Tag: Devotional

A sermon given at Cloverdale Church of Christ exploring how Jesus’s death and resurrection is more than just our salvation. Click here to view the video on YouTube.

~ Clay

The winter months of January and February can seem dull and muted. Most of the earth seems to be in a state of waiting. The trees have shed their green leaves. Most of the flowers have disappeared while waiting for Spring. Many animals even tuck themselves away to wait for warmer weather. The days are shorter and the sun’s rays are weaker due to their low angle.

People are not exempt from this. We experience a lull in activity and thought during these months too. Many people experience fatigue, mood changes, and feelings of hopelessness due to decreased sunlight disrupting their biological clocks. Others are simply trying to recover from what feels like running a gauntlet from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s – especially if you have kids!

Our spiritual lives experience these seasons of quiet as well. We contemplate and remember Jesus each Sunday morning as part of the Lord’s Supper, and it can be a challenge to keep these thoughts fresh and meaningful week in and week out. When you add in the factors above that come with the winter season, a meaningful communion time each Sunday can prove elusive for many.

Winter comes right between Christmas and Easter. During the Christmas season it is easy to remain focused on the birth of Jesus. We see nativity scenes in people’s yards. We hear about Mary and Jesus in songs. We sings hymns and carols throughout the season. The beginning of Jesus’s life on Earth seems to be all around us in December. During the Easter season, our thoughts are focused on the cross and the empty tomb. We dwell on the sacrifice of Jesus to pay our debt. We relish in His resurrection and the conquering of death. Easter Sunday is a declaration of the events surrounding the end of Jesus’s earthly life and a glorious celebration of what comes next for those who believe.

So, if Christmas is focused on the beginning of Jesus’s incarnate life and Easter is focused on the end, then how should we approach this weekly time of reflection in the Lord’s Supper during the months in between? I suggest one option is to focus on Jesus’s ministry. The life and teachings of Jesus are what happened between His birth and His crucifixion, and the words of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, make a great starting point. Jesus himself begins this way in Matthew 5:

He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,

    for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,

    for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

    for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,

    for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,

    for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,

    for they will be called children of God.
 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

May your winter’s communion times be special and fruitful.

~ Clay

The first part of Romans chapter 12 is one of those passages that you hear a lot. “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices” and “in Christ we who are many form one body” are phrases that get used often in everything from sermons to worship songs. I’ve even seen them on t-shirts and social media posts. It is such a pivotal chapter, that we often forget where it is in the context of Romans as a whole.

Romans has this reputation of being one of the most theological books in the Bible. And that reputation is WELL DESERVED. Basically, in the first 11 chapters Paul has been systematically laying out a complete theology for understanding what it means to be a Christian. This reputation for being so theological has caused some people to wonder why Paul includes these practical chapters toward the end.

Romans 12:1-2 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

What we can sometimes fail to remember is that ALL theology is practical. And all Christian practice IS theological. You can’t have one without the other. The Good News of Jesus Christ is meant to transform a person’s life. Unless we start to LIVE OUT our theology, the Gospel hasn’t accomplished its purpose.

We offer ourselves as living sacrifices, and that is how we worship God. Here is where a little bit of first century context might be helpful. When we think of the word “sacrifice” we often think of giving up something or going without something. But when the first century person thought of the word “sacrifice” they equated it with the word “worship.” In the ancient world, ritual sacrifice at a temple WAS how you worshipped your God – Jews and Gentiles alike. The temple in Jerusalem AND countless temples all over the Roman Empire were constantly busy with people coming to sacrifice something AS THEIR ACT OF WORSHIP. 

As you might expect, many Gentiles practiced a cheap version of worship. They reasoned that if all we have to do is offer this animal at an alter once a year (or however often), then we’re golden. We’re straight with the gods. I can live the rest of my life however I want. Israel, by the way, wasn’t immune to this kind of thinking either. The Old Testament prophets spoke against this again and again.

For a better example, look no further than when Jesus himself calls out the Pharisees for being white-washed tombs. Pretty sacrifices on the outside, but no genuine worship on the inside. That’s why Paul follows his word about offering yourselves as sacrifices with a caution to not conform to the pattern of the world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

No, the sacrifice that we offer at the alter – our worship to God – is an INFORMED sacrifice. I’ve written before about how Paul saw the world as being caught between two ages. When we accept Christ as Lord and seek to follow him, we have switched our allegiance from the “present age” and instead seek to live in “the age to come.” And so our sacrifice is a living one. Literally. We sacrifice the right to live however we want to and instead live in ways that honor God. We align ourselves with “the age to come,” but “the present age” is still all around us. 

Some might feel that it is enough to simply “live a good life.” Try not to sin, study your Bible, pray regularly, show up on Sunday morning… you know. Doing the things. But if we stop there, then I’m not sure that’s really an informed sacrifice. We need to ask ourselves,  “What does God really desire from our worship?” I think it is what He has always desired.

Think about Abraham. When God chose Abraham and told him to leave his family, leave his homeland, and set off on this adventure, what is the reason that He gives Abraham. Do you remember? Genesis 12: “I will make you into a great nation… I will bless you… and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God desires that His people are a blessing to the whole earth. That’s what He has always wanted humans to be. Isaiah echoes this as well when the Servant of the Lord (that is, Jesus) isn’t just going to restore the people of Israel, he is going to “be a light for the Gentiles, that salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” God chose the people of Israel so that the rest of the world could see and be drawn to Him.

As Christians, our purpose is the same. Jesus commands us to “go into all the world” preaching the Gospel and making disciples. You can’t just BE CHRISTIAN. You have to also “DO CHRISTIAN.” Theology and practice go together. They are two parts of the same thing. Or, as James will write, “faith without works is dead.”

Romans 12:3-8 – For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

So in the first two verses, Paul says we should offer ourselves as living sacrifices – and that those should be “informed” sacrifices. Realizing that BEING Christians inherently involves DOING Christian things. And then he rolls right into this analogy of being part of a body. Lots of people get wound up exploring this analogy. How does this body part fit in with that body part? Does the thing that I think I’m good at fit into the body of Christ and if so, how and where? Is this body part working well with that body part? Is this body really working together as a whole unit? OK. Those are good discussions and someone needs to be looking at that. Sure.

But I want to step back and make sure we don’t lose sight of Paul’s main point here. It is NO accident that he follows his words about living sacrifice and renewing your mind with the body analogy. If we are going to BE CHRISTIANS and DO CHRISTIANITY, then the proper place for that is WITHIN THE BODY. It is in the community of Christ that we become most effective. It is by serving the world around us TOGETHER AS A CHURCH that outsiders are best drawn to a life in Christ. 

When we work together as a body, we get to take advantage of each other’s strengths. Paul lists a few of them in these verses – prophesying, teaching, serving, encouraging, giving, leading, showing mercy. I don’t think Paul means to limit the list to just these seven. There are lots of ways that you can plug in and become part of the body of Christ. Figuring out what that means for you is part of being “informed” with your sacrifice. 

Besides, working as part of a group is just better. Think of it in terms of movies and TV shows. These days, super hero movies often feature groups of main characters: Guardians of the Galaxy, Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Justice League. Or go back in time a bit to my day: Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Original Transformers, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings. Or look at it in the Anime genre: Frieren, Delicious in Dungeon, Kpop Demon Hunters, One Piece, My Hero Academia, …and the list goes on. I love a good Superman movie, but the group of heroes is just so much more relatable. No one person can do it all. They have to rely on each other to overcome whatever challenges they face. It’s a similar dynamic as you and I become part of the body of Christ.

Being part of the body is also where we grow as Christians. “As Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” That’s actually in Proverbs, which is part of Israel’s heritage. But it is equally true in the body of Christ. My gifts can be used to reach non-Christians, but they can also be used to build up the body through mentoring or teaching, or even just encouraging other Christians. Your gifts can do the same for me. It is when we are in each other’s lives that we can have this effect on each other. It’s when we are in each other’s lives that we are attached to the body. And it is when we are attached to the body that we receive the spiritual nourishment needed to live and grow in our faith.

This was proven in a negative way in the COVID pandemic. Suddenly, we all stayed home and watched Sunday morning on our TVs. Sure, we still got a sermon and we still heard communion thoughts. Most of us sang along when the songs were played on the screen. But as necessary as these changes were for the physical health in our city, they were devastating for the spiritual health of our community. I’ve known quite a few people who quit watching during the pandemic and haven’t returned now that things are back to normal. Being members one to another is vitally important in our life as Christians.

So, BE Christians, DOING Christianity, as part of the BODY of Christ. That is what Paul is saying in this passage. 

~ Clay

We celebrate the Lord’s Supper each week by sharing this little piece of bread and a few drops of juice. These two basic items, which are simple enough to be found in every culture around the globe, are meant to remind us of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recount the story of Jesus instructing his disciples about the bread and the cup. During the Passover meal, Jesus takes some bread and declares, “This is my body, given for you.” And then in a similar fashion, He takes the cup and says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Simple and short, but packed with meaning.

Luke’s gospel starts the meal with Jesus telling His disciples, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until if finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” This will be their last meal together before Jesus is arrested in the garden and everything else that follows. This is one reason that Jesus’s “Last Supper” becomes the “Lord’s Supper.” But don’t forget that Jesus also was very intentional in setting up the Lord’s Supper DURING this Passover Meal. He wants His disciples to draw meaning and connection between what they are celebrating in the Passover and the events that are just about to take place.

Exodus 12 is where we find the story of how the Passover Meal began. Israel is enslaved to Egypt and the oppression is great. God has empowered Moses to battle with Pharaoh (and Egypt’s gods) through the first nine plagues, and has announced the nature of the tenth and final plague. The Israelites are instructed to sacrifice a lamb and use it to prepare a hasty meal with unleavened bread. Some of the blood from the lamb is to be spread on the doorframe of the house where they will eat. When the Lord passes through the land killing all firstborn of both people and animals, He will see the blood on the doorpost and passover that house and whomever is inside. The power of Egypt will be broken and the Israelites will be set free. They are then instructed to celebrate this meal and reenact this evening every year as a meal of remembrance of what God has done.

Jesus declares that this new meal of remembrance is the FULLFILLMENT of the old one. When we accept the saving Grace of Jesus, we align our lives with God’s Kingdom in this new covenant. Then when it comes time for God to pass judgement again, he instead sees the blood of Jesus in our place and passes us over. In Exodus, I don’t think it really mattered who was inside the house. If the doorframe had the blood of the sacrificial lamb on it, God passed them over. Similarly, it doesn’t really matter who you are either. When you choose Christ and put your faith in Him, His blood causes God’s judgement to pass over you as well.

The Israelites were instructed to commemorate this Passover Meal each year in order to remember and pass on to future generations the story of the night that God delivered them from bondage. God broke the power of the Egyptians and set them free, and the Passover meal stood as a lasting reminder of that fact. By sacrificing that lamb and spreading its blood on the doorposts, they were CHOOSING to go with God rather than remain in bondage to the Egyptians. Because of this blood, they were set free from slavery to the Egyptians and could follow God wherever He leads. Commemorating this choice each year through the Passover Meal was vitally important. We read in the following chapters of Exodus that the Israelites were going to need every reminder they could get if they were going to keep choosing God instead of something else. Time and again, we read about how they failed to do so. 

For us, this choice was made at our baptism. When we put on Jesus in baptism, we CHOSE through faith, to go with God rather than remain in bondage to sin. In a similar way to Israel, we are set free from sin because of our faith and can follow God wherever He leads. Commemorating this choice each week through this meal of remembrance is vitally important. Before we get too down on Israel for failing to consistently choose God as they wandered the desert, let’s be honest with ourselves and recognize that we also fail to consistently choose God – and we get this remembrance meal every week! I don’t have to remember all the way back to the last Passover meal. I simply have to remember back to last Sunday!

So, in this remembrance meal, and with this blood of Jesus, let us be mindful not only of Jesus and the sacrifice that He made. Let us remember that we CHOSE to follow Him and trust in His blood for our own passover. May this meal also help us to KEEP CHOOSING God in the midst of our wandering this week.

~ Clay

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 6:15-23

Paul is continuing to build the argument that he has been working on through several of these chapters. Ultimately, that argument will be that Christians have it better! In the first half of chapter six, Paul focused on the freedom that Christians enjoy. In this half of the chapter, he shifts gears and explores how Christians have it better through this idea of slavery.

Like he often does, Paul is exploring this idea by working within a dual-option reality. He sets up these two options as the two main options available to everyone. Either you are a slave to sin or you are a slave to righteousness. Speaking to Christians, Paul is assuming that the reader has *chosen* to be a slave to righteousness, even if they might not have heard it in these terms before.

There is one major concept that we need to know in order to fully appreciate what Paul is doing in this section. For us — 21st century Americans — we can have a hard time thinking of ourselves in terms of slavery, especially 1st century notions of slavery. So, let me back up a little bit and build in some context.

In the first century, most Jews held firmly to a concept some scholars call “apocalyptic thinking.” For them, history is divided into two ages: “the present age” and “the age to come.” The present age is dominated by sin, Gentiles, and Satan. The age to come will be marked by God vindicating himself and his people, banishing evil, and establishing his eternal kingdom.

We find this sort of language all over Paul’s writing:
– Ephesians: Paul contrasts “the present age” with “the one to come”
 – Corinthians: Paul refers to “the rulers of this age” and “the god of this age”
 – Galatians: Paul says we are living in “the present evil age.”

But the coming of Jesus has changed all of that! Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the “new age” has been inaugurated. God’s “new kingdom” has arrived. YET – this present evil age hasn’t come to an end, and the new age isn’t yet present in its full and final form. Evil and sin still exist, and believers have not yet been made perfect. We give our lives to God and align ourselves with the new age, but we still live in a world dominated by the old age and we feel the effects and contamination of sin in our lives.

So, how should we read these passage that seem to setup a choice between two options? It is a tension that Paul himself is navigating in these verses. Paul goes back and forth between verses that indicate God has accomplished our break with sin:
– v2: We are dead to sin
 – v6: our old self was crucified with Jesus
 – v11: we are dead to sin but alive to God
 – v13: we’ve been brought from death to life
 – v14: sin shall not be your master
 – v18: we are set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness
 – v22: we are set free from sin and have become slaves to God

Yet Paul also sprinkles in statements that command us to stay away from “old age” thinking:
 – v12: Do not let sin reign
 – v13: do not offer the parts of your body to sin… offer yourselves to God
 – v19: offer the parts of your body in slavery to righteousness

So, which is it? Has God conquered? Or do we need to still be wary of sin in our lives? 

I think one of the keys to navigating this tension well is to realize that it is God who takes the initiative. Through grace, God acts to help his people, and then He asks for them to respond. Paul never calls on people to “wage a war against sin and hope that God will take their side and win the war for them.” That sounds ridiculous. But often, it’s what we actually tend to do. We have to remember that we are living in the middle of this tension between what God has already done and what we are supposed to do. 

We are pretty good at avoiding “legalism” because we’ve had that one drilled into us for quite some time. But there is a soft version of legalism that sneaks under our radar. It looks like this: we can obey God or even make Him happy on our own. We chide ourselves on how we failed yet again to live up to our idea of what God wants. Instead, we should be embracing God’s grace again today because He freely gives it! 

When we embrace God’s grace and live our lives out of that mindset – then we truly become God’s children. Everything we do should be rooted in God’s grace. In fact, everything we do should serve to CHANNEL God’s grace toward everyone around us!

Before we swing too far to one side, though. Remember that we are working through this tension of new age and old age being present together. Leaning totally on the Grace end of the spectrum can start to look like some sort of “magical Christianity” where we don’t really have to put anything into it. “Let go and Let God” is the rallying cry of those who end up too far this direction. Don’t go so far toward Grace that you forget that God HAS commanded us to be a certain way and to act in certain ways.

You live in both ages, so you need to bake both kinds of mindsets into your faith walk. Paul will spend chapters 7 and 8 hashing it out further, but for now I think it is enough to notice that Paul agrees with James: Faith without works is dead. Live into the Grace of God and channel that Grace to everyone around you — but honor that gift of Grace by living a life that is obedient to God’s calling.

May God bless you as you seek to serve Him this week.

~ Clay

Note: This is the third of three sermons I preached this Summer in Japan.

In recent weeks, we have focused on how our prayers to God can become more relational. We’ve looked at many of the prayers that Paul includes in his letters, especially his “Thanksgiving Prayers.” They have helped deepen our understanding of prayer through his example to encourage others and show gratitude. As our relationship with God becomes deeper, we may even have times when we pray to change God’s mind. In Matthew 7:11, Jesus says, “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. How much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask of him?”

ここ数週間、私たちは神への祈りが、より関係的なものになる（神との関係を深める）ためにはどうすればよいかという事に焦点を当ててきました。パウロの手紙に収録されている多くの祈り、特に彼の「感謝の祈り」について学びました。これらの祈りの中には、パウロが他者を励まし、感謝を表すものがあり、私たちの祈りの理解を深めてくれました。神との関係が深まるにつれ、私たちの祈りが神の考えを変える時もあるかもしれません。マタイによる福音書 7章7と11節で、イエス様はこう言われました。「求めなさい。そうすれば与えられます。捜しなさい。そうすれば見つかります。たたきなさい。そうすれば開かれます。、、、とすれば、なおのこと、天におられるあなたがたの父が、どうして、求める者たちに良いものを下さらないことがありましょう。」

Rooting our prayers in our relationship with God also helps protect us from praying for the wrong reasons. About 25 years ago, there was a book published in the United States titled “The Prayer of Jabez.” This book sold over 10 million copies and it’s main idea was that Christians should include a certain kind of prayer in their daily routine. The kind of prayer that this author was suggesting follows a format similar to a prayer found in the Old Testament.

祈りを神との関係に根ざしたものにすることは、間違った動機で祈りから私たちを守ってくれることにもなります。約25年前、アメリカで『ヤベツの祈り』という本が出版されました。この本は1000万部以上売れました。その主旨はクリスチャンは、特定の祈りを日々の祈りの中に取り入れるべきであるというものでした。著者が提唱する祈りは、旧約聖書に見られる祈りの形式でした。

First Chronicles chapter four is mainly concerned with documenting the names of a wide variety of the descendants of Judah. Most scholars agree that First and Second Chronicles were written after the Isrealites returned from exile, and so an accounting of each tribe’s descendants is an important part of the early chapters. But right in the middle of this list, the author takes a moment to single out this person named Jabez.

第一歴代誌4章には、ユダの子孫の様々な氏族の名前が記されています。多くの学者は、第一、第二歴代誌はイスラエル人が捕囚から帰還した後に書かれたと考えます。それゆえこの書の最初の部分にある各部族の系図の重要な役割を果たしたことを指摘します。そのリストの真ん中あたりで、歴代誌の著者はヤベツという人物について少し書いています。

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 reads, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.”

第一歴代誌 4章9-10節にはこう記されています。「 4:9 ヤベツは彼の兄弟たちよりも重んじられた。彼の母は、「私が悲しみのうちにこの子を産んだから」と言って、彼にヤベツという名をつけた。 4:10 ヤベツはイスラエルの神に呼ばわって言った。「私を大いに祝福し、私の地境を広げてくださいますように。御手が私とともにあり、わざわいから遠ざけて私が苦しむことのないようにしてくださいますように。」そこで神は彼の願ったことをかなえられた。」

The author of the book published 25 years ago pointed to this verse and concluded, “…make the Jabez prayer for blessing part of the daily fabric of your life… By the end of that time, you’ll be noticing significant changes in your life.” This author also went on to say, “You start to pray for more ministry, and amazing things occur. As your opportunities expand, your ability and resources supernaturally increase, too. Right away you’ll sense the pleasure God feels in your request and His urgency to accomplish great things through you.”

25年前に出版されたその本の著者はこの聖句を引用し、こう結論づけています。「…ヤベツの祝福の祈りをあなたの日々の生活の一部にしてください。…そうすれば、人生に大きな変化が訪れることに気づくでしょう。」著者はさらにこう続けています。「より多くの奉仕のために祈り始めると、驚くべきことが起こります。機会が広がるにつれて、あなたの能力と資源も超自然的に増大します。あなたはすぐに、神があなたの願いに喜びを感じ、あなたを通して偉大なことを成し遂げたいという切実な思いを感じるでしょう。」

Although this book became very popular and sold many copies, it also received a large amount of criticism. While we do make requests to God through prayer, approaching prayer as a way to increase our own happiness can easily be abused. This kind of thinking puts ourselves and our own needs at the center of our prayers to God. Again, presenting our requests before God through prayer is not a sinful practice. But making ourselves the center of our prayer life is a dangerous step to take.

この本は大変な人気を集め、多くの部数が売れましたが、同時に多くの批判も受けました。私たちは祈りを通して神に願いを捧げますが、祈りを自分に幸福をもたらすための手段として捉えるなら、祈りが容易に誤用されてしまう可能性があります。このような考え方は、自分自身と自分の必要を、神への祈りの中心に置いてしまいます。繰り返しますが、祈りを通して神の前に願いを捧げることは罪深い行為ではありません。しかし、私たち自身を祈りの中心に置くことは危険な一歩です。

Approaching prayer in this way can lead to a mechanistic view of God. Our Father in Heaven is a being with whom we should develop a relationship. He is not a vending machine waiting to dispense whatever would make us happy or successful. Our prayers should be offered with humility and submission to God’s will, not with an expectation that God will give us whatever we desire.

このように祈りに臨むことは、神を機械のように捉える傾向につながります。天の父なる神は、私たちが関係を築き上げるべき存在です。神は、私たちを幸せにしたり成功させたりするために何でも与えてくれる自動販売機ではありません。私たちは、神が私たちの望むものを何でも与えてくれると期待するのではなく、謙虚さと神の御心への服従をもって祈りを捧げるべきです。

Approaching prayer in this way can also lead to a life characterized by consuming more and becoming entitled. God, in this skewed kind of thinking, becomes less about meeting my NEED and more about satisfying my GREED. Eventually, this sort of prayer life becomes like an addiction to asking. We end up believing that God will always say YES because we have not trained our appetites to say NO.

このように祈りに臨むことは、より多くのものを手に入れようとし、常に自分の権利を主張する人生につながる可能性もあります。このような歪んだ考え方では、神が自分の必要を満たすことよりも、自分の欲を満たすことに重点を置くようになります。最終的に、そのような祈りの生活は、依存症のようになります。私たちは、自分の欲求に「ノー」と言うように訓練されていないため、神は常に「イエス」と言ってくれると信じてしまうのです。

But before we go too far, let’s remember that the prayer of Jabez IS included in the Bible. Maybe there is some sort of lesson to be learned from it. When viewed with a more complete theology of prayer, the prayer of Jabez offers some valuable insight. A biblical theology of prayer includes not just what we are asking of God, but how we are asking too. Consider how Jesus discusses prayer in Luke 18:1-8:

しかし、話が先に進む前に、ヤベツの祈りが聖書の中に含まれていることを思い出しましょう。そこから何か学ぶべき教訓があるかもしれません。より包括的な祈りの神学の観点から見ると、ヤベツの祈りは貴重な洞察を与えてくれます。聖書的な祈りの教えには、私たちが神に何を求めるかだけでなく、どのように求めるかも含まれています。ルカによる福音書 18章1-8節で、イエス様が祈りについてどのように教えておられるかを考えてみましょう。

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.

18:1 いつでも祈るべきであり、失望してはならないことを教えるために、イエスは彼らにたとえを話された。 18:2 「ある町に、神を恐れず、人を人とも思わない裁判官がいた。 18:3 その町に、ひとりのやもめがいたが、彼のところにやって来ては、『私の相手をさばいて、私を守ってください』と言っていた。 18:4 彼は、しばらくは取り合わないでいたが、後には心ひそかに『私は神を恐れず人を人とも思わないが、 18:5 どうも、このやもめは、うるさくてしかたがないから、この女のために裁判をしてやることにしよう。でないと、ひっきりなしにやって来てうるさくてしかたがない』と言った。」

 18:6 主は言われた。「不正な裁判官の言っていることを聞きなさい。 18:7 まして神は、夜昼神を呼び求めている選民のためにさばきをつけないで、いつまでもそのことを放っておかれることがあるでしょうか。

The widow prays often and she prays for justice. Jesus is teaching us something about how we pray through this parable. So what about the prayer of Jabez? What is going on with him? Let’s hear his prayer again, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”

やもめは頻繁に祈り、正義のために祈りました。イエスはこのたとえ話を通して、私たちがどのように祈るかについて教えています。では、ヤベツの祈りはどうでしょうか。彼に何が起こっているのでしょうか。もう一度彼の祈りを聞いてみましょう。「ああ、どうか私を祝福し、私の領土を広げてください。あなたの御手が私とともにあり、私を災いから守ってください。そうすれば、私は苦しみから解放されます。」

Scholars remind us that Jabez is of the tribe of Judah. Elsewhere in Chronicles we read how the tribes of Simeon and Reuben pillaged the land of their enemies so that they could inhabit their territories. Those stories describe a process that could be violent and painful. So, it is possible that Jabez is actually pleading for God to protect him and help his people flourish without having to resort to violence.

学者たちは、ヤベツがユダ族の出身であることを指摘しています。歴代誌の他の箇所では、シメオン族とルベン族が敵の領土を略奪し、自分たちの領土に住み着いたことが記されています。これらの物語は、暴力と苦痛が伴なったであろう戦いの過程を描いています。ですから、ヤベツは神に、暴力に訴えることなく、自分を守り、民が繁栄できるよう助けてくださるよう祈っていたのかもしれません。

Jabez prays “…and that you would keep me from hurt and harm.” The translation of this text could mean that Jabez isn’t praying for his own protection, rather that he wouldn’t be the one inflicting hurt and harm on others. Read this way, the prayer of Jabez becomes a powerful example for us. Jabez trusts in prayer more than he does in his own strength or power. He is submitting to God through prayer and asking for God’s help on behalf of his people, not for his own desires.

ヤベツは「…そして、あなたが私を傷や害から守ってくださいますように」と祈ります。この聖句の翻訳は、ヤベツが自分自身の保護を祈っているのではなく、むしろ他人に傷や害を与える者にならないように祈っているという意味にも解釈できます。このように読むと、ヤベツの祈りは私たちにとって力強い模範となります。ヤベツは自分の力や権力よりも、祈りに信頼を置いていました。彼は祈りを通して神に従い、自分の欲望のためではなく、民のために神の助けを求めていたのです。

Just like Jabez, we enjoy the privilege of praying on behalf of our people. We pray for each other regularly, and that is an important part of our prayer lives. However, we are called to think in greater terms. Jabez was part of the tribe of Judah, and those tribes and clans were based on physical relationships. Either you were descended from Judah or you were not. As Christians, our ties are not based on physical relations. Our ties are found rooted in God’s Spirit. We are a spiritual family. We are bound together in the Love of Christ.

ヤベツのように、私たちにも民のために祈るという特権が与えられています。私たちが互いのために定期的に祈り合う事は、私たちの祈りの生活の重要な部分です。しかし、私たちはより大きな視点で考えるように求められています。ヤベツはユダ族の一員であり、当時の部族や氏族は肉体的な関係に基づいていました。あなたはユダ族の子孫であるか、そうでないかのどちらかでした。クリスチャンである私たちの絆は、肉体的な関係に基づくものではありません。私たちの絆は神の霊に根ざしています。私たちは霊的な家族です。キリストの愛によって結ばれています。

Since our family is defined by the Holy Spirit, it can include anyone who has the same Spirit in their lives. We aren’t limited to only including those who were born into our tribe. We can welcome people into our tribe regardless of where they are from! 

私たちの家族関係は聖霊によって定義されるので、人生において同じ聖霊を持つ人なら誰でも受け入れることができます。私たちの部族に生まれた人だけに限定されるわけではありません。出身地に関係なく、誰でも私たちの部族に迎え入れることができます。

Yes, we can pray the prayer of Jabez asking for God’s blessing on behalf of other Christians. But unlike Jabez, we also get to ask God to lead other people to join us in this walk of faith in our savior Jesus! This gift of forgiveness and becoming part of the family of God is not limited only to those who have a certain ancestor. It is freely available to anyone who puts their faith in the saving power of our loving Father.

そうです、私たちは他のクリスチャンのために神の祝福を祈るヤベツの祈りを捧げることができます。しかし、ヤベツとは異なり、私たちは他の人々が私たちの救い主イエスへの信仰の歩みに加わるように神の導きを祈ることができるのです。赦しと神との家族関係という賜物は、特定の先祖を持つ人だけに限られるものではありません。愛する父なる神の救いの力に信仰を置くすべての人に、広く与えられているのです。

That’s why Paul can pray in Colossians 4:3, “At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ.” And even more directly in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, “Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you.” 

ですからパウロはコロサイ人への手紙4章3節で、「同時に、私たちのためにも、神がみことばのために門を開いてくださって、私たちがキリストの奥義を語れるように、祈ってください。」と祈ることができたのです。そして、第二テサロニケ人への手紙3章1節では、さらに直接的に、「終わりに、兄弟たちよ。私たちのために祈ってください。主のみことばが、あなたがたのところでと同じように早く広まり、またあがめられますように。」と祈っています。

As we grow deeper in relationship with God, we are shaped by His Spirit. Gradually, His desires become our desires as well. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 declares that, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” As Christians, we have the joy of participating in God’s desire. We should make sure that our prayers reflect that as well.

神との関係が深まるにつれて、私たちは神の霊によって形作られます。徐々に、神の望みは私たちの望みにもなります。第一テモテへの手紙2章3-4節は、「そうすることは、私たちの救い主である神の御前において良いことであり、喜ばれることなのです。神は、すべての人が救われて、真理を知るようになるのを望んでおられます。」と宣言しています。クリスチャンとして、私たちは神の望みにあずかる喜びを持っています。私たちの祈りも、そのことを反映したものであるべきです。

~ Clay

Note: This is the second of three sermons I preached in Japan this Summer.

Two weeks ago, I encouraged us all to become more relational when we pray to God. Following Paul’s example, prayer can result in a deeper relationship with God and prayer can also draw us closer to each other. We should spend significant time praying for the foundational parts of our inner Christian life instead of allowing our prayers to always be about the outward, visible parts of our walk with Jesus.

2週間前のメッセージで、私たちは祈る時に大切なのは神との関係であることを学びました。パウロの祈りの模範に従うなら、祈りは私たちを神に近づけ、お互いに近づけることができます。私たちは、より多くの時間を自分たちのクリスチャン生活の内側の本質的、根本的な部分に費やすべきで、生活の外側の目に見える部分が祈りの中心になってはいけません。

It is desirable that we focus much of our prayer life on those foundational parts of our Christian walk, but we cannot forget that God still wants us to pray for specific requests as well. It is good when we seek God’s intervention for the struggles present in our lives. As we learn to speak with our heavenly Father in more relational ways, it is only natural for us to express our desires and wishes to Him as well. 

クリスチャン生活の土台となる部分に祈りを集中させるのは望ましいことですが、神は私たちが具体的な願いを祈ることも望んでおられることを忘れてはなりません。人生の様々な苦しみに関して神の介入を求めるのは良いことです。天の父との関係を大切にしながら父なる神に語り、私たちの望みや願いを伝えることは自然なことです。

Many times, when we present our requests to God, we ask for Him to do something. It might be that we ask Him to intervene for us. It might be that we ask Him to intervene for someone else. In either case, we are usually asking God for something that hasn’t happened yet. Sometimes we pray for God to move in some way, but that prayer seems to go unanswered. In that case, we usually think about it in one of two ways.

多くの場合、私たちは神に願いを捧げる時、何かしてほしいことを求めます。それは、自分のために介入していただくことかもしれませんし、他の人のためかもしれません。どちらの場合も、私たちはまだ起きていないことを神に求めます。時には、神に動いて欲しいのに、その祈りが聞かれていないように思うことがあります。そのような場合、私たちはたいてい二つのうちどちらかのことを考えます。

Our first thought might be that God is planning on giving us what we are asking for, but the timing is not right. When we recognize that God has better knowledge than we do, we are able to wait with patience for the answer to our prayers. Patience, you may remember, is one of the fruits of the Spirit’s work in our lives, and waiting on God is a common theme in the Bible. Abraham, Moses, and David all experienced significant periods of waiting for God to act. 

一つの考えは、神は私たちが求めているものを与えようとしておられるけど、タイミングがまだ合っていないのではないかということです。しかし、神が私たちよりも多くのことをご存知だと思えば、私たちは祈りの答えを忍耐強く待つことができます。忍耐は、聖霊が私たちの人生に働きかけて与えてくださる賜物の一つであり、神を待つことは聖書の中でよく見られるテーマです。アブラハム、モーセ、ダビデは皆、神のわざを長い期間待つという経験をしました。

Our second thought on unanswered prayer is where I want to focus on today. That thought might look something like this: God, I earnestly want this. Please change this thing in my life. If it is your will, I am begging you to act in this way. — If these prayers go unanswered long enough, we might even start to think in terms of praying for God to change His mind. 

今日は、祈り答えられていないことに対する二つ目の考え方に焦点を当てたいと思います。それは、次のようなものかもしれません。「神様、私は切に願います。どうか私の人生のこのことを変えてください。もし御心であれば、そのようにして下さることをお祈りいたします。」 — 私たちはこれらの祈りが長い間答えられないと、神が考えを変えてくださるように祈ることを考え始めるかもしれません。

But, we need to consider this question: Does God change His mind? As your prayer life grows more relational, this question becomes more and more important. It is a pivotal question to ask, because how we answer this question has great impact on the way that we pray.

しかし、私たちは次のことについて考える必要があります。神はご自分の考えを変えるのでしょうか？祈りの生活が神との信頼関係に根ざすようになるにつれて、この問いはますます重要になります。これは極めて重要な問いです。なぜなら、この問いにどう答えるかが、私たちの祈り方に大きな影響を与えるからです。

So, does God change His mind? Some would say “No. God does not change His mind.” There are four Old Testament texts that suggest God does not change his mind:

では、神は考えを変えるのでしょうか？「いいえ。神は決して考えを変えません」と言う人もいるでしょう。旧約聖書には、神が考えを変えないことを示す箇所が4つあります。

In Numbers 23:18-19 God tells Balaam to deliver this message to Balak:

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.

God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?”

民数記 23章18-19節で、神はバラムに次の言葉をバラクに伝えるように命じています。

民 23:18 バラムは彼のことわざを唱えて言った。「立て、バラクよ。そして聞け。ツィポルの子よ。私に耳を傾けよ。23:19神は人間ではなく、偽りを言うことがない。人の子ではなく、悔いることがない。神は言われたことを、なさらないだろうか。約束されたことを成し遂げられないだろうか。

And in 1 Samuel 15:29, when King Saul pleads with God after hearing that his lineage will not stay on the throne, Samuel tells Saul:

“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; 
for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

また、１サムエル記15章29節では、サウル王が自分の子孫が王位にとどまらないことを聞き、神に嘆願したとき、サムエルはサウルにこう告げています。

Ⅰサム 15:29 実に、イスラエルの栄光である方は、偽ることもなく、悔いることもない。この方は人間ではないので、悔いることがない。」

In Malachi’s prophecy against Israel for breaking the Covenant, God tells the people:

“‘I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

神との契約を破ったイスラエルに対して、マラキの預言を通して神はこう語られました。ﾏﾗｷ3:6-7

ﾏﾗｷ 3:6 【主】であるわたしは変わることがない。ヤコブの子らよ。あなたがたは、滅ぼし尽くされない。3:7 あなたがたの先祖の時代から、あなたがたは、わたしのおきてを離れ、それを守らなかった。わたしのところに帰れ。そうすれば、わたしもあなたがたのところに帰ろう。──万軍の【主】は仰せられる

And in Psalm 110, David writes that: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind.”

そして詩篇110篇で、ダビデはこう書いています。

詩 110:4 【主】は誓い、そしてみこころを変えない。

And yet… let’s consider the passage in 2 Kings 20:1-7:

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly…” 

しかしながら…2列王記20章1-7節を考えてみましょう。

Ⅱ列王 20:1-3 そのころ、ヒゼキヤは病気になって死にかかっていた。そこへ、アモツの子、預言者イザヤが来て、彼に言った。「【主】はこう仰せられます。『あなたの家を整理せよ。あなたは死ぬ。直らない。』」 20:2 そこでヒゼキヤは顔を壁に向けて、【主】に祈って、言った。20:3 「ああ、【主】よ。どうか思い出してください。私が、まことを尽くし、全き心をもって、あなたの御前に歩み、あなたがよいと見られることを行ってきたことを。」こうして、ヒゼキヤは大声で泣いた。

“…Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.

 20:4 イザヤがまだ中庭を出ないうちに、次のような【主】のことばが彼にあった。

 20:5 「引き返して、わたしの民の君主ヒゼキヤに告げよ。あなたの父ダビデの神、【主】は、こう仰せられる。『わたしはあなたの祈りを聞いた。あなたの涙も見た。見よ。わたしはあなたをいやす。三日目には、あなたは【主】の宮に上る。20:6わたしは、あなたの寿命にもう十五年を加えよう。わたしはアッシリヤの王の手から、あなたとこの町を救い出し、わたしのために、また、わたしのしもべダビデのためにこの町を守る。』」20:7 イザヤが、「干しいちじくをひとかたまり、持って来なさい」と命じたので、人々はそれを持って来て、腫物に当てた。すると、彼は直った。

God seems totally affected by Hezekiah’s prayer. He sends Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that this illness would be fatal. After hearing Hezekiah’s prayer, however, God heals him and grants him 15 more years of life.

神はヒゼキヤの祈りによって心を動かされたようです。イザヤを遣わして、この病気が致命的であることをヒゼキヤに告げさせました。しかし、神はヒゼキヤの祈りを聞いて彼を癒し、さらに15年の命を与えました。

Hezekiah is not alone, either. What about Moses? Exodus 32:9-14 describes an incredible discussion between Moses and God:

“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?“ … and skipping down to verse 14 … “Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”

ヒゼキヤだけではありません。モーセはどうでしょうか？出エジプト記32章9-14節には、モーセと神の驚くべき対話が記されています。

出 32:9 【主】はまた、モーセに仰せられた。「わたしはこの民を見た。これは、実にうなじのこわい民だ。32:10 今はただ、わたしのするままにせよ。わたしの怒りが彼らに向かって燃え上がって、わたしが彼らを絶ち滅ぼすためだ。しかし、わたしはあなたを大いなる国民としよう。」32:11 しかしモーセは、彼の神、【主】に嘆願して言った。「【主】よ。あなたが偉大な力と力強い御手をもって、エジプトの地から連れ出されたご自分の民に向かって、どうして、あなたは御怒りを燃やされるのですか。、、、少し飛ばして14節を読みます。32:14 すると、【主】はその民に下すと仰せられたわざわいを思い直された。

In fact, there are at least 19 different texts which suggest that God could change His mind. Consider Jesus himself, in the garden, praying earnestly that God would change His mind and take the cup of crucifixion away from Him. Or, why would Paul repeatedly plead with God to remove the thorn in his flesh if he didn’t believe that God could change His mind and do so. 

実際、神が考えを変えることを示す聖書箇所は少なくとも19箇所あります。ゲッセマネの園で、イエス様ご自身が、神が心を変えて十字架の杯を取り去ってくださるようにと熱心に祈られたことを考えてみてください。あるいは、もしパウロが、神が心を変えてそうすることができると信じていなかったなら、なぜ自分の肉体のとげを取り除いてくださるよう繰り返し神に祈ったのでしょうか。

It seems clear that God *does* change His mind. In fact, we can tell from these stories that God is not reluctant to change His mind! I think this is possible because of our relationship with Him. God eagerly desires to know His people intimately. He further desires that His people intimately know Him as well. God wants this relationship to be so authentic that we are able to challenge him in prayer and be able to beg Him for something different to happen in the world.

神が考えを変える（思い直される）ことは明らかです。実際、これらの物語から、神は心を変えることをためらっていないことがわかります。これは、私たちと神との間に生きた関係があるからこそ可能なのだと思います。神は、ご自分の民を深く知りたいと強く願っておられます。さらに、神はご自分の民が神を深く知ることも望んでおられます。神は、この関係が本物であり、私たちが祈りの中で神に訴え、この世界で何か違うことが起こるようにと願うようになることを望んでおられます。

So, what does it take to change God’s mind?

Some would say that the way to change God’s mind through prayer is to live righteously.

では、神の心を変えるには何が必要でしょうか。

祈りを通して神の心を変えるには、神の義にかなった生き方をすることだと言う人もいるでしょう。

In Isaiah 1:15, God tells the Israelites that:

“When you spread out your hands in prayer,
    I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!”

イザヤ書 1章15節で、神はイスラエル人にこう告げています。

1:15 あなたがたが手を差し伸べて祈っても、わたしはあなたがたから目をそらす。どんなに祈りを増し加えても、聞くことはない。あなたがたの手は血まみれだ。

Or for a more positive example, we could turn to James 5:16 and read:

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

あるいは、もっと前向きな例として、ヤコブの手紙 5章16節を読んでみましょう。

ﾔｺﾌﾞ5:16 ですから、あなたがたは、互いに罪を言い表し、互いのために祈りなさい。いやされるためです。義人の祈りは働くと、大きな力があります。

We can definitely say that yes, living righteously is an important part of it. But there are kings who are *not* righteous who have their prayers answered.

確かに、義にかなった生き方は重要な要素です。しかし、義人ではないのに祈りが聞き届けられた王たちの例があります。

Jeroboam was a bad king by all accounts. In 1 Kings 13, Jeroboam’s hand was miraculously shriveled up when he tried to have the Man of God arrested. Yet:

“Then the king said to the man of God, ‘Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.’ So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.” 

ヤロブアムは、誰の目にも悪い王でした。1列王記 13章では、ヤロブアムが神の人を捕らえようとした時、伸ばした手が奇跡的にしなびて戻せなくなったとあります。しかし、つづきがあります。

Ⅰ列王13:6 そこで、王はこの神の人に向かって言った。「どうか、あなたの神、【主】にお願いをして、私のために祈ってください。そうすれば、私の手はもとに戻るでしょう。」神の人が【主】に願ったので、王の手はもとに戻り、前と同じようになった。

In 2 Kings 13, we are told that Jehoahaz did evil in the eyes of the Lord as did Jeroboam, and it caused the Lord to burn against the people through oppression from their neighbor, Aram. But in verses 4 and 5 we read:

“Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.”

2列王記13章には、エホアハズがヤロブアムと同様に主の目に悪を行なったことが記されています。そのため、主はイスラエルの民を隣国アラムの手に渡し苦しめました。しかし、4節と5節にはこうあります。

Ⅱ列王13:4 しかし、エホアハズが【主】に願ったので、【主】はこれを聞き入れられた。アラムの王のしいたげによって、イスラエルがしいたげられているのを見られたからである。13:5 【主】がイスラエル人にひとりの救い手を与えられたとき、イスラエルの人々はアラムの支配を脱し、以前のように、自分たちの天幕に住むようになった。

Even King Ahab, who was the worst king of them all, received favorable attention from God. After Ahab seizes Naboth’s vineyard for himself, God sends Elijah with a message of personal destruction for Ahab and his whole family. Then we come to 1 Kings 21:27-29:

“When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ‘Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.’”

イスラエル史上最悪の王であったアハブ王でさえ、神からわざわいに替えてあわれみを受けました。アハブがナボテのぶどう園を奪い取った後、神はエリヤを遣わし、アハブとその家族全員に破滅の知らせを伝えさせます。そして1列王記 21章27-29節にはこのように続きます。

1列王21:27 アハブは、これらのことばを聞くとすぐ、自分の外套を裂き、身に荒布をまとい、断食をし、荒布を着て伏し、また、打ちしおれて歩いた。21:28 そのとき、ティシュベ人エリヤに次のような【主】のことばがあった。21:29 「あなたはアハブがわたしの前にへりくだっているのを見たか。彼がわたしの前にへりくだっているので、彼の生きている間は、わざわいを下さない。しかし、彼の子の時代に、彼の家にわざわいを下す。」

There are many reasons to live righteously. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of our prayers will be answered. The reverse is true as well, though! The fact that our prayers may go unanswered certainly does not have to mean that we have done something wrong.

正しく生きる理由はたくさんあります。しかし、それは必ずしもすべての祈りが答えられるという保証ではありません。しかし、その逆も言えます。祈りが答えられないのは必ずしも何か悪いことをしたからだということではありません。

So, what does it take to change God’s mind if it can’t be fully explained by living a righteous life? Well, some people might suggest that we should keep praying because there is power in prayer.

では、正しい生き方だけでは十分に説明できないのであれば、神の心を変えるには何が必要なのでしょうか？祈りには力があるから、祈り続けるべきだと言う人もいるかもしれません。

To that, I can definitively say there is NO power in prayer. Prayer is simply the means through which power is requested. The power belongs to the One who can answer our prayer! It’s not about saying the right words or having the right habits. We cannot approach prayer as a kind of formula which depends on us asking in the right way. That comes dangerously close to trying to manipulate God.

それに対して、私はこう断言できます。祈りに力があるのではありません。祈りは単に力を求める手段に過ぎません。その力は、私たちの願いに答えてくださる神にあります。大切なのは、正しい言葉を唱えることや、正しい習慣を身につけることではありません。祈りを、正しい方法や決まり文句によって働く魔術のように考えてはなりません。それでは、祈りが神を操ろうとする行為になってしまいます。

Scholars have noted that many of the answered prayers we have considered this morning contain strong emotion. Hezekiah wept bitterly. Ahab tore his clothes and went around meekly. Jesus prayed with such emotion that sweat drops of blood appeared. 

聖書学者たちは、今朝私たちが学んだ答えられた祈り例には、強い感情が込められていると指摘します。ヒゼキヤは激しく泣きました。アハブは衣服を引き裂き、へりくだった態度で歩き回りました。イエスは、血の汗が滴るほど感情を込めて祈りました。

Now, I am not saying that crying will automatically get us what we want. But this point does remind us that we don’t simply approach God with only our minds. We approach God with our hearts as well. After all, if we are learning to interact with Him in a more relational way, then we will naturally be praying with all of our heart, mind, and soul.

それは、泣けば自動的に望みが叶うということではありません。しかし、このことは、私たちが頭だけで神に近づくのではないことを思い出させてくれます。私たちは頭だけではなく心でも神に近づくのです。結局のところ、生きた関係でより深く、親密に神と関わることを学んでいれば、自然と心と思いと魂を込めて祈るようになるでしょう。

Ultimately, that is how we change God’s mind. He eagerly desires to walk alongside us in this life. God is ready and willing to shower His blessings and protection upon us as we seek to grow deeper in relationship with Him. Prayer is a big part of that process. As we come to rely on God more and more in our lives, we will naturally want to share our whole being with Him – including our wants and desires. And since He is the most loving of fathers, He will naturally want to interact with those wants and desires in genuine and tangible ways.

最終的には、それが神の心を変える方法です。神はこの人生において、私たちと共に歩むことを求めておられます。神は、私たちが神との関係を深めようと努める時、祝福と守りを惜しみなく注いでくださいます。祈りはその過程において大きな役割を果たします。人生において神に信頼するようになればなるほど、私たちは自然と、自分の願いや望みだけでなく、自分のすべてを神と分かち合いたいと思うようになります。そして、最も愛に満ちた父である神は、私たちの願いや望みに、誠実にかつ具体的な方法で応えたいと願っておられるのです。

May you experience the Joy of living in the presence of God more fully this week.

Amen.

今週、みなさんが神の御で、神といっしょに生きる喜びをより深く体験することができますように。

アーメン。

Note: This is the first of three sermons I preached while in Japan this Summer.

クリスチャンの祈り　ﾛｰﾏ1:8-10

This morning I would like to spend some time thinking about prayer. As Christians, we know that we are supposed to pray often. Thessalonians 5:16 tells us to “pray continually, giving thanks in all circumstances.” Philippians 4:6 says that “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Colossians 4:2 says it even stronger, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” 

今朝はごいっしょに祈りについて考えたいと思います。私たちはクリスチャンとして頻繁に祈るべきであることを知っています。1ﾃｻﾛﾆｹ5:16　「絶えず祈りなさい。すべてのことについて感謝しなさい。」とあります。　ﾋﾟﾘﾋﾟ4:6には「あらゆる場合に、感謝をもってささげる祈りと願いによって、あなたがたの願い事を神に知っていただきなさい。」とあります。さらにｺﾛｻｲ4:2には「目をさまして、感謝をもって、たゆみなく祈りなさい。」と書かれています。

Scripture encourages us to pray when we are in distress, to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other, to pray that we will resist temptation, and even to pray for the welfare of our enemies. There are many kinds of prayers. Yet, even with all of these reminders, I still wonder if we truly understand why we pray.

聖書は、私たちが落ち込んでいる時に祈るように、またお互いに罪を告白し合って祈り合うように、また誘惑に負けないように祈るように、さらには自分たちの敵のために祈るように命じています。祈りには様々なものがあり、このように「祈るように」というたくさんの励ましがあっても、私たちは本当に祈る理由が分かっているだろうかと考えてしまいます。

Sometimes it’s hard to know what we are supposed to be praying for. If we know someone with a medical issue, we know we should pray for them. If someone is struggling with a sin and they ask for our help, we know how to pray for them. If there is some sort of physical need like money or a job, we know what that prayer should look like. But is there a deeper reason to pray? How do we pray when there isn’t a specific need to pray about? Can we simply sit before God in the morning just to nurture a relationship? Maybe there are ways to pray that are less about asking for God’s action and more about getting to know God better himself? 

時々、何を祈るべきかが分からないことがあります。もし誰かが病気であれば、よくなるように祈ります。誰かが罪に苦しみ助けを求める場合はどう祈るべきか分かります。またお金や仕事のような物理的なことについての祈りも分かります。しかし、祈りにはもっと深い理由があるのではないでしょうか。具体的な祈りの課題がない時にはどのように祈ったらよいのでしょうか。朝、神との関係を深めるためにただ神の前に座っていることはどうでしょう。神に何かを求めるのではなく、神ご自身をより深く知るために祈る方法はあるのでしょうか。

Paul records a number of prayers in his letters. In some of them, he is asking that the people who received the letter experience a deeper relationship with the Father.

パウロは手紙中でいくつかの祈りを記録しています。その中には、手紙を受け取った人々が父なる神とより深い関係を体験できるようという祈りもあります。

Ephesians 1:17-19 

“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.” 

ｴﾍﾟｿ1:17-19　

1:17 どうか、私たちの主イエス・キリストの神、すなわち栄光の父が、神を知るための知恵と啓示の御霊を、あなたがたに与えてくださいますように。

 1:18 また、あなたがたの心の目がはっきり見えるようになって、神の召しによって与えられる望みがどのようなものか、聖徒の受け継ぐものがどのように栄光に富んだものか、

 1:19 また、神の全能の力の働きによって私たち信じる者に働く神のすぐれた力がどのように偉大なものであるかを、あなたがたが知ることができますように。

In this prayer, Paul is asking God to give the Christians in Ephesus a spirit of wisdom and revelation and that the eyes of their hearts might be enlightened. He seeks for them real knowledge of our true hope and that they would experience the riches of their inheritance among the saints. Ultimately, Pauls wants them to know the immeasurable greatness of God’s power.

この祈りの中で、パウロは神がエペソのクリスチャンたちに知恵と啓示の霊を与え、彼らの心の目が照らされるように祈っています。またまことの知識により本当の希望を知り、聖徒たちの間で受け継がれる神からの相続の豊かさを体験するように願っています。最終的にパウロは彼らに神の力の計り知れない偉大さを知って欲しいと願っています。

Philippians 1:9-10 

“And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight  to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless,  having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.” 

ﾋﾟﾘﾋﾟ1:9-11　1:9 私は祈っています。あなたがたの愛が真の知識とあらゆる識別力によって、いよいよ豊かになり、1:10 あなたがたが、真にすぐれたものを見分けることができるようになりますように。またあなたがたが、キリストの日には純真で非難されるところがなく、 1:11 イエス・キリストによって与えられる義の実に満たされている者となり、神の御栄えと誉れが現されますように。

For the Christians in Philippi, Paul asks that their love may overflow with knowledge and insight. He wants them to remain blameless on the day of Christ and he is hoping that their lives will produce a harvest of righteousness 

パウロは、ピリピのクリスチャンたちの愛が知識と分別に満ちあふれるようにと願っています。パウロは彼らがキリストの日まで傷のない者であり続けることを望み、彼らの人生が義の収穫を生み出すことを願っています。

Colossians 1:9-10 

“For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”

ｺﾛｻｲ1:9-10

1:9 こういうわけで、私たちはそのことを聞いた日から、絶えずあなたがたのために祈り求めています。どうか、あなたがたがあらゆる霊的な知恵と理解力によって、神のみこころに関する真の知識に満たされますように。

 1:10 また、主にかなった歩みをして、あらゆる点で主に喜ばれ、あらゆる善行のうちに実を結び、神を知る知識を増し加えられますように。

For the faithful in Colosse, Paul wants them to develop knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding as they lead lives worthy of the Lord. That way they will bear fruit in every good work and grow in knowledge of God. 

コロサイの忠実な信者たちには、パウロは、彼らが主にふさわしい生活を送る中で、あらゆる霊的な知恵と理解において神の御心を知る知識を深めることを望んでいました。またそのようにして、彼らがあらゆる善行において実を結び、神を知る知識において成長することを願っていました。

Paul focuses on what happens on the inside, which ultimately produces fruit on the outside.

パウロは、内面の成長に焦点を当てています。それが最終的に、外面に実を結ぶからです。

Paul’s prayers sound a little bit like the ones we pray for our children. In a sense, they are. These are new Christians who are just taking their first baby steps along the path that follows Jesus. His prayers are about a person’s foundation. They aren’t prayers that something would happen *to* someone, but that something would start happening *within* them. 

パウロの祈りは、私たちが子供たちのために祈る祈りに少し似ています。ある意味ではそのような祈りだと思います。彼らはイエスに従う道を歩み始めたばかりの新しいクリスチャンです。パウロの祈りは、人間の基礎についての祈りです。それは、その人に対して何かが起こるようにという祈りではなく、彼らの内側で何かが起こり始めるようにという祈りです。

Let’s take a closer look at a very specific kind of prayer that Paul likes to include in his letters.

パウロが手紙の中で好んで用いた具体的な祈りの例を見てみましょう。

Romans 1:8-10 

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you.” 

ﾛｰﾏ1:8-10

1:8 まず第一に、あなたがたすべてのために、私はイエス・キリストによって私の神に感謝します。それは、あなたがたの信仰が全世界に言い伝えられているからです。

 1:9 私が御子の福音を宣べ伝えつつ霊をもって仕えている神があかししてくださることですが、私はあなたがたのことを思わぬ時はなく、

 1:10 いつも祈りのたびごとに、神のみこころによって、何とかして、今度はついに道が開かれて、あなたがたのところに行けるようにと願っています。

1 Corinthians 1:4 

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,” 

1ｺﾘﾝﾄ1:4

1:4 私は、キリスト・イエスによってあなたがたに与えられた神の恵みのゆえに、あなたがたのことをいつも神に感謝しています。

Ephesians 1:16 

“I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” 

ｴﾍﾟｿ1:16

1:16 あなたがたのために絶えず感謝をささげ、あなたがたのことを覚えて祈っています。

Philippians 1:3-5 

“I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.” 

ﾋﾟﾘﾋﾟ1:3-5

 1:3 私は、あなたがたのことを思うごとに私の神に感謝し、

 1:4 あなたがたすべてのために祈るごとに、いつも喜びをもって祈り、

 1:5 あなたがたが、最初の日から今日まで、福音を広めることにあずかって来たことを感謝しています。

Colossians 1:3 

“In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 

ｺﾛｻｲ1:3

1:3 私たちは、いつもあなたがたのために祈り、私たちの主イエス・キリストの父なる神に感謝しています。

1 Thessalonians 1:2 

“We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly” 

1ﾃｻﾛﾆｹ1:2

 1:2 私たちは、いつもあなたがたすべてのために神に感謝し、祈りのときにあなたがたを覚え

2 Thessalonians 1:3 

“We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing.” 

2ﾃｻﾛﾆｹ1:3

 1:3 兄弟たち。あなたがたのことについて、私たちはいつも神に感謝しなければなりません。そうするのが当然なのです。なぜならあなたがたの信仰が目に見えて成長し、あなたがたすべての間で、ひとりひとりに相互の愛が増し加わっているからです。

Philemon 1:4 

“When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus.” 

ﾋﾟﾚﾓﾝ1:4

1:4 私は、祈りのうちにあなたのことを覚え、いつも私の神に感謝しています。

Each of these prayers comes right at the very beginning of these letters. Scholars who study Paul’s letters call this his Thanksgiving Section. He always starts his letters with a prayer of thanks. 

これらの祈りは、パウロの手紙の書き出しの部分にあります。パウロの手紙を研究している学者たちは、この部分を「感謝」の節と呼んでいます。パウロは常に手紙を感謝の祈りで始めています。

Is this just a normal way of writing letters in the first century? Probably not. One major scholar studied other letters from the Greco-Roman world of Paul to see the conventions that influenced him. Those letters DO NOT have a thanksgiving section. This seems to be a trademark thing of Paul. 

それは1世紀の手紙の書き方として普通だったのでしょうか？おそらくそうではありません。ある著名な学者は、パウロの時代のギリシャ・ローマ世界の他の手紙を研究し、当時の手紙の様式について調べましたが、それらの手紙には感謝の祈りの部分は含まれていませんでした。感謝の祈りは当時の習慣ではなく、パウロ特有のものであったようです。

Notice how personal this is. “When I pray, I think about you.” “When I give thanks, I thank God for you.” Think about how affirming this would be if you were to receive a letter like this. It’s important to know that someone out there cares about you and that they know you by name. This might be a great way to start if you are a person who is learning to pray. Start with gratitude. Then include people. 

パウロのそれら言葉がどれほど個人的で親しみにあふれたものであるかに注目してください。「私が祈るとき、私はあなたのことを思います。」「私が感謝するとき、私はあなたのために神に感謝します。」もしあなたがこのような手紙を受け取ったら、どれほど励まされるか考えてみてください。どこかにあなたのことを気にかけ、あなたのことを知っている人がいることを知ることは重要です。祈りを学んでいる人にとって、これは素晴らしい出発点となるかもしれません。感謝から始め、そして人々のために祈りましょう。

Even Christians who have been praying for years and years sometimes feel stuck when it comes to prayer. It’s hard to pray. And we feel like we are missing out on something because we aren’t praying well. Sometimes we feel stuck praying because we have been praying for the same thing over and over and not much happens. Often we choose to pray less often because it becomes so routine and we want our prayers to be meaningful instead. 

何年も祈り続けてきたクリスチャンでも、祈りに行き詰まりを感じることがあります。祈るのは難しいものです。そして、うまく祈れていないと、何かが欠けているように感じるのです。同じことを何度も繰り返し祈っても、何も起こらないため、祈りに行き詰まりを感じることもあります。祈りが機械的になってしまい、より意味のある祈りをしたいと願うあまり、祈る回数を減らしてしまうことも少なくありません。

When we feel ungrateful, pray for others. When we feel stuck in prayer, express gratitude. Find ways to approach God’s throne on behalf of those around us. Seek to pray about those foundational things for ourselves and for others. Find time to spend alone with God, guiding your relationship with Him deeper and deeper.

感謝の気持ちが薄れた時には、他の人のために祈りましょう。祈りに行き詰まりを感じたら、感謝の気持ちを表しましょう。周りの人のために神の御座に近づく方法を見つけましょう。自分自身と他の人のために、基本的な事柄について祈るよう努めましょう。神と二人きりで過ごす時間を見つけ、神との関係をより深く、より親しくしていきましょう。

~ Clay

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. ~ John 14:1-14

This text is frequently read at funerals, and for good reason.

It contains promises that are profoundly comforting in the face of the death of a loved one. But this text is not only about life after death, this is a text that has everything to do with our lives here and now.

• The setting is Jesus’ farewell address at his last supper with his disciples.
• Jesus has washed his disciples’ feet and has explained to them what this means (13:1-20).
• He has foretold his betrayal by Judas, and Judas has slipped out into the night (13:21-30).
• He has told his disciples that he will be with them only a little while longer, and that where he is going, they cannot come (13:33).
• He has also foretold Peter’s imminent denial (13:36-38).

No wonder the disciples are troubled. Their beloved teacher is leaving them, one of their own has turned against them, and the leader among the disciples is said to be on the cusp of a great failure of loyalty. It is as though the ground is shifting beneath their feet.

Jesus responds to the anxiety of his disciples by saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me” (14:1). Jesus calls them back to this fundamental relationship of trust and assures them that he is not abandoning them. Rather, he is returning to his Father, which is good news for them.

In speaking of his ascension to the Father, Jesus assures his disciples that this is also their destination. There are many dwellings in his Father’s house, and he goes to prepare a place for them, so that they will be with him and dwell with him in his intimate relationship with the Father (14:2-3).

When Jesus says that they know the way to the place where he is going (14:4), Thomas, like most characters in the Gospel, takes Jesus quite literally. He wants directions, a road map to this place (14:5). Jesus responds by saying that he himself is the way: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (14:6).

Unfortunately, this verse has often been used as a trump card, or worse, as a threat, to tell people that they better get with the program and “accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior” in order to be saved. To interpret the verse this way is to rip it from its context and do violence to the spirit of Jesus’ words.

This statement by Jesus is a promise, a word of comfort to his disciples. Jesus himself is all they need; there is no need to panic, no need to search desperately for a secret map. Jesus adds, “If you know me, you will know my Father also” (14:7a).

The conditional phrase in Greek is a condition of fact, meaning that the condition is understood to be true: “If you know me (and you do), you will know my father also.” So that there can be no misunderstanding, Jesus adds, “From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (14:7b).

This time it is Philip who is not quite convinced. “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied” (14:8). Jesus’ response contains perhaps a hint of exasperation: “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (14:9).

Here Jesus echoes an affirmation from the prologue of John’s Gospel: “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” (1:18).
This is the whole of Jesus’ earth ministry, to make known the Father, to reveal who God is. Jesus, who has come from the Father and is now returning there, is the fullest revelation of the person and character of God. If we want to know who God is, we need look no further than Jesus. All the words that Jesus has spoken, all the works that he has done, come from God and show us who God is (14:10-11).

This passage has everything to do with life here and now because Jesus entrusts his mission to his disciples. “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it” (14:13-14).

Yet here is where Jesus’ promise becomes a little hard to swallow. Greater works than these? Really, Jesus? Greater works than healing the blind and raising the dead? And you will do whatever we ask in your name?

We have all known the pain of praying for healing that did not come, of feeling powerless in the face of disease and death. How can these promises be true?

Perhaps our problem is that in hearing these promises, we expect to do these greater works in the same way that Jesus did them — with miraculous power that instantly solves the problem at hand. Yet even miracles are not guaranteed to produce faith. Many in John’s Gospel who witness the “signs” that Jesus performs have trouble seeing the work of God right before their eyes.

Toward the end of John’s Gospel, Thomas sees the risen Lord and confesses, “My Lord and my God!” (20:28). Jesus responds, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” This is not so much a scolding for Thomas as a blessing for us who have not seen and yet believe, however feeble our believing may seem.

Jesus promises to be with us through the power of the Spirit, to work in and through us to accomplish his purposes in the world. This does not necessarily happen in easily visible, spectacular ways.

Yet wherever there is healing, reconciling, life-giving work happening, this is the work of God. Wherever there is life in abundance, this is Jesus’ presence in our midst.

“No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” (1:18). Jesus has made known to us the heart of God, and he has entrusted this mission of “making known” to us.

Think about who you interact with every day. Do you see Jesus working there? Maybe you have a friend who is going through some discouraging things right now. Could Jesus be showing you an opportunity to lift them up? Maybe there is someone who everyone seems to overlook, but you have a chance to include them in what you are doing. Might that be Jesus tapping on your shoulder?

Where might we see Jesus’ work and presence in our midst? How might we show others the very heart of God? Ask God to help you recognize how you can show His heart to others.

~ Clay

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

~ Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

In these early chapters of Romans, Paul is working his way through the issue of faith versus works. To help build his case he wants to take a look at Abraham in order to help us see the issue a little clearer. 

The Jews put ALOT of emphasis on Abraham being their Father. They took pride in the fact that they were his descendants, and as such inherited these awesome promises from God. Scholars have pointed out that in many Jewish writings, especially from the first century, it was obvious that the Jews held up Abraham as not just their ancestor but also as a model of faithfulness to the law. 

But Paul wants to draw some lines here. 

He starts by quoting Genesis 15 — “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” A crucial phrase in this verse is “credited to him as righteousness”, but what does that mean? Some interpreters think that this phrase is trying to say that Abraham’s faith WAS a form of righteousness. In other words, Abraham believing God was in some way itself a righteous act. But Paul doesn’t say it that way. He says that Abraham was “credited” with righteousness. Without becoming overly technical, it is a way to say that Abraham is given a righteousness that does not inherently belong to him. When Abraham believed God, God granted him the status of “righteousness”. 

Paul want to make sure we are clear on this, so he continues to explain in detail using the illustration about wages and gifts. This is a little confusing to our ears because of the phrasing that Paul uses, but one commentator laid it out this way:

• When we “work,” an employer pays us wages not “as a gift” but “as an obligation”.
• God is a God of grace, who always gives freely and without constraint. He can never be “obligated” to any person. 
• Therefore, God cannot “credit” human beings anything on the basis of their “works”.

The keys to understanding this correctly are the ideas of “gift” and “justifying the ungodly”. Paul insists throughout all of his letters that God’s grace is a gift. That one is pretty easy to get. This bit about God justifying the ungodly, though. We need to be careful about that one. One way many people have mis-applied this passage is to read that and come away thinking, “oh, I can do whatever I want!” It seems to suggest that Christians are “off the hook” going forward. After all, if Christ has already pleased God in our place, is it really all that important that we continue to please God as well in our day to day?

Paul will actually address that in more detail in Chapter 6, but for right now we just need to remember that you can’t take this snippet of a verse in a vacuum. Paul does argue that God makes us right with Him before we ever stop sinning, but he also says that God “regenerates” us and “sanctifies” us and causes His Spirit to dwell in us as well. God transforms us from within! This is how Paul (the faith guy) can agree with James (the works guy). A genuine Christian will always reveal the inward transformation through outward signs of a new life of obedience. 

In verses 13-17, Paul restates the truth about Abraham’s righteousness. Then he takes it one step further. Remember, most Jews during Paul’s day taught that Abraham’s stature and role meant that he was in effect being obedient to the law of Moses. Paul wants to make clear that this ISN’T the case. First of all, Abraham preceded the law by more than 400 years. Paul will lean into this fact more in Galatians 3, but here in Romans, Paul sticks with the core meaning in the text. The promise to Abraham did not come because anyone obeyed the law, but “through the righteousness that comes by faith.” In other words, the promises of God come because of faith.

And here’s that next step Paul is taking. Paul says the promises apply to ALL of Abraham’s offspring. When God says to Abraham, “I have made you the father of many nations” he meant it in the physical sense. Abraham’s descendants will become Israelites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, Amalekites, Kenizzites, Midianites and Assyrians (among others). But Paul is saying that God meant that Abraham would be the father of many nations in a spiritual sense as well. In that sense, if we have the same faith that Abraham had, we are part of his spiritual offspring. And as part of his offspring, we can participate in the promises of God! So, FAITH IS A BIG DEAL for Paul. 

Here are three big takeaways:

FIRST – Faith is distinct from the law. The law is something you DO. Faith, by contrast, is an ATTITUDE. It is a posture that we take that expresses a willingness to receive the GIFT that God wants to give us. In our world today, we measure everything with some form of achievement. Everything we do in school seems to be either graded, timed, or measured in some fashion. It doesn’t get much better when you get out into the work-world either. What title do you have, how many contracts did you sign, how many deadlines have you met, have you been promoted faster than your co-workers. Even our personal lives are achievement oriented. Do I have the latest electronic device? How many followers do I have on social media? How big is my bank account or how flashy is my car or how many rooms does my house have…. It goes on and on! We are so accustomed to living this sort of life that it can creep into our thinking when it comes to our relationship with God, too. Maybe that relationship has started to become based on what we are doing for Him instead of on what He has done for us.

SECOND – Faith itself has no power. Instead, the power comes from the one in whom we place our faith. Abraham recognized God as the one who has the power to deliver on His promises. It wasn’t Abraham’s faith that had that power, but it was the God in whom that faith believed who does. Sarah was barren. They had no children and they were already getting old and well-past the time when children were to be expected. Yet, God promised Abraham a son and Abraham believed He could do it. And He did. You and I with our faith really don’t have the power. Instead, we look to the power of God to fulfill the promises that He has made.

THIRD – Faith is based on God’s Word. It is not based on the evidence gathered through our senses. Again, Abraham had no reason to think that he would ever have a son – except that God SAID HE WOULD. Even when we don’t see how in the world God is going to pull this off, we remain strong in our faith that He will. Abraham was put to the test a little later when God ordered him to take Isaac (that son that was promised) and offer him as a sacrifice. Even then, Abraham had faith that God could still keep His Word and fulfill the promises. Having passed the test, God rescinds the order and provides a ram to sacrifice instead. Some people have described Faith as “a leap in the dark” but this isn’t really accurate. Abraham didn’t blindly or arbitrarily put his faith in God. Abraham had God’s word to hold on to even when it wasn’t clear how that word was going to work out. We have God’s word written in Scripture. We also have God’s living Word in the person of Jesus. We even have God’s Spirit dwelling inside us and if we listen He will guide our steps. 

Faith can be hard to hold on to. Jesus talks about the Gospel being like seeds scattered. Some lands on good soil and grows. But some lands on rocky ground and the faith that grows initially doesn’t have deep roots and withers away when things get hard. Some lands among thorns and while their faith tries to grow strong, it gets choked out by worries and chasing after worldly things. Some seed lands on the path and is snatched away quickly. So, yes — do the things. Tend your soil. Take out the rocks. Get rid of the thorns and weeds. Do the things you need to in order that your faith has a chance to grow. But remember that ultimately what really matters is who you place that faith in to begin with. 

Receive His gift of grace. 
Recognize that the power belongs to God.
Remember to listen to His Word wherever you find it.

And pray for God to increase your faith.

~ Clay