Like a Well-Oiled Machine - Henry Knapp

My watch stopped a while ago, so I took it apart to fix it. After tinkering for a bit, I put it together again, and, “Shazam!”, all fixed! Of course, there was that extra spring that didn’t make it back in… All too often, when I take something apart, fix it, and put it back together again, I end up with an extra screw or two. How, I wonder, did that happen? Did the pieces multiply when I wasn’t looking? Geez…

I’m not totally incompetent when it comes to home maintenance, general repair, and basic mechanical fixes. Early on I learned which end of the screwdriver to hold and to twist the green wires together. There was even a time when I served as a site supervisor for Habitat for Humanity, a home building ministry.

However, I’m not sure I have fully experienced “a well-oiled machine.”

I’m fully aware of what the saying implies—the idea that something functions so smoothly, so accurately, so “as-intended” that it hums along perfectly. Theoretically, this is a very attractive notion, even idyllic. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if something… anything!... worked exactly as it should? It is easy to understand why we yearn for an experience of “a well-oiled machine”; so much of our lives are NOT that way. The potential for things to work smoothly is always there, but things never seem to be that way.

When you read the closing of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, it is easy to get a sense of “the well-oiled machine.” Paul writes glowingly of his companions, noting their faithfulness, upholding their virtues, and inspiring us with their godliness. It would be easy to think, “ah, here’s a perfect group of Christians, the unity of the brethren”! Alas, all is not as it seems…

Paul mentions ten men (and one woman) by name. Most of these, we know nothing about. If all we have is Paul’s word for them, they seem to be stellar examples of the godly life Paul is advocating for throughout the book of Colossians. However, of the ten, we know a bit more about a couple: and suddenly, the well-oiled machine doesn’t appear to be working so well.

Of Demas, Paul will later write: “He deserted me, because he loved the world” (2 Timothy 4:10). Mark had earlier deserted Paul during his first missionary journey, and this caused a significant breach in Paul’s relationship with Barnabas (Acts 15). Onesimus was a runaway slave, betraying his master in a way that Paul seeks to smooth over (Philemon). All in all, not such a idyllic group of companions after all.

So, how do we think about this group of Christians? How should we think about any group of Christians? How should we think about OUR group of Christians here at Hebron? Wouldn’t it be glorious if we functioned as a “well-oiled machine,” if there was love and brotherhood in abundance, if every interaction was shaped by abundant love? Well, of course! We have this ideal in our minds, because that is exactly the ideal Christ Himself is working toward.

Then why do we so often fall so far short of this? Why does our machine function so erratically? Well, obviously, because, like Paul and his companions, we live in a broken and sinful world. Exactly the world that Christ, our Savior, died to redeem. Our fellowship is fractured until our sin is covered by our Lord. Our unity as brothers and sisters is in pieces until we find ourselves in Christ together. The machine is not well-oiled until it is oiled by the blood of Jesus.

Paul’s companions were a terrific bunch of folks—it is clear that God used them powerfully for His Kingdom. But, the presence of sin, and the impact of this world, takes its toll. In the end, it is not their own abilities or strengths that brought this group together—it was the salvation of Christ in each life. It is that same salvation we have in Jesus that will bring us as well into that perfect unity. All made possible by our incomparable Christ!

As you prepare for worship this week, consider meditating on Colossians 4:7-18.

1. What do you know of each of the men and women listed here?

2. What characteristics do they share in common? What actions are they commended for?

3. Paul distinguishes between “the men of the circumcision” and those who are “one of you.” What is he talking about?

4. Paul encourages his readers to also read the letter to the Laodiceans (vs 16). No such letter has survived for us today. What might this mean for us?

5. In verse 18, Paul says he writes this greeting with his own hand. What is important about that? Why does he emphasize this?

6. Why would Paul want us to “remember his chains?”

7. A number of times, Paul says that his friends will “tell you all about my activities”. Why is this an important thing for Christians today as well?

8. “Greetings” is a frequent part of this section. Is there anything for us to learn here?

How Then Shall We Live - Scott Parsons

The book of Colossians is Paul’s treatise on the preeminence of Christ.  Having spelled out in chapter 1 how Christ is supreme over everything, he spends the rest of the letter explaining how we should live in view of this fact.  The passage we will look at Sunday, Colossians 4:2-6, is Paul’s summary of how we should live in view of our new life in Jesus.

Ordinarily I would now go on to expound on the truths of this passage, but I would like to deviate from that pattern today.  While my continued role with PitCare will ensure that I will be returning to Pittsburgh (and Hebron) on a regular basis, this is the last time I will be a part of the preaching rotation.  Part of my joy in preaching this week is that I know that I will not be preaching anything new to you but will be reminding you of the gospel truths that you are already demonstrating as a church body.  I know that because you have demonstrated them over and over again in my life and in the life of my family.

For over a year we searched for a church home and had begun to fear we would not find a suitable place.  From our very first week at Hebron you did not treat us with suspicion or concern (most pastors don’t like other pastors coming in and “invading their turf”).  Instead you welcomed us and provided us with opportunities to use our gifts among you.  You also joined with us in our ministry at PitCare and have become a huge part of that work.  You embraced my family and treated Lilah with love and respect.  Most of all, when Kim died, you provided for us in ways that are still mind boggling to me.  I honestly don’t know if I could have done it without you.  Finally, Doug has not only been a shepherd to my family, but a friend to me.  I am excited about the new life before me, I will miss my church home.  May God bless, strengthen and encourage you as you serve him in the years to come.

Blessings,

Scott

Rich Living - Doug Rehberg

For 13 years Larry Bird played for the Boston Celtics. During his professional career he was a 12-time NBA All-Star. Three times he won the league’s Most Valuable Player award. Twice he won the NBA Finals MVP award. And three times in 13 years the Celtics won the World Championship. Fellow NBA great and fierce competitor, Irving “Magic” Johnson, said of Bird, “In all of my playing career there was only one player I feared, and that was Larry Bird.”

One of the reasons Magic feared Bird was because Bird had a total command of the basketball court. Larry Bird always knew where everybody was on the court regardless of the speed of the game. The truth is, like all great athletes, the game “slowed down” for Bird. It was as if he could see everything moving in slow motion; thus his ability to always be at the right spot at the right time.

If you remember watching Larry Bird play basketball you will recall the blind passes he was able to make to open teammates. You may recall how in a championship game he caught a ball that was headed out of bounds under the basket with his right hand and then transitioned it to his left hand; and while he was still in the air he made the shot! It seemed like no game was too far out of reach for the Celtics when Bird was on the court.

Do you know one of the reasons Larry Bird was such a dominating force on the basketball court? It was because he was as equally good with his right hand as his left. Though he was right-handed, he could go left or right with equal prowess. And the reason for that was when he was young, junior high school age, he tied his right arm behind his back for months at a time. Think of it. Though he was born right-handed he made himself ambidextrous! In every way he could use his left hand as well as his right.

Remember “Sweetness” Walter Payton? Like Larry Bird, Payton’s professional career spanned 13 years. For 13 years he played as a premier running back for the Chicago Bears. Payton was one of the greatest players in NFL history. He was selected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He was an All-Star 9 times. For a time he gained the most yards of any running back in history. He was poetry in motion.

You know how he got that way? The hill! There was a hill he would run over and over again during the off season. He described it as “killing himself”. In the history of professional athletes no one out-trained Walter Payton.

Why do I bring all of this up? It’s simple. In the case of Bird and Payton what made them so accomplished on the court or the field was their ability to transfer their respective training regimens to the situations they faced every time they played their game. In other words, their practice perfectly prepared them for the game.

It's called “praxis”. It’s the ability to bring knowledge and theory to bear on practical life situations. And that’s exactly what Paul is saying at the end of Colossians 3. He’s talking about praxis.

For the past 2 weeks Henry has been bringing to light what Paul has been saying to the Colossians about their identity in Christ. In Colossians 3:1 he says, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above…” And for 17 verses he shows us what that looks like. He tells us what the Holy Spirit can enable us to take off, as in our old pre-Christ selves, and put on, as in our new selves in Christ.

But when we come to 3:18-4:1 Paul shifts the focus from practice to the game. Here in 9 verses Paul talks about three different relationships in which our “raised with Christ nature” can and should be seen. What’s it mean to “put on love” and live a “raised” life as a husband or a wife? What’s it mean to put on love and live a raised life as a child or a parent? What’s it mean to put on love and live a raised life as a servant or a master?

Over the history of the church there are many who have railed against Paul as a slavery justifier or a complementarian or an equalitarian, etc. But all of that misses the mark. All such criticism discounts the things Paul says in the verses that precede verse 18; “the practice”.

This Sunday we will pick up where Henry left off in verse 14 and read down through 4:1. In a message entitled “Rich Living”, we will seek to discover all that Paul is saying about how we are to play the game.

In preparation for Sunday’s message, you may wish to consider the following:

1. What does Jesus mean in Mark 12:17 when He says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”?

2. How does Jesus equate that coin to our lives?

3. How is the image of God recaptured by the resurrection of Jesus?

4. What is Paul’s definition of love in verse 14?

5. How does he apply it to his command to wives and husbands?

6. How do Paul’s commands in verses 18 & 19 differ from the extent Jewish household code?

7. What does Genesis 3:16(b) mean?

8. What is shocking about Paul’s admonition in verse 20?

9. Why single out fathers in verse 21?

10. Why doesn’t Paul rail against slavery in 3:22 through 4:1?

See you Sunday!

Dressed for Success - Henry Knapp

Do you remember “streaking”? The fad, that is, not actually “streaking.” I’m just SURE that none of you ever participated in such a thing…

(“Streaking,” in case you are wondering, was a silly fad in the 1970s of running around naked. Yep. Naked.)

Along with just being creepy, those participating in the fad had a very distinctive view of the role and purpose of clothing. For most of us, clothing is simply a way to accomplish two necessary goals at once—to keep warm and to cover up certain parts of our bodies. Some people are more conscious of fashion and such, and consequently do the clothing-thing much better than others; but overall, clothing is a necessity against the cold and against the eyes of others.

Of course, there is a minor strain that argues that “the clothes make the man,” that somehow what you wear helps define you and/or shape you. I suspect everyone has had the experience of “feelin’ good” when dressed up. To “dress the part” actually makes some sense.

The Scriptures too speak of clothing—actually, probably more than you have realized. Most of the time, the description of clothing is a tip-off of what is coming. Samuel is first described as wearing a linen ephod—the dress of a priest. Saul wears armor (as a warrior) or a robe (as a king). Elijah passes on his cloak to his disciple, Elisha, so he too might carry on the work of the Lord. The people of Nineveh wore sackcloth to express their repentance. Clothing so frequently in the Bible is used as a literary device to tell us more about the person than what is explicitly stated.  

But, occasionally, the biblical authors use clothing as something more. Sometimes, the clothing really does make the man. God often uses clothing, not simply as an indicator of one’s job, but actually as conveying status. The robe the father puts on his prodigal son is not an indicator that he is somehow worthy of blessing; rather, the father declares, through the robe, that his son will be treated as the prodigal no more. As Adam and Eve are exiled from the Garden of Eden—surely a powerful judgement on their sin—God nevertheless clothes them. This is not simply an act of kindness, keeping them warm. Rather, God is marking them as His own. When Ruth asks Boaz to cover her with his cloak, she is asking that he would claim her as his own. On the cross, our Lord is stripped bare, reflecting His separation from the Father. In these and other examples, one’s clothing identifies you as you really are.

In Colossians 3:12, Paul commands that we “put on… compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” The verb he uses here, “to put on”, can also be translated as “to clothe yourself.” Paul is exhorting us to dress according to what we really are. If we have been redeemed by Christ, if we are His and His alone, then we must wear appropriate clothing. We must “look the part”, for we have been claimed by Him; and so we must look like Him—demonstrating His compassion, His kindness and humility.

In short, our “outside” should look like our “inside”. If Christ is in your heart, if you have been united with Him in His death and resurrection, then let us clothe ourselves with His likeness, so that all may see and know of our incomparable Christ!

Questions to ponder in Colossians 3:1-14 in preparation for this coming Sunday:

1. Verse 5 begins with a “therefore”. What is it there for? 

2. The list of bad things at the end of verse 5 looks pretty intimidating. But, assuming that God intends for this text to speak to you as well as to mass-murders, how might each description speak of your own sin?

3. Note verse 7. Does this mean that we all were all those bad things listed in verse 5? Really? 

4. In verses 8, 9, and 10, Paul uses that language of clothing we have been talking about. Notice the implications of all he says here—we are clothed!

5. How does verse 11 fit? If we all are clothed in Christ, how does that affect us in how we view one another?

6. We are to put off five things in verse 5, and five things in verse 8. How do the five virtues of verse 12 connect?

7. Before Paul commands us to “dress”, he calls us “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved”. Why do you think he does that? What does each communicate to you?  

Walking Away from Death - Henry Knapp

“Why don’t you act your age?” Boy, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that one…

I’m not sure if I matured slower than others, or if this comment just comes naturally to every parent, but I was frequently told to act my age. Why, just the other day, Kelly said to me… well, nevermind.

Acting your age… the thought behind the idea is that one should act in accordance with your age. Immature action is at least understandable from one who is young, but with age should come a certain level of maturity which shows in what we do. While it is not impossible to find someone who acts “older than what they are,” it is all too frequent to see someone acting like a juvenile child.

When we challenge our children, or our friends, to “act their age,” we are implying an expectation that one should act according to what is true. If you are 2-years-old, then act like a toddler. If you are in your teens, then act like a teenager. If you are in your 40s, then act that way. The implication is so straight-forward that it is hard to miss—you should act according to who and what you really are.

This is the logic employed so very frequently in the Scriptures. People act according to what they are; your nature, what you are down at the core, shapes your actions. One who is a follower of the Lord will walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1). Why should you expect saltwater to flow from a fresh spring (James 3)? Of course, it is not surprising that meat spoils without salt as a preservative (Matthew 5). Dead people do dead things (Luke 9); but living people should do living things (John 11). Children of God act one way; but if you act another way, you prove yourself to be a child of the devil (John 8).

Throughout the opening two chapters of his epistle to the Colossians, Paul has been painting a picture of Christ as preeminent, supreme, and sufficient in all of life. And, he has defined what it means to be a follower of this incomparable Lord—the mystery is that Christ is in us, and we are in Christ. In coming to the Lord Jesus, we have become new creatures, something vastly different than what we were before. The change is not so much in what we think, or in what we believe, or in what we do—the change is in what we are. And, of course, Paul expects us to “act our age,” or, to act according to what we really are. If we are “in Christ” then we should, and we will, act that way. To do otherwise is inconceivable to Paul. Should we continue as believers to sin? “May it never happen!” Paul cries (Romans 6). Why? Simply because that is not who we are any longer. We now belong to Him, so we must act that way.

Once Paul has described who we truly are now that we find ourselves “in Christ,” he begins to tell the Colossians what actions are consistent with their new identity. Note carefully, Paul does not demand that we act a certain way in order to become believers. Rather, he argues that since we ARE new creations, we should ACT as new creations. We should “act our age.” We should live as we truly are—“in Christ.”

Questions to ponder in Colossians 3:1-5 in preparation for this coming Sunday:

1. Why do we often need to be reminded to “act our age”? Sure, there are lots of reasons, but how might these translate in your walk with the Lord?

2. In Colossians 2:20, Paul uses the same logic he employs in our text. What is the parallel between these two texts?

3. What does it mean to be “raised with Christ”. What does it “feel like”? How do you know if this has happened?

4. If someone were to look at your life, what would they say you were “seeking”? What does it look like to “seek” something?

5. What are “the things above”? Do you think Paul has in mind specific things?

6. If we are not to set our minds on earthly things, how can we be of any earthly help to anyone?

7. What lies behind the imagery of being “hidden with Christ”? What might that look like?

8. You will also appear with Christ in glory. How about that!

Greater than Shadows - Doug Rehberg

I have a friend who loves Jesus a lot. She’s passionate about Him. She speaks frequently of Him as the bridegroom and herself as part of His bride, the church. So you can imagine my surprise when, a few years ago, she turned and said to me, “You aren’t into that Replacement Theology are you?”

Now if you’re not familiar with the term, “Replacement Theology”, in short, is the view that the church has replaced Israel as the heir of all the promises of God. In other words, God has discarded the nation of Israel and replaced her with the church as the focus of all His affections.

Such a view is problematic for several reasons. First, the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, makes a clear distinction between those who are ethnic Jews, circumcised and within the household of Israel, and those who are a part of the remnant of Israel, the recipients of God’s particular favor. Jesus makes this distinction clear in His discussion with the scribes and Pharisees in John 6. While they claim to be children of Abraham, Jesus says there are two groups within Israel: those who are children of the promise and those who are not. Thus, one’s ethnicity does not ensure one’s standing with God.

Second, it’s clear from both Old Testament prophecy and New Testament teaching that it’s only through Christ that one is made acceptable to God and joined to the body of Christ. In Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, bond or free (Galatians 3:28). Therefore, any thought that one’s ethnic heritage has anything to do with our standing with God is misguided at best.

The truth is that the New Testament affirms Fulfillment Theology rather than Replacement Theology. That is what we see all through Paul’s letter to the Colossians. In Sunday’s text—Colossians 2:16-23 Paul declares, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food or drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath, (etc.). These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” Every New Testament author understands Jesus to be the culmination of the Old Testament Word of God. He is the last Adam, the true Israel, the suffering servant, the Son of David, the faithful remnant, the ultimate prophet, the final priest, the greatest and most glorious King.

Therefore, Jesus is the true Israel. The church, i.e. those reconciled to God through the atoning work of Christ and His imputed righteous, are the true Israel of God who are redeemed IN Him. Our only hope is being found in Him. That’s all His work. Our work is to trust Him. That’s Paul’s point.

We’re going to talk about the implications of being in Christ this Sunday morning in a message entitled, “Greater than Shadows.” In preparation for Sunday you may wish to consider the following:

1. How would you define a shadow?

2. Why would Paul call religious behavior such as noted in verse 16 a shadow?

3. What does he mean when he says that Christ is “the substance” in verse 17?

4. If verses 9 & 10 are the apex of his argument, what is he saying about all other additions or requirements men might impose?

5. How does Colossians 1:27 relate to Colossians 2:9, 10?

6. Paul cites three separate threats to Christ’s sufficiency that come to every believer from the outside and  the inside. What are they?

7. Read Romans 14. How does this relate?

8. Read Mark 7:1-23. How does this relate?

9. What is Paul referring to in verse 18?

10. What does he mean when he says in verse 23, that self-made religion, asceticism, and severity to the body are of no value in stopping self-indulgence?

See you Sunday as we seek to come out of the shadows and into the marvelous light!

The Triumphant Christ - Doug Rehberg

"The 20 Most Impossible Victories in Sports” is the title of an article I came across this week.

“Impossible. It’s a clear word that relates an easy-to-grasp concept. No wiggle room in the definition. Spin straw into gold? Impossible. Reverse the aging process? Impossible. Walk on water? Impossible (Except for one notable exception!) Yet the 20 victories recapped in this article were also deemed impossible at one time. Media hyperbole? Maybe. But perhaps something stronger than impossibility was at work. The human spirit.”

Here are the top 5:

    #5. Lasse Viren Wins the 10,000 Meter Final in the 1972 Olympics.

He was an unknown policeman from Finland. He fell down during the race. He gets up, races back to the pack, and wins. He sets a world record to boot.

                #4. Yasuhiro Kuba Survives to Tell the Tale.

His chosen sport is banzai skydiving. It’s the insane sport of throwing your parachute out of the plane, then waiting for a while before jumping without one. The trick? To catch up to your parachute and put it on before you hit the ground. Kubo waited 50 seconds before jumping.

                #3. Francis Ouimets 1913 US Open Golf Tournament Win.

Francis was a young caddie in a sport dominated by the British and the Scots. The U.S. had no public courses. It was a game played by the rich and famous. He took on the legendary Harry Vardom and beat him.

                #2. The USA Defeats the USSR in the 1980 Olympic Hockey Game.

The Americans were all amateurs, their average age was 22. They were playing the most powerful USSR national team ever assembled. These were professionals. They played 11 months a year. A year before the Olympics they had beaten the NHL All Star Team 6-0. Two weeks before the Olympics they had beaten the USA Hockey Team 10-3 in an exhibition.

                #1. Erik Weihenmayer Summits Everest.

Why is this the greatest sports victory when over 3,000 people have done it? Erik Weihenmayer was born with retinoschisis. By age 13 he was totally blind!

In Colossians 2:6-15 Paul speaks of another “impossible victory”. In fact, it’s the most impossible victory of all time. It’s a victory so grand and so miraculous that its result has redounded to the eternal benefit of people from Adam and Eve to you and me.

In the face of the unsettling news that false teaching had begun to infiltrate the young church at Colossae, Paul reminds them and us of the triumph of Jesus Christ at Calvary. More than a historic win, this is a victory of cosmic proportions. It’s a victory that can radically change your life forever.

We will dig into all of this on Sunday in a message entitled: “The Triumphant Christ”. In preparation for Sunday you may wish to consider the following:

1. What’s the message Paul is delivering in verse 6 by using the word “therefore”?

2. Have you seen verse 6 before? Why did we pick it as the foundation of our three-fold ministry at Hebron?

3. “See to it” is a famous Pauline line. What does it mean?

4. Why is “captivity” so dangerous in Paul’s eyes?

5. What is Paul warning the Colossians against in verse 8?

6. How does verse 9 expand on what Paul says in chapter 1:15-20?

7. How does verse 10 mitigate the threat of the false teachers?

8. What does Paul mean in verse 14 when he says that the “record of debt” and “its legal demands” have been set aside by the cross?

9. What’s Paul view of the cross in verse 15?

10. What does this tell us about the purpose of the cross?

See you Sunday!