Favorite quote of the year.
“The question is not, ‘Am I a missionary?’ We are all missionaries. The question,then, is, ‘Am I a good missionary?’”
Dr. David A.Black
His point being that we are all called to make disciples whether going over seas or staying in one’s own town, traveling or stationary, title or no title. Where ever we are we are all called to be on mission for the Kingdom of God to make disciples.
He was reflecting on Matt 28, the “Great Commission” passage and others like it.
Christ is God #2
Recently a few friends found an old post of mine titled “Punctuation Matters! Christ is God!” and posted it on their Facebook. This inspired me to finish what I had started. There are a handful of passages that explicitly say Jesus is God. I quoted the Romans 5 passages in the first post. Here is another:
Titus 2:13
13 προσδεχόμενοι τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα καὶ ἐπιφάνειαν τῆς δόξης τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ,
. . . looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. . . NASB
Both God and Savior describe Jesus. “The Granville Sharp rule states that if a single article links two or more singular substantives, the second and subsequent substantives further describe the first.” (It’s Still Greek to Me by David Allan Black p80)
The article here is τοῦ (the) followed by the two substantives θεοῦ (God) and σωτῆρος (Savior). These are both singular not plural. Thus it should be translated “the God and Savior . . ..” Savior describes God. Or God is Savior.
Paul, however, continues: he names Our God and Savior as Jesus Christ.
Some have tried to link Savior with Jesus and leave God as a separate entity. That would render the translation as “. . . the great God and Jesus our Savior. . .” but the grammar does not allow for this. Granville Sharps rule has been shown to be the case in every instance. Paul, then, is not talking about two personalities at this point he is calling Jesus the God and Savior of us!
Updates from Williamsburg
Hey everyone,
It’s been about 6 weeks since I moved to Williamsburg and things have been more busy than I could have ever imagined. It’s amazing how much busier real life is compared to school life.
Life in coastal VA has its ups and downs as would any place you might like to settle down. The most interesting stuff I have been doing would have to be the gardening. I jumped in along side my parents with their garden, read some books myself to catch up as they have been teaching me all they know; we’ve had a nice fall harvest of peppers, tomatoes, chilies, egg plant and green beans with more to come. It turns out I love gardening. I built a Cold Box (see picture below) to extend our fruiting season. I planted two Muscadine grape vines and built a tellace for them. I baught a Rabbit to use its droppings for futilizer. Anyway, that’s the highlights of the garden.
I also made a few friends and we’ve been encouraging one another; I connected with an old friend who has been a great encouragement and accountability.
About finding a fellowship of believers to walk with: we have visited 5 churches now and all but one were dismal. I mean all but one were so traditional it was scary. I am sure there are some good things happening at most of these but as most of you know I am looking for a body who really wants to be and do the things of the body of Christ in life: to mutually edify, to mutually admonish, to mutually encourage, to mutually share what the Lord is doing in our lives, etc… One church seems to be very interested in this so we will be going back to visit some more and get to know them better. Here are the two funniest (sad) things I heard:
Our first church visit: The sermon was all about how to use selfishness to build the Kingdom of God. Whoa!
Our second was going quite well and had lots of potential when near the end the Preacher said, “It’s not the pulpit that matters.” I thought to my self, “off to a good start.” As he walked out from behind the pulpit he continued, “we could all sit around in a circle for all I care.” I nodded, “this is good.” He emphasized, “All that is important is that you hear me preach to you.” Oh no! Train wreck. ahhh!
But the Lord is good and answering prayers as He leads us through this though life. We have all been growing in the Lord and learning much.
Giving Back to the Privious Generation.
Recently I moved back to Williamsburg, Va. where my parents reside. Through many great confirmations by God I was sent back home; one of them being this verse (along with vs 9 of the same chapter. To be exegeted in another post).
4 εἰ δέ τις χήρα1 τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα2 ἔχει, μανθανέτωσαν3 πρῶτον τὸν ἴδιον
οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν4 καὶ ἀμοιβὰς5 ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις6, τοῦτο γάρ
ἐστιν ἀπόδεκτον7 ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.
1 Tim 5:4
but if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them continue learning to show Godliness (to be Godly?) first to their own family and to give back, the care that was given to them (requite), to their forefathers (parents and grandparents), for this is acceptable in the sight of God.
My Translation
The main verb is manthanetosan (“Let them learn”, which refers back to the children and grandchildren). Then, the verb is followed by two infinitives that show what “they” are to learn: 1) to show godliness (to be godly?) and 2) to give back.
The main verb is an imperative: command. Not a suggestion. These are two of the things we are supposed to be doing: learning to show godliness and give back. This verb is in the present tense so it denotes a continual process.
There is no word for “some” in the passage as NASB renders it. All are to give back recompense: children and grandchildren. All are to show Godliness. Think about what they did (or were supposed to do) for you as a child and even now for most of us. When they get old (In this case Widows) and need help who is primarily responsible? We are: children and grandchildren. We must take care of our living forefathers in all Godliness.
The Lord led me back to live with or near mine. They needed my help. Recently a friend of mine moved his mother in law from TX all the way to TN to help watch over her as she ages. He is also planning on moving his own mother to TN from CO. Both are a widow.
Showing Godliness and giving back can take on many different shapes: Some people move back home to help parents; some people move their widowed mother out to them. But the impotent thing to see is that the responsibility to take care of the previous generations (in this case a widow) falls on the children and grandchildren. What are some ways you can begin to show Godliness to and give back to your parents and grandparents?
Three other translation:
4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. (NIV)
4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. (NLT)
4but if any widow has children or grandchildren, (A)they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is (B)acceptable in the sight of God. (NASB)
In Christ! Not Me! #5
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention, with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things, things in the heavens and things on the earth.
Eph 1:8b-10 (Remix)
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention, which He purposed in Him, with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.
Eph 1:8b-10 NASB Bold Added.
(Please read the first post for an explanation of the series.) In Christ! Not Me!
Looking for a Church Body
As most of you know I recently moved to VA to be near my parents. Well today we start the arduous task of looking for a church to attend. Our first on the list to visit is Grace Baptist right here in our neighborhood: we could walk there (If it wasn’t hot enough to melt steel). Mostly this is a logistic decision: They are close and that might mean a better chance of fellowship/life together during the week. Please keep Dad, Mom and I in prayer as we seeks the Lord’s direction and look for a place where we can both disciple and be discipled.
A Wonderful Body of Believers.
During my time at SEBTS there have been many who have befriended me over the years and blessed me in some way. As an encouragement to you I would like to share about some of them and what they did for me . These people did things that are not in some method book for discipleship, community, fellowship, or teaching. They were just simply being themselves in the Lord and reached out to me for the bottom of their heart through the gifts the Holy Spirit has given them and used the World’s Goods that God gave them. It is this sincere love for God and people that makes the greatest difference. It is when they were like Christ to me that they ministered the most to me.
Here is a picture of many of the people who gather as Messiah Baptist Church. They have reached out to me as a brother and a son, taken me into their homes, fed me, encouraged me, fixed my car, helped me move, talked about (walked with) Jesus and the Bible, talked philosophy, showed me how to love others, even let me use my gifts in the Lord to encourage, teach and comfort them, and much much more. With out neglecting structure at the proper times all this was mostly spontaneous.
I would like to say more but our (and “Messiah Baptist’s”) real boast is in the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is he that began a good work in us and will complete it. It is he that is working though us to love, to teach, to understand, to spread the good news and build the Kingdom of God: His kingdom.
Sorry for unannounced blog hiatus.
Hey everyone, Like my friend Alan Knox said in a recent post, “Things have been weird the last few weeks.” Since Ethiopia I have had very little to say, other than post updates about the trip. But also, I have been in the process of waving good bye to Wake Forest and waving hello to Williamsburg VA. My emotions have been all over the place. And though I have been learning much I have not been inspired to post anything. But now that I am here in VA everything is coming together. I hope you’re enjoying your summer. I certainly am! The Lord is wonderful!
Alan on what we experianced in Ethiopia.
My friend Alan Knox went with me to Ethiopia. He just posted a great summary of our experiences and lessons titled “Building Relationships-Ethiopia Report 5″. Check it out!
Addis guest house
We spent a few days up front and on the back end of our trip to Ethiopia at a guest house in Addis. This is a wonderful ministry. They house people of all denomonations and for various reasons. Isbet (Elizabeth) is a 20 year old German girl who has lived there for the passed year working with children in the orphanage nearby. She helped teach me some Amharic: great teacher. We also ran into two different families there for a week to adopt some Ethiopia orphans.
As Alan and I were eating breakfast the first morning, prepared by the wonderful lady who takes care of the place, we were trying to figure out what interestingly familiar Ethiopian dish was before us. It was French toast. What threw us off was the shape of the bread: See the picture. 
