Many of you are well aware that I preached this past week from my exegesis on Romans 3:21-26, well, here is the paper behind that sermon. Hopefully it will be to you as Professor Charette said "a homerun out of the park" sort of deal for you...
Enjoy reading it.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD: AN EXEGESIS OF ROMANS 3:21-26
Being a believer in Jesus Christ is one of the greatest joys in a person’s life. The life and death of Christ Jesus upon the cross is quite profound. In Romans 3:21-26, the apostle Paul addresses the gift of salvation that Christ brings to the world. Discussing the theme of righteousness as it is given to us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, Paul breaks down its concept. He shares with his audience that 1) God is the giver of righteousness, 2) His righteousness is continual, actively available to all who believe in Him, and 3) the righteousness of God is dependent upon Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, so that through Him all man-kind may be justified.
Background
Paul is one of the most well known persons in the Bible, and the vast majority of the New Testament Scriptures come from his own hand. Born in Tarsus as a Roman citizen at around 5AD. With a strong Jewish background, Paul became the one of the most controversial and influential men of his time. Before the time of his conversion experience Paul went by another name, that of Saul of Tarsus. He was best known for his agenda, which was to destroy the Christian church and kill any Christians that stood in the way of the Sanhedrin.
Paul served as the “Pharisee of Pharisee”, with complete devotion to studying and living out Torah, or the law as it is known to be. At the time of his conversion experience, great tension began to build. Paul’s beliefs about the law changed and he began to share it boldly. This caused a great deal of tension amongst the Jewish community, because Jews who live outside the confines of Christ’s resurrection had no understanding of the law’s complete fulfillment. There was no longer a need for the Law to be observed.
Authorship
Throughout all of Paul’s writings there are significant similarities. One great similarity between his letters is his use of salutation. All of Paul’s bestow a formal greeting and blessing. He found it to be of utmost importance that his audience know who they were hearing from. Even though there have been accusations made by scholars that Paul is not the author of the majority of his letters, this cannot be the case because of the salutations made throughout (Cf. Ephesians, Titus, Philemon, etc).
Themes of Paul’s Writing
Paul’s writings have other similarities like that of salutation that carry forth proof of his authorship. These similarities bring relying themes in which Paul uses throughout all of his writings, not just in one particular letter. Some of the themes found in Paul’s writings include 1) the righteousness of God, 2) the powerlessness of works, 3) justification through faith, and 4) humanity’s hopelessness and eternal peril.
Historical Context
Written in approximately 57 AD, Paul probably wrote this letter from Corinth in during his third missionary journey. In his letter, Paul makes mention of a woman named
Phoebe (16:1-2) and she was likely the person that brought this letter to Rome. She resided in Cenchreae, which was near Corinth and was one of its port cities. Furthermore, Gaius was Paul’s host (16:23) and this is likely the same Gaius who lived in Corinth (1 Cor 1:14). Finally, two fairly early manuscripts of Romans have subscriptions (brief notes that a copyist added to the end of a document) which say that the letter was written from Corinth.
As a letter written to the Church in Rome, Paul knew that there would be a great mix of both Jews and Gentiles. Included within the mix of people were the rich and educated, rabbis, tax collectors, and even servants. Every walk of life would have been in Rome when the letter arrived.
Knowing that he was going to have such a vast array of audience, Paul wrote this letter as a note of encouragement to residing believers. There were two groups of believers during this time, those who were Jewish and the Gentiles. While the Jewish believers followed the law very strictly, the Gentiles and the exceptional few Jewish believers put the law aside to simply follow Jesus Christ. Paul knew that this was going on and wanted the people to understand the fullness of God’s righteousness as it pertains to His sacrifice. The way that Paul expressed this is clear in Romans 3:21-26. He explains to his readers that there was now a new system of justification, which is only obtainable through faith in Jesus Christ. He knew that this was the best way to explain the Gospel in a Jewish influenced society and as time went on more and more Jews were coming to faith in their Messiah.
This was crucial to the spread and rise of Christianity as he Jewish people were being spread around into what was known as the Diaspora, giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ the opportunity to be heard in distant lands highly influenced by mystic religions, Greek thought, and Hellenistic Judaism. Hellenistic Judaism
deeply influenced by classical thought, was the majority Jewish culture of the day. Even within the small area of Judea and the slightly larger area of the land of Israel, which included Samaria and the Galilee, we have evidence of a large number of Hellenized Jews.
Paul’s mission was to reach even them with the Gospel of Christ Jesus by first reaching
the people of Rome.
Summary of the Content of Romans 3:21-26
The people of Israel were seeking after their political Messiah when Jesus comes into the picture. His arrival and ministry certainly rocked the world of those believers in Judea, changing the world forever. Those living in Rome were heavily influenced and controlled by its government that they lived in fear of having their own ideas, thoughts, and even beliefs. When Jesus came with a proclamation of deliverance, the people, although they desired to follow him, because of internal oppression, stood back. They wanted him to overthrow the government with a mighty sword, but Jesus came solely to bring peace to the innermost part of man, his heart, by fulfilling the Father’s plan to bring about righteousness to all who accept Him (Rom. 3:21-26).
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
In the times of the Old Testament, righteousness was something solely obtained through the strict sacrificial system. In order to receive God’s righteousness, a lamb was brought before the priest at the altar and its throat is slit. The blood from the lamb would be used to atone for and cover the sins of one who was sacrificing it. Before this could take place those, there had to be an understanding and recognition of one’s own sin. “The knowledge (or recognition) of sin comes through law, - by (1) its revealing what God approved in man, and what God disapproved and forbade; (2) causing man to undertake obedience; and (3) condemning him for failure to obey.” Unfortunately, the sacrificial system never helped people to see just how hopeless they really were.
Paul, with a brokenness for the people, wanted to share with them that while there is a need for justification of their sins, the new law changes things. Expressing that there was not a reason to be without hope, he “portrays the revelation of god’s righteousness in Christ’s cross, and lays the foundations of the gospel of justification (3:21-26)”. The righteousness of God seems like some unobtainable thing because God is so perfect and we are not. So what is it that has to be done in order to obtain what is unobtainable?
During the time of Noah, God wanted to wipe out humanity because of their sinfulness. In the sixth chapter of Genesis, we see God wipeout the wickedness of the earth, but not without a plan to spare some. In direct obedience with God’s command, Noah builds an ark and a group of people and animals were spared from His wrath. The world would start over again but this time would be different. God was not about to wipe away the world every time sin took over. This time He was going to provide a way for people to receive forgiveness for their sins.
God had created a way for people to be justified. Steven Mosher, author of God’s Power, Jesus’ Faith and World Mission: A Study in Romans elaborates on the fact that because we have Christ, we have a means for there to be forgiveness of sins.
No one is considered righteous because one actually reflects God’s righteousness, as revealed in Jesus. This union with Jesus and his faith - being “in” Christ Jesus – is producing the same faithful and righteous life that Jesus lived. When all were helplessly enslaved to sin, Jesus came to manifest a new freedom from the oppressive power of sin.
Without this sense of obtaining righteousness, we have no hope. Paul was yearning for the church in Rome to understand that all had sinned and therefore, all need to be saved.
In Jewish culture, non-Jewish people who had followed the law were considered a Jewish. Paul, being a Jewish person who had found Christ, found fulfillment of the Law in Christ Himself. This same concept applies to anyone who is not a Jew yet follows Christ. Not only is God fulfillment of the Law, but God is judge. He is a God to be feared because he will condemn those that do not turn their lives over to Him. Although God is to be feared, He is fair and just to those who are in Him (Rom. 3:26).
Justice is one of God’s most important attributes because He proclaims that He is a good God, and that He will be fair in all of his dealings with the world. When people admit openly that they have sinned, they have taken the first step towards receiving the righteousness that God offers to them (Rom. 3). This righteousness is manifested through the law as it bears witness to it but this is different. The propitiation here for the sins of many is now made through the one-time sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There was now a constant sacrificial system put into place unlike previously. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they constantly sacrificed animals to God for their sins. This was part of the day-to-day activities of the Jewish people. The death of Christ completely did away with this system because His sacrifice is a once-for-all sacrifice. There is no longer a need for other sacrifices to be made.
This is how God shows that His righteousness is obtainable. The blood of Jesus is the substitute for humanity’s sins, wiping each individual’s slate clean. He is a righteous God because He shed the blood of His own Son for the sins of the world in which we live today.
WORKS MENTIONED:
Schurer, Emil. A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ: Second Division, Volume 1. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1890. 379p.
Schoeps, H.J. Paul: The theology of the Apostle in the Light of Jewish Religious History. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1959. 303p.
Stott, John. Romans: God’s Good News for the World. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1994. 432p.
Nevell, William R. Romans. Chicago: Moody Press, 1938. 590p.
Luedemann, Gerd. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles Studies in Chronology. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980. 311p.
Segal, Alan F. Paul the Convert: The Apostolate and Apostasy of Saul the Pharisee. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990. 368p.
Swindoll, Charles. New Testament Insights: Insights on Romans. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010. 342p.
The ESV Study Bible (English Standard Version) Wheaton: Crossway, 2008. 2750pp
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Revive This Nation 2 - Klickitat, Washington (Day 5): Wednesday March 14, 2012
There! Just beyond the lamppost!
This is hard, being the last day that I am here in this community, I have gotten attached and being on a plane to Dallas tomorrow afternoon isn’t going to be easy. But I have to go back to reality and face all of the challenges that are there.
I still have had the resounding theme of being in the Chronicles of Narnia, and that certainly has been the case ever since I got out here. It’s just incredible, the landscape is truly beautiful. During this trip I finally can say I read a book for fun. I finished “The Silver Chair” today; glad I did too. I needed to have my mind filled with something other than the useless nonsense that has gone in for the past few months. I wiped out a good deal of time, watching Glee and listening to all that “Club Bootie” music.
I experienced much of the same things last year when I got back from Quaker City, I was like “no one gets what I just went through”. I feel like I had done a lot of good and there are not a lot of people who get what I just went through. I mean, it will be easy to talk to some people, others I won’t want to tell anything to, but I have to be relaxed and realize that I have to approach my circumstances with a mindset that the only one who I should really be concerned with what they have to say about what I’ve done is the Lord, and if I have peace about coming back, I know he is pleased with me. I am still waiting to hear that God is pleased is with me, maybe it will happen throughout the course of the day.
POST PREACHING…
This was the first time I preached on John 20:24-31, talking about the famous “doubting” Thomas. I thought things went well with that sermon, and I will have a chance to tell more. We had a great time of fellowship over a potluck service following my preaching and then I went home to pack and got ready to leave…
This is hard, being the last day that I am here in this community, I have gotten attached and being on a plane to Dallas tomorrow afternoon isn’t going to be easy. But I have to go back to reality and face all of the challenges that are there.
I still have had the resounding theme of being in the Chronicles of Narnia, and that certainly has been the case ever since I got out here. It’s just incredible, the landscape is truly beautiful. During this trip I finally can say I read a book for fun. I finished “The Silver Chair” today; glad I did too. I needed to have my mind filled with something other than the useless nonsense that has gone in for the past few months. I wiped out a good deal of time, watching Glee and listening to all that “Club Bootie” music.
I experienced much of the same things last year when I got back from Quaker City, I was like “no one gets what I just went through”. I feel like I had done a lot of good and there are not a lot of people who get what I just went through. I mean, it will be easy to talk to some people, others I won’t want to tell anything to, but I have to be relaxed and realize that I have to approach my circumstances with a mindset that the only one who I should really be concerned with what they have to say about what I’ve done is the Lord, and if I have peace about coming back, I know he is pleased with me. I am still waiting to hear that God is pleased is with me, maybe it will happen throughout the course of the day.
POST PREACHING…
This was the first time I preached on John 20:24-31, talking about the famous “doubting” Thomas. I thought things went well with that sermon, and I will have a chance to tell more. We had a great time of fellowship over a potluck service following my preaching and then I went home to pack and got ready to leave…
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Revive This Nation 2 - Klickitat, Washington (Day 3): Monday March 12, 2012
One Step at a Time
I am not sure how to even give a title to this day, which isn’t even over with yet, but I just figured: each day we take things slowly, we need to focus on just how great God is and how he moves in us to do things, so it truly is a “One Step at a Time” process.
DAY 3: THE MONDAY
First of all, I wish my friend Josh Anderson a happy birthday! He and I are close in proximity to our revival locations, I am in Washington State, and he is in Oregon.
I woke up to snow on the ground and it was snowing still by the time pastor came to pick me up at the host home in the mountains and go down to the valley where Klickitat is. Driving back up the mountain after the day was over, I was having visuals from a movie I had seen. When I was younger, I had an interest in natural disasters (particularly volcanoes) and it was very shocking to hear people in this community say they REMEMBER what it was like when Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. They said they remember what it was like when the ash cloud came, and it felt like late at night when the ash covered sunlight and you couldn’t see anything. It literally turned day to night.
Well the movie I’m referring to is “Dante’s Peak” (came out in 1997). There’s a scene where the characters are driving a car up the mountain while the ash is falling and they couldn’t see anything. The mountain road between Klickitat and Appleton (where I am staying) is winding and there are guardrails, which prevent cars from plummeting to their demise. It was foggy out, and it reminded me of that scene. My heart raced the entire way back to the Osburns house. Glad to be sitting at the desk in my room writing this post.
I am also happy that I was able to spend a little bit of time on the internet today, even though its not in the way I would have liked it to be. I was at Pastor George’s house using it from his study. His house is full of Coca-Cola memorabilia, which I think is just awesome. His study is a little nook on the second floor filled with Bible Commentaries, theology textbooks and a train set. I was there for lunch today, and it never occurred to me how great our God really is, because I am taking things “One Step at a Time” and didn’t even pay attention.
About 3 weeks ago, I was at a Cardiologist appointment in Fort Worth, doing a routine check up on the “ticker” and I heard some great news from my doctor. He wants me to treat my heart as if I had the heart of a healthy individual. As a result, I no longer find myself drinking decaf coffee. I can drink regular coffee with no side effects, okay, maybe I become a little happy and giddy from the coffee, but there really aren’t any physical effects on my body. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. I am in Washington State for crying out loud. Starbucks was born in this state! How could I not drink some coffee and good coffee I might add?
I was at Pastor’s house because we had an appointment today with a guy named Nick. Nick became a believer a few years ago, and he just had a lot on his mind, and pastor was telling me that because I was closer to Nick’s age, it might have helped him open up a little bit better. He shared a lot of personal stuff and some fears and probably a lot of doubts (well in my opinion anyway) about his salvation and we were around to answer them. I will be giving Nick my cell phone number so we can stay in touch when I head back south to Texas. It will be good to be available for someone who desperately needs to be in touch with other believers. In fact, since I was on Facebook today, I RSVP’d to an event that SWBTS is doing “Man Night” at the RAC, and I wish that Nick could be down for that, it would be a good experience for him to come hang out and to be encouraged.
After a restful evening with my host family, we returned to church where I preached on Daniel 6 (the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den) and gave a background as to why it’s important to stand firm in the faith. How we shouldn’t take no for an answer, and I feel it was well received. I haven’t had a chance to watch the video yet, so I couldn’t really tell you what I thought of it.
My theme for the revival was like this, and will continue to be this way for the remainder of the time:
Sunday: Isaiah 53 (am) and Acts 8:26-40 (pm)
Isaiah 53 focuses on identifying the “Suffering Servant”, the man we know to be Christ Jesus.
Acts 8:26-40 focuses on the fact that once Jesus was identified as this “servant”, we need to have moments where we obey the Holy Spirit leading us to talk to those who need to hear.
Monday: Daniel 6
This passage focuses on taking a tremendous stand for the faith and realizing that we cannot waiver in our integrity or our resolve to be men and women of God; no matter what comes our way.
Tuesday: Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus Walking on the Water deals with the fact that after we have approached the stand we are willing to take for Christ, what do we do when we get scared?
Wednesday: John 20:24-31
Because we have seen Jesus and we have trusted in him, we should have reason to trust in him, and there shouldn’t be any doubts in our minds. This passage deals with “Doubting” Thomas and how he declared “My Lord, my God”…
Besides that, I am enjoying the moments where I just sit back and let God continue to work in the hearts and lives of this mountain community, because like a vapor, this time will end and I will be thrust pretty hard back into reality. School is still only half completed, and after this semester ends, I will have been in seminary for 2 full years. That is a crazy thought. My world changed from night to day, literally over the course of a year. Different goals, different dreams, different paths to take, and now after a second revival (which isn’t even done yet). I am grateful for this opportunity to be here. Last year on this program, I was able to build up some pretty strong friendships. I pray for all of my friends around the country doing this program, as well those who are pursing ministry goals that are challenges to overcome. Some seem like mountains, but I leave you with the words a mighty man of God once told me to remember, we should never be discouraged because God is always on your side.
Another day of ministry awaits!
My beloved wife…it is only another 2 days before I have you in my arms to hold on to you. I love you with every ounce of my being and being apart from you has been the hardest thing on my soul, but your love, your devotion to Christ, encourages me to press on, and thank you for praying for me. I love you so very much!
GRACE AND PEACE!
-Joel
Psalm 37:4
I am not sure how to even give a title to this day, which isn’t even over with yet, but I just figured: each day we take things slowly, we need to focus on just how great God is and how he moves in us to do things, so it truly is a “One Step at a Time” process.
DAY 3: THE MONDAY
First of all, I wish my friend Josh Anderson a happy birthday! He and I are close in proximity to our revival locations, I am in Washington State, and he is in Oregon.
I woke up to snow on the ground and it was snowing still by the time pastor came to pick me up at the host home in the mountains and go down to the valley where Klickitat is. Driving back up the mountain after the day was over, I was having visuals from a movie I had seen. When I was younger, I had an interest in natural disasters (particularly volcanoes) and it was very shocking to hear people in this community say they REMEMBER what it was like when Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. They said they remember what it was like when the ash cloud came, and it felt like late at night when the ash covered sunlight and you couldn’t see anything. It literally turned day to night.
Well the movie I’m referring to is “Dante’s Peak” (came out in 1997). There’s a scene where the characters are driving a car up the mountain while the ash is falling and they couldn’t see anything. The mountain road between Klickitat and Appleton (where I am staying) is winding and there are guardrails, which prevent cars from plummeting to their demise. It was foggy out, and it reminded me of that scene. My heart raced the entire way back to the Osburns house. Glad to be sitting at the desk in my room writing this post.
I am also happy that I was able to spend a little bit of time on the internet today, even though its not in the way I would have liked it to be. I was at Pastor George’s house using it from his study. His house is full of Coca-Cola memorabilia, which I think is just awesome. His study is a little nook on the second floor filled with Bible Commentaries, theology textbooks and a train set. I was there for lunch today, and it never occurred to me how great our God really is, because I am taking things “One Step at a Time” and didn’t even pay attention.
About 3 weeks ago, I was at a Cardiologist appointment in Fort Worth, doing a routine check up on the “ticker” and I heard some great news from my doctor. He wants me to treat my heart as if I had the heart of a healthy individual. As a result, I no longer find myself drinking decaf coffee. I can drink regular coffee with no side effects, okay, maybe I become a little happy and giddy from the coffee, but there really aren’t any physical effects on my body. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. I am in Washington State for crying out loud. Starbucks was born in this state! How could I not drink some coffee and good coffee I might add?
I was at Pastor’s house because we had an appointment today with a guy named Nick. Nick became a believer a few years ago, and he just had a lot on his mind, and pastor was telling me that because I was closer to Nick’s age, it might have helped him open up a little bit better. He shared a lot of personal stuff and some fears and probably a lot of doubts (well in my opinion anyway) about his salvation and we were around to answer them. I will be giving Nick my cell phone number so we can stay in touch when I head back south to Texas. It will be good to be available for someone who desperately needs to be in touch with other believers. In fact, since I was on Facebook today, I RSVP’d to an event that SWBTS is doing “Man Night” at the RAC, and I wish that Nick could be down for that, it would be a good experience for him to come hang out and to be encouraged.
After a restful evening with my host family, we returned to church where I preached on Daniel 6 (the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den) and gave a background as to why it’s important to stand firm in the faith. How we shouldn’t take no for an answer, and I feel it was well received. I haven’t had a chance to watch the video yet, so I couldn’t really tell you what I thought of it.
My theme for the revival was like this, and will continue to be this way for the remainder of the time:
Sunday: Isaiah 53 (am) and Acts 8:26-40 (pm)
Isaiah 53 focuses on identifying the “Suffering Servant”, the man we know to be Christ Jesus.
Acts 8:26-40 focuses on the fact that once Jesus was identified as this “servant”, we need to have moments where we obey the Holy Spirit leading us to talk to those who need to hear.
Monday: Daniel 6
This passage focuses on taking a tremendous stand for the faith and realizing that we cannot waiver in our integrity or our resolve to be men and women of God; no matter what comes our way.
Tuesday: Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus Walking on the Water deals with the fact that after we have approached the stand we are willing to take for Christ, what do we do when we get scared?
Wednesday: John 20:24-31
Because we have seen Jesus and we have trusted in him, we should have reason to trust in him, and there shouldn’t be any doubts in our minds. This passage deals with “Doubting” Thomas and how he declared “My Lord, my God”…
Besides that, I am enjoying the moments where I just sit back and let God continue to work in the hearts and lives of this mountain community, because like a vapor, this time will end and I will be thrust pretty hard back into reality. School is still only half completed, and after this semester ends, I will have been in seminary for 2 full years. That is a crazy thought. My world changed from night to day, literally over the course of a year. Different goals, different dreams, different paths to take, and now after a second revival (which isn’t even done yet). I am grateful for this opportunity to be here. Last year on this program, I was able to build up some pretty strong friendships. I pray for all of my friends around the country doing this program, as well those who are pursing ministry goals that are challenges to overcome. Some seem like mountains, but I leave you with the words a mighty man of God once told me to remember, we should never be discouraged because God is always on your side.
Another day of ministry awaits!
My beloved wife…it is only another 2 days before I have you in my arms to hold on to you. I love you with every ounce of my being and being apart from you has been the hardest thing on my soul, but your love, your devotion to Christ, encourages me to press on, and thank you for praying for me. I love you so very much!
GRACE AND PEACE!
-Joel
Psalm 37:4
Monday, March 12, 2012
Revive This Nation 2 - Klickitat, Washington (Day 2): Sunday March 11, 2012
Always winter, but never Christmas!
As you can see from the picture, I am in a very small town in Washington state, just surrounded by God’s creation. The mountains are a backdrop similar to Skyrim, Middle Earth, or Narnia…therefore; my expectation of what it would be like for me to be up here in this region was shot dramatically down, when I realized 1) I have no signal with AT&T, and then 2) there is no Internet connection.
I literally have to write my blog posts in Microsoft Word and then post them after the fact. I was using the internet for a little bit at Pastor George’s house while we were in between services today, but now I just have found out that the local coffee house has wi-fi, so I bring my computer there to do email, Facebook, and blog updates.
Unfortuantely I am at the pastor's house again, as yes...there is an internet cafe, but its a gloomy day out and this is a small town, so no other way to get on internet but through pastor's computer.
DAY 2: THE SUNDAY
This is the time that I prayed the hardest for all of the preachers from SWBTS that are out and about in the country. I mentioned this first thing in my morning sermon, if you watch the video of it, you’ll see what I’m talking about. It might take a little bit to get them uploaded but I can at least get that done. I had the promise going on my last trip that I’d get the sermons uploaded, but I am still uncertain as to how to do that. I just know that it costs money.
With a “Johnny Cash” look for the pulpit, I stood in the congregation, and preached on Isaiah 53; “The Suffering Servant”. It is a pretty important passage in terms of Jewish Evangelism, and if anyone in the DFW area is reading this (yeah besides all of my SWBTS peeps) there’s going to be a Passover Seder led by myself and my beloved on April 7th (The Saturday before Easter) you’ll hear me talk about it some more, as I will probably be using this sermon as part of the Seder.
Anyway, we had a great turn out for the first service, and I felt it was pretty well received. The congregation averaged about 30 people and some of them were return visitors, people who didn’t come regularly, but had heard about this revival and decided they’d come to check it out. Pastor and I are meeting with a guy who is close to my age, his name is Nick (keep him in prayer) That will happen today (MONDAY) so tonight when I write Monday’s blog post I will tell you what happened.
We had a potluck service and we were able to sit down with the church members so I could get to know them. Here’s a crazy small world connection. There is a man named Glen that goes to Klickitat Valley Baptist Church, and through some strange connection, I wasn’t sure of…he knows a man named Ray. Ray is in my Thursday night preaching class! I couldn’t believe how even in the midst of living in a giant sized country, you still manage to find people to share common interests with and common connections. The potluck was a St. Patty’s Day theme, even down to the green bread we were eating (yes, green bread). I think it was a sourdough that just had a few gallons of green food coloring added to the batter when they made it.
Much in the similar fashion that SWBTS does on the “Taking the Hill” initiative, or the way that I did with my former church family, Southcliff, pastor George and I went door to door inviting people to show up to church, handing out flyers with my picture on them and a schedule, telling the community that I was here and that I was preaching. It is a really strange feeling. You go from being this shadow in a crowd (talking in the context of being in a seminary where there’s like 3000+ people) to being a preacher who everyone is coming out to hear. You have to never let it get to your head, or else God will never work in you.
I was able to go back to the Osburns house to rest and amazingly, it started snowing. I was drawn right back to what I had been saying yesterday about the relation to snow and the Chronicles of Narnia; hence the “Always Winter, never Christmas” title of the blog post. It is still snowing, so it is nice to see snow considering we got like maybe a pseudo-flurry in the end of February of this year.
Keep me in prayer as God continues to work through this mountain community in Washington State that really needs to be revived and encouraged. The impact that the Gospel will have on people that just need to hear a message is staggering. Please pray for Nick as well, as me and Pastor George are meeting with him today.
GRACE AND PEACE!
-Joel
Psalm 37:4
As you can see from the picture, I am in a very small town in Washington state, just surrounded by God’s creation. The mountains are a backdrop similar to Skyrim, Middle Earth, or Narnia…therefore; my expectation of what it would be like for me to be up here in this region was shot dramatically down, when I realized 1) I have no signal with AT&T, and then 2) there is no Internet connection.
I literally have to write my blog posts in Microsoft Word and then post them after the fact. I was using the internet for a little bit at Pastor George’s house while we were in between services today, but now I just have found out that the local coffee house has wi-fi, so I bring my computer there to do email, Facebook, and blog updates.
Unfortuantely I am at the pastor's house again, as yes...there is an internet cafe, but its a gloomy day out and this is a small town, so no other way to get on internet but through pastor's computer.
DAY 2: THE SUNDAY
This is the time that I prayed the hardest for all of the preachers from SWBTS that are out and about in the country. I mentioned this first thing in my morning sermon, if you watch the video of it, you’ll see what I’m talking about. It might take a little bit to get them uploaded but I can at least get that done. I had the promise going on my last trip that I’d get the sermons uploaded, but I am still uncertain as to how to do that. I just know that it costs money.
With a “Johnny Cash” look for the pulpit, I stood in the congregation, and preached on Isaiah 53; “The Suffering Servant”. It is a pretty important passage in terms of Jewish Evangelism, and if anyone in the DFW area is reading this (yeah besides all of my SWBTS peeps) there’s going to be a Passover Seder led by myself and my beloved on April 7th (The Saturday before Easter) you’ll hear me talk about it some more, as I will probably be using this sermon as part of the Seder.
Anyway, we had a great turn out for the first service, and I felt it was pretty well received. The congregation averaged about 30 people and some of them were return visitors, people who didn’t come regularly, but had heard about this revival and decided they’d come to check it out. Pastor and I are meeting with a guy who is close to my age, his name is Nick (keep him in prayer) That will happen today (MONDAY) so tonight when I write Monday’s blog post I will tell you what happened.
We had a potluck service and we were able to sit down with the church members so I could get to know them. Here’s a crazy small world connection. There is a man named Glen that goes to Klickitat Valley Baptist Church, and through some strange connection, I wasn’t sure of…he knows a man named Ray. Ray is in my Thursday night preaching class! I couldn’t believe how even in the midst of living in a giant sized country, you still manage to find people to share common interests with and common connections. The potluck was a St. Patty’s Day theme, even down to the green bread we were eating (yes, green bread). I think it was a sourdough that just had a few gallons of green food coloring added to the batter when they made it.
Much in the similar fashion that SWBTS does on the “Taking the Hill” initiative, or the way that I did with my former church family, Southcliff, pastor George and I went door to door inviting people to show up to church, handing out flyers with my picture on them and a schedule, telling the community that I was here and that I was preaching. It is a really strange feeling. You go from being this shadow in a crowd (talking in the context of being in a seminary where there’s like 3000+ people) to being a preacher who everyone is coming out to hear. You have to never let it get to your head, or else God will never work in you.
I was able to go back to the Osburns house to rest and amazingly, it started snowing. I was drawn right back to what I had been saying yesterday about the relation to snow and the Chronicles of Narnia; hence the “Always Winter, never Christmas” title of the blog post. It is still snowing, so it is nice to see snow considering we got like maybe a pseudo-flurry in the end of February of this year.
Keep me in prayer as God continues to work through this mountain community in Washington State that really needs to be revived and encouraged. The impact that the Gospel will have on people that just need to hear a message is staggering. Please pray for Nick as well, as me and Pastor George are meeting with him today.
GRACE AND PEACE!
-Joel
Psalm 37:4
Revive This Nation 2 - Klickitat, Washington (Day 1): Saturday March 10, 2012
Snowy mountains, Giants, UNDER ME, Misty Mountains, Diamond glittering sparkly people... (Washington State, Narnia, Middle Earth?) WHERE AM I????? (Lol)
I apologize for this note being a day late, but I do not have Internet in the area where I am, I also don’t have access to a phone. So I have to wait each day to go over to the Pastor’s house after church each day to get onto the Internet and post what is going on with me. Perhaps it’s a good thing, I can draw closer to God being sort of cut off.
Okay so, this is my second time going to preach a revival, and already, I feel that God is going to do something far greater than I could have ever imagined. I am not quite sure how to describe what I am feeling; I can just say that God is going to do something big. Just from talking with my pastor and host family, I can say that there are going to be immense challenges that God will overcome, and I can only tell you this…FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS, my loyal readers (all 6 of you)…God is going to do amazing things.
Tomorrow (Sunday marks the day of perpetual preaching. I will be going through the big passages that I had prepared. (Isaiah 53 and Acts 8:26-40)
To start out with, I had a great time of fellowship on my way to the airport with my buddy Robert Catts (whose garment bag resides currently in my possession). He drove me and I felt I was able to be a blessing to him, as he was to me, giving me a ride. I spent 4 hours on a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Portland, Oregon, where I met my pastor, George Ford and his wife Beverly.
On the way, I got through the majority of C.S. Lewis’ book, The Silver Chair (part 4 of the Chronicles of Narnia). I seriously needed to read a book for fun, I was dying. I have been reading and reading and reading for school without any regard for reading for myself. I wanted to go through something for fun, and I had to start at the core, one of the greatest fantasy writers to ever live. Lewis is huge when it comes to fantasy. I was enjoying the book because it described wild lands to the north of Narnia, full of mountains, and we flew over the American Rockies, covered with snow. It was beautiful. I hadn’t seen mountains like that since I had flown from Milan, Italy to Chicago on my way back from Israel in 2007 when I flew over the Alps.
In addition to that, I read chapters from about 4 different books at once. I have been trying to go through a bunch of different things for myself. Especially considering all of my personal preferences towards entertainment are changing. I have kind of stopped watching and listening to Glee. My reasoning is this:
Last episode “On My Way” was kind of traumatic for me. I do not like remembering what it was like to be made fun of in high school. Keep in mind I didn’t have Facebook back in high school, because I would have done what the character did. The character Dave Karofsky was outed by his classmates and they had started spreading hateful rumors around school about him. Keep in mind, I do not endorse homosexuality in the slightest, but I remember what it was like to get made fun of, and if I had the opportunity, or the lack of desire to draw closer to the Lord, you would have heard about a suicide attempt. That is what happened, he tried to hang himself. So you see, sometimes, God gives us moments in our lives where we literally have to snap, in our convictions. I took a CD with Glee music on it and snapped it in half. God is doing something not only in me, but in those around me as well. My influences are changing, and believe me when I say, I just don’t know where God is going with what he is doing.
I find myself clinging to God’s Word as if I desperately need it to breathe, and reality is…that’s the way it should be for us as believers. Take what you read in God’s Word, apply it to your life and live it out like there is no tomorrow. It is the only way that you can truly live.
Along the drive from Portland, Oregon to Klickitat, Washington, I was reminded more and more of what it’s like to be in a fantasy epic as I saw the mountains covered in a shroud, similar to what was in Lord of the Rings, similar to what you’d see described in the Misty Mountains. It was just beautiful. It was nice to get to spend time with the pastor and his wife, and by the time I had gotten to my host home, we were sitting down to a home-cooked meal. The house where I am staying is on a mountain; It is surrounded by pine trees, snow, and white-water rapid filled rivers. In the home of LaDonna and Dave Osburn. I enjoyed a freshly caught trout for dinner…I cannot even begin to tell you in description how good this fish was, but supposedly Dave likes going fishing, so we may be eating steelhead or even salmon later this week, so stay tuned. Well, I must be off, It’s getting late, and I have to read through Isaiah 53 once through again for final preparation.
This is how the system will work…since I do not have access to the internet or a phone…
Once we get out of the dead zone area I will either tweet a picture or send a text to someone to let you know how I’m doing. Other than that, look for the posts from “Bagels and Lox” at the end of each day. I will try to head to the pastor’s house each night to post the blog online. It will be always at night, so please keep that in mind.
To my beloved wife, I love you and miss you fiercely, and look to the Word of God because it is your strength when I cannot hold you or be close to you.
To everyone else…um…yeah…
GRACE AND PEACE…
-Joel
Psalm 37:4
I apologize for this note being a day late, but I do not have Internet in the area where I am, I also don’t have access to a phone. So I have to wait each day to go over to the Pastor’s house after church each day to get onto the Internet and post what is going on with me. Perhaps it’s a good thing, I can draw closer to God being sort of cut off.
Okay so, this is my second time going to preach a revival, and already, I feel that God is going to do something far greater than I could have ever imagined. I am not quite sure how to describe what I am feeling; I can just say that God is going to do something big. Just from talking with my pastor and host family, I can say that there are going to be immense challenges that God will overcome, and I can only tell you this…FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS, my loyal readers (all 6 of you)…God is going to do amazing things.
Tomorrow (Sunday marks the day of perpetual preaching. I will be going through the big passages that I had prepared. (Isaiah 53 and Acts 8:26-40)
To start out with, I had a great time of fellowship on my way to the airport with my buddy Robert Catts (whose garment bag resides currently in my possession). He drove me and I felt I was able to be a blessing to him, as he was to me, giving me a ride. I spent 4 hours on a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Portland, Oregon, where I met my pastor, George Ford and his wife Beverly.
On the way, I got through the majority of C.S. Lewis’ book, The Silver Chair (part 4 of the Chronicles of Narnia). I seriously needed to read a book for fun, I was dying. I have been reading and reading and reading for school without any regard for reading for myself. I wanted to go through something for fun, and I had to start at the core, one of the greatest fantasy writers to ever live. Lewis is huge when it comes to fantasy. I was enjoying the book because it described wild lands to the north of Narnia, full of mountains, and we flew over the American Rockies, covered with snow. It was beautiful. I hadn’t seen mountains like that since I had flown from Milan, Italy to Chicago on my way back from Israel in 2007 when I flew over the Alps.
In addition to that, I read chapters from about 4 different books at once. I have been trying to go through a bunch of different things for myself. Especially considering all of my personal preferences towards entertainment are changing. I have kind of stopped watching and listening to Glee. My reasoning is this:
Last episode “On My Way” was kind of traumatic for me. I do not like remembering what it was like to be made fun of in high school. Keep in mind I didn’t have Facebook back in high school, because I would have done what the character did. The character Dave Karofsky was outed by his classmates and they had started spreading hateful rumors around school about him. Keep in mind, I do not endorse homosexuality in the slightest, but I remember what it was like to get made fun of, and if I had the opportunity, or the lack of desire to draw closer to the Lord, you would have heard about a suicide attempt. That is what happened, he tried to hang himself. So you see, sometimes, God gives us moments in our lives where we literally have to snap, in our convictions. I took a CD with Glee music on it and snapped it in half. God is doing something not only in me, but in those around me as well. My influences are changing, and believe me when I say, I just don’t know where God is going with what he is doing.
I find myself clinging to God’s Word as if I desperately need it to breathe, and reality is…that’s the way it should be for us as believers. Take what you read in God’s Word, apply it to your life and live it out like there is no tomorrow. It is the only way that you can truly live.
Along the drive from Portland, Oregon to Klickitat, Washington, I was reminded more and more of what it’s like to be in a fantasy epic as I saw the mountains covered in a shroud, similar to what was in Lord of the Rings, similar to what you’d see described in the Misty Mountains. It was just beautiful. It was nice to get to spend time with the pastor and his wife, and by the time I had gotten to my host home, we were sitting down to a home-cooked meal. The house where I am staying is on a mountain; It is surrounded by pine trees, snow, and white-water rapid filled rivers. In the home of LaDonna and Dave Osburn. I enjoyed a freshly caught trout for dinner…I cannot even begin to tell you in description how good this fish was, but supposedly Dave likes going fishing, so we may be eating steelhead or even salmon later this week, so stay tuned. Well, I must be off, It’s getting late, and I have to read through Isaiah 53 once through again for final preparation.
This is how the system will work…since I do not have access to the internet or a phone…
Once we get out of the dead zone area I will either tweet a picture or send a text to someone to let you know how I’m doing. Other than that, look for the posts from “Bagels and Lox” at the end of each day. I will try to head to the pastor’s house each night to post the blog online. It will be always at night, so please keep that in mind.
To my beloved wife, I love you and miss you fiercely, and look to the Word of God because it is your strength when I cannot hold you or be close to you.
To everyone else…um…yeah…
GRACE AND PEACE…
-Joel
Psalm 37:4
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Great Adventures with Fireflies (Part 1)
ADD has its good moments and bad moments, because you can focus on one thing, or several things all at once. Today is one of those kinds of days where I wish I could focus on a bunch of different things at once, but I have to be a "one-at-a-time" kind of guy if that makes any sense. Right now, with school the way that it is, I have to take time to take things super slowly and just enjoy life for each and every experience that comes my way, taking ti slow, and learning things one day at a time, as a great friend of mine has told me.
Revival is just days away, and I am preparing myself mentally and spiritually for this task of preaching the word from a pulpit. I will try to blog much in the way that I wrote notes on facebook last year while I was in Ohio, but this is different, I am trying to branch out a little bit, using my social media platforms for reaching people with news about me. I also have twitter which can take pictures and people will be able to follow me that way as well.
Right now, I am playing the role of the good house husband, as my wife has not been feeling well. I took the day off from work to be by her side if she needed me for something and well I figured I would work on homework, have a few movies running, and get caught up on things before its time for me to leave.
More to come later tonight...
GRACE AND PEACE!
Revival is just days away, and I am preparing myself mentally and spiritually for this task of preaching the word from a pulpit. I will try to blog much in the way that I wrote notes on facebook last year while I was in Ohio, but this is different, I am trying to branch out a little bit, using my social media platforms for reaching people with news about me. I also have twitter which can take pictures and people will be able to follow me that way as well.
Right now, I am playing the role of the good house husband, as my wife has not been feeling well. I took the day off from work to be by her side if she needed me for something and well I figured I would work on homework, have a few movies running, and get caught up on things before its time for me to leave.
More to come later tonight...
GRACE AND PEACE!
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