The Good Life

2-Week Break

2012-03-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

While I plan to preach through the Sermon on the Mount for all of 2012, I strategically planned only 44 sermons in the series. I knew I would miss a few weeks and the church would have a few Sundays come up that could best be used in another way.

So, I won't post again until the week of March 12-19. We'll pick up in Matthew 5.

I would challenge you to catch up on your memorization of Matthew 5-7 over the next week and a half. Let's do our best to make this sermon a lived reality in our lives. Let's memorize it and live it!

"The Good Life" - Week 8

2012-02-22T21:42:00.000-08:00

Week 8 - Matthew 6:13b

"...But deliver us from the evil one."

Well, we've come to the end of the Lord's Prayer. We've learned to live by this prayer. It's a prayer that petitions and commands God's will to earth as it is in heaven. It's a prayer that glorifies God and humbly confesses our weakness.

This final phrase leads to a couple of common questions.

-Should the phrase be translated "deliver us from evil" or "deliver us from the evil one?" That's quite a difference and the Greek is not clear on its own.
-Why do most modern translations remove "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."?

Ultimately, these questions aren't faith altering. Many Christians aren't aware of how difficult translation and textual criticism truly is. There are dozens of verses that are hotly debated by scholars. The great thing is that none of these variances have anything to do with the core of the gospel. The gospel has been clearly handed down. Don't let these questions ruin your faith!

A study of the Evil One is also an interesting study throughout Scripture. There seems to be some movement between the Old Testament and New Testament on how people thought about evil and the source of it. But there is certainly not enough space here to discuss all of these issues.

So, let's get to the questions.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:13b, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) Should we pray for God to deliver us from evil generally or deliver us from the evil one? Which seems to make the most sense in light of Scripture?

2) Read Matthew 4:1-11. How was Jesus' prayer already answered during his time of temptation in the desert?

3) Read Ephesians 6:10-13. How do these verses change our perspective about our true enemy? What other parts of the Sermon on the Mount might become easier if we come to a clearer understanding of these verses?

4) In what areas of your life do you need God's deliverance to show up most today?

5) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display) might seek to implement this passage in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good Life" - Week 7

2012-02-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

Week 7 - Matthew 6:13a

"And do not lead us into temptation..."

Now, this passage makes you ask all kinds of crazy questions.

-"Wait, God can lead us into temptation?"

-"Are we powerless if God puts temptation in front of us?"

-"Does God's sovereignty include this?"

The first thing I did was go to the Greek to try to prove there all of our English bibles somehow blew this translation. No luck so far.

Then I thought, "Should this passage be preached without the second half of the verse? Maybe it makes sense in the context of its parallel."

I'll be struggling until Sunday (and long after) with these questions.

But as we've seen throughout the Lord's Prayer, we are not taught to pray this prayer without follow up action. We don't pray the Lord's Prayer when we get to the end of ourselves. We pray this prayer as a call to enlistment in God's kingdom dream for the world.

So, we don't merely pray for God to keep us from temptation. We must also do our part in not walking into situations that clearly will tempt us. Too many times we blame God for problems that he couldn't help. He doesn't override our will to sin.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:13a, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) What are God's promises related to temptation? (1 Corinthians 10:12-13; 2 Corinthians 12)

2) Is there any connection between this prayer and examples of God hardening Pharaoh's heart in the book of Exodus? (Also, see Hebrews 3:12-13)

3) What are some areas of temptation in your life that you should be diligent to stay away from as you pray this prayer for God's help?

4) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display) might seek to implement this passage in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good life" - Week 6

2012-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

Week 6 - Matthew 6:12, 14-15

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Forgiveness is so easy in theory, but so incredibly difficult in practice.

If you find forgiveness easy, then get down on your knees and thank God that great hurt has not been introduced into your life.

I hear many people say, "My bad," but I hear few people in our culture asking and giving forgiveness. Which can only mean that true forgiveness is one of the most countercultural traits we could model on behalf of the world.

The world knows revenge. The world knows broken relationships. The world knows warfare. The world has even lost the language of reconciliation and forgiveness.

And if there is any question about the importance of forgiveness in the Lord's Prayer, continue reading in verses 14-15.

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

That pretty much sums it up. Forgiveness isn't an option. It's demanded of every Christ-follower.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:12, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) Is forgiveness a salvation issue? What do verses 14-15 add to our interpretation?

2) What parables of Jesus remind you most of what a kingdom outlook on forgiveness looks like?

3) What is involved in forgiveness? Is forgiveness forgetting past wrongs done to you? Is forgiveness looking sins in the eye and naming them?

4) Think of a person whom you need to forgive? What makes it so hard for you to forgive him/her? What would you lose if you were to forgive him/her for what they have done to you?

5) How does an unwillingness to forgive affect us?

6) Are you willing to offer forgiveness to someone in your life who needs it? What actions will you take this week to show forgiveness to others?

7) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display) might seek to implement this passage in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good Life" - Week 5

2012-02-01T12:24:00.000-08:00

Week 5 - Matthew 6:11

"Give us this day our daily bread."

My prayers don't usually sound like that. I don't know about yours.

Mine are usually a bit more...more...bold.

"God, don't leave us here in want. Give us more than we can ask or imagine."
"Father, we're expecting big things! We know you are a God who does the impossible."
"Lord, break open the storehouses of heaven and make it abundantly clear you are active."

Matthew 6:11 seems like a minimalist prayer. Just today, provide. Tomorrow will have enough trouble of its own. So, give us ENOUGH for today.

Scarcity and fear are two narratives in our culture that leave us feeling helpless.

But let's remember, scarcity isn't God's problem. It's ours. He created abundance. We created scarcity through our storehouses and greed. Perhaps there is a bit of action that we commit to when we pray this prayer.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:11, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) For a people who know where tomorrow's meal is already coming from, how do we, as Americans, pray this prayer?

2) Is this request a spiritual request? A physical request? How does our situation cause us to interpret this prayer?

3) Think of all of the uses of bread as a symbol throughout Scripture. How is this image used explained further by the rest of the Bible?

4) What are the pronouns "us" and "our" referring to? How broad is this request? How do these pronouns demand our participation?

5) Read Proverbs 30:8-9. How does this proverb further prompt us to pray in relation to Matthew 6:11?

6) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display) might seek to implement this passage in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good Life" - Week 4

2012-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

Week 4 - Matthew 6:10b

"...your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

As I'm studying this passage this week, I'm shocked by the fact that Jesus teaches us to command God to do something in verse 10. We command God's kingdom to come and for his will to be done on earth as it already is in heaven.

WOW!!!

In its original language, the verb is an imperative. In other words, we don't petition God meekly for his will to be done. We boldly command for God's will to be done.

But there's a problem with praying this command. The problem is an issue of trust. Do we trust God's will enough that we would command for him to bring his will to earth?

In order to pray this prayer, there are two facets of God we must be able to trust. We must trust that God is good and powerful. For instance, if God is good, but he is not powerful, he has no ability to enforce his goodness. On the other hand, if God is powerful, but he is not good, there is no reason to trust God will use his power for good in the world.

The only way we can feel good about commanding God's will to earth is if we truly believe he is powerful and good. If we believe those things, there shouldn't be a hint of hesitancy in saying these words Jesus teaches us to pray.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:10b, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) Has God proven himself to be powerful and good in your life? Why or why not?

2) Since heaven is God's domain where things are as he wills them, what would it look like for the church to pray for his will to be done? How would that change our priorities and activities, as a church?

3) What parts of your life still need to be turned over to the will of God? How will you seek to give those hidden parts over to God?

4) How do we determine God's will? Is God's will something to be sought out or something we already know to be true?

5) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display to the world) might seek to implement this passage today in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good Life" - Week 3

2012-01-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

Week 3 - Matthew 6:10a

What does it mean for us to pray for God's kingdom to come? Is that a prayer that we should be praying?

Traditionally, Churches of Christ have not prayed the Lord's Prayer because, it was believed by some that, God's kingdom had already come through the church. Sometimes, we even believed Churches of Christ, specifically, were the kingdom come.

But when I look at the kingdom throughout the gospels and the New Testament, I get this aching sense that things are not yet what they will be. We remain in the tension of a kingdom that has come and that is yet to come. We stand in the already and the not yet. We experience some sense of the kingdom in our lives, but we still experience the birth pangs of a world that is yet to be fully born.

Each week, the Littleton Church prays the Lord's Prayer in our Sunday morning assembly. We beckon God to bring his kingdom to earth. We acknowledge there are parts of our lives, families, and institutions that are still not given over to the fullness of the kingdom.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:10a, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) What is the kingdom of God/heaven? Is there a difference between the two?

2) What is the language of Scripture when it comes to the kingdom? Which verbs are used when the kingdom is talked about in Scripture? Build? Create? Inherit? Enter? Welcome?

3) Is this still a prayer we should pray? Why or why not?

4) What sections of Scripture describe what the kingdom will look like when it comes in its fullness?

5) How do I need to pray for the kingdom to come more fully in my life?

6) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display to the world) might seek to implement this passage today in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good Life" - Week 2

2012-01-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Week 2 - Matthew 6:9

Why are we starting in Matthew 6:9 when the sermon begins in chapter 5? Great question!

I see the Matthew 6:9-13 as the center of the Sermon on the Mount. Not only is it the structural center of the entire sermon. I believe it's the theological center of the sermon. It's the table of contents for Jesus' entire pronouncement of the kingdom.

In fact, one author (Glen Stassen) has convinced me that each phrase of the Lord's Prayer corresponds to each successive section of the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:1-2 - "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name"
Matthew 5:3-16 - "Your Kingdom Come"
Matthew 5:17-6:8, 16-18 - "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
Matthew 6:19-34 - "Give us this day our daily bread"
Matthew 7:1-5 - "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"
Matthew 7:6-12 - "And do not lead us into temptation"
Matthew 7:13-27 - "But deliver us from the evil one."

We'll take a closer look at these sections after we conclude our series on the Lord's Prayer.

As you dwell in Matthew 6:9, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) What image comes to mind when you pray "Our Father in heaven?" Where does that image come from?

2) What significance do the pronouns "our" and "your" add to this prayer?

3) "Our Father" and "hallowed be your name" seem like opposite designations. One addresses God as a close relative. The other addresses God as one who is set apart. How can those designations coexist in this prayer? What should that tell us about our God?

4) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display to the world) might seek to implement this passage today in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

"The Good Life" - Week 1

2012-01-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, we kicked off "The Good Life" series at Littleton. 2012 is a year we're committing to living out the Sermon on the Mount for the sake of the world. Exciting stuff!

I introduced the series and challenged the body to define "The Good Life" by the sayings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. However you choose to define the good life, consciously or subconsciously, will determine your priorities and allegiances. The Sermon on the Mount is not an ingredient in your own definition of "The Good Life." The Sermon on the Mount is "The Good Life" and it demands all of you.

Each Tuesday, I plan to write a blog indicating the passage to study for the week leading up to the sermon on Sunday. I'll also post a few thoughts and questions for you to consider during your study. Please interact with the Scripture and the questions in the comments section. I'd love to have a fruitful discussion each week.

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Week 1 - Matthew 4:17-25

In this passage, Jesus announces the nearness of the kingdom, calls four of his closest companions, and heals all kinds of sick people. People are flocking to him from all over the place. There seems to be something authoritative about this miracle worker that sets him apart from other rabbis.

As you dwell in Matthew 4:17-25, here are a few questions to consider and comment on:

1) What is this kingdom of heaven that Jesus demonstrates (4:23) and declares (4:17) in Matthew's gospel?

2) Why are Simon, Andrew, James & John so immediate in their response to Jesus?

3) How does repentance relate to the kingdom that Jesus demonstrates and declares?

4) Notice the order of Jesus' ministry. He demonstrates the kingdom in chapter 4 and declares it in chapters 5-7. How is that order significant?

5) What are some ways that Christians (those committed to putting the kingdom on display to the world) might seek to implement this passage today in order to proclaim the good news in 2012?

Start the conversation!

If you have any thoughts on these questions or incites you have discerned from this passage, please bless the rest of this blog community with your thoughts.

The Good Life

2012-01-03T17:57:00.001-08:00

What is your plan for spiritual growth in 2012?

Let that question settle for a moment. I'm guessing there are some readers that have a plan. Some of you have worked a plan for years and you have seen incredible fruit from careful planning and committed action.

But I'm guessing there are others out there that don't know where to start. You want to grow. You've wanted to grow for years, but it seems that every year you look back and feel like you are starving for a closer relationship with God.

If you're looking for a spiritual challenge, I want to invite you on a journey with the Littleton Church of Christ in 2012.

I know what you're thinking. How can I journey with Littleton when I go to another congregation? When I live in another state? In another country?

Let me start by telling you about the journey our church (Littleton Church of Christ) is taking in 2012. (By the way, let's keep this secret between you and me until Sunday because our church doesn't even know about this yet!)

In 2012, Littleton is going to pursue "The Good Life" that Jesus pronounces in the Sermon on the Mount. That's right, I'm spending an entire year preaching through the Sermon on the Mount. More than just studying Matthew 5-7 for the sake of knowledge, we're going to seek to put "The Good Life" that Jesus preaches into action for the sake of the world. We believe God's word doesn't just need to be heard. We believe it needs to be seen.

Some of you have spent year after year trying to complete yearly reading plans. That works for some people. But let's be honest, how many of you have ended your year-long plan in the book of Leviticus (the graveyard of year-long reading plans)?

Maybe you're asking, "How could I focus on only three chapter for an entire year?" I'd challenge you to try it. Here's why:

The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' clearest declaration of what the kingdom of God is all about. Jesus prays for his Father's "will to be done on earth as it is in heaven" in Matthew 6:10. It's the role of the church to display his will by being "salt" and "light" in the world. We demonstrate the kingdom of God as an announcement to the world that Satan's reign is on life support. We exhibit the "Good Life" of the kingdom in order to point people to God's future that is already on its way.

So, how can you journey with us? I'm glad you asked.

Each week there will be planned readings and a conversation on my blog about the upcoming week's sermon text. These weekly blogs will provide a place of conversation for members of the Littleton Church of Christ. But my hope is that many others spread across the country and the world will choose to join as online partners in this conversation. Add whatever commentary seems beneficial. I'd also encourage you to download Littleton's free sermon podcasts and listen to the weekly sermons through the iTunes Music Store.

The call this year is to action.

You do remember how the sermon ends, don't you? You remember the song..."The wise man built his house upon the rock...the foolish man built his house upon the sand."Do you remember the difference between the two? Unfortunately, that part missed the final cut of our children's songs.

The wise one is the person who hears Jesus' words and puts them into practice. The foolish one is the person who hears Jesus' words and does not put them into practice.

The purpose of this challenge is not just add to our faith knowledge, but to add to our knowledge action. Spiritual formation occurs when the fruit of our lives announces "The Good Life" of the kingdom of God to the world.

I also challenge each participant to commit to memorizing the entire Sermon on the Mount in 2012.

As you make your New Year's resolutions, consider how you will mature spiritually in 2012.

Are you up for the challenge? Let me know if you're willing to join in.