Several years ago, Chris, our soon to be in son-in-law (at that time), was quietly amused by many of the things that he witnessed in our home. A prime source for his merriment was our flexible usage of the word “box.”
In our vernacular, box can be virtually any device that is electronic in nature:
The answering machine was the box.
The garage door opener was the box.
The VCR was the box.
The DVD player was the box.
The DVR (digital video recorder) was the box.
Each of our 5 remotes was the box. (We needed all 5, because the universal remote was actually only semi-universal.)
I want to give full and deserving credit to my wife for initiating and propagating this simple, yet curious naming custom. Yet, to be sure, I had easily and unknowingly adopted her minimalist identification convention.
Strangely, there was seldom any confusion as to which particular box is being referenced at a given time or situation.
Sometimes, my bride was able to skillfully use “the box” twice in the same sentence, but referencing two different entities, as in:
“I need the box (universal remote) if I am to turn on the box (DVR).”
Yet with all of our boxes, we seem to get along just fine—and give Chris a reason to smile.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Audience: Festus, King Agrippa, Bernice, high-ranking military officers, and prominent city leaders.
Preceding Events: Paul, in an effort to avoid being assassinated in Jerusalem, appeals his case to Caesar (whom he likely assumes will grant him a fair trial).
Overall Theme: Paul shares the story of his life, always the devote follower of God, at first opposing those who follow Jesus and later becoming one of them, with the purpose of telling the Gentiles about Jesus.
Scripture Quoted: none directly, though some of Paul’s story and the words spoken by Jesus are recorded in Acts 9:3-18 and again in Acts 22:3-21.
Central Teaching: Paul hopes and prays that everyone will follow Jesus.
Subsequent Events: Since Paul appealed his case to Caesar, he cannot be set free and instead is sent to Rome.
Key Lesson: Paul’s zealous pursuit of God is worthy of emulation, but despite having done nothing wrong or illegal, Paul remains imprisoned for his faith.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Today’s destination is next door to last week’s; they even share a common drive. We enter, sign the guest book, and head towards the music.
Standing just outside the sanctuary, Candy sees an acquaintance, who invites us to sit with her and her husband.
This is the third time on our journey we’ve experienced this visitor-friendly gesture.
A self-supporting cross stands in the aisle. I wonder if it’s a regular fixture or something added for Lent. I appreciate the symbolism of a cross being at the center of the space and the focal point for all who enter.
Their pastor is out of town and the laity conducts the entire service, just as with our time at Church #29. I applaud their ability to fully lead a service on their own.
The result is a low-key, comfortable feel, lacking any hint of pretense or performance.
A man gives some announcements and then asks for more. Several people stand in turn to share news. Candy’s friend use this time to introduce us to the crowd. It’s a nice gesture, and many murmur their welcome.
Today’s scripture reading, from Luke 13:1-9, follows the Revised Common Lectionary for the third Sunday in Lent. We sing another song in preparation for the sermon, which the bulletin calls “reflections.”
Our speaker reads her message, delivering her words in an effortless manner that is easy to hear.
Referring to the fig tree in Jesus’ parable, she notes that “Christianity is a religion of second chances.” We don’t know what happened to the fig tree.
Did it eventually produce fruit or did the gardener uproot it? “The outcome is ours to choose”—both for this story and for ours.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Faith Comes from Hearing God’s Message About Jesus and Believing
In the book of Isaiah, the prophet asks, “Who has believed God’s message?” Isaiah then goes on to prophetically proclaim what Jesus will do. He will suffer and die for us, sheep that have wandered off.
He will take upon himself the punishment for our mistakes (Isaiah 53).
Who will believe this?
In Isaiah’s time, few believe what
he says, what God says through him. Though they have reason to place their hope
in God and the Savior he promised to send, most of them don’t. They reject
Isaiah’s words and the God who sent him.
We see this phrase from the book of
Isaiah quoted twice in the New Testament. Both John and Paul refer to this
passage.
John Quotes Isaiah
John repeats this verse from Isaiah to remind his readers that the Jews—or at least most Jews—still weren’t believing God’s promise. And they weren’t seeing Jesus as the fulfillment of that promise (John 12:38). Some things never change.
Paul Quotes Isaiah
Later, in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he gives the people there a brief history lesson. He reminds them that not all the Israelites accepted God’s promise of a future Savior.
The Jews rejected God then, just as some of them continue to reject him. Though God will continue to extend his offering to his people, other nations will find him too (Romans 10:16-21).
Do We Believe Today?
What is our response to God’s good
news today? Do we believe God’s message about Jesus who came to save us? Though
we fall short of God’s expectations, Jesus can make us right and reconcile us with
Papa.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
We Can Learn From the Many Wise Sayings in the Bible
We consider the book of Proverbs as being a collection of wise sayings from King Solomon. This is mostly correct. However, it also includes proverbs from other people. The book opens with Solomon giving instructions to his son.
Then the king adds some more wise sayings. After that we see proverbs from other people, either compiled by Solomon or added by someone else later.
More Proverbs
Beginning in chapter 25, we encounter
a section where we read more proverbs from King Solomon. However, these additional
proverbs were compiled and added to Solomon’s initial writings several centuries
later.
This addendum occurs under the guidance of King Hezekiah, a direct descendent of Solomon. If I count correctly, King Hezekiah is the great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandson of King Solomon.
Not only does Hezekiah add Solomon’s wisdom to the book of Proverbs, he also honors his wise ancestor by doing so.
As I read through this additional compilation of Solomon’s sage advice, one passage jumps out as more familiar than the others. Solomon gives counterintuitive instructions about how to treat those who oppose us, our enemies.
He says if our enemy is hungry, feed them. If they’re thirsty, offer them water. This will benefit them, and we will receive rewards from God when we do so.
This thought-provoking instruction
seems unwise. Yet at the same time it seems aligned with what Jesus might’ve
said centuries later.
Paul’s Letter to the Church in Rome
If this concept seems a bit familiar, that’s because Paul quotes this proverb in his letter to the church in Rome. Paul cites this passage just after he tells the Romans to not take revenge but to turn the wrongs afflicted on them over to God.
Paul wraps up this teaching by saying that we should not be overcome by evil. Instead we should overcome evil by doing what is good (Romans 12:19-21).
Because Paul shares this verse in his letter, he elevates the importance of this proverb. This also serves as a reminder to not overlook the words of the Old Testament, including this section with more proverbs from Solomon.
The whole Bible—not just the New Testament—can help us in our walk with Jesus.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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Distinguishing Between the Many Men in the Bible Named Simon and Simeon
When I write a blog post, I never know which one will resonate with people. A perennial favorite—which always surprises me—is 9 guys named Simon in the Bible.
When people read the post about 9 guys name Simon, they sometimes contact me to tell me I left out a couple. I panic over the thought that I missed a few, but when I investigate, I discover they’re confusing Simon with Simeon.
Just as there are multiple guys in the Bible named Simon, there are several guys in the Bible named Simeon. They are:
1. Simeon One of Jacob’s Twelve Sons
Simeon’s descendants become the tribe of Simeon. He (along with the tribe that bears his name) appears thirty-four times in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament.
The Bible records two stories about Simeon. One is that he, along with brother Levi, avenge the rape of their sister Dinah by annihilating the city of Shechem.
Later, in dramatic fashion, Joseph takes his older brother Simeon from the brothers and ties him up before sending the rest of them on their way (Genesis 42:24-36).
Spoiler alert: Joseph later frees Simeon and a happy reunion takes place.
2. Simeon Who Blesses Baby Jesus in the Temple
In the story, which appears only in Luke’s biography of Jesus, we read of a devout and righteous man called Simeon. He lives in expectation that God will soon send his Savior to rescue the people.
One day, prompted by the Holy Spirit, Simeon goes to the temple. He sees the eight-day-old baby Jesus. He scoops up the child and praises God. Simeon blesses Mary and Joseph and prophesies about Jesus (Luke 2:25-35).
3. Simeon, an Ancestor of Jesus
In Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, he includes Simeon (Luke 3:30). We know nothing more about him from the Bible other than he’s an ancestor of Jesus.
[I don’t know how I missed this Simeon in my initial research, but I did. Thank you to Richard Murray for pointing this out.]
4. Simeon, Also Called Niger
This Simeon is one of the leaders in the church in Antioch along with Barnabas, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. All we know about this Simeon is that Luke labels him as a prophet and a teacher (Acts 13:1).
Though it’s possible that this is the same Simeon who blessed Jesus as an infant, it’s unlikely because we can assume that Simeon is already quite old at that time and these two passages occur forty or more years from each other, suggesting that there are two Simeon’s in the New Testament.
Keeping people straight in the Bible can present a challenge because different people have the same names. In addition, some names are similar, such as Simon and Simeon. But now we’re armed with a list of who they are.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
You may know about the prophet Jonah, the guy who
spent a three-day time-out in the belly of a large fish, but what about some of
the lesser-known prophets?
Do you know of Micah, Obadiah, or Malachi?
What about Nahum, Zephaniah, or Zechariah?
Oh, my! The list goes on. It’s enough to make our minds spin.
Rounding out these twelve Minor Prophets are Amos, Hosea,
Habakkuk, Haggai, and Joel.
The Bible includes the work of these twelve prophets who
carry the unfortunate label of minor. It’s not that their work isn’t
significant, it’s that their books are shorter.
If you’re like most people, you scarcely remember their
names, let alone having ever read their books in the Bible.
[Return to Me was originally published as Dear Theophilus, Minor Prophets.]
Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
This past weekend, most of the United States switched to “Daylight Saving Time” (DST). This is a major hassle and source of many personal irritations:
First, why does our government call this charade “daylight saving time?” Do they really think that it saves daylight? Or do they just think that they can dupe enough people into buying their deception?
Regards, this makes one wonder about other more pressing matters, like the coronavirus, economic recovery, the tension in Iran, healthcare and so on.
Next, regardless of how diligent I am, I sometimes miss setting at least one clock. These non-adjusted timepieces often cause me consternation upon the first glimpse, either in the form of sheer panic or temporal disorientation.
There are technological means to mitigate the time wasted in adjusting our timepieces so that we may save time.
It would be a relatively simple matter for our utilities to embed a time signal into the power lines that enter our homes and businesses.
Each time-device that is plugged into an electrical outlet could read that signal and adjust its time. This would help greatly after a power outage as well.
True, that would require a bit more electronic circuitry and programming, thereby slightly increasing the cost of each device, but it would definitely be worth it.
That would leave cars and battery clocks to be dealt with, both of which could be addressed via satellite feed, as is the case with my “atomic clock” that syncs with an orbiting satellite.
Lastly, adjusting the time, especially in the spring, throws me off my biological sleep balance. This usually lasts for up to a week and is much more disconcerting than jet lag.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Preceding Events: Paul conducts a pre-meeting with the Jewish leaders, explaining his situation and confirming his commitment to his faith.
Overall Theme: Though Jews hear the message of Jesus, most do not understand; the Gentiles will understand.
(Paul spoke all day telling them about the kingdom of God and showing how Jesus is revealed in the Old Testament of the Bible. However, only his concluding remarks are recorded for us to read.)
Scripture Quoted: Isaiah 6:9-10 Central Teaching: Paul’s mission is to tell the Gentiles about Jesus.
Subsequent Events: Some are convinced, but others would not believe.
Key Lesson: Just as when Paul speaks and only some believe, when we tell others about Jesus, not everyone will respond.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Three significant actions stand out from church today:
1. Here’s What to Expect
“Let me tell you what to expect in our service.” A lady takes time to explain their worship style and reveals they take communion every week. “It’s an open communion.” I nod, glad to know.
I ponder this question every time a church we visit serves communion—and seldom is the answer clear. “You may partake whenever you want…we don’t do it all together.”
I nod again. No one in the past 46 weeks has told us what to expect. Her thoughtfulness makes so much sense.
We’ve had communion many times on our journey, but today is the first where I’m free to focus on the moment and don’t need to worry about the method.
When format overshadows substance, meaning is lost. Today, I’m truly able to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
2. Conversation with God
Before the minister starts his sermon, he pauses to pray, turning his back to us to face the cross behind him. I appreciate the symbolism, reminding us that prayer is not an obligation to complete but a conversation with God.
3. Pray for Others
After the service a man introduces himself. I share our names and tell him about our sojourn. He asks, “How can I pray for you?”
I applaud his question. “You know…we’ve visited 46 churches and this is the first time someone’s asked us this—I really appreciate it.”
“And this is the first time I’ve asked.” We simultaneously acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit. “…and I’m going to start doing it more often.”
He thanks me for the encouragement, and my wife and I share a concern with him. I know he’ll pray for us, perhaps even as we head to our car.
My wife and I visited a different Christian Church every Sunday for a year. This is our story. Get your copy of 52 Churches today, available in ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.