Nehemiah 1:1-11

Prayer

Nehemiah 1:1-11a

Text Notes, Applications, and Questions

Main Idea

Nehemiah prayed after receiving bad news about Jerusalem and the Temple. What can we learn and apply to our lives from this example of effective prayer?

Prayer (1:1-11a)

Nehemiah (1) – The name Nehemiah means, “the Lord has comforted.” The same root occurs in the name of Nahum the prophet and in the famous phrase from Isaiah 40:1, “Comfort, comfort my people.” (CP, 136)

Twentieth year (1) – The custom of the time was to date all events from the beginning of the rule of the present king; each king’s rule would begin with the year one. Comparing this with Ezra 7: 1,8, and assuming that the Artaxerxes is the same person in each case, we can determine that the events of the book of Nehemiah begin thirteen years after Ezra’s start for Jerusalem, or twelve years after the conclusion of Ezra’s book, i.e., 445 B.C. (SBC)

• It seems peculiar that the name of the king is not mentioned here. It may have appeared in the sources the editor was using, but for the sake of brevity and because this section follows immediately after that in Ezra in which Artaxerxes had been identified as the ruler in his seventh year (7:8), he chose not to name him here. Artaxerxes I was clearly the king under whom Nehemiah served. His twentieth year was 445 B.C. (CP, 137)

Citadel of Susa (1) – Susa was the city in Elam, 200 miles east of Babylon, where the Persian kings maintained a residence, and from which they ruled their kingdom for a part of each year. (SBC)

• Nehemiah apparently knew nothing about how things were back in Judah. Susa was one of the most important capitals of the Persian Empire; it lies to the west of Persia proper, and thus not so far from Babylon. The obvious way to read this story is to assume that the king is still Artaxerxes I, and that the year is the twentieth of his reign (445). The date is thus a century after the time when Cyrus first encouraged Judahites to move from Babylon to rebuild the temple, and half-way through the life-time of the Persian Empire, which Alexander brought to an end in the 330s. Thirteen years have passed since Ezra’s mission, but it has been maintained that one or both actually belong later, in the reign of Artaxerxes II. (OTE, 80)

Hanani (2) – [He] was probably Nehemiah’s own brother: cf. 7:2. From the emphasis which is made in the sentence, it would appear that the visitors from Judah had not searched Nehemiah out with a grievance, but that Nehemiah had initiated the inquiry concerning his fellow-Jews who had “escaped,” i.e. returned to their homeland, and concerning affairs at Jerusalem. (SBC)

I questioned them (2) – Something of Nehemiah’s character already begins to appear here with his concern for the condition of others of “the household of faith.” (CP, 138)

Remnant … survived (2) – Nehemiah’s choice of words, echoed by his brother, may have been a conscious allusion to the promise of a ‘remnant’ and ‘survivors’, who would not merely escape destruction but ‘lean upon the Lord … in truth’ (Isa. 10:20-22). (TOTC, 85)

• The description of the community as “the group of survivors that was left from the exile” could recognize that it included both people who had returned from exile in Babylon but had survived the exile in Judah itself and identified with the community headed up by people who had moved from Babylon over the previous century. But the expression indicates that the community was still in a weak and reduced state. It is only a group of survivors. The point is underscored by the further description of it as in great trouble and disgrace. (OTE, 81)

Trouble and disgrace (3) – Their report in verse 3 indicates both physical and mental distress, arising out of the condition of the city’s walls and gates. The breaking down of the wall (chiefly of stone) and the burning of the gate (chiefly of timbers) had been done by Nebuchadnezzar, 141 years earlier. Some suppose that this is a reference to more recent events of which Nehemiah would not have been aware before this, and that therefore, the walls and gates had been partially restored after the Captivity. The Bible makes no mention of previous reconstruction of the walls, except in the false report of Israel’s enemies in Ezra 4:12. If there had been any repairs, they surely could not have been very extensive. (SBC)

Wall of Jerusalem (3) – Without walls the city would have no defense against vandalism or military action, except what they could supply with watchful human bodies. They would be especially vulnerable to the Samaritans, their nearest, neighbors. (SBC)

• The reply would be badly misunderstood if we just took it to speak of the ruins left by Nebuchadrezzar. That was ancient history (587 BC), but this was news and a shattering blow. Its most likely background is the sequence in Ezra 4:7-23, in which a bid to rebuild the walls had been reported to king Artaxerxes and promptly crushed ‘by force and power’. It was an ominous development, for the ring of hostile neighbors round Jerusalem could now claim royal backing. The patronage which Ezra had enjoyed (cf. Ezra 7:21-26) was suddenly in ruins, as completely as the city walls and gates. Jerusalem was not only disarmed but on its own. (TOTC, 85; cf. CP, 139)
• A city has walls and gates for its protection; even Susa is a fortress city. In the twenty-first century, Jerusalem’s impressive walls and gates are simply an impressive tourist attraction, but in the fifth century they would potentially be a matter of life and death. And they are broken down and burned. While it is possible that Hanani is simply reporting that the city is still in the state it has been since its destruction by the Babylonians, the devastating effect of the news on Nehemiah rather suggest that some other disaster has happened more recently and that this is when news of it reached Susa; Hanani is referring not merely to the long-lasting trouble and disgrace. We have no other record of such an event, but it would fit with the account of troubled relations in the region, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Judahites were better at building a temple and sorting out inter-marriage problems than at fighting off a siege. (OTE, 81)

Prayed (4) – This prayer by Nehemiah is as noble as that of Ezra (9:6-15), though Ezra was a religious official and Nehemiah was a secular ruler. This speaks well of Nehemiah’s habits of spirituality and fellowship with God: his practice of the ceremonies of religion. (SBC)

• He prays as someone who is himself committed to what he prays about and he prays urgently to get God to take action that only God can take; further he recognizes the failure of the people on whose behalf he prays. His reaction to the news from Jerusalem reminds us of Ezra’s reaction to the news about the marriages, though it is expressed in different terms. Nehemiah sits (in shock like Ezra?) and weeps mourns like a person grieving over someone’s death. (OTE, 82-83)
• Nehemiah’s response to the report reflects his spiritual sensitivity and compassion. (CP, 139)
• One of the most striking characteristics of Nehemiah was his recourse to prayer (cf. 4:4,9; 5:19; 6:9,14; 13:14). Those who are the boldest for God have the greatest need to be in prayer. (LCS, 72)

Lord, the God of heaven (5) – The prayer begins in verse 5 with praise to God for His (1) greatness and (2) character of loving kindness. So Jesus began His model prayer with praise: a good model for us today. (SBC)

• Nehemiah’s prayer begins with two forms of confession… First there is confession of who God is; that is a common feature of prayer in the Bible. It is the foundation for all that follows. We pray because God is the God who has invited us to call him by name, the name Yahweh, but the God who is not merely someone in a personal relationship with us but is the all-powerful Lord (the God of the heavens). To put the same two points the other way around, this God is great and awe-inspiring, yet also one who keeps covenant and commitment, one who can be relied on to be faithful to words and undertakings. … Nehemiah knows he needs to recognize that you can only appeal to these qualities if you are people who dedicate themselves to God (the verb is the one conventionally translated “love,” but it signifies a self-giving loyalty, not merely an emotion) and who keeps God’s commands. … It is possible that God may keep a covenant and commitment even though the other party in the relationship does not do so. But we would be unwise to presume this, like a husband who is unfaithful to his wife who assumes that everything will be okay if he expresses regret. (OTE, 83)
• The opening verses of invocation are important for their emphasis upon the power of God, especially as Nehemiah here uses the title “God of heaven,” which became increasingly more common in postexilic piety (e.g. Jonah 1:9; Dan. 2:37-44). A clue to the interpretation of the entire prayer is also hinted at in the invocation. Whereas the delegation from Jerusalem contented itself with the reporting of the city’s reproach in the eyes of jealous neighbors, Nehemiah discerns the true source of the problem: Israel’s failure with regard to the covenant. His invocation of the God “who keeps covenant and steadfast love” (1:5) displays a keen insight into the reason for Jerusalem’s reproach as well as the relationship of God to the sorry condition of the city. (IBCTP, 64)

Covenant of love (5) – The covenant does not set up a business transaction between two parties. In its essence, the covenant establishes a relationship. More importantly, the covenant does not dispense with the need for mercy, indeed the covenant itself grows out of God’s mercy, grace, and steadfast love. Covenant and mercy go hand in hand, and our need of mercy is in no way obviated by a contractual arrangement. Nehemiah’s confession is an appeal to God’s mercy. (IBCTP, 65)

• The relationship between God and His people, the Jews. The whole history of Israel was the history of the covenant. It was not an agreement between equals but the gracious gift of a Sovereign to His subjects. Its main content was God’s promises to multiply Israel, to give the people the land of Canaan, to protect them, and to make them an example to the nations of God’s goodness. In return, the Jews were to fear, love, serve, and obey God alone. (LCS, 72)

Those who love him (5) – [Love] is the attitude expected of covenanting parties toward one another. On God’s side, it meant unfailing loyalty: constant provision of needs, protection from danger, and restoration of the nation once the people had repented from disobedience. It included forgiveness and mercy, for its essence was God’s bending to love His creatures, even the unrepentant. The people’s response was to be “covenant love” toward God and each other. (LCS, 72-73)

Your ear… your eyes (6) – Nehemiah’s request that God will heed his prayer reminds us of Solomon’s petition (1 Kgs 8:52). God is not human with ears and eyes, but we have no other means of addressing him but with human language. Prayer can degenerate into vain repetitions, but Nehemiah’s consistent and persistent prayers have poured forth from a burdened heart. In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus taught that persevering prayer is effective (Matt. 18:1-8). (CP, 141)

Your servant (6) – The mention of “thy servant’’ and “thy servants” was the formula of polite address. (SBC)

• Nehemiah goes on to appeal to the fact that he is God’s servant. He has applied the term “God’s servants” to his people, the people who failed and did damage, but evidently that was a kind of honorary description. They had not been behaving like servants. But when he calls himself God’s servant, he means he really is committed to his master. The point is made explicit by his going on to refer to servants who revere God’s name – in other words, people who know who God is and who behave accordingly. Revering God implies doing what God says. … Nehemiah want God to note the commitment of servants like himself and Hanani, and even to take more account of the latter than the former. On their behalf he is prepared to say, “I am willing to do whatever you ask to make up for the offense we caused you – tell me what it is.” He thereby puts himself in the position of being the unconditional servant of the master. (OTE, 85)

I confess (6) – The remembrance of God’s covenant, in verse 5, has raised the matter of the partner’s response (to ‘love him and keep his commandments’, 5c). This inevitably leads to heart-searching and confession, in which Nehemiah, faced with such a standard, owns to personal (6c) as well as corporate guilt. He will have to come empty-handed with his request. (TOTC, 85)

• This insight [(Israel’s failure with the covenant)] moves Nehemiah to confess the sin of his people. In the tradition of past mediators (Moses, Exod. 34:9; Isaiah, Isa. 6:5; Ezra, Ezra 9; cf. Daniel, Dan. 9:3-19), Nehemiah confesses his own involvement in the sin of the people, thus identifying with their condition and situation (1:6). The exile proved to be an effective if harsh lesson for the people of God. Jeremiah’s understanding of the captivity as a manifestation of God’s chastisement was met with beatings and imprisonment (Jeremiah 18-20), but now the exiles were fully convinced of the truth of his warnings. (IBCTP, 64)
• Nehemiah … simply acknowledges there guilt. This aspect of the confession is quite different from Ezra’s earlier confession (Ezra 9:6-15). There, though Ezra begins with an acknowledgement of the people’s sin as the reason for the exile (v. 7), he quickly moves to the confession of a specific sin that he did not share, that of intermarriage. Nehemiah seems to be more concerned with the sinful condition of his people that with the symptomatic outcroppings. This sinful condition he confesses simply and succinctly as sins “against you.” (IBCTP, 64-65)

Including myself (6) – As he knows he has to identify with his people’s waywardness in order to make confession of it, he know that the present generation of his people has to identify with their forebears’ waywardness and make confession of it. There is no pretending that the sins of one generation are not visited on the next generation. (OTE, 84)

Acted very wickedly (7) – [In the commentary author’s translation he uses “damage.”] This word [damage] is also repeated [in the original language] to underscore the point – more literally, “with damage we acted damagingly.” It is the word used in Ezra to refer to damaging the temple. It is as if people were seeking to damage God or damage God’s interests when they failed to do what God said, as if they were seeking to attack God. Yet Nehemiah also knows that the same Torah that warned of the consequences of willful failure also promised that chastisement need not be the end. (OTE, 84)

Remember the instruction … (8-10) – He is empty-handed, but not uninvited. He knows the threats and promises of Scripture well enough to make a strong, not tentative plea. … Most significantly inverse 10 he quotes the words which Moses had pleaded for Israel on mount Sinai (Deut. 9:29), that God would stand by his own (thy servants and thy people) and by the work he had so strenuously begun. At that point Israel had been threatened with extinction; now, it seems, Nehemiah sees the situation as hardly less perilous. Like Moses, he must stand in the breach with his intercession. (TOTC, 86)

• The heart of the prayer is also its turning point (vv. 8-9). Nehemiah reminds God that the lesson has been learned; the exiles have been scattered among the peoples for their unfaithfulness. This is to be seen as a testimony to God’s power and control of history. Israel is in God’s hands, not subject to the capricious machinations of human despots. Therefore, God’s judgment upon Israel’s sin, related in the summary of Deuteronomy 30:1-5 in Nehemiah 1:8, has been carried out. But as the positive confession of verse 10 intimates (“your servants”) and verse 11a declares (“your servants who delight in revering your name”), the signs of repentance are present as well, and so Nehemiah appeals to God to remember the promise of return also contained in Deuteronomy 30:1-5 (1:9). (IBCTP, 65)

If you are unfaithful … (8-9) – Nehemiah’s prayer at this point is … a composite of several Scriptures:

1) If you are unfaithful I will scatter you: Lev. 26:33.

2) But if you return to me: Dt. 30:2f.

3) I will gather them from there and will bring them: Dt. 30:4;

4) to the place where I have chosen to cause my name to dwell: Dt. 12:5. (SBC)

• It is best to see the prayer to this point as a summary of Nehemiah’s struggles with God over the four-month gap between his conversation with the delegation from Jerusalem and his audience with Artaxerxes. (IBCTP, 65)

Dwelling for my Name (9) – This expression implies the Divine Presence dwelling with the restored community. It is precisely that, according to Nehemiah, which the currently prevailing conditions show lie in the future. In Ezekiel’s vision, the glory of the Lord departed from the Jerusalem temple (11:22-24) and the Sovereign Lord promised, “Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone” (11:16). This suggests that the divine glory is present among the exiles in Babylon. The unanswered question is, “Did the divine glory return to the rebuilt Jerusalem temple?” (CP, 142)

This man (11) – The expression this man does not belittle the king. It does recognize that the monarch was a human being with whom Nehemiah had to deal. Only God could establish the environment in which Nehemiah could find favor before the king. (CP, 143)

Cupbearer (11) – The duty of a cupbearer went far beyond that of serving the king’s drink or food. He would be the taster who would assure that the food was safe and that no poison had been added by his enemies; he risked his life on the king’s popularity or unpopularity at every meal, to protect the royal household. At the same time, he must be the most trusted person in the whole empire. If he added poison when the food had been brought to him, it would be beyond the last defense short of the king’s palate. In addition, he had access to the entire palace, including the king’s harem; no one else in the kingdom, outside the royal family, would be trusted farther than this. His position was next to that of the crown prince himself.

It is a credit to Nehemiah that, having attained this highest position open to him in the most powerful kingdom of his day, he was willing, like Moses, out of compassion for his brethren to make himself one of them for a sufficient length of time to improve their condition as far as he was able. (SBC)

• The cupbearer (the same word as the ‘butler’ of the Joseph story, Gen. 402ff.) was a high official in the royal household, whose basic duty of choosing and tasting the wine to demonstrate that it was not poisoned, and of presenting it to the king, gave him frequent access to the king’s presence and made him potentially a man of influence. (TOTC, 86)

Prayer and Action – Nehemiah 1 is a blend of prayer and action. All who lead must place a high priority on prayer. Why is prayer so important? Here are the four shortest reasons I know.

Prayer makes me wait. I cannot pray and act at the same time. I have to wait to act until I finish praying. Prayer forces me to leave the situation with God; it makes me wait.

Prayer clears my vision. Southern California often has an overhanging weather problem in the mornings because of its coastal location until the sun “burns through” the morning fog. Prayer does that. When you first face a situation, is it foggy? Prayer will “burn through.” Your vision will clear so you can see through God’s eyes.

Prayer quiets my heart. I cannot worry and pray at the same time. I am doing one or the other. Prayer makes me quiet. It replaces anxiety with a calm spirit. Knees don’t knock when we kneel on them!

Prayer activates my faith. After praying I am more prone to trust God. And how petty and negative and critical I am when I don’t pray! Prayer sets faith on fire.

Don’t just fill the margins of your Bible with words and thoughts about ways a leader prays. Do it! Don’t just stop with just a sterile theology of prayer. Pray! Prayer was the first major step Nehemiah took in his journey to effective leadership.

The Lord is the Specialist we need for those uncrossable and impossible experiences. He delights in accomplishing what we cannot pull off. But He awaits our cry. He listens for our request. Nehemiah was quick to call for help. His favorite position when faced with problems was the kneeling position. (LL, 64, quoting Charles Swindoll from Hand Me Another Brick)

Additional Questions:¹

1. What were the conditions in Jerusalem at this time? How does this correspond to what we learned in Ezra?
2. In 1:4, what can we learn about Nehemiah (his character, values, and so on) from his reaction to this news?
3. What elements in Nehemiah’s prayer might you find useful as a model for your own prayer life?
4. Why do you think Nehemiah made this confession of sin in verses 6 and 7?
5. What does Nehemiah’s prayer reveal to you about his faith?
6. Why do you think Nehemiah asked God to remember His promises (see 1:8-10)?
7. Think about the lessons from Nehemiah’s life that can be found in chapter 1. What kinds of insights and principles can you discover that apply to believers today?
8. Think of a person whom you consider to be a prayer warrior. How has that person’s life been an example to you?
9. What was Nehemiah’s response when faced with a seemingly hopeless predicament?
10. What does Nehemiah’s prayer reveal about his view of himself and of God?
11. How do you think prayer prepared Nehemiah to lead his people?
12. If God knows all of our fears, desires, and needs, why does he want us to pray about them?
13. In what ways can prayer change a person’s attitude towards life’s difficulties?

Nehemiah Introduction

Nehemiah Introduction

https://youtu.be/bszz_ReGfXQ

God wants to live with us. We see this truth in Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra and Nehemiah are two books that tell one story—the story of Israel coming home. Israel had been exiled from their land and removed from God's presence in the temple because of their sins. But in Ezra and Nehemiah, God is bringing a remnant back. Ultimately, though, God's presence does not return to the temple the way Israel thought he would. Instead, the books end on a low note of failure and more exile. But the good news is that Jesus has done what Ezra and Nehemiah couldn't. He brings us back home to God and makes a way for us to live in his presence.

Introductions

TOTC (83) – More than half this book is a personal record, punctuated with ‘asides’ and frank comments which make it (in such parts) one of the liveliest pieces of writing in the Bible. Much of Ezra’s story was also told in the first person (Ezra 8:15-9:15), but Ezra was a quieter personality than the formidable, practical Nehemiah; he does not leap out of the page as this man does.

The main action is crowded into the spring and summer of the year 445 BC, in which time Nehemiah not only made the journey from near the Persian Gulf to Jerusalem, but restored the city’s walls and gates, and began to see to its defense. All this he recounts himself.

IBCTP (63-64) – Theologically speaking, it is important to realize that the bulk of the passage records Nehemiah’s second response to the devastating news from Jerusalem. Following a period of grief (1:4, cf. Ezra 9:3-5), his initial response, Nehemiah demonstrates his faith by turning to the fount of his resources in prayer. While the form of the prayer itself is unparalleled in scripture – it lacks, for instance, the complaint so characteristic of the community laments with which it is sometimes compared … – it falls easily into a simple structure:

A – Invocation (5-6a)

B – Confession: Israel’s sin (6b-7)

X – Appeal to covenantal promise of return (8-9)

B’ – Confession: God’s redemption (10)

A’ – Invocation with supplication (11a)

The prayer begins and ends with an invocation similar to that found in Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:29, 52; II Chron. 6:40), “let your ear be attentive … to hear the prayer of your servant” (6a, 11a). Two confessions, one negative, regarding Israel’s sin (B) and one positive, regarding God’s redemption (B’), frame the heart of the prayer (X). This centerpiece consists of Nehemiah’s appeal to God to remember the covenantal promise of return on the basis of Deuteronomy 30:1-5. The strengthened particle of entreaty with the vocative, “O Lord” (5, 11a), provide an inclusion for the entire prayer.

Ezra Introduction

 Ezra Introduction

https://youtu.be/bszz_ReGfXQ

God wants to live with us. We see this truth in Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra and Nehemiah are two books that tell one story—the story of Israel coming home. Israel had been exiled from their land and removed from God's presence in the temple because of their sins. But in Ezra and Nehemiah, God is bringing a remnant back. Ultimately, though, God's presence does not return to the temple the way Israel thought he would. Instead, the books end on a low note of failure and more exile. But the good news is that Jesus has done what Ezra and Nehemiah couldn't. He brings us back home to God and makes a way for us to live in his presence.

Acts 12:20 -- 13:12 The Death of Herod

The Death of Herod
Acts 12:20 -- 13:12

Intro Questions

The Death of Herod

20Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

24But the word of God increased and multiplied.

25And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• In verses 20-22, what contrasts do you see between Herod's power and God's? 
• Under what circumstances does Herod Agrippa I become ill? How does Luke account for it? What do you make of Herod's death (vv. 21-23)?
• In this "Judea and Samaria" phase (Ch. 8-12) of God's plan (1:8), how has the church fared? What opposition has it faced so far? How far has it expanded?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• It what ways does God judge people in this life?
• Are illnesses, accidents, and deaths divine judgments? Explain.
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

13 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Barnabas and Saul on Cyprus

⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. ⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

What were you called as a child? Did you ever want a new name besides the one you were given?

• God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
• We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
• What was the scene when the Holy Spirit spoke to the leaders at Antioch? How do you think he may have spoken? How does he speak today? 
• What qualities did the Antioch church have that made it a good sponsoring church for missionary work?
• What qualities made Barnabas and Saul ideal missionary candidates?
• How effective is our church in supporting, encouraging, and empowering its missionary workers?
• To what extent does 13:1-3 set an example we must follow, to what extent does it offer a good example we may follow, and to what extent is it a unique event?
• Cyprus is a 150-mile sail from Seleucia and was Barnabas' home according to Acts 4:36. What might these two men be talking about as they travel? 
• Since Gentiles were already welcome in the church in Acts 11:18, why would Barnabas and Saul go to the synagogue?
• The change of Saul's name to Paul in Acts 13:9 may be related to the beginning of his ministry to the Gentiles. Why do you think names are so important to God?
• Pay attention to the reaction of Roman officials to the gospel throughout Acts. Why was this important to Luke?
• I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
• With what types of people do you feel most comfortable talking about the Lord? Why? 
• When have people tried to turn you from your faith? What happened? How do you deal with such pressures? 
• When should you strongly confront people who oppose Jesus?
• You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

https://www.youtube.com/c/edmondchurchofchrist

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A Life Adventure 

            It’s always tough to get through the first day on a new job. It seems there is just too much to learn, too many coworkers to sift through and the pressure to show the boss that it wasn’t a mistake to give you the job. So, we can sympathize a little with the tension Max might have felt on his first day in uniform. Max is with the Dyfed-Powys Police department in Wales and had just finished his training the day before. He was partnered with Officer Peter Lloyd and his first day was Saturday, August 1. That’s when the call came in to assist with a missing-person search for a woman and her year-old child. Well, since Max is a German Shepherd mix, he was quickly trotted out to look for the people, who had already been missing for a day. 

            The woman’s car had been found in a rugged, mountainous area in Wales and the search began there. Max ranged back and forth and began tracking the day-old trail. Other officers and the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team were scrambling across the cliffs, ridges and steep valleys that make up the Welsh countryside. Meanwhile, a helicopter crisscrossed overhead, but Max kept his nose to the ground and, in less than two hours of searching, led the police to the woman who was frantically waving for help from the edge of a sheer ravine. Both mom and baby were just fine, only a little cold from a night spent outside. Although he’d never done it before, Max performed just fine and lives were saved. It seems he has a strong future in the police force. 

            “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3 NIV). 

            Barnabas and Saul (who is better known as the apostle Paul) were sent out to do something that had never before been done. They had no experience at being missionaries and no real plan for taking the gospel message to those who knew nothing about Jesus. As they began the work, they simply did what they had done before, speaking first with the Jewish communities in large cities. When that didn’t result in the kind of response merited by the gospel, they turned to tell the message of redemption to Gentiles, many of whom knew nothing at all about God, Jesus, the Law, sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. Yet Paul’s work was fantastically successful and people joyously embraced the message of grace in Christ. New churches were planted all across the Roman Empire. 

            Sometimes we’re faced with challenges that fill us with apprehension. We may be placed in a role for which we have no experience or training. We may be asked to teach a Bible class or take a leading role in worship. We may find an opening to visit with a neighbor or relative about Jesus. Anxiety may encourage us to draw back, almost reflexively avoiding the possibility of success! Growth, though, involves stretching ourselves and trying new things. When we place ourselves in God’s service, He will lead us to adventures we cannot anticipate. And the result may be life or death—for us and others!

 

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##ANTIOCH ON THE ORONTES

By Mark Moore

1. This is one of 15 cities at the time by the name of Antioch. Also called "Antioch the Great," "The Queen of the East," "The Beautiful," and "Antioch by Daphne," after the nearby Temple of Apollo by that name.
2. Population = about 500,000; Chrysostom (Homily on St. Ignatius, 4) indicated that there were perhaps as many as 200,000 citizens (demos), which would not include the nearly half a million slaves, women and infants. It also may not include the rural areas. Thus the whole population may have been as many as 800,000.
3. Third largest city of the Empire, behind Rome and Alexandria.
4. Today there are only about 35,000 people in Antioch.
5. Founded by Selucus I. Nicator about B.C. 300.
6. It was the Capital of Syria.
7. It was equipped with street lights and water fountains.
8. The main street was four miles long, lined with mansions.
9. Because she was placed strategically on both land and sea trade routes, she was a melting pot for many cultures, often retaining the worst of both the Occidental and Oriental elements.
10. She is the Mother of the church of Asia Minor and Europe:
     a. She sent out the first organized mission team, (Acts 13:2).
     b. Here the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).
     c. Here flamed the Gentile/Jewish debate (Acts 15).
11. Mommsen, The Provinces of Roman Empire from Caesar to Diocletian, (1909, p. 128), said, "In no city of antiquity was the enjoyment of life so much the main thing, and its duties so incidental.'"
12. The "park" of Daphne was famous for lewd and immoral acts that took place in "worship" of Apollo.
13. Her citizens were also famous for their invective—ridicule and snide wit. They even attacked Emperor Julian because he interfered with their market affairs. They mocked him as he strode through the streets, calling him a goat because of his long beard and a butcher because of his many animal sacrifices. Some commentators see this characteristic as the impetus behind the name "Christians" (Acts 11:26).
14. In the limestone cliffs to the N.E. of the city is the 16' bust of Charionion was seen by all her citizens. It is traditionally dated during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (B.D. 175–163), and thought to be an attempt to appease the gods due to a plague in the region at that time. Charon was the ferryman over the River Styx.
15. A tradition dating back to the 3rd century claims that Luke's home was Antioch. The text of Acts as well as a "Western" variant in 11:28 (another "we" passage), would seem to substantiate that claim.
16. By the end of the first century it is estimated that perhaps 1/7 of the population was Jewish. Also, Josephus records the rise of Jewish wealth and prominence as many Gentiles became "God-fearers" (War of the Jews, vii, 45).
17. Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch and the first martyr of Antioch, was sent to Rome early in the second century, and was there torn to pieces by wild beasts.
18. In A.D. 540 the Persians, led by King Chosroes Nushirvan, leveled the city. Emperor Justinian restored it, but it would never be the same.
19. In the first half of the seventh century it was captured by the Moslems; nearly a hundred years later it was captured by the Greek Emperor Nicephorus Phocas; and in 1098 it was captured by the Crusaders.
20. See Bruce Metzger, "Antioch-on-the-Orontes." The Biblical Archaeologist 11 (Dec. 1948): 69–88, for archeological details of the work done by Princeton University between 1932 and 1939. Of special interest is the Chalice of Antioch, pictured on p. 87, which some claim is the silver covered Holy Grail from which Christ drank at the Paschal Supper.


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LEADERS OF THE ANTIOCH CHURCH (Acts 13:1–3) 

By Mark Moore 

Antioch was a unique city—pluralistic religiously, ethnically and culturally. It would compare favorably to a San Francisco or a New York both for its demographic diversity and its "modern" advances, which included, for example, street lights and running water. Antioch was the third largest city of the Roman Empire and the launching pad for Paul's first missionary journey. Antioch usurped Jerusalem as the center of Christian mission for the second half of the book of Acts.

But the significance of Antioch to the Christian Church was not primarily because of its location or population but because of its leadership. In this city, God raised up five men who would literally change the course of human history. The purpose of this essay is to examine three essential ingredients of the character of these leaders: They were Sociologically Diverse, Spirit Led and Missions Oriented. If we can recapture these three characteristics in today's church leaders, we too can reroute our own culture.

I. Sociological Diversity

Acts 13:1 lists five individuals who were leaders of the church at Antioch:

NAME:	ORIGIN:	ETHNICITY:
Barnabas	Cyprus	Hellenistic Jew
Simeon (Niger)	—–	Black
Lucius	Cyrene	African
Manaen	Palestinian	Greek/Herodian
Saul	Tarsus/Jerusalem	Hebraic Jew

This is an impressive list for at least two reasons.  First, God had truly made "two peoples  into one" (Eph 2:14).  He united these people at several levels:  (a) Those from different financial  strata —assuming that Manaen, having been raised in Herod's household,1 was a wealthy aristocrat.  (b) Those from different religious backgrounds—Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews as well as Greeks (cf. 11:19–20).  (c) Those from different nationalities—African, Syrian, Cyprus, Palestinian.  And (d) those of differing skin color—assuming that Niger, meaning black, was a description of Simeon.

Second, this list is impressive because it indicates the mobility of this church.  Because their leaders represented such a broad array of people, the church could move evangelistically into any sector of this pluralistic city with a coherent voice for Christ.  Simeon could speak to the blacks; Saul could debate in the synagogues; Manaen could deal with the wealthy politicians; Lucius could minister to the immigrants.  Furthermore, because of the diversity represented in the leadership, this church would be more likely to avert the kind of racial division that impacted the young church of Jerusalem (Acts 6:1).  

In a time of rising racial tensions, the church today would be wise to raise up leaders from a variety of socio-economic strata to evangelize and represent the diversity of people we find in our cities.  If we fail in this, we may consign the next generation of Christians to churches that are myopic and schismatic, albeit homogenous and complacent.

II.       Spirit Leading

We notice from 13:1 that these five men were gifted by the Holy Spirit in the area of prophecy and teaching.  It is grammatically possible to view Barnabas, Simeon and Lucius as prophets and Manaen and Saul as teachers.  But more likely all five displayed both gifts.  For instance, Barnabas was certainly a gifted teacher (cf. 11:26).  Furthermore prophecy was not primarily for predicting future events (e.g. Agabus 11:28; 21:10–11), but for speaking out authoritatively a message from God.  This was especially crucial prior to the writing of NT books.  In light of this, it is easy to see how prophecy and teaching would go hand in hand.

In addition to their corporate gift of prophet-teachers, each individual was uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit.  At least we know that to be true of Barnabas and Saul whose personalities and abilities were complementary but quite distinct (cf. 15:37–39).  Barnabas was an encourager (4:36; 9:27; 11:22, 25; 15:37), and gifted with benevolence (4:37), while Saul was a skilled orator, debater, and writer.

Not only were these men gifted by the Holy Spirit, they also opened their lives to the Spirit through the spiritual disciplines of worship, fasting, and prayer (cf. Luke 2:37; Acts 14:23).  It was in this context of actively pursuing God that the Holy Spirit spoke to these men.  Like the Apostles of Jerusalem, their primary duties as church leaders were the ministry of the word and prayer (6:2–4).

Should it be any different today?  Our preachers and elders must adopt the priorities of the early church leaders.  Both in Jerusalem and Antioch their primary tasks involved the Word and prayer.  Social programs and administrative decisions are important and perhaps necessary.  But too often the expediency of the urgent prevails over the most important priorities or our leaders.  Not only must our leaders be Spirit-gifted men with unwavering priority, but they must continually open their lives up to the leading of the Holy Spirit through the disciplines.  This frightens us for two inappropriate reasons.  First, we are afraid of being labeled Pentecostal if we talk about or seek the Spirit's guidance.  But if anything is clear from the book of Acts, it is this:  The progress of the Church is in the hands of the Holy Spirit.  We will do little of eternal significance if not led by Him.  Second, we fear the cost of the disciplines.  Worship, prayer, fasting, and Bible study are terribly time-consuming and painful.  But as they say, "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen."  Leadership is not for the half-hearted, nor is it for the purpose of stroking egos.  It requires discipline and hard work.

III.     Missions Orientation

The church of Antioch was the result of some brave missionaries who dared to cross cultural lines (11:19–20).  And the church never forgot their debt to God and to the people who first evangelized them.  That is why their mission's program took the shape that it did.  First, Saul and Barnabas were not sent to distant lands and foreign languages.  Rather, they went to Barnabas' home land of Cyprus, returning the gospel to the people who first brought it to Antioch.  They recognized a debt to the people of Cyprus.  But because they were willing to meet the needs they saw around them, their concentric circles of influence continued to expand until Paul knocks on Rome's door by the end of the book.  Furthermore, when the great debate exploded in Acts 15 over circumcision, the leaders of Antioch did not presume authority over the church of Jerusalem.  Even though Antioch had effectually become the center of Gentile missions, they submitted themselves to the decision of the Elders and Apostles in Jerusalem.

Second, when they sent out an evangelistic team, they did not recruit a couple of idealistic misfits who were a bit slow but quite eager.  They went after the best, sacrificing their own leadership to accomplish this task.  These two were veterans who had both been on church planting ventures before (11:22–26; 15:40–41).  And even when Paul and Barnabas split up, they both recruited helpers that they considered "prize fighters" for the gospel.  Case in point:  On Paul's second missionary journey he acquired:  (1) Silas—a Jewish prophet from Jerusalem. (2) Timothy—a bright young man with a glowing reputation that had compassed 40 miles by foot; as a half-breed he could speak to a significant "people group."  (3) Luke—a Greek physician, historian, and linguist.  And (4) in Corinth he met up with Priscilla and Aquila—a successful "blue-collar" couple from Rome.  But no matter how far Paul traveled, he continued to return to his "home" church at Antioch to report the ever expanding work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 14:26–28; 18:23).

Church leaders who are in tune with the Holy Spirit, will be aware of at least two things in terms of Missions:  Spiritual responsibility (Rom 15:27) and Global opportunity.  For Spiritual leaders the primary question is not, "What will it cost?" but "What will it take?"  We have more Christians per capita than we have ever had in the history of the church.  We have better training institutions, more money and more technology than we've ever had.  We have the Bible in over 1,400 languages, and Christianity, scattered all over the globe, is now the largest of all world religions.  We can say, without hesitation, that we have far more advantages and opportunities than did the church of Antioch to spread the Gospel.  The only factor which could tip the scales is leadership.  Do we have leaders who are Sociologically Diverse, Spirit Led, and Missions Oriented?  The answer to this question is not found at the end of your pointed finger.  It is found in the mirror as you honestly answer this question:  Am I the person that God wants me to be in the global conquest for His Kingdom?

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##FASTING

By Mark Moore

Gk. νηστεύω—To go without food; to be hungry.  Heb.  םוצ—Abstain from food.

I.     Major Texts on Fasting:

1.     Isaiah 58:3–7—The fast God desires is compassion and justice.

2.     Matt 6:16–18—Do not fast for ostentatious show (though it still could be in community).

3.     Matt 9:14–15/Mark 2:18–20/Luke 5:34–35—When the bridegroom leaves we will fast.

II.    Purposes or Reasons for a Fast:

1.     A sign of grief (may also be from a natural loss of appetite due to grief)—Mt. 9:15 and parallels; Ezra 8:23; Nehemiah 1:4; 1 Kings 21:27; particularly in conjunction with repentance (Acts 9:9).

2.     Preparation for prayer and/or a desire to gain God's ear or approval, or to show God your intensity in the matter—2 Samuel 12:16–23.

3.     Preparation for a serious decision—Esther 4:16.

4.     Fasting is also an effective way to de-emphasize the flesh and give priority to the spirit—i.e. to show the body who's boss.

5.     Casting out demons—Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29 (Although both these texts have suspicious textual variants).

III.   Facts about Fasting:

1.     Total or partial abstinence from food and/or drinkB Esther 4:16; Psalm 35:13; Daniel 10:3.

2.     Time limits:

(a)   Through the night—6:18.

(c)   Morning through evening — 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6; 2 Samuel 1:12.

(b)   Three days, three nights—4:16.

(d)   Seven days—Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 12:16–18; 1 Chronicles 10:12.

(e)   Forty days—Matthew 4:2.

3.     It is referred to as "afflicting" the body. It causes physical weakness—Psalm 109:24

4.     It is connected to:

(a)  Repentance—Joel 2:12–17; Jonah 3:5; Nehemiah 9:1; 2 Samuel 12:15–23; 1 Kings 21:27–29.

(b)  Prayer—1 Samuel 7:5, 6; 2 Samuel 12:16–23; 2 Chronicles 20:3; Nehemiah 1:4ff; Ezra 8:23; Psalm 35:13; Daniel 9:3; Joel 1:14; 2:12–17; Matthew 17:21 [in Majority text]; Mark 9:29; Luke 2:37; Acts 13:2,3; 14:23.

(c)  Mourning—Daniel 6:18; 2 Samuel 1:12; 12:16, 21, 22; Zechariah 7:5; Judges 20:26; 1 Kings 21:27; Nehemiah 1:4ff.; 9:1; Esther 4:3; Psalm 35:13; Daniel 9:3; Joel 2:12–17; Jonah 3:5.

IV. Who Fasts

1.     Anna serving in the temple—Luke 2:37.

2.     Jesus' temptations 40 days—Matthew 4:2.

3.     John‘s disciples and Jesus‘ compared— Matthew 9:14, 15; Mark 2:18–20; Luke 5:34–35.

4.     Official Jewish fast—Acts 27:9, (cf. Lev. 16:29, 31).

(a)  Pharisaic fast days were Monday and Thursday (cf. Luke 18:12).

(b)  Christian fast days became Wednesday and Friday.

5.     Paul's sufferings—2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27.

6.     Church leaders at ordination—Acts 13:2, 3; 14:23.

7.     Fast of Pharisee (Hypocritical)—Luke 18:12.

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HOW TO HAVE GOD’S HEART FOR THE WORLD
--Douglas F. Parsons

Just as many individual Christians seldom focus their faith beyond themselves, many congregations are not actively involved in reaching the world for Christ. Sustaining the sense of urgency of the Great Commission is not easy; congregations more readily see the need for and the fruits of programs focusing on their own community or the church itself. For many the foreign mission field is a geographically and emotionally distant issue.

Yet a growing world Christian can be a catalyst in changing an inward-focused church into a missions-minded congregation. What can you do to become a world Christian and stimulate your church’s involvement in world missions?

Become knowledgeable about the true state of the world. Read books, magazines and journals that will broaden your vision. Attend meetings and seminars to help equip you for involvement in world missions.

Serve on your church’s mission ministry. This is the place where key strategy is set and important decisions are made. Well-informed, committed Christians are a vital part of the missions impact of any church. Suggest strategies that will get people personally involved in missions.

Spread the vision through the Bible classes. Missions education can become a meaningful part of any Bible class -- youth or adult. By introducing global concerns at several levels you will reinforce the importance of world evangelism in people’s minds.

Pray. Prayer is the moving force behind all accomplishments of the missionary movement. It can literally change the world! Begin a ministry of intercession for missions and missionaries, and encourage others to join you. Prayer will facilitate your missionaries' ministries and keep your eyes on how God is working around the world.

Encourage your church leaders. Challenge them to be creative and a bit radical as they plan for the church’s participation in world missions. The church in Antioch set apart two of its leaders -- Paul and Barnabas -- for world missions (Acts 13:1-3). Encourage your leaders to vision the mission field.

Only world Christians who share God’s heart for the world can fulfill Christ’s commission to “make disciples of all nations.”

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Paul's First Missionary Journey

Acts 13:1–14:8   

Estimated:  1200 miles, 

approximately 2–3 years in duration.  

Planted at  least 6 churches.

Place	Location	Events
1. Antioch of Syria	13:1	The Holy Spirit called Barnabas & Saul into  missionary service. Sent away by church.
2.  Seleucia	13:4	Caught a ship to go to the island of Cyprus.
3. Salamis (Cyprus)	13:5	Proclaimed Word in synagogues with John's help.
4.  Paphos (Cyprus)	13:6	Encounter with Bar-Jesus and Sergius Paulus.
5. Perga (Pamphylia)	13:13	John left missionary team.
6.  Antioch of Pisidia	13:14	Preached famous synagogue sermon, rejected.
7.  Iconium	13:51	Racial tension.  Rejected
8.  Lystra (Lycaonia)	14:6	Healed lame man. Sacrifice to Barnabas and Saul. Preached. Stoned.
9.  Derbe (Lycanoia)	14:20	Preached gospel and made many disciples.
10.  Lystra	14:21	Returned to strengthen church.
11.  Iconium	14:21	Returned to strengthen church.
12. Antioch of Pisidia	14:21	Returned to strengthen church.
13.  Perga	14:25	Returned to strengthen church.
14.  Attalia	14:25	Set sail for Antioch
15.  Antioch of Syria	14:26	Reported on journey.

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Author: Rebecca Livermore
Date: 9/1/95
Text: Judg 20:26-28, 1 Kg 21:9, 2 Chr 20:1-3, Ezr 8:21, Neh 9:1f*, Esth 4:3, Isa 58:3-8, Jer 36:9, Dan 9:3, Joel 2:12, Jon 3:3-9, Matt 4:2, Matt 6:16f, Matt 9:14f, Luke 2:37, Acts 13:2, Acts 14:23

#Fasting, perhaps the most neglected of all the disciplines, was practiced in both the Old and New Testaments.  Even Jesus spent extended time in fasting and prayer.  It is appropriate in facing a major decision or a time of crisis. Group fasting is especially powerful. 

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Mark 2:22; Matthew 9:17; Luke 5:37

Wineskins

Old wineskins (askous palaious). Not glass "bottles" but wineskins used as bottles as is true in Palestine yet, goatskins with the rough part inside. "Our word bottle originally carried the true meaning, being a bottle of leather. In Spanish bota means a leather bottle, a boot, and a butt. In Spain wine is still brought to market in pig-skins " (Vincent). The new wine will ferment and crack the dried-up old skins.

Jesus uses two familiar facts to make his point. Older clothes had already shrunk from washing. Wine could be kept in either jars or wineskins; wineskins, unlike jars, would stretch. Old wineskins had already been stretched to capacity by wine fermenting within them; if they were then filled with unfermented wine, it would likewise expand, and the old wineskins, already stretched to the limit, would break. Watered-down wine was drunk with meals.

The image of the wineskins teaches that He gives spiritual fullness. Jewish religion was a worn-out wineskin that would burst if filled with the new wine of the Gospel. Jesus did not come to renovate Moses or even mix Law and grace. He came with new life!

He came to introduce the new, not to patch up the old.

The religious leaders were impressed with our Lord’s teaching, and perhaps they would have been happy to make some of His ideas a part of their own religious tradition. They were hoping for some kind of compromise that would retain the best of pharisaic Judaism and the best of what Christ had to offer. But Jesus exposed the folly of that approach. It would be like tearing patches from a new unshrunk garment and sewing them on an old garment. You would ruin the new garment; and when the old garment was washed, the patches would shrink, rip away, and ruin that garment too (note Luke 5:36-39). Or, it would be like putting new unfermented wine in old brittle wineskins. As soon as the wine began to ferment and the gases formed, the old skins would burst—and you would lose both the wine and the skins.

Jesus came to usher in the new, not to unite with the old. The Mosaic economy was decaying, getting old, and ready to vanish away (Heb. 8:13). Jesus would establish a New Covenant in His blood (Luke 22:19-20). The Law would be written on human hearts, not on stones (2 Cor. 3:1-3; Heb. 10:15-18); and the indwelling Holy Spirit would enable God’s people to fulfill the righteousness of the Law (Rom. 8:1-4).

By using this illustration, Jesus refuted once and for all the popular idea of a compromising "world religion." Well-meaning but spiritually blind leaders have suggested that we take "the best" from each religion, blend it with what is "best" in the Christian faith, and thus manufacture a synthetic faith that would be acceptable to everybody. But the Christian faith is exclusive in character; it will not accept any other faith as its equal or its superior. "There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Salvation is not a partial patching up of one’s life; it is a whole new robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10; 2 Cor. 5:21). The Christian life is not a mixing of the old and the new; rather, it is a fulfillment of the old in the new. There are two ways to destroy a thing: you can smash it, or you can permit it to fulfill itself. An acorn, for example, can be smashed with a hammer, or it can be planted and allowed to grow into an oak. In both instances, the destruction of the acorn is accomplished; but in the second instance, the acorn is destroyed by being fulfilled.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, types, and demands of the Law of Moses. The Law was ended at Calvary when the perfect sacrifice was once offered for the sins of the world (Heb. 8-10). When you trust Jesus Christ, you become part of a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), and there are always new experiences of grace and glory. How tragic when people hold on to dead religious tradition when they could lay hold of living spiritual truth. Why cherish the shadows when the reality has come? (Heb. 10:1ff) In Jesus Christ we have the fulfillment of all that God promised (2 Cor. 1:20).

Fasting

Again the issue is the inappropriateness of fasting in the present circumstance. Jesus uses two ordinary facts to make his point. Older clothes had already shrunk somewhat from washing. Wine could be kept in either jars or wineskins; the latter would stretch. Old wineskins had already been stretched to capacity by fermenting wine within them; if they were then filled with unfermented wine, it would also expand, and the old wineskins, already stretched to the limit, would break.

In response to their questions about fasting, Jesus turned the discussion from outward behavior to the reasons for fasting. Jesus made it clear that fasting was not a self-justifying action. It was right in its proper place, but there was also a proper place for feasting and joy. To further underscore this truth, Jesus added two other analogies (clothing repair and the care of wineskins). A worn item of clothing cannot be repaired with a new piece of cloth that shrinks when washed. When an old, well-stretched wineskin is filled with new wine, it will expand and burst when the wine ferments. So also the new spiritual age brought by Christ would burst the confines of the old religious system, providing the freedom to serve God wholeheartedly.

Luke 5:33

Then they said to him, "John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink." (nrsv) "John’s disciples" refers to the remaining disciples of John the Baptist; the disciples of the Pharisees were probably Pharisees-in-training who would observe the older men and attempt to also practice all the rules and regulations. The Pharisees wanted to know why their own followers, as well as those of John the Baptist, would frequently fast and pray. "Fasting" refers to going without food in order to spend time in prayer. The Old Testament law set aside only one day a year as a required day of fasting for all Jews—the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29). The Pharisees, however, fasted on Mondays and Thursdays (see 18:12) as an act of piety, so their followers did the same. Jesus’ disciples, however, were out of step. Although the statement focused on the disciples, it indirectly criticized their leader, who should have been fasting and praying for Israel’s deliverance as the Pharisees did. Instead, Jesus and his disciples were eating and drinking. The tense of the verb indicates that the feast at Levi’s house happened at the very time that the Pharisees were fasting, apparently on one of the weekly fasting days.

"How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but Yours are not?" Mark 2:18–22 This kind of question is still asked often today. It’s not a question of theology—why do you believe what you do? It’s not even a question about morality—why do you live as you do? No, it’s a question about a nonessential practice.

The Old Testament called for fasting on only one day each year—the solemn Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:31). Yet by the first century, the ultra-religious fasted twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. This was a 12- rather than 24-hour fast, from morning to evening. But it was something extra a person did in order to please God—or to appear especially pious. It was one of those "do’s" or "don’ts" adopted to set a religious person apart from the "less spiritual."

Jesus spoke of new patches that never fit an old garment, and old wineskins that split if filled with unfermented grape juice. The revelation Jesus brought simply would not fit in the categories of first-century Jewish spirituality. In the same way, the quality of a modern believer’s life in Christ cannot be squeezed into the categories some Christians use to measure behavior. So let’s concentrate on celebrating Jesus, and loving others for His sake.

What should be believers’ attitude toward fasting—going without food in order to spend time in prayer? Fasting needs to be done for the right reasons. It gives believers time to pray, teaches self-discipline, reminds them that they can live with a lot less, and helps them to focus on and appreciate God’s gifts. Fasting was mandatory for the Jewish people once a year, on the Day of Atonement, and the Pharisees voluntarily fasted twice a week to impress people with their "holiness." Jesus commended acts of self-sacrifice done quietly and sincerely. He wanted people to adopt spiritual disciplines for the right reasons, not from a selfish desire for praise.

Fasting presents a physical example of the painstaking aspects of spiritual growth. This kind of discipline humbles believers because going without food is a reminder of their complete dependence on God. It also gives them more time to pray and meditate on God. Being willing to devote a mealtime or set aside other major activities to devote time to prayer can be a great exercise of faith.

Luke 5:34-35

Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." (niv) In the Old Testament, people would fast in times of disaster and as a sign of their humility and repentance. Fasting represented mourning. During that time, the people approached God with humility and sorrow for sin (see, for example, Judges 20:26; 1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 8:21; Joel 1:14; Jonah 3:5). In the New Testament, the Pharisees fasted as a show of piety; the disciples of John the Baptist fasted as a sign of mourning for sin and to prepare for the Messiah’s coming. Jesus’ disciples, however, did not need to fast because the Messiah was with them!

Jesus compared himself to a bridegroom and his time on earth as a time of feasting and celebration. His guests (those who had come to believe in him) did not need to fast while he was with them. Jesus did not condemn fasting—he himself fasted (4:2). He emphasized that fasting must be done at the right time for the right reasons.

Jesus also knew that the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, referring to his death. In those days they will fast, for fasting will be in order then. At that time they will grieve. Although Jesus was fully human, he knew he was God and why he had come—to die, paying the penalty for sin.

Luke 5:36

He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old." (nrsv) Jesus then told the questioning Pharisees a parable—a short story that uses familiar scenes and everyday objects and relationships to explain spiritual truths. A parable compares something familiar to something unfamiliar. In this parable, Jesus compared his message first to mending and then to storing wine (5:37-38).

Jesus’ arrival on earth ushered in a new covenant between God and people. The new covenant called for a new way of expressing personal faith. The newness of the gospel could not be combined with the legalism of the Pharisees any more than a piece from a new garment should be used as a patch on an old garment. When the garment was washed, the patch would shrink, pull away from the old garment, and leave a worse tear than before.

Jesus did not come to patch up the old religious system of Judaism with its rules and traditions. His purpose was to fulfill the law and start something new, though it had been prophesied for centuries. The "new" cannot fit with the "old" patterns of thought. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came to earth to offer people forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. The gospel did not fit into the old rigid legalistic system of religion. The gospel offered grace; Judaism offered law and rule keeping. The parables of the cloth and the wineskins (5:37-38) apply to more than just fasting or to the Pharisees; they speak of Jesus’ entire mission and the new era he inaugurated by his entrance into human history.

Luke 5:37-38

"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins." (nrsv) In Bible times, people would store wine in goatskins sewn around the edges to form watertight bags (called "wineskins"). New wine expands as it ferments; thus new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. Old wineskins would become brittle and wouldn’t stretch anymore; thus, if someone put new wine into an old wineskin, the old wineskin would burst and spill the wine.

There are several interpretations of the "old versus the new":

t Law versus grace. The old cloth and old wineskins represent people under the Old Testament law, and the new cloth and new wineskins represent people under grace. This view, preserved by dispensationalists, stresses the complete break of the Old Testament view of obedience with the New Testament.

t Old covenant versus new covenant. The old cloth and old wineskins represent the older and partial understanding of God’s will. The new covenant would reflect a new way of understanding what true faithfulness to the law would be under Christ’s authority. This view does justice to "both are preserved" (5:38 nkjv) because it sees the revealed will of God as present in both old and new. But limiting Jesus’ words to apply to time in history alone misses his point.

t Old system of spirituality versus new system. This view sees continuity in the revealed will of God, both in the Old Testament Scripture and in the New Testament message of Christ. The old cloth and wineskins referred to the old system of application of the law (rigid, legalistic) as typified by the worst teaching of the Pharisees. The old forms and traditions were characterized by the sorrow of fasting. The new attitude of spirituality is characterized by the joy of feasting as seen in Christ and his disciples. New attitudes and methods would be needed. When new attitudes are present, both the understanding of the will of God in Scripture and the new forms will be preserved.

The Christian church was never meant to be a sect or adaptation of Judaism. Instead, Christ fulfills the intent of the Old Testament Scripture. The law reveals the nature and will of God; Jesus Christ reveals the nature and will of God. But while the law could only point out sin and condemn people, Jesus Christ gave his life to bring forgiveness of sin and salvation. These parables speak of Jesus’ entire mission and the new era he inaugurated by his entrance into human history.

The "new wine" was the newness of the gospel as exemplified in the person of Jesus Christ (John 2:1-11). Like old wineskins, the Pharisees and indeed the entire religious system of Judaism had become too rigid to accept Jesus, who could not be contained in their traditions or rules. Their understanding of faithfulness to the law had become unsuitable for the fresh, dynamic power of Christ’s message. They were the self-appointed guardians of the "old garment" and the "old wineskins."

Luke 5:39

"And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is good.’" (nrsv) Jesus could have quoted another well-known parable for our day: "You can’t teach an old dog new tricks." Jesus realized that many people are so content with the old wine that they don’t even want to try the new wine. "The old is good," they say. Many tragically stick with the good when God wants to give them the best. Many of the Pharisees would investigate Jesus’ teaching but cling to the old traditions. Many who check out Christianity will reject it, preferring their old ways. Loyalty to the old life may prevent people from believing and certainly will keep them from growing.

Fasting Summary:

Refraining from eating food. The Bible describes three main forms of fasting: 1) The Normal Fast, involving the total abstinence of food. Luke 4:2 reveals that Jesus "did eat nothing." Afterwards "He was hungered." Jesus abstained from food but not from water. 2) In Acts 9:9 we read of an Absolute Fast where for three days Saul "neither did eat nor drink." The abstinence from both food and water seems to have lasted no more than three days (Ezra 10:6; Esther 4:16). 3) The Partial Fast—in Daniel 10:3 the emphasis is upon the restriction of diet rather than complete abstinence. The context implies that there were physical benefits resulting from this partial fast. However, this verse indicates that there was a revelation given to Daniel as a result of this time of fasting.

Fasting is the laying aside of food for a period of time when the believer is seeking to know God in a deeper experience. It is to be done as an act before God in the privacy of one’s own pursuit of God (Ex. 34:28; 1 Sam. 7:6; 1 Kings 19:8; Matt. 6:17).

Fasting is to be done with the object of seeking to know God in a deeper experience (Isa. 58; Zech. 7:5). Fasting relates to a time of confession (Ps. 69:10). Fasting can be a time of seeking a deeper prayer experience and drawing near to God in prevailing prayer (Ezra 8:23; Joel 2:12). The early church often fasted in seeking God’s will for leadership in the local church (Acts 13:2). When the early church wanted to know the mind of God, there was a time of prayer and fasting.

The sole fast required by the law of Moses was that of the great Day of Atonement (q.v.), Lev. 23:26-32. It is called "the fast" (Acts 27:9).

The only other mention of a periodical fast in the Old Testament is in Zech. 7:1-7; 8:19, from which it appears that during their captivity the Jews observed four annual fasts.

(1.) The fast of the fourth month, kept on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, the anniversary of the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; to commemorate also the incident recorded Ex. 32:19. (Compare Jer. 52:6, 7.)

(2.) The fast of the fifth month, kept on the ninth of Ab (compare Num. 14:27), to commemorate the burning of the city and temple (Jer. 52:12, 13).

(3.) The fast of the seventh month, kept on the third of Tisri (compare 2 Kings 25), the anniversary of the murder of Gedaliah (Jer. 41:1, 2).

(4.) The fast of the tenth month (compare Jer. 52:4; Ezek. 33:21; 2 Kings 25:1), to commemorate the beginning of the siege of the holy city by Nebuchadnezzar.

There was in addition to these the fast appointed by Esther (Est. 4:16).

Public national fasts on account of sin or to supplicate divine favor were sometimes held.

(1.) 1 Sam. 7:6;
(2.) 2 Chr. 20:3;
(3.) Jer. 36:6-10;
(4.) Neh. 9:1.

There were also local fasts.

(1.) Judg. 20:26;
(2.) 2 Sam. 1:12;
(3.) 1 Sam. 31:13;
(4.) 1 Kings 21:9-12;
(5.) Ezra 8:21-23;
(6.) Jonah 3:5-9.

There are many instances of private occasional fasting (1 Sam. 1:7; 20:34; 2 Sam. 3:35; 12:16; 1 Kings 21:27; Ezra 10:6; Neh. 1:4; Dan. 10:2, 3). Moses fasted forty days (Ex. 24:18; 34:28), and so also did Elijah (1 Kings 19:8). Our Lord fasted forty days in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2).

In the lapse of time the practice of fasting was lamentably abused (Isa. 58:4; Jer. 14:12; Zech. 7:5). Our Lord rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocritical pretenses in fasting (Matt. 6:16). He himself appointed no fast. The early Christians, however, observed the ordinary fasts according to the law of their fathers (Acts 13:3; 14:23; 2 Cor. 6:5).





The Kingdom Unleashed - Part 6 from North Boulevard Church of Christ on Vimeo.

=================
Author: Frederica Mathewes-green
Date: 11/13/95
Text: Gen 2:9, 1 Sam 25:36, Prov 23:1-4, Prov 23:20-21, Song 2:4, Isa 1:19, Isa 22:13, Isa 25:6, Isa 55:1-2, Ezek 39:19, Dan 1:8-16, Hag 1:6, Matt 6:25-33, Matt 11:19, Luke 16:21, John 4:31-34, John 6:48-50, 1 Cor 8:8, 1 Cor 10:30-31, 1 Cor 11:21, 1 Cor 15:32, Phil 3:19, Col 2:16, Tit 1:12, 1 Pet 5:8, Rev 19:9, Rev 22:2
#Gluttony

To Hell On A Cream Puff? Gluttony Makes You Soft And Lovable [1/2]

It is hard to know just how to take an invitation to write about gluttony. "We thought you would be the perfect person," the editor's letter read. "Gee, is it that obvious?" I thought, alarmed. "No, no, that's not really me. It's just these horizontal stripes." But, if I am honest, I have to admit that it is me. It's most of us. Food is an intoxicating pleasure, and it appears superficially like an innocuous one. What is so bad about engaging in a little gluttony, anyway? It's not one of the bad sins, like adultery or stealing -- we wouldn't do that. All gluttony does is make you soft and huggable. It's the cute sin. But gluttony is not about appearance; our inclination to associate it with external effects alone shows how reluctant we are to confront the sin in the heart. The gluttonous impulse is a sign of disharmony with God's provision and creation, and it can disrupt the spiritual lives of people of every size. External dimensions are no predictor of internal rebellion. Previous generations of Christians knew this. Overindulgence in food did not just lead to thickened waistlines and arteries; it led to spiritual disaster. These words from a nineteenth-century Russian monk, Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, build in an alarming crescendo: "Wise temperance of the stomach is a door to all the virtues. Restrain the stomach, and you will enter Paradise. But if you please and pamper your stomach, you will hurl yourself over the precipice of bodily impurity, into the fire of wrath and fury, you will coarsen and darken your mind, and in this way you will ruin your powers of attention and self-control, your sobriety and vigilance." If that doesn't make you take a second look at your second helpings, nothing will. The key word in the passage above is self-control. Gluttony is not wrong because it makes you fat; it is wrong because it is the fruit of self- indulgence. Gluttony says, "Gimme"; Jesus says, "Come to me." When we come to him, we give up all claims to be coddled; we come to shoulder our own rough cross. The path to the buffet table and the path to sanctification lie in opposite directions. Yet anyone who has tried to diet knows that the will to eat indulgently is surprisingly strong and unruly. Plans to eat reasonably and with an eye to good health may look attractive on Sunday night, when sketched out on a full stomach. (Oh yes, and we'll get up early every day to jog, too.) About 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon, however, it's a different story. The stomach that was placid and amiable has become a bucking, rebellious pony, with a defiance that was never evident until it was made to wear a bridle. Dieters are often shocked at their deep-seated and ungovernable compulsion to eat, as facets of unconverted willfulness, never suspected, are being brought to light. What makes gluttony such a hard sin to break? FOOD AS POWER Of course, food is pleasurable; that alone can make a sin enticing. But while some pleasures can be relinquished with a melancholic pang, the attempt to discipline food sins prompts a ferocious, angry resistance. Something more is going on here. The urge to overindulge in food is powerful, I think, because it is linked to a desire for power. A complex net of submerged assumptions teaches us that food grants some limited, but tangible, control over the exterior world. We bite the apple (or the doughnut) because we have heard a whisper, "You shall be as gods." This plays out in various ways: 1. Emperor baby. Eating is the first pleasure. Researchers have found that if amniotic fluid is sweetened, unborn babies will gulp it more greedily. For a newborn, many sensations are unpleasant or frightening, but food, glorious food, is a constant and dependable comfort. Controlling access to food, crying to be fed, and winning the reward of sweet, warm milk is the first task of newborn life. No wonder we retain into adulthood a zeal to gather as much good, sweet food as we can grab; it was the first job we ever had, and it felt like an urgent one, indeed. "I don't think it's fair that they changed the rules," my husband said one day, looking forlornly at the ends of his belt; they would no longer quite meet in front. "I can remember a time in my life -- in fact, it lasted quite a long time -- when people were constantly affirming me with, 'My, you're becoming such a big boy!'" He tried once more to make the belt ends meet. "Now that I've gotten really good at it, suddenly they changed the rules." His whimsical protest conceals a grain of truth. The baby that focuses all its attention on getting food soon grows to be a child that is praised for eating, indulged with treats, and admired for getting bigger. Not only is getting food our first job, not only is it intrinsically pleasurable, but it's a talent for which most of us were praised throughout our childhoods, the way in which we elicited praise and admiration from our elders. 2. I'm in control. Succumbing to the desire to overeat may be a straightforward way that people demonstrate power. Life is complicated and fraught with compromises, unmet desires, and nettling disappointments. We cannot make other people do right. Friends, neighbors, spouse, children all may resist our will, but, darn it, that chocolate cream pie is going to know who's boss. Overeating can become a secret, habitual way to reassure yourself that you are not powerless, that you can subdue and conquer as much food as you choose. Viewed in this light, anorexia has the same root as gluttony: a desire to demonstrate control. Women starve themselves to prove that they are the Empresses of Ice Cream, wielding a scepter of iron rejection where a plumper sister might choose the tactic of conquering by consuming. 3. Squirrel away. A related impulse is the need to hoard. Perhaps a cream pie this perfect will never cross my path again; it is only wisdom to tuck away as much as possible before the waiter clears the plates and we must part forever. Hoarding food discloses our need to establish ourselves as independent resources, free from dependence on God. There is an intrinsic mistrust of his ability to provide, though he owns the cream pies on a thousand hills. 4. Boredom. A constant stream of pleasant sensations coming in may help keep more troubling self-confrontation at bay. The continuing work of repentance is lifelong, and comparatively less jolly than a bag of gumdrops; those gumdrops may be just enough to keep us distracted one more day. Bishop Brianchaninov, cited above, insisted that an evil of gluttony was its ability to dull the mind. Pennsylvania pastor Pat Reardon says, "When people ask me why God seems so distant, I ask them 'How much TV have you been watching? What thoughts are you allowing into your mind?'" We could add: And how much idle junk food do you nibble for no apparent reason? 5. Big. The title is clumsy and forbidding, but Fat Is a Feminist Issue delivers a startling insight. Author Susie Orbach writes that many dieters self-sabotage because they fail to realize that "compulsive eating is linked to a desire to get fat....Many women are positively afraid of being thin." This strikes us as howlingly counterintuitive, but Orbach's research is intriguing. She has women imagine themselves in a social situation; they are to envision every detail of dress, posture, with whom they talk, how others react to them. Orbach has them imagine themselves in the same situation, but immensely fat; then she has them repeat the exercise, but imagine themselves with ideal slimness. In a culture where slimness equals beauty, women have powerful reasons to want to be thin; but, surprisingly, when they imagined it, they found they did not enjoy it. Slimness was associated with being "cold and ungiving," "self-involved," burdened with others' expectations, the object of unwanted desire from men and uncomfortable jealousy from women. The fat self, on the other hand, was relaxed, free from unwanted sexual attention and the need to compete, and able to talk comfortably with others. As the study demonstrated, another reason people subconsciously desired a greater girth was because they sensed that, as a result, they had more authority. One woman put it this way: "The fat in the situation [made] me feel like a sergeant major-big and authoritative. When I go through the fantasy of seeing myself thin, what immediately strikes me is just how fragile and little I feel, almost as though I might disappear or be blown away." Men have as many reasons as women do -- maybe more -- to want to be bigger. Our attempts at self-control in eating fail, in part, because part of us really doesn't want to risk shrinking. We want to be big. A "Bizarro" cartoon by Dan Piraro showed an enormously fat man looking into a refrigerator, while a smaller man stood nearby, holding up a finger of admonition. "You are what you eat," the scolder said. The fat man replied, "Good. That makes me omnipotent." SATAN'S PLOY One of the crueler tricks of temptation is that it exacts painful dues while failing to deliver the promised pleasure. A really clever temptation can impose the very opposite of what was promised. This is the case with gluttony. If overeating is about gaining power, the stomach may indeed feel a gratifying, temporary dominance-after which the overeater will likely feel ashamed and, ironically, out of control. Overeating may be an assertion of power, but the classic confession is, "I have no will power." Far from establishing the glutton as a master, it exposes him as a slave. This is not a slavery merely to self; it is worse than that. The apostle Paul speaks of those whose "god is the belly" (Phil. 3:19; all Scripture references quoted are NRSV), and Saint John Climacus, seventh-century abbot of the monastery on Mount Sinai, writes of "that clamorous mistress, the stomach." Those who succumb to gluttony experience themselves not as rulers, but as helpless prey. Prey, indeed, we are; this is not just a matter of deficient self-control, but of slipping under another's control, into another's trap. "Like a roaring lion, your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). It is in the nature of evil to consume, and those who feast wantonly become themselves morsels. In "The Screwtape Letters," C. S. Lewis has the senior devil write to his nephew: "To us a human is primarily food; our aim is the absorption of its will into ours, the increase of our own area of selfhood at its expense. But the obedience which the Enemy [God the Father] demands of men is quite a different thing....We want cattle who can finally become food; He wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in; He wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; He is full and flows over." When Screwtape's nephew finally fails in his mission, the senior devil gloats in a fashion that any glutton would find chilling: "I think they will give you to me now; or a bit of you. Love you? Why, yes. As dainty a morsel as ever I grew fat on." "He is full and flows over," Lewis's devil wrote. The flowing over by which God would fill us extends from Genesis to Revelation. He does not merely decline to devour us, he feeds us. Eden was planted with "every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food" (Gen. 2:9); in the New Jerusalem there is "the tree of life, with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month" (Rev. 22:2). In the Song of Solomon we sing, "He brought me to the banqueting house" (Song of Sol. 2:4), and at the end we hear, "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9). We are invited to ask, "Give us this day our daily bread." He feeds us. Safe in his pasture, we will not become food. The task is learning to eat the food he gives, in the measure he gives it. Our whole lives consist of learning what he meant when he said: "I have food to eat that you do not know about" (John 4:32). Satan came to Adam in Paradise; he came to Christ in the desert. He came to two hungry men and said: eat, for your hunger is proof that you depend entirely on food, that your life is in food. And Adam believed and ate; but Christ rejected that temptation and said: man shall not live by bread alone but by God. By doing this, Christ restored that relationship between food, life, and God which Adam broke, and which we still break every day. (Alexander Schmemann, "On Fasting at Great Lent") THE GRAYNESS OF GLUTTONY "Which we still break every day." How do we restore the food-life-God relationship? Mastering gluttony is a tricky task, because you can never be sure you have arrived. With the broader sins, you can swear off the behavior and know with certainty at the end of the day that you either kept your promise or did not. The thief does not wonder whether or not he stole. The person struggling with homosexual longing either went out and picked up a date, or didn't. With some sins, there is not much gray area. With gluttony, it is almost all gray. You cannot simply swear off eating, and learning to eat aright seems such a slippery, indefinable goal. The standards we concoct for ourselves seem to mock us. Sallie Tisdale wrote of dieting in "Harper's" (March 1993), "Eating became cheating. One pretzel was cheating. Two apples instead of one was cheating -- a large potato instead of a small, carrots instead of broccoli....Diets have failure built in, failure is the definition. Every substitution -- even carrots for broccoli - - was a triumph of desire over will....I saw that the real point of dieting is dieting -- to not be done with it, ever." Yet overcoming gluttony must mean getting a handle on our intake of food, and Christians through the ages have discovered various helps. For example, Saint John Climacus gave his monks specific, concrete advice. "He who fondles a lion tames it, but he who coddles the body makes it still wilder," he warned. But he cautioned against excessive discipline, criticizing one who advised taking only bread and water: "To prescribe this is like saying to a child: 'Go up the whole ladder in one stride.'" Saint John recommended, rather, varying one's discipline: "Let us for awhile only deny ourselves fattening foods, then heated foods, and only then what makes our food pleasant. If possible, give your stomach satisfying and digestible food, so as to satisfy its insatiable hunger by sufficiency, and so that we may be delivered from excessive desire." Learning to eat rightly usually means, in our modern age, dieting. But dieting can merely be a substitute of one of the Seven Deadly Sins for another: forsaking Gluttony, we fall into Vanity. Christians have, from the earliest times, wrestled with the temptation to misuse food, but the weapon they used wasn't dieting. It was fasting. [see #3647] #3646 *

To Hell On A Cream Puff? Gluttony Makes You Soft And Lovable [2/2]

Author: Frederica Mathewes-green
Date: 11/13/95
Text: Deut 8:3, Neh 9:1, Esth 4:3, Ps 35:13, Ps 109:24, Ps 131:2, Isa 58:4, Dan 9:3, Joel 2:12, Matt 4:2-4, Matt 6:16-18, Mark 2:18, John 6:49-53, Acts 13:2, 1 Cor 9:25-27

#FASTING FOR THE MASSES Many Western Christians, particularly Protestants, think of fasting (if they do at all) as a tool for intensifying prayer; Richard J. Foster, author of "Celebration of Discipline," says that "the central idea in fasting is the voluntary denial of an otherwise normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity." Narrow-focus fasting like this can powerfully enhance intercession, repentance, and other spiritual undertakings. There is a broader use of the discipline in the history of the church, however: regular, corporate, extended fasting, as a means of broader spiritual growth. The earliest existing Christian document outside Scripture is the Didache, or the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (dates vary; but it may have been written as early as A.D. 70). The Didache reminds believers that the Jews fast on Tuesday and Thursday-remember the publican in Luke who stated, "I fast twice a week"? But the Didache does not say, "So avoid that foolishness, because we don't need it." No, this earliest church-discipline text instructs that Christians should fast as well, but on Wednesdays (the day of Judas's betrayal) and Fridays (the day of the Crucifixion). Doesn't this veer uncomfortably close to salvation by works? Southern Baptist minister Dallas Willard writes in "The Spirit of the Disciplines," "We have simply let our thinking fall into the grip of a false opposition of grace to 'works' that was caused by a mistaken association of works with 'merit.'" This confusion results in lives that are not spiritually pure or healthy, as we do not know how to harness the power that made Christians of other ages spiritual giants. Willard proposes that we take seriously the disciplines of the spiritual life: "Disciplines of Abstinence" (including solitude, silence, fasting, chastity, and sacrifice) and "Disciplines of Engagement" (like study, worship, service, prayer, and confession). If we want truly changed and empowered lives, we must be as self-disciplined, and as constant in our disciplines, as an athlete. Willard says that it is not enough to be like the boy who, admiring his baseball hero, imitates the way he holds his bat. The athlete did not win success by holding the bat a distinctive way, but by disciplining himself to a lifetime of training and practice. Willard is not the first to use this analogy, of course; Paul wrote, "Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. Well, I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air, but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after preaching to others I myself should not be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:25-27). Fasting is a key, not only to overcoming gluttony, but to other self- disciplines as well. Willard writes: "Since food has the pervasive place it does in our lives, the effects of fasting will be diffused throughout our personality. In the midst of all our needs and wants, we experience the contentment of the child that has been weaned from its mother's breast" (Ps. 131:2). This psalm had always puzzled me; it was only in researching this article that it became clear. I had seen the contentment of a nursing child and wondered why the psalmist didn't use that image. I believe the point is this: the weaned child has learned to be satisfied with another food. We do not live by bread alone. While the discipline of fasting has gone through seasons of use and disuse in the West, Eastern Christians have maintained it consistently. In fact, from the date of the Didache to this, Eastern Orthodox Christians still abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. In the weeks before Easter, Orthodox heighten their fasting; for those seven weeks they eat no meat, fish, or dairy products. It is a rigorous discipline, one eased by the knowledge that millions of other Orthodox around the world are fasting at the same time. It is not seen as a way of earning salvation or anything else; the recurrent metaphors are of "exercise" or "medicine" for the soul. DARE TO BE DISCIPLINED In the midst of Lent, I spoke with several Orthodox Christians about the experience of that discipline. Because several had previously been members of other churches, they were able to contrast this extended, corporate discipline with individual, one-day fasting. Among the comments: "There's definitely strength in numbers." "Because it's not just intensely focused on one day or one prayer need, it can spread through all your life and change you." "We all fast together, just like we all feast together. It wouldn't be fun to feast by yourself." "The first year I did this, it was like 'Let's hurry up and get through this and get to Pascha [Easter], get back to regular eating.' Now its more like a chance to get back on track, to try to bring the rest of the year up to this mark of discipline." One woman had been Orthodox for all her 86 years. She said, "My mother taught us as little kids to thank the dear Lord for the opportunity to have this fasting. I feel like it cleanses my body. I look forward to it every year." In fact, many Orthodox I talked with agreed: somewhat to their surprise, every year they look forward to the Lenten fast, much like an athlete, on arising in the morning, may look forward to going for a jog. Only by testing can believers discover whether fasting bears fruit for them. Taking on fasting means pursuing self-discipline through some irksome trials, an ability many modern-day Christians can well afford to learn. But heed Saint John's advice: Do not attempt too discouragingly much at once; do not try to go up the whole ladder in a single step. The law of the jungle is "Eat or be eaten." Indulging in gluttony seems like a private vice, a "cute sin," a matter between only the tempted diner and the eclair. But undisciplined indulgence in the pleasure of food costs us more than we dream: it coarsens and darkens our minds and ruins our powers of attention and self-control, of sobriety and vigilance. It hobbles and confuses us. It makes us prey for another Eater. The one who bids us to his marriage supper will not devour us; in fact, he promises to feed us. But there is more; he does not feed us only with the good things he has made, or even the goodness of supernatural food like manna. He feeds us his very self. It is this other bread we must learn to eat, not "bread alone" but the Word of God himself. At the Communion table this becomes not just theory, but a true encounter-a feast that binds hungry sinners together and links us to the One who alone can feed our souls. "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.... Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:49-53). Lord, give us this bread always! ********************** Frederica Mathewes-Green is the author of "Real Choices" (Questar), a syndicated columnist with Religion News Service, and khouria (priest's wife) in the Antiochian Orthodox Church. Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine ctcurrmrj5TD0445B6r [see #3646] #3647 *


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#Easter

In true modern style, Easter has been commercialized.  Historically, it is much like Christmas in that the underlying Christian meaning swallowed up old pagan connotations.

"Easter" does occur in scripture - well, sort of.  It is found in Acts 13:4 of the King James Version, but it is an anachronism, that is, an out-of time misplacement of the word.  Christians in the first century never heard of it.  The word should be "Passover," as in other versions.

Jewish Christians in the early church did continue to celebrate the Passover, the meal that memorialized the Exodus from Egypt centuries before (Exodus 12).  The Christians regarded Christ as the true paschal lamb and this naturally carried over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 5:7-8).  The feast was seen as a holy celebration as early as the 2nd century.

Non-Jewish Christians identified the feast with the first day of the week, coinciding with the resurrection.  This practice won out over the Jewish way of using a fixed Passover date, regardless of the day of the week.  How we now arrive at the date for Easter has a long and involved history,  (You can research it or just go with it!)

The word "Easter" is derived from the name of a Saxon (or Teutonic) goddess to whom sacrifice was offered.  Saxons were a Germanic people who conquered England in the 5th century AD.  Their festival of Eastre, or Estera, coincided on the calendar with the Christian Passover remembrances.  At the time, Christians could be put to death for celebrating religious days not in keeping with the ruling powers.  It is said that missionaries saved lives and converted pagans by "Christianizing" pagan special days - that is, by acknowledging the day, but doing so with Christian meanings.

That is what our Christianity should do - sanctify events and life around us.  Sometimes we run from the very things that could be made godly or spiritually helpful.  Think with Jesus and Paul how to include instead of exclude.  We have allowed humanism, secularism, and relativism to win the cultural war, as if they are more powerful than the gospel.  Let us work for Christianity to win the day.                                 
                                                                        - Cliff