Month: July 2020

Episode 170

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Disciple Up #170
Reaching the Breaking Point
My commentary on my July Column of Parker Stripped
From Parkerliveonline.com
By Louie Marsh, 7-29-2020

I’ve been thinking about writing this column for quite a while now. But I’ve kept putting it off. In fact I actively looked for reasons not to write it. But it keeps coming up in many of my conversations and I see it all over the place, nearly everywhere I look in fact. So for better or worse I decided it was time to talk about the proverbial elephant in the room.

I say elephant in the room because I’m far from the only one who’s seen this. But most of us don’t seem to want to either admit to it or deal with it. So what am I talking about? Just this: The impact from our national shutdown, isolation from others, national unrest and the shifting “facts” we hear from day to day are taking a huge toll on almost all of us.

And its well past time we admitted it and began dealing with it.

Let me take just one recent conversation I’ve had as an example. A friend of mine had been commenting on how the people he worked with seemed have much shorter fuses than they used too. They were kind of grumpy and tense and just generally below par. This led to them to act in ways that a few short months ago he was sure they wouldn’t have.

I told him I’d seen a lot of that. Not only in other people but in myself as well. I said that being cut off from real, in person, socializing; not being able to hug or touch our loved ones and friends, was beginning to warp people in bad ways.

I don’t think any of us are thinking as clearly as we should be. Many of us, especially those of us who live alone, rarely if ever get to hug or touch another human being. We’ve been told for years how important human touch is and now we are finding out just how right all that information was!

This warping applies to our emotional states. Some people I know are more aggressive (if you don’t believe me just review your Facebook or Twitter feed, if you have one, and you’ll see what I mean). Others are quieter and depressed at their inability to do what we’ve always taken for granted. Like go to a store or hop on a plane or just visit friends.

If you still aren’t sure I’m right about all this try this little exercise in depression – try doing some long term planning. Good luck with that! (I confess that’s one of several things that really bugs me!)

Our world has changed in so many ways so quickly that we can’t really keep up. On top of that we have no trustworthy assurances when things will get back to normal, if they’ll ever get there at all! This uncertainty hangs over all our heads like (here’s another old cliché alert!) the Sword of Damocles. And like that fabled sword we don’t have any idea when it will fall, how it will fall or where it will fall.

To many of us it seems to be falling right now.

So what do we do about this on a personal level? How can I respond to this and, hopefully, find some much needed relief from all this pent up stress and pressure? Below are a few ideas to use as a starting point.

1) Admit that this really is bugging you. You are being affected and this is a real issue for you. (Starting a 12 step program for those dealing with 2020 Syndrome might not be a bad idea.) You can’t deal with any kind of problem or issue if you refuse to admit that it’s there.

2) Give Grace to everyone around you, including yourself. So we aren’t at our best right now. Instead of blaming or shaming or lashing out why not take a different approach? Why not offer some grace, some forgiveness, some understanding to others and yourself? We all need it, so we should all be giving it to others.

3) Make a life for yourself. How you’ll do this depends on your opinions on a variety of issues like masks and vaccines and a whole list of topics I’m not going to discuss here. My point is use your creativity and find a way to do meaningful, important activities and strengthen relationships in spite of all the road blocks strewn across our path.

4) Take the long, historical, view. For many Americans this will mean you’ll actually need to read some good history books. Remember we aren’t the first people to face a pandemic, and we certainly won’t be the last. Our ancestors faced far worse plagues with far less to fight them with, and they survived. If we can learn to look at life from a longer and wider perspective it’ll do us, and everyone around us good.

I realize it’s easier to write these things than to do them. I also know they are just a start. But everything has to start somewhere, so why not start now to deal with all of this and see where that road takes us?

VERSES WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY:

 15  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

 1  See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2  Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 (ESV)

 13  Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14  We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15  Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16  By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17  But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19  By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20  for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:13-20 (ESV)

 1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4  Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5  They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6  We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:1-6 (ESV)

 7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12  No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)

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Episode 169

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Disciple Up # 169
Colossians Part 8 The Christ Centered Family
By Louie Marsh, 7-22-2020

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, give a smile, and a “Thanks for flying XYZ airline.” He said that in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for this little old lady walking with a cane. She said, “Sonny, mind if I ask you a question?” “Why no Ma’am,” said the pilot, “what is it?” The little old lady said, “Did we land or were we shot down?”

Two Facts About Submission:

1) Submitting is always a REACTION.

2) Wives submit THEMSELVES – they aren’t forced into it.

Wives, be constantly subjecting yourselves to your husbands…Wuest

How Husbands Should Act.

1) LOVE your wife by doing what’s best for HER!

And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly. Col. 3:19 (NLT)

25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28  In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30  because we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:25-30 (ESV)

Love = Agape = doing what’s best for the object of your love!

2) COMMUNICATE!

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Hosea 11:1

3) DON’T rely on emotion!

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Cor. 13:7 (NLT)

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.  Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardship of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.  He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire.  The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.  The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying.  Their 13 children fled for their lives.  His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.  For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.  A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

4) Be GENTLE!

How Wives Should Act.

1) SUBMIT to your husband by PUTTING HIM FIRST.

 Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honor the Master. Col. 3:18

2) Treat your husband with RESPECT!

Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respects her husband. Eph. 5:33 (NASB)

How Parents and Children Should Act.

  • Children: OBEY your parents!

Children, do what your parents tell you. This delights the Master no end. Col. 3:20 (Message)

2) Parents: Treat Your Kids RESPECTFULLY, and ENCOURAGE them!

Fathers, don’t aggravate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying. Col. 3:21 (NLT)

How We Should Work.

1) REALIZE that work is spiritual!

Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Col. 3:23 NLT)

2) SERVE  Christ – you’re really working for him.

remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all he owns. He is the one you are really working for. And if you don’t do your best for him, he will pay you in a way that you won’t like–for he has no special favorites who can get away with shirking. Col. 3:24-25 (LB)

3) BE FAIR to those who work under you.

And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don’t forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master—God in heaven.  Col. 4:1 (Message)

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Episode 168

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Disciple Up # 168

Dumb Things Christians Say, Pt. 1

God Won’t Give Me Any More Than I Can Handle

By Louie Marsh, 7-15-2020

 

Intro.

 

First Stupid Saying…God won’t give me more than I can handle

 

The Twisted Scripture Behind This Dumb Saying:

 

11  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12  Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13 (ESV)

 

Notes about this passage:

 

1) Paul is talking about RESISTING TEMPTATION – NOT life in general.

 

2) Paul is WARNING US that if we’re not careful we, like the people in the Old Testament, WILL fall.

 

3) Paul is telling us that God will provide a WAY OF ESCAPE from any and all TEMPTATION not any and all problems.

 

  • A way of escape means WE MUST FIND IT & TAKE IT!
  • This is specifically spoken about temptations NOT suffering in general. Sometimes there is NO escape from that – as Jesus proved conclusively on the cross.

 

Verses Prove the Opposite of this Dumb Saying:

 

8  For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11  You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (ESV)

 

7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11  For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12  So death is at work in us, but life in you. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (ESV)

 

13  But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14  O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? 15  Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. 16  Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. 17  They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. 18  You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness. Psalm 88:13-18 (ESV)

 

Ministry and the Christian Life are SUPPOSED to be done BEYOND OUR LIMITS!

 

24  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25  of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26  the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27  To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28  Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29  For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. Colossians 1:24-29 (ESV)

 

Where Does This Dumb Saying Come From?

 

It’s from our cultural obsession with SELF!

 

The selfism of our culture has been absorbed into the church so we look for verses that can echo that obsession. This one assures us that God is just waiting around to make things easy on us, to make sure we aren’t over stressed.

 

But the exact opposite is true! God is NOT a lawnmower parent!!

 

1  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3  Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:1-5 (ESV)

 

What Happens If You Believe This?

 

Many do believe it and find comfort in it. However there are some very serious downsides to buying into this baloney.

 

1) You are trusting in a false understanding of Scripture which will crumble and fall out from under you, probably at the worst possible time.

 

2) You put false and impossible expectations upon God, and that leads into an unhealthy relationship with Him.

 

3) You can have your faith severely damaged or destroyed when He doesn’t do what you think He’s supposed to do.

 

4) It keeps you from really deepening your faith, expressing all the gifts God has given you and discovering what God wants your life to be about. Living a life of self-reliance robs you of experience the joy unspeakable that living a life relying upon God and God alone brings you.

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Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


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Episode 167

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Disciple Up # 167
Sentiment VS Sentimentality
By Louie Marsh, 7-8-2020

sentiment

noun

an attitude toward something; regard; opinion.

a mental feeling; emotion:

a sentiment of pity.

refined or tender emotion; manifestation of the higher or more refined feelings.

exhibition or manifestation of feeling or sensibility, or appeal to the tender emotions, in literature, art, or music.

a thought influenced by or proceeding from feeling or emotion.

the thought or feeling intended to be conveyed by words, acts, or gestures as distinguished from the words, acts, or gestures themselves.

sentimentality

1: the quality or state of being sentimental especially to excess or in affectation

2: a sentimental idea or its expression

Call a person sentimental if he or she is led more by emotions than by reason. If you have a sentimental attachment to a favorite stuffed animal, you’ll probably even bring it to college with you. Sentimental describes a person who relies on emotions more than reason, or a novel or film that is overly emotional.

 – Vocabulary.com

The Dark Side of Sentimentality:

https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/the-dark-side-of-sentimentality

Oscar Wilde, the 19th-century British playwright and wit, summed up this edgier meaning when he wrote: “A sentimentalist is one who desires to have the luxury of an emotion without paying for it.

Irish poet W.B. Yeats wrote, “Rhetoric is fooling others. Sentimentality is fooling yourself.”

Supriya Sharma, works at Indian Space Research Organization

Answered September 2, 2017

It is great to be a sentimental person.

You experience everything. Even though you get upset at little things, you find joy in the simplest of things.

You understand what a person is going through. You want to celebrate when they are happy. And you try to fix it if they are not.

You are a great listener. You understand that everyone has feelings, and give importance to them. You want to make everyone feel secure and heard.

You have the deepest relationships. People feel secure in sharing their deepest feelings with you. Because you care. You understand that every bond needs to be nurtured. That is the crux of a positive relationship.

You can easily forgive. You look to repair relationships and let go of grudges.

You feel all of life. Everything is an experience for you. You sense the little changes around you. You experience them and embrace them beautifully.

Be proud. You are beautiful 🙂

God gave us a mind to think with and emotions to feel with, don’t reverse them.

Sentimentalist Followers of Jesus

 3  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4  rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7  Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8  Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9  Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” John 13:3-9 (ESV)

13  Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  … 21  From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23  But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:13-23 (ESV)

36  And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37  Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38  But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39  And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, Acts 15:36-39 (ESV)

Commands You Can’t Obey If You’re Sentimentalist

 16  Rejoice always, 17  pray without ceasing, 18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19  Do not quench the Spirit. 20  Do not despise prophecies, 21  but test everything; hold fast what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (ESV)

9  I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10  not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11  But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12  For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13  God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (ESV)

1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)

 15  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

 8  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

 The Bottom Line:

 Disciples of Jesus thank God for the wonderful gift of sentiment, emotion and seek to live in the now and feel every moment of it. However, they reject sentimentality as dangerous and a tempting way to give into culture and our basest desires. Being sentimental is good, but sentimentality is bad!

 

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Episode 166

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Disciple Up # 166
Potpourri: Boredom & Symbols
By Louie Marsh, 7-1-2020

 American Boredom –  hat tip to Hotair.com

The survey, by market research firm OnePoll, defined a boring day as containing simply no fun whatsoever. Not even reading a HotAir post about boredom.

The average respondent reported that being bored, having no fun or dreading something was taking up about 36 percent of their life. Which works out to 61 hours every week. Or 131 days every year.

Imagine being bored or dreading every single day for that long, ever since last New Year’s Eve, in fact.

Clearly, this is a First World problem since these respondents are not spending their days dodging bullets or foraging for food.

The biggest reported culprit for American boredom seems to be having adult responsibilities like going to work and parenting.

More than 20 percent told researchers 2018 was less fun than 2017. And almost half (49 percent) said last year was the most stressful year going back all the way to 2015.

You probably remember all the excitement during 2015. That’s the year Paul Ryan became House Speaker and Taylor Swift pulled her music from Spotify.

Remember when you were young and all you wanted to do was grow up? Well, now nearly two-thirds of those surveyed think their life is too “grown-up.” Half of them really miss hanging out with friends. And a quarter want more birthday parties. Come to think of it, so do I.

Why not have more fun? Well, a little more than a third (36 percent) said the costs of doing some fun things were prohibitive. Thirty-five percent said they’re just too tired most times to do anything fun because they have too much work to do (32 percent).

However, the biggest culprit (66 percent) was an inability to get everyone in their family or group to agree on a fun thing to do. Besides, of course, reading HotAir.com out loud at dinner.

Still — and there’s little explanation for this apparent inconsistency – Americans reported spending upwards of $5,000 a year on fun entertainment.

“Fun is really about the escape,” said one of the study’s sponsors, Colie Edison, “breaking away from daily stressors and focusing on enjoying the moment.”

So, what would folks really rather do? A quarter of them would prefer an afternoon at an arcade to going to brunch. A fifth would rather have a sleepover with friends over going to a movie.

And 39 percent would opt out of an exercise class to choose some time at a bowling alley. Which might sound like fun and makes sense since the poll was sponsored by Bowlero, a chain of bowling alleys.

12  “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ 13  and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is GOD speaking to you! Malachi 1:12-13 (MSG)

13  But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Malachi 1:13 (ESV)

 

The Power of Symbols –  Louie Marsh

 

As you can see in the post below we had a baptism yesterday. That always makes me happy and marks a great Sunday no matter what else happens as far as I’m concerned. I suspect most Ministers would agree with me on this one.

 

There are a couple of reasons for that. One, that I’ll probably write about someday, is the fact that baptisms are one of the few concrete things we in the ministry can point to as markers of progress or “success” (however you define that elusive word). Working in a business which seeks to change lives and restore the soul provides few substantial markers of progress.

 

I think another reason is the power of symbols. The Bible is full of symbols of course. From circumcision to all the symbols in the Passover dinner and beyond we seem to see them everywhere.

 

Those ancient symbols still have the power to move us today, even though they are no longer a living part of our lives. As Christians we have left behind most of the Old Testament symbols and have inherited the ones custom made for God’s New Covenant.

 

Before I preformed the baptism today I gave my customary little talk. But I did use a word that I don’t believe I’ve ever used before, a word found above, ancient. It’s a little funny to me but our New Covenant is over 2000 years old. I can’t think of anything else anywhere close to that age that we still call new or would even consider doing so.

 

Yet it is New, for it’s alive and the reality of the living Christ and the power of His Spirit still change lives today, as much as they ever did. It is new because it’s living, as real now as it was on that first Pentecost morning, and it will always retain that newness. Our faith is a constantly reoccurring springtime of the soul that is both ancient and new at the same time.

 

Part of the way that we hold on to the reality of this newness is through the symbols Christ has given us. There are two major symbols given in the New Testament, baptism is one and the Lord’s Supper is the other. Baptism is a one time act of faith, the Lord’s Supper is one enacted “as often as you do it.”  Both are done in the Name of Jesus, in memory of what He alone has done for us.

 

Thus both are ever new.

 

Beyond these two symbols there are others we can draw from the New Covenant. The Cross is probably the most striking and well known of these. You can name others, the empty tomb, descending dove, etc.

 

The danger with symbols is that they can get old, routine, mere habit. When we allow the Lord’s Supper to become mundane we are guilty of taking it in a way that does not properly discern the Body and Blood of our Lord. In so doing we lose the newness.

 

So this week as we come into contact with the various symbols of our faith, let us ask God to help us appreciate them anew, see them through new eyes, and draw from them new insight and the new spiritual life that will sustain through whatever may come our way.

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Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


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