Monday, January 26, 2009

The Shack: Bible Study 12

Chapter 14: Verbs and Other Freedoms

P194 Mack even sang a few songs, a couple of old hymns and a couple of old folk songs. Singing was also something he had not done in a long time.

Q: What is the purpose of singing? Why has God given us the gift of music?

Psalm 98:1-6

1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

P195 Sarayu – “For you to know or not, “she explained, “has nothing at all to do with whether I am actually here or not. I am always with you; sometimes I want you to be more aware in a special way – more intentional.

…you can always talk to me and I will always be with you, whether you sense my presence or not.

Q: How does the Holy Spirit make itself intentionally more known to us in our lives? How does the Spirit’s presence reassure and comfort us?

John 3:5-8 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit . 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit ."


P 196 Sarayu laughed – of course you will make mistakes; everybody makes mistakes, but you will begin to better recognize my voice as we continue to grow our relationship.

I don’t want to make mistakes – Mack grunted

Sarayu – mistakes are a part of life, and Papa works his purpose in them, too.

Sarayu – Emotions are the colors of the soul; they are spectacular and incredible. When you don’t feel, the world becomes dull and colorless. Just think how The Great Sadness reduced the range of color in your life down to monotones and flat grays and blacks.

Q: Why are mistakes an important part of life? How does God use them to work out His purposes?

Ephesians 1:11-12 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

P197 Sarayu – So check your perceptions and beyond that check the truthfulness of your paradigms – what you believe. Just because you believe something firmly doesn’t make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe. The more you live in truth, the more your emotions will help you see clearly. But even then, you don’t want to trust them more than me.

Q: Why should we reexamine our beliefs? Why should we not trust them more than the Holy Spirit? Is this the author’s belief or is this rooted in scripture?

John 3:16-18

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.


P197/198 Sarayu – The Bible doesn’t teach you to follow rules. It is a picture of Jesus. Whole words may tell you what God is like and even what he may want from you, you cannot do any of it on your own. Life and living is in him and in no other. My goodness, you didn’t think you could live the righteousness of God on your own, did you?

P198 Sarayu – it is true that relationships are a whole lot messier than rules, but rules will never give you answers to the deep questions of the heart and they will never love you.

Q: Does or doesn’t the Bible teach us to follow rules? Is it only a picture of Jesus? What happens to our relationships when we break the rules?

Galatians 3:10-14

10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law ." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law , because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Mack asks Sarayu if he will ever see her again

Of course. You might see me in a piece of art, or music, or silence, or through people, or in Creation, or in your joy and sorrow. My ability to communicate is limitless, living, and transforming, and it will always be tuned to Papa’s goodness and love.

Mack asks the Trinity why they love him, when he has nothing to offer in return

Jesus – it should be very freeing to know that you can offer us nothing, at least not anything that can add or take away from who we are…That should alleviate any pressure to perform.

Q: How do we recognize the Holy Spirit’s creativity in our lives? Why does the Holy Spirit communicate to us through different mediums?
Why do we try to repay God with our good works?

John 14:25-27

25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit , whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


P201 Papa – Keep in mind Mackenzie, that I am not a human being, not in my very nature, despite how we have chosen to be with you this weekend. I am truly human in Jesus, but I am a totally separate other in my nature.

Q: How is God made fully human in Jesus? Why would God do this?

John 17:20-23

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.


P202 Sarayu talking about the purpose of the Ten Commandments We wanted you to give up trying to be righteous on your own. It was a mirror to reveal just how filthy your face gets when you live independently.

But how can you clean your face with the same mirror that shows you how dirty you are? There is no mercy or grace in rules, not even for one mistake. That’s why Jesus fulfilled all of it for you – so that it no longer has jurisdiction over you. And the Law that once contained impossible demands – Thou Shall Not – actually becomes a promise we fulfill in you.

Q: Why do the Ten Commandments make impossible demands? How did Jesus fulfill them? What does that fulfillment mean for us?

Ephesians 2:14-16

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

P203 Sarayu – But bear in mind that if you live your life alone and independently, the promise is empty. Jesus laid the demand of the law to rest; it no longer has any power to accuse or command. Jesus is both the promise and its fulfillment.

…those who are afraid of freedom are those who cannot trust us to live in them. Trying to keep the law is actually a declaration of independence, a way of keeping control.

It grants you the power to judge others and feel superior to them. You believe you are living to a higher standard than those you judge. Rules cannot bring freedom; they only have the power to accuse.

Q: Why does living our life independently of God make Christ’s promises empty for us? How do we use rules to keep us independent of God? If rules cannot bring freedom, why do we use laws to maintain our liberty?

Galatians 3:19-22

19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.


P204 Sarayu – Nouns exist because there is a created universe and physical reality, but if the universe is only a mass of nouns, it is dead. Unless ‘I am,’ there are no verbs, and verbs are what make the universe alive.

Q: What do you think about the above statement?

John 1:1-5
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

P205 Sarayu – My words are live and dynamic – full of life and possibility; yours are dead, full of law and fear of judgment. That is why you won’t find the word responsibility in the Scriptures.

Sarayu – Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.

Q: Why are God’s words so dynamic and full of life? Why do we use rules to stifle this?

Romans 7:7-10

7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law . For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

P206 Sarayu – Responsibilities and expectations are the basis of guilt and shame and judgment, and they provide the essential framework that promotes performance as the basis for identity and value. You know well what it is like not to live up to someone’s expectations.

P207 Papa – You see Mackenzie, I don’t just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece, that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day.

Jesus - I don’t want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of a mobile where everything in your life – your friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities – is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out and back and forth, in an incredible dance of being.

Q: What do you think about God wanting all of our life, and not just a part of it? How can we put this demand into practice? How does the mobile illustration help you to understand Christ’s desire for a real, living relationship with us?

P208 Sarayu – Actually, you see very little even though for a human you see fairly well. But just for tonight, I would love you to see a bit of what we see.

Q: How do you think God sees the world – individually or collectively? How can we strive to see the world through God’s eyes?

1 Corinthians 2:6-10

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-

10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Bible Study on President Obama's Inaugural Speech

I’ve written this extensive Bible study on President Obama’s Inaugural Speech for my Sunday School Class. If you would like a Word document copy of the study, please send me an email to traqair@aol.com. Put “Study on Obama’s Speech” in the subject line.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

Q: What were the ideals of our forebears? How can we remain faithful to them? What founding documents should we be true to? Does this make us legalistic or libertarian?

Psalm 78:1-4

O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old--
what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Q: What were the ideals of our scriptural forebears? Are we faithful to them? Which scriptures should we remain true towards? How can these age old traditions and documents be relevant to our modern lives?

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

Q: What hard choices have we failed to make? How has greed and irresponsibility weakened our nation? What has caused our national pride and patriotic confidence to be sapped? What are the remedies to these issues?

Amos 5:11-15

You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins.
You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times, for the times are evil.
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

Q: What part has the Church to play in restoring our people’s confidence? How have we, as Christians, been greedy and irresponsible? How can we faithfully apply our beliefs to help remedy the issues our nation faces today?

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.

The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

Q: How have our politics been strangled? How did we allow this to happen? What childish things do we need to set aside as a nation? What could our better history look like? Do we honestly feel that our freedom and pursuit of happiness are God given promises?

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Q: How do faith, hope, and love relate to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? As Christians, are we meant to pursue happiness or heaven? Are those two things compatible?

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.

Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

Q: How can our nation earn greatness and respect in the world today? What examples have previous generations of Americans shown us that we can apply today? What kind of sacrifices do you think we will all be called to make throughout the next decade in order to preserve our greatness? Is America called to be great or to be free?

Hebrews 11:32-40

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,
David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Q: How much does our present faith owe to Christian believers in the past? Do we respect our faithful forebears or do we diminish their sacrifices? What kind of issues will the Church face in the next decade? Are we called to make Christianity great or to find freedom in Christ?

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Q: What narrow interests have we been protecting? What unpleasant decisions now need to be made? What is the rightful place for science? Can health care quality be raised whilst costs are lowered? What are the new age demands that our schools and colleges must meet?

Matthew 7:24-27

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Q: What is our foundation for new growth in the Church? What is the rightful place for science in the Church? Have we been guilty of protecting our own interests rather than caring for the world? What new challenges do our churches and seminaries face today?

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Q: What achievements have free Americans made in the past? Do we honor those accomplishments or take them for granted? Is it the government’s responsibility to help us find decent paying jobs, affordable care, and dignity in retirement? If so, how can these goals be accomplished? How can we hold those who hold and spend public money accountable? Will this involve bigger or larger government?

Romans 13:1-5

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority ? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit
to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

Q: What are the historic achievements of the Church? How can our churches help others find decent jobs, provide care, and support retirees? Is this part of the Churches responsibility? How good are we as stewards of God’s money? Do we use it to make our churches grander or God’s work greater?

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

Q: Does our nation only favor the prosperous? What watchful eye is needed over the free market system? Can it be a free market with government oversight? How can our nation extend prosperous opportunities to every willing heart? What is meant by the common good?

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Q: Do our denominations only favor successful churches? How can successful churches be supportive of struggling ones? How do we make the common good of all churches our goal?

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

Q: How do our ideals affect our safety? How do our ideals still light the world? How can America be a friend to the entire world? Is that what our founding fathers meant for us to be? Why can power alone not protect us? What recent causes have made us unjust in the world’s eyes?

Matthew 5:14-16

"You are the light of the world . A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Q: How do our Christian ideals light the world? How do those ideals affect the safety of Christians in other nations? Why does Jesus call His followers the light of the world? What recent things have occurred in our faith that have diminished that light?


We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

Q: How can greater cooperation and understanding between the nations of the world enable us to keep the legacy of the Founding Fathers? In what ways is our patchwork heritage our strength? How has America been shaped by every language and culture? Does this give us the right to lead the world into a new era of peace?

Isaiah 2:3-4

Many peoples will come and say,” Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Q: How has Christianity been shaped by every language and culture? Is our diversity a weakness or strength? What should be the Church’s role in leading the world to a new era of peace? Is this what we are meant to do, or is there something more?

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

Q: Can we expect to move forward in peace with the Muslim world by showing them respect? Will this be mutual? How do other countries blame their nation’s ills on the West? Is this justifiable? How can we work alongside those who have no food or clean water? Shouldn’t we look after the hungry, poor, and squalid, living in our own nation first? Must we change with the world? What happens if we don’t?

Isaiah 1:23-26

Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them.
Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: "Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.
I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."

Q: How should Christianity respectfully interact with Islam? Will this be mutual? How does the West blame the Church for its past mistakes? Is this justifiable today? How can we work alongside those who have no food or clean water? Shouldn’t we look after the hungry, poor, and squalid, living in the Church first? Must we change with the world? What happens if we don’t?

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Q: How do we honor the present day guardians of our liberty? Why is their spirit of service something that all Americans must have within them? How can we accomplish this ideal? Why can our government only do so much in fulfilling this kind of spirit? What will happen if our people put more faith in government rather than ourselves?

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Q: Who are the guardians of our faith today? Why should all Christians have a servant spirit within them? What can our churches do to encourage Christian service in the world? What will happen if our people put more faith in their churches rather than Christ?

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

Q: How do those old values – hard work, honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – make Americans successful? What duties do we have to ourselves, our nation, and the world? Has God called upon us to shape an uncertain destiny? Isn’t that what God is meant to do with us? Does the meaning and liberty of our creed depend upon our vocation from God?

Galatians 5:22-26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Q: How do the fruits of the Spirit make us successful as Christians? What duties do we have as Christians to the Church, our nation, and the world? Do we shape the Church or does God shape us for the Church’s sake? How do we find meaning and freedom in our faith through Christ?

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

Q: Why are examples from our history so pertinent to us today? How will hope and virtue enable us to endure the coming storms? How will those storms be manifested? Why is God’s grace so important to sustaining us to carry the great gift of freedom? What do we hope that future generations will say about this moment in our nation’s history?

1 Peter 5:10-12

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God . Stand fast in it.

Q: What examples from our Church history are so pertinent to our faith today? What storms lie ahead for the Church? How can we overcome them? Why is God’s grace so important to our faith being sustained? What do we hope that future generations will say about the importance of Christ’s Church today?

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Shack: Bible Study 11

Chapter 13: A Meeting of Hearts

Page 183: Mack – What’s this? God has time to catch a few rays? Don’t you have anything better to do this afternoon?

Papa – Mack, you have no idea what I’m doing right now.

Q: What is God doing right now in the world? How would we know?

Isaiah 40:21-24 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

Page 184: Mack apologizes for unfairly judging God. Papa answers - …that is in the past now, where it belongs. I didn’t even want your sorrow for it, Mack. I just want us to grow on together without it.

Q: Why does Papa not want any of Mack’s regret? Does God want any of ours?

Isaiah 35:10 …and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Page 185: Papa – Stories about a person willing to exchange their life for another are a golden thread in your world, revealing both your need and my heart.

Q: Why does sacrifice affect us? What makes people lay down their lives for others? How do we honor those sacrifices?

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Papa – Mack, just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes.

Q: How does God use evil, tragedy, and suffering to fulfill His promises? Are their experiences in our lives where we have seen this occur?

Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 3:7-8 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" Why not say-as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say-"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.

Papa – Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors.

Q: What is grace? How have we personally experienced it?

Page 186: Mack – The world just looks a thousand times brighter and I feel a thousand times lighter.

Papa – You are Mack! it isn’t easy being the judge of the entire world.

Q: What makes us so judgmental about other people? Why are Christians so bad at recognizing this?

Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Papa – Jesus came to show people who I am and most folks only believe it about him. They still play us off like good cop/bad cop most of the time. When they want to do what they think is right, they need a stern God. When they need forgiveness, they run to Jesus.

Q: How are our beliefs about Jesus different from those we have about God? Aren’t they the same?

John 17:20-23 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Page 187: Papa – Guilt will never help you find freedom in me. The best it can do is make you try harder to conform to some ethic on the outside. I’m about the inside.

Q: How does the Church use guilt to impinge upon our freedom? Why? Can we give examples?

Luke 11:46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Papa – lies are a little fortress; in side them you can feel safe and powerful. Through your little fortress of lies you try to run your life and manipulate others. But the fortresses need walls, so you build some. These are the justifications for your lies.

Page 188: Papa – the truth is, Mack, the real reason you did not tell Nan was not because you were trying to save her from pain. The real reason is that you were afraid of having to deal with the emotions you might encounter, both from her and in yourself. Emotions scare you, Mack. You lied to protect yourself, not her!

Q: Why do we resort to lies to protect ourselves? What are we trying to hide? How do these lies affect our relationship with God and other people?

John 8:44-46 Jesus said: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?

Papa – When you mess up again, ask for forgiveness again. It’s a process, honey, and life is real enough without having to be obscured by lies. And remember, I am bigger than your lies. I can work beyond them.

Q: How is God bigger than our lies? How can He work beyond them?

Page 189: Papa – faith does not grow in the house of certainty.

Q: What has faith got to do with doubt? Why can’t faith grow in a house of certainty? If true, what does this say about our churches?

Matthew 21:21-22 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

People are tenacious when it comes to the treasure of their imaginary independence. They hoard and hold their sickness with a firm grip. They find their identity and worth in their brokenness and guard it with every ounce of strength they have.

…my love is bigger than your stupidity. I used your choices to work perfectly into my purposes.

Q: How do our stupid choices affect our lives? What does God do with them? How do we know that God’s love is greater than our foolishness?

1 Corinthians 3:19-20 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

Page 190: Papa – I understand how difficult it is for you, so lost in your own perceptions of reality and yet so sure of your own judgments, to even begin to perceive, let alone imagine, who real love and goodness are. True love never forces.

Q: Why can love never be enforced? What does this tell us about God’s love for us?

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!


Nobody knows what horrors I have saved the world from ‘cuz people can’t see what never happened. All evil flows from independence, and independence is your choice.

You and this Creation are incredible, whether you understand that or not. You are wonderful beyond imagination. Just because you make horrendous and destructive choices does not mean you deserve less respect for what you inherently are – the pinnacle of my Creation and the center of my affection.

Q: How do we feel about being the pinnacle of creation and the center of God’s affection? How should those honors affect how we deal with, think about, and judge other people?

Psalm 8:3-5 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

Page 191: Papa – So whose choices should we countermand, Mackenzie? Perhaps I should never have created?....You demand your independence, but then complain that I actually love you enough to give it to you.

Mackenzie, my purposes are not for my comfort, or yours. My purposes are always and only an expression of love. I purpose to work life out of death, to bring freedom out of brokenness and turn darkness into light. What you see as chaos, I see as a fractal.

Q: When do we complain to God about not being involved in the world? Are we willing to give up our freedom in order to let God protect the world from evil?

Luke 13:1-5 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them-do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

Mack – What exactly did Jesus accomplish by dying?

Q: What exactly did Jesus accomplish by dying? What did He personally accomplish for you?

1 Peter 2:23-25 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Papa – Nothing much – just the substance of everything that love purposed before the foundations of creations.

Page 192: Papa – everything is about him. Creation and history are all about Jesus. He is the very center of our purpose and in him we are now fully human, so our purpose and your destiny are forever linked. You might say that we have put all our eggs in the one human basket. There is no plan B.

Q: If Creation and history are all about Jesus, why do we prohibit Him from being the center of our lives?

Revelation 3:19-22 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Papa – You asked me what Jesus accomplished on the cross; so now listen to me carefully: through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world.

Mack – The whole world? You mean those who believe in you, right?

Papa – The whole world, Mack. All I am telling you is that reconciliation is a two way street, and I have done my part, totally, completely, finally.

Q: How is the whole world reconciled to God through Jesus? Why is this a two-way street? How can we play our part in this divine process?

Romans 5:9-11 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.