Year: 2016

Dear FPC family and friends,

We are becoming a bit more adventurous in this Challenge.  We are moving from our traditional ninety day to a whopping 150 Day Challenge.  The reason should be obvious.  We are going to be looking at the Psalms and there are 150 of them.  We will begin on January 1 and it will take us all the way through May 30.  It will be challenging because with a much longer discipline of reading the Bible one just might get distracted.  But it’s the Psalms!  How can we get distracted with the Psalms?

Many attribute this book of the Bible as having been written by David, but we know that it was compiled over many centuries of writing.  It falls squarely within the poetical book of the Old Testament.  Within the Psalms we find some of the most familiar passages of Scripture along with some of the most comforting.  “The Lord is my Shepherd”, “Thy word is lamp unto my feet”, “Praise the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me”, are just some of the passages that have become part of our vocabulary.

I know that as we embark on this journey together we will be enriched by a hope that can only come from a faith in Jesus Christ.  Even though we are focusing on a book of the Bible in the Old Testament and the person of Jesus is never mentioned by name, we will find him immersed in every word that we find.  His grace, sacrifice, love, and faithfulness are heralded as the consistent attributes of our God and our Savior.

But we will not only find Psalms of hope and praise and thanksgiving, but also Psalms of lament.  We will hear the author bemoan the fact that he feels that he has been left alone.  Anyone reading this ever feel that way?  We will find a compatriot in the author who asks the question: “Is anyone there?”  But inevitably we will find ourselves reminded of God’s grace and providence and our need to reflect upon the fact that God always follows through on His promises.

I hope you enjoy making your way through the Psalms.  I can’t wait to get started.  See you on January 1.  If you want to follow along in the blog that I will be posting daily just go to

http://www.straspres.org/150-day-challenge.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

And so it ends.  It is really hard to believe that we have completed not one, but two 90 Day Challenges.  We end on Paul’s greeting to the church in Colossae.  I love what he says in vs.5.  He reminds us to conduct ourselves wisely with outsiders, and make the most of our time.  So much of our ministry has to be focused on outsiders that at a certain point we should be feeling like outsiders as well.   We should never, ever make outsiders feel, well, like outsiders.  The only way to make an outsider feel like an insider is to make them know that what they say and who they are is important to us.  We don’t want them to become like us, we want to become and learn from them.  That’s hard to do.

In these final greetings I think of those who work behind the scenes here at FPC.  I think of people who are never recognized, who do the sound, the media, who set out the flowers and make sure the communion is ready.  I think of those who conscientiously make their way through the church looking for things that need to be repaired or thrown out.  I think of those who teach and don’t ask for accolades.  Our church is filled with Marks, and Barnabasses, and Epaphras, and Tychicus and many others.  There are almost too many to mention by name.  

Do you notice who he does mention by name?  He speaks about a certain Luke who was a physician.  Many think this is the writer of the Gospel of Luke.  He also mentions a letter from Laodicea that was to be read aloud.  The problem is that we don’t have that letter any longer.  We don’t have a letter to the church in Laodicea.  What we do have is the church mentioned in the Revelation in Laodicea.

So I will leave you as the Apostle Paul left Archippus: “See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.” 

Paul did seem to like to make sure that the family structure was without question one that was clear.  He encourages wives to be subject and husbands to love.  As we have said in previous comments, this does not mean in any way that husbands are not to be subject nor does it mean that wives are not to love.  The relationship in a marriage is based on mutuality.  

Vs. 17 is a great benediction verse which reminds us that all that we do we must do for the sake of Jesus Christ.  That has to be our motto.  It is hard to believe that we only have one more day left.  Wow, these 90+ days have gone by fast.

Were you able to follow what Paul was talking about in this second chapter.  It can be a bit confusing to us, but remember the Colossians knew exactly what he was talking about.  Now that we are more than 2000 years removed from his writing, it makes sense that we don’t understand the innuendos.  For example, we had a great church picnic this afternoon, more than 150 people were there.  There was a mean cornhole tournament and the winners, Billy and Kristi Harrison, annihilated the competition.  If I wrote this and it was dug up 2000 years  from now, they would have no idea what I was saying and they just might think that we were quite a violent church, what with all that talk about annihilation.  So let’s try to understand what he is saying.

His main emphasis is making sure that the church is not swayed by theologies and philosophies that were sweeping the culture.  The church was getting caught up with modern fads in thought that were taking them away from seeing Christ as the center of their purpose.  That is so important for a church not to be taken away from its primary purpose which is to preach Christ and Christ crucified.  I think I’m going to leave it at that.  Paul does.  Look at vs.14.

We begin our last leg of the journey.  It is a journey through Paul’s letter to the church  in Colossae as we read in vs.2.  It is a church made up primarily of gentiles, so those who would be foreigners to the long history and culture of the Jewish people which had shaped so much of the early church.  It is not a church that Paul had personally founded, but certainly his work in the area had an impact where those to whom he preached had gone to Colossae to begin this community.  We find that the primary emphasis of this letter is to address heresy that has overtaken the church and Paul’s attempt to right the ship and oppose that heresy.  He loves the church and repeatedly tells them that he is praying for them.  The letter was written probably in the mid 60’s.  

We begin with a very common statement by Paul that he is constantly lifting up the community in prayer.  This is something that he says to all of the communities, but in this case he supports these prayers by the evidence of their love for the saints and the witness of their strong faith.  He begins by encouraging them and lifting up their strong faith which many in the Christian community have commended.  Paul speaks about the beginning of their faith journey as a community by pointing to Epaphras who is considered the founding member of the church in Colossae.  Since their inception, Paul states in vs.9, they have been praying for this community without ceasing, and specifically that they would be filled with knowledge and wisdom.  

A couple of times Paul mentions the work of Jesus and refers specifically to the blood of Jesus as something that is not only efficacious, but instrumental in the saving of our souls.  Look at vs.14 and depending on your translation it should have as a trailer: “…the forgiveness of sins through his blood.”  The italicized part is not seen in all of the manuscripts, but it is present in some.  It makes sense that it reveals itself here because later on we find that same concept repeated.  Look at vs.20 and we find the phrase “…by making peace through the blood of his cross.”  There is a movement in some circles to tone down any type of violent or directly referenced terms which would lead to a theology built around death and violence.  There are some who skirt around using the term: “the blood of Jesus”, simply because they see it as too disturbing and could lead some to run from the Gospel message because of its explicit reference to blood.

I don’t see how we can avoid that reference, or why we would want to.  Paul mentions it clearly as a necessary factor in our redemption.  The blood of Jesus is what washes us clean, regardless of how uneasy it makes us.  Think about what we do at the Lord’s Supper when we eat the body and drink the blood of our Savior.  Why is it so important to maintain that image and that reference to the blood?  Because from the very beginning the cleansing of our sin through the blood of a sacrifice is what has defined both the old and the new covenant that we have with God.  We cannot run away from this reality.  If we are uncomfortable with that imagery, then maybe we are uncomfortable with the fact that someone actually had to die for us in order for us to be saved.  Jesus didn’t just come on the earth to hang out and set up a kingdom.  No, he came and died a death that was brutal, vicious, and unforgiving.  All of this was so that we could be forgiven, and yes, have our sins washed clean by his blood.  

We find Paul’s words resonate even today in a verse that is to be the operative verse for every church on this planet.  Look at vs. 28 where Paul reminds us: “It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”  He goes on to say that for this reason, and this reason alone, do we work as hard as we do.  What a great goal and what a great reason to live.  So that others would come to a maturity in Christ that is life giving.  I think you are going to love this letter.  

This chapter helps us to understand why this is the epistle of joy.  Over and over again Paul encourages the church in Philippi to rejoice.  In fact, vs.4 is such a well known verse that there is a song that was quite popular some time ago with this verse as its main lyric.  Here’s a clip of it.  Yeah, it’s a kid’s song.  But I like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzyckxqXoZ4

This chapter also contains a memory verse which every single kid who ever went to VBS at one time or another memorized.  Look at Philippians 4:13 and you will find one of my favorite memory verses.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is such a great verse to guide our lives.  Whenever we feel that we are not able to do anything, we can hear the words of Paul that remind us that we can do all things.  Each time that we might be told that we are not worthy or able to do that which we think we ought to be able to do, then we are reminded of God’s promise that we can do all things.  What a great verse.

If you go back to vs.8-9 I see this as a wonderful benediction to allow the congregation to go out into the world with a real guiding principle on how to live our lives.  We are to pursue that which is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable then it is on these things that you ought to focus on.  It is a great benediction.  These are great verses to read right before you leave your home to go out into the world.  

This marks the end of Philippians, but not of our 90 Day Challenge II.  We have one more of Paul’s letters to look at and then we will complete this series.

It is obvious that Paul is wrapping this up.  Whenever you begin a sentence with “finally”, the implication is that we are at the end of whatever was started some chapters earlier.  I’ll never forget when we were pastors in Italy and whenever we attended a regional meeting of the churches there was always one person who whenever he stood and began a sentence with: “I just want to say one thing briefly” you knew you were in for a good 30 minute monologue.  It was classic, it was predictable.  The finally was not really the finally in that case.  In this case, well we have one more chapter to cover after this.  But it is fitting that in this letter with joy as its primary theme he begins in verse 1 by telling us to (re)joy(ce).

When he talks about those who mutilate the flesh again he is on the kick of distinguishing between those who emphasize circumcision as the direct way to heaven and those who emphasize (that would be Paul and his cohorts) Jesus as the direct way to heaven.  Or in this day in age we would ask the question: When did loving Jesus stop being enough?  Why do we pile rule and regulation and guilt on such a simple concept as a relationship with Jesus?

From there Paul goes on to lay out his pedigree once again.  He was circumcised like a good Jew.  He went to the best schools, he was as zealous in his faith as anyone in his day and age, he followed every aspect of the law.  So those of you who believe that a relationship with God has to start and end with the following of the religious law, those of you who believe that legalism is the only way to a solid relationship, well, I know better.  That would be Paul’s point of view.  And his knowing better revolved around his realization that all of that could be discarded for a single, sincere and loyal relationship to Jesus.

Skip to verse 20 and you will find one of my favorite verses.  I know, I have a lot of them, but this one deserves to be underlined.  Paul states that our citizenship belongs in heaven.  The Olympics are over and we won a ton of medals.  God does not in any way bless one nation over another.  I would challenge any Christian who believes that God blesses one nation over another to look at the history of Israel.  Forever we have understood the people of Israel to be those blessed by God.  Look at the persecution and the pain and the suffering that the people of Israel have undergone.  If we were to believe that God blessed America then we should be seeing the same kind of pain and suffering as a sign that God is honing us and sharpening us to be his people.  We see quite the opposite.  Throughout Scripture the most powerful nations tend to be those nations that are opposed to God.  Think about it, Egypt, Rome, Babylon, and the list could continue.

This verse where Paul almost innocently says that our citizenship belongs in heaven ought to temper our understanding of where we feel like our earthly citizenship might find itself.  A prosperous nation does not translate into a nation blessed by God.  Actually, if you look at Scriptural history, the argument could be made that the people of God are actually those who find themselves in the minority, oppressed, trodden under foot, and persecuted by those who are in power in the world.  It should be a sobering testimony for those of us who understand our citizenship here on earth to be more important that the citizenship we have in heaven.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.  What a powerful statement.  We are to have the mind of Christ.  The mind of Christ would then give us the desires of Christ.  The desires of Christ would then give us the life of Christ.  That should be our goal.  But look at what follows the statement that we are to have the mind of Christ.  There is a lesson on humility that follows.

I would love all of you to look up the word kenosis.  When you do look it up you will see that it means literally a “self-emptying”.  Jesus empties himself for our sake.  The verses 6-11 are considered a hymn that was written to celebrate who Jesus is.  It is one of the earliest love songs to our Savior.  It describes his willingness to become humble, to become one of us.  That is the measure of his love for us.  The irony in these verses, and in the end we find also the irony of life, is that those who lower themselves, those who humble themselves will eventually be lifted up.  As Jesus says elsewhere, okay Matthew 20:16, So the last will be first and the first will be last.  Those who want to become great, must become like a child.  All of these are Jesus’ words and are wonderful words to live by.

I found a great article on the background of Philippians here at this website.  It is really helpful if you want some of the backstory to the letter that Paul wrote to his first church that he founded, the church in Philippi in Greece.

http://www.usccb.org/bible/philippians/0

Philippians is considered the Epistle, or the letter, of joy.  The reason why it is called that is almost immediately clear.  Look at vs.4 where Paul states that he is constantly praying with joy for the community.  Once again, like the church in Ephesus that we just read about, Paul loves this congregation.  I would argue that it is probably his favorite.  His tone is consistently one of celebration and an attitude of YOU ARE AWESOME!  

Vs.6 is a great verse as Paul states that he is confident that the Lord will complete in each person in that church, and really the church as a whole as well, the good work that He has started in them.  Think of that addressed to you.  I am confident that the good work that God has started in you, he will bring to completion before you leave the face of this earth.  It is another way of saying that God is not done with you yet.  This was important for the Philippian to hear, because they were right in the midst of some serious persecution.  They needed to hear that this life is worth it, that even in the mess in which we find ourselves, God is still going to finish the plan that he started with you.  Did you hear that?

When you start at vs.21 you also see some really, really encouraging Scripture.  Paul gives us a reason to live.  He says, to die would be absolutely amazing.  As I used to say in high school, I’ve somewhat matured since then, somewhat, “Life is awesome and then you go to heaven”.  That is Paul’s motto.  The advantage of living now on this earth is that, and these are Paul’s words, I get to work with amazing people like you.  The advantage of being no longer alive, is that I will be with Christ.  It is a toss up.  But for now, again Paul’s words, I’m glad that I am here with you.  

He talks about joy again in vs.25.  At the end of this chapter he speaks about persecutions and they can be assured that he understands what they are going through since he already went through it.  It sounds real similar to James 1:2 when the author states: “consider it joy whenever you face trials of any kind.”  That’s hard to do, but I think as we make our way through this chapter it might become easier.