Old Dog - New Tricks

Today, our staff met for prayer and communion. We opened with a couple of readings from Scripture and then we had communion with grape soda and cheese popcorn. I used this as an opportunity to challenge our interns (who are all young) to consider the purpose and meaning of “devotional time” and “communion.”

Then, we came back to the office and my interns challenged me that my existing blog wasn’t “user friendly.” Because I learn from them as much as they learn from me, I am moving my blog this new site http://kevinlcrow.wordpress.com/. And, I was introduced to twitter. I have had an account for about a decade and have 0 posts. 

There is an old saying… “if you keep doing what you have always done, you will get what you always got.” 

As an old dog (or at least middle age), I have had a great run. What I have gotten to this point is a wonderful relationship with my wife and kids, a great church and a healthy body. But, part of the reason that I have these blessings is that I have always been willing to fix what was broken… often before it broke!

My conversations with some late teens has convinced me that I have grown comfortable in my patterns. When I was younger, one of my favorite verses was, “ See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?!“ (Isa 43:19) 

It is time to embrace the NEW thing God is doing. I am going to stop kicking, screaming and digging in my heels… Welcome Kevin Crow to the 21st Century!

Fun

     On Memorial Day, it was 50 degrees and raining.... Robin broke her toe on Saturday night, and can only hobble. So, what do we do to celebrate a day off with all the kids home? Well, a few months ago, I saw some tickets for the African Safari on sale for $6 each. I got them for such a day.
     We slowly make our way to the Safari, stopping for lunch at Taco Bell and a walk (Robin hobbled) around Menards. That place is amazing! Where else can you get building supplies, clothes, pet food, greeting cards, and fireworks?
     Anyway, the Safari wasn't crowded. We drove through noticing that the AFRICAN animals included such things as Bison, Longhorns, Elk, Reindeer and Pigs. Ok, not so African after all.
     After walking around and letting the youngest ride a camel, we decided to go through the Safari again. But this time, the Bison and Longhorns were hungry. They were coming to the car wanting food. Well.... they just weren't coming up to the car, they were coming IN THE CAR. Here is a pic of a Bison trying to give my son a kiss!

     This was a reminder to me how blessed I am. Thank God for the chance to have some fun. What a Fun Day!!!!

 

 

A "Not So New" View of the Bible - Divine Accommodation

I have been reading the Scriptures for almost all my life. I have an undergraduate degree in Bible, and a Masters Degree in New Testament. I have read literally hundreds of books. And TODAY, I read a concept that has been around for literally hundreds of years... and I didn't know it!

The concept is called, "Divine Accommodation." 

Have you ever tried to communicate with a two year old? You can speak words to them, but to really be heard, you have to simplify your language and talk on their level. For example, you would never tell a two year old that they need to "identify the options, isolate their suggestions and follow through on their decisions." Instead, you would encourage them to pick a crayon and color.

When God chose to communicate with humans, his ultimate communication was found in the person of Jesus. Jesus came down to our level and communicated with us. That means that God, who is 'all present' limited himself to a singular location. That means that the One who has no needs became dependent on air, food, water, sleep, etc...

The next level of communication is through the Scriptures. So, if we recognize that God's ultimate communication was limited when He revealed Himself in Jesus, why would we want to deny limitations in the secondary communication... the Bible.

A couple of quotes:
     "By the very way God gave us this word, he locked in the ambiguity." (Gordon Fee)
     "In the process of divine inspiration, God did not correct every incomplete or mistaken viewpoint of the biblical authors in order to communicate through them." (Christian Smith, The Bible Made Impossible)

A lot of church fathers held this view: Origen, Justin, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Augustine, Calvin.

Sure, the authors of Scripture were "carried by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). But that doesn't mean that they gave up their own limited understandings when recording the "words of God." They accomplished God's purposes without surrendering their own minds.
   
One final thought: If we take Scripture for what it is... God choosing to speak to us on our level, we shouldn't be upset when we read things that "contradict" or offend our senses. God could have chosen to reveal himself in any fashion, but he chose to use the words of Scripture. Sometimes these words confound those who really read them (should women prophesy or be quiet in the church). God is not distraught at this "confusion." He CHOSE to reveal himself in this way.... maybe so we would focus on the ultimate revelation in Jesus!

Is Jesus = God?

     There is a subject that has intrigued me for years.... Does the Bible Claim Jesus is God?

     This morning, I was reading 1 John 5:20 from the Greek. That previous statement doesn't mean I am smart, just disciplined. There are two practices that I try to do each day (1) Read a short passage from the Greek and (2) Read at least 5 pages from a book. By doing those two practices, I have read hundreds of books and about half of the NT from the Greek.

    Now back to 1 John 5:20. The NIV says, "He is the true God and eternal life." 

    Since I wasn't reading the from the English, I didn't breeze past that statement, but actually noticed what I read. The passage is clearly talking about JESUS CHRIST. In the Greek construction, there is no doubt that Jesus is being called God. So, John literally calls Jesus God.

     There is another clear example that John thought Jesus = God is found in John 1. In verse 1, John says that "the word was God" and then in verse 14, we are informed that "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son." So, if the Word was God and became the Son...I guess John is saying that Jesus = God.

     One more passage. In John 8, Jesus is in a debate with some Jews when he tossed out that "Abraham was glad to meet him (Jesus)." The smart people picked up on this and said, "you aren't even fifty, and you have seen Abraham."  Jesus reply says a lot... "Before Abraham was born, I AM." Now, every good Jewish boy understood that Jesus was calling himself the "I AM." (see Exodus 3:14).

     So, you ask, why does all this matter? Well, the common statement about Jesus is that "he was a good teacher." The problem is... If you are saying Jesus is just a "good teacher," you are missing the whole message about who He is and what His death on the cross really means.

Disturbing Story - Great Truth

   There is this incredibly disturbing story in Genesis 19 about Lot. It seems that after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot was living in a cave with his two daughters. Since there were no men around, the girls decided to make their dad drunk and have sex with him so they could have children. As the story goes, two nights in a row, he got totally hammered and passed out. The girls took turns with dad and both got pregnant.
   Here is the punch line... the two boys became the fathers of the Moabites and the Amonites. These were the two most hated peoples by the early Israelite community. The animosity was so bad that in Deuteronomy 23:3, the command is given that: "No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation."
    Maybe I shouldn't ask such questions, but I wonder... did the total disdain for two groups of people influence the story as told in Genesis 19? The story is so succinct, so disgusting, so incendiary.

    I know, there are timeless things that we can pull from this passage, such as the warning towards drunkenness. But, think there is a much more redemptive message here. Ruth is from the line of Moab.... and her grandson (David) entered not only the "assembly of the Lord" but led that assembly. And, eventually, Jesus came from that same line.
    So, in God's plan, it doesn't so much matter where you come from, but where HE is taking you!

STOP

    This morning, as I was reading the scriptures, I ran across something that "stopped" me in my tracks.
It is in Luke 24. The resurrection of Jesus has just happened and the disciples are in dismay. They didn't believe the story that the ladies told. So, two of them travel to a city called Emmaus.
     On the way, they are musing about the happenings of the last few days. They are joined in the journey by a man who asks them what they are talking about. The next sentence "stopped me in my tracks." Really, that is what the Greek word means there. They were caused to stop and stand still will downcast faces.
     Have you ever been "stopped in your tracks?"
     Sometimes we need to STOP our incessant moving and listen. The same root Greek word is used later in verse 22 where the NIV says that the women "amazed us" with testimony of the resurrection. Another rendering of that word means, "knocked the feet from under us."
     What I am saying is that sometimes, we need to be stopped.
     This past weekend, I actually took a day off. It was the first one I had taken since my vacation and Robin and I looked at each other...  We felt odd because we felt we should be going somewhere and doing something.
      Most of the people are so busy that if God wanted to talk to them, He would have to chase them around. And since God doesn't call us on our cell phones, we wouldn't be listening, because that e-mail, text, call or game requires all our attention as we sprint to the next event.
      So... I stopped this morning, just to listen. It was wonderful.
      Why don't you STOP today and hear what the Spirit of God wants to tell you!

     A weird thing happened to me to day. It was a sunny Monday morning, and the power was out at the church, so I decided to go to my favorite hideaway to read the Bible and pray. After spending some time reading the Scriptures, I decided to walk down the path to the marshy area on the back of the property. There are some ponds back there, and there aren't normally any people, so I can sing and pray aloud without the risk of anyone thinking I am too nuts.

     So, I am a "look for deer" kinda guy. It comes from all those years of sitting in the freezing cold hoping to catch a glimpse of "bambi" so I could kill him and have deer steak for dinner. I wasn't very successful, but I wasted a lot of time watching the woods.

     Last fall, I was walking down this same trail and I saw one of the biggest bucks I have ever seen. He was in full rut and his neck must have been 2 feet wide. I stood there in wonder and delight as I watched him casually bound into the woods.

     This morning, I was walking down that same trail, praying for a list of people... calling their names out to God in prayer and asking for Him to bless them. Of course, I was looking for a big buck to jump out of the underbrush and astound me again. Instead, a Red Winged Blackbird cut across my path. 

     I have seen these birds for years, but this one was different. The color on his wings was bright red. As he flew past me, I thought about the passage about how God takes care of the birds of the air. You know, that He caused those colors to be vibrant and bright. That bird didn't spend an hour in the mirror making sure the colors were perfectly placed.

     Maybe it is time I trust God a little more. If He can make a blackbird beautiful... maybe He can take care of me too!!!