I mentioned a week ago that I wanted to focus in my blog on Isaiah in the gospels. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday and all the preparation involved, I did not get a chance to finish my post. But I was working on the study during my times of reflection.

When it comes to allusions and quotations, Isaiah was an obvious favorite for gospel writers and for Jesus as well. This is really no surprise given that Isaiah was certainly the most prolific, of the published prophets, in his foretelling of the coming Messiah.

As I was looking through the gospels, I notices a preference for Isaiah 53, and changed the focus of my survey to see where this single chapter is quoted not only in the gospels, but also in the epistles. Here is my reference list. I'm sure it is not complete, but it is definitely inspiring during this season of advent.

Some of these allusions are very clear. Others use parallel concepts that probably have their root in Isaiah 53. Where appropriate, I have boldfaced the words that are central to the allusion or parallel. Verses are listed in the order they appear in the New Testament. The left column shows the corresponding verse in Isaiah. There are a couple of other allusions (outside of ch. 53) included because of their significance to the Christmas season.

I know that for me, this was an inspiring and informative survey. I hope that this chart gives you inspiration that leads to worship.

42:1	And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:11 = Matthew 3:17
53:4	"This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'" (Matthew 8:17; quotes Is 53:4)
42:1-4	"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope." (Matthew 12:18-21; quotes Is 42:1-4)
52:12-53:12	"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28=Mark 10:45; conceptual parallel. See "for many" language in Is 53:11-12)
53:11-12	"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28 = Mark 14:24)
53:3	"Jesus replied, 'To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?'"(Mark 9:12)
53:12	"It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." (Luke 22:37; Jesus quotes Is 53:12)
53:1-12, 52:13	"He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." (Luke 24:25-27)
53:6-7, 12	"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29) "When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!' " (John 1:36)
52:13	"The crowd spoke up, 'We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, "The Son of Man must be lifted up"? Who is this "Son of Man"?'" (John 12:34)
53:1	"This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: 'Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?'" (John 12:38, quotes Is 53:1)
53:7-8	"The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: 'He was led like a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.' The eunuch asked Philip, 'Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?' Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus." (Acts 8:32-35; quotes Is 53:7-8)
53:11-12	"Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification." (Romans 5:16) "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
53:1	"But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?'" (Romans 10:16, quotes Is 53:1)
52:15	"Rather, as it is written: 'Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.'" (Romans 15:21, quotes Is 52:15)
53.1-12	"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve." (1 Cor. 15:3-5)
53:11	"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21, conceptual parallel)
53:6, 12	"Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." (Galatians 1:4) "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) "...and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:2) "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25)
53:10	"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransomfor all men -- the testimony given in its proper time." (1 Tim. 2:5-6)
53:10	"Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14)
53:4, 6, 11, 12	"so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (Hebrews 9:28)
52:13-53:12	"...Trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (1 Peter 1:11)
53:11, 9,7, 5, 6	"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." (quotes Is 53:9) When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (quotes Is 53:5) For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:24-25)
53:11	"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit..." (1 Peter 3:18)
53:11	"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
5:4, 6, 11, 12	"But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin." (1 John 3:5)
53:10	"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

The Monarchy and My Own Hierarchy

So as I have been reflecting on the development of the Ancient Israeli Monarchy during this week several random thoughts have kept me reflecting.

First I keep thinking that the whole selection of Saul is very odd. I mean, I'm so used to thinking about the way David was selected by God directing Samuel directly to him. And then there's the story of Saul, where God doesn't really want there to be a king and so He just tells Samuel to "give them what they want." So Samuel goes out to pick one for them. Samuel goes on this road trip until he runs into this guy that looks the part and that's who he picks. The story of Saul seems to follow the pattern of the book of Judges to me. It's in the way that the people of Israel stray from God's plan, it backfires, then God brings David into the story to both deliver them and point out their sin.

Second, how did Solomon get to ascend to the throne? Why didn't a prophet have to choose the next king? I mean it really is the mortal pattern of things instead of the spiritual pattern of things.

Third, I think the book of Judges and the story of Saul is an early example of how hard it is for God's people to live by His Spirit. I mean here the Holy Spirit is living in me and I still do so many things by the human pattern instead of by the fresh leading of God's Spirit. The truth is I like to figure things out on my own. I like the way my own ideas sound. I love the feeling of success, when it's my own idea. I think pretty highly of myself. DANG!!!

But the kicker.... I'm just too busy or too lazy to do the work of seeking God in all of my situations. I like doing my morning prayer and just moving on, instead of staying in an on-going conversation with God in which I take the role of apprentice following the step by step instructions of my Master.

I'm such an idiot! Really! When I do keep that open conversation going and really cultivate my sense of God's leading in all the moments of my days, I experience so much more of 'life in all of its fullness.' I make such stupid trade offs sometimes.

Fourth, can I be like David? Can my heart be after God and God alone, with no pretenders to the throne of my life? Can I come to God humbly with my failures and mourn over my offenses to God like David? Can I worship with abandon like David? Can I show the kind of character that David showed when God had promised him the throne and having 3 chances to kill Saul, David resisted...?

What is my hierarchy? That is, what comes first in my life? I have some rearranging to do in order to really keep God first.

Fifth Commandment

Honor your father and mother...

I did a bit of research on the biblical concept of honor. And there is a difference in its use in reference to God and its use in reference to other people. In reference to God it refers almost universally to obedience, and worship. But in reference to people (like our father and our mother) the concept is more broad.

To be sure, the New Testament tells children to obey their parents. And this is significant when speaking about children who still live in their parent's home or who are living on the financial support of their parents. But when a self-supporting adult is addressed with the idea of honoring their parents, it is very helpful to understand the biblical concept of honoring another person.

Here is what I discovered about honoring another person as I scanned the Bible for examples.

First, see the person the way God sees that person. See them the way God designed them to be, the way He is working in their life to make them to be. Getting stuck in all the shortcomings we see in a person is a dishonor.

Second, speak to the person with the words God has for the person. God has words of grace and love. God corrects gently. God is full of patience. The way we speak to a person AND the way we speak of a person will be a major characteristic of our honor for them.

Third, treat the person as someone who is created by, loved by, and cherished by God. They are and our actions toward this person can reflect all of these attributes of God.

Maybe you have a parent or another person to begin to honor today.

The Third Commandment

Since our message yesterday, I have had a couple of you share with me ways that you think we can "elevate the renown of our personal God Yaweah in a worthless manner" (or as the NIV says - misuse the name of the Lord our God). I thought I would start a list here and see what you out there can add to it.

Let's go about this in a productive format:

God's reputation is honored when people who carry His name:

- are contributers instead of a consumers

- set aside their own reputation to advance His purposes

- avoid comparison

- work together without grumbling

- keep their conversation clean and encouraging

- mend relationships

- continually devote time to spiritual growth

- befriend the friendless

- help the helpless

- love with no strings attached

- watch over single moms, and widows

- protect the vulnerable

- maximize our opportunities to speak of God and for God

Add to the list.

OR, even better, give tangible examples.

Add as much as you would like.

Abraham and Faith

As Rhonda and I read today's reading from Through the Bible Through the Year, we embarked an an interesting conversation about faith and where Abram and Sarai succeeded and failed. At one point in the conversation I noted that I didn't think Sarai to be a very good wife. I believe that God-following couples should encourage one another toward deeper faith by the life they live out together.

Eventually our conversation addressed the issue of faith in God's will and His promises.

By the way, a few people have e-mailed me wanting me to repeat this quote for them. So in case you may wish to be reminded of the description of faith I presented on Sunday morning, here it is again. "Faith is more than trusting God for what you want. True faith is trusting God for what He wants."

So we talked about what God wants and Abraham's education about how God accomplishes it. So often we want things that are in opposition to what God wants and that creates it's own disruption in our relationship with God. But SO much more often we hear what God wants and we still get in the way of what He wants.

God's will involves multiple elements.

1. The thing God wants.

2. The time God wants to do it.

3. The way God wants to do it.

4. The people God wants to do it through.

Sarai is a perfect example of knowing what God wants: a descendant for her family. But in spite of knowing what God wanted, she managed to get in His way instead of following His lead. The very idea of giving her maid servant to her husband is ludicrous! (But then again, so was Abram's idea of calling Sarai his sister instead of his wife...) In Sarai's plan of action, she neglected 75% of God's will in pursuit of only 25%. We can only assume that her own will was somehow involved in her plan to some degree as well. She pursued what God wanted (and what she presumably wanted) but neglected God's time, His way, and he choice of persons.

From Sarai's mistake we can learn 3 good lessons. (Surely you can come up with some more.)

1. Don't get anxious for God's will to come to pass. (And, it should be noted, that we should not be overly lax either, for we can just as easily miss God's will for being comfortable where we are and not wanting to move ahead.)

2. Don't mistake our ingenuity for God's execution of His plan. (His ways are not our ways...) God, being supernatural in His very being will undoubtedly unfold His will according to his supernature instead of our simple nature. Now this is not to misunderstand God's use of natural forces to accomplish His will, but let's remember Noah and the flood. Rain is perfectly natural. Using rain to flood the known earth to the point of covering all the mountains is supernatural.

3. Never assume a role in God's plan that He has not give you (me, us). Sometimes the only role we may have in the revelation that God gives us is to pray according to that will. Obedience is our role. Do what God asks us to do and don't step ahead of that. So often (at least for me) we assume that we are the star of God's plan and that our role is the central role in His plan's unfolding. And maybe we have just one job to do along the path of that unfolding and others will do other single jobs. Paul talked about that when he referred to his relationship with Apollos and Peter. He said that he had planted the seed, Apollos had watered it, and GOD MADE IT GROW. (1 Corinthians 3:1-22)

Faith and God's will. It is our journey in this world as followers of Christ. Remember don't settle for 25%, or 50%, or anything less than His thing, His way, His time, AND His people.

Repentance Question

In my thinking about repentance and in my daily consideration of the things that need changing in myself, I keep coming back to the same question.

WHY IS TRUE REPENTANCE SO DIFFICULT TO REALIZE?

Tell me what you think.

More on Repentance

As I read through and meditated on today's quiet time in our guide for this week, I reflected even more on the idea of God's will.

How easy it is for us as Christians to wait for God to reveal His will! How easy to put off our obedience because we are waiting for God to reveal his will. How easy to wait to serve others, press into worship, pursue our mission, develop our character, sacrifice our pursuits until God tells us or shows us more of His plan for us. What a convenient excuse.

I did it. I do it.

I was 12 when God first showed me that He planned to use me in ministry. Then the picture was of a Youth Pastor. Through my high school years, I involved myself in my youth group, eventually taking on leadership roles and responsibilities. I did this to pursue God's plan for me. Along the way, I discovered that I was good at business - administration, visioning, planning, and implementing. So, I developed a goal of owning my own business some day. Soon I was pursuing that and doing my youth group stuff on the side. Then, through a set of painful experiences, God reminded me of His calling on my life. I began to prepare for Bible college and seminary by going to Jr. College and working to save. When it was time to transfer to the university, I didn't have enough money saved and had to take a year off of school to work and save money. After a year, I didn't have enough money and had to work more. I did less in my youth ministry and even gave up on Sunday worship. And soon my old desires to start my own business resurfaced. And I began to pray that God would show me His will. Here's what God showed me. (He led me to some scriptures, spoke to my spirit, and used fellow believers to advise me.) I didn't need to know more about God's future for me. He had already revealed all I needed to know about that. I needed to follow God's will for today and by obeying Him today, He would get me to the tomorrow He had planned for me.

Well, I made a fast and sweeping course change and got myself in to the university the very next semester. God took care of the money and everything else too!

I have such a painful desire to rule my own life: to make my own decisions and set my own priorities. I remember a season in my life and ministry when I could identify weekly, if not daily, instances of sensing God's direction. And in those seasons I always got closer to God's ultimate plan and in fact lived God's ultimate plan.

I need God. I need His Spirit to guide me every day in every way.

I have shamefully tried to take over God's position of leadership in my life and given myself permission to do so for a thousand reasons, not the least of which is because I am waiting for God to show me His will for my future. I need His will for this minute. I need to obey what I already know about for this minute. I need to repent of doing my life and my ministry my way and just get back to what I already know from God, and seek His direction for every act of obedience to that divine will.

Caring for God's Creation

Our devotional reading for today brings up one of those ideas that puts me in one of my uncomfortable zones. Christian conservationism.

I'm not uncomfortable because I don't believe in our responsibility to care for God's creation, namely our Earth. I have long come to grips with the notion that it is second in order of primacy only to "being fruitful and multiplying." I believe that each Christian is specifically responsible to live a life that honors God, shares His love with others, AND nurtures the earth which God gave us charge over.

My uncomfortableness is related to a frustration I have with the way that the issue has become mostly political. I am further frustrated with the way that some in the political establishment have used the issue, along with sometimes questionable science - sometimes manipulated, to further personal agendas. (Such is the world of politics.) I have a hard time discussing the issue of Christian conservationism without feeling like I talking politics, or talking like a politician. I think there is further complication because my ideals of conservationism are rooted in my life in an agricultural community. (Farmers have become a target for conservationists.) I have always considered myself a kind of carpet-bagger. (This is an old expression that refers to someone whose lives in the country but works in the city.) Although I have all of my life in town, and most of my adult life in the suburban sprawl of the Southern California megalopolis, I'm have a certain kind of country sensibility.

All this is background. Another part of my uncomfortableness may be (and I think it is) a holy discontent. It may be that the Holy Spirit is leading me to shift my stance from where it is now to where He wants it to be.

Here is where it is now. I separate my trash. I even put things in the recycle bin that I know they don't have the technology to recycle yet, but I want someone else to be finally responsible for putting the styrofoam in the landfill. (I personally try to avoid styrofoam.) I use energy efficient bulbs and products. (As much be cause they lower my bills as because they lower the strain on our planet.) I save water in as many ways as possible. (I knew some people who flushed their toilets once daily - no matter what. I'm not that strict. But I do save a flush.) Since discovering that using the dishwasher is actually more than 3x as efficient as washing by hand, I rarely do any hand washing. Actually the water conservation issue is pretty easy for me. It helps farmers. The list goes on with similar small scale things.

The thing is, conservationism is not the only way to care for God's creation. Keeping a green yard and garden is good for God's creation. Picking up garbage and doing away with public blight also honor God and care for His creation. Pet population control can be a way to care for God's creation. And on and on goes the list.

I have to live a life with my God that does more than diminish my negative impact on the planet. I also have to live a life that introduces benefit to God's creation. I have to live a life that does not look to government programs for answers, but one that is an answer.

I'm not all the comfortable with where I have landed so far.

Lord show me your will and reveal to me the fullness of your truth so that I can fully live up to your commission on my life to care for your creation. Give me balance in my spiritual life that results in physical honor to your name. All to Christ. All for Christ. All through Christ. Amen

The Sobriety of Creation

"And He saw that it was good."

It has been a long time since I have just sat and marveled at the things God said were good. I have recently marvelled at my children and how they have grown, then thinking about how marvelously God created them. But I was recently at the beach. And because while on the shore I was busy tending my children, I didn't look out to the horizon and marvel at the enormity of those waters that God held back to form our dry land environment. And that experience is so like my life. No time to marvel. Only time to work, minister, parent, pastor, play, perform, achieve, accomplish, do, do, do, do.

I don't think modernity helps us see God so well. I don't think we are better equipped to nurture our connection to God or our worship of Him in the wonder of His creation. Interestingly being engulfed in His creation seems to draw us to worship of Him, while being engulfed in our creations seems to draw us to more and more non-worship.

Going for a drive today. A drive in the country, the vast open land of God's design.

Through The Bible Entry Creation Monday

OK, I know some of you are put off by Stott's comment about creation being a process of unspecified length. Some of you might even want to jump off the daily devotional ship at this point. Hold on. Stay on board. There is some significant depth and powerful reflection to come. Don't miss a day.

Here's my landing point on v. 2. I don't think it is intended to give us answers to length of time. It is designed to describe God. I think vv 1&2 are introductory verses to the 7-day description that follows. I think that v. 2 shows, along with the 7-day description that follows, that God created in process. I think that God's use of process helps us order our own lives as He ordered our world.

Now, here's where my worship is directed for the day. "God's SPIRIT hovered over the deep." I must admit that I have carefully considered Jesus participation in the creation... because John 1 in the New Testament forces me to. "Without Him, nothing was made that has been made." And, I knew that the Holy Spirit was around, because God says "Let US create them in our image." But honestly, when I read Genesis 1 I have this picture in my mind of God the Father waving a maestro's baton around the universe giving authoritative commands which bring things into being and into order. And Jesus and the Holy Spirit I see kind of standing there behind him, looking over His shoulder with awe and wonder on their faces, nodding occasionally as the Father looks to them.

But then when I read John 1, I see Jesus doing all of that with a very human touch, more physically involved somehow - as if he were painting each petal and carving each stream. And in this vision I see God and the Holy Spirit kind of strolling along with Him: the Father instructing and the Spirit affirming.

Here's what I notice. I'm much more comfortable with the "3" part of the 3in1 than I am with the "in 1" part of it.

Today my meditations will be on how the Godhead work in unison in creation and in relation to each other and in relation to me.

CREATION - Week 1 Deviotion

I'm preparing to begin my week of devotions on Creation with all of epic and with some of you, my blog companions. I don't have any comments on an entry yet because I have diligently resisted my desire to read ahead. I have researched a few additional scriptures for myself that I intend to add to my devoted time regimen this coming week. I thought I'd share them. I hope this helps you get started.

By the way, there is a passage on the epic homepage too.

Job 38; Psalms 104, 148; and Isaiah 40

A Helpful Book Review

As you know by now, I'm really excited about "Through the Bible Through the Year." I have been resisting the urge to get started... so I have read some random entries far ahead in the schedule, hoping that they will be fresh again when I get to them. LOVE IT! I also really want to share the experience with all of epic. I am as excited about the sharing of the experience as I am about the book itself.

Anyhow, for those of you who are considering joining me and the others for the journey, here is a link to a book review that may be helpful to you.

CLICK HERE

You can order yourself a copy online reasonably at Amazon. If you are going to be at epic on Sunday, you can get a copy for the same price there.

Starting New Daily Devotional - Join Me

I have long loved John Stott. I was first acquainted with his work in college and immediately loved the depth of his thoughts and the clarity of his explanation. I never cease to be challenged and encouraged by my encounters with his work.

I have used his commentary on Ephesians often and referred to his commentary on Romans as a necessary part of any study in that book. I have recently added his Basic Christianity and The Cross of Christ to my list of necessary volumes for any serious student of Biblical Christianity.

Recently, while at the Catalyst Conference, I came across his recent book - Through the Bible Through the Year. It is a daily devotional, written with concise daily readings to inspire connection to God and reflection on His revelation in scripture. This devotional is designed to follow the Christian calendar so that in one year's time the devotional user will have covered the entire story of scripture, coinciding with the holidays we celebrate as they fall on our standard calendar. Thereby, we learn God's story and discover his portrait of Jesus in the order of his revelation and in the annual rhythm of daily living.

I am so excited about this approach to the Bible that I am planning to use it as a guide for our entire congregation in the coming 12 monthes. I'm recommending it to the whole community of worshippers at epic and planning to preach the story of God in conjunction with this reading plan. In addition to all this, I am planning to celebrate the feasts of our Jewish heritage in conjunction with the Christian calendar which we will be observing in our daily reading and weekly messages. I think this journey will prove to teach all of us to know God better as we see his revelation unfold in order.

I'm gonna try to blog a couple of times per week as part of our shared journey. I look forward to your comments on this blog, sharing your reflections as I share mine. Amazon has a great price on the book. We will also offer the book at epic very reasonably. Get information on the epic reading plan on the epic site. Click here.