Galatians 5:16 What I am saying is this: run your lives by the Spirit. Then you will not do what your old nature wants. 17 For the old nature wants what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is contrary to the old nature. These oppose each other, so that you find yourselves unable to carry out your good intentions. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, then you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism.
19 And it is perfectly evident what the old nature does. It expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency; 20 involvement with the occult and with drugs; in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry; in selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue 21 and envy; in drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you now as I have warned you before: those who do such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God!
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.
-------
In Roman times (and today) some people think the outcomes and qualities Paul listed in
Galatians 5:19-21 are part of a good life, either as “fun” or as side-effects of the pursuit of “fun.” But the apostle sketched a different vision, saying “you shouldn’t do whatever you want to do.” He vividly contrasted a Spirit-powered life with the negative outcomes produced when we live solely to satisfy our selfish desires, and left no doubt which life he believed is better.
• With gentle irony (and deep seriousness) Paul followed his list of the fruit of the Spirit with the phrase “There is no law against things like this.” Why would anyone make a law against qualities that make life so much better? When have you let go of your own agenda, and found that God had given you something better, deeper and more freeing than what you thought you wanted?
• In The Message, verse 16 says “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.” Have you found freedom from some of the areas that result from doing
whatever you want, from living as though you were your own God? Can you list areas
where the Spirit has animated and motivated you to a better way of life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, through your Spirit continue to animate and motivate me to live beyond and above just my selfish desires. Guide me to that wonderful life against which there is no law. Amen.
-------
Insights from James Cochran
James Cochran serves as Director of Counseling Ministries at The Church of the Resurrection, helping to connect the Resurrection family and community with counseling resources and group programming.
We want to be good people, right? Today we consider a deeper idea: are we motivated to be good people by the Spirit, or by something else?
At one point I taught psychology to undergrads, and one of the most interesting discussions we had was about Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. The premise is simple: we develop through more or less discrete stages of moral reasoning. When we’re young we occupy the “pre-conventional” stage. At this stage we’re focused mainly on things that bring us pleasure or help us avoid pain. Sound familiar? This is what Paul is referring to when he talks to the Galatians about their “selfish desires.”
As we grow, most of us move into the “conventional” stage. Here we try to do what is right, but are motivated mainly by social norms, a sense of duty to the law. Paul knew this inclination, too. He wanted the Galatians to recognize that in being guided by the Spirit, something deeper was at work: “you aren’t under the Law.” That seems like a strange thing to say, right? Shouldn’t we follow the law? Obedience to the Law is consistent with Spirit-led living, but if all we’re focused on is the “not doing for the sake of not doing,” we’re missing a more meaningful calling.
Kohlberg’s final stage of moral development is the “post-conventional” stage. Here he posits that we strive for morally good behavior because we understand that they are “universal ethical principles.” Again, Paul had this idea quite a while ago. In Romans, he described the Law being “written on our hearts.” Right living, the “good” part of “the good life,” isn’t about behaving a certain way because it gives us pleasure or because someone told us we need to. Right living is a consequence of allowing the Spirit, the “Law written on our hearts,” to lead our behavior. Paul, almost two thousand years before Kohlberg was born, was calling us into post-conventional moral reasoning.
Now let’s talk about what this means for our lives. Or my life anyway.
I’ll admit to vacillating between all different kinds of moral reasoning. One of the most obvious examples for me is cake (or any sweet in the world). Let us consider for a moment how I approach whether or not to eat some cake.
Some days when I want cake I say to myself, in effect, “Cake taste good. Me want cake. Me eat cake.” Pre-conventional moral reasoning. Selfish desire. The Spirit is not a participant in my thinking. I’m not considering the impact that eating cake will have for my body or my self-esteem. I just want cake, so I eat cake.
Other days I’ll take a legalistic approach. “According to nutritional research and my pastor’s sermon about gluttony, it is appropriate to eat four pieces of cake (and no more) in any 14-day period (except birthdays). I ate three pieces last week, plus one bite of my wife’s birthday cake which technically doesn’t count. I will, therefore, eat one piece of cake, ensuring that it is below average size.” I’m getting closer to right living, but where is the Spirit? I’m just obeying a boundary without any reflection as to why that boundary matters. I’m not thinking about why I want cake in the first place or whether there might be a healthier option.
Finally, on my best days, I try to listen to the Spirit. “I want cake, but what does it look like to honor my body in this moment? Is this meaningful, or something else? If I decide to eat this cake, can I do it while maintaining integrity and paying attention to my other values? Maybe I’ll have a small piece of cake, and recognize that things like this are acceptable in moderation. I’ll also listen to the Spirit and honor my body by exercising and having a salad.”
The Spirit thinks of things we’re less inclined to pay attention to. If we’re following our selfish desires, and those desires alone, we end up going down the dark path Paul outlines in verses 19 and 21. If we are only focusing on what the Law says to do, we miss out on all the other things the Spirit is calling us to, like the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23.
Following the Spirit isn’t easy. Doing it perfectly isn’t even possible. But I’ve found that If I pay a little more attention to why I’m doing something and not just what I’m doing, I start to open the door to the Spirit’s influence. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if I choose to eat cake or not. Either choice could be the right one. But whether it is the faithful choice requires listening to the Spirit.
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"A compelling, God-given purpose for life"
Friday, 14 October 2016
Acts 20:17 But he did send from Miletus to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Messianic community. 18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how, from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with much humility and with tears, in spite of the tests I had to undergo because of the plots of the unbelieving Jews. 20 You know that I held back nothing that could be helpful to you, and that I taught you both in public and from house to house, 21 declaring with utmost seriousness the same message to Jews and Greeks alike: turn from sin to God; and put your trust in our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Yerushalayim. I don’t know what will happen to me there, 23 other than that in every city the Ruach HaKodesh keeps warning me that imprisonment and persecution await me. 24 But I consider my own life of no importance to me whatsoever, as long as I can finish the course ahead of me, the task I received from the Lord Yeshua — to declare in depth the Good News of God’s love and kindness.
-------
Does living a “good life” mean avoiding danger? Not always. Paul and his colleagues were traveling to Jerusalem to deliver an offering from the Gentile Christians of Greece to help their suffering companions in the faith there. He told the elders of the church in Ephesus that he was sure arrest and prison awaited him in Jerusalem. Yet he concluded his witness about how he lived with a sense of well-being and “success” by saying, “Nothing, not even my life, is more
important than completing my mission.”
• Think of a time when you gave up something you valued to help someone else (e.g. money,
your time, your caring attention to someone who was hurting, etc.). Then recall a time when you pursued an item that you prized solely for yourself. Reflect on how the two experiences affected you. How lasting was the joy and well-being, the sense of a good life, in each case?
• Do you have a life mission? If you’re like many people, your first thought may be, “No—I
really don’t.” But Paul’s words can help nearly all of us begin to locate that “mission” (even if we haven’t consciously chosen it). Of what would you say “Nothing is more important than ____________”? As the answer to that comes into focus, prayerfully consider whether it better fits God’s definition of a good life, or that of the society around us. Ask God to help you make any needed course corrections.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I do not want to miss out on the mission you call me to, the most
important reason that you’ve given me life. Give me a clear sense of what that mission is, and the strength to live into it. Amen.
-------
-------
"An Rx for the good life"
Saturday, 15 October 2016
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in union with the Lord always! I will say it again: rejoice! 5 Let everyone see how reasonable and gentle you are. The Lord is near! 6 Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. 7 Then God’s shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy. 9 Keep doing what you have learned and received from me, what you have heard and seen me doing; then the God who gives shalom will be with you.
-------
Do you want a good life? From a Roman prison cell (cf. Philippians 1:13-14), the apostle Paul bore radiant witness to the quality of life God offers us. As we hand over our anxieties to God in prayer, he said God’s peace, purity and contentment flow in and through us, no matter what our situation. If we have any question about whether the apostle believed he had had a good life, we can read what he wrote to his young friend Timothy, again from a prison cell: “I have
fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
• Paul connected our ability to live a good life, filled with God’s peace and joy, with the mental “diet” we choose. Like a spiritual nutritionist, he advised, “If anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise” (verse 8).
With reality TV, tabloids reporting who was seen with someone they weren’t supposed to be with, negative political ads and celebrity tweets seemingly everywhere, does that strike
you as naïve, idealistic and impossible to follow? Or might it hold a key to helping you live with more peace and a stronger connection with God?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind me to bring my anxieties to you, not to my well-worn escape
mechanisms. Focus my thoughts on all that is true, holy, just, pure, lovely and worthy of
praise. Amen.
Family Activity: Gather or create the following: play money, pictures of items a child might want to buy (toys, vacation, junk food) and pictures of ways to give (missionary, charity, church). Assign a pretend purchase price to each of the items. Pass out play money, giving each family member different amounts. Show your family members their choices of items to buy and ways to give. Invite your family to spend their play money however they would like by
purchasing the items on pictures or giving to the places/people in need. After each person has spent their money, discuss the choices people made. Discuss the importance of a God-given life mission for each person, and for you as a family. Ask God to help you each pursue a truly good life.
-------
-------
Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Eileen Markley and family on the death of her brother Gerry Cromwell, 10/1
• Jerry Lesjack and family on the death of his brother-in-law Bill Koresky, 10/1
• Van Torian and family on the death of his mother Joan Torian, 9/27
• Libby Hawkins and family on the death of her father Gene Bowling, 9/26
• Joy Wheeler and family on the death of her mother Beebs Downing Wheeler, 9/25
• Page Campbell and family on the death of her sister D’Arlene Aldrich, 9/24
• Charlene Perry and family on the death of her mother Marcella Karel, 9/17
• Carolyn Barnette and family on the death of her brother-in-law Martain “Keith” Croft, 8/24
-------
19 And it is perfectly evident what the old nature does. It expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency; 20 involvement with the occult and with drugs; in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry; in selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue 21 and envy; in drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you now as I have warned you before: those who do such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God!
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.
-------
In Roman times (and today) some people think the outcomes and qualities Paul listed in
Galatians 5:19-21 are part of a good life, either as “fun” or as side-effects of the pursuit of “fun.” But the apostle sketched a different vision, saying “you shouldn’t do whatever you want to do.” He vividly contrasted a Spirit-powered life with the negative outcomes produced when we live solely to satisfy our selfish desires, and left no doubt which life he believed is better.
• With gentle irony (and deep seriousness) Paul followed his list of the fruit of the Spirit with the phrase “There is no law against things like this.” Why would anyone make a law against qualities that make life so much better? When have you let go of your own agenda, and found that God had given you something better, deeper and more freeing than what you thought you wanted?
• In The Message, verse 16 says “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.” Have you found freedom from some of the areas that result from doing
whatever you want, from living as though you were your own God? Can you list areas
where the Spirit has animated and motivated you to a better way of life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, through your Spirit continue to animate and motivate me to live beyond and above just my selfish desires. Guide me to that wonderful life against which there is no law. Amen.
-------
Insights from James Cochran
James Cochran serves as Director of Counseling Ministries at The Church of the Resurrection, helping to connect the Resurrection family and community with counseling resources and group programming.We want to be good people, right? Today we consider a deeper idea: are we motivated to be good people by the Spirit, or by something else?
At one point I taught psychology to undergrads, and one of the most interesting discussions we had was about Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. The premise is simple: we develop through more or less discrete stages of moral reasoning. When we’re young we occupy the “pre-conventional” stage. At this stage we’re focused mainly on things that bring us pleasure or help us avoid pain. Sound familiar? This is what Paul is referring to when he talks to the Galatians about their “selfish desires.”
As we grow, most of us move into the “conventional” stage. Here we try to do what is right, but are motivated mainly by social norms, a sense of duty to the law. Paul knew this inclination, too. He wanted the Galatians to recognize that in being guided by the Spirit, something deeper was at work: “you aren’t under the Law.” That seems like a strange thing to say, right? Shouldn’t we follow the law? Obedience to the Law is consistent with Spirit-led living, but if all we’re focused on is the “not doing for the sake of not doing,” we’re missing a more meaningful calling.
Kohlberg’s final stage of moral development is the “post-conventional” stage. Here he posits that we strive for morally good behavior because we understand that they are “universal ethical principles.” Again, Paul had this idea quite a while ago. In Romans, he described the Law being “written on our hearts.” Right living, the “good” part of “the good life,” isn’t about behaving a certain way because it gives us pleasure or because someone told us we need to. Right living is a consequence of allowing the Spirit, the “Law written on our hearts,” to lead our behavior. Paul, almost two thousand years before Kohlberg was born, was calling us into post-conventional moral reasoning.
Now let’s talk about what this means for our lives. Or my life anyway.
I’ll admit to vacillating between all different kinds of moral reasoning. One of the most obvious examples for me is cake (or any sweet in the world). Let us consider for a moment how I approach whether or not to eat some cake.
Some days when I want cake I say to myself, in effect, “Cake taste good. Me want cake. Me eat cake.” Pre-conventional moral reasoning. Selfish desire. The Spirit is not a participant in my thinking. I’m not considering the impact that eating cake will have for my body or my self-esteem. I just want cake, so I eat cake.
Other days I’ll take a legalistic approach. “According to nutritional research and my pastor’s sermon about gluttony, it is appropriate to eat four pieces of cake (and no more) in any 14-day period (except birthdays). I ate three pieces last week, plus one bite of my wife’s birthday cake which technically doesn’t count. I will, therefore, eat one piece of cake, ensuring that it is below average size.” I’m getting closer to right living, but where is the Spirit? I’m just obeying a boundary without any reflection as to why that boundary matters. I’m not thinking about why I want cake in the first place or whether there might be a healthier option.
Finally, on my best days, I try to listen to the Spirit. “I want cake, but what does it look like to honor my body in this moment? Is this meaningful, or something else? If I decide to eat this cake, can I do it while maintaining integrity and paying attention to my other values? Maybe I’ll have a small piece of cake, and recognize that things like this are acceptable in moderation. I’ll also listen to the Spirit and honor my body by exercising and having a salad.”
The Spirit thinks of things we’re less inclined to pay attention to. If we’re following our selfish desires, and those desires alone, we end up going down the dark path Paul outlines in verses 19 and 21. If we are only focusing on what the Law says to do, we miss out on all the other things the Spirit is calling us to, like the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23.
Following the Spirit isn’t easy. Doing it perfectly isn’t even possible. But I’ve found that If I pay a little more attention to why I’m doing something and not just what I’m doing, I start to open the door to the Spirit’s influence. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if I choose to eat cake or not. Either choice could be the right one. But whether it is the faithful choice requires listening to the Spirit.
-------
"A compelling, God-given purpose for life"
Friday, 14 October 2016
Acts 20:17 But he did send from Miletus to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Messianic community. 18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how, from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with much humility and with tears, in spite of the tests I had to undergo because of the plots of the unbelieving Jews. 20 You know that I held back nothing that could be helpful to you, and that I taught you both in public and from house to house, 21 declaring with utmost seriousness the same message to Jews and Greeks alike: turn from sin to God; and put your trust in our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Yerushalayim. I don’t know what will happen to me there, 23 other than that in every city the Ruach HaKodesh keeps warning me that imprisonment and persecution await me. 24 But I consider my own life of no importance to me whatsoever, as long as I can finish the course ahead of me, the task I received from the Lord Yeshua — to declare in depth the Good News of God’s love and kindness.
-------
Does living a “good life” mean avoiding danger? Not always. Paul and his colleagues were traveling to Jerusalem to deliver an offering from the Gentile Christians of Greece to help their suffering companions in the faith there. He told the elders of the church in Ephesus that he was sure arrest and prison awaited him in Jerusalem. Yet he concluded his witness about how he lived with a sense of well-being and “success” by saying, “Nothing, not even my life, is more
important than completing my mission.”
• Think of a time when you gave up something you valued to help someone else (e.g. money,
your time, your caring attention to someone who was hurting, etc.). Then recall a time when you pursued an item that you prized solely for yourself. Reflect on how the two experiences affected you. How lasting was the joy and well-being, the sense of a good life, in each case?
• Do you have a life mission? If you’re like many people, your first thought may be, “No—I
really don’t.” But Paul’s words can help nearly all of us begin to locate that “mission” (even if we haven’t consciously chosen it). Of what would you say “Nothing is more important than ____________”? As the answer to that comes into focus, prayerfully consider whether it better fits God’s definition of a good life, or that of the society around us. Ask God to help you make any needed course corrections.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I do not want to miss out on the mission you call me to, the most
important reason that you’ve given me life. Give me a clear sense of what that mission is, and the strength to live into it. Amen.
-------
-------
"An Rx for the good life"
Saturday, 15 October 2016
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in union with the Lord always! I will say it again: rejoice! 5 Let everyone see how reasonable and gentle you are. The Lord is near! 6 Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. 7 Then God’s shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy. 9 Keep doing what you have learned and received from me, what you have heard and seen me doing; then the God who gives shalom will be with you.
-------
Do you want a good life? From a Roman prison cell (cf. Philippians 1:13-14), the apostle Paul bore radiant witness to the quality of life God offers us. As we hand over our anxieties to God in prayer, he said God’s peace, purity and contentment flow in and through us, no matter what our situation. If we have any question about whether the apostle believed he had had a good life, we can read what he wrote to his young friend Timothy, again from a prison cell: “I have
fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
• Paul connected our ability to live a good life, filled with God’s peace and joy, with the mental “diet” we choose. Like a spiritual nutritionist, he advised, “If anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise” (verse 8).
With reality TV, tabloids reporting who was seen with someone they weren’t supposed to be with, negative political ads and celebrity tweets seemingly everywhere, does that strike
you as naïve, idealistic and impossible to follow? Or might it hold a key to helping you live with more peace and a stronger connection with God?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind me to bring my anxieties to you, not to my well-worn escape
mechanisms. Focus my thoughts on all that is true, holy, just, pure, lovely and worthy of
praise. Amen.
Family Activity: Gather or create the following: play money, pictures of items a child might want to buy (toys, vacation, junk food) and pictures of ways to give (missionary, charity, church). Assign a pretend purchase price to each of the items. Pass out play money, giving each family member different amounts. Show your family members their choices of items to buy and ways to give. Invite your family to spend their play money however they would like by
purchasing the items on pictures or giving to the places/people in need. After each person has spent their money, discuss the choices people made. Discuss the importance of a God-given life mission for each person, and for you as a family. Ask God to help you each pursue a truly good life.
-------
-------
Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Eileen Markley and family on the death of her brother Gerry Cromwell, 10/1
• Jerry Lesjack and family on the death of his brother-in-law Bill Koresky, 10/1
• Van Torian and family on the death of his mother Joan Torian, 9/27
• Libby Hawkins and family on the death of her father Gene Bowling, 9/26
• Joy Wheeler and family on the death of her mother Beebs Downing Wheeler, 9/25
• Page Campbell and family on the death of her sister D’Arlene Aldrich, 9/24
• Charlene Perry and family on the death of her mother Marcella Karel, 9/17
• Carolyn Barnette and family on the death of her brother-in-law Martain “Keith” Croft, 8/24
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
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