Hey guys, thanks for all the feedback over these last few months. nathanology has become an important part of my life and I'm always looking for ways to improve it. In light of this, I have decided to switch hosts. All of the currently published blogs have already been moved to the new site, along with your comments. You can still read all of the old stuff here. Nothing is getting deleted. I just won't be monitoring this page as much, or posting any new content here. I'm pretty excited about the upcoming weeks on the blog and I really appreciate your continued feedback. The new site is live now. I hope you enjoy it.
www.nathanology.us
Monday, March 12, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Jeremiah 6:14 Today
Lately I have been studying the Old Testament book Jeremiah during my
quiet time with the Lord. While reading through the
sixth chapter the fourteenth verse really jumped out at me. As I sat in my office I couldn't get this verse off of my
mind. So I decided to share my thoughts.
There is a palpable arrogance hanging heavy over much of the evangelical Christian movement. This saddens me. I realize that for some this might seem ironic coming from me. I am often known as one who can be overtly blunt in my delivery. However, I believe that in the realm of Christian thought and the arena of evangelistic communication there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence. Confidence comes from asking hard questions of yourself and your faith, developing your thoughts on God, and developing a deep understanding and trust for the Almighty that stretches far beyond simple rationale, logic, or mental contemplation. Confidence in Christ is a developed sacred trust forged from trial, testing, and triumph. Arrogance on the other hand is the result of a lazy approach to faith that is a bastardized form of assumption and bad religion (yes, I believe there is a distinction between good and bad religion). It is born out of insecurity, the twisted need to control, and the desperate clinging desire to reassure the fragility of one's faith through grandiose gestures and sweeping blanket statements.
I believe arrogance spreads it's jagged maw and spurts its wretched message in two forms these days. The first comes through those that constantly pander their message in a way that they know will be pleasing to those listening, and I'm not talking about style of delivery. They shape the content to suit the audience's expectations. In simple metaphorical terms, they tickle the audience's ears with pleasing platitudes. The second disastrous voice of arrogance is that chord made from those harsh tones of superiority combined with the dissonant absence of humility. Many Christians in their fervor to assert the innerancy of Scripture have completely missed the fact that we often err. We are so far less than perfect.
I could go on and on about how annoying arrogance can be, but this whole thing is beginning to sound arrogant itself. I am starting to sound as if I am attempting to posture my non-arrogance in an incredibly arrogant way, and I hope that is not what you might take from this. I believe, very simply, that we can find truth, communicate that truth, and care deeply for those around us without seeming belligerently self-righteous, and confoundedly pompous. The Old Testament prophet Micah put it pretty well.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8 NIV
Other blogs in this series.
They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,For the last couple of weeks I have written several different pieces examining Jeremiah 6:14. In this final entry I would like to address what I believe all of this means for you and I in our present situation. I have posed several questions throughout all of this, many of which may have pointedly targeted parts of your faith, but maybe none of it really landed to close to the mark for you. I won't assume or presume to know your situation, your heart, or your depth of maturity (or lack thereof) in the Christian faith. I do, however, hope that the final addition to my thoughts on this passage at least gives you a moment to pause and reflect on where you stand and how you approach your faith.
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. - Jeremiah 6:14 NASB
There is a palpable arrogance hanging heavy over much of the evangelical Christian movement. This saddens me. I realize that for some this might seem ironic coming from me. I am often known as one who can be overtly blunt in my delivery. However, I believe that in the realm of Christian thought and the arena of evangelistic communication there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence. Confidence comes from asking hard questions of yourself and your faith, developing your thoughts on God, and developing a deep understanding and trust for the Almighty that stretches far beyond simple rationale, logic, or mental contemplation. Confidence in Christ is a developed sacred trust forged from trial, testing, and triumph. Arrogance on the other hand is the result of a lazy approach to faith that is a bastardized form of assumption and bad religion (yes, I believe there is a distinction between good and bad religion). It is born out of insecurity, the twisted need to control, and the desperate clinging desire to reassure the fragility of one's faith through grandiose gestures and sweeping blanket statements.
I believe arrogance spreads it's jagged maw and spurts its wretched message in two forms these days. The first comes through those that constantly pander their message in a way that they know will be pleasing to those listening, and I'm not talking about style of delivery. They shape the content to suit the audience's expectations. In simple metaphorical terms, they tickle the audience's ears with pleasing platitudes. The second disastrous voice of arrogance is that chord made from those harsh tones of superiority combined with the dissonant absence of humility. Many Christians in their fervor to assert the innerancy of Scripture have completely missed the fact that we often err. We are so far less than perfect.
I could go on and on about how annoying arrogance can be, but this whole thing is beginning to sound arrogant itself. I am starting to sound as if I am attempting to posture my non-arrogance in an incredibly arrogant way, and I hope that is not what you might take from this. I believe, very simply, that we can find truth, communicate that truth, and care deeply for those around us without seeming belligerently self-righteous, and confoundedly pompous. The Old Testament prophet Micah put it pretty well.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8 NIV
Other blogs in this series.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Jeremiah 6:14 "Peace"
Lately I have been studying the Old Testament book Jeremiah during my
quiet time with the Lord. While reading through the
sixth chapter the fourteenth verse really jumped out at me. As I sat in my office I couldn't get this verse off of my
mind. So I decided to share my thoughts.
They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. - Jeremiah 6:14 NASB
Peace: it's a word used so often that almost any socially aware person in our society is numb to the sound of it by the time they are actually consciously aware of what it means. Dictionary.com puts it this way: the normal, nonwarring condition of a nation, group of nations, or the world.
In the context of this passage, the religious authority of Jeremiah's day was saying that Israel was at peace--but that was so far from the truth. In fact, this was a point of tension throughout most of Jeremiah's ministry that continually set him at odds against both ruling authorities, and false religious authorities. He would often deliver a prophetic message of impending invasion and disaster, many times at the behest of the king, which would be contrary to both what the king wanted to hear, and what the false prophets were saying. He would be told he was wrong, ignored, often jailed, and sometimes have his life threatened for not delivering the message the people wanted to hear.
There is a significant truth for us to take away from this. Often the true message of God, be it deliverance, redemption, or correction--is willfully ignored by the masses. Even if someone broaches the subject with you, there is no guarantee they will accept the truth you share with them. The point of this particular part of the passage is to illuminate for us the principle that people will often accept what they want to hear over what they need to hear. Not everyone certainly, but in Jeremiah's day it was a majority. That makes it all the more important for the believer, to not only seek God's truth in every situation with a deep reverence, but to also communicate it with loving compassion and unwavering commitment.
In an environment where people listen to what best satisfies their expectations, will, and wants--nothing less than speaking the "truth in love" (Eph 4:14-16) will do.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
10 Lessons from Luke 15
Life usually doesn't fit into nice neat little lists, but that
doesn't keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit
the messiness of life into a list of ten.
Today I'm taking a look at the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It's an incredibly interesting bit where Jesus shares three parables with a mixed crowd of both "sinners" and the religious Pharisees.
1. v2 The religious people thought Jesus fraternizing with the "lost" was scandalous.
2. v7, 9, & 10 Heaven rejoices over the salvation of the lost, and so should we.
3. v13 Just because we have it, doesn't mean we should spend it.
4. v14 Don't waste it, you might need it.
5. v17-19 Your journey to forgiveness starts with your realization that you need forgiving.
6. v20 The Father welcomes back the lost without condition.
7. v21 Confession is important.
8. v22-24 Nothing but sonship will do. God doesn't make us servants. He makes us family.
9. v25-27 Don't be so caught up in your works that you miss God working.
10. v28-31 Stop trying to earn what the Father already gave you.
Today I'm taking a look at the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It's an incredibly interesting bit where Jesus shares three parables with a mixed crowd of both "sinners" and the religious Pharisees.
1. v2 The religious people thought Jesus fraternizing with the "lost" was scandalous.
2. v7, 9, & 10 Heaven rejoices over the salvation of the lost, and so should we.
3. v13 Just because we have it, doesn't mean we should spend it.
4. v14 Don't waste it, you might need it.
5. v17-19 Your journey to forgiveness starts with your realization that you need forgiving.
6. v20 The Father welcomes back the lost without condition.
7. v21 Confession is important.
8. v22-24 Nothing but sonship will do. God doesn't make us servants. He makes us family.
9. v25-27 Don't be so caught up in your works that you miss God working.
10. v28-31 Stop trying to earn what the Father already gave you.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Jeremiah 6:14 "Superficial"
Lately I have been studying the Old Testament book Jeremiah during my
quiet time with the Lord. While reading through the
sixth chapter the fourteenth verse really jumped out at me. As I sat in my office I couldn't get this verse off of my
mind. So I decided to share my thoughts.
Plainly Jeremiah is writing of superficial healing being touted about by the religious order of the day. What does that mean? It means that the religious leadership of Israel were not addressing any deep problems of their time.
We see this all the time in our era as well. The human heart hasn't changed much in the last 2,500 years and we still have pretty much the same disposition toward wickedness that the prophet's contemporaries did--we've only came up with flashier ways to package and present them. To remove this idea from a religious context for one moment it is very much like a physician who seeks only to treat symptoms and not the underlying problem, be it sickness, injury, or disease.
Now, think about this within the framework of Christianity. Do we do this? Do we try really hard to treat people's problems without addressing their condition? Absolutely. The movement I belong to is, I think, sometimes especially guilty of this. We become incredibly concerned with seeing people respond immediately within a religious service, but often fail to find out or follow up with how they might be responding in a month's time.
When men encounter the genuine message of the Gospel, and through it--God, it forces a change. I present this as a challenge to myself and my fellow believers: does the message we present to those around us go beyond the finite temporal struggles of a daily existence and address a deeper condition. Is the Gospel, Tylenol for a moral headache, or Virtuous Healing for a diseased soul?
Other blogs in this series.
They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,Let's face it. We all know superficial people. To some degree each of us are guilty of it ourselves--and probably more often than we would ever be comfortable admitting. I could spend the next few paragraphs talking about the shallow superficiality of people; but that's not really what this passage is about.
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. - Jeremiah 6:14 NASB
Plainly Jeremiah is writing of superficial healing being touted about by the religious order of the day. What does that mean? It means that the religious leadership of Israel were not addressing any deep problems of their time.
We see this all the time in our era as well. The human heart hasn't changed much in the last 2,500 years and we still have pretty much the same disposition toward wickedness that the prophet's contemporaries did--we've only came up with flashier ways to package and present them. To remove this idea from a religious context for one moment it is very much like a physician who seeks only to treat symptoms and not the underlying problem, be it sickness, injury, or disease.
Now, think about this within the framework of Christianity. Do we do this? Do we try really hard to treat people's problems without addressing their condition? Absolutely. The movement I belong to is, I think, sometimes especially guilty of this. We become incredibly concerned with seeing people respond immediately within a religious service, but often fail to find out or follow up with how they might be responding in a month's time.
When men encounter the genuine message of the Gospel, and through it--God, it forces a change. I present this as a challenge to myself and my fellow believers: does the message we present to those around us go beyond the finite temporal struggles of a daily existence and address a deeper condition. Is the Gospel, Tylenol for a moral headache, or Virtuous Healing for a diseased soul?
Other blogs in this series.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
10 Goofy Preacher Idioms
Life usually doesn't fit into nice neat little lists, but that
doesn't keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit
the messiness of life into a list of ten.
Preface: People I love, admire, and respect frequently say things from this list. This is me poking fun at my colleagues, friends, and mentors. It's meant to be in good fun. So, if you're an oversensitive type person quickly close your eyes and turn off your computer before you get your feelings hurt.
1. "If I was going to title this message I would title it, ________."
You just titled it. Skip the whole first part of that.
2. "Pray with me."
We are. You're the one with the microphone and a dozen floor monitors pointed in your direction.
3. "I'm preaching better than you're shouting."
If you have to say this, then you are not, or you just don't know your audience very well.
4. "Can I get a witness?"
Yes, we all just saw or heard you say that. What about it?
5. "Under the spout where the glory comes out."
There simply has to be a better way to say this that doesn't involve or imply strange claustrophobic plumbing imagery.
6. "God showed up and showed out."
No, no he didn't. God is not an infant.
7. "I don't know why people will shout more at a football game, than at church."
Probably has something to do with that whole being reverent thing.
8. "Fire insurance."
What kind of deductible does that come with?
9. "Take on hell with a water pistol."
What about that whole our weapons are not carnal weapons thing?
10. "In closing..."
If you have to reassure us that you're almost finished by making this statement then you took too long to get there. I do this all the time, but pretend like I don't know that I did by not making this statement.
Preface: People I love, admire, and respect frequently say things from this list. This is me poking fun at my colleagues, friends, and mentors. It's meant to be in good fun. So, if you're an oversensitive type person quickly close your eyes and turn off your computer before you get your feelings hurt.
1. "If I was going to title this message I would title it, ________."
You just titled it. Skip the whole first part of that.
2. "Pray with me."
We are. You're the one with the microphone and a dozen floor monitors pointed in your direction.
3. "I'm preaching better than you're shouting."
If you have to say this, then you are not, or you just don't know your audience very well.
4. "Can I get a witness?"
Yes, we all just saw or heard you say that. What about it?
5. "Under the spout where the glory comes out."
There simply has to be a better way to say this that doesn't involve or imply strange claustrophobic plumbing imagery.
6. "God showed up and showed out."
No, no he didn't. God is not an infant.
7. "I don't know why people will shout more at a football game, than at church."
Probably has something to do with that whole being reverent thing.
8. "Fire insurance."
What kind of deductible does that come with?
9. "Take on hell with a water pistol."
What about that whole our weapons are not carnal weapons thing?
10. "In closing..."
If you have to reassure us that you're almost finished by making this statement then you took too long to get there. I do this all the time, but pretend like I don't know that I did by not making this statement.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Jeremiah 6:14 "My People"
Lately I have been studying the Old Testament book Jeremiah during my
quiet time with the Lord. While reading through the
sixth chapter the fourteenth verse really jumped out at me. As I sat in my office I couldn't get this verse off of my
mind. So I decided to share my thoughts.
Jeremiah has over fifty chapters. Much of the content deals with the approaching judgement against the Israelites by the conquering Babylonian army. And even though God is readying the judgement that many of Jeremiah's later chapters deal with, He still stamps the Jews with His ownership in this early passage.
Something I believe that this helps to point out is the idea that God's judgement is often redemptive in nature (for more on that read Jonah's story in the book by the same name.) God often used judgement in the OT to steer His people toward correction. Of course, when we think of judgement in our modern era we usually think of some kind of terrible supernatural cataclysm (or a verdict rendered in a court); and while I believe those happen I also believe there are small judgements of a less obvious nature.
To me, the important thing to take away from this passage is the idea that once you've been adopted into God's family (see Ephesians chapter one) you belong to His family. That is something pretty awesome to consider. It doesn't free us from responsibility, or even correction, but instead it affords us the wealth of sonship that rests in the family of God.
Last thought: People is not a singular term. It is plural. It is collective. No Christian is an only child and I find it deeply unsettling when I happen across those within the faith who feel as if they are all alone.
Challenge: Plug in to the people. Find a faith family. Find a place to be a part of the collective of the Body of Christ. Find a church. Become deeply involved and let those around you become deeply involved with you. You will be all the better for it.
Other blogs in this series.
They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,My people is an easy enough phrase to grasp the meaning of in the context of this passage. My meaning mine--as in God's; and people meaning the Jews. This prophetic writing is stating quite plainly that God is unhappy with the way that His chosen ones are being treated by the people (prophets and priests) responsible for directing them to Him.
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. - Jeremiah 6:14 NASB
Jeremiah has over fifty chapters. Much of the content deals with the approaching judgement against the Israelites by the conquering Babylonian army. And even though God is readying the judgement that many of Jeremiah's later chapters deal with, He still stamps the Jews with His ownership in this early passage.
Something I believe that this helps to point out is the idea that God's judgement is often redemptive in nature (for more on that read Jonah's story in the book by the same name.) God often used judgement in the OT to steer His people toward correction. Of course, when we think of judgement in our modern era we usually think of some kind of terrible supernatural cataclysm (or a verdict rendered in a court); and while I believe those happen I also believe there are small judgements of a less obvious nature.
To me, the important thing to take away from this passage is the idea that once you've been adopted into God's family (see Ephesians chapter one) you belong to His family. That is something pretty awesome to consider. It doesn't free us from responsibility, or even correction, but instead it affords us the wealth of sonship that rests in the family of God.
Last thought: People is not a singular term. It is plural. It is collective. No Christian is an only child and I find it deeply unsettling when I happen across those within the faith who feel as if they are all alone.
Challenge: Plug in to the people. Find a faith family. Find a place to be a part of the collective of the Body of Christ. Find a church. Become deeply involved and let those around you become deeply involved with you. You will be all the better for it.
Other blogs in this series.
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