There are only three ways to learn

I can still vividly remember one particular scene from when our oldest son was in his preteen years.  He had just gotten himself in trouble, and he was not interested in talking through the choices he had made.  He only wanted to take his lumps and move on; however, he needed to fully understand what his choice caused and what would be the natural consequences if he didn’t make a course correction with his behavior.  I didn’t go full-blown lecture-mode, but I did quote a proverb and then told him how it applied to his situation.  As I walked away to leave him in his room, he sarcastically quipped behind me, “You know, not everything has to be a life lesson.”

I was more than a little irritated by that point, so as calmly as I could, I replied, “It is if you’re paying attention.”  And then I left him to his isolation, hoping that he’d be able to better process this little skirmish without others around him.

It’s difficult to learn lessons when we’re not open to them.  Assuming we’re ok in our ignorance – or that we’ll at least be able to get by on what we do know – can end up costing us in the long run.  Since time marches on, our ability to adapt is directly connected to our ability to learn…and if someone is trying to help us learn before we make a mistake that doesn’t have a do-over, then it’s in our best interest to pay attention.

This is why we go back to the Scriptures, time and time again: to gain knowledge and wisdom, to learn how God designed this life and how best we can abundantly live it out.  The book of Proverbs is a go-to for me, for that very reason.  King Solomon wrote it to instruct his sons in the way wisdom can be woven into our lives.  It is chock-full of applicable knowledge, and it is readily available for us to use.  Here is a great example from Solomon:

Proverbs 24:30-34
I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of one lacking sense.
Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was ruined.

I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction:

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,
and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need, like a bandit.

Solomon learned a valuable lesson simply because he was being observant.  When we are open to being taught by life’s examples, we can save ourselves a lot of trouble.  If Solomon’s sons applied the lesson, they would find it less work to maintain their blessings than it would be to mount up the effort needed to completely repair a neglected field or replace an entire stone wall.

When you get right down to it, there are only three ways that we can learn something: by instruction, by observation, or the hard way.  Solomon learned his lesson by observation – he saw someone else’s struggle and recognized that was not a path he should be traveling.  Solomon’s sons had the opportunity to learn by instruction – if they followed the lesson provided, they would also be kept from the trouble that negligence leads to.

The third option was also available – they could ignore Solomon’s lesson and have to experience the hard way first-hand.  The trouble with the hard way is…that it’s hard.  There are many first-hand lessons in life that come with no do-overs or take-backs.  Unfortunately, our hard-headedness and pride often  send us down “The Hard Way” path. 

Again, that’s why we need to return to the Scriptures.  There are lessons to learn, both by instruction and by observation, but only if we are open to them. 

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Put on your detective's hat, part 1

Last time, we put on our reporter’s hat and asked the questions: Who?, What?, Where?, When?, and Why?  Now, we’re going move to thinking like a detective so we can dig a little deeper into the text.  Today, we’ll cover the first two text clues:

Text Clue #1: Look for things that are emphasized.

There are 3 primary ways Biblical authors clue us in with emphasis: what they talk about the most, when they give a purpose statement, and the order in which they present their topics.

First off, the amount of space an author uses, or what subject they talk about the most, is a huge clue.  A couple of examples:

·       When we think of the book of Genesis, what typically comes to mind?  Creation, the fall, and the flood, right?  However, all those topics take up only 20% of the book.  The rest of Genesis is about Abraham, his family, and the birth of the nation of Israel.  It is in these stories that we find the early steps of God’s rescue plan for humanity, and that is what God is emphasizing in the book of Genesis.
·       There are 21 chapters in John’s gospel, but by the middle of chapter 12, we are already at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  Of all the things in Jesus’ life that John could have written about, his focus is most definitely on the last week of Jesus’ life.

A second way an author shows emphasis comes when the author just straight-out tells us what his reason is for writing.  While we don’t find purpose statements in every book of the Bible, it is very clarifying when you find one.  The classic example is found in John’s gospel:

John 20:30-31
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book.  But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

John admits he could have written on many other stories from Jesus’ life – but he specifically chose seven signs to match his purpose: to show his readers that Jesus is the promised Messiah, and that you can believe in Him for His free gift of eternal life.

The last way an author shows emphasis is by the order things (lists, events, stories, etc.) in the material.  Here’s one example:

God places Adam and Eve in a garden to “work it and watch over it” the text says (Genesis 2:15).  Then the couple sin, and God drives them out of the Garden and curses the earth (Genesis 3:17-24).  That order becomes important when we talk about work, because some people believe that work is a part of the curse.  However, the order of events in Genesis prevents that interpretation.

As you can see, the first clue you look for when you come to the Scriptures is that which is emphasized.  The writers have left clues that say, “Hey, this is important.  Pay attention!”  When you look for the kinds of emphasis we’ve discussed, you’ll quickly catch on to what matters most.

Text Clue #2: Look for things that are repeated.

When our boys were young, we had to repeat directions and rules several times a day, for many days in a row (and then again at a later date) to make sure that a particular behavior would be shaped in them.  I’m sure you can relate.  Similarly, we need to look for words and phrases that are repeated when we read the Bible.

Have you ever noticed how often Jesus repeats things to His disciples?  The gospels record at least nine times that He said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”  And when John was recording the Revelation, what do you suppose the Lord told him to write to the seven churches?  That’s right: “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

That’s a lot of emphasis.  You get the impression that Jesus wanted His disciples (and us) to PAY ATTENTION to what He had to say.  By constantly using that phrase to flag His words, He gave His listeners a clue about the significance of His teaching. 

A special type of repetition is when we read the New Testament and find quotes from or references to the Old Testament.  Jesus refers to Jonah, as well as Adam and Eve.  Both Hebrews and Revelation are full of Old Testament quotes and references.  The authors are assuming you understand their references back to OT people, places, and events – so make sure you take the time to look up what they’re talking about.  It will help you understand what the NT author is saying…and if you don’t understand their references, you’ll likely misinterpret their intended point.

In short, whenever you study the Bible and notice that something is repeated – if it’s said more than once – mark it down.  It’s not because the authors couldn’t think of anything else to say.  It’s their way of pointing out something important.

Let’s stop here and try looking for these two Text Clues in our text from Joshua. 

What things are emphasized?  What is God’s purpose in giving Joshua these instructions?  Is there an order to what God is saying?

What things are repeated?  There’s an obvious phrase to notice here.  Why would God need to repeat this to Joshua?

If you look, you may find other things that are either emphasized or repeated.  Whatever you find, be sure to write it down.

Joshua 1:6-9
“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.  Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.
This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.  For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.  Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Keep Pressing,
Ken

The importance of focusing on Jesus

After discussing how the church body should act and what expectations there should be for church leadership, Paul moves on to tell the Ephesian believers what will happen when their focus on God is shifted.

1 Timothy 4:1-3
Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.  They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth.

An infiltration of deceitful, demon-influenced teaching being peddled by hypocrites from within the church itself?  I’m not sure about you, but that sounds like some pretty scary stuff.

The first observation we can make from Paul’s statement is that this is actually going to happen: the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith.  As human history continues on its downward spiral to the inevitable moment when only Jesus can correct the sinful disaster we’ve made, the Spirit says that some will depart from the faith.

The second observation is that God isn’t surprised by this.  He already sees it coming.  He knows how and when his church will be inundated with false teachings.  We can take comfort in the fact that He isn’t caught off-guard, and He’s preparing us by giving warning ahead of time.

But who are those that depart from the faith?  Some commentators think that these people were never “true believers” in Jesus.  I don’t think that’s the case, though.  Why give believers a warning about a group of people leaving who weren’t really part of them anyway?

Instead, Paul is giving Timothy a warning to pass along to the church in Ephesus – that it is possible for believers to be deceived, and those who will be deceived got there because they paid attention to teachings other than what lined up with God’s revelation.

But that leave us to wonder…what happens to those believers who depart from the faith?  Does their “departing” mean they lose their salvation?

The Greek word Paul uses here for depart is different from the word translated as depart in other areas of Scripture when Paul refers to his departing Earth to go to Heaven.  Here, the word aphistemi means to withdraw, to remove, or desert.  It’s the same word Jesus used to describe the seed that fell in the rocky soil:

Luke 8:6, 13
Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up, it withered, since it lacked moisture…And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, welcome the word with joy.  Having no root, these believe for a while and depart in a time of testing.

They trust God for eternal salvation, but when times get tough, they don’t trust God with their circumstances.  Their choice leaves them withered; however, there’s no indication that God abandons them.  These believers do not lose their salvation, but they lack the life-giving relationship Christ offers because they have no roots.  They have departed from their connection to Him.

Luke uses the word aphistemi (translated to English as deserted) to describe John Mark’s abandoning of Paul and Barnabas:

Acts 15:38
But Paul did not think it appropriate to take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not done on with them to the work.

John Mark had left the mission at that point, but his departing didn’t permanently banish him from fellowship with Paul, Barnabas, or the rest of the church.  Instead, he was considered not worthy of a later opportunity to serve.

So did Timothy convey Paul’s serious warning to the Ephesians?  Did they take heed?

Years later, while dictating a letter to the Apostle John to send to the church of Ephesus, Jesus said

Revelation 2:2
I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil.  You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars.

They took the right steps to avoid listening to the liars who were peddling the ideas and teachings of those who oppose God.  Paul sent them a warning, Timothy delivered it, and the believers kept their focus on Jesus. 

In doing so, they did not depart from the faith in a time of trial.  And for their faithfulness, they received praise and approval from the Creator of the Universe and became an example for us.

Keep Pressing,
Ken
 

Avoiding spiritual distractions

We are spiritual beings.  That’s how God made us.  So naturally, we gravitate toward the spiritual aspect of life.  We look at design in nature and recognize that there must be a designer.  We observe the happenings around us and acknowledge that there is more going on than only what we can see with our eyes.  We read history from God’s perspective and marvel at His-story.

However, since we are also fallen and sinful, our understanding of spiritual topics is easily knocked off course. 

Human history is littered with wrong ideas about God, what He is like, and how we can know Him.  Before we came to know Jesus, our internal desire for “spiritual things” led us down all sorts of paths.  The difficulty, then, becomes what we will do with our old understandings in light of our relationship with Jesus?

The believers in Paul’s day had the same issues.  Ephesus was a magnificent, melting-pot metropolis.  In that town there were numerous Greek gods and goddesses – the people not only worshiped them, but also told stories, explained their history, and held festivals in their honor.  The Jewish community had many fantasy stories of angels and how to manipulate them, as well as various speculative “biographies” of Biblical characters.

These are the kinds of topics Paul wants Timothy to tackle head-on.

1 Timothy 1:3-4
As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach other doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. 

These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith.

The Greek word for pay attention was used to convey the word picture of bringing a ship to land.  It was also used to describe how a person is attached to someone or something, with a level of devotion or even addiction.

One of Timothy’s goals was to weed out these false ideas about God and correct the people’s fascination with myths and endless genealogies.  It wouldn’t be easy.  Some of these myths were quite popular in the culture.  Some Jews would trace their tribal heritage as proof of personal importance or value to God.

However, Paul nails down the problem with focusing on these things – they promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan.  Paul knew they couldn’t walk with God while deceiving themselves with feel-good stories or puffing themselves up with information about their lineage.  The mythical stories detracted or even contradicted God’s story.  The genealogies put the focus on them, rather than on God.  Instead, the Ephesian believers were in danger of missing the point – our relationship with God and our ability to live rightly before Him only comes through a faith that is focused on God.

However, on rare occasion, Paul would reference that a philosopher correctly identified a spiritual truth (Acts 17:28), yet this acknowledgment was stepping stone to point others toward Jesus.  He didn’t dwell there.  To continue the word picture – Paul didn’t dock his ship on the philosopher’s point.  Instead, as he continued on in his message, Paul then dropped anchor on the truth of the resurrection (Acts 17:31).

We see this same tendency toward distraction in the modern church as well.  There’s a fascination with stories of people who have gone to Heaven and come back.  There’s wide-spread speculation about angels and an abundance of feel-good stories.  We look for “Bible codes” and try to match up prophecy with the newspaper.

Whenever the next “big thing” comes through Christian-living literature, we must ask ourselves: Does the author promote empty speculations or God’s plan?  Where will we choose to drop our anchor?

Keep Pressing,
Ken

Final greetings and a warning

As Paul closes out his letter to the believers in Colossae, he has some specific instructions for the few people he knows in the area. 

Colossians 4:15-18
Give my greetings to the brothers in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.  And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.  And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”  This greeting is in my own hand – Paul.  Remember my imprisonment.  Grace be with you.

Can you imagine what it would have been like to be Archippus?

Paul essentially calls him out before the entire congregation…and to whomever would eventually read the Colossian letter.  The next time someone is introduced to Archippus, I could imagine the conversation going something like:

“Nice to meet you.  Oh, you’re Archippus?  Have you accomplished the ministry God gave you?”

I’m sure Archippus had some mixed emotions when he heard the letter read to the church – feeling some encouragement from Paul, but also feeling a little pressure, too.

However, that’s what good encouragers do.  The help us see the correct path, and then they give us a nudge in that direction.  But we have to be the ones to take the steps and do the ministry that God gives to each of us.

This blog doesn’t write itself.  In order to continue the ministry that Joe started years ago and later handed off to me, I have several things that I must pay attention to.  My own study of God’s Word, my work schedule, my family schedule, and all the other curve balls that life throws at us…all of them must be juggled intentionally in order for me to accomplish the task that God has given to me.

There are times when writing is more difficult than others.  There have been times where I’m writing blogs weeks ahead of when they are posted…but there have been many more times when I’m writing late into Tuesday or Thursday night for something that will post the next morning.  Sometimes the observations come easily, but other times I struggle to find the correct interpretation of a passage.  However, knowing that God is allowing me to partner with Him in this way is a great motivator.  The occasional note back from someone who can either relate to or apply what I write has also been encouraging.

Paul’s point is that we can’t accomplish the ministry God gives us unless we actively pay attention to it.  We cannot be lazy in our efforts and expect God to pick up our slack.  He paid the penalty for our sins because there was no alternative, no way for us to do it.  However, if God hands us a ministry, then He knows we can accomplish it…with the right amount of effort.

Looking back through Paul’s letter to the Colossians, his main focus was to encourage them on to maturity.  One of the best ways to demonstrate and develop our maturity as believers is to pay attention and take care of what God has given us to do.

What opportunities has God placed before you to minister to the people around you?  Don’t compare your ministry to other people’s.  Look at the lives around you, who can you reach?  Are you paying enough attention so you can do what He has given you to do?

In order to accomplish our given task, we have to make hard choices about how we spend our time.  We have all the time in the world to do whatever we think is most important.  How important is the ministry we have received from the Lord?  I encourage you to pay attention and go for it!

Keep Pressing,
Ken