Context is key when getting into the Word. The truth is that many of us Americans have bought into a materialistic, right-now mindset, and so we're tempted to pull verses out of context to fit that mindset. We need to understand that God's greatest desire is to glorify His name. Too often, we interpret God's promises in a way that is appealing to our sinful side. We often grab things out of Scripture and try to use them for our own benefit, instead of taking the necessary steps to submit to Scripture, to be humbled by it. So let's look at some of the most common verses that are taken out of context/misinterpreted.
"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
- John 14:13
God is not a genie in a bottle. Yes, He has a good, pleasing, and perfect will. But this doesn't mean we should pray for whatever we want. We are sinful people and don't even know what's best for us, as the book of Romans says. Sometimes we pray with wrong motives. Praying random prayers that are self-centered is not God-honoring. We must seek His will when we pray.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
- Jeremiah 29:11-13
Most people overlook the context of the verse because it speaks to what they want to hear for their life. This was a corporate promise given to the nation of Israel, to a generation that came out of 70 years of captivity in Babylon. We think through an Americanized filter based on our preconceived notions of what blessing is. But God's promises are spiritual promises, not promises of instant gratification. Though God does bless us in many ways, he has not promised us our best life now. This world is not our home, and we should long for a better world.
“Judge not, that you be not judged."
- Matthew 7:1
Who is speaking? Jesus. To who? The religious leaders of the day. And why? Because they were being hypocritical in their judgments. The Bible talks about us judging. It talks in James 5:19 about leading others from being astray. Spiritual discipline is required. Tough love. There is a difference between that of "judging" (Being self-righteous and ungodly) and that of loving and caring. Romans 12: 16 - 21 talks about this. Matthew 18: 15-17 talks more about this.
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
- Romans 8:28
This verse is often used to cheer people up. This verse should cheer you up but not necessarily in the way people usually say. It's usually used to say "don't worry, everything will be fine." What this verse really means is, "don't worry, everything will be the way God wants it to be." Unfortunately, what God wants isn't always going to be something that is necessarily fine in your opinion.
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:13
In that passage, Paul is teaching on contentment and arguing that no matter what our situation is, we should learn to be content. The ability to be content, whatever the situation, is contingent on what Jesus gives us. Athletes love this verse. This verse doesn't necessarily mean that Jesus will give the player victory, but rather that he or she can be content either way because of God's strength in him or her. It's not about God giving you the strength to dunk the basketball as much as it is Him working in you to be content no matter what happens in the game.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."
- Revelation 3:20
This verse is usually used as part of the unbiblical "Sinner's Prayer." Is the King of Kings meekly standing at the door of your heart knocking and hoping that you will open up and let him in? No. Revelation 3:20 has nothing to do with “doors of hearts.” It comes at the end of Christ’s message to the seven churches (specifically here, a stinging rebuke of the church of Laodicia). The door of verse 20 is to the churches, made clear by verse 22: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” It's about Christ knocking on the door of a lukewarm church, so that He might be let in and get to be center focus again. This isn't a letter to unbelievers but believers to not be lukewarm.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Trial by Fire
Peter thawed his cold hands by the warm fire. He said that he would never be ashamed of Jesus. But he was about to deny Him to a maid. He was about to go through a fiery trial, and three times be found guilty of being ashamed of the one he called his Lord.
Peter made a number of mistakes that dark night. He slept while Jesus prayed. He had missed his Gethsemane experience, and when the hour of temptation came upon him, in one sense he was still asleep. It would take the loud crowing of a rooster to waken him.
Scripture tells us "a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire." She was sure that she had seen him with Jesus, but Peter adamantly said, "Woman, I do not know Him." Two more accusers, then two more denials. The accusations came out of the mouth of three witnesses. The trial by fire was over. He was three times guilty.
When he came to himself Peter went out and wept bitterly. He had already lamented over his own sinfulness when he once fell at the feet of Jesus and said, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." But this experience was different.
Peter's denial at first seems a mystery. He had unashamedly walked with Jesus of Nazareth for three years. He had even stayed by His side when he knew that the Jews sought to kill Him. How then could Peter be afraid of a maid? He stepped out of the boat to walk on water. He had boldly taken his sword into his hand in defense of his Lord. He was no wimp. No, his fear was not simply because he belonged to Jesus. It was something deeper.
It would seem that it was the Roman cross that Peter feared. This instrument of punishment was no mere lethal injection. This was a torture stake. It was cruel and usual punishment. The Romans used the cross to execute lawbreakers as if it was going out of fashion. They had raised the crossbar of human suffering to a higher level.
The cross was meant to be something that caused fear. Its grizzly public display was a freeway billboard, designed to deter the busy traffic of crime. Peter, no doubt had seen men writhe like worms, as barbed Roman steel penetrated their tender flesh. He had seen soldiers dutifully hold down unwilling and grasping hands. He had heard the unforgettable thud of the hammer as it pushed cold nails through warm human flesh, releasing gushes of blood from hands and feet. He had been a silent witness as hardened men suddenly became screaming animals, horrified by the stark reality of their terrible plight. One look into their eyes was enough to terrorize the most callous of human hearts.
He had also watched the unspeakable torture as the cross was heartlessly dropped into the ground, ripping apart mortal flesh like a great beast viciously tearing its helpless prey. No. It wasn't the maid he feared. It was the terrifying threat of the Roman torture stake.
Perhaps you too once dropped to your knees at the feet of the Son of God and confessed your sins. You know what it is to lament over your wicked heart. Now you belong to Jesus…and you are not ashamed to confess Him before men.
Let me therefore ask you a few probing questions. It's a cold night. Come closer to the fire so that you can warm your hands. Come nearer to the light so that we can see your face. Let's see how cold you are. When did you last share your faith? I'm not asking if you have a "God is good" sticker on your car, or if you wear a "fish" badge. I'm not asking whether you are ashamed to say that you belong to Jesus. Of course you're not. I'm asking when you last shared the bloodied cross. When did you last preach Christ crucified? When did you last beg with a sinner to flee from God's wrath, and to shelter in the cross?
Perhaps you have been following Jesus, but you've dropped back just a little… because of the cross. Any mention of its bloodstained frame will mean that a sinful world will stop smiling at your walk with Jesus. It will instead begin to spit out its hatred. You are afraid of what the Apostle Paul called the "offense of the cross." Like Peter, you dread it because of the personal pain it would bring. The hymn-writer's "To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true. Its shame and reproach gladly bear" have been nothing but empty words.
Perhaps this is because you have been sleeping when you should have been praying. You have missed your Gethsemane experience. You are following Jesus "afar off." You have been sitting with the ungodly with no real concern for their eternal welfare.
Are you guilty of denying your Lord? Do you hear the crowing of conscience? Has its voice woken you? Perhaps you need to go somewhere and weep bitterly.
Peter made a number of mistakes that dark night. He slept while Jesus prayed. He had missed his Gethsemane experience, and when the hour of temptation came upon him, in one sense he was still asleep. It would take the loud crowing of a rooster to waken him.
Scripture tells us "a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire." She was sure that she had seen him with Jesus, but Peter adamantly said, "Woman, I do not know Him." Two more accusers, then two more denials. The accusations came out of the mouth of three witnesses. The trial by fire was over. He was three times guilty.
When he came to himself Peter went out and wept bitterly. He had already lamented over his own sinfulness when he once fell at the feet of Jesus and said, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." But this experience was different.
Peter's denial at first seems a mystery. He had unashamedly walked with Jesus of Nazareth for three years. He had even stayed by His side when he knew that the Jews sought to kill Him. How then could Peter be afraid of a maid? He stepped out of the boat to walk on water. He had boldly taken his sword into his hand in defense of his Lord. He was no wimp. No, his fear was not simply because he belonged to Jesus. It was something deeper.
It would seem that it was the Roman cross that Peter feared. This instrument of punishment was no mere lethal injection. This was a torture stake. It was cruel and usual punishment. The Romans used the cross to execute lawbreakers as if it was going out of fashion. They had raised the crossbar of human suffering to a higher level.
The cross was meant to be something that caused fear. Its grizzly public display was a freeway billboard, designed to deter the busy traffic of crime. Peter, no doubt had seen men writhe like worms, as barbed Roman steel penetrated their tender flesh. He had seen soldiers dutifully hold down unwilling and grasping hands. He had heard the unforgettable thud of the hammer as it pushed cold nails through warm human flesh, releasing gushes of blood from hands and feet. He had been a silent witness as hardened men suddenly became screaming animals, horrified by the stark reality of their terrible plight. One look into their eyes was enough to terrorize the most callous of human hearts.
He had also watched the unspeakable torture as the cross was heartlessly dropped into the ground, ripping apart mortal flesh like a great beast viciously tearing its helpless prey. No. It wasn't the maid he feared. It was the terrifying threat of the Roman torture stake.
Perhaps you too once dropped to your knees at the feet of the Son of God and confessed your sins. You know what it is to lament over your wicked heart. Now you belong to Jesus…and you are not ashamed to confess Him before men.
Let me therefore ask you a few probing questions. It's a cold night. Come closer to the fire so that you can warm your hands. Come nearer to the light so that we can see your face. Let's see how cold you are. When did you last share your faith? I'm not asking if you have a "God is good" sticker on your car, or if you wear a "fish" badge. I'm not asking whether you are ashamed to say that you belong to Jesus. Of course you're not. I'm asking when you last shared the bloodied cross. When did you last preach Christ crucified? When did you last beg with a sinner to flee from God's wrath, and to shelter in the cross?
Perhaps you have been following Jesus, but you've dropped back just a little… because of the cross. Any mention of its bloodstained frame will mean that a sinful world will stop smiling at your walk with Jesus. It will instead begin to spit out its hatred. You are afraid of what the Apostle Paul called the "offense of the cross." Like Peter, you dread it because of the personal pain it would bring. The hymn-writer's "To the old rugged cross, I will ever be true. Its shame and reproach gladly bear" have been nothing but empty words.
Perhaps this is because you have been sleeping when you should have been praying. You have missed your Gethsemane experience. You are following Jesus "afar off." You have been sitting with the ungodly with no real concern for their eternal welfare.
Are you guilty of denying your Lord? Do you hear the crowing of conscience? Has its voice woken you? Perhaps you need to go somewhere and weep bitterly.
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