Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 7/15/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

This Saturday, Heather, myself, and six others from Hazelwood will be leaving for Pickering, Ontario to assist our sister church plant, The Sanctuary Pickering, with their summer kids’ sports camp. With missions on our brains, we talked last night about what I hope to be our new focus in the new school year – living missionally in our own lives and community. With a name like Sola5, we’ve put a lot of emphasis on reformation over the past three years, both the importance of the historical reformation and the need for constant personal reformation to bring ourselves more in line with the truth of God’s word. However, in the coming year, our goal at Sola5 is to turn our reformation into reformission – taking what we’ve learned and making an impact on those around us who need the gospel.

As an introduction to that task, we looked at Acts 1:1-11 last night, studying Jesus’ final words and actions before his ascension. As we thought about our task, we thought of our missional mentality like a journey so that we could look at the factors that will get us from where we are to where we want to be as individual. What’s the engine that drives us in our pursuit? It’s the gospel. In verses 1-3, notice how Jesus spends his time with the disciples after his resurrection – demonstrating to them that he is alive by various proofs and speaking to them about the kingdom of God. He’s giving them their message, showing and telling them about what his purpose was in coming into the world. Before they could go and fulfill the task he laid before them, they needed to understand what he had come to do. The same is true for us – before you can make an impact on those around you, you must first understand how the gospel bears on your life. It must become your driving force.

If the gospel is the engine for our reformission journey, the church is the vehicle that it drives. The disciples are still, after all Jesus has done, confused about the kingdom he’s come to build. They ask if its finally time to toss out the Romans, and Jesus brushes their inquiry aside. His kingdom, after all, is not of this world. He has called us out of the world to live as his body, empowered by his spirit – and that’s an identity we keep when we scatter throughout the week as well as when we’re together on Sundays. This brings us to our third factor – how do we communicate the gospel to those around us? Our culture is our avenue, it’s the road we’re traveling down. Jesus told the disciples they would be his witnesses. That word most likely calls to your mind a courtroom scenario. What does a trial witness do? He relates what he knows, what he has seen, heard and experienced, to the others in the court. That is our task as followers of Christ, and we relate to those around us through our shared culture. We’re all aware of our culture. If I were to ask you about your friends’ favorite songs, books, movies, causes, biggest pet peeves, etc., you could likely rattle off an extensive list. But when was the last time you thought about why your friends love or hate the things they do. What is it about reading Twilight or watching Lost or listening to Coldplay that triggers something inside them. What is it saying? What deep-seated emotions and beliefs to these things stir? If we can answer those questions, then we’ll begin to see crystal-clear ways to inject Christ into people’s lives. Get to know those around you, and you’ll have deeper opportunities for ministry into their lives.

In conclusion, though, where is this all going? What’s our destination? In verses 9-11, we see that it is eternal life with Christ. The last word that the disciples hear from the angels is that Jesus is returning just as he left. Their expectation and hope in Christ’s return is what drove them into the future. Can we say the same thing? I know that in my life, all too often I can’t. I become so weighed down with this world that I lose sight of my ultimate goal and destiny – to be with Christ. People around us need to see the reflection of our destination gleaming in our eyes if they’re going to have any desire to go with us. We need to grasp with more depth and vitality the glory of Christ and the amazing promise that we will one day stand in his presence and experience the purpose for which we were made by basking in that glory for all eternity. When we do, we’ll find that we’ll have an unshakable desire to live as reformissionaries in a lost and dying world.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 7/1/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

After a very busy June, last night was our first regular Sola5 Bible study in nearly a month. It was great to be back with all my students again as we continued our summer question and answer series, “You Asked For It.” We looked at the question, “Why was Jesus never involved in a romantic relationship with a woman?” This is a question that has popped up more often over the last few years since the release of the book and movie The DaVinci Code. For those unfamiliar, the novel is about a professor who discovered the long-buried secret that Jesus actually married Mary Magdalene and had a child with her. Why does this bother Christians so much? After all, marriage is a gift from God, right? Genesis 2:24 holds it up as the most precious of all human relationships. Heck, an entire book of the Bible (Song of Solomon) is devoted to it! So why, then, did Jesus never pursue romance?

I tried to answer the question in two ways. The was to answer historically – why don’t we believe that Jesus ever married? Why do we find Dan Brown’s version of history so problematic. Well, quite simply, the Bible doesn’t say anything about Jesus getting married (or indeed entering a romantic relationship of any kind) or having a family. Now, the Bible doesn’t tell us everything there is to know about Jesus (in fact, John tells us that all the libraries in the world couldn’t hold the books required for that), so some might say that this is perhaps just a detail that the gospel writers left out. That hardly seems plausible, though. Wouldn’t you find it a little odd if you had a friend who you knew for years and they never mentioned the fact that they were married? That’s hardly a small detail. So, it would be equally as strange for the disciples to record Jesus life over 3+ years of ministry and never think to mention the fact that he was married with children.

The second aspect of the answer is to answer explanatorily – why didn’t Jesus pursue romance and marriage? On that front, the answer is a question of purpose. What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth? Though he was fully human like all of us (including sexual desires), he was also fully God, meaning his purpose on the earth was different than any other human being who has ever lived. His purpose was to save us from our sin by the sacrifice of his death and the power of his resurrection (John 3:16-17, Colossians 1:19-20). His purpose was to demonstrate to us by his life what God is like (John 18:37, Colossians 1:15). So then, the question to ask is this – did romance and marriage serve the purpose for which Jesus came? The answer would seem to be no. Jesus' task of traveling Israel preaching the coming of the New Covenant and dying to usher that covenant in caused him to live a life of singleness - with many friends and followers, but no wife or children to commit himself to. This shouldn't serve to denegrate marriage and family, but to highlight the supremacy of Christ's calling. In fact, 1 Corinthians 7:25-35 tells us that as important as the marriage relationship is, it is subject to a higher calling – our calling as followers of Christ.

This brings us to the point of application. If Christ’s purpose on earth dictated what he did in his life – even when it comes to romance – then each of us must ask ourselves, “What is my purpose?” As Christians, we live to glorify God and to take his gospel to all people. That, then, is the filter that we need to pass our conception of dating, romance, and marriage through. Last night, I asked several questions to get my students thinking in this direction. First, why do you date? I would bet that most American teens get their concept of dating from the culture. I certainly did when I was in high school. However, one look at the divorce rate in this country should tell us that our culture’s view of romance isn’t exactly one worth emulating. Stop dating because it’s what your friends are doing and start asking yourself what you’re looking for. Are you dating to find a potential spouse? Is that something that you’re ready for at this stage of your life? If you’re not dating with marriage as the goal, then what is it you’re after - and is it something that is honoring to God? Secondly, who do you date? We have an explicit command in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 not to marry a non-Christian. If the purpose of your dating is to seek a spouse (and again, if it’s not, then what are you doing?), then it follows that you have no business dating an unbeliever. What sort of person are you looking for in a mate? All the good looks and all the personality in the world won’t mean a rip when you are an infinity apart on the most foundational aspect of human existence – your relationship to God. Thirdly, should you date? As I said earlier, we tend to be big cultural followers in this area. Have you ever stopped to ask whether the purpose that God has for your life is served by dating? Perhaps some, like Paul, will never marry in order to follow the calling God has placed on your life. Perhaps some will, like Peter, embark on a life of Christian ministry and balancing it with family life. Some will be called to singleness for a time in their lives to follow where God is leading, and some may meet their spouse in high school, and marry young, like Heather and I did. The point of it all is this – are you willing to submit your dating life and your search for a spouse to the wisdom of God’s word, or are you going to follow the lead of our culture which sprints headfirst into romantic or sexual behavior that is pointless at best and destructive at worst? Are you cultivating a biblical worldview, where what you know to be true about God and his word actually impacts the way you see the world and live your life? Wherever you’re at in life, take time this week to rethink the way you view romance and to pursue it (or not) to the glory of God.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 6/3/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Last night, our You Asked For It series continued with the question, “How do I know if I’m saved or not?” The questioner asked if the fact that they were even having those thoughts was a sign that they likely weren’t saved, and if they should “feel different.” I started my answer with the encouragement that the fact that someone asks that question is more likely a positive sign than a negative, because of the fact that they are actually concerned about it. This is a question that almost every Christian will struggle with at some point in their spiritual walk. How do we answer it?

The obvious starting point should be the gospel. I assume that the person who asked the question would mentally agree with the gospel, but that must be our starting point nonetheless. Do we believe in God’s holiness, our sinfulness, Christ’s sinless life and sacrificial death, his victorious resurrection, and the free offer of grace through faith? That is the only way that we find peace with God, so we must start there. However, we can fake beliefs, can’t we? In fact, we are so good at being deceptive that we can even deceive ourselves into thinking that we are Christians when we’re really not. Jesus himself warned against this, saying that on the last day many would speak of what they did for him while hearing the dreaded, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” We certainly don’t want that to be us, so we seek assurance that the faith we profess is real, and not a deception of our sinful heart and mind. How do we do that? In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul encourages us to test ourselves to see if we are really believers. If we are really in the faith, then there should be tangible evidences in our lives that we can look for and evaluate. So, what are they? I believe that the book of 1 John is a great place to start. As John himself says in 5:13, the book was written to us so that we could know that we have eternal life. In very straightforward terms, he gives us a series of things that should be present in our lives if we are truly in Christ. Last night, I used those things to form eight questions that we can ask ourselves in an effort to do exactly the testing that God has commanded. I’ll list them for you here with a reference to where I’m getting them from 1 John and a brief description.

1. Do You Walk In Darkness? (1:5-7, 3:1-10) – Obviously, we’re not perfect, and even as Christians we still sin. However, do you perpetually walk in darkness? Are you still comfortable with your sin? Does it still dominate your life, with no real desire or effort to change? If so, consider Scripture’s warning.

2. Are You a Self-Righteous Person? (1:8-10) – The flip side of the first question. Do you depend on your own goodness for your confidence before God. You may not verbally claim perfection, but does your life communicate that you’re mistake-proof and that you’ve got it all together? A Christian should be humble and reliant upon Christ for forgiveness.

3. Do You Love Learning About God? (4:1-6, 5:6-12) – John’s book isn’t all about actions – he’s concerned with false teachers and stresses the importance of right belief. Does learning about God and his works excite you, or are you bored by the Scripture. Certainly, some parts of Scripture can be tough to work through (Leviticus, anyone?), but do you stay unmoved even by things that you understand? Do you desire to know God more?

4. Do You Follow Jesus’ Commands? (2:1-6) – One of John’s more blunt statements, and important for us to think about. If you say you love Jesus, then do you follow the things he said? Do you avoid the things he calls you to avoid (anger, lust, apathy towards God)? Do you do the things he calls you to do (show mercy, forgiveness, love for God)?

5. Do You Love Like Christ? (2:7-14, 3:11-24, 4:7-21) – The most frequently mentioned theme in 1 John. Do you show the kind of love that Jesus did (selfless, sacrificial, even for enemies), especially to your brothers and sisters in Christ? Or, are you the type of person whose love for others is conditional on what they do for you?

6. Are You In Love With This World? (2:15-17) – We are warned here against being consumed with things that are passing away. Obviously, we are to show love for those in the world, and we don’t want to make the mistake of monasticism that withdraws from any earthly comfort or pleasure, but we need to watch ourselves, especially in our wealthy culture, that we don’t neglect our first love and fall in love with lesser things.

7. Are You Persevering In Faith? (2:18-29) – John here writes about some from among them that fell away from the faith, and he says that indicates that they were never truly Christians to begin with. Perseverance (continuing to the end) is the proof of true faith. Are you pressing on? Are you growing? Or, has your faith grown cold and routine to the point where now its just a show for keeping up appearances?

8. Do You Love God Supremely? (5:1-5) – This is the culmination of the first seven. Do you have a love for God that surpasses all else? Do you see him as supremely valuable, supremely beautiful, supremely satisfying? Is your faith a duty, or a joy? Are his commandments burdensome, or are they life to you?

So, do you pass the test? You won’t be perfect, but do you see these qualities in your life in increasing measure? If so, press on, and persevere in your faith knowing that it is God who is at work preserving you to the end, and he is always faithful and true. If you must honestly say that these things show you to be outside the faith, then my advice to you is simple. Trust Christ! Why not today? Turn from your sin and trust Christ, and you’ll find his power at work in your life to begin to make these things a reality in you.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 5/27/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Last night, we kicked off our summer question and answer series by tackling the question, “Can a Christian really fall away?” To answer the question, we took a hard look at one of the passages most often used to make the case that the loss of one’s salvation is possible – Hebrews 6. We especially zeroed in on verses 1-9, which on the surface can easily provoke that question. After all, the passage seems to discuss the topic of the difficulty of restoring to repentance one who has fallen away from the faith. However, this would seem to go against the overwhelming witness of Scripture that indicates that salvation is a work of God, eternal in nature, for God always finishes what he starts (as seen from such passages as Philippians 1:6, John 6:38-40, Romans 8:28-30, Galatians 3:1-6, Jude 24-25, 1 Peter 1:3-5, Hebrews 7:25 and 10:14). So what do we do? How do we reconcile these passages? Last night, I sought to not only help my students answer that question, but also to show them how to go about answering the question, so that they will be better equipped to handle Scripture well in the future.

So how do we reconcile these passages? The first step is to have a firm trust in Scripture. If we believe that the Bible is the very word of God, and God is trustworthy and true, then we will approach such difficult passages not seeing contradictions, but seeing passages that we are misunderstanding, and thus prompting further study and meditation. Once we have that foundation in place, the next step is to begin to examine the passage in context, both on the book level and the chapter level. So, we must ask the question – what is Hebrews about? In short, it’s a book written to a group of Jews who had been exposed to the gospel and now sat on the fence, tempted to simply go back to the comforts of Judaism. The author thus writes a letter which has as it’s basic premise the idea that Jesus and his new covenant is superior to Moses and his Old Covenant. He argues that the OT finds its fulfillment and true meaning in Jesus. Take a quick glance at the progression of the letter – chapter 1 begins by declaring the supremacy of Christ, chapter 3 speaks of him as superior to Moses, chapter 4 lauds him as our great high priest. The point of the author’s writing becomes abundantly clear. Secondly, we need to zero in on the immediate context of the passage, in this case examining chapters 5 and 6 together, since they constitute one unified argument. In chapter 5, the author says that he wants to draw a further comparison between Jesus and Melchizedek, but his audience is not ready for it, for thought they have heard the message of Christ enough to be teachers of it, they are still ignorant themselves. That reality sets the table for the warning that begins in chapter six.

Now, having seen the passage in its proper light, we are better ready to examine it in detail. In the first three verses, we see the author outlining the situation that the people faced. He tells them that it is time to leave the basics of the doctrine about Christ, not relaying their foundation. Why on earth would he talk like this, speaking so dismissively about the basics of the faith? This seems strange. If we examine his exhortation in the context of the book, though, the meaning becomes clearer. What are the “elementary doctrines” he’s talking about? They are the Old Testament law, which he’s just spent five chapters demonstrating points to and reveals Christ. He’s telling them to leave Judaism and their fascination with the law and move on to maturity by following Christ.

It’s here, then, that the meaning of the passage hangs. The author is not addressing Christians here, but Jews who have been exposed to the gospel message, have understood it, have been around Christians and witnessed the Spirit’s power firsthand, and still cling to the old covenant rather than embracing Jesus by faith. This gives the warning of verses 4-6 an entirely different thrust. Notice that in the descriptions given in verses 4-5 the author never uses terminology that is used of salvation (born again, filled with the spirit [he uses “partakers” instead, which in the Greek carries the connotation of an association with, not an indwelling], justified, redeemed, etc.). He is calling out to those who are on the fence, who are toeing the line, to believe in Jesus, for if they reject what they have been given it is impossible for them to be saved (note as well, that though many people will say that this passage teaches the possibility of losing salvation, almost none will say that it is impossible for the apostate to repent and return – a key inconsistency). Why? Because there is nothing left to see! If hearing and understanding the Gospel and witnessing the Spirit’s work is not enough to call them to faith, what else is left? This is why the author makes reference to them crucifying Christ. They are identifying with the mob that condemned him – a group of people that had listened to Jesus’ teaching and witnessed the miracles and power, but still rejected him.

This interpretation is further strengthened by the illustration used in verses 7-8, speaking of how the rain (which is a representation of the Gospel) falls on the ground, but while it produces good crops in one place in others it may produce only thorns and briars that are gathered up and burned. These people had soaked in the rain, but they were producing no fruit, because they had not been born again. In verse 9, the author expresses hope for better things for them – things that accompany salvation.

In summary, what we have here is a very real and very sobering warning that applies to professing Christian and rank pagan alike. God is warning us of the danger of being an “almost-believer.” We are treading on dangerous ground if we see the Gospel in the fullness of its power and remain unmoved to faith. This is especially dangerous for those of us who have spent our whole lives in the church and know all the answers and all the rules, but may never have put our trust fully in Jesus. Last night, I told my students that I hope they came away from this passage with three things in mind: a serious and sober reflection on whether this warning is one that hits their hearts, a thankfulness in the power of God’s spirit to cause us to stand on the last day, frailty and all, and a desire to dig deep into God’s Word rather than cowering and capitulating when things become difficult to understand. I pray the same for you as well, and I look forward to the questions we’ll ponder together as this series continues for the summer.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 5/20/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Last night, we had our 17th and final lesson in Chasing After the Wind, our study in the book of Ecclesiastes. It’s been a great trip through the book, and one that had us asking the question last night, “What do we do with this now?” We’ve seen Solomon go to great lengths to get his point across, showing us that all the things people chase after in this world will never ultimately satisfy, and that nothing has any meaning whatsoever unless viewed through the lens of the God who created it. In chapter 12, he brings home his point with one final thrust, much like a student who closes a research paper by summarizing the force of his research. As we read this final charge, we looked at three specific ways that we can apply the book’s message to our lives, so that we can follow James’ charge to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

First, in verses 1-8, we looked at the charge to live urgently. Solomon exhorts us to remember God in our youth, before life saps away our strength and desire. So often, we make the mistake of thinking that living for God’s glory is something that we’ll do later in life, once we take our time living for ourselves. What a mistake this is. As time marches on, many of the opportunities we are given to glorify God will fade, as Solomon illustrates in his reflections on time destroying our joy (verse 1), physical strength (verses 2-5), desire (verse 5), wealth (verse 6), and life itself (verses 6-7). If we are not taking advantage of every moment we’re given, we will come to the end of it all and see the meaninglessness of verse 8. I told my students last night that I don’t want to see them cruise through their teenage years and then look back at age 40 or 50 and see a wasted youth. Whatever your age or place in life, live every moment unto the glory of God and seize every opportunity he has blessed you with to do so. In it all, enjoy every breath as a gift from the God who has created all joy and pleasure.

Next, in verses 9-12, we looked at the need for us to seek wisdom and live it out. Notice Solomon’s summary of his own life’s work – not only did he seek out wisdom with all of his heart, but he taught it to the people, he sought to pass its benefits on. It affected the way that he lived his life (though, at some times more than others). The wisdom of God is never a static knowledge, but it affects the way we approach every area of life, from schoolwork and jobs to relationships with friends and family to romance to marriage and everything in between. In fact, verses 11 and 12 serve as a warning against the accumulation of knowledge for knowledge’s sake at the expense of seeking the true and perfect wisdom of God, which Solomon says is like a nail that fixes us firmly in place.

Finally, in verses 13 and 14, Solomon summarizes the whole point of the book, or as he calls it, “the end of the matter.” What is the meaning of life? What is the point of it all? These are questions that have puzzled people for ages. Ecclesiastes sums the answer up for us in a single sentence – “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” What should you do with your life? Develop a view of God that sees his glory, magnificence, holiness, justice, grace, mercy, and love, and let that view provoke in you a sense of reverence and awe that compels you to seek God and his ways with every breath. So often in America, we fall into the trap of seeing faith as just another compartment in our lives, right up there with relationships, school, work, hobbies and the like, rather than seeing it as supreme – as the lens through which we see and understand all those other things and by which they have their meaning. If knowing, treasuring and following God - which we now understand is done through knowing, treasuring, and following Christ and his cross - is truly everything, if it is the purpose of your existence, then does your life properly reflect that? Forget your words, does your life agree with the declaration of verse 13? Keep its truth always at the forefront of your mind and heart, and when you, like Solomon, come to the end of your life, you’ll find that far from a “vanity of vanities,” or a “chasing after the wind,” you have instead lived a life that was in no way wasted. May God give us grace and joy in that pursuit.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 5/6/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Have you ever read something in the Bible and had absolutely no idea what it was talking about? How did you respond? If you’re honest, you’ll probably admit that there have been times when spiritual laziness took over and you just skipped on to something easier to understand. We’ve all likely done it, but it’s a grave mistake. If we believe that the Bible is God’s word given for our benefit, then we should be willing to diligently search to see what it says. Think of it this way – if I asked you to bring a shovel and meet me in my backyard this Saturday to dig for gold, how likely would you be to show up? What if I told you that a geological survey team had done imaging of my backyard and found conclusive evidence that there was gold buried in it? Would you be likely to show up then? If the Bible is God’s word - then we know that there is treasure to be found, we just have to be willing to dig for it.

That was the attitude that propelled us into Ecclesiastes 11 last night. We took a passage that starts out puzzling at best and looked at three very practical lessons we can gain from it if we’re willing to do the work of searching and meditation on what it says. The first lesson that we see, from verses 1-4, is the importance of living wisely in this world. Solomon’s charge to “cast your bread upon the waters” sounds ten degrees south of bizarre to most of us today. However, what he’s talking about here is actually a very simple principle with far-reaching implications. At the most basic level, he’s simply offering sound financial advice here, as evidenced by the parallel command in verse 2. The text is telling us not to hoard wealth, but to use it wisely to protect against disaster. As one of the guys from our group pointed out, if you stash all your money in a wad under your mattress and your house burns down, you’re in quite a bit of trouble. We should seek to be wise in the way we use the gifts (from financial and material to talents, time, and relationships) that God has given us. Rather than clinging to what we have, we should use it with the attitude of a steward (for a great illustration of what that means, check out this recent post by Tim Challies), seeking to bless others and in doing so demonstrate the love that we’ve been shown in Christ.

The second lesson, from verses 5-6, is to worship God in both thought and action. In verse 5, we’re reminded of the fact that God and his works are beyond our comprehension. We know that which he has revealed to us, but there is so much about this life and God’s perfect plan that is mysterious to us. When was the last time you contemplated the “bigness” of God. When was the last time you marveled at the way he is weaving all things together for his glory and our good? Even more, are you ordering you life with those truths as a driving force? Do they affect your priorities, your values, your joys? Flowing out of that, verse six tells us to act, to work, in light of God’s providence. How do we do that? By working diligently and leaving our future in his hands. Faith in a sovereign God is not a fatalism that sits back and waits for God to do everything for us. Faith works – it follows the commands that God has given us in his word, goes about his work, and trusts that the results are in his hands. As a quick example, think of the implications of this principle on your evangelism. I’m sure you can think of one person in your life who seems to be a spiritual “lost cause.” There’s no way they’ll ever come to Christ, you think. So, you don’t even bother sharing the gospel with them, or making an effort to show them Christ’s love. This lesson shatters that ridiculous thinking as the stupidity that it is. Our task is to do the work of the gospel by living it out to all people that God puts in our path and to leave the work of changing hearts to him. When we’re worshipping in thought and action, we won’t see any lost causes.

Finally, in verses 7-10, we see a charge to make your life – and your youth – count. So often, we take for granted the wonderful gift that this life is – and the incredible opportunities that God has set before us. We fail to take joy in the blessings of each day, and put on blinders that dim the light of God’s glory that is shining all around us. We treat youth as a time of little consequence, and we set incredibly low expectations for the teenage years. As Alex and Brett Harris put it in their book Do Hard Things, if a kid simply refrains from getting into trouble and does decently well in school, we view that as a success. I told my students last night, and I say to any who might be reading this: there is so much more there for the taking in your youth. Do something big for the glory of God. Make an impact on the people he has put you around. Like Timothy, set an example for other believers, even those older than you, to follow.

All of that comes from an obscure, tough-to-understand chapter in the Old Testament. Put that wisdom to use in your life, and let it at the same time be a reminder to you that there is treasure to be found in the field of God’s word. You’ve just got to be willing and ready to dig.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 4/22/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

In chapter 10 of Ecclesiastes, the book shifts in its structure from the prose of most of the first 9 chapters into short proverbs, very reminiscent of the bulk of the book of Proverbs. Having spent the book laying out the vanity of life apart from God and the supremacy of God in all things, Solomon now starts to give quick bites of wisdom describing what a wise life or a foolish life looks like (and remember – God is the source of wisdom, and thus foolishness is by definition a rejection of God). Wednesday night, we looked at the proverbs at chapter 10 and examined eight “quick hits” of wisdom to apply to our Christian walk and worldview.

First, in verses 1-3, we looked at the poison of sin. Solomon uses the imagery of dead flies in fine perfume to demonstrate how a small bit of foolishness or sin can render an otherwise wise life futile. Imagine that you are drinking a bottle of Coke, and I take it and spit in it. I would guess that you wouldn’t keep on drinking it. Why not? It’s just a little bit of spit, right? The bottle is still probably around 98% Coke. That wouldn’t matter to you, though. A small bit is enough to make the whole thing repulsive. In a similar way, a small bit of sin in our lives can destroy the rest of our testimony. Thus, we should be constantly on our guard.

Secondly, in verses 4-11, we looked at the danger of pride. These verses contain many warnings against pride, from Solomon’s observation that those in places of prominence and recognition aren’t always deserving of it (verses 5-7), to warnings that one’s own accomplishments can often cause harm (verses 8-11). We should make sure that we’re trusting in God and keeping our pride in check. Thirdly, in verses 12-14, we examined the power of words, both to do good and to do evil. Our words, whether spoken, written, or Tweeted, carry the potential to build others up or to be empty, wasting time at best and tearing down at worst. Think carefully about the things you say. In verse 15, we looked at the importance of focus. Solomon points out the futility of working and sweating to reach a destination when you don’t know how to get there in the first place. All the effort and ability in the world is wasted when it doesn’t have a purpose in view. What are you chasing in life? What is important to you? Put Christ in your sights and follow him, ensuring that your life’s efforts won’t end up a bridge to nowhere.

Fifth, in verses 16-17, we see the value of sobriety. A byproduct of the proper focus, sobriety is the ability to control one’s self and think clearly about what is important. We need to understand the importance of our time and use it wisely. After all, if Solomon asserts here the importance of wisdom and sobriety for those who rule nations, how much more vital is it for we who are ambassadors for Christ? Sixth, in verse 18, we see the need of work. There is no such thing as an armchair Christian. Our faith demands action, and we need to be willing to do the work it takes to know God (primarily through his word) and the work that knowledge demands of us. In verse 19, we see the gift of blessings. In a book where Solomon has constantly belittled earthly wealth as meaningless, it is a good counterbalance here to see him speaking of the value that material things can have. God created all things good, and every good gift we have comes from him. When we stop seeing our things as our things and start seeing them as gifts from God, we’ll start enjoying them and using them in an entirely different way and avoid the trap that they can so easily become. Finally, in verse 20, we looked at the destruction of hate. We all know murder is wrong, but often times we feel that harboring anger or resentment in our hearts is harmless. Jesus made it pretty clear that’s not the case, but Solomon warns against it as well. Nothing will destroy your relationships with God and others faster than harboring bitterness and hatred against other people.

My encouragement to the believers in our group was to reread the chapter and this list before going to bed Wednesday and to pinpoint one of the eight things that needs the most attention in their lives. What about you? Which of these lessons of wisdom do you need to learn or re-learn? Seek God’s wisdom, and avoid a wasted life.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 4/15/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

So often, there is a disconnect for the Christian between the way that we live and the way that we know we should live. When we’re confronted with the truth of Ecclesiastes that everything is meaningless apart from the presence of God, we realize that so much of what we chase after in life does not ultimately matter. When we see life rightly, and see God for who he is, it becomes readily apparent that wasting our lives is a very real temptation.

In Ecclesiastes 9, which serves as a powerful summary of the themes explored in the book so far, Solomon begins by presenting us with two inescapable facts that we must deal with in life: we are all sinners, and we will all die. No one can escape these two realities. Thus, we have to confront them. How can we ensure that what we are doing with our lives will last beyond this world? How can we face our sin without collapsing into utter despair? We can answer these questions with more clarity than Solomon could, because we now see our answer in Jesus Christ. Christ deals with the evil in our hearts, and he gives us a hope beyond death.

In verses 7-10, we get a glimpse at what that shift – seeing glorifying God as our ultimate purpose – means for our lives here and now. We can live with purpose, seeing our lives and everything in them as a gift from God to be enjoyed to his glory. Everything in life is sacred, and we should approach life looking for avenues for worship. Solomon’s admonitions here have a very strong New Testament echo in 1 Corinthians 10:31. Plainly put, when Christ shapes our purpose in life, everything has meaning and is full of joy.

In the final verses, Solomon gives us a couple of means to that end. First, he demonstrates the importance of trust in God by pointing out that God alone is ultimately in control of all things. Anytime we believe that we can take care of things in our own power, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Since we know that God is in control, we should have a deep dependence on him in every area of our lives. This is not a static trust, but one that is informed by his words – if we trust God, we will trust that what he has taught and commanded us is true and best. This will lead to the second means, following in his ways. If God’s glory is our purpose, then it will drive our actions, not just our beliefs. A life that is not wasted is marked by the way it takes God’s truth and applies it to every area.

As Christians, we can never look too closely at our own spiritual walks. Take stock of your faith – are you wasting your life? If you profess faith in Christ, does your life demonstrate that your profession is real? Are you organizing your life around the faith that you cling to? Does it inform, drive, and give joy to your every action? Or, are you in danger of epitomizing the vanity Ecclesiastes has constantly referenced by living a life that is little more than a chasing after the wind?

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 4/8/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Throughout the Scriptures, we see many promises that God will watch over and protect his people. We see more promises that sin and wickedness will result in judgment. Yet, as we go through life, many times things don’t seem to work out that way. Good people, people who follow God wholeheartedly, still suffer. Many people get away with evil deeds, and people who live immoral lives often prosper. What are we to make of this? Are situations like these cause to throw in the towel on our faith and concede that God doesn’t exist? In Ecclesiastes 8:10-17, Solomon examines this reality, and as we studied that passage Wednesday night we saw that he emerges from that lifelong examination with a strong faith in God still intact.

Despite circumstances that seem to say otherwise, Solomon points out in verses 10-13 that God is just. He talks about watching the lives of wicked people, how they hypocritically played by the rules when everyone was watching, even devoutly entering the temple to sacrifice to God, but then lived lives characterized by wickedness. Not only does he say that they didn’t receive any sort of judgment in their life, but he says that they were well respected and honored by those around them. At this point, we might be tempted to say that this is evidence that God doesn’t exist. Where is the fire from heaven? Why aren’t these people struck down? Where is the justice? In fact, I’ve had atheists with whom I’ve debated justify blasphemous comments with the defense, “If God has a problem with what I’m saying, he can always strike me down, but that hasn’t happened yet. We take God’s grace (which is the reason why all sin doesn’t come with an immediate and terrible punishment) and flip it on its head, mocking God with it. Notice, though, what Solomon says in verse 12 as he reflects on what he’s seen – “Yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God…but it will not be well with the wicked.” In the face of injustice, Solomon asserts with certainty that God is just! He trusts that, whether in this life or the next, God will set all things right.

“But that doesn’t make sense!” the atheist might say. “You offer no evidence – in fact, the evidence points in the opposite direction!” At the end of the day, the issue is trust in God. Solomon says that he is sure that God is in control and will make all things right. How does he explain what he sees? In essence, he says he can’t. In verses 14-17, he begins by saying that sometimes justice is perverted and ignored, and he then goes on to say that God’s purpose and plan is beyond finding out. We believe in the God who is revealed to us through the Bible – the God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, good, wise, and just. He is beyond human comprehension, eternal in nature, and he created all things – us included – by the word of his mouth. Solomon recognizes God’s greatness and admits that he is beyond figuring out. So, when we realize how far above us he is, we will trust his wisdom above our own. Wasn’t that the case with Job? Job never got an answer to his question, just a vision of God that was glorious and awe-inspiring enough to make him quit asking it. After seeing the grandeur of what God has done, Job no longer felt the need to have him answer to his questions. Solomon’s reaction is much the same. What about yours? When confronted with things you don’t understand, how do you react? Do you demand answers and become angry at God, or do you deepen your trust in him, knowing that he’s working all things for his glory and your good?

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 4/1/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

How’s your memory? Do you ever have to leave yourself reminders to help you remember various things? When I posed that question to my students last night, they had a wide array of memory-triggering devices, from sticky notes to cell phone calendars to writing on their hands. As we looked at Ecclesiastes 8:1-9, we talked about the subject of authority, and how it can have a similar effect on our spiritual memory – that our obedience to earthly authority is both a reminder and a primer on our ultimate obedience to God.

Wisdom continues to be the theme, here, and Solomon is continuing his look at the practical outworking of Godly wisdom in one’s life. In verse 2, he begins to talk about the importance of obedience to authority – in this case, the king. Obviously, none of us are subject to a king these days, but we can apply Solomon’s principles here to all authority, including government, parents, church elders, bosses, and teachers. Solomon begins with some practical reasons for submitting to authority. The first is that authority is God-given. In fact, Romans 13 goes as far as saying that all authority is given by God, without exception. Jesus even told Pilate during his trial that the only authority Pilate had over him was the authority God had given. Whether authority is used well or abused horribly, God is ultimately the one who gives it, and thus when we rebel against authority (except in cases where human authority contradicts God’s commands) we rebel against God. Secondly, Solomon says that we should obey authority to avoid the negative consequences of wrong behavior. Don’t want to go to prison? Don’t commit a crime. Actions have consequences, a fact that a wise person will consider before they act. Finally, Solomon teaches that obedience to authority makes us more Godly. In verse 5, he indicates that the wise heart will grow in its knowledge of what is right and good through its obedience. It builds us up, while rebellion tears our faith and trust in God down, since it holds us up as the ultimate authority.

In this principle, Solomon transitions into a reflection on the ultimate reason that wisdom submits itself to authority – because wisdom trusts in God. In verses 6-9, he speaks of the uncertainties of life as being a motivating factor for our obedience. The things which baffle us, which concern us, which remind us of our own mortality, should drive us to trust ever more in God, which should in turn yield a deeper, more gracious, and more joyful obedience. If we truly trust in Christ, our lives must be marked by obedience to his commands. He said as much, and it makes logical sense as well. Think of it this way – if you believe that God is a) in control of all things, b) perfectly wise, and c) true to his promise to work our good in all things, then what reason do you have for not obeying what he tells you to do? There is none! Trust must yield obedience, or it is not trust. So, the next time your teacher or boss rubs you the wrong way, the next time your parents' rules contrast with your own desires, or the next time you’re tempted to skirt some small, insignificant law that nobody else obeys (pirating media, anyone?), think about the fact that you’re ultimately making a statement about your trust in God by doing so. It may initially seem like a large disconnect, but when you follow the bread crumbs the connection is clearly evident. It extends to our attitudes toward earthly authority – good and bad – and to every other part of our lives as well. So let your relationships, your time, your money, and yes, your humble submission to authority, be sticky notes reminding you of your ultimate allegiance to your Lord and King.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 3/25/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

In last night’s study of the book of Ecclesiastes, we picked up the same theme that we explored last week, namely, the marks of a life being lived wisely with God as its focus. We looked at Ecclesiastes 7:14-29, examining three truths from the text, sought to understand them, and then discussed how they affect our lives, right here and right now.

First, in verses 14-19, we looked at the first truth – appearance isn’t everything. Solomon discusses the fact that a wise man realizes that the same God has created both the day of prosperity and the day of disaster. He talks about the things he has seen in his life that make little sense to us – often, it seems, the bad guys win and the good guys lose. The world’s reaction to this is reflected to us by Solomon in these verses – don’t be overly righteous (and end up a martyr or a doormat) or overly evil (and end up in trouble and misery), but just live life and look out for yourself. However, how should the Christian react? Solomon tells us that the same God is in control of both the good and bad things that befall us, a God who is perfectly wise and good. The implication, then, is that there is design and a reason behind all things, even when we can’t or don’t see it. Appearances aren’t everything, for our sovereign creator is always at work, weaving the story of human history for his glory and our good. Thus, our reaction should be a trust in him that runs deeper than circumstances. We can lean on him, depend on him, find joy in him – even when times are difficult – a lesson powerfully demonstrated in the life of the prophet Habakkuk.

In verses 20-24, we examined the fact that true wisdom causes humility. Solomon asserts that we all are fallen and tainted by sin. We cannot be too quick to harshly judge others when they wrong us, because we know that we’ve done the same thing to others ourselves. He even admits that though he dedicated his life to the pursuit of wisdom, there is still much about the world that he cannot figure out. True wisdom brings with it a right view of ourselves. We see sins and shortcomings, and we see that we’re not nearly as significant and important as we’d imagined. Thus, true wisdom directs itself outward, building others up rather than calling attention to ourselves. This same lesson is one that Paul taught to the Christians at Corinth, rebuking them for allowing their spiritual knowledge to destroy those around them.

Finally, in verses 25-29, Solomon drives home the truth (which he had come to realize all too well) that marriage is serious business. He talks about a fate worse than death – a woman who serves as a spiritual trap for a man. This could easily be true with the genders flipped – the point is that romantic relationships can easily be a snare rather than the blessing God intended. Solomon learned this lesson the hard way, with his many wives leading him away from God for much of his life. For the teens in my group, marriage seems like a distant prospect. However, this truth has major implications for them as they navigate the minefield that is our modern concept of dating. Consider how strongly Solomon warns against giving ourselves emotionally to the wrong person – he calls it a fate worse than death. There is no person who will have a greater influence on you than the person you marry. This raises the stakes when it comes to looking for that person. Thus, I asked my students, “What are you looking for?” What is it that you are drawn to in the people you’re attracted to? What sort of influence would they have on your spiritual life? Are they someone who will build you up in your love for Christ? If not, then what on earth are you chasing? Romance and marriage are among the most amazing gifts God has given us (for proof, you need go no further than the next book in the Bible, The Song of Solomon). However, it can also be among the most deadly of traps if we’re not seeing it as an avenue for glorifying God, just like everything else Ecclesiastes has discussed. Ultimately, our reaction to difficult times, our level of humility, and our approach to dating and marriage will say a lot about whether we’re living our lives unto God or living the wasted, vain, worldly lives that Solomon warns against. Take stock of these things, and look inward. What do they tell you about yourself?

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 3/18/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

As we moved into our tenth week studying Ecclesiastes last night, the general theme of the book has become very clear. Solomon makes the case that all of life is meaningless and vain unless viewed through the lens of God and lived for his glory. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about why that is and breaking down Solomon’s points, but last night we looked at verses 1-13 of chapter 7 and talked about exactly what a life focused on God looks like. Once we’ve established that only God can give life meaning and we desire to live for his glory, how should we do it? What does such a life look like? We examined the answers, which are reflected in a series of proverbs that open the chapter.

The first thing we need to live lives of Godly wisdom in the right mindset. In verses 1-6, Solomon contrasts the wise man and the fool – a common theme in his proverbs. What is surprising, however, is the mindset that he says characterizes each. Solomon paints the fool as in a state of revelry and happiness, but says that the wise are marked by mourning and sadness. This seems strange to us. Is happiness a bad thing? Are we to be some kind of spiritual masochists, seeking out pain and eschewing pleasure? I don’t think that’s what the text is saying at all. What it is saying is that we need to have a sober mindset when it comes to this life. We need to be people who take serious things seriously, and think deeply about what this life is all about. What are the times in life that tend to cause us to think deeply about what’s really important? It’s usually the painful times. Think of how our nation’s culture changed, albeit briefly, in the wake of 9/11. Suddenly, there was a deeper sense of community among people, church attendance rose, and most people started to think more about what really matters. Sadness and pain tend to have this effect on us, while good times tend to lull us into coasting along without a thought. Solomon says that it a wise person, a Godly person, will think deeply about life and have a sober and focused outlook.

In verses 7-13, we see that once we have the right mindset in place, we need to have the right heart. What sort of things highlight the person who is living a life of Godly wisdom? We examined five characteristics from these verses. The first is integrity, which is seen in verse 7. Solomon says that the corrupting influence of sin can drive mad the wisest man. We need to be people of character who do what is right regardless of whether or not someone is watching. As James 1:26-27 points out, true faith in God is demonstrated by actions. Second, we need to be people of patience in both our actions and our attitudes. In verses 8-9, we see Solomon teaching that it is better to see something whole from the end than to make rash judgments at its beginning, and he warns of the danger of letting anger easily take up residence in our hearts. James warns about this as well in his famous admonition to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” Third, we need to have a spirit of contentment. Unlike the man Solomon describes in verse 10 who longs for the good ol’ days, we need to be people who rejoice in whatever circumstances God places us in and seek to learn from and glorify him in the midst of those circumstances. Like Paul in Philippians 4:11-13, we will likely face times in our lives when we have much and times when we have little. We need to have the same attitude of contentment in each. Fourth, we need to display wise judgment. Verses 11-12 talk about how wisdom is a guard, helping us to use what God has given us wisely. Coming at the heels of our thoughts on contentment, no matter our circumstances we should strive to use what God has given us to his glory – including our possessions, yes, but also our time, talents, energy, relationships, and every other aspect of our lives. As Jesus parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 shows, God has blessed all of us for a purpose, and he calls us to use our gifts in his service. Finally, we need to be people of obedience. Verse 13 tells us that fighting against God is futile. If we truly want to live wise lives that are not wasted, we will bring ourselves into conformity to God and his word rather than seeking to live by our own rules.

So, how does your life stack up to this calling? Do you have the right mindset, seeing this life with sobriety and a focus on what is truly important? Does your heart reflect the virtues that God says come from wisdom? No doubt, we can all see failings in our lives in these various areas. Thankfully, God promises to give wisdom to all who ask for it. Draw near to the throne of grace, seeking wisdom for a life that’s not wasted, and thanking God for the cross of Christ, which ultimately triumphs over our failures and brings us to the Lord.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 03/11/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how satisfied are you with your life? This was the question that opened our Bible study last night as we took a look at Ecclesiastes 6. Everybody seeks satisfaction in life – we all want happiness, fulfillment, and contentment. People seek satisfaction in many different ways with varying degrees of success. In our passage, Solomon looks at the many things that people chase after while examining the fact that they do not necessarily bring satisfaction. Why do these things fail? What then, is the answer?

First, in verses 1-9, we examined several things that are failed attempts at satisfaction for people in our world. The first is obvious, and it’s a topic that has come up several times already in our Ecclesiastes study – wealth. Solomon, in speaking of a man who has much but no enjoyment (satisfaction) of what he has, mentions first great wealth and possessions. We lumped those two together for our discussion last night. All around us – made even more clear in light of our current economic conditions – people spend their lives chasing after money and all it can buy, thinking that prosperity will equal a happy life. Yet, as our current economy also shows, money is fleeting, and many who have it still are left with a great emptiness. The next item after those is honor. People seek satisfaction in how others think of them. This can range from a desire for fame to simply wanting to be impressive to those in our social circle. I mentioned last night how these first two pursuits betray themselves on a show like American Idol (I admit, yes, I’m a fan). Many of the contestants from rough backgrounds talk about how the show is a chance to have a happier life. They say this because the show offers the promise of fame and fortune. Now, is there anything wrong in wanting to be a famous singer? Not necessarily. However, seeking satisfaction in honor and wealth will never deliver. Want proof? Pick up a copy of any entertainment or celebrity magazine and look the lives that are in shambles, all while having everything under the sun.

The next failed source of satisfaction may surprise – it’s people. Our secular culture, when it’s trying to be noble, will say that money doesn’t matter, it’s people and relationships that are most important. While there’s truth in that, no human relationship can ever truly offer satisfaction. Solomon says that a man can father a hundred children and still never find fulfillment. There are few greater gifts that God has given than human relationships. The Bible puts an incredible premium on our family relationships, and on how we relate to fellow believers in the church. However, people are no perfect source of satisfaction. They die and are gone, and they can make mistakes and inflict unbelievable pain. As a source of satisfaction, they ultimately fall short. Next, we looked at life itself as a source of satisfaction. Solomon asserts that a man could live a thousand years twice over and still not find peace. Plug in here all the things in this world that we seek to fill our lives with in order to have joy and meaning. All of them, without exception, come up short. Take any endeavor, any field of greatness, and you will find some who had it all and still yearned for more. Finally, as Solomon speaks about the wandering the appetite, we looked at the way that many people seek satisfaction in the search itself. Questions are more important than answers, they say. The journey is more important than the destination. People embark on a never-ending quest for knowledge, and can wind up even more unfulfilled then when they started.

So what can fulfill? What can really bring satisfaction? In verses 10-12, Solomon shifts his focus, beginning to talk about “one greater than [man]” before asking the question, “Who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life?” While he doesn’t supply an explicit answer here, his answer is clear to anyone who knows the theme of the book, or indeed, the overarching theme of the Bible – God. God alone can ultimately bring satisfaction. He has created us to enjoy his glory forever, and thus anything else that we try to plug in his place will never satisfy as we crave it to. We are wired for God, and nothing else can take his place. All those things we talked about – wealth, honor, people, life, searching – will never give the satisfaction and fulfillment that a life shrouded in God’s grace, basking in his glory, and submitted to his wisdom will bring. As I said, those things are not necessarily bad. The vital aspect is seeing those things as gifts from God. When we have that approach, we will see those things as subservient in our hearts to God, and channels for worship to God. Instead of looking at our possessions and saying, “These are mine and they bring me happiness,” we will say, “Thank you God for blessing me with these things. Help me to enjoy them in a way that reminds my heart of your goodness.”

So, on that 1 to 10 scale, how satisfied are you with your life? If the answer is low, or even just lower than you’d like, what is it you lack that causes you to be dissatisfied? If you find yourself seeking satisfaction in something other than Christ, I pray that you’ll see the radiance of his glory, which, as Psalm 63 says, is able to quench our deepest longings.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 3/4/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Last night, we continued our study of Ecclesiastes (with no computer problems) by looking at the topic of money. There are several different views within modern Christianity about money and how it should be approached – from the health-wealth crowd that looks at it as a major part of God’s blessing, to people who lift up Jesus as demonstrating that poverty is a more admirable lifestyle. So how should we view money? Is it a good thing, a bad thing, or somewhere in between?

Looking at the second half of chapter 5, we broke the text down and looked at three different pictures of wealth that Solomon paints for us. The first, in verses 8-12, is a look at money as an evil master. Solomon points out that oppression of the poor and weak in the name of profit is so commonplace that it is to be expected, and yet the one who loves wealth will never be satisfied by it. Yet, he points out, the one who does not chase money but has peace is blessed whether he has a little or a lot. The thrust of the passage is that money will destroy those who are consumed by it. The old adage goes, “Money is a good servant but an evil master.” It’s quite true. Money can be used for many good ends, and material possessions can be enjoyable and good (if you disagree, then it would seem odd that you’re reading this on a computer that likely cost you a pretty penny). However, when money becomes something that we strive after, something that consumes us, we will never have enough and we will always be chasing after something new, rather than resting in the God who gives all good gifts.

The next picture, in verses 13-17, is that of an empty promise. Money is not as secure and sure as it seems – a truth that our nation is facing in full force. Solomon tells of a man who was wealthy, and was greedy over his wealth (“kept them to his hurt”), but then lost it all in a bad decision. Suddenly, this man had nothing to his name, nothing to pass to his son, nothing to give him security – he would end his days as naked as he came into the world. So many people measure their security in their bank account. We all are easily tempted into this feeling. When our account is running short, our stress level goes up, and we seem to think that if we could just pad things a little, then it all would be alright. Yet money is no solid rock. Only God can fill that role. Look around at the giants of our economy, billion-dollar companies, that are now bankrupt or out of business entirely. Three years ago Heather and I bought a new TV from Circuit City. By this summer, Circuit City will no longer exist. Anyone who looks to their money or their possessions for their stability is trusting in an empty promise.

Finally, in verses 18-20, we see money presented as a dangerous gift. In this passage, Solomon says that it is a blessing from God to benefit from your work – and to have the ability to enjoy those benefits. He says that money and possessions are a gift from God, if one is able to enjoy them properly. This is what makes them a dangerous gift, because we are so apt to be consumed with possessions, rather than enjoying them to the glory of God. The blurring of this line can be subtle – in fact, I didn’t realize it was cropping up in a way in my life until this week, when I became very irritated at the fact that my barbeque grill wasn’t working right. When I started complaining to Heather that I really hoped it wasn’t broken, she answered with, “So what if it is? It’s just a grill!” It was an instant reminder to me that I can become quickly consumed with my stuff. It’s not a bad thing to have stuff and to enjoy stuff. I’m not telling you that you need to sell everything you have and go live in a cave to be more holy. What I am saying is that we all need to check ourselves regularly to see how we’re handling God’s dangerous gift. Do you own your money, or does your money own you? Do you see everything you have as a gift from God, to be enjoyed to his glory but also to be expendable for his kingdom’s sake? Is the focus of your life, both on a big-picture level and a day-to-day practical level, the fleeting things this world chases after or the solid rock of Christ? Examine your heart and see where your attitudes and actions need to shift. After all, it’s just a grill.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 1/21/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Everyone worships something. That’s the inescapable reality of human existence that we looked at to start our study of Ecclesiastes 2 Wednesday night. Those who deny God’s existence, or simply neglect to give him his rightful honor, will try to plug that gap with something else. Something, or someone, will get their heart’s greatest love and honor. Perhaps it will be a person, from a spouse, significant other, or close friend to a sports hero, pop star, or our new president. Perhaps it will be a sports team (I’ll be the first to admit that my love for the Carolina Panthers has bordered on worship at times), a hobby, or even the pursuit of an otherwise noble dream. The point is, all of us will seek satisfaction in something. All of us will give our heart’s devotion to something. It is what we have been hard-wired to do. In Ecclesiastes 2, Solomon reflects on some of the things that he tried to use to plug the gap in his life. We looked at them, and then looked at Solomon’s closing reflection on the only way to find peace.

The first thing Solomon sought was possessions. Being the wealthiest king to ever rule from Jerusalem, he could have anything he wanted. In verses 1-11, he describes that pursuit. He goes as far as to say, “Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them.” He had it all, everything a person could desire. Yet, what was the net result? It was meaningless, he says. As he drew near to the end of his life, he saw that all he had amassed would be lost with his death. All was in vain. He found fleeting pleasure from his possessions, but he did not find lasting joy. So, in verses 12-17, he describes his pursuit of intelligence, of a wisely lived life. He sought success and accomplishment, and indeed he achieved it. He remarks that there is great benefit in wisdom – a smart man will have a better life than a fool – but he also speaks of the realization that the same fate awaits both the wise and the stupid. Even amidst all his accomplishment, he couldn’t escape death. Death pays no regard to one’s accomplishment or wisdom or success. However, many people point to the empire that they have built to leave behind to future generations. In verses 18-23, Solomon sees the vanity even in that. He speaks of working endlessly over the course of one’s life, spending stressful days and sleepless nights, only to die and leave it all to a man who may well waste it all away. Who knows what those who come after you will do with all that you have built. Even in this, Solomon sees vanity.

So where is hope? How can one live a fulfilled life? In verses 24-26, Solomon reflects on the one solution to this problem. Life a Godly life. Solomon says to enjoy one’s life and the many pleasures it brings, which is not possible outside of knowing God. When we live lives that seek the Lord in all things, that is constantly thinking about who God is and how we can express and savor his glory, then all things, all areas of life, will have meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. But without him, Solomon says, “Who can have enjoyment?” Don’t spend your life trying to find satisfaction in things, or accomplishments, or work, or people, or anything but your creator. Those things can never ultimately satisfy. However, when you find your identity in Christ and your joy in God, then people and accomplishments and work and things can all bring joy into your life, seen for what they truly are – good gifts from the hand of the Father.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 1/14/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

This week, we finished up chapter 1 in our study of Ecclesiastes. Solomon continues to talk about the vanity and meaninglessness of life, but he takes it here in an unexpected direction. In verses 12-18, he shifts the discussion to look at the vanity of wisdom. That’s strange, isn’t it? After all, aren’t we supposed to pursue wisdom (Proverbs 8)? Isn’t wisdom a characteristic of God (Daniel 2:20-23)? Why, then, would Solomon call his life’s pursuit of wisdom meaningless? What does he want us to understand?

The first thing he wants us to understand is what his wisdom allowed him to discover. He says that he applied himself to trying to understand life, to understand the world around him. He sought wisdom and knowledge at every turn. What did he find? He found that the word is hopelessly broken. This world is crooked and lacking, he says. His pursuit of wisdom and understanding brought him face to face with so much grief, suffering, and sin that he called it an “unhappy business.” We all can attest to the reality of this feeling. The more you know about our world, the more troubled you become. Turn on the evening news tonight. Count how many stories they report, and count how many of those stories are bad news. Head over to CNN.com. How many of their “Latest news” stories are negative (as of this writing, out of 19 stories, 3 are about deaths by accident or murder, 2 are about the war in Gaza, 3 are about aspects of the economic crisis, and 3 are about the end of the Bush years and people’s negative view of them – all in all, 11 of 19 stories with a predominantly negative vibe – and today actually isn’t all that bad, with headlines dominated by the amazing US Airways water landing in New York)? The point is, everybody knows that the world is screwed up. It’s filled with suffering and tragedy – all driven by sin. We all, when we’re honest with ourselves, know that we’re screwed up. We’re driven by anger, bitterness, lust, greed, jealousy, pride – all things that we know are wrong but which infest our hearts and drive our actions anyway. The seeds of the world’s evil are planted in each of our hearts. So, we can certainly understand Solomon’s feeling that the more you know, the more you wish you didn’t. Ignorance is bliss.

However, the true vanity is wisdom is seen in the fact that though it allows one to see the brokenness of the world, it doesn’t enable one to fix it. As Solomon says, “What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.” He saw a broken world, and he also saw that he was powerless to fix that world. Look around – the centuries of human history have been filled with wise men, yet we still have the same problems that we had 3000 years ago in Solomon’s day. Wars are still fought over the same issues, people are still downtrodden and oppressed for the same reasons, and relationships still break and fail because of the same shortcomings. We cannot fix the problem, because we are the problem. Sin is destroying the world, and we cannot destroy sin. Thus, Solomon concludes that wisdom only serves to increase the sorrow and stress of a man. He becomes like one who is watching a loved one drown while he himself is chained to a tree on the shore – able to diagnose the problem, but incapable of fixing it, and emotionally destroyed because of it.

Where, then, is hope? Why does God call us to seek wisdom? The wisdom that God calls us to is his own, and it always leads us back to him, and by leading us back to him, it leads to a solution that Solomon couldn’t fully comprehend – Jesus Christ. Christ can deal with the brokenness of the world. His grace and forgiveness are the only things that can overcome sin in our lives. He is the only one who offers hope. However, before we can see the greatness of the solution, we must come face-to-face with the depth of the problem. Otherwise, we will end up like the Pharisees, convinced that we’re just fine, thank you, and in no need of what Jesus offers. Don’t be afraid to stare the darkness of this world – and your own heart – in the face. Let the problem drive you to the one solution that can offer the world hope, and your heart peace.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 1/7/09

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Last night, we began a new book study at Sola5 for the first time in nearly two years. Sticking with our tradition of alternating between studying New and Old Testament books, we began a journey through one of my favorites, Ecclesiastes, that we’re calling Chasing After the Wind. We started with a quick introduction to the book – who Solomon was, why he wrote, etc. We then tackled the first eleven verses, and sought to understand what the ancient and frankly depressing text could have to say to us today. The answer? Everything.

Solomon keys us on the main point of the passage, and the book for that matter, in the opening verses. “Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity!” he declares. The word translated “vanity” literally means “a short, quick breath or wind.” When used poetically, as it is here, it means “vain, empty, meaningless, worthless.” Solomon’s declaration is that all of life is meaningless and empty. Not exactly the sentiment you’d put on a motivational poster, right? So what’s his point? To understand, we talked last night about the fact that in life, all of us are chasing something. Maybe it’s a career, or a dream, or a hobby, or a person, but all of us spend our lives seeking satisfaction somewhere. Thus, our question was, what are you chasing? Is it something that will last, or is it vanity? To explore, we looked at three things Solomon guides us to check if we’re to see wisely. The first is our perspective. We tend to get very bogged down in the day to day, rarely seeing past the next couple days. Solomon asks what we accomplish when it is all said and done, when we view our labors from the perspective of a lifetime. He asks, “What do you gain by your work? By your chasing?” After all, generations have come before us, and they are all dead and gone, and they didn’t take their work and effort with them. Think of what you’re chasing. When you die, will it last? Or will you lose it all?

Secondly, we checked our purpose. Solomon begins to use several examples from the natural world to show that though we may be busy, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re accomplishing anything. My favorite example is the one he gives of rivers that flow constantly into the sea, yet the sea is never full and the rivers never stop. If you live near a big river (here in Louisville, we have the Ohio), think about it. Millions of gallons of water flow by you every day, making their way to the ocean, yet the ocean stays the same. Every day, millions more gallons flow by. Are you constantly busy, working at living the life you dream of, only to find that you accomplish nothing? When you die, will you have gained anything by the things you’ve spent your life chasing?

Finally, we checked our pride. Solomon points to our innate human desire to leave our mark on the world, to do something that no one has done before. We think that by doing so, we will give our lives significance. Yet, Solomon says, there is nothing new under the sun. Sure, times and technology change, but the things that we strive for and seek to do never change. In 1000 BC, when he lived, wars were fought over power, over wealth, over freedom. Today, wars are waged for the same reasons, only with different means. He also points out that there is no remembrance of people gone before, and it will be the same for us. I asked my students last night (a group of 11 aged 12-18) if they could name the first person to climb Mt. Everest, the first Super Bowl MVP, the first million-dollar actor, the first person in space. No one could name any of them. These people did earth-shattering things, they were the gods of their time, and they all did them within the past 100 years, yet here, a sampling of young people knew nothing about them. As those who witnessed their feats pass away, they will be largely forgotten, save for the few scholars and fans who tuck the trivia away. Is your life’s highest goal to do something great, to leave your mark on the world? Don’t bother, Solomon says, nobody will remember you when you’re dead anyway.

Why such a depressing view of life? What benefit could this possibly have for us? Why is Solomon saying these things? He’s saying them because he’s trying to tear down anything that we’ve built our lives around that is not God. We will see in the book, Solomon has realized that only God can give life meaning and purpose, and if we elevate anything in life above him – good or bad – we will reach the end realizing that we wasted our life. That the realization that he had come to. As we prepare to go further in the book, ask yourself, “What am I chasing? What am I living for?” Ask yourself if it’s something that will ultimately be “vanity,” and if it is, tear it down and let God be your foundation and your driving purpose. Ecclesiastes is not an easy book to read, but it has so much to say to us as we embark on life’s journey.

Sola5 Wednesday Recap - 12/10/08

This weekly topic is an effort to recap the Wednesday night Bible study I teach at Sola5, my youth group. I hope it serves to help us all in contemplating the ceaseless riches of God’s grace as revealed through the Scriptures.

Chances are that if I asked what the area of your spiritual life you’d most like to improve is, a lot of people would say their prayer life. It’s an area that we all know is of paramount spiritual importance, but yet it’s an area that we all so easily neglect. How many times do your prayers feel empty, like you’re just going through the motions? How many times do you find yourself saying the same thing you said the day before – and the day before that. If you’re honest, how many days do you not say anything at all? Last night, we talked about the topic of prayer, and looked at a helpful model to focus us on what the Bible has to say about prayer in the hopes that it will help us jump start our own prayer lives.

The model is a familiar one to many – ACTS, an acrostic that serves as a reminder of several aspects of a healthy prayer life. When we think of prayer, usually the first thing to come to mind is praying for someone or for some situation in our lives. Requests have become nearly synonymous with prayer. Indeed, Jesus calls us to cast our cares and concerns upon him and to pray for those around us. However, if that is all that our prayer lives consist of, then we are missing the boat. ACTS is a way to remind us of that. The A stands for adoration – praising God for who he is. Look throughout the Psalms, which largely function as prayers, and you’ll see this type of prayer everywhere. The character and nature of God should be enough to move us to worship, and we should express that worship to God through the way that we pray. A great way to gauge how we’re doing on this front is to ask ourselves the question, “When I pray, which word is more prevalent – ‘I’ or ‘you?’” Look at Psalm 145 – notice the constant focus on God and his glory. This is a great way to open our prayers, as it causes us to meditate on the greatness of God – the one on whom we depend for every single breath, and who is able to supply any needs we have.

The C stands for confession – seeking forgiveness of our sins. Having established the greatness of God, we then recognize our own fallenness, and our dependency on God’s grace. Psalm 51 is a great place to look here, as David’s brokenness as a result of his sin is in full view. The Bible commands us to bring our sins before God with the confidence that we will find forgiveness. Why can we have confidence? Because God is all the things that we’ve declared him to be in our prayers of adoration. That’s another great thing about the ACTS structure – each part lends increased faith and confidence to the following parts. The T stands for thanksgiving, which can be easy to confuse with adoration at times. The best way to differentiate the two is this – if adoration is praising God for who he is, thanksgiving is praising God for what he’s done, for his action in our lives and in the world. Psalm 105 provides a cool example as the psalmist spends verse after verse recounting God’s covenant faithfulness to his people. The net result? An increased confidence in his faithfulness in the future. All of us can be thankful for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and for God’s regenerating work in our hearts, and we’ve all had instances in our lives where we’ve seen God’s faithfulness displayed. Thank God for these areas, and thank God also for the people he’s placed in your life, like Paul does in many places (Philippians 1:3-4 being a prime example).

Finally, the S stands for supplication – bringing our requests before God. If the word supplication is a new term for you, remember it by thinking of the word “supply” – we’re asking God to supply our needs, and the needs of others. Even in this area, we need to broaden the spectrum of who we’re praying for. Our prayers should include brothers and sisters in Christ (Acts 12:1-5), and ourselves (Psalm 70), but also people we’ve never met (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and people who hate and mistreat us (Matthew 5:43-44). It’s no coincidence, either, that supplication comes last in the list. Think of the benefit of having spent time contemplating the greatness of God, his grace in our sin, and his faithfulness to us through time before we bring our concerns to him. What a boost in confidence! As you go through your life this week, take time to be intentional about prayer, and seek to expand the scope of your prayer life. You’ll find that it helps you to be more God-focused in your attention and your affections.