Ed Clowney (paid link) makes a brilliant comment on 1 Peter 2:18-20. Peter is teaching slaves how to react when they are punished, or suffer, for no fault of their own. Indeed, they may be suffering because they have done something good. Clowney says this:
After a tip-off from Steve Jeffery, I really enjoyed reading Toby Sumpter's Good Friday sermon from last year.
It's entitled My Song is Love Unknown.
I tried to think how to sum it up to encourage you all to go and read it, but I can't. I simply commend it to you.
I think I've finally worked out what is going on in Ruth 4. I'll make a note here as a place where I can come and find this again when I need it. Do comment below if I've missed something.
There are 3 Old Testament laws in play here.
Leviticus 25:23-28 says that, because all the land is really God's, should someone sell part of their land to alleviate their poverty, the buyer cannot regard it as theirs absolutely. A relative of the person they bought it from must be allowed to redeem, or buy back, that land, and the price for that is to be calculated fairly.
Psalm 95:1-7c inverts the categories of creation and salvation. Roughly, the pattern of the Psalm goes like this:
- Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord, the rock of our salvation (1-2)
- For, he is a great God who holds, owns and formed everything (3-5)
- Come, let us bow and kneel before our maker (6)
- For he is our God, and we are his people, under his care (7a-c)
I'm greatly heartened to read Richard Perkins' recent post: 5 ways to profit from a rubbish sermon.
(Mercifully,) a sermon can fall far, far short of what it should be, and people can still profit from it. That doesn't mean it's OK not to try, but for me just to settle for preaching badly. But isn't it good to know that preaching badly also doesn't mean it's OK for the hearer to have to settle for hearing nothing? In patnership, as the preacher unfolds the text as well as he can, the congregation can seek to hear the voice of God as clearly as they can. And then they will.
Go on, read it! He has some excellent suggestions.
I've finally finished reading William Still's fine The Work of the Pastor (paid link). Perhaps a better heading for this post would be the need for perspective. Anyway, here's a word for our own day:
Paul Barnett (paid link) has a very helpful paragraph in his commentary in the NICNT series (paid link) in which he charts the main line through the 8th and 9th chapters of 2 Corithians:
“In our view, chapters 8-9 can be consistently viewed as having a coherent and consecutive argument. Based on the voluntariness of the Macedonians’ involvement in the collection and their sacrificial generosity, Paul calls on the Corinthians to complete their participation in it (8:1-7). These words, however, may lead to misunderstandings: (1) This is ‘advice,’ not ‘command’; ‘grace’ and ‘readiness’ are their appropriate responses (8:8-11); (2) it is not a call to give more than they have, but for the completion of what was both desired and begun (8:11-12); and (3) the Jerusalemites’ relief is not at Corinthian impoverishment; it is for ‘equality’ between the Jerusalemites and the Corinthians (8:13-15). In the light of the coming of Titus and two highly regarded Macedonians, let the Corinthians give proof of their love and of Paul’s pride in them (8:16-24). In particular, when Paul himself comes, with other Macedonians, let the Corinthians spare him and themselves the humiliation of being ‘unprepared’ (9:1-5). Finally, as a theological consideration, let them note that God further blesses the generous giver and unites givers and receivers in spiritual fellowship (9:6-15).” (page 388)
There are some very helpful distinctions and other points made in an article by Doug Wilson on Lent. With a month to go before the season begins, I'd commend it to readers of this blog.
Those wishing to pray for the church in Iran may like to read this recent report that has documented the persecution there since June 2010.
The headline is this: “We know for sure that at least 202 Christians have been arbitrarily arrested in 24 cities in Iran since June 2010. 33 remain in prison today. This has happened against the background of government officials publicly speaking out against Christians.”
The report is available from http://www.elam.com/articles/202-arrests,-33-still-in-prison.
(paid link)
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