The Lord said to his disciples
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Light is essential. Let’s think about what what this light we have in us is.
“God is light”
“God is love”
By inference the love we shine is our light. How do we let our light shine then? By loving.
Ironically it is us religious people who don’t show this love!
“I know you (the pharisees) that you have not the love of God in you” (Jn.5)
The light can go out very easily. After all the Lord said,”the love of many shall wax cold.”
How do we fan the flame?
Right fuel. Fire needs a fuel. The energy of the Holy Spirit alone kindles this flame of love. For, “he makes his angels ministers flames of fire.” This oil of gladness is what the virgins in Mt.25 did not want to give away, lest their own lights die. Conversely, if we fuel ourselves with a love of the world then the love dies. Arguing and contention quench the Spirit (Eph.4:29-30), putting the fire out.
Right air. Every hear somebody say, he is a breath of fresh air? Hope is like that. Hope is expressed in prayer. Some would say the atmosphere of prayer. A strong wind however, can knock out a flame as well. St. Paul calls false doctrine a wind (Eph.4). If we have mixed up beliefs our love is not based on knowledge, on truth, and so won't endure.
Right burn rate. If you burn something too quick it won’t be sustained.
This little light of mine...
a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pitchers of silver
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The plain life is on another plane
The Reading is from Luke 6:17-23
At that time, Jesus stood on a plain, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven."
The sermon on the plain (note not mount) is the the apex- the summit of Christian living. In fact it is so high only when Christ lives in us are we able to stay there.
I want to throw out two thoughts though.
1. These are not commands, they are characteristics. These attitudes and actions flow out of God's divine grace, His energy. When we are in the kingdom of God- completely submitted to His rule- then these are present in us because the kingdom is already present in our hearts, for the kingdom of God is within us (Lk.17:20). We don’t manufacture the grace it is born- graced to us. For the kingdom of God is, "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom.14:13)
2. Grace is costly, complete surrender required. Deitrich Bonhoeffer, the WW2 Lutheran pastor martyr, had a term that is actually pretty good; cheap grace. There is no cheap grace. The Old Testament sacrifices attest to this. A whole sacrifice had to be made.
We must lay all on the altar, then the fire- the grace of God- comes down to consume it like God consumed the sacrifices in His fire.
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (I Kings 19:38)
With whole burnt offerings God will not be pleased now (Ps.50:16) rather a whole heart does please Him. It will then be consumed upon His mystical altar, and He will in return send down divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Truly the sermon on the plain is not plain it is supernatural, on another plane.
At that time, Jesus stood on a plain, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven."
The sermon on the plain (note not mount) is the the apex- the summit of Christian living. In fact it is so high only when Christ lives in us are we able to stay there.
I want to throw out two thoughts though.
1. These are not commands, they are characteristics. These attitudes and actions flow out of God's divine grace, His energy. When we are in the kingdom of God- completely submitted to His rule- then these are present in us because the kingdom is already present in our hearts, for the kingdom of God is within us (Lk.17:20). We don’t manufacture the grace it is born- graced to us. For the kingdom of God is, "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom.14:13)
2. Grace is costly, complete surrender required. Deitrich Bonhoeffer, the WW2 Lutheran pastor martyr, had a term that is actually pretty good; cheap grace. There is no cheap grace. The Old Testament sacrifices attest to this. A whole sacrifice had to be made.
We must lay all on the altar, then the fire- the grace of God- comes down to consume it like God consumed the sacrifices in His fire.
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (I Kings 19:38)
With whole burnt offerings God will not be pleased now (Ps.50:16) rather a whole heart does please Him. It will then be consumed upon His mystical altar, and He will in return send down divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Truly the sermon on the plain is not plain it is supernatural, on another plane.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Getting untangled from the net of life
Getting untangled from the net of life is difficult business. We are filled with the cares of this world and feel, like Peter, giving up and just focusing on the fish, focusing on life's problem and our job.
Today’s gospel however teaches us how to pick up where we left off. It teaches us how to get untangled in the net of life’s occupations and get back to following Christ.
Peter was told to leave his fishing and follow Him. Hence the Lord asks him,”do you love me more than your fish? More than you love your job your livelihood?”
Peter got tangled in the net of life, in life’s business, and was giving up.
Here is how the Lord untangles him.
1.God rebukes Peter and recognizes his failure. Three times He asks, do you love me more than these fish? God will bring our mistakes to our attention gently.
2.God reveals His next step to you and prepares you for what is ahead. He then told Peter he would suffer and be crucified.
3.God reminds him of doing his calling and forgetting what others have to do. Don’t worry about what God tells His other servants to do! Let’s do what He tells us to do.
Our problems when we stumble stem from three things, the three things here
1.We will not listen to God’s rebuke. We just don’t want to hear we are wrong
2.We don’t want to take the next step
3.We want the plan God has for other people, and don’t mind our business.
Thankfully, Peter did repent and went on on to write 2 epistles for us. He did leave his net and just follow the Lord . He got untangled from the net of life by listening, taking the next step, and minding his own business- that is doing what God told him personally to do. Let’s follow the chief apostle. All of us are called to follow Christ as Peter, to place following Christ ahead of our net of life, our occupation. Let’s not fall into the trap of getting entangled in the net, but follow him.
Today’s gospel however teaches us how to pick up where we left off. It teaches us how to get untangled in the net of life’s occupations and get back to following Christ.
Peter was told to leave his fishing and follow Him. Hence the Lord asks him,”do you love me more than your fish? More than you love your job your livelihood?”
Peter got tangled in the net of life, in life’s business, and was giving up.
Here is how the Lord untangles him.
1.God rebukes Peter and recognizes his failure. Three times He asks, do you love me more than these fish? God will bring our mistakes to our attention gently.
2.God reveals His next step to you and prepares you for what is ahead. He then told Peter he would suffer and be crucified.
3.God reminds him of doing his calling and forgetting what others have to do. Don’t worry about what God tells His other servants to do! Let’s do what He tells us to do.
Our problems when we stumble stem from three things, the three things here
1.We will not listen to God’s rebuke. We just don’t want to hear we are wrong
2.We don’t want to take the next step
3.We want the plan God has for other people, and don’t mind our business.
Thankfully, Peter did repent and went on on to write 2 epistles for us. He did leave his net and just follow the Lord . He got untangled from the net of life by listening, taking the next step, and minding his own business- that is doing what God told him personally to do. Let’s follow the chief apostle. All of us are called to follow Christ as Peter, to place following Christ ahead of our net of life, our occupation. Let’s not fall into the trap of getting entangled in the net, but follow him.
Poverty of Spirit
When someone tells you something you can gauge it’s importance by it’s placement. First things mentioned are first for a reason. This pronouncement is the first command the Lord gave outside of, "Repent and and believe.” So this is a cause to pause.
Like most of the New Testament, this can only be understood by looking at the Old. Poverty of spirit and blessedness were Jewish ideas.
The first time we read of poverty of spirit is the book of Psalms. What do we learn about poverty of spirit?
David exclaims,
Ps.69:29 But I [am] poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 [This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox [or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see [this, and] be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
1. First, The poor in spirit recognize that all they have is from God (“let thy salvation save me”, and therefore seeks (“your heart shall live that seeks the Lord”) all from God.
“Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever and ever.” Rom.11:34
The poor in spirit are persecuted. Ps.69.33.
This is because a person who fears God goes against the grain of the world. The world proclaims it’s self sufficiency. God declares we did not make ourselves. God upholds us and directs all things according to His will.
2. The poor and needy wait for God’s deliverance and praise Him for His work.
Ps.70:5 But I [am] poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou [art] my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.
3. The poor tremble at God’s word
Is.66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest?
2 For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. (Is.66:1-2)
Where the word of the king is, there is power Solomon said. So the Lord when He speaks like EF Hutton, people should listen.
Poor look to the mercy of God. They tremble because they have sinned.
“a poor and contrite spirit”
We have no defense before God for we have sinned and so trust only mercy.
4. God looks at the poor, and esteems their honesty. “to this man will I look.”
Do we want God to look at us? Then we need to look to Him in a poor spirit.
This is the attitude of the Psalmist," as the yes of a servant wait for their Master so do we wait for you."
5. The poor have a blessing. God preaches good news to them.
Lk.4:18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18)
The broken hearted, the poor in spirit, are delivered. Three things are promised to the poor in spirit:
a. Heals our heart
b.Delivers the captives
c. Gives us sight
Our sickness of heart is epithumia kaki. Evil desire. Because we have stopped desiring the True Good, God, we desire material goods, and so stray from His presence.
When He heals (a) the desire by filling us with Christ’s love (Rom.5:5) then we are delivered from the law of sin and death (b) then we truly see (c).
But how do we get to this point of being poor?
Mostly by failing and the pride of our strength is broken like the prophet foretold. God graciously let’s us fall and break some bones. Like David said,
“may the bones which you have broken rejoice.” (Ps.51)
It is truly blessed then to be poor in spirit
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Re enactment or Remembrance
Re enactment or Remembrance? Save O Lord thy people and bless thine inheritance!
Without spelling out the minutiae, a key question is, “what does remembrance mean when commune?"
When we remember the Lord’s death, is this a mere mental recollection or reenactment?
1. First, Remembrance in the OT is the intervention of God to fulfill HIs covenant pledge to bless and forgive His people. Let's look at the first occurrence of God remembering.
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; Gen 8.1
God made the judgment to stop when He remembered His people.
He then promises to Noah:
And God said, This [is] the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which [is] between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that [is] upon the earth. Gen.9:11-16
God remembered His covenant and consequently fulfilled His promise to not judge with a cataclysm again.
Again we see God’s remembrance of Abraham. God promised He would be with Abraham and deliver him (Gen.12,15) Now, when He is about to judge the people of Sodom He remembers him and Lot and delivers.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
The next occurrence of God remembering is Rachel. Rachel wanted children but God restrained her. She beseeches God and God judges on her behalf and gives her Joseph.
2 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son. Gen.30:22-24
Exodus 2:24 illustrates this even more succinctly.
His covenant is remembered and He begins to deliver His people.
“And God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect unto them.” 2:25
God delivered them and destroyed Pharoah.
2. Secondly, God’s covenant curses as well are filling a cup.
God’s wrath is compared to a cup. The full measure of which will be poured out on the wicked.
6 For promotion [cometh] neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7 But God [is] the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD [there is] a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring [them] out, [and] drink [them]. Ps.75:6-8
Edom faced God’s judgment for idolatry in the time of Jeremiah who cried,
12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment [was] not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and [art] thou he [that] shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink [of it].
Now let’ skip to the New Testament.
The wicked of latter times are judged and God says,
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Lastly, Babylon is given a cup:
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Remembrance of iniquity, the cup which the wicked fill, is poured out. Ultimately you drink the poison you mix.
3. Thirdly, Christ drank the cup reserved for us as wicked
Saying,” Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me”
It could not and so,”he by the grace of God tasted death for every man.”(Heb.2:9) Becoming a curse (Gal.3:13).
God grants Christ every blessing for His suffering,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength riches and honor and glory and blessing.”
The cup of blessing then is given to His people.
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?”
When we remember the Lord’s table, we are invoking the Name of the Lord- not just mentally thinking about a representation. No we are remembering His saving commandment as the liturgy says. Thereby God is entreated to be merciful to us and give us the grace of the Covenant, to save His people and bless His inheritance.
This is what an ALTAR always does. It calls upon the Name of the Lord, who thereafter confirms His covenant with His sacrifice and saves His inheritance.
Without spelling out the minutiae, a key question is, “what does remembrance mean when commune?"
When we remember the Lord’s death, is this a mere mental recollection or reenactment?
1. First, Remembrance in the OT is the intervention of God to fulfill HIs covenant pledge to bless and forgive His people. Let's look at the first occurrence of God remembering.
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; Gen 8.1
God made the judgment to stop when He remembered His people.
He then promises to Noah:
And God said, This [is] the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which [is] between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that [is] upon the earth. Gen.9:11-16
God remembered His covenant and consequently fulfilled His promise to not judge with a cataclysm again.
Again we see God’s remembrance of Abraham. God promised He would be with Abraham and deliver him (Gen.12,15) Now, when He is about to judge the people of Sodom He remembers him and Lot and delivers.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
The next occurrence of God remembering is Rachel. Rachel wanted children but God restrained her. She beseeches God and God judges on her behalf and gives her Joseph.
2 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son. Gen.30:22-24
Exodus 2:24 illustrates this even more succinctly.
His covenant is remembered and He begins to deliver His people.
“And God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect unto them.” 2:25
God delivered them and destroyed Pharoah.
2. Secondly, God’s covenant curses as well are filling a cup.
God’s wrath is compared to a cup. The full measure of which will be poured out on the wicked.
6 For promotion [cometh] neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7 But God [is] the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD [there is] a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring [them] out, [and] drink [them]. Ps.75:6-8
Edom faced God’s judgment for idolatry in the time of Jeremiah who cried,
12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment [was] not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and [art] thou he [that] shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink [of it].
Now let’ skip to the New Testament.
The wicked of latter times are judged and God says,
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Lastly, Babylon is given a cup:
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Remembrance of iniquity, the cup which the wicked fill, is poured out. Ultimately you drink the poison you mix.
3. Thirdly, Christ drank the cup reserved for us as wicked
Saying,” Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me”
It could not and so,”he by the grace of God tasted death for every man.”(Heb.2:9) Becoming a curse (Gal.3:13).
God grants Christ every blessing for His suffering,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength riches and honor and glory and blessing.”
The cup of blessing then is given to His people.
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?”
When we remember the Lord’s table, we are invoking the Name of the Lord- not just mentally thinking about a representation. No we are remembering His saving commandment as the liturgy says. Thereby God is entreated to be merciful to us and give us the grace of the Covenant, to save His people and bless His inheritance.
This is what an ALTAR always does. It calls upon the Name of the Lord, who thereafter confirms His covenant with His sacrifice and saves His inheritance.
Hope for Us all: Yes God’s chosen saint, David, was a murderer, adulterer and thief and had major family problems.
David was chosen by God to be Israel’s king when he was about 16. He was a simple shepherd boy who played music in the field to his sheep while singing God’s praise. To give a synopsis of his career: he is anointed as king and has to wait yeeeeears before he actually becomes king. When he does he gets a little slack (sounds like our politicians?) Instead of doing his kingly duty of going to war, he decides to stay home while every one fights. He spots a fair lady bathing and his heart is gripped. He asks his servant who it is. It is the wife of one of his chief soldiers Uriah. No problem- he’ll get the gal Bathsheba somehow. He Gets Uriah drunk, sounds him into the front line and gets him killed. Boy gets the girl. To sweeten things she gets pregnant. Well the Lord is not happy with David to say the least. He gives David a personal visit from His prophet Nathan who lambastes him for abusing his position and taking a man’s wife and killing him.
David repents. This is the occasion for the writing of the 50th psalm we read at Orthros. “God have mercy on me a sinner.” He loses reign of most of the kingdom, loses the child through miscarriage, loses his best friend, loses his joy of salvation, loses his family. His son then ends up rebelling against him and nearly killing him.
God’s saints teach us a lesson. And don’t we learn better from examples good or bad? God will restore His favor to us when he heed the prophet or man of God. But the consequences of our actions can take time to mend. We reap what we sow, sometimes the harvest is a little earlier than we thought, or later. Let’s thank God for His abundant mercy. There is no extreme God cannot forgive or heal, just the refusal to be healed.
David repents. This is the occasion for the writing of the 50th psalm we read at Orthros. “God have mercy on me a sinner.” He loses reign of most of the kingdom, loses the child through miscarriage, loses his best friend, loses his joy of salvation, loses his family. His son then ends up rebelling against him and nearly killing him.
God’s saints teach us a lesson. And don’t we learn better from examples good or bad? God will restore His favor to us when he heed the prophet or man of God. But the consequences of our actions can take time to mend. We reap what we sow, sometimes the harvest is a little earlier than we thought, or later. Let’s thank God for His abundant mercy. There is no extreme God cannot forgive or heal, just the refusal to be healed.
Night of the living dead
Night of the living Dead. Sunday’s epistle to the Collossians
BRETHREN, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.
There is a popular movie, Night of the Living Dead. The people somehow have a morbid experience of living. They get killed and live on as zombies- without really ever dying. Yet they are dead.
Though not the same as this, St Paul describes us as living dead. We are to become dead to the world’s assaults of desires even while living. Our earthly desires have to be killed while we are alive. For “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.” (I Jn2:15-16)
Why though? Why not just “eat and drink for tomorrow we die?” Because Paul tells us,”When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with Him in glory.” We become dead to the desires of the flesh so we can be alive to the One who gives us life.
Let’s become the living dead. Dead to the desires of the world- and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
BRETHREN, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away; anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.
There is a popular movie, Night of the Living Dead. The people somehow have a morbid experience of living. They get killed and live on as zombies- without really ever dying. Yet they are dead.
Though not the same as this, St Paul describes us as living dead. We are to become dead to the world’s assaults of desires even while living. Our earthly desires have to be killed while we are alive. For “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.” (I Jn2:15-16)
Why though? Why not just “eat and drink for tomorrow we die?” Because Paul tells us,”When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with Him in glory.” We become dead to the desires of the flesh so we can be alive to the One who gives us life.
Let’s become the living dead. Dead to the desires of the world- and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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