Genesis 17 Part II

I want to revisit a part of Genesis 17 that I didn't focus too hard on during the sermon. This chapter of Genesis establishes the Abrahamic Covenant symbol of circumcision. It's not exactly a comfortable topic and in the more reserved culture, you just don't dwell on that topic.

Here in the internet, though, there's a little more openness. Not complete insanity. Just a little more freedom. However, if you're uncomfortable reading about circumcision and considering this, please just go on to your next blog. It won't hurt you.

As someone who has read the Bible a good bit, I've long been aware of circumcision. I understood it to be the sign of the covenant with Abraham, and learned a couple of basic things that we Gentiles think were God's purpose behind instituting it. These things are:

1. Circumcision was an immensely personal mark of belonging to the community of God. This is not a process that one is unaware of: you can tell it was done even if you don't remember it happening.

2. Circumcision was a permanent change. There were some issues in the Hellenistic period some 1500 years after Abraham, but even those weren't true "undoings." It was more of a cover-up. This action marked the member of the covenant community as a lifetime participant.

3. Circumcision was a parental directive. After you get past Abraham, parents choose to circumcise their sons. Except for the opening chapters in Joshua. This should have been seen as the beginning of parental commitment to raise children to serve the One True God.

On behalf of my Presbyterian reader (s)? I'll leave out the discussion, for now, of whether baptism is analogous to circumcision for the New Covenant. Let's focus on the Old Testament for now, shall we?

What struck me this time through Genesis 17 was this: Abraham is 99 years old at this point. The Almighty One tells Abraham two things in this passage: he'll have a child, soon. And to circumcise himself and all the males in the household.

We know from further chapters that Abraham is 100 when Isaac is born. So in the span of about a year, Abraham circumcises himself, Sarah conceives, and they have a baby.

Let's think about the obedience and faith factor here: just think, for a minute. Picture the idea of circumcision in your mind. Now, if you're not recognizing the risk to future generations, look up "circumcision" again. Yet Abraham obeys anyway.

What about us?

Based on the great preponderance of New Testament writings on the subject, we're not required to circumcise or be circumcised. So how does this help us understand?

What do we think about those acts of obedience and faith that come very close to home?

What about those that make us think the promise of God is endangered?

In all, I think there's a vivid portrait here of personal, painful obedience to God that we would do well to remember. It's not always easy. I know that I cannot always see how it helps.

But it's not my job to do that. Grand strategy is neither my strong suit nor my responsibility. Obedience is my responsibility. The results?

Those belong to Him who actually knows what's going on and what to do about it.

Sermon Recap from August 28: Genesis 17 and Genesis 18

Morning Audio Link

Evening Audio Link

Morning Genesis 17

Outline used: 

I. Personal Obedience:

     A. Not just generic ethics

     B. Not done by others

     C. Must be done by us

II. Painful separation

     A. We cannot expect everything to go well.

     B. We cannot expect to hold on to everything

III. Patient God

     A. He has waited for us

     B. He has watched while we wander

     C. his patience will end someday

 

Evening: Genesis 18

I. The Sins of Sodom

A. Not overly detailed

B. Their sin? Anger, rebellion, offense against marriage, God’s Word

II. The Sins of America

A. Read a newspaper

B. Our sin? Anger, rebellion, offense against God’s Word

III. The Culprit?

A. Is it the sinner? The sinner bears their own guilt

B. Is it the Judge? All He does is perfect

C. Is it Godly? Let’s take a look at that:

1. Where are Abraham and Sarah prior to the doom of Sodom?

2. They are in their tents. Sarah is actually laughing at God’s Word.

3. Not “funny” laughing. Derisively laughing. Mocking.

4. Is it possible that the world, and especially our country, are in the mess that we are in not because of the heathen---

But because we who claim to be God’s people spend more time mocking God’s Word than we do obeying the Word, learning the Word, and spreading the Word?

God would have spared Sodom for the presence of 10 righteous men. What percentage of the population do you think that was? It was mostly likely not more than 5%! Probably less.

We Christians, especially us Baptist-types, like to warn and worry that America’s growing lack of Biblical morality will result in God’s judgment. After all, did not Sodom receive judgment?

Yet should we not be the 10 men of the city? If Southern Baptists alone were honoring the Word of God, 5% of the US population would be. Are we?

When we laugh at God’s word that all races are equal, when we laugh at commands for our marriages and standards for our votes and actions….

When we laugh at looking after widows and orphans in their distress….

When we laugh at what God has said about our work, our integrity…

When we laugh at what God has told our religious leaders to be like, and we laugh and allow them to be otherwise…

When we sit in our homes, our pews, and our cars mocking the Word of God….

Whose fault is it that judgment comes? The wicked or the righteous for not being there?

New music from @downhere

Today I have something a little different for a review. Once before, I’ve given my opinion on a CD, back in 2009 I recommended a Christmas CD to you: How Many Kings by the band Downhere. Well, it’s time for another CD review. Why?

Because Downhere has a new album out. That’s why. The new album is titled On the Altar of Love and it releases today. I pre-ordered a CD, and then was asked to do the review and had the opportunity to listen online to the whole thing. What can I say about this album? (click the link to go to Downhere’s Website so you can buy it!)

First of all, let’s talk about music style. Downhere is a four-man band, with guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard. However, they also have skills with trumpets, spoons, banjos, and more…not counting the studio musicians that come in and play a bit more. One bright spot to me about Downhere in general is that a live drummer as part of the band helps with the creative process. Drum tracks just aren't as fun.

Second, let's talk lyrics. At the end of this review, I've embedded the video to "Let Me Rediscover You." This song captures the strength of songwriting on this album. It does more than rhyme or have catchy lyrics. Rather, Marc, Jason, Glenn, and Jeremy have captured the simple complexity of the Gospel and set it to music that "Of all the mysteries still, the greatest to me is that You're faithful when I fall."  It's the timeless truth of God's unending, unswerving grace alongside His holiness and majesty.

Further on lyrics are the words to "Thank You for the Heartbreak" asking "How can a love be a love without a cost?" These themes are developed and strong throughout the album. The lyrics have clear Scriptural connections and striking imagery. I'd reproduce it all here, but you need to hear it instead.

Then there is album flow to consider. In the age of iTunes and MP3 players, some artists have reached a point that they don't really build an album but instead bundle a group of singles for sale. This isn't an album to buy track-by-track. The ebbs and flows of the album together play well, though dividing them into your mix will work as well.

Finally, how does it all come together? The music shows remarkable talent, the writing shows depth, and the album is one that I would extend a rare privilege: I would give up preaching this Sunday morning to allow Downhere to sing these songs instead. It is lyrically focused on the Glory of God. The music and the words together drives the listener to think beyond the normal music.

In summary, when people complain about "fluff" music in Christian music; when people complain about "unfocused" or "shallow" music in Christian music; when someone says Christian music isn't "good artistry," it shows me they need to listen to On the Altar of Love. The album challenges on a personal level and a community level.

Genesis 16 Revisited

Sunday night's sermon came from Genesis 16. There's the link, if you want the outline and the audio. The sermon really ended up sounding like two different sermons kind of shoe-horned together. There's a reason for that---and it's not that I'm a bad preacher. I mean, that might be true, but that's not why that happened.

Genesis 16 has a couple of different storylines to address. Typically, the focus goes on Abram and Sarai's decision to "help God out" by having Abram father a child with Hagar, Sarai's handmaid. There's plenty of reason to look at this, and that's where the sermon outline went. ultimately, keep in mind that the morals and practices of the day and culture we live in do not define what is right.

God defines what is right. Contemporary culture has been wrong before, but God never has. Go with the One with the perfect record.

I want to, instead, take a minute to look at Sarai and Hagar's relationship. Actually, I don't want to look at that. Why?

Because it reminds me of me too much. This story highlights what happens when we sin. Often we think that sin is just about us and our relationship with God. We've kind of over-bought David's line in Psalm 51:4 that he sinned against God and God alone. It is true that sin is about violating God's holiness and that sin is really between the sinner and God.

Except that's like saying the shotgun blast is only between and the duck I was shooting at. In the end, yes, but there's other pellets that scattered and can hurt others. In this case, the pattern was fired at God's plan and promise and the sin was failure to trust that obeying God's standards would be enough.

But Hagar got caught with a few stray pellets. Now, it's easy to point out that Hagar got a little haughty, and to then say that Abram and Sarai were justified to get harsh and drive her from home after she had been given to Abram "as his wife" (read Genesis 15:3. That's what the text says.)

We need to see this clearly so that we can learn how to apply this into our own lives: when we sin, even when it's not a "bad sin" but rather our typical "good sins" of helping God by doing some of His work for Him, other people get hurt. It's hard to call them "innocent' people since we're all sinners, but in these cases they are often at least innocent to our choice.

Or we've maneuvered them to think they have no choice. Any way we slice it, it's really our responsibility that these folks have the problems we've created.

So, what are we going to do about it?

1. Learn to see when we're making mistakes. Fix them---including not compounding those errors by adding new ones.

2. Find, as best we can, the people we've put into bad places by our choices. Explain our own repentance and offer a pure, clean apology. Not a "sorry, but…." apology. A real one.

3. Strive to be proactive. If we would learn to trust the Lord God and His ways, we'd hurt fewer people on the front end.

4. Focus. God's people should have a singular focus to look at Him, but our peripheral vision should always note the people around us. Besides---God is with those people, either in them as His or working in conviction to draw them to Himself. How can you focus on God and not see people?

Genesis 15 Revisited

Sunday Morning’s sermon was from Genesis 15. You can find outline and audio link here for that.

Today, let’s look back at Genesis 15. The Abram/Abraham narratives of Genesis carry three repetitions of the covenant promise. It’s stated in 12, restated in 15, and restated again in 17.

The purpose of stating the covenant in 12 is obvious: without the introduction of the covenant, why tell Abraham’s story?

Genesis 17 restates the covenant in light of Abram and Sarai’s attempt to shortcut the plan of God in Genesis 16. It’s a reminder.

Where does Genesis 15 come from?

I think the first verse is a good clue. Genesis 15:1 states that “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying…”

“These things” refers to the battle with King Chedarlaomer (if I write an Old Testament book, he’ll be King Cheesy) and Abram’s subsequent defeat of that king. It also refers to the snub Abram gives the king of Sodom.

So, at the outset of Genesis 15, Abram has alienated the earthly kings around him. The higher king (King Cheesy) and the lower ones around Sodom. He’s got no earthly friends left outside of his household. Lot’s basically abandoned him, Abram had left Ur and Haran, and the Egyptians don’t want him back.

What does God do at this point?

He sends Abram the Word of the Lord. He doesn’t give him a new promise. He doesn’t show him signs and wonders. He reminds Abram of what has already been promised. Then, the Lord develops some visual reminders for Abram.

I think that’s important. If I were camping out in Genesis on Sundays, this would have likely gotten its own complete sermon about what we need when we’re scared.

What we need:

Isn’t more material possessions or wealth: Abram did not receive from God one square foot of ground in Canaan to reassure him. He didn’t have Melchizedek show up and return a portion of the tithe.

Isn’t an acceleration of the plan: whether by our hand or for God to change it for us. God is at work in the world around us and His providence holds together things on this earth. We need not jump ahead.

Isn’t a trip back to the beginning. While this is true if working for Vizzini, that when the job goes wrong, you go back to the beginning, it’s not true of the walk of faith. We do, sometimes, need comfort that comes from home and familiarity. But it’s not the solution: we don’t retreat from where God has placed us. When I have tired days as a pastor, husband, father, the solution is not to move back in with Mom and Dad and go back to high school.

What we need:

Is a reminder of the prior faithfulness: Genesis 15:7, God reminds Abram of how Abram got this far. A reminder in our lives of God’s prior faithfulness is immeasurably valuable.

Sometimes, we can’t see that, though, so God’s faithfulness is commended to our minds by:

1. Others who saw it in our lives. My wife is great for this in my life. There are others, but she’s pretty constant at it.

2. Stories of God’s faithfulness to others. Every third book you read should be a biography of a follower of Christ. Really. Comment if you need a list to get you started.

Is a reminder of God’s present presence: This is the God “I am.” Whether in the NT or the OT, God is eternally in the present. Many of us remember what God has done and hope for heaven, what He will do---

But we forget He’s here, right now. Remember “lo, I am with you always”? (Matthew 28:19-20). God reminds Abram that “I am a shield to you” in verse 1. God is with Abram, even if no man is.

Is a reminder our futures are in God’s designs: Your reward shall be….You will… and so forth. Abram is pointed forward. To walk forward in obedience and faith.

Where does all this come together for us?

In your Bible. In the Word of God, revealed through inspired writing, and bound conveniently together for you to read. God’s past actions? All the way to darkness and void and forward to the Word going forth, though Paul is chained---and then some: Revelation is the history of the end of the world. It’s just already written.

In the Word of God: God’s present presence: Christ in you, the hope of glory (it’s about Him being glorified). Immanuel, God with us. I am….the way, truth, life; the resurrection; the bread of life; the living water. You get the point: throughout Scripture we see people that understood the presence of God and we are reminded by His own words that He is present.

In the Word of God: God’s designs for your future: to be used by Him to reach the nations (Acts 1:8), to be a vessel for His glory. To be transformed by the renewing of your minds. To serve Him in loving repentance.

It’s all right there.

Just as His Word returned to strengthen Abram, so His Word is there for us.

And fortunately, we don’t need visions or dreams to know His Word. If you’ve got the Internet, you’ve got it. You’ve probably got one or two kicking around the house.

So read it. And pray for those without it, some by ignorance of their need and others by where they live and the language they speak. Do something about those: pray, live, give, and go. Let your life point people to the Word.

BookTuesday: Route 66

Today's book comes, again, from Kregel Publications. It's another free book in exchange for the review. Now that I've told you that, let's get to business.

The book is titled Route 66 and it's by Krish Kandiah. Below is a link on Amazon, and the title above is hyperlinked to Kregel's page. Going to Kregel will get you more information on the author, an excerpt of the book, and a chance to buy it. Going to Amazon will get you the chance to buy it from Amazon, which is something I no longer profit from, but I still link there anyway.

Route 66: A Crash Course in Navigating Life with the Bible

This book is written as a guide book for understanding the Bible. It's broken down into eight chapters, with each chapter broken down into five sections.

Essentially, this is designed for a group study with daily reading and weekly discussion. It's not a bad format. The sections are not too long, and the questions dig in---not too deep, but not overly shallow.

The content breaks down like this: Route 66 is intended as a guide to understanding the Bible through various literary genres. Kandiah views the Bible as containing basically eight (what luck, same number of chapters!) literary genres. These are the different types of writing that you find: narrative, law, wisdom literature, letters, prophecy, and so forth.

The book attempts to categorize each book of the Bible into the genres that Kandiah identifies. He then provides suggestions of how to understand and extract the intent from the various types of literature.

In all, this is an easily readable attempt at teaching basic Biblical understanding. If you are starting up a small-group study, it's a good start.

The drawback here is for anyone who would make this good start their final stop in understanding the Bible. Kandiah's example of Route 66, the highway is a helpful metaphor here: the old highway varied in width and road type all along the way. Likewise, there are few Biblical books that fall cleanly into only one literary type or another. Those that do, like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, or the Psalms, contain a large amount of diversity within their genre anyway.

Books like Genesis or Exodus are a mixture of genre, as are the Books of the Kings. Even "prophets" often contain narrative. Kandiah acknowledges this, but the flow of the book is a little forced on the issue. I'd say it's partially because of trying to work through the 66 books of Scripture in their canonical order. That's not all bad, it just serves as a limiting factor.

A study group or individual starting with Route 66 would do well to move from there to How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth by Fee and Stuart to look at how the genres intermingle and some stronger work on extracting the meaning present in the text.

I wouldn't put a "stop sign" for traveling Route 66, but there's places this one can't get you---after all, there's more to see than just the road from Chicago to LA. After you've made that trip, make another one.

August 21 PM: Genesis 16

Audio Link Here

Genesis 16: No shortcuts!

I. Impatience leads to bad decisions

     A. Sometimes those bad decisions are made because society encourages them

     B. Sometimes we do what we want no matter what society thinks

     C. There are no shortcuts to developing patience

II. Immorality leads to dire consequences

     A. We get what we want

     B. Then we don't want it anymore

     C. We then respond by compounding sin

     D. There are no shortcuts past God's standards and ways

III. Impiety leads to foolish behavior

     A. We do things that are blatantly wrong

     B. We can hurt others in doing so

     C. We cannot undo the promise and grace of God