Meditations

Go up to Lebanon, and cry out, and lift up your voice in Bashan; cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers are crushed. I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, “I will not listen.” This has been your way from your youth, for you have not obeyed my voice. The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds, and your lovers shall go into captivity; then you will be ashamed and dismayed because of all your wickedness. O inhabitant of Lebanon, nested among the cedars, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain as of a woman in labor! Jeremiah 22:20-23

“When he says “I spoke to you (that is God spoke through the prophets: or else ‘they spoke to you’ so that ‘my prophets’ is understood) in your prosperity, but you said, ‘I will not listen’ he charges Jerusalem with pride and with misusing their great wealth in contempt of God. He also explains how not only at this time but even from the beginning when they were first led out of Egypt, they would not listen to God. For this reason their shepherds and leaders will be scattered here and there and their necks will be bowed down to Babylonian captivity. And when he adds, “You who sit in Lebanon and make your nest among the cedars,” he is scoffing at their arrogance that sprang from their abundance in all things. He also says that sudden pain and unexpected captivity will come on them as on a woman who is giving birth.”

Jerome of Stridon (347-420) in Commentary on Jeremiah, trans. by Michael Graces, ed. by Christopher Hall (Ancient Christian Texts; Downers Grove: IVP, 2011) 134.

In speaking to various church groups, I remind them not to misuse the great wealth that God has entrusted to them. Obedience often leads to material blessing but our own prosperity can destroy us personally and our churches collectively. This is true for all Christians as well as every denomination and congregation.

Shepherds of God’s flock in modernity today must consider Old Testament texts like this one written to the Jews, as a wake up call for us lest the same complacency and arrogance spring from our own experience of abundance. Our churches have been blessed richly and must, in turn, generously put God’s resources to work, lest we too (at least metaphorically speaking) become enslaved by Babylon (which personifies materialism in Scripture).

Misuse of the material wealth God provides leads to slavery and possibly even destruction.

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales. Acts 4:33-34

“For her own benefit, the Church owns nothing except her faith. These rents and revenues to which they refer, the church gives away. The possessions of the church are expenditure on the poor. Let them count up how many captives their temples have ransomed, what nourishment they have offered to the poor, to how many exiles they have given resources for a livelihood.”

Ambrose of Milan (c. 340-397) in Epistula 73 “Ambrose Formal Reply to Symmachus” in Ambrose of Milan: Political Letters and Speeches (Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2005) 86

Just like in the early church in the book of Acts, Christians in the fourth century were giving land (or the proceeds from the sale of land) to the church so that the community of faith would have land to work and resources to care for the needy. Some land generated revenue but Ambrose was quick to note that all the money was, in turn, spent on the needy among them.

Don’t miss the beautiful economy in play here.

In antiquity, criminals fled to the safety and sanctuary of pagan temple precincts. They were often branded or tattooed for their crimes. They were prisoners of their own past. Subsequently, in modern terms, they would have no life or way of making a living. Not only does the church ransom them, also notice that exiles are cared for by the Church. This likely points to Christians who lost everything for their faith. The church was home for the destitute and dispossessed.

So what’s Ambrose saying to Symmachus (and to us)?

The Church has everything it needs in Jesus Christ and demonstrates this faith by caring for the poor. “The possessions of the church are expenditure on the poor.” In God’s economy, God is what people need most, not money. Money is a tool to care for those that God cares for that are often forgotten or ostracized by society. Encourage your church to go and do likewise: Spend money on the poor. Ransom captives. Nourish the poor. Rescue exiles!

What are the possessions of your church? Does your church value what Christ values?

Today I am teaching on “God’s Design for Faithful Workers: A Biblical Theology as a Foundation for Pastoral Preaching and Congregational Practice” at the EFCA One Conference. If you want a PDF of my slides, reply to this email. And pray for the Holy Spirit to bless all who attend through my teaching of God’s Word. Thanks.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Those who give mercifully should be advised that they not consider themselves to be greater than those upon whom they bestow earthly goods; in effect, that they not assume that they are better than those whom they see themselves to support. For the lord of an earthly household, by distributing the ranks and responsibilities to his servants, instructs some to have authority and others to be submissive to that authority. The latter he orders to provide what is necessary to the others; the former he permits to accept what is offered to them. Generally, however, it is the leaders who offend, whereas those who are governed typically remain in the good grace of the lord of the house. In short, those who are dispensers incur wrath, while those who subsist on the dispensations of others continue without offense. Therefore, those who give mercifully of what they have should be advised that they acknowledge that they have been placed in a position to be a giver of temporal goods by the Lord of heaven. Moreover, they should give all the more humbly, in the knowledge that the things that they dispense are not their own. And when they consider that they are in the service of those to whom they give what they themselves have received, they should not allow pride to swell in their minds, but remain humbled in fear.”

Gregory the Great (c. 540-604) in The Book of Pastoral Rule (Crestwood: St Vladimirs Seminary Press, 2007) 140-141.

Gregory exhibits similar zeal as the Apostle Paul when he urges those with more than enough not to be arrogant or to hope in riches by wrongly holding on to them, but to enjoy and share them! In his words, such people should give mercifully and dispense humbly.

This is sound advice from one of the four doctors of the Western Church. Modern day givers who desire to be generous must not miss the insights he is putting forth. The problems tend to appear among the dispensers and not the recipients of giving.

Everything that each of us possesses is not our own, so all giving must be done with humility. Givers, myself included, too often like to control others or outcomes with giving. God forgive us. Help us instead, give out of humility and obedience with mercy with joy knowing that we are merely executing a responsibility God has entrusted to us. God help us not be part of the problem but part of the solution!

Today I am flying to Austin, Texas. I get to teach in a deeper learning track at the EFCA One Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. I’d appreciate your prayers for safe travel and fruitful service. Thank you.

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. Romans 6:13

“The instruments of good works: In the first place to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength. Then, one’s neighbor as one’s self…To deny one’s self in order to follow Christ…To hold one’s self aloof from worldly ways…To prefer nothing to the love of Christ…Not to forsake charity…To love one’s enemies, Not to curse them that curse us, but rather to bless them…To put one’s trust in God…To keep a constant watch over the actions of our life…To guard one’s tongue against bad and wicked speech…To honor the aged…To love the younger…To pray for one’s enemies in the love of Christ…To never to despair of God’s mercy.

Behold, these are the instruments of the spiritual art, which, if they have been applied without ceasing day and night and approved on judgment day, will merit for us from the Lord that reward which He hath promised: “The eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). But the workshop in which we perform all these works with diligence is the enclosure of the monastery, and stability in the community.”

Benedict of Nursia (480-543) in an excerpt from The Rule of St. Benedict IV (Grand Rapids: CCEL).

Benedict wrote his rule to essentially answer the question: What does it mean to follow Jesus in the sixth century in Nursia? While many people grow up in homes, the monastery was the place where people would go to learn to live in the way of Jesus with others. That included those who had no home life or who wanted to do the Christian life in community.

Today I want to honor my father and all fathers out there who seek to live as instruments of good works. God will reward each one of us, fathers, for loving the Lord God with all our heart, soul, and strength, for keeping constant watch over the actions of our lives, for not forsaking charity, and for so many other good things. Honor the aged and love the younger today.

Stand fast, fathers, and stay the course as instruments of good works!

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

“It’s only good loving that makes good living. Put gold aside when considering human dealings; or rather let gold be present, to test the quality of human dealings…

Because you have asked, you have received [wealth]; there, do some good with it. Before you had it, you were humble; no sooner have you begun to possess wealth, than you have started despising the poor.

What sort of good is it, by which you have been made worse? You’ve been made worse, because you were bad, and you had no idea of what could make you worse, that’s why you were asking me for these things.

I gave them to you, and I tested you; you found them, and were found out. When you didn’t have them, your true self was hidden. Correct yourself: vomit out cupidity, drink in charity.

“What’s so great about what you ask me for?” Your God is saying to you. “Can’t you see the people I’ve given it to? Can’t you see the sort of people I’ve given it to?

If what you are asking me for were a great good, would bandits have it, would cheats and breakers of their word have it, would people who blaspheme me have it, would disrepute clowns have it, would shameless harlots have it? Would all these types have gold, if gold were an excellent good?

“But you say to me, ‘Isn’t gold a good thing, then?’ Certainly gold is a good thing. But bad people do bad things with good gold; good people do good things with good gold.

So because you can see the sort of people I’ve given it to, ask me for better things, ask me for more excellent things, ask me for spiritual things; ask me for myself.”

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) in Sermon 311, excerpts from sections 11-13 in Essential Sermons: Saint Augustine (New York: New City Press, 2007) 374-376.

Without doubt, Augustine is my favorite preacher from the early years of Christianity. Why? He shakes and wakes readers with his candor and clarity. “Correct yourself: vomit out cupidity, drink in charity.” So you don’t miss his point, cupidity is “greed or desire for wealth and possessions.”

He’s saying to the church in Hippo, and to us, stop seeking after good things, which will show the kind of person you really are. Rather seek after more excellent things, seek spiritual things, seek after God. Why? “It’s only good loving that makes good living.”

Life is found not having good things but in loving the right things!

I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

“It is a contest, this life present: if so, to fight is our business now: it is war and battle. In war one does not seek to have rest, in war one does not seek to have dainty living, one is not anxious about riches, one’s care is not about a wife then: one thing only he looks at, how he may overcome his foes. Be this our care likewise: if we overcome, and return with the victory, God will give us all things. Be this alone our study, how we may overcome the devil: though after all it is not our own study that does it, but God’s grace does the whole business. Be it our one study, how we may attract His grace, how we may draw to ourselves that assistance.”

John Chrysostom (c. 349-407) in Homilies of John Chrysostom on Acts of the Apostles 15 (Oxford: John Henry Parker, 1851) 214.

Both the Apostle Paul and John Chrysostom are making a similar point. We must live like we are in a war and battle. We must not allow anything to distract our focus because the present form of this world is passing away. It does not mean we fail to show love to our spouse or family members. It’s the opposite. We expend all our energies to live on mission.

They might add that the Christian life is not about being comfortable.

Our focus is on loving God and others, while not allowing relationships or riches to distract us. We focus not on “dainty living” or being “anxious about riches” but on overcoming by God’s grace. This relates to generosity because it means our money can be neither hoarded nor wasted. The best part, when we live this way, we can expect the reward of victory someday.

“God will give us all things” (cf. Romans 8:32).

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:16-17

“For the race of the pious [Christians] is now persecuted in a way contrary to all precedent, being harassed by a new kind of edicts everywhere in Asia. For unblushing informers, and such as are greedy of other men’s goods, taking occasion from the orders issued, carry on their robbery without any disguise, plundering of their property night and day those who are guilty of no wrong.

If these proceedings take place at thy bidding, well and good. For a just sovereign will never take unjust measures; and we, on our part, gladly accept the honour of such a death. This request only we present to thee, that thou wouldst first of all examine for thyself into the behaviour of these reputed agents of so much strife, and then come to a just decision as to whether they merit death and punishment, or deserve to live in safety and quiet…

And as regards thyself, seeing that thy sentiments respecting the Christians are not only the same as theirs, but even much more generous and wise, we are the more persuaded that thou wilt do all that we ask of thee…We are not those who pay homage to stones, that are without sensation; but of the only God, who is before all and over all, and, moreover, we are worshippers of His Christ, who is veritably God the Word existing before all time.”

Melito of Sardis (c. 160-177) in The Apology Addressed to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus II-III.

While today’s post may sound like it does not have much to do with generosity, it offers a prime example of a generous appeal in a time of strife. The modern world is filled with political turmoil and often followers of Christ are as guilty as non-believers at not speaking kindly. Here, Melito offers a longer, gracious appeal with respect that shows honor to the emperor.

When we find yourself wrongly treated like Christians in the second century, the tendency of the flesh (at least I know this is true for my own heart) is to fight back. Christ calls us to return harsh treatment with love and to give honor to those who oppress us. This is what made the Christians known as the “pious” race. Let’s keep living piously and generously (and make our appeals accordingly)!

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Philippians 4:1-3

“Moreover, you were all in a humble frame of mind, in no way arrogant, practicing obedience rather than demanding it, happier in giving than receiving. Being content with, and intent upon, the provisions which Christ allowed you for your earthly pilgrimage, it was His words that you carefully locked up in your hearts, and His sufferings were ever before your eyes.

Thus all were blessed with a profound and radiant peace of soul, and there was an insatiable longing to do good, as well as a rich outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the whole community. Filled, moreover, with a desire for holiness, you stretched out your hands, with ready goodwill and devout confidence, to Almighty God, imploring Him to show mercy in case you had inadvertently failed in any way.

Day and night you vied with one another in behalf of the entire brotherhood, to further the salvation of the full number of His elect by your compassion and conscientiousness. Guileless and sincere you were, and bore one another no malice. The very thought of insubordination and schism was an abomination to you. Over the failings of your neighbors you mourned; their shortcomings you judged to be your own. You had no regrets when you had been charitable, being ready for any good deed.”

Clement of Rome in 1 Clement 2:1-7, translated by James A. Kleist (New York: Paulist, 1946) 10. This is the same Clement who is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in today’s text. He would go on to lead the church in Rome as bishop. Today’s reading comes from his first letter to the church in Corinth (c. AD 96) before his martyrdom under Emperor Trajan (c. AD 100).

Clement rightly understands that to be charitable, to be a rich sharer of grace, flows from content hearts fixed on the sufferings of Jesus and souls filled with peace and radiance thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit within us. So much of what we do in the Christian life is showing mercy to those who inadvertently fail while being charitable and ready for any good deed.

What struck me was the work of the charitable saint: day by day we labor to further the salvation of many with compassion and conscientiousness. Notice, there’s no thought of schism, which is what Paul was dealing with in Philippi between Euodia and Syntyche, as it destroys the body. Why choose the charitable way? Clement would say, “You’ll have no regrets afterward!”

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Joel 2:12-13

“Abstain not from any good works, but do them. Hear, said he, what the virtue of those good works is which thou must do, that thou mayest be saved. The first of all is faith; the fear of the Lord; charity; concord; equity; truth; patience; chastity.

There is nothing better than these things in the life of man; who shall keep and do these things in their life. Hear next what follow these. To minister to the widows; not to despise the fatherless and poor; to redeem the servants of God from necessity; to be hospitable; (for in hospitality there is sometimes great fruit) not to be contentious, but be quiet. To be humble above all men; to reverence the aged; to labor to be righteous; to respect the brotherhood; to bear affronts; to be long-suffering; not to cast away those that have fallen from the faith, but to convert them, and make them be of good cheer: to admonish sinners; not to oppress those that are our debtors; and all other things of a like kind.

Do these things seem to thee to be good or not? And, I said, What can be better than these words? Live then, said he, in these commandments, and do not depart from them. For if thou shalt keep all these commandments, thou shalt live unto God. And, all they that shall keep these commandments shall live unto God.”

Shepherd of Hermas (c. 100-160) in Commands (His Second Book) Chapter VIII. 8-12.

Safely home from Australia. Yeah! Learned of the moral failure of a friend yesterday. Deeply saddened! I am clueless of the details. I neither condone the sin nor condemn the sinner. That said, it’s a reminder to myself and all readers that we must live unto God with every ounce of strength we have. Our generous living unto God includes admonishing sinners and laboring in righteousness.

The Shepherd of Hermas was one amazing pastor. How would he admonish my fallen friend? He would likely urge him to turn around, to abstain not from any good works, and live unto God. When we do, it keeps us out of trouble, and most of the time we find ourselves doing tasks that are ordinary and humble, but the collective impact is “charity, concord, equity, truth, patience, and chastity.”

Today’s post is long: the longest of nearly 3,000 daily posts. It’s fitting as my day will be long. I woke up in Sydney, fly about 18 hours to Los Angeles and then Denver and arrive before noon on the same day. Just like the reward of being reunited with my wife at the end of the journey, I promise that all who read this post will be blessed.

Below is a brilliant excerpt from a second century philosopher who converted to Christianity after exploring the behavior and thinking of the so-called Christians. I cited a portion of it back on 11 December 2011, but more recently, Jot Turner alerted me to a talk that cited it, so that brought it back into my view. I felt led to share a larger portion with you.

This post is the climax (parts 15-17) of the 17-part work known as “the Apology of Aristides” to Roman Emperor Hadrian, who reigned from A.D. 117-138. It portrays the generosity without grudging of the Christians. As you read, pick a phrase that you want to describe you and ask God by His Spirit to cause your life to exhibit that same trait so we shine for Jesus.

May God help us, by the Holy Spirit, to live in such a manner that these are the kinds of things people say of us, our families, our local congregations, and the global Christian Church!

“Now the Christians, O king, by going about and seeking have found the truth, and as we have comprehended from their writings they are nearer to the truth and to exact knowledge than the rest of the peoples. For they know and believe in God, the Maker of heaven and earth, in whom are all things and from whom are all things: He who has no other god as His fellow: from whom they have received those commandments which they have engraved on their minds, which they keep in the hope and expectation of the world to come; so that on this account they do not commit adultery nor fornication, they do not bear false witness, they do not deny a deposit, nor covet what is not theirs: they honour father and mother; they do good to those who are their neighbours, and when they are judges they judge uprightly; and they do not worship idols in the form of man; and whatever they do not wish that others should do to them, they do not practise towards any one, and they do not eat of the meats of idol sacrifices, for they are undefiled: and those who grieve them they comfort, and make them their friends; and they do good to their enemies: and their wives, O king, are pure as virgins, and their daughters modest: and their men abstain from all unlawful wedlock and from all impurity, in the hope of the recompense that is to come in another world: but as for their servants or handmaids, or their children if any of them have any, they persuade them to become Christians for the love that they have towards them; and when they have become so, they call them without distinction brethren: they do not worship strange gods: and they walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them, and they love one another: and from the widows they do not turn away their countenance: and they rescue the orphan from him who does him violence: and he who has gives to him who has not, without grudging; and when they see the stranger they bring him to their dwellings, and rejoice over him as over a true brother; for they do not call brothers those who are after the flesh, but those who are in the spirit and in God: but when one of their poor passes away from the world, and any of them sees him, then he provides for his burial according to his ability; and if they hear that any of their number is imprisoned or oppressed for the name of their Messiah, all of them provide for his needs, and if it is possible that he may be delivered, they deliver him.

And if there is among them a man that is poor or needy, and they have not an abundance of necessaries, they fast two or three days that they may supply the needy with their necessary food. And they observe scrupulously the commandments of their Messiah: they live honestly and soberly, as the Lord their God commanded them: every morning and at all hours on account of the goodnesses of God toward them they praise and laud Him: and over their food and over their drink they render Him thanks. And if any righteous person of their number passes away from the world they rejoice and give thanks to God, and they follow his body, as if he were moving from one place to another: and when a child is born to any one of them, they praise God, and if again it chance to die in its infancy, they praise God mightily, as for one who has passed through the world without sins. And if again they see that one of their number has died in his iniquity or in his sins, over this one they weep bitterly and sigh, as over one who is about to go to punishment: such is the ordinance of the law of the Christians, O king, and such their conduct.

As men who know God, they ask from Him petitions which are proper for Him to give and for them to receive: and thus they accomplish the course of their lives. And because they acknowledge the goodnesses of God towards them, lo! on account of them there flows forth the beauty that is in the world. And truly they are of the number of those that have found the truth by going about and seeking it, and as far as we have comprehended, we have understood that they only are near to the knowledge of the truth.

But the good deeds which they do, they do not proclaim in the ears of the multitude, and they take care that no one shall perceive them, and hide their gift, as he who has found a treasure and hides it. And they labour to become righteous as those that expect to see their Messiah and receive from Him the promises made to them with great glory.

But their sayings and their ordinances, O king, and the glory of their service, and the expectation of their recompense of reward, according to the doing of each one of them, which they expect in another world, thou art able to know from their writings. It sufficeth for us that we have briefly made known to your majesty concerning the conversation and the truth of the Christians. For truly great and wonderful is their teaching to him that is willing to examine and understand it. And truly this people is a new people, and there is something divine mingled with it. Take now their writings and read in them, and lo! ye will find that not of myself have I brought these things forward nor as their advocate have I said them, but as I have read in their writings, these things I firmly believe, and those things also that are to come. And therefore I was constrained to set forth the truth to them that take pleasure therein and seek after the world to come.

And I have no doubt that the world stands by reason of the intercession of Christians. But the rest of the peoples are deceived and deceivers, rolling themselves before the elements of the world, according as the sight of their understanding is unwilling to pass by them; and they grope as if in the dark, because they are unwilling to know the truth, and like drunken men they stagger and thrust one another and fall down.

Thus far, O king, it is I that have spoken. For as to what remains, as was said above, there are found in their other writings words which are difficult to speak, or that one should repeat them; things which are not only said, but actually done.

The Greeks, then, O king, because they practise foul things in sleeping with males, and with mother and sister and daughter, turn the ridicule of their foulness upon the Christians; but the Christians are honest and pious, and the truth is set before their eyes, and they are long-suffering; and therefore while they know their error and are buffeted by them, they endure and suffer them: and more exceedingly do they pity them as men who are destitute of knowledge: and in their behalf they offer up prayers that they may turn from their error. And when it chances that one of them turns, he is ashamed before the Christians of the deeds that are done by him: and he confesses to God, saying, In ignorance I did these things: and he cleanses his heart, and his sins are forgiven him, because he did them in ignorance in former time, when he was blaspheming and reviling the true knowledge of the Christians. And truly blessed is the race of the Christians, more than all men that are upon the face of the earth.

Let the tongues of those now be silenced who talk vanity, and who oppress the Christians, and let them now speak the truth. For it is better that they should worship the true God rather than that they should worship a sound without intelligence; and truly divine is that which is spoken by the mouth of the Christians, and their teaching is the gateway of light. Let all those then approach thereunto who do not know God, and let them receive incorruptible words, those which are so always and from eternity: let them, therefore, anticipate the dread judgment which is to come by Jesus the Messiah upon the whole race of men.”

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2:14-15