Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 4:7-9

 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

Sometimes when we hear a sermon or read the Bible, the knowledge we gain is left theoretical or conceptual.  When Tychicus delivered this letter to the church in Colossae, the Colossians might reasonably have thought they’d have time to reflect upon these words and consider their implications.  However, they wouldn’t have this luxury.  They would be tested right away.

For along with Tychicus was a man they hadn’t expected to see: Onesimus,  a runaway slave from Philemon’s household—now returned, and a Christian with a recommendation from the Apostle Paul to boot!  They all knew Philemon of course.  He was a respected follower of Christ and a wealthy home-owner and host to a church that met in his house.  If they didn’t know Onesimus’s story, they would have heard soon enough.

It is likely that Tychicus would have read the letter from Paul in their public gathering.  As they listened, their eyes would have shifted in Onesimus’s direction on more than one occasion.

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (3:11-14)

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. (4:1)

and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. (4:8)

So how would they receive and welcome the runaway slave?  Praise God for an immediate opportunity to obey and give honor to our God!

The Word of God is not meant to be hypothetical or theoretical.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

His word challenges us and transforms us.  The quicker we obey, the quicker the transformation takes root.  Is there a step (or steps) of obedience God has been asking you to take?  Let us be a people who obey and right away!

Prayer: 

Father, You delight not in our sacrifices but our obedience.  We want to be a people who are transformed through Your word.  Help us not to keep Your word only in our minds, but give us Your grace to immediately live Your good and perfect will.  Thank You for the example of Jesus who obeyed that will even unto death.  Thank You that His obedience meant our salvation.  As we think upon Jesus, may we also likewise put on Christ each day, this day.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 103

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 4:2-4

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

There is a popular saying often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel daily; Use words if necessary.”  One problem with this is that there is no record of St. Francis ever saying it.  In fact, St. Francis was quite the preacher.  While there is truth that our deeds must match the words that we speak, the gospel, by definition, is good news—not good living.

Paul is very clear here in his request to the church in Colossae: “Pray for us….to declare the mystery of Christ.” Let us be very clear: the gospel is the good news about Jesus and what He has done, and so it must be declared with words.

But we know that this isn’t easy.  We need God’s power to be able to declare it as we ought.  And so Francis of Assisi is recorded as teaching the following to his fellow co-workers in the gospel:

The preacher must first draw from secret prayer what he will later pour out in holy sermons; he must first grow hot within before he speaks words that are in themselves cold.

Paul needed prayer to preach the gospel.  Francis of Assisi needed prayer to preach the gospel.  If we are not preaching the gospel, perhaps what we need is more prayer.

Prayer: Lord, we confess that we don’t always seek Your presence in our lives. We often depend upon our own strength and wisdom instead of seeking Your power.  We want to be desperate for Your presence in all that we do, and learn how to celebrate and honor You in both our private and corporate times of worship.  May You show us Your glory and bring about times of refreshing and revival.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 102

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 16:5-9: I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Questions to Consider:

1. Paul tells the church in Corinth that he intends to visit and stay with them after passing through Macedonia. Reading the passage, why did Paul delay his intended visit?
2. Does an open door for ministry mean that everything is moving without hindrance?
3. What open doors for ministry might God have opened around you?

Notes

1. Paul explains that his visit to Corinth is being delayed until after Pentecost, as he has work to do in Ephesus (“a wide door for effective work has opened” – verse 9).
2. An open door clearly does not mean that ministry has become easy. Paul notes that there are many adversaries to that work in Ephesus.  In fact, it seems as though the existence of those adversaries may have some part to play in his needing to stay in Ephesus.  When we think of God opening a door, clearly, we should not expect zero obstacles or hindrances.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

Please spend some time journaling a prayer for people around you whom God has placed on your heart to know the gospel.  What doors has God opened for you to share the good news?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:11

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

I remember Richard Mouw, former president of Fuller Theological Seminary, talking about when he was a seminary student.  He spent many late nights in the library and got to know the custodian, an older gentleman who would engage Richard Mouw in conversations every so often.

One night, as Mouw was working on a paper, the custodian came over and said, “So, you like books….”  Mouw wanted to focus on his work, and said, “Yes, I do,” and returned to his reading.  The custodian responded, “Ernie was like that.  He liked books, too.”

“Ummm, okay,” he said, but after a few moments, Mouw asked, “Who’s Ernie?”

“Ernie was a friend of mine from way back.  He really liked books, too.”

Mouw thought, “Well, okay.”

“Ernie ended up writing some books of his own.  You may know some of his books.  He wrote one about a fisherman.”

Something clicked in Mouw’s mind, so he asked,  “Wait, was Ernie’s last name Hemingway?”

“Yep.”

All of a sudden, the custodian wasn’t just a custodian anymore.   He was Ernest Hemingway’s friend.  He was interesting!

God has placed various people in our lives: friends, family, spouses, co-workers, bosses, etc.  When we see them, do we see just them, or do we see the One who created them?  How would our interactions change if we truly saw Jesus behind them?

Prayer: 

Father, help us to see You in every relationship we have.  Lord, we have never locked eyes with anyone who was not loved by You, so help us to love them as You have loved us.  We thank You for Your love.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 100-101

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 25:31-40: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” 40 And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Questions to Consider

1. The passage speaks of the Son of Man coming in His glory to judge. Who will be judged at this time?
2. Who will inherit the kingdom?
3. Upon what basis are we to love the people we encounter?

Notes

1. Jesus tells us that “all the nations” will be gathered before Him (v.32).
2. Those who gave Jesus food, drink, clothes, and welcomed and visited Him will inherit the kingdom.
3. The basis for our love and care is not that people deserve love and care, or that we are good people doing the right thing; rather, we are to love the people whom we see around us (particularly those in need) as though we were serving Jesus, who is our Lord, Judge, and Savior.

Evening Reflection  

Take some time to journal your feelings toward the primary relationships in your life.  To what extent are you loving them as though you were honoring Jesus?  How is the Holy Spirit asking you to love them?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:11

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. ¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

At red carpet events, celebrities are often asked, “Who are you wearing?”  And in turn, they’ll drop the name of some celebrity designer.  Often, my response in the rare moments I catch one of these events on TV is, “Who cares?!” Well, apparently many people do.  Who and what we are wearing is apparently a pretty big deal.  Our clothing choices say something about our taste, our wealth, our personality.  In other words, our clothing choices say something about our identity.  It’s actually a much deeper question than I normally give it credit for.

Well, what if our identity was one who had been forgiven by God and raised with Christ?  What would our clothing choices be then?  Perhaps we’d be wearing clothes distinctly designed by Christ, bearing his signature mark?—you know, marks like compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience?  Forgiveness?  Love?

So this morning, before you head to your closet and begin your day, who will you be wearing?

Prayer: Father, what an awesome God You are!  Help me to taste and see Your goodness as You are adorned with Christ’s righteousness.  I put my trust in You alone for I know that You are faithful.  May I continue to grow in my knowledge (both theological and experiential) of You.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 99

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 13:11-14: Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Questions to Consider

1. How does Paul use the metaphor of “wearing” in this passage? (hint: there are at least two).  What are we to put on?
2. How does knowing the hour change our mindset?
3. What is the Spirit asking you to cast off and put on?

Notes

1. Paul urges us to “put on” the armor of light (v12) and the Lord Jesus Christ (v14). These are related metaphors.  The metaphor of armor carries the suggestion of protecting ourselves from the darkness of this world.  Ultimately, we are putting on Christ.
2. What we wear changes depending on whether it is night or day, since what we plan to do will also change depending on the time of day. If we believe that the “day is at hand”, then we will change our clothes accordingly.  Paul declares that it is no longer time to live as though it is night but in a new day!

Evening Reflection  

What did you wear today?  What will you wear tomorrow?  What would help you to carry this mindset throughout the day?  As you journal, ask the Spirit to help you grow more conscious of the new reality in which we live.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:11

 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Right after commanding his readers to put to death that which is earthly, i.e. the old self and its practices (e.g. sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk and lies), Paul follows up with verse 11 (see above).  We may wonder how the two ideas are connected.

Well, how do you know how you’re doing in Christ?  One trap that we fall into is to compare ourselves with others.  The Christians in Colossae seemed to have been holding onto tribal markers, such as ethnicity, eating practices and circumcision.  As long as they were doing the “right things” and avoiding the “wrong things,” they thought they were spiritual.   They were focused on outward markers and appearances rather than their heart condition.

Paul reminds the Christian in Colossae (and us as well) that we are not Christians because we have separated ourselves from other people, but rather because we have been separated for God by Christ.  Do you see the difference?  The power to put to death earthly and fleshly desires and to live in a Christ-like way comes as we live in the new reality of Christ’s presence.  Let us stop looking around us and start looking upwards!

Prayer: Father, I confess my sinfulness to You, especially my tendency to look at my performance as if that’s why I am different from others.  I am in need of Your grace and mercy.  I ask that You would bring healing into my heart and my mind.   I want to live this day in Your joyful presence.  In Jesus’s name I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 98

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:2-11: Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Questions to Consider:

1. What earthly things did Paul formerly take pride in (vv.5-6)?
2. What is Paul’s new desire?
3. How is the Spirit challenging you to follow Paul’s example?

Notes

1. Paul formerly derived his identity from his ethnic and spiritual heritage. He was ethnically, educationally, and religiously on par with any Jewish believer.
2. After encountering Jesus Christ, Paul forsook everything that had previously given him worth, so that he could find his worth through Christ. Paul uses a Hebraism here (see similar examples spoken by Jesus, e.g. Luke 14:26), where he describes the former things as rubbish to contrast how much greater the worth of Christ is.

Evening Reflection  

Please spend some time meditating upon your desires.  Is your desire for earthly things or for Christ?  Take some time to pray that Christ would become your greatest desire.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:1-4:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

“If then we have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above… “

Some people (beginning with the Monastics in the early church) see ascetism as a response to the challenge of our flesh, but Paul writes in Colossians 2 that denying the flesh has “no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”  So how then can we find freedom from fleshly, earthly things?

Let me ask a different question:  Where do you live?  Pause for a moment and take time to answer.  No, not your address.  Where do you live?  What is your reality?

How you answer this question will determine how you live your life.  If we view our reality primarily in terms of what we see around us, then we will live according to the values of that reality.  Afterall, our life is conditioned by the reality we perceive: relationships, work, meals, money, etc.

Paul tells us that when we live for those things, we are living in an earthly way.  But when we live as though those things are evil and to be avoided, ironically, we are still being conditioned by that earthly reality.  We are just rebelling against it.  Neither is the way to go.  Freedom doesn’t come as we seek to avoid the earthly reality; rather, we need to live in a new reality.

When Paul tells us to seek the “things that are above,” he is asking that we intentionally commit to living the values of heaven.   Heaven is where everything is happening just as God wills.  You see that is where we live now.  If you have received Christ’s work on the cross, you have died to your old reality, and you have been raised with Christ into His heavenly reality.  Yes, we are still living on earth, but we also live in the reality that God is real, loving, and with us.  That’s why Jesus’s death and resurrection is Good News.  It’s also our only hope for freedom.

Prayer: 

Lord Jesus, what an amazing truth this is!  Thank You that my reality is not defined by what I see around me but by Your presence, goodness, love and grace.  Help me to become more aware of this new reality.  I ask that Your nearness would be tangible to us.  As this happens, help me to let go of earthly desires and be captivated by the desires of Your heart.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 97

Lunch Break Study

Read the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6:9-13:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Questions to Consider

1. What do we learn about God the Father from this prayer?
2. This prayer begins with a concern for God’s reputation and His kingdom rather than our own desires. How is this reflected in your prayers?
3. In what ways has the Holy Spirit been revealing God’s will to you?

Notes

1. We learn from this prayer that God is hallowed (aka, holy), that He is a King whose Kingdom is coming, that he gives us daily bread, forgives and delivers.
2. Personal response.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

Are you growing in the knowledge of Jesus – His death and resurrection?  Many times we begin our relationship with Christ in grace but then turn to the flesh.  Our hope for growth lies in continuing to fix our eyes on Christ and His reality.  Journal today about some ways you desire to grow in your awareness of the heavenly reality.

Editor’s Note: Today’s QT is written by Jabez Yeo of TRPC.

Devotional Thought for Today

James 2:14-19: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Spiritual leaders (particularly known for their keen theological mind) who display their faith in both word and deed are an immense treasure (i.e., with regards to learning about faith and works, spirituality, and intellectuality).  One such leader was Basil, one of the Cappadocian fathers who faithfully endorsed the Nicene Creed. During Basil’s time, an aggressive form of heresy, Eunomianism, was gaining popularity, as it claimed that full Trinitarianism was a disguised form of paganism – an argument made today by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eunomianism also doubted that the Son could be “begotten” and eternal, which led them to deny Jesus’ full divinity despite recognizing Him as Savior.

In response, Basil skillfully refuted Eunomianism by noting that if the Son was merely a creature, humanity would still be without a true revelation of God. Basil also used the imagery of the sun’s rays, which are “begotten” yet have existed with the sun since its beginning to explain how the Son was begotten from, yet exists with the Father for eternity. Basil then wrote On the Holy Spirit (“the first whole treatise on the Holy Spirit”) and effectively used Scripture to explain that “since the Holy Spirit effects our salvation, He cannot be anything but God.”[1]

Thankfully, Basil also communicated Christ through his actions. One of his projects as bishop of Caesarea was building a complex that provided housing and medical care for the needy. Basil also organized a soup kitchen and “gave away his personal inheritance to benefit the poor.”[2] Furthermore, Basil publicly rebuked corrupt officials and excommunicated those involved in human trafficking. He was in many ways, “a man of vast learning, genuine eloquence and immense charity.”[3]

It can be easy to feel ashamed when we compare ourselves to Basil—especially if our confession of faith is not consistent with our actions. But let’s remember that Basil was just a man like us, and that it is only God’s grace that trains us to renounce worldly passions and to live godly lives (Titus 2:12). May we then display Him powerfully through word and deed.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the great truth that proclaims that You loved me while I was still a sinner separated from You. Help me to love others in light of the love I have received from You. May what I know resonate deeply not only in my mind but also in my hands and feet as I interact with and serve others. In Your Name, I pray.  Amen.

[1] Olson, Roger. The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform.

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea

[3] http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=261

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 96

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Years ago I served as a youth pastor to middle and high school students. A lot of time was spent on developing their character so that they could be the light of Christ in their schools. There was also the hope that as they grew in their faith, they would become better prepared for the spiritual challenges they would face in college. As they graduated from high school, I, like a worrying (spiritual) parent, warned them about the dangers of drugs, drinking, and the party scene. I also warned them about philosophy classes. Not that they should never take any, but that they really needed to be discerning about what they were ingesting.

My warnings were not without reason. I remember the Philosophy 101 class that I took as a freshman in college. The professor was an ardent atheist. I was a (fairly) devoted Christian. “He’s not gonna get me,” was the battle cry of my heart. Then he challenged the class with a simple question: “If God is omnipotent, can he create a rock that he can’t lift?” The silence was deafening. “Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?” Never before had the world seen Christians, Jews, and Muslims in such unity – we were all completely stumped. No one said a word. Well, that was that – the existence of God disproved in a minute, and the professor moved on. Little did I know that the professor had pulled a fast one on us. It wasn’t until years later, when I was taking an apologetics class at seminary that I learned that he had violated a foundational tenet of philosophy – the Law of Non-Contradiction. In other words, something cannot be both “A” and “not A” at the same time. But we didn’t know the Law of Non-Contradiction, and the professor took full advantage.

Looking back on that episode, it’s tempting to want to go and study all the philosophy I can in order to make sure that something like that never happens again. It’d be great to be able to quote Kant, Nietzsche, and Plato from memory. It would make me formidable in debate, and I would sound really smart to boot. Now, there’s nothing wrong with studying philosophy, given that you are indeed careful and discerning with what you read. In fact, engaging secular philosophers in their lingua franca might even be a calling for some. However, it’s important to remember that in the end, the whole truth cannot be philosophy without Christ. Paul unashamedly wrote, “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:20-25).

God’s wisdom will always sound like foolishness to the world because His truth is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14), but it is truth and it is life and we are not to be ashamed. There will be occasion for debate, but there will also be occasion to preach the simple gospel, that those who have ears to hear may hear.

Prayer: God, help me to not be intimidated by the wisdom of this world. Help me to know that 15 graduate degrees in philosophy and a shelf full of Kant and Nietzsche don’t trump the truth of the gospel. Give me wisdom to know how, when confronted by those espousing the wisdom of the world, to respond in love. Give me the power of the Spirit and the right words to say. Make me brave. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 94-95

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 2:5

For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

It’s amazing how much easier ministry is when you genuinely care about people.  They tend to open up.  They share more.  They invite you into their lives.  The famous evangelist D.L. Moody once told the story of a young boy who walked five miles every week to get to Sunday school when he could have easily attended any of forty other Sunday schools that were closer to his home.  The boy’s reason: “Because they love a fellow over there.”[1]

When Paul says that he is with the Colossians (as well as the Corinthians – 1 Cor. 5:3) “in spirit,” I believe that the crux of what he is saying is that his heart is with them – that they were very much in the forefront of his thoughts and concerns.  This seemed to be a consistent theme in his life and ministry: “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28).  I think that this would prove very challenging for many of us, especially those of us who fall more into the “out of sight, out of mind” personality camp.  Ditto for the task-oriented as opposed to the relational types among us.  Yet we cannot escape the heart of Christian ministry – “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Many of us begin Christian ministry by doing as opposed to loving, but as we mature, we realize that loving is what we really need to be doing.  This is not easy.  Paul had to remind his flock: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).  But this is unnatural because our sinful flesh is constantly elevating the priority of loving ourselves.  Caring for others in an authentic way is so counterintuitive, that Paul wrote, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:19-21).  Even for Paul, who served alongside many Christians and knew countless more, Timothy was a diamond in the rough because he really cared.

Prayer: God, teach me how to love others.  Forgive me if I am more prone to use others or to treat them like objects or projects.  Because You are love and I am in You, I believe that I can love as You love.  Help me to slow down.  Help me to see people.  Help me to be moved with compassion by their stories, to be broken by their tragedies, and to feel their joy when they rejoice.  Help me to be less individualistic and to be more communal in the way I view the body of Christ.  Amen.

[1] D.L. Moody, Anecdotes & illustrations of D. L. Moody related by him in his revival work (Ottaway & Company, 1878) p.50

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 93

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 6:30-34: The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Questions to Consider

1. What was Jesus’ original motivation for taking the disciples to “a quiet place”? What ended up happening when they got there?  Why?
2. How flexible are you with your schedule when you encounter others in need?

Notes

1. Jesus wanted the disciples to have some time to rest, but when they got to the destination, they ended up ministering to the people there. Jesus’ “compassion” trumped His tiredness.
2. Schedules are important, but people are more important.

Evening Reflection  

“Love must be sincere.” – Romans 12:9.

So, how is your love?  Search your heart—ask God to reveal to you one person to whom you really need to show God’s love.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 1:24

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church….

Here we have a problematic verse.  We know that Christ was completely obedient to the will of the Father.  We also know that His suffering for us on the cross was wholly sufficient for our cleansing and justification.  The author of Hebrews wrote, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (10:14).  So what then could be “lacking in Christ’s afflictions”?  Uncomfortable choice of words indeed.

We need not question the sufficiency of Christ’s work; however, upon deeper examination we come to understand that it is not that Christ’s work was insufficient, but rather, that the experience of suffering was to be continued in His body – the Church.  N.T. Wright put it this way: “Just as the Messiah was to be known by the path of suffering he freely chose – and is recognized in his risen body by the mark of the nails… so his people are to be recognized by the sufferings they endure…”[1]  Suffering, rather than always serving as an indication that something is wrong, can sometimes be an indication that things are very right.  In fact, the opposite can be true – the absence of suffering, normally our desired state of affairs, could very well mean that we’ve failed to “take up our cross.”

We don’t like this.  No one likes to suffer.  Now, I am not saying that we should go out looking for suffering, but unless we understand this biblical paradigm, we will surely do all we can to avoid it—even if it may be the road we must take to accomplish the will of God.  To quote Wright again: “If all these ideas sound strange to modern ears, this may not be so much due to the distance between Paul and ourselves in time and culture as because the church has forgotten how to apply to itself the fact that it is the body of the crucified Messiah.”[2]

Now again, this doesn’t mean we go about our day with martyrdom on the top of our to-do list (otherwise you might as well cross off numbers 2 and following).  It’s not your fault you don’t live in a country where it is illegal to believe in Jesus.  However, Paul’s teaching still applies.  To quote Wright one last time: “Finally, we would be wrong to think of suffering only in terms of the direct outward persecution that professing Christians sometimes undergo because of their faith.  The church must, it is true, always be ready for such persecution… But all Christians will suffer for their faith in one way or another: if not outwardly, then inwardly, through the long, slow battle with temptation or sickness, the agonizing anxieties of Christians responsibilities for a family or church…, the constant doubts and uncertainties which accompany the obedience of faith, and ‘the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to’, taken up as they are within the call to follow Christ.”[3]

Prayer: God, help me to internalize this truth, that suffering – taking up my cross and following after You – is a necessary part of the Christian life.  Help me to rejoice when I suffer for doing good, for great is my reward in heaven.  Give me courage to persevere in the face of persecution and endurance to hold on in the midst of suffering.  Amen.

[1] N.T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Inter-Varsity Press/William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986) p.88

[2] Ibid, p.89

[3] Ibid, p.90

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 92

Lunch Break Study

Read John 15:18-21: If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Questions to Consider

1. What does it mean that “the world hates you”? How should Jesus’ statement help to inform our worldview?
2. Are there any areas of your life where you’ve been avoiding suffering, possibly too much so?

Notes

1. When we live with kingdom values, we will inevitably clash with the values of this world, which is controlled and shaped by “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).

2. Maybe we avoid sharing the gospel because we fear rejection, drawing an ethical line in the sand because we are afraid of upsetting our bosses, or miss out on the will of God because we idolize creature comforts for ourselves or our families.

Evening Reflection  

“I have accepted this proposal. Christians are meant to have the same vocation as their King, that of cross-bearers. It is this conscience of a high calling and of partnership with Jesus which brings gladness in tribulations, which makes Christians enter prisons for their faith with the joy of a bridegroom entering the bridal room.” – Richard Wurmbrand, who spent 14 years in prison as a Romanian pastor.