reading for: 11 Aug

John 6:51-58

Wisdom through Communion with Christ & His Church

• READ

Throughout the entire passage (John 6:22–59) — we keep encountering the words, “bread of life,” “bread that comes down from heaven,” “manna that your ancestors ate,” “the Father who sent me,” “eternal life,” “believe.” We may think that one verse sounds just like another but John is not just repeating things.

In verse 51, when the bread is described as something Jesus “will give for the life of the world” and is specifically identified as his “flesh.” This points us to Jesus’ crucifixion. There is no eternal life without Jesus’ atoning death on the cross.

The shift provokes an argument among the Jewish authorities and with the Jewish Passover festival approaching (as well as Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples), Jesus’ add-on about drinking his blood (v53) probably makes them even angrier.

For us, however, is the heart and substance of the Christian faith - the “flesh” of Jesus given (by the Father) for the life of the world, and believers are drawn into sharing that death: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (v53). This is the significance of Holy Communion which we practice every month.

Participating in the Church, Christ’s Spiritual Body, draws us into the very life of Jesus. This participating is how we live God’s eternal life in this present world (v54-58). “Eternal life” clearly is much more than an existence that continues without end. The living Father is the Source, who gives life to the Son, who in turn erects the Temple of God (the Worshipping Church) through the Holy Spirit. Consistently in John, however, both “life” and “eternal life” signify life of the age to come, life with a distinctively new quality, authentic life fulfilling God’s intentions.

• REFLECT

Listen to this song, “Remembrance”, Spotify or Youtube and sing along with it as a prayer to the Lord.

Spotify:

Youtube:

reading for: 12 Aug

Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom through Meditation & Application of Scripture

• READ

  Wisdom is presented as a woman, who has previously partnered with God in creation, (Proverbs 8:22-31), and who is now the host of a great banquet. But before she sets her table, she builds a house (or perhaps a banquet house). It seems that the whole purpose of her building is hospitality; she needs a place to host the banquet to which she will soon invite the world. Wisdom is no lady at leisure ordering the staff about — she has staff but works with them and does hard, manual labour herself.

  First in verse 1, Wisdom builds her own house, then she crafts seven decorative pillars — either chopping down trees or carving stones. Then in verse 2 she butchers her own fresh meat, mixes her own wine and sets her table. In verse 3 she tasks her serving girls with an undisclosed task, likely invitations to specific guests — who are they? — yet she herself invites complete strangers. In verse 4, She goes from place to place, specifically inviting those who have no wisdom, calling out to them, shouting loudly in public places. In verse 5 she explains that the way to benefit from her is to feast at her table. And if they do so, they will live and walk in understanding.

  Wisdom’s table is a metaphor for the gaining of wisdom. But what is wisdom? It is more than innate intelligence or sense; for it can be gained by those who lack it. In Biblical Hebrew, wisdom is as much technical expertise or craftsmanship as it is intellectual knowledge. It is heart-and-hand knowledge — for the Israelites, the heart (not the head) was the source thought and choice. The women (Exodus 35:26) and men (Exodus 31:6) who craft the Tabernacle in the wilderness are all called wise; if Israel keeps the Torah they will be a “wise and understanding people” in Deuteronomy 4:6; the wise woman who led her city seems to be the governing official who saves her people from certain death by shrewd and lethal political games in 2 Samuel 20:22, and of course the wisdom of Solomon was legendary, 1 Kings 4:29. So wisdom is craft: statecraft, Torah-craft, craftsmanship and craftiness (Matthew 10:16).

  The source of wisdom is Wisdom herself. And who (or what) is Wisdom? In Jewish thought, Wisdom is the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). Proverbs 3:18 says, “She is a Tree of Life,” this is also understood to be the Torah. Torah-knowledge, fruit from that tree, should be feasted upon like the banquet at Wisdom’s table: “taste and see” (Psalm 34:8), the sweetness of God’s word is compared to honey, (Psalm 119:103; Ezekiel 3:3), the idea continues in the New Testament in Revelation 10:9. Wisdom is also intimately tangled up with God, said to be both the first of God’s creation (Proverbs 8:22) and God’s co-worker/master-worker (Proverbs 8:30). God is the source of Wisdom (and Torah and life).

• REFLECT

  Hebrews 5:8 says, “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” How does Jesus’ decision to live in obedience to the Father the wise? How can we learn to be wise by learning to live like Jesus did?

reading for: 13 Aug

Ephesians 5:15-20

Wisdom through Holy & Disciplined Living

• READ

  Our passage continues the discussion begun in Eph. 4:25 about the specific characteristics of the “new self” given the Christian (see 4:24). The framework of this passage consists of three sharp contrasts: “Live, not as unwise people but as wise” (v15); “do not be foolish, but understand” (v17); and “do not get drunk with wine,… but be filled with the Spirit” (v18). Supplementing these contrasts is a statement about time in v. 16 and the reminder of the need for thanksgiving in vs. 19–20.

  The first contrast is between living wisely and unwisely (v15), and this contrast lies beneath the others that follow. In this context, the warning to be wise almost certainly refers to the kind of wisdom cultivated in the Jewish wisdom tradition. There, wisdom relates not so much to the pursuit of intellectual knowledge as to developing of values and a lifestyle approved by God. Living in keeping with God’s commandments, pursuing those traits which make for peaceful and harmonious life, attending to God’s wisdom— these are among the characteristics of wisdom the Apostle Paul is stressing and for him a careful use of time while waiting for the Lord’s Return is fundamental to a life of wisdom and provides it’s context (v16).

  The second contrast brings this understanding of wisdom to the surface: “So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (v17). The wisdom that stands opposite foolishness is not one’s own wisdom, but that which comes from understanding God’s will.

  The third contrast, that between being filled with wine (“debauchery”) and being filled with the Spirit, offers a specific instance of human foolishness versus divine wisdom. Alcohol was understood to be an aid to ecstatic experiences (as is reflected in Acts 2:13, 15).  For Christians, however, only the Spirit produces real ecstasy, not alcohol.

  In the final lines of the passage, the writer encourages readers to “sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (v19). This encouragement is an integral part of living in accordance with God’s wisdom because the believer’s first response to the Gospel is – gratitude. And the Christian life is lived out in a Christ-centred community, with thankfulness to God at the very core and centre. In CNL, this is expressed by a network of caring spiritual relationships in Life Groups and Kampongs.  This is God’s wisdom for us and a powerful antidote to the world’s foolishness.

• REFLECT

  Why would it be foolish to try to live the Christian life on your own? How would you gauge the quality of your relationship with fellow LG members?

reading for: 14 Aug

Psalm 34:9-14

Wisdom is faith and thanksgiving to God for His Goodness

• READ

  This Psalm reminds us that we are to remember the testimony given in the first half of the Psalm, vv. 4-6, and we are to take comfort in a good God who is happy when people take refuge in that goodness.

  Although this week’s lectionary reading excludes vv. 7 and 8, it might be helpful to begin with the reading of this Psalm at v. 7.

  7 The angel of the Lord encamps
      around those who fear him, and delivers them.

  8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
      Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

   

  These two verses, along with v9-14, underscore a message the Psalmist has emphasized, will continue to emphasize through v14, as well as the remainder of the Psalm (v15-22). God is good to us, and our well-being, in addition to our doing good, is a matter of following the ways of the Lord.

  Verses 7-8 begin a list of commands to taste, see, fear, come, keep, depart, and do. In this section, v7, 9, and 11 emphasize the reverence of YHWH among all other gods that an individual or community could choose to worship. Verses 8, 10, 12, and 14 lace the reverence of YHWH only with the good and pleasant things that may come in this life. YHWH is the source of good (v8), and we also should do good (v14). Thus, the fear of the Lord really might be the beginning of wisdom, as the Proverbs and now this Psalm tell us.

  There are many theological, behavioral, experiential, and even ethical lessons in v7-14 to our understanding the relationship between a God who is good, God’s people who want to enjoy and do good, and a world where all is sometimes good and sometimes not good.

  In contrast to the surrounding culture that wants to assume “It’s All Good,” Psalm 34 presupposes that even those who revere and call on the name of YHWH are going to have fears, worries, and troubles. There will be times in each of our lives when, in fact, it’s not all good. In those moments, we are to follow the example of David in Psalm 34 who did not pretend that “It’s all good.” Rather, he cried to YHWH, he was heard by YHWH, and he was saved by YHWH.

• REFLECT

  In those moments of our deepest fear, worry, and trouble, we are to lean into the one and holy God, the source of all goodness. We are to approach God knowing that we are God’s creation, God’s goodness, God’s beautiful piece of art — like a poem, a sculpture, or a musical score. Take a few moments to thank God for His goodness in your life.

  Goodness of God: