Self-control

Talking about self-control the other day, a friend said, "You might be able to control how you respond, but it's still very hard." I had a moment of insight. I said, "It's so hard that you can't do it on your own. Only by the Spirit of God are you able to control yourself." Ah, the illusion of freedom outside of God's grace and God's transforming Spirit! I had never realized that if self-control is a fruit of the Spirit that it's accomplishment is not just difficult, but impossible.

Jesus is the Redemption

I am preaching on Luke 2 on Sunday, where Joseph and Mary take Jesus, after his circumcision, to Jerusalem after the period of Mary's purification, bringing the necessary sacrifices for her atonement. Yet in the midst of these rituals, no mention is made of Jesus being redeemed. Firstborn sons were redeemed from God for five shekels, this practice made possible by the selection of the Levites for the priesthood. Five shekels were given at the temple: the priests were supported; the son was redeemed. Yet no mention of Jesus' redemption is made. No shekels are paid. So, what happens? Jesus is presented, is given, to the Lord and the Lord never gives him back. Jesus stays in his father's house when he is twelve. Jesus makes his way back to his Father's house as an adult to judge it. Jesus prays for his Father to change his plan, but submits to this plan, nonetheless. The Father never gives the Son back. Jesus' life was not his own. He was not redeemed by a price. He is the redemption for the Father has welcomed the Son forever home and is never giving him--or those in him--back.

Ministers of Prayer and the Word

Listened to a sermon this morning by J.D. Walt. He was speaking on authority--the kind of authority that is the combination of spiritual and political (meaning among people, but not government). He mentioned Acts 6, where the Twelve set aside seven to keep the widows from being overlooked when food was distributed. The Twelve do this so as to continue ministering in prayer and the word. While at times pastors can be tempted to follow this example, Walt relayed the message he had heard in an earlier sermon: While only one of the Twelve, Peter, is later mentioned in Acts, two of the seven come up, Stephen and Philip. Walt used it to illustrate the old saying for preachers, "If you're not among the people six days a week, you won't be with them on the seventh."