Got Fruit ?

Just thought I’d share the outline from Part 1of last night’s Bible study for the Young Adults group available…

Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

I. What is Discernment?

From a Biblical perspective discernment implies scrutinizing for accuracy, validity or truthfulness, etc;.

Webster’s Dictionary defines discernment as:

1. To see and identify by noting a difference or differences; to note the distinctive character of; to discriminate; to distinguish.

2. To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood.

John MacArthur’s definition of discernment:

In its simplest definition, discernment is nothing more than the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong. Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically.

First Thessalonians 5:21-22 teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning: “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” The apostle John issues a similar warning when he says, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). According to the New Testament, discernment is not optional for the believer-it is required.

Citation from “The Vital Importance of Biblical Discernment” by John MacArthur (http://bible.lightsource.com/11531806/)

II. Biblically speaking, what is the purpose of discernment?

1. To avoid being deceived

• 1st Timothy 1:3-4
• 1st Timothy 1:8-11 (Note verse 10! “contrary to sound doctrine”)
• Mark 13:5,22-23 (warnings directly from Jesus!)

2. To know and recognize the true Jesus Christ from the false christs (antichrists)

3. To distinguish Biblical fact from “fiction”, to recognize Orthodox Christian doctrine from worldview “religion”/man made doctrines

4. To be obedient to God and His Word

• 1st John 4:1
• Ephesians 5:6-7
• Colossians 2:8

5. To become matured Christians

• Wisdom - James 3:13-17
• Discipline
• Discretion
• Knowledge - Ephesians 4:12-16

6. Love (1st Timothy 1:3-5 Note verse 5!)

1st Timothy 1:3-5
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

III. Why study and discuss discernment?

1. The Bible tells us to be discerning (1st Thessalonians 5:21-22, 1st John 4:1)
2. To be obedient to God and His Word (1st John 4:1, Ephesians 5:6-7, Colossians 2:8)
3. To become matured Christians (Ephesians 4:12-16, 1st Timothy 1:3-5)
4. Concerns over the many misleading spiritual leaders, sects, movements, and religions masquerading as being of God and “Christian” in the Orthodox sense.

IV. Warnings directly from Jesus!

Matthew 24:4
4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.

Mark 13:22-23
22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

Luke 21:8
8 He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.

V. How does one become a discerning Christian?

1. Discernment is imparted by the Holy Spirit - 1st Corinthians 2:12-14

• Not “learned” or “taught” from self-help or self-esteem books
• Not based on our wisdom (human intellect) nor solely on our experiences See: Proverbs 3:5-6

1. Referring to the Bible for direction & spiritual nurturing
2. Relying on God’s wisdom, not ours - 1st Corinthians 1:25-30
3. Habitual prayer and reading of God’s Word - it’s vital that this is a regular part of your daily walk with Christ
4. Application of what God’s Word says, to your life
   These are components of spiritual nurturing which result in spiritual maturation.

Grace and peace be with you

Discernment is the next topic of study and discussion for the young adults group that I’m leading on Wednesday evenings, so I’ve been spending the past day or so preparing an introduction and overview.  During my research and study time I ran across some Bible passages from Mark8 that have me a little stumped (I can hear Jesus asking me "Chris!?.. are you so dull?").

Maybe you’ve experienced this as well?  You’re looking into a specific passage or topic, when something else catches your attention.  Sometimes it’s perhaps a different passage and context altogether that your sidetracked by.  In this case, it’s within the context of discernment and I think I have a grasp of Jesus’ warning.  What’s been busting my noodle though; is what Jesus says at the conclusion of His teaching to the disciples regarding the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod.

Mark 8:21
21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Feeling about as dense as Pound Cake, your’s truly confesses: "Uh.. yes Lord, I’m feeling as though I’m missing something?"  (there we go with those "feelings" again).

Now Jesus had asked His disciples, "Do you still not understand?"; after the Pharisees had come to the region of Dalmanutha questioning and demanding a miracle to test Jesus following His feeding of four thousand (men) off of seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Apparently exasperated by the Pharisees’ unbelief and scheming ways, Jesus responds:

Mark 8:11-13
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

So Jesus gives the old religious farts a verbal smack down in a "killin’ ‘em softly" manner and leaves with His disciples.  I imagine the Pharisees were standing there in their fancy threads with a totally dumbfounded look on their face after this Jewish son of a carpenter slighted them.  But Jesus isn’t finished, He uses the moment as an opportunity to pass on a lesson and wisdom to His disciples, by warning them to be careful; and to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod.  The disciples apparently also of the Pound Cake clan, are confused by Jesus’ warnings of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod:

Mark 8:14-21
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15"Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." 16 They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread." 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
      "Twelve," they replied.
20 "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
      They answered, "Seven."
21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Hmmm…  So after realizing that I was probably too focused on both the number of loaves of bread and fish used to feed the thousands (men), and the amount of bread left over (Jesus uses guided questioning to get the disciples to "see"), some clarity comes (or so I think).

Two distinct groups witnessed the miracle: the disciples, and the 4000 that were fed.  The Pharisees who’s hearts were hardened questioned Jesus not for truth but in attempt to trap or discredit Him.  This is speculation on my part but, the Pharisees could have simply inquired of any of the men fed, since from a cultural perspective their testimony seems to play well in being "credible" witnesses versus the testimony of women. 

In verses 17 and 18 Jesus says a few things to the disciples that compares their lack of understanding to the willfully "religious" ignorance practiced by the Pharisees, and in doing so serves to reiterate His warnings in verse 15:

• Do you still not see or understand? (Different "sign" from what the Pharisees demanded yet the same in purpose, evidence of Jesus being whom He claimed to be)
• Are your hearts hardened? (Like that of the Pharisees)
• Do you have eyes but fail to see and ears but fail to hear? (Where the Pharisees wouldn’t believe the evidence, the disciples may have become spiritually lazy and unappreciative, having witnessed  Christ feed 5000 as well)
• And don’t you remember? (The disciples were there, they distributed the food & collected the abundance!)

Where the Pharisees could not "see" Jesus for who he was because of their hypocrisy, Jesus was warning the disciples to not become like them.  Jesus was pointing out to the disciples that they had in fact received miracles as proof of whom He claimed to be, just not a "sign from heaven" in the same manner that the Pharisees were demanding.  A thought here also is that, as far as Jesus was concerned feeding four or five thousand from a few loaves of bread was as sufficient a miracle as a grand celestial presentation.

Grace and peace be with you.

This evening the Young Adults Bible Study group that I’m "leading" in the interim finished up our study over the existence of God (Why Believing in God Makes So Much Sense).  The book used for the study period is titled: 20 Compelling Evidences That God Exists (by Kenneth D. Boa & Robert M. Bowman Jr.).  Completion of the study topic has been met by all with a general sigh of relief; not to be taken as indicative of the quality of the book however.

 My personal assessment of the book is that it’s full of useful information; I was simply challenged to find a way to deliver the information in an engaging manner.  This may have been due in part to " 20 Compelling Evidences .." not being written as group study material ie; workbook, activity or exercise format.  Also, the young adults (18-22 years) did on a few occasions mention that the language seemed to be a bit confusing at times, perhaps a case of the authors’ intellectual approach being intended for an older audience?

Most often what took place during Wednesday evenings was a lot of reading to the group (something that I’m not a fan of), versus having clear cut sections to pause for critical thinking  and discussion of key points. Looking back over the past few months I think part of what made " 20 Compelling Evidences .."  tough to teach was:

• difficulty for believers in Christ to comprehend what it is to not believe in God
• focus on disbelief or skepticism and perhaps not enough attention paid to a person’s concerns/fears regarding why they should "leap"
• there was a lack of experience to draw from (speaking for myself) in dealing with objections or even relating to them
• limited preparation time due to being equally busy with other tasks, work, church activities etc;

As time permits I do plan on going back through the book again and reading on my own, and at my own pace.  I do see potential for this book as a supplement for a Christian’s witnessing efforts, and their walk in general.  Below are a few snippets from the final chapter that did leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling:

So accepting Christ doesn’t mean rejecting everything the other religions say.  Of course, it does mean taking the position that where those other religions disagree with Christ, they’re wrong..  More to the point, accepting Christ means recognizing that Christ can do something for you that none of the world’s religions or their founders can. p. 176

In a sense, Christianity also is a religion - a human association based on a articular way of dealing with the most fundamental issues of life,death,and meaning.  Christianity has doctrines, rituals, and other elements associated with religion.  Yet, paradoxically, Christianity announces that religion is not enough.  Religions are human institutions that express fallible human beliefs and values.  For that very reason, Christianity points away from religion - even away from itself - to Christ. p. 177

Grace and peace be with you.

Jesus wept, at the death of His dear friend Lazarus; in spite of His under control demeanor expressed earlier in John 11.  Four days earlier Jesus received word from Mary and Martha that their brother Lazarus was sick.  Having received the news, the thought might be to assume that Jesus was distressed or fretful, but Scripture doesn’t really paint this picture of Jesus’ reaction.  Instead we get a cool as the other side of the pillow reaction from Christ regarding the news.

How so?  Well Scripture tells us that instead of abandoning whatever He was doing, and returning to Judea, Christ stayed two more days where He was.

John 11:6
6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more day.

After two days, Jesus announces to his disciples that Lazarus has died (John 11:11), and He’s going to resurrect him from the dead. The Bible doesn’t tell us that word had been sent a second time to Jesus regarding Lazarus’ death, only that Jesus "somehow" knew that His friend Lazarus had died.  A skeptic could argue that it was a guess on Jesus part concerning Lazarus dying.  What deflates this argument however is what Jesus later says in John 14-15, something that speaks of His power, authority, & authenticity in my opinion as well as a well orchestrated climactic statement.

John 11:14-15
14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Further along Jesus makes a similar statement to the purpose and reasoning behind not only the death of Lazarus, but His own reaction to the initial news of Lazarus being ill.

John 11:41-42
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

Jesus has a beloved friend first stricken with illness, then die.  Instead of hurrying off to see His friend Lazarus while he was still ill though, Jesus stays on course with the script He’s been given by God the Father.  So here comes the neat part to all of this.  The events have been set in motion:

• Lazarus becoming ill
• Lazarus dying
• Many Jews coming to comfort Mary & Martha
• Jesus moving at the appropriate moment, relevant to the events
• Martha receiving Jesus just outside the village
• Mary told by Martha of Jesus’ return to see Lazarus’ body (the Jews that came to comfort are with Mary)
• Mary goes to see Jesus
• The Jews follow Mary to where Jesus was
• Jesus, Mary and the Jews all go to Lazarus’ tomb

Now, in three instances within John 11 people make the claim that if Jesus had been there in the first place Lazarus wouldn’t have died:

• 21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (John 11:21)
• 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:32)
• 36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" (John 11:36-37)

John 11:41-42
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

Three verses later the purpose (reiterated) of Jesus not only performing the resurrection of Lazarus is revealed, but also it’s events are tied into His eventual crucifixion; as the Pharisees plotted to kill Him after hearing the news of the resurrection of Lazarus and the conversion of many.

John 11:45
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin…

Our natural inclination may be to react to circumstances based on emotions, assumptions or our own "heartfelt" desires.  The problem with either of these methods is that we can sometimes jump into a situation without knowing all of the facts, thus running the risk of creating a difficult if not impossible situation to recover from.  God however, knowing and understanding all things, knows best how to move us forward in every situation, not only for our own welfare, but most importantly for His good will and purpose(s).

Grace and peace be with you.

File under: Eat Your Heart Out M. Night Shyamalan

(updated:20080816)

Last night while reading the book of John, I found something "neat" about the death and resurrection of Lazarus; as if being risen from the dead isn’t something in itself to marvel at.  Initially I was caught up in the timeline time line of events, and found myself going back to putting down on paper, thoughts from study time.  The sequence of events is fascinating, when you actually read and understand the who, where, what, when and how’s surrounding Lazarus’ death.  Christ’s reaction to the news of  Lazarus’ illness along with His plan of action following Lazarus’s death are intriguing; something I hope to post on later in the week.  For now though, let’s fast forward to Christ’s return to His dear friend.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead:

John 11:38-40
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said.
      "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
      40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

 "Take away the stone."…  Prior to Jesus saying this to Lazarus’ sister Mary; and the Jews (John 11:38) that accompanied her to see Christ as He entered the village, Martha had spoke with the Lord outside of the village:

John 11:21-27
21 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24 Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

Martha expresses to Jesus Christ that she does in fact believe that Christ is life in verse 21, then she goes on to proclaim her faith in God’s promises: ‘But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’.  Jesus then responds with a promise  in verse 23: "Your brother will rise again."   Now Martha is convinced of these facts, but is thinking to a later resurrection, nothing so immediate.  Jesus then asks for confirmation from Martha of her confession of faith, kind of like a car salesman getting the final approval (commitment) to close the deal.  "So Mr. & Mrs Customer, let me make sure I understand correctly; if I can get you financed today, you’ll take delivery of your new car?"

25 Jesus said to her (Martha), "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Fast forward to Jesus and entourage at the cave where Lazarus’ was laid to rest.  Jesus is about to perform a miracle, He is going to snatch a man from the grip of death.

 "Take away the stone," he says.

But wait.. here comes that foot dragging that we like to do when God has something to demonstrate in our lives.  Martha and company aren’t expecting this, after all Lazarus is d-e-a-d. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."   Four days or 4 months, what’s the difference to God in the Flesh!

40… "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

He said: "Take away the stone."

The Bible tells us that there was a physical stone laid across the entrance to the cave where Lazarus lay.  Without a doubt Jesus was literally telling Martha and company to remove the literal stone(John 11:38).  Now surely Jesus didn’t actually need anyone to remove the stone for Him, one wave of His hand like a Obi Wan Kenobi and whoosh, off it went, right?  And unlike Superman, the stone wasn’t from some far off universe that negated His powers.

I think that though the stone was physical back then, as His word speaks to us now, that stone is in a way a metaphor for the doubt and faltering trust we sometimes experience.  I think that Jesus may have been saying to us: "Hey look, I’m going to do what I promise, but you have to remove your doubts and fears in order for me to do my part for you,you have to trust in me.  Now take away the stone!"

File under: "How BIG is you God?"

Grace and peace be with you.