Pastors Mark Driscoll and James MacDonald recently visited Haiti to encourage and support the Church there. I would encourage you to watch this and see what is happening there and to encourage people to generously give to support the work of God in Haiti.

“Where you at school?”

“Geneva College.”

“What’re you studying?”

“Christian Ministries”

“That’s wonderful. What year are you?”

“I’m in my senior year.”

“Oh, that’s great. What’s next?”

“We’re…uh….working on that.”

What you read above has become a familiar conversation in the last several months. If you’re like most other college students out there, you’ll face this question sometime in your life – whether it’s graduating high school, trying to get your kids to graduate high school, or some other so-called “stage” in life. It’s such a great question to ask, but a terrifying one to find yourself in a position of answering. I don’t know why we think it’s different for everyone else when we ask it, but we do and many of us, though we may state with confidence what we are pursuing can rarely, when the day draws near, state the “next step” with the kind of certainty we’d like.

And I know a lot of Christians, myself included, who don’t like that. The weakness in me wants to call out “Unfair!” The childishness in me insists on seeing what is above me, beyond me, and too much for me to handle. Oh sure, we come up with a lot of “helps” to deal with that problem, too: tests that will pinpoint our star career field or who we’re most compatible with, desperate pursuit of supernaturally-given knowledge and direction, the counsel of every pastor and wise(r) person we can find. We spend so much time trying to figure out the future – even the immediate future, that it’s almost become a characteristic of young evangelicals.

I’m not here to say we need to pay more attention to the present. That’s both another issue in and of itself, as well as yet another weak attempt to clear the mist. The fact is, looking at your feet when you’ve no idea where you’re going isn’t going to cut it. What I am here to say is that God has not given us 20/20 foresight, impeccable discernment or all the resources to make the best decision possible at every possible point in time. And that’s okay. It’s infuriating to our weakness, but it’s okay.

So, what to do? I’m not sure that there is a one-size-all answer to that question. But I know sitting by and waiting for all the ambiguities, shadows, mists, and distant points to clear up is not faithfulness. It’s not what God’s called us to. It’s not pressing on. In his letter to Jewish exiles, James the brother of Jesus wrote the following exhortation:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (James 4:13-17 ESV)

Again, I have no 12-step process. I don’t think God’s given us that sort of outline. But James has given us the boundaries of faithfulness: be humble, be submissive to the Lord’s providential will, and do it. And if you don’t, you will know the guilt of your sin in failing to act on the time – this life that quickly vanishes – that God has given you to glorify Him.

If you think that this puts all the burden on you, we have something more for us: the promise that God has guaranteed His glory, guaranteed the harvest, and guaranteed the redemption of all that He bought with His blood:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:26-32)

Moses received Torah from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets delivered it to the men of the Great Synagogue. They said three things: be deliberate in judgment, raise many disciples, and make a hedge for Torah. (Avot 1:1, writerʼs translation)

Containing teachings from R. Simeon the Just in the 3rd century B.C. up until the compilation of the same by R. Judah the Prince in the 3rd century A.D., Pirke Avot is a curious tractate (section) within Mishnah, the collection of the Rabbinic “oral Torah”. In part, it contains the most straightforwardly ethical teachings of all Mishnah and, unlike the rest of Mishnah, has no further commentary by later generations (Gemara). Its purpose is made evident by the first passage of the tractate: how the devout Jewish leader should approach judgment (deliberateness), the preservation of the teaching (disciples), and the purpose of his authority (hedging Torah).

This three-fold mandate, according to Avot, was passed from Mosesʼ own teaching from Sinai and was passed down through the centuries by the faithful of Yahweh. It is not within the purpose of this paper to judge the historical accuracy of this claim, but simply to acknowledge that, during the inter-testamental period, a view similar to this at least exists among the schools of the Pharisees and scribes. This has significance for our interpretation of the gospels, and the rest of the New Testament. As Perez wrote:

[I]n a way, we could say that the New Testament and Rabbinic literature are the oral tradition that always accompanied Scripture. Neither of them, therefore, has been able to avoid taking the other into consideration. That is why the Rabbinic literature is as important to the exegesis of the New Testament as the latter is to coming to know Rabbinic Judaism (Perez 103).

So when a rabbi from Galilee begins teaching and interpreting Torah “as one who authority” (Matt. 7:29 ESV), there is certainly a contrast with many of the teachers of his day, but there is also a great deal of commonality. This can be seen in the common theological presuppositions that Jesus shares with other rabbis in the centuries preceding his first century ministry. It can also be found in the comparative teaching presented by these rabbis.

Before comparison can even be done, it must first be shown that Jesus even thinks of himself as one speaking within the stream of rabbinic teaching. It has been common in the history of interpretation to read Jesus as introducing a discontinuous revelation or, at least, a modified revelation surpassing that at Sinai (Morris, Blomberg, et al). Draper, however, suggests differently:

While the symbolic depiction of authoritative teaching (ʻnew lawʼ), given on the mountain, need not imply a literal ʻnew Sinaiʼ, it does draw on the Sinai symbolism to legitimate the teaching and to indicate its continuity with the Torah. The symbol need not be seen in terms of replacement. Indeed, continuity is more likely to be the root of Matthewʼs usage. (Draper 32).

Matthewʼs recounting of the sermon demonstrates this with the phrase formula “You have heard that it was said…but I say.” This is not a mere rhetorical device and has meaning for Matthewʼs Jewish audience (The Luke 6 recounting of the sermon does not contain this formula) – a meaning that makes sense within the context of rabbinic teaching of Torah. Another formula that occurs throughout the sermon is “when you…” This is followed by a consistent list of “do not” logia. But even if the oral teaching formulae are not convincing, take note of the content of the sermon: marks of the life of piety before the God of Israel and that, if nothing else, is the marking of a true rabbinic interpreter of Torah.

But Jesus and other rabbis certainly shared some common theological convictions beyond the general pale of Jewish orthodoxy (which is very broad, indeed). Consider the texts of these three verses from Avot:

Simeon the Just was from the survivors of the Great Synagogue and he used to say “Upon three things the world stands: upon the Torah, upon the worship, and upon deeds of kindness.” (1:2, writerʼs translation).

Antigonus, a man of Sokho, received from Simeon the Just. He used to say “Do not be like servants who serve the master on condition of a gift to be received, but let them be like servants who serve the master, not on condition of a gift that is to be received. Let the fear of Heaven be upon you.” (1:3, writerʼs translation).

Hillel and Shammai received from them. Hillel used to say, “Be of the disciples who belong to Aaron: one who loves peace and pursues peace, one who loves humankind [creation] and attracts them to Torah.” (1:12, writerʼs translation).

These sayings, without dispute, belong to the era of developing Pharisaism from its early influences (Simeon the Just, the high priest who greets Alexander the Great after his conquest of Syria) and his disciple (Antigonus) to the founders of the great schools of Pharisaism (Hillel and Shammai). They demonstrate a commitment to the immutable authority of Torah, a commitment that Jesus echoes very clearly in his teaching:

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:18-19).

In the first instance, the existence of the world is dependent upon the existence of Torah. The the second place, the faithful teaching of Torah is significant in that this, not relaxing Torah is what wants to attract others to. There is also significant concern for the proper service of the God of Israel. Not only is it Simeonʼs second pillar, but Jesusʼ teaching shares this concern in his addressing of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. More could be explored with the similar emphases on acts of kindness towards others, but the more important question arises as to the nature of what Jesus is doing in the sermon. The rabbis were hedging the Torah. What about Jesus?

In setting himself within the stream of rabbinic interpretation and instruction of Torah, it would only be fair to argue that Jesus is hedging Torah as well. Draperʼs analysis of the content of the sermon leads him to a similar conclusion:

Matthew thus does not ʻdiffer decisivelyʼ from the Rabbinate in this respect, but seems instead to be drawing on this Rabbinic tradition of the fence about the Law. He cites the major principle, ʻThou shalt not commit murderʼ, and then provides a ʻhedgeʼ: ʻDo not be angry; do not call another a fool; be reconciled before things go too farʼ. Each of the sayings of Jesus in this section can be interpreted in this way as essentially ʻintensificationsʼ of the Torah rather than as ʻantithesesʼ (39).

Draper is not the first to suggest this and will likely not be the last. But the evangelical Christian interpreter may ask regarding the import of the sermon for Gentiles. After all, Christians have long received the sermon as binding upon their way of life, as instruction for life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Significant insight into this question has been provided by an 18th century rabbi, Jacob Emden, in one his works:

[T]he Nazarene brought about a double kindness in the world. On the one hand, he strengthened the Torah of Moses majestically, as mentioned earlier, and not one of our Sages spoke out more emphatically concerning the immutability of the Torah. And on the other hand, he did much good for the Gentiles [...] by doing away with idolatry and removing the images from their midst. [...] He also bestowed upon them ethical ways, and in this respect he was much more stringent with them than the Torah of Moses. (Emden)

Thus, a Jewish reading of the text of the sermon does not limit its import or application to Gentile followers of Jesus by necessity. Emdenʼs own analysis is that Jesusʼ teachings require more from Gentiles than Judaism would from its own Gentile God-fearers! But those very implications give rise to a whole host of questions. In an essay that explores the relevance of Torah for Christians, Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski concludes with the following:

If the law given at Sinai and the gospel of Jesus Christ are not antithetical, or if the law does not pass away with the coming of Christ, what then is its status? If Gentiles are not required to keep the Torah in the same way as Israel but still are aware that Jesus viewed it with the utmost devotion, what would a positive Gentile Christian attitude toward the Torah look like? (Joslyn-Siemiatkoski 465).

It is a fair question developed from a difficult hermeneutical problem. If Jesus is to be understood as a rabbi in his messianic pronouncements, it has significant bearing for those who claim to be his followers. It would redefine what Christians believe about following Messiah, who taught a recognition of faithfulness based on the keeping of his commandments and the fruitfulness of lives lived out in pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven. It would alter our perception of the various Judaisms throughout the centuries and also of various Christian traditions in the same time period.  The risk of pursuing this investigation is evidently significant, but the question is whether that outweighs the risk of ignoring it.

Works Cited

Blomberg, Craig L. “Matthew” (19-30). Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Editors: G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2007.

Draper, Jonathan A. “The Genesis and Narrative Thrust of the Paranesis in the Sermon
on the Mount.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Issue 75 (Sept. 1999). p. 25-48.

Emden, Jacob. “Rabbi Jacob Emdenʼs Views on Christianity.” 28/10/09. Online: http://
www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/falk1a.html

Herford, R. Travers. Pirke Aboth: The Ethics of the Talmud: Sayings of the Fathers. New
York, NY: Schocken Books, Inc. 1975.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. 2001.

Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Daniel. “”Moses Received the Torah at Sinai and Handed It
On” (Mishnah Avot 1:1): The Relevance of the Written and Oral Torah for
Christians.” Anglican Theological Review. Vol. 91, Issue 3 (Summer 2009). p.
443-466.

Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company. 1992.

Perez Fernandez, Miguel. “Rabbinic texts in the exegesis of the New Testament.”
Review of Rabbinic Judaism. Issue 7 (2004). p. 95-120.

I’d be willing to walk a far distance for A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life. In a stroke of writing genius, Donald Miller has given people a challenge far more imperative than The Purpose Driven Life and other similar books. While reflecting on the process of adapting one of his previously published books for the silver screen, Don discovered something about life: it’s really a story and it really needs to be a good one, and if we don’t have a good story in our lives, we’re profoundly (and rightly) dissatisfied. So, Don wants his readers to get a better story.

I enjoyed A Million Miles from the first page until the last page of the acknowledgments. The challenge is provocative and vital. The approach is transparent and humorous. The satisfaction from reading is high. A prayerful reader will benefit greatly from pondering and reflecting about the story that they are telling with their lives. Are you living a good story? Are you the character that God has called you to be? Don won’t answer those questions for you, but he does give you the chance to find out for yourself.

Note: This video was produced for Operation YouTube, an evangelistic outreach designed to share the Gospel with the internet through the YouTube world.

Perry Noble, pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina, has posted a list of “what ifs” about the early church. Answering these questions and realizing the importance of how we invest ourselves in these days is important for every disciple of Jesus to consider. If we are doing what Jesus said, there will be good fruit from it. My challenge would be for you to read this and pray that God would show you where you can better redeem the time and invest in the Kingdom of God.

Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus. At least that is what I was told. Eternal life does NOT depend on works. If it did, we will all be in hell. Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid. People judge but that does not matter. I was reading the Bible and The Integrity of God beginning yesterday, because soon I will see them.

These are the last recorded words of George Sodini, a 48 year old man who was the perpetrator on a very violent shootup in a Pittsburgh suburb Tuesday evening. These words were written Monday evening. I don’t ordinarily write about “news” and events that are well-covered by media outlets. But this was home territory for me. Even more, this man’s plight – lonely isolation and rejection by everyone he knew, except for very superficial contact – and the extreme violence that he committed in response, demands some consideration. Disciples of Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, ought to be like their Master, they ought to be acquainted with grief.

George was lonely. Incredibly so. He was not, as far as we know, a person with mental disorders or any typical predictors of socially destructive behavior. He had a steady job, had been promoted, made pretty good money, had two parents in the home when he was growing up, and nothing particularly different about his experience than anyone else…except the social world which rejected him. What Sodini did was wrong. Yes, he is responsible. But he was a man who fell victim, not just to the demons of the spiritual world, but also to the demons of loneliness and rejection that are assailing so many in our world today.

It’s brokenness. It’s the consequences of sin. It’s the ploy of Satan. This last paragraph in his journal contains a lot of true statements, but George did not have the whole story. He did not learn about repentance. He did not learn about turning his rebel heart over to the sovereign lordship of Jesus. The point is this: Satan’s work does not extend only to hiding the truth. It can also be with telling only part of the truth. And if you doubt Satan had anything to do with this…In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Cor. 4:4).

These words should both sadden us and drive us to the cross. We need mercy. We need courage. We need to speak up. We need to love people. We need to be a part of the healing that God has for these broken people – the brokenness that was part of our own lives before Jesus saved us. We need to do something. So let’s get going.

Note: this was originally written for Teens Set Apart. The views of TSA do not represent the views of David or [Re]Connected.

Whatever! Whatever you say
Whatever! I will obey.
Whatever! Lord, have your way.
Cause you are my God. Whatever!

Before Rush of Fools, Reilly, and a number of other great artists were out there singing the Gospel, Steven Curtis Chapman was already on it (and still is!), singing about life as a Christian. Ten years ago, he released his album Speechless. One of the (classic) songs on this collection is “Whatever” – all about Steven’s plans vs. God’s plans. It’s about the need to submit to what God has and give up your own desires to answer His call. When I look around in the Church today, I find a lot of teens who are all about plans – plans with friends, with family, with church, with school, with life. And I have to wonder…how about their plans with God?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that Christian young people don’t care about God. Many of them do. They go to church a little, they pray a little, they read their Bibles a little. Where’s the plans, though? In Ephesians, the apostle Paul was writing to a church who really didn’t understand much about God’s plans. They were saved. They loved Jesus. They even loved and shared with other Christians. But they didn’t understand that they were not just God’s people. They were a called people. They were marked by the plans of God and it was not their own work, their own idea, but it was in the heart of God from the beginning. That’s why Paul was writing to them. He tells them in Ephesians 1:18-19 that he prays “that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe…”

Later on he would go on to tell us what this looks like. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10). God had a plan from the beginning to save us when we didn’t deserve it. He had a plan to give us faith in the work of Jesus on the cross and by the power of His resurrection to raise us to a life that never ends. He planned this without getting our take on it. He planned this without seeing how well we would perform. He planned it and He made us to carry out His plans – and those are plans for good works – Gospel-driven things done for His glory and the good of other people.

We don’t always know what those good works are going to be. So, this is where I really appreciate Steven’s song because it’s a continual reminder to me that I need to go to God and submit to Him and say, “God, whatever it is You want me to do is what I want to do. Please help me to do it well so that people will praise You.” The best part is that this isn’t something we can do with our own strength. God has to do it. Those of us who are believers of Christ have received the Holy Spirit and have Him dwelling in our hearts. The Holy Spirit gives us all the power and guidance we need to live and to do the things God has for us. So, we have one charge: lovingly submit to the God who called you, planned you, and has made you to do all the good things He has planned for you and for others.