Easter: The Aftermath

Easter is over.  The chocolate bunnies are eaten.  The leftovers from Easter dinner are gone.  The new outfits have been dry cleaned and tucked away in the closet.  It's back to business as usual.  But if we celebrate the resurrection then go back to status quo then we've missed the point.   Easter is a new beginning.  For the Jewish people Passover was a significant time.  While the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt the last plague was the Passover.  Everyone who Read more

Passions Need People

Last time we looked at how Nehemiah's passion led him to complete the tremendous undertaking of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days, but he didn't do it alone.....   How often have you had an idea, a vision, a passion you wanted to pursue, but it never went beyond an idea in your head because you had no idea how you would make it happen?  Yeah, its sounded like a good idea, but that thought of trying to accomplish Read more

The Power of Passion

Often when we hear the word passion, we think of it in the context of love and romance.  Most people can relate to that feeling of being in love.  You fall for that special someone and they become your obsession.  That special person is all you think about.  You'd do almost anything for them.   You can also get passionate about a goal. Something you feel driven to accomplish.  Something that you're willing to put your all into, make sacrifices for.  Read more

Spring Break the Hunger....A Child's Spark

Last time, I asked for your help in raising money for my church’s current initiative: buy 300 Food Packets to send home with kids over spring break.  Essentially, the food pack is enough stuff for the kids to make themselves a peanut butter and jelly sandwich everyday.   So we’re sitting in church last Sunday, listening to the man explain the initiative and my son (whose 9) leans over to me and says “Mom, that’s all they get?    They should Read more
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Wimps of the Bible: Barak and Jael (part 3)

Posted on December 15, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

For the last couple of posts, we’ve been looking at the story of Barak.  Though he followed God’s plan his hesitancy allowed a woman to receive credit for ultimately killing the leader of the opposing army.

When I read the end of the story, I was surprised that Jael killed Sisera.  Afterall he was her husband’s friend and he had come to her seeking refuge.  She gave him something to drink, covered him and once he was asleep she drove a stake through his head.  I didn’t see that one coming.  Why would she do that?  I found a viable explanation from the blog of Shawna Atteberry…

“But that leaves the question: why did she kill him? Sisera is on sacred ground, and the rules of hospitality are that you will fight, and if necessary, die in your guest’s place, not kill them. First she was in danger if Barak did find Sisera in her tent. She would then be seen as Israel’s enemy. The second reason is possible rape. In Deborah’s song the verses that follow Jael’s murder of Sisera have Sisera’s mother saying that he delays because there is a woman (literally “womb”) or two for each man to rape (5:38-40). She did not want to have the same fate befall her. It is also worth noting that if Sisera’s intentions were honorable, he would have gone into her husband’s tent and not hers. In my “Judges” class in seminary, we learned that the tradition of the time was for the husband and wife or wives to have their own separate tents. There was no reason for Sisera to be in her tent. If her husband came home, she would have been accused of adultery. She was protecting herself from possible rape as well as the possibility of being killed.”

Wimps of the Bible: Barak (part 2)

Posted on December 13, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

As we saw last time, Barak was a commander in the Israeli army at the time when Deborah was a judge.  He was a hesitant and that cost him a bit of glory, but there is much we can learn from his brief appearance in the Bible.

  1. Hesitation = opportunity lost.  Barak did not eager jump at the “opportunity” Deborah presented him.  He was extremely hesitant and with good reason.  The opposing army had 900 iron chariots.  This provided them with the advantage of a well-armed (and probably quite large) army.  Barak was not willing to risk his life and the life of his men on a potentially false prophet.  Obtaining agreement from Deborah to accompany him was a way for her to prove that she wasn’t a false prophet and that this mission was indeed ordained by God.  But this hesitation cost him.  Deborah informed him because of his insistence that she accompany him “The Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman” (Judges 4:9).  In a manly society during a time of war to have your glory of defeating an enemy usurped by a woman was a disgrace.
  2. We’re all pawns in God’s game.  While Barak may go down in history has the military leader commanding this battle, the ultimate victor was God and the weather.  Judges 5:4 states “The earth shook. The heavens poured. The clouds poured down their water.“  Yes Barak and his men took the high ground and were the ones who physically killed Sisera’s men, but it was the weather that actually incapacitated the enemy.  The iron chariots were no match for the mudslide that resulted from the rain.  All the Israelis had to do was be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of a situation God had already set up.
  3. Our choices, big and small can have major impacts on the world around us.  When Sisera took refuge in Jael’s tent he asked her to hide him.  He said “Someone might come by and ask you, ‘Is anyone here?’ If that happens, say ‘No.‘ ” (Judges 4:20).  He was asking Jael to lie for him and putting her in a compromising position.  Next time we’ll exam some of the reasons why Jael decided that killing Sisera was the right course of action, but suffice it to say, she found herself at a crossroads.  Her decision to kill him delivered Israel from a tyrant who “treated the people of Israel very badly for 20 years” (Judges 4:2).
  4. God gives us tools; we must know when and how to use them.  Jael was not a soldier.  She probably did not keep weapons around her tent with type of expectation that she would one day need to defend herself.  When Sisera entered her tent and she decided to take action she needed a way to kill him.  She used what she had…tent stakes.  How many of us are reluctant to act because we don’t feel like we have the right tools for what we need to do?  I challenge you with this thought…If there is something God has put on your heart to do then more than likely he has already given you the tools to make it happen.  Look around to see what you have to work with.
  5. God can come to our rescue in ways we don’t expect.  In the beginning of the story when Deborah tells Barak that Sisera will be destroyed by a woman, there is an underlying assumption that the woman would be Deborah.  The unexpectedness of this is further accentuated by the fact that Jael’s husband was actually friends with Sisera.  This is why Sisera felt he could take refuge in her tent; she was supposed to be on his side.

 

“Barak was a courageous warrior who answered God’s call, but in the end a woman, Jael, received credit for his defeat of the Canaanite army. Like many of us, Barak’s faith wavered and he struggled with doubt, yet God saw fit to list this otherwise unrecognized hero in the Bible’s Hall of Faith.” (about.com)

Wimps of the Bible: Barak (part 1)

Posted on December 11, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

Today’s wimp of the Bible is a rather obscure character by the name of Barak whose story can be found in Judges 4 and 5.

The book of Judges takes place during a somewhat chaotic period in Israel’s history.  It occurs after Joshua’s successful time of leadership and before the establishment of the monarchy.  We first meet Barak in Judges 4:6 when the military commander is summoned by Deborah the judge/prophet.  She gives him a command from God to take 10,000 men to capture Sisera and his army.  Barak is hesitant; he “said to her, ‘If you go with me, I’ll go. But if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.’ ” (Judges 4:8).  She agrees to go with him, but informs him that the price of that decision is that Sisera will be taken down by a woman.

As instructed, Barak and his men go up Mount Tabor.   Sisera gathered his men and their 900 iron chariots to pursue.  “Barak and his men raced down Mount Tabor. God brought a massive rainstorm. The ground turned to mud, bogging down Sisera’s chariots. The stream Kishon overflowed, sweeping many of the Canaanites away.”   (about.com)

“Barak’s men struck down Sisera’s army with their swords. Sisera left his chariot behind. He ran away on foot…all of Sisera’s men were killed with swords. Not even one was left.” (Judges 4:15-16).  Sisera flees to the tent of Jael, the wife of one of his friend.  She allowed him in, gave him something to drink and hid him.  Then when he was fast asleep, the drove a tent stake through his skull.

 

32 What more can I say? I don’t have time to tell about all the others. I don’t have time to talk about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah. I don’t have time to tell about David, Samuel and the prophets. 33 Because of their faith they took over kingdoms. They ruled fairly. They received the blessings God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions. 34 They put out great fires. They escaped being killed by the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became powerful in battle. They beat back armies from other countries.

Hebrews 11:32 – 34

Wimps of the Bible: Rahab (part 3)

Posted on December 3, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

I wasn’t quite ready to leave the story of Rahab.  One thing that struck me as I was reading her story was the similarities between Rahab’s situation and Lot’s situation.

  1. Both were living in cities that were about to be completely destroyed
  2. Both invited strangers into their houses and sought to protect them.
  3. Both were saved from the destruction because of their action.

It is interesting to note the contrast in the ways Lot and Rahab choose to protect the strangers they were entrusted.  Lot’s solution was to offer up his daughters to the mob that came to his house.  They are there, demanding he hand over the two men.  His response: “No, my friends. Don’t do such an evil thing.  Look, I have two daughters. No man has ever made love to them. I’ll bring them out to you now. Then do to them what you want to. But don’t do anything to these men. I’ve brought them inside so they can be safe”  (Genesis 19: 7 – 8).

Rahab’s approach was a little different.    When asked about the men at her house she thought up a lie. She said, “It’s true that the men came here. But I didn’t know where they had come from.  They left at sunset, when it was time to close the city gate. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You might catch up with them.” (Joshua 2:4 – 5).

While Lot’s heart is in the right place, he is perfectly willing to sacrifice his daughters to accomplish his goal.  Rahab figured out a way to do the right thing AND save of her family.

Which are you?

Wimps of the Bible: Rahab (part 2)

Posted on December 1, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

At first glance, Rahab didn’t really do much.  She told a little lie and hid a couple of spies on her roof.  Big deal.  But her actions set in motion the Israelis victory over Jericho, saved her family and, earned her place in the lineage of Jesus.  There is so much we can learn from this simple prostitute.

  1. God can use anyone.  Despite what many television shows would lead you to believe, prostitution is not glamorous.  In most places we see prostitutes, while being “used”, are basically rejected by society.  Here in the story Rahab is figuratively and literally living on the edge of the city.  But it didn’t matter.  God positioned her at a pivotal point in the plight of Israel.  Her actions are not only told in the book of Joshua, she’s mentioned three times in the New Testament (Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25-26).
  2. Having faith means taking action.  Rahab had amazing faith.  Many Israelis had trouble believing in God.  Which sad considering they had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea, the manna/quail, the water from the rock, and everything else God had done since bringing them out of Egypt.  Rahab on the other hand had only heard of these things and believed.  Not only did she have enough faith in their God to take a risk and hide the spies, but she was also bold enough to ask for something: the protection of her family.  It’s is also interesting to note that she helped the spies before asking them for anything.  She believed in her heart that she was doing the right thing and would be protected.
  3. Actions have far reaching impacts.  Rahab’s action saved not only herself, but her family as well.  In a city where EVERYTHING (even the donkey and sheep) were destroyed, her family and hers alone survived.  And that’s not the end of the story.  While some biblical scholar’s debate this fact, there is a belief among others that Rahab went on to marry Salmon. “Salmon was the father of Boaz. Rahab was Boaz’s mother.  Boaz was the father of Obed. Ruth was Obed’s mother.  Obed was the father of Jesse. And Jesse was the father of King David” (Matthew 1:5 – 6).  She was the great great grandmother of King David!!
  4. There is more to people than meets the eye; don’t judge.  In the beginning of the story we see that Rahab is a prostitute.  Most of us “blessed and highly favored” Christians would not be caught in the company of such a woman.  We would probably walk on the other side of the street if we saw her coming.  Gossip about her with the other moms at the PTA.  As the story unveils we see her true character coming to light.  Her boldness and willingness to step out on faith.  Then she says something that is incredible:  “…spare the lives of my father and mother. Spare my brothers and sisters. Also spare everyone in their families” (Joshua 2:13).  Hold on!!  She has a family? Her father and brothers are still living, yet she earns her wages as a prostitute?  Something is not right.  There is definitely more to this woman than meets the eye.  Something has happened that has separated her from her family.  Yet despite of that, she still makes arrangements for them to be spared with her.  She could have held on to bitterness about her plight in life, instead she choose to save a lot of lives that day. “So the young men who had checked out the land went into Rahab’s house. They brought her out along with her parents and brothers. They brought out everyone else who was there with her (Joshua 6:23).  Don’t judge people.  You don’t know what they’ve been through and you don’t know what they’ll do.

Wimps of the Bible: Rahab (part 1)

Posted on November 29, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

The character we’ll look at today is more of a weakling of society than an actual wimp.  In fact her actions make her anything BUT a wimp; it is Rahab, the prostitute who hid Joshua’s spies.

The story of Rahab is told in the book of Joshua chapters 2 and 6.    The story takes place right before the battle of Jericho.  Joshua sent two spies to check out the city’s military strength.  They stayed at Rahab’s house (Joshua 2:2).  There is a belief among biblical scholars that Rahab was actually an innkeeper who was also a prostitute to help make ends meets.  I don’t know about the innkeeper part, but the bible definitely states she was a prostitute, so you can decide for yourself how the spies “ended up” there.

Anyway…..

It wasn’t a secret that the men were staying with her.  In fact “the king sent a message to Rahab. It said, ‘Bring out the men who came into your house. They’ve come to check out the whole land.’ ” (Joshua 2: 3).  Rahab responded that the men had left, then she proceeded to hide the men on her rooftop.  Before they settled down for the night Rahab confessed to them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We are very much afraid of you. Everyone who lives in this country is weak with fear because of you” (Joshua 2:9).  Everyone in Jericho had heard the stories of how the Israelites had destroyed Amorite kings and she asked the spies “Promise me in the name of the Lord that you will be kind to my family… that you will spare the lives of my father and mother. Spare my brothers and sisters” (Joshua 2: 12-13). The spies agreed and gave her instructions to tie a red rope in her window so that they would know to spare the people in that house.

When the time came, the Israelites destroyed the city.  “They destroyed every living thing in it with their swords. They killed men and women. They wiped out young people and old people. They destroyed cattle, sheep and donkeys”  (Joshua 6:20).  Only Rahab and her family were spared.

Wimps of the Bible: Pontius Pilate (part 2)

Posted on November 25, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

Last time we examined 4 different versions of the story of how Pontius Pilate reached the decision to sentence Jesus to be crucified.  While each version from the Gospels was slightly different they all conveyed the same basis message: Pontius Pilate was reluctant to send this innocent man to his death.

To understand the dynamics of the scenario we first must put the story in context….

Pontius Pilate was an official acting on behalf of the Roman Empire. “His two main duties were to keep order in the country and to make sure that all imperial tax revenues were collected and sent to Rome.  The Jewish historians Josephus and Philo describe Pontius Pilate as a stubborn, inflexible, and cruel man who had no respect for the Jewish people”  (gospel-mysteries.net).  As you can imagine, there wasn’t much love between the Jewish people and Romans who were ruling them.

By the standards of those days, Pilate was probably very good at his job.  “Pontius Pilate is known to have been a Roman governor of Judaea from about A.D. 26-36, which is a long tenure for a post that normally lasted only 1-3 years“ (about.com)  The fact that he lasted 10 years in a job where most were out in 3 years implies he wasn’t the worst of the Roman rulers.  So imagine the difficult position he was put in…The crowd is riled up crying for Jesus’ execution.  The Jewish leaders are reminding him that declaring yourself a king (as Jesus was doing) is a threat to the Roman Empire.  And to make matters worse in three of Gospels they report that Jesus wouldn’t defend himself against the charges (Matthew 27:13 – 14,  John 19:9 and Mark 15:5).  Pilate’s ability to “keep order in the country” was in jeopardy; his elaborate display of washing his hands was his attempt to abdicate responsibility for the mess that was unraveling.

We like to portray Pilate as the bad guy in this story.  He, however reluctantly, is the one who gave the execution order.  That makes it easy to see him as a wimp who wasn’t willing to use his authority and stand up to do the right thing.  But just like Judas, Pilate’s actions were necessary to fulfill the prophecy.

That is the one key lesson we all have to learn from Pilate: Everyone has a role to play (even if they are reluctant in playing that role).

Wimps of the Bible: Pontius Pilate (part 1)

Posted on November 23, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

Pontius Pilate gained infamy in the New Testament as the official who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus.  He earns a spot in our list of wimps because he had the power and authority to let Jesus go but he gave into the demands of the crowd and the Jewish religious leaders at the time.  We see the scene of Pilate’s “attempts” to release Jesus played out in all four of the gospels

Matthew 27

18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they (Jewish leaders) had handed Jesus over to him.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

 

Mark 15

12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.

14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.  But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

 

Luke 23

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

14 [Pilate] said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.

 

John 19

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”  But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

 

Next time, we’ll take a deeper look at the character of Pilate and the big lesson we can learn from him.

Wimps of the Bible: Onesimus, Part 2

Posted on June 6, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

The book of Philemon is a little letter Paul wrote to his friend asking him to take back a former slave, Onesimus, who had stolen from him.  There is a several valuable life lessons that we can glean from the 25 verses contained in the book.

 

  1. Good things can come from bad situations.  Given that Onesimus was a slave he was considered property.  Having a slave run away is basically a loss of one’s property.  Having a slave steal from you then run away is a double whammy.  Paul points out that while Onesimus was once considered useless, his conversion has now made him useful so maybe him running away wasn’t such a bad thing.  “Before that, he was useless to you. But now he has become useful to you and to me… Onesimus was separated from you for a little while. Maybe that was so you could have him back for good” (Philemon 1:11; 15)
  2. In Christ we are all family.  Onesimus left Philemon as a slave.  But Paul points out that since he has converted he should no longer be a slave, but he should be considered a brother in Christ.   It’s clear that Paul expects Philemon release Onesimus from his position as a slave.
  3. Stories in the Bible must be taken in context.  In the biblical days slavery was very common.  Paul provides no commentary on slavery in this letter.  One could make an argument that he’s kind of saying you can’t keep another Christian as a slave, but he’s not necessarily condemning the institution of slavery.  Given that, we could make an argument for modern day slavery, as long as we aren’t enslaving other Christians.  In fact, that is what many people tried to do in the days of slavery in the United Sates.  They claimed that black people did not have souls and therefore could not be Christians ( or any other religion) and therefore it was okay to treat them as property.  Sitting in the year 2012 we realize how ridiculous that argument sounds.  In this country we view any form of slavery as unacceptable.    I bring up this argument to highlight the dangers of trying to take the Bible literally.  There are many things in the Bible that are cultural – meaning, this is how people lived back then – and not spiritual.  The story of the Bible is told in the context of where the events took place: slavery was okay, women were property, and animals were routinely sacrificed.  None of these things do we take literally these days. We have to take caution when picking and choosing verses from the Bible to justify our actions or treatment of others.
  4. Actions have consequences and long reaching impacts.  Sometimes in the big picture of life it’s easy to feel insignificant.  Afterall there are 6 billion people on a planet that has been around for thousands of year.  Each of us is just a drop in the ocean.   That doesn’t mean that what we do is insignificant.  The simple actions of Onesimus and Philemon ended up as a book in the bible and their story will live on forever.  I can’t promise you that the results of your actions will rise quite to that level, but there are people who are watching you and you don’t even realize it.  So never pass up an opportunity to do right.
  5. You can’t say you love God then treat his people poorly.  “I always thank my God when I remember you in my prayers.  That’s because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I hear about your love for all of God’s people.” (Philemon 1: 4 – 5).  There’s not much more I can add to that one.
  6. You should do right because you want to do right not because someone is twisting your arm.  Paul’s letter sounds like he’s trying to send Philemon on a major guilt trip.  He even closes with the promise of a visit.  Yet he does say that he wants Philemon to do what’s right because he wants to, not because Paul is forcing him to.
  7. Follow the example of Christ: take a risk for someone else. Paul risked his relationship with Philemon for the sake of Onesimus.  “Has he done anything wrong to you? Does he owe you anything? Then charge it to me. I’ll pay it back” (Philemon 1: 18).  Paul was felt such conviction about Onesimus’ conversion that he was willing to vouch for him and pay his debt.  Isn’t that what Jesus did for us.  He took on all of our debts on the cross.  We would be wise to bear that sacrifice in mind when opportunities come up for us to help someone who is trying to turn their life around.

Wimps of the Bible: Onesimus, Part 1

Posted on June 3, 2012 by ML Smith Posted in Wimps of the Bible | Leave a comment

If there is one thing wimps are good at, it’s running away from bad situations.  Today’s wimp is Onesimus.  Onesimus was a slave of one of Paul’s friend, Philemon.  Onesimus stole money from Philemon and fled.  While away he encounters Paul and Paul grows to view him as a son.  The Book of Philemon is one of the shortest books in the Bible consisting of a single chapter with 25 verses.  The book is a letter from Paul asking Philemon not only to take Onesimus back, but to take him back as a brother in Christ, not a slave.

 

Paul is definitely a character who has a way with words.  He starts off the letter by buttering Philemon up:  “I always thank my God when I remember you in my prayers.  That’s because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I hear about your love for all of God’s people.” (Philemon 1: 4 – 5).

 

Paul also points out that he doesn’t want to command Philemon to do anything.  “Because of the authority Christ has given me, I could be bold. I could order you to do what you should do anyway.  But I make my appeal to you on the basis of our love for each other” (Philemon 1: 8 – 9)

 

Then he makes the BIG ask: Take Onesimus back. “Do you think of me as a believer who works together with you? Then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me” (Philemon 1: 17)

 

Then he raises the stakes even higher by taking responsibility for any debt Onesimus may owe. “Has he done anything wrong to you? Does he owe you anything? Then charge it to me. I’ll pay it back. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I won’t even mention that you owe me your very life”(Philemon 1: 18 – 19). Although we see at the end of this passage he sprinkles a little reminder in there about the debt the Philemon, himself owes.

 

He closes out with an announcement he’ll be visiting soon. “There is one more thing. Have a guest room ready for me. I hope I can return to all of you in answer to your prayers” (Philemon 1:22).  I suspect this visit is more of a check up on how things are going between Onesimus and Philemon than a social call.

 

Next time, we’ll look at the many lessons we can get from this little book.

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