will allow us "to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord." This is our role. Now that we have been awakened and filled, we are to use this to walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord. How is this done? Love God with all our entire being, yielding ourselves as a sacrifice, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. James also has a nice quote about religion that is undefiled in his first chapter. What is the purpose of walking in a manner pleasing to God? It is to bear fruit. Do we produce this fruit. No. It is shown in our lives only because we are connected to the true Vine and abide in him. We have been grafted onto him so that he is in us and we in him. Tricky. A branch apart from the vine is dead, but when grafted on to the source of Life, it begins to produce fruit as it was intended to do. This is the life that is pleasing to God, fulfilling our intended purpose of glorifying the LORD.
Then verse 11 starts out by wishing the we would be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might. What better to be strengthened with than with all power? Makes sense to me. However, I look at myself and notice I am weak and fallible. Heck, I barely crack triple digits when trying to bench while others do it without any trouble at all. Weak indeed. Fallible? I really don't even need to expound on this. If this is the case, then all power does not come from me but outside of my control.
When we look at Exodus, we gain insight as to the source of this all power. During a showdown with Pharaoh during the seventh chapter, Aaron throws down his staff and it becomes a serpent. Not to be outdone, Pharaoh's magicians imitate this miracle by their own "secret arts." At best, the score is even right now. However, Aaron's staff, in the hands of God, swallows up the other snakes. This displays God's ultimate sovereignty over any and all powers of the world. in the Egyptian mind, swallowing your opponent represented total superiority. Pharaoh's magicians were the best in the world. Their secret arts were dominated by God. The snake represented the most powerful god in the Egyptian mindset. This, too, was swallowed up. Pharaoh, his magicians, and their secret arts represented sin and death. This was swallowed up by Christ in victory through his resurrection. Clearly, the power of God is greater than anything this world has to offer.
According to his glorious might could mean several things. First, it could be in line with or in accordance with. This would mean that we are strengthened to do exactly what he wills for us to do. A second interpretation holds that "according to" would be synonymous with "assigned by." Either this all power is controlled by God, meaning God is fully sovereign.
Paul continues on to state the purpose of being strengthened by God's might. We are not to sit around boast. Instead, it is so that we might endure and be patient with joy, "giving thanks to the Father." The word endure implies some sort of pain or suffering. We are to remain steadfast through this pain. As well we are to be patient. This simply means we have to wait. If we're waiting, then we're on the terms on someone or something else. Is that a god of this world or the LORD who has proven his superiority over sin and death? Either way, we're a servant. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. However, the key to this section, I think, is the prepositional phrase "with joy." Many people in this world are so self-consumed that they cannot endure suffering or be patient. Others look outside themselves enough to exhibit qualities or endurance and patience but they are not focused on God so their suffering and waiting is pointless and fruitless. Too much suffering and waiting will eventually break them because all humans have a breaking point. But for the one who is focused on God, it is possible to suffer, endure, and wait with joy, even giving thanks to God.
How is this possible? There are two responses to this query. First, we have been strengthened by God according to his glorious might. Therefore, it is no longer through our strength that we endure, but his. As God is infinite, he has no breaking point. The world cannot break God as he is completely superior, demonstrated by his victory in Exodus 7 and Christ. Second, our suffering has a purpose. As seen only a few verses earlier, we are to be bearing fruit and glorifying God. That is the purpose of our lives. The end result makes it possible to endure and be patient with joy. Not only that, but we give thanks to the Father. When a carnal person is suffering, its wisdom directs it to end the suffering and seek the easy path. When a spiritual person is suffering, we endure and be patient with joy and give thanks because we know God will be glorified through it. This reasoning is folly to the natural person because it is through God's might that we understand (1 Corinthians 2:14). Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world (1 Corinthians 1:20)?
So if we are to give thanks in suffering, shouldn't we be considered masochists? To borrow from Paul, by no means! We give thanks because what we gained through Christ is greater than anything we could suffer in this world. When I was younger, I loved amusement parks. One day, my dad told me we were going to Hershey Park. The car ride there was excruciating. It seemed as if it'd never end. However, it was worth it because in the end I got to enjoy the roller coasters and other rides. During the ride, although it was difficult for me and something I had to endure, I was filled with great joy and thanking my dad for taking me. For us, Paul writes our reasoning for giving thanks much clearer than I ever could so I will let him explain. We can give thanks to God in the midst of suffering because he "has qualified [us] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." That grace, undeserved favor, is certainly worth giving thanks for in the midst of any suffering or excitement. It is the roller coaster at the end of the car trip. But again, we give thanks because it was given to us, not because we earned it.
In Colossians 1:9-10 and 11-14, we see Paul following the same pattern to illustrate the proper course of a life in Christ. It begins and ends with God. In the middle, God has allowed us to act and be a part of his perfect will. This, once again, is simply another example of the undeserved grace that we have received.
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