Context

I believe it's important to view scripture in context.

I think most honest folks do.

If I Corinthians 14 instructs Christians for all time not to forbid speaking in tongues; to allow two or three prophets to speak; that someone must interpret; that all are permitted to prophesy (in order to convict visitors of their sin); that all things must be done decently and in order; and that women should keep silent ... how is it that some folks can isolate only the last two instructions to enforce at the neglect of the others?

If it's because people today are not gifted to speak in tongues, then is that because we have forbidden them? Quenched the Spirit?

If it's because tongues have "passed away" (13:8), have prophecy and knowledge also passed away? If that's true, how can we hope to convict visitors of their sin? Especially if only half of the church is allowed to speak?

Do we still earnestly desire the spiritual gift of prophecy?

Has it ceased to be true that "everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort"?

Is it possible that by neglecting the tradition of letting two or three speak, we are undermining the credibility of God's holy Word in the ears and eyes and minds and hearts of those who visit our assemblies?

Do we even have or care about those who visit our assemblies anymore?

Okay, don't worry about me; I'm not going all holy-roller on you. I just want to know some things.

So I am full of questions. Like these:

What good does it do if someone listening to the one-and-only-minister actually does have a revelation while listening there in the assembly and can't raise his or her hand to share it with the rest? Even if the minister is obviously troubled, perplexed or even misdirected in what he says on the subject? Will it simply do to mention it to him in the lobby later so that he can say, "Well, that's interesting; I'll have to study and consider that"?

Do we dare send our visitors away with the impression that we don't have a clue what we're talking about - especially if God has chosen to reveal His truth then and there (as He certainly, undeniably, scripturally has before)?

Has He changed His mind about revealing things to women and children? And men?

Didn't His son choose to stay some extra time in Samaria because of the testimony of the woman at the well?

Did He not reveal the fact of His resurrection first to the women who came to pay homage at His temporary tomb?

Did His Spirit not pour His prophetic gifts into the four daughters of Phillip?

Does it no longer please Him to reveal things to little children?

If we are so dedicated to restoring the New Testament church of century one in the context of century twenty-one, shouldn't we be praying to be able to do so to the fullest ... rather than just by picking the easy "rules" to "enforce"?

Or is it just possible that the entire set of instructions in I Corinthians 14 was directed toward a set of circumstances unique to the church in that time and place and context?

A church where chaos prevailed and women spoke out because what went on was unintelligible and would not submit to their husbands who shushed them because in their church, God was not perceived as a God of order and peace - as in all the other churches?

Have we applied the specific instructions of a church in trouble during century one to a church relatively untroubled by such chaos for the next twenty centuries?

Why have we not been praying earnestly, unceasingly, forcefully and together for the discernment to know what eternal principles are revealed by this and other scriptures, and what instructions were intended as remedies for specific infractions of good manners and others' rights to hear, understand and, yes, speak the truth of His Story?

Praying for Pentecost

We could have a countdown to Pentecost. We know it's coming.

Although the followers of Christ in century one could have had one, too - I guess it's always fifty days after Passover - they probably couldn't have known exactly what was coming nor when. So they took care of business. They selected a replacement for Judas in the apostolic ministry.

And they prayed without ceasing.

But even though we know the date is coming, I don't know of many Christian groups who pray for what came then to come again.

Are we afraid of tongues of fire?

Do we fear the repercussions of everyone hearing the Story of Christ in his own language?

Are we apprehensive about the thousands who might respond, and what it might do to our lives and what we might have to sacrifice if we met daily at God's house and shared everything we had and devoted ourselves to teachings about Christ and to prayer?

Are we terrified that we might give in to the Spirit's leading if He actually poured Himself into our lives?

I know I am.

Yet I am dedicated to praying for it.

I am going to try to put my fears aside. I'm going to try not to set a deadline for God; to care what day or days it takes place. I'm going to try to not care what form His Spirit may take: whether tongues of fire or descending doves or mighty rushing winds or lives changed forever - even mine.

I am going to pray for Pentecost to occur again, in my life and the lives of Christians I know and don't know.

I am going to pray for revival in that seemingly endless interim between the Lord's ascension and what I anticipate as His return.

I am going to pray, starting today.

Will you pray with me?

Authorized in Triplicate

It's clear to me that Jesus did not take kindly toward people who declared that there was no scriptural authority for things that He and His followers did.

In Matthew 21:23-27 (and Mark 11:27-33 and Luke 20:1-8), He had just cleared the temple, healed the blind and the lame, refused to discipline children who shouted praise at the temple, and wilted a fig tree - and it did not go over well with the powers-that-thought-they-be. When they asked Him by what and whose authority He did these things, He struck a bargain with them: Answer my question and I'll answer yours. Their answer was dishonest and disingenuous, and He refused to answer theirs.

He (and His disciples) did a lot of things that weren't specifically authorized by their scripture: the Law and the Prophets.

His disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath. Sometimes they didn't wash before they ate.

He miraculously transformed water into more wine than was probably necessary at a wedding feast.

He drove moneychangers and animal merchants out of the temple courts. Maybe even twice.

He healed people on the Sabbath. Again and again. And yet again.

No one quibbled that He taught on the Sabbath. Reading in advance, preparing His commentary, sharing God's will to men - that wasn't work. But if He healed a cripple or two, He was somehow going the extra mile beyond what was permitted on their holy day of rest. They could make an exception for circumcision on the Sabbath, but not for healing.

- Even though, in many if not most of these instances, the intent was to teach and draw people to God and the direct result was that God was praised and the teaching was confirmed as authoritative.

You'd think it would have been obvious that the freedom to transcend the restrictions of the Law had been authorized by and for the One who transcended His own laws of creation - and could authorize His followers to do so, too.

Surely, in this enlightened Christian age, Christian folks would not deride and condemn other Christian folks for being like Christ to the extent that they would do things on a holy day like Sunday that are not specifically authorized in scripture.

Assuredly, they could not maintain that - since the Law and the Prophets have been fulfilled in Christ - that we are bound by the jots and tittles of laws that must be presumed by their conspicuous absence in God's word.

Certainly, they would not themselves engage in holy day activities taking place in facilities augmented by amplification devices and visual projectors and bound books of vocal music - none of which are authorized by scripture - and still accuse others of greater and worse offenses.

Clearly, they would never neglect the doing of good toward people and the drawing of the lost to God by concentrating massive resources to the defense of such a gospel that is no gospel at all, but rather a divisive and self-righteous conglomeration of the precepts of men.

Would they?

Thoughts at the Table

(An interim post, so you'll know I'm okay - and refocusing.)

I shared most of these with my church family Sunday, April 15. I haven't led thoughts at the Table for more than a year, so I may have said too much. But it never seems like enough when I try to encapsulate the Story in a few words for the centerpiece of our worship together ....

I know a Story that will break your heart.

You know it, too.

About an upright and loving man, torn from His friends in a garden where He had gone to pray for His life ... tried, stripped, tortured and finally publicly executed - all because He claimed to be the Son of God.

It happened so long ago, and our world is so full of tragedy, that this would be just another sad tale that wouldn't break our hearts if it weren't for the fact that He was, indeed, God's Son.

And of all the divine teachings He shared, and all the supernatural things He did to confirm it, maybe the most miraculous of all was what He did before those awful things were done to Him.

He stripped to the waist, wrapped a towel around Himself and washed the dirty feet of His closest friends.

He prayed for their unity.

He prayed that His Spirit might fall upon them.

He took the bread of the Passover meal, and when He had blessed and broken and shared it, said: "Take and eat it; this is my body broken for you. As often as you do this, remember me."

After the meal, He took the cup and blessed it and shared it, saying: "This is my blood of the new agreement between God and man, poured out for you. As often as you do this, remember me."

Then He surrendered Himself freely to His enemies and the cross.

As we consume the bread and the wine and it becomes part of us, His body becomes ours; His blood flows in our veins; His Spirit vivifies us with life and unity and mission.

We are broken to be kneaded, re-shaped and warmed to usefulness. We are crushed to be distilled for purpose.

And as we are increasingly transformed into His likeness, our hearts are broken again. - Not just by His Story, but by the stories of those around us.

So we share the Story that broke our hearts with others, to break theirs.

We share the life He shares with us.

We share the unity of His body, His church, His kingdom.

And the Story continues.

BlogFast

Some time back, my blogging friend Fred Peatross shut down his blog for a while with the simple post, "This blog needs a rest."

I think this blog needs a rest, too.

Recently it has been the battleground of concepts at war in my mind and heart that have left me drained and empty and angry and cold.

Most of those concepts have to do with "how to do church."

Yup, I've let myself become a grumpy, irritating, belligerent jerk not just here, but in the comments I've left elsewhere, over "how to do church."

I don't know how to do church.

I really don't.

I don't have a clue.

And I don't know how I could have finished a Lenten fast having gained so much arrogant weight above the neck.

I appreciate the kind words and encouragement so many have left here. I wish I had shown the same grace.

When I can show some grace again, I'll come back here.

Right now, I believe I need to refocus on Christ.

Exemplary Shepherding

I'm delighted to share with you (and to beat Mike Cope to the punch) that Bob Gomez - one of my elders when my family and I attended at Highland Church of Christ - has been nominated to receive a Jefferson Award in Abilene, an award for community service.

If you're registered to read the Abilene Reporter-News online, you can catch the entire story here.

One pair of paragraphs reads:

Gomez said he was surprised - and a little embarrassed - to learn his volunteer work had earned him a Jefferson Award nomination.

''I'm not the kind of person that wants recognition,'' he said. ''I do it because I enjoy helping people.''

Bob and his wife Jimmie led the small group that we were in at Highland. At that time, the church had 33 elders, each of whom led a small group, became involved in the lives of the families in them, and were tender, caring shepherds to their flock.

The Thousandth Women

Kipling's poem "The Thousandth Man" rephrases Solomon's dour and somewhat mysogynistic insights as a treatise on the rarity of true, deep friendship.

Yet in Jesus' mortal life, those who were most loyal to Him were women.

They kept their distance in respect for His naked shame, but they stayed with Him at the cross.

They kept vigil at the tomb.

They went to the tomb early in the morning after Sabbath, with the specific intention of anointing His body.

They were the first witnesses with the newborn gospel of the empty tomb.

They joined in constant prayer after His ascension.

They truly followed Him "to the gallows-foot, and after!"

We of the male persuasion could learn a lot from their fealty.

On this day we celebrate His rising, we could stand to rise to their example.

By Grace, Through Faith, Expressed in Works?

You can pretty much ideologically prove what you want to by citing one or two Bible verses and ignoring the rest of the Bible.

Salvation by water baptism only? Just isolate 1 Peter 3:18-22.

Salvation by belief and confession only? Romans 10:8-10 will do.

Salvation by belief only? Acts 16:31

Salvation by belief and baptism only? Mark 16:16

Salvation by loving the truth alone? 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Salvation by just hearing? Ephesians 1:13

Salvation that follows only through repentance and godly sorrow? 2 Corinthians 7:10

Savlation for women through childbearing alone? 1 Timothy 2:15, though you have to stretch the word "she" into "women" there.

Salvation only by staying with the ship? Acts 27:31

Salvation only by being an Israelite? Romans 11:26

Salvation only by being a Gentile? Acts 28:28

Salvation only by doing good things: feeding and clothing the poor, helping the sick, visiting the imprisoned? Matthew 25:34-40

Salvation only by grace through faith? Ephesians 2:8

Okay, the contexts of some of those are deliberately spurious, having nothing to do with the kind of salvation or "being saved" that we usually talk about. A few are outright silly.

My point is that we don't always know what we're talking about when we speak of salvation, or in what context it's found in scripture, or how God bestows it.

Salvation isn't a matter of "either-or," but "and" and "and" and "and."

Personally, my hermeneutic on salvation is seeing a lot of those scriptures describing it as becoming as much like Jesus as humanly possible.

He was human, so it is theoretically possible. He was and is divine, so it may be functionally impossible for the rest of us.

That shouldn't keep us from trying.

Many of those scriptures above are attributes of an ongoing process called salvation which, according to Philippians 2:12-13, we work out by letting God work through us, "according to His good purpose."

Therefore, the good works that we do are not our works, but His; He chooses to achieve them through us.

We give up doing what we want to do, and do what He wants us to do. We crucify self, and enthrone the Crucified in our hearts:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20

Salvation begins here and now, and continues in eternity forever.

As Christians, we choose and are chosen by God to be agents of that salvation in our own lives and in the world. We are literally God's work in progress. He equips us for it with His own Holy Spirit.

So there is never a point, as long as we live, at which we can live a Christian life - a life of worship - without letting Him work through us. We do so in gratitude for what He has done for us, but also for what He will yet do through us.

And as long as we are His instruments of peace, there is never a point at which we have to be worried about our salvation.

It is given by God's grace, accepted in faith, expressed through His work in us.

More Excellent Way

The kingdom of God has precious little to do with being right about everything.

But it is all about doing good toward everyone.

Discuss.
(Use a number 2 pencil. Neatness counts. No erasures.)

Free Preview Chapter from an Intriguing Book

Here's a link to a free PDF preview chapter (the first) of a book by Off-The-Map.Org's Jim Henderson and atheist pal Matt Casper's many journeys to different churches across the country and their reactions to them - as a follower of Christ and an atheist.

The book, appropriately enough, is titled "Jim and Casper Go To Church."

http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-1331-3.pdf

My favorite quote so far:

Jesus didn’t just teach principles; he taught practices. He gave people something to do. He didn’t just teach them about forgiveness; he told them to forgive their debtors. He didn’t just talk about love as a concept (eros, phileo, and agape); he told people to love their enemies. He didn’t just tell people to think about changing their behaviors; he told them to repent (change their actions). Sure it’s challenging, but it doesn’t take a weekend seminar to understand what he means.

Enjoy!

'Making Sense of Holy Week'

I saw it in my e-mail church bulletin from my previous church home in Abilene, but I waited until the news broke at my previous employer there:

Highland Church of Christ, for the first time, will join four other downtown churches of various Christian fellowships that have hosted a series of Holy Week luncheons for the past 30 years.

If you're registered to view the Abilene Reporter-News Web site, you can read it for yourself at this link.

The article reads, in part:

Traditionally, First Baptist, St. Paul United Methodist, First Christian and First Central Presbyterian churches each have hosted a Holy Week lunch featuring a speaker. The event extends to a fifth day this year with the addition of Highland Church of Christ.

The luncheon series begins at 11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. This year's theme: ''Making Sense of Holy Week,'' with each of the lectures tied to one of the five senses.

First Central Presbyterian Church pastor Cliff Stewart said he thinks Abilenians are ''eager to see their faith transcend denominational boundaries.'' He warmly welcomed Highland to the event.

''(Highland's) pastor Mike Cope is a marvelous communicator and a valued colleague,'' he said. ''He will have much to offer.''

Cope said the four other churches invited his to participate.

''There is a growing sense of shared mission among our churches (along with many others),'' he said in an e-mail. ''In many ways, we're following the lead of our teenagers who have been sharing Holy Week experiences for a few years now.''

I'm sure this will come as no surprise to Mike's many critics - quite a number of whom are separate-and-aparters who insist that all other churches outside the Church of Christ fellowship are apostate, lost and forever damned; that "we" should come out and away from them - but I think I know his heart. He was my preaching minister for three years. I know he has had a long-standing tradition himself of exchanging pulpits with the minister of one of those four churches (Phil Christopher) one Sunday each year. I've read his books. I've read a lot of his articles.

I believe he has captured Christ's vision for the unity of His church, poured out in pleading prayer to the Father in John 17.

And this will be my second opportunity in a week to congratulate him on a lifetime achievement.

The first would be his inaugural grandbaby, Reese Kathryn Cope, born March 29.