Interactive Sermon

Sed Theologia (2.3)

KNOWLEDGE OF SELF

A look in the mirror.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, BUT their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

General revelation accomplishes more than making us aware of God. It also provides us with a certain knowledge of ourselves. It begins by planting the questions, 'Where did I come from?' and 'How did I get here?' As a human being, wonder and awe at all we see compels us to ponder, 'What is this all about?' or as Sam asks Froto in The Lord of the Rings, "What sort of a tale have we fallen into?" From the beginning, really, we're cognisant of our self and something other. This is the work of God's first book--general revelation--upon us.

Look again at the lyrics of the song Hallelujahs I posted as entry 2.2 in this series. Do you see how the artist/lyricist makes mention of those things external, the waves and whales, and also the things internal, the beating of his own heart? Do you see how he testifies that there is no language where this testimony of God cannot be heard? Beautiful picture, isn't it? And do you see how he depicts its effect on us--knowledge of self? It draws us to respond with hallelujahs. But...

We come to the verse that starts this post, from Romans chapter one. The context there paints a picture: It is not that God is impossible to find and know, but (great word, eh?) it is that human beings willfully reject him. The consequence of that rejection is that human hearts move further from, while growing colder toward God. They tend not to sing those hallelujahs, in fact, they tend not to acknowledge or thank him, but ignore him.

Proverbs 1:7 offers us this basic truth: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. We cannot be wise and knowledgeable people, unless we see ourselves in relation to God. That proverb continues, ...BUT fools despise wisdom and knowledge. As Paul points out in Romans, we've no one to blame but ourselves. Look at the person next to you and say, 'What up, fool?'

The picture that general revelation offers us and humanity's response make it clear that our problem is not a lack of knowledge about God, but rather a refusal to act on that knowledge and live in response to it. As the Proverbs verse and Romans text explain--we've exchanged knowledge for folly.

Have you done the assigned readings thus far? Genesis 1 & 2, Psalm 19, and Romans 1? If you did the reading you've seen, that's not all that humanity has exchanged. We've exchanged a walk in the garden with our God for enmity toward him. We've exchanged intimacy with our God for all sorts of attempts at false intimacy; affection for lesser affections. We've exchanged how it was intended to be for what we wanted.

Knowledge of God and knowledge of self via what is revealed through general revelation (all that we see and experience), paints a picture of our need for God--and our accountability before him. 

Read Genesis 3 and spend some time meditating on a handful of verses within Psalm 119 for next time.

Sed Theologia (2.2)

In the spirit of the Apostle Paul, in Acts 17, offering "as your own poets have said" in his sharing with the Athenians, I offer these beautifully poetic words from Chris Rice. Note particularly the words in the refrain, "There is no language where you can't be heard."

A purple sky to close the day 
I wade the surf where dolphins play 
The taste of salt, the dance of waves 
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs 

A lightning flash, my pounding heart 
A breaching whale, a shooting star 
Give testimony that You are 
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs 

Oh praise Him all His mighty works 
There is no language where you can't be heard 
Your song goes out to all the earth 
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! 

O cratered moon and sparrows wings 
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings 
Unveil our Father as you sing 
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs 

The pulse of life within my wrist 
A fallen snow, a rising mist 
There is no higher praise than this 
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs 

Oh praise Him all His mighty works 
There is no language where you can't be heard 
Your song goes out to all the earth 
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! 
O hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Here's a link if you want to hear tune via YouTube.

But What About God?

I’d suggest that the very first sentence in the Bible—the one that begins with the word Genesis—should prompt a big but in our thinking: But what about God?

            The text begins: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Okay, but who created God? Who is he? Where did he come from? The manner in which the book begins assumes God’s presence in this setting. God is introduced as if the reader already knows him, and in a way that suggests he existed before the beginnings of everything we can register with our senses—those things we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

            In our legal system there is an objection that is voiced, “Assumes facts not in evidence.” When a lawyer states that objection he is arguing that the opposing counsel has misled the judge or jury by allowing them to believe something had been established earlier that was not, in fact, specifically testified to—in other words, there is no evidence in the record to support what you’ve just said. In reading the Bible’s first words, this presents one of the larger obstacles for some folks—there doesn’t appear to be any facts in evidence as to the origin of God.

            The Bible, throughout, speaks of God as being eternal, having been from everlasting, and having acted before time began. The Psalms record that Moses prayed: Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. The Psalmist later attests—with a big but no less—that man’s days are numbered, but from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him. Everlasting—implied in that word is that God always was, and that he is, and that he will always be.

            Back to the courtroom—when the objection “Assumes facts not in evidence” is raised, the judge might instruct a lawyer to substantiate the basis for his statement. Genesis unfolds like that. Offering no initial explanation for the existence of God, the writer proceeds immediately to creation’s beginnings—as if creation itself will testify that God, or some manner of intelligent being, was in place already. As the writer of the book of Romans concluded: Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made. All of the systems and order that can be apprehended by our senses—seen, heard, smelled, tasted and touched—testify clearly that this was no accident. These things came into being by design, with intent and purpose. The Genesis account invites us to stay tuned and watch as this story unfolds.

 

Sed Theologia (2.1)

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

So what do we know?

Man does not live on bread alone, BUT on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

We tend to hear that verse and think of the setting in Matthew 4 where Jesus is being tempted. The reference, however, hearkens back to Deuteronomy 8 where Moses is reminding the people that God allowed them to hunger and then provided manna from heaven, so that they would recognize He is what ultimately satisfies their longing. 

The passage we began with in the Introduction—Paul’s message to the people of Athens from Acts 17—demonstrates that the people were, already, before Paul engaged them, a religious people. He noted their religious zeal in that they had erected temples and idols to every deity imaginable, including one to ‘An Unknown God.’ The intention was that, when they made rounds bowing to every god, if they left an offering for the Unknown, they’d have covered all bases. There wouldn’t be some unnamed deity out there to feel slighted and take vengeance. He offered, “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”

What caused these people to be religiously leaning? The big but above, whether you view it in Deuteronomy or Matthew’s setting, lends insight. We human beings were created with a void for the Divine. There is an internal longing for more than the things of this world. Temporal things offer satisfaction that is fleeting. It all points to a deeper hunger and thirst for the eternal. Our souls cry out.

Theologians have spoken of General Revelation—things that testify to every soul that there is a God. Paul spoke of this, too, when he addressed the Athenians, as he mentioned their lives, their settings, and the times that they found themselves in. Look around, in other words—none of this is by accident.

As you read through Genesis 1 you noted that, at each turn in the creation story, God declared things to be good. There was intention and design in creation. The picture was coming together just as planned. As you read Psalm 19, especially the first 6 verses, you noted how this coming together of creation testified to the existence of God—or at the very least, an intelligent being setting it all in place. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

These things speak of outward General Revelation—what we observe of the systems and the order of creation, all around us, that witnesses of God. The Apostle Paul spoke to people in Romans 1 about this, saying, “What may be known about God is plain, because God made it plain. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

You saw this observation of creation in the Athenian’s religious fervor—they had made temples and idols representing various ‘gods’, the god of the harvest, the god of fertility, the god of the sea, and so on. They saw the systems and order and attributed it all to higher beings. Then they wanted to be sure to bow to all of those supposed beings so as to stay in their good graces. In other words, they were compelled to live in response to deity. General Revelation—internal and external—that appetite within that longed to connect with something ‘other’ and the testimony of all that is seen that something ‘other’ exists that is the master of it all, work hand in hand to lead us into a pursuit to acquire a knowledge of God.

So we embark on an expedition. Give Genesis 2 and Romans 1:18-32 a read for next time. Pay particular attention to the buts you come across.

 

 

Sed Theologia (1.1)

INTRODUCTION

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth, and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own prophets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

With these words recorded in Acts chapter 17, the Apostle Paul declared to the people of first century Athens that God is, and that they are—whether they recognized him as God or as an unknown deity—living within his unfolding story. He offered the conclusion of some of the Athenian’s own poets and philosophers as evidence, as if to say the voices of your own culture and times agree.

God is. He doesn’t need you. Rather, you need him. And he’s set this very scene you find yourself in so that you might seek him. Our lives are lived within his context.

Theology is important. Contrary to the idea that theology is ultimately personal—to each his own—and it doesn’t really matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere in it, the story we find ourselves in calls us to inquire after the truth. Who is this God? How is it that I am in relation and proximity to him?

Some suggest that theology divides. I’d offer that theology unites. Think of the great Creeds of Christendom down through the years. Followers of Jesus have been able to unite over certain truths—recognize themselves to be brothers and sisters in Christ no matter the particular label or flavor under which they regard themselves—stated in agreed upon clarity, an orthodoxy that gives life to a common orthopraxy: following after Jesus Christ.

As I begin this study, the voices of our culture and times offer a new challenge. Whether it’s the rise of Islam in our nation and questions about whether a Muslim’s Allah is akin to the Christian’s God, or it’s the potential of a Mormon becoming President, and questioning whether the Jesus Christ of Mormonism is the same Jesus Christ of Christianity, the setting we find ourselves in calls us to seek, to reach out, and to find.

Sed Theologia? It means ‘theology of buts.’ For years I’ve advocated for paying close attention to the little three-letter conjunction but as it appears in the bible. So often when it appears it sets a contrast or comparison that can bring clarity or lend emphasis—if we don’t miss it—to the overall context. Think of all the lessons Jesus taught within the Sermon on the Mount which he began, ‘You’ve heard it said… BUT now I say unto you.’ Those buts are all big and important. They set the teachings of Jesus on those subjects in stark contrast to the religious understandings of the day. They call for a change of heart and a change of mind—a reorientation. But is an important and helpful little word.

In Latin? Sure. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? Like Origen’s De Principiis, Tertullian’s Apologeticus, Aquinas’ Summa Theologae—Mr. Holland’s Opus—this is my Latin title, Sed Theologia.

Theology is often thought of as imposing—diving deep and getting in over the layman’s head. Don’t believe it. How imposing is the word but? You use it in almost every conversation. What follows is a theological study built around appearances of the word but in scripture. God, man, fall, sin, salvation, grace—they all have some pretty big buts. What do you say we take a peek? And let’s have some fun doing it. Let’s allow the words to come off the page and turn them over in our lives for a bit.Sound theology is absolutely within our reach. He set you here, that you might seek and find him—for he is not far from any of us.

I hope you'll join me in the study.

{If you'd like a headstart in our study, give Genesis 1 and Psalm 19 a read. What? No buts?}

Coming Soon: Sed Theologia

Origen penned De Principiis. Tertullian wrote Apologeticus. Augustine gave us De Doctrina Christiana. Thomas, the Summa Theologia.

I want to contribute something with an impressive Latin name.

With our study through the book of Revelation drawing to an end here on the blog, I've been prayerfully considering where to go next. Several have shared that the 'study along at your own pace' format has been friendly to their schedules--so they've encouraged me to do another.

Darin's Sed Theologia? Absolutely! (You'll have to translate it to appreciate the title.)

I hope you'll plan on coming along.

Big Buts of the Bible: James

Considering appearances of the word but in the book of James, you can find a previous entry here.

Here's a big but!

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

First off, we will do well to consider this but in context. James addressed his letter to believers scattered among the nations. He began by encouraging them to take a fresh look at the trials they encountered--that God was working within these trials to grow them in their faith and maturity. As such, he instructed them to count these trials a cause for joy. Joy! 

Believers needed this encouragement because--as James acknowledged--the weight of trials and difficulties can shake our faith. We are in danger of losing focus, or even collapsing under the burden of them. James taught: Look at this differently; God is in these experiences.

Another danger facing these believers out amongst the world was temptation to sin. Sinful attractions, enticements and pleasures call seductively to every soul. The book of Revelation depicts a harlot offering a golden cup of the world's enticements to passers-by, 'come, take and drink'. James means to make it abundantly clear--these are NOT from God.

Secondly, and still before we get to that big but, notice that James used the phrase 'when tempted' in addressing this matter. The experience of temptation will visit every soul. No one is immune. 

James articulates clearly, God is not the source of temptations. Then who is?

(Imagine the Saturday Night Live Church Lady voice, here) Could it be... Satan?

I don't think I recall ever having heard someone say that God tempted them. But I sure have heard a lot of people attribute temptations to Satan and his minions over the years. I've had conversations with people who told me they were hooked on cigarettes because the Demon of Nicotine was behind it, or they were hooked on pornography because of the Demon of Pornography. Could it be that the source of temptations is Satan?

James says no, with a big, big but.

But... it's on you!

The source of temptation is within each person, their desires, lusts, and inner cravings. Those things that reside within that are not of God; that would rival God where our affections are concerned. That being the source, evil has a great cup of enticements out there--a smorgasbord, in fact. Choose your vice. But the source... it's within. 

The rest of James warning completes a picture. I'll use a fishing analogy: It's sort of like our desire baiting a hook and then biting it--should we wonder how this thing got hooked through our lip? And yet we do. We'd love to shift the blame. We don't know how it happened. There were extenuating circumstances. There was just cause or provocation. No. There was just us. And we wanted it more than we wanted righteousness. We bought the lie--hook, line and sinker.

Big Buts of the Bible: James

No, I'm not working on a new title. Matthew's done. Genesis is in process. A third--not James--is on the drawing board. But James is on my mind.

Lot of buts. Six in the first chapter alone. 

The letter is written to those who were scattered among the nations and who were facing trials of many kinds. His opening admonition is for those who suffer these trials to take a higher view of what they're experiencing--to realize that God is at work in their situations and circumstances, and that, in and through these difficulties, they are growing in Christ.

Sounds like a great place for a but, doesn't it?

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he much believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6)

I loved going to the beach as a kid. I would play in the waves until my skin shriveled and my parents decided they'd had enough of watching me. Perhaps you've had this sensation before--upon coming out of the water, sometimes I still felt as if I was being batted back and forth by the waves and the current. Scientists say that this is based on--are you ready for this?--internal predictive models. In other words, your body learns the pattern of the waves and currents and adjusts to it. You're literally trying instinctively to be stable in a less-than-stable environment. Then you come out, and that learned pattern still attempts to guide you. Until, you come to recognize that you're actually on firm footing now.

When we face trials, we scratch and claw for something to stabilize us. That's that self-preserving internal predictive model at work. 

James represents that what we're really needing is God--He's fixed, sure and enduring. And if we ask for His wisdom, we can be confident that He has given us what we need.

His wisdom lifts us out of the back and forth battering of the waves, and sets us on solid ground. James urges: Recognize that you have firm footing. He gives wisdom so that we can see the bigger picture--that these trials are really producing something of worth in and through us. Instead of relying on internal predictive models that fall short, raise your line of sight to the bigger picture--and the God who's painting it. 

Big Buts of the Bible: Genesis

Here's an excerpt from the Introduction of Big Buts of the Bible: Genesis. 

Genesis means beginning. In the Bible’s first book we find beginnings, beginning to end. The origin of all that is, the beginnings of the human race, the beginnings of all troubles and disorder, and the beginnings of God’s redemptive plan to rescue it all from that trouble and disorder—it’s all found here.

            The outline of Genesis moves beginning to beginning. Nothing to everything we see: the first human to the first nation; the first family to the first domestic violence; the first covenant to the first breach; the first passions, first jealousies, first lies, first anger, first rage, first aggression, first murder, first… Do you get what I’m saying? It’s ALL here!

            Most importantly, in Genesis we have the beginnings of God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. All that follows in the Bible springs from here. That said, in Genesis, we find Jesus!

            Scholars have noted, “What was begun in Genesis is fulfilled in Christ.” The genealogies here in chapters five and eleven, for instance, are completed with the birth of Jesus in the New Testament. He is the offspring promised to Abraham. He is the one in whom God’s promised blessings are realized. A well-rounded picture of Jesus Christ cannot be gained apart from beginning here.

            Studying the sciences? Cosmo, Geo, Bio, and Theo—all of the ‘ologies’ really—you’re wise to start in Genesis. A well-rounded picture of our lives and the world we live in begins here. Could you effectively study anthropology—the study of the human race—without the foundation Genesis provides? Talk about a missing link! Why, even debates in our day over things like Climate Change and peace in the Middle East are informed by the Bible’s first book.

            You’ve picked up your Bible and turned to page one before. You made it through the story of creation, scratching your head over whether those were literal days, generations or eras, and whether it even matters one way or another. Then you got to the story of Adam and Eve and wondered: ‘What’s the big deal if they ate the fruit or not?’ Then you came to a genealogy. Next thing you knew, you realized that you had dozed off and drooled on the pages. Chapters five and six are stuck together. You pressed on a little farther. All those people living hundreds and hundreds of years, and all those names made up of seventeen consonants.... you’d had it, and you returned your Bible to the nightstand. Genesis? Yeah, you tried starting at the beginning once.

            I want to encourage you to try again. You know the contents are worthwhile. This time, I’ve got a tool for you to use that will make a difference. It’s been there all along. But this time, you’re going to know to look for it.

            Consider the word but. In grammatical terms, it is a conjunction—it conjoins two or more things by comparing, contrasting, arguing or otherwise stating an exception. You know the word but. It shows up in almost every dialogue. Whether you’ve thought of this or not, you do pay attention when you hear the word but in conversation. Whatever follows the word but could be of vital importance. If someone says to you, “I am sorry, but…” you will need to give rapt attention to what follows. Did they just apologize or make an excuse? “I am sorry that I stepped on your toes, but if your big old clown feet weren’t sticking out in the middle of the room it wouldn’t have happened!” See what I mean? Buts are important clarifiers.

            And there you have it: a tool that can forever change the way you read your Bible—but.

            Good news. The word but appears 160 times in the book of Genesis. That’s a lot of buts!  If you’re willing to take another run at it, this time following appearances of the word but all the way through, I believe you will come away with an entirely different experience. You’ll get a firmer grasp on all the beginnings mentioned earlier. You’ll have a better feel for confusing passages. You’ll even gain an appreciation for genealogies and vowel-deprived names. Well, maybe not the names. But (see that word?) you will come away with a much clearer picture of the whole, and where and how some of those silly names fit in the bigger story—God’s redemptive story. It is, after all, your story.

            Big Buts of the Bible: Genesis traces each appearance of the word but found in the Bible’s first book, and is organized into fifty brief chapters, each corresponding with a chapter of the book of Genesis. We wind up with nearly a verse by verse, scene by scene, consideration of the Bible’s first book, and each step of the way this little three-letter conjunction helps to tie difficult passages, concepts and doctrines together. What do you say? Shall we start from the beginning?

 

My View

...for the next couple of weeks. Working on Big Buts of the Bible: Genesis and loving every minute of it!