Hell, Hesitantly

When I first started a two-week study of hell and judgment right before Christmas, it felt awkward and out-of-place.

After yesterday’s tragic shooting, this topic has become timely.

It is not my place to feel anger for others’ losses. This is my first reaction.

But even as I type these words, I’m not convinced.

Maybe it IS my place to be angry.

Maybe anger is an important step toward action.

What got Jesus really angry?

Crooks in the Temple courts. Hypocritical religious leaders.

Jesus reacted much more strongly to others’ suffering than to his own.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!”(Jesus, quoted in Matthew 18:6-7, NIV)

Woe to the Webster shooter. Woe to the Sandy Hook shooter. Woe to the mall shooters.

Woe to the thug, the bully, the abuser.

Woe to the selfish, the self-centered, the self-righteous.

When it comes right down to it, woe to me when I do the wrong thing.

The more deeply I reflect upon what made Jesus angry, the more carefully I consider my own faults.

Thank God for the forgiveness present in the Incarnation of Christ.

Merry Christmas.

Woe to the killers.

Peace and humility to those of us who remain. Teach us to live lives of love, not of woe.

Secondary

In verses 1-3, the author says it is time to move beyond elementary teachings about Christ. The next few paragraphs will go deeper.

Confidence

“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ” (v. 1).

What a bold claim.

But if I followed Jesus’ example consistently, I could get away with making this suggestion, too.

Bad Sign

As we read in verses 1-3, when the focus of Christians becomes their leaders and not Christ, there’s a serious problem.

All-Inclusive

We read, in verses 26-29, that anyone can become a follower of Christ.

There are no prerequisites of race or status or gender.

Galatians: Key Verse

The theme of this letter is summed up in 2:20.

What does Paul mean when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”?

Understand this verse and a person will understand the whole epistle.

Year 3: Overview of Galatians

As it turns out, it looks like I can continue my 9-year Bible journey right on schedule.  I’m really excited about this!

It is possible that this is the earliest of Paul’s letters in the Bible.  This assumes that Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians around the time of Acts 15, about A.D. 49.

He wrote this letter to remind the church in Galatia that it is faith in Christ, not following the law, that makes a person right with God.

Timothy times twenty-nine

The name Timothy appears in the Bible 29 times.

In Acts 16-20, Timothy appears seven times. In every case, his is part of a group.

There is no need to be a Lone Ranger in service to Christ. Timothy’s early service was completely as a member of a team.