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As we have followed Jesus’ teaching and the training of the Twelve through the Gospels, we have seen Him emphasize this issue of dependence. Having taught the concept in the Sermon on the Mount, He sent the disciples out in pairs to proclaim the Kingdom, and to experience God’s daily provision for their personal needs. In feeding the multitudes, He stretched them further, putting them in positions where they had to trust Him, not …
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Last week, we saw Jesus send out the 12 to announce the nearness of The Kingdom, and to learn to depend completely and absolutely on the Father’s provision for their needs.
This week, we want to return to the middle of Jesus’ ministry, to the time when the disciples returned from their mission.
Picking up the story there, we find them with Jesus, recounting their experiences (Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10). Jesus had sent them with the …
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So, how seriously should we take Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount?
When He said not to worry about food, drink, or covering (Matthew 6:25, 31), was He speaking of worry as distinct from concern? Is it ok to be concerned about these things, as long as we are not worried?
When He said to seek His Kingdom instead of worrying about food, drink and clothing (Matthew 6:32-33), did He really expect us to …
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So, throughout the Old Testament, Israel struggles to grasp that the core of her relationship with Yahweh was her dependence on Him as her Provider and Protector.
With the completion of the book of Nehemiah, the Story disappears into 450 years of silence. The next character to appear is John the Baptist, around 30 AD.
By the time John shows up, the Pharisees have become the dominant face of Israel’s worship. They were technicians of the …
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The Old Testament is the story of Israel’s relationship with God. As we have surveyed this story, the following highlights stand out:
As God brought Israel out of Egypt, and began to form them into a nation, He used the manna to teach them that their continued, daily existence was absolutely dependent on His active decree. They were kept alive, not by the food they ate, but by the words that proceeded out of His …
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So, God used the manna to teach Israel that their continued, daily existence was absolutely dependent on His active decree. They were kept alive, not by the food they ate, but by the words that proceeded out of His mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3). He was preparing them for life in the Promised Land, where He would bless them abundantly. In the midst of that blessing, He didn’t want them to become confused and forget that …
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As we have begun to track our dependence on God through The Story, we have made the following observations:
As Christians, we tend to be ok with the idea of dependence in theory, but practically manifest an ongoing desire to live independently of God. This is most evident in the area of provision and protection. The fact that we see money as the most immediate path to provision and protection suggests that it, not God, …
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As we began to explore the issue of our dependence on God in the last article, we set out the notion that, as Christians, we tend to be ok with the idea of this dependence in theory, but practically manifest an ongoing desire to live independently of God. Perhaps this is most evident in the area of provision and protection. The fact that we see money as the most immediate path to provision and …
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So, we have set out to examine this issue of our dependance. In the previous article, we pointed out that our failure to acknowledge our dependency brought about the fall. We did not see ourselves as dependent and so, chose to act independently, as though we could be like God.
Now, realistically, I expect that if you are reading this article, at a very minimum you will already acknowledge God and and our dependence on …
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“What is the meaning of clothes?”
This was a discussion question in a workshop on the post-modern mindset I attended several years ago.
“Clothes are a covering,” was the first response.
Turns out, that was the typical answer. But it did not really answer the question the presenters were asking. “Covering” gives the function of clothes. It doesn’t explain their meaning. The question they were raising was, “What does the existence of clothing mean?”
To get to their …
