Sunday, June 14, 2009: Galatians 5: Matthew 4, Luke 22, Luke 4

 

“Let’s get to work”, Pastor Scott urged, as she opened a continuation service through the fifth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

Referring again to the “circle of psychology”, featured in last week’s message, Pastor Scott reaffirmed that the essential concept of sin can be boiled down “what serves me”; the self-centered desires, wants and the intrinsic, persistent bent in the human nature to always want to go one’s own way and rule oneself.

She also again reiterated that while a majority of the modern church world is overly concerned with defining sins and pin-pointing the exact fruit from which Eve ate in the Garden of Eden, they have neglected the reality, context and historical setting behind Galatians 5, thereby missing the wider-reaching point of what Paul was communicating to that church.

Pastor Scott reminded the congregation to again juxtapose the notion of this circle of psychology – which illustrates the emotional, judicial and executive components of the self – over the contents of Galatians 5 for the purposes of today’s teaching. Noting that theologians of the early 20^th century – particularly in Germany – became liberalized in their thought, supposing that salvation could come by acquiring knowledge and sin was merely ignorance, Pastor Scott described how the rise of Nazism in Germany crumbled many of these leading thinkers at the time, and drove them back to the Bible for spiritual inspiration.

In sympathy with prominent theologian of that time period – Reinhold Niebuhr – Pastor Scott concurred that “man cannot simply sin”, he must instead first justify to himself that the sin he does isn‘t that bad, after all, and pointed to the reasoning, judicial component of the individual as that which seeks to accomplish this end. In contradiction, Pastor Scott said “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1: 10). Furthermore, she insisted that scripture forces the Christian to “face their ugly nature” and – referencing the Genesis 32 (26-28) account of Jacob wrestling the angel – confirmed that it was only once the angel “said unto him, What is thy name?” that Jacob, the “heal-catcher” and conniver, finally faced his true nature, and could then be re-named “Israel”, literally God-governed.

Pastor Scott then encouragingly claimed that when one turns with eyes of faith towards God, a “radical change” takes place and the individual no longer tries to justify or cover-up their short-fallings. She insisted that this was not a choice of the individual, but rather, a natural by-product of the Person, Power and Presence of God’s Holy Spirit that was now dwelling in them. Closing her introduction, Pastor Scott ominously warned that at the moment this implantation of God’s nature had been given to a person for their faith, a spiritual war for that person’s soul commences instantaneously.

 

Turning to the white board, Pastor Scott wrote two words: Temptation and Trial.

Immediately, Pastor Scott pressed that she wanted her congregation to become familiar with the two Greek root words translated as temptation and/or trial, as she asserted that the concept ran “straight through the Bible, like route 66” and going through trials and temptation was the “lot of the believer”. Spelt phonetically, these two Greek words are “peiraso” and “documeso”.

So emphatic was Pastor Scott, she even stated that by defining temptation clearly, it gives a whole new view of the spiritual war – and one that is not just internal. Pastor Scott said that the Greek words clearly point to the trials coming from God to the individual, from the devil to the individual, from the devil towards God, from the individual towards God, and finally, from individuals trialing and tempting other individuals.

At this point, Pastor Scott again prompted her congregation to keep the text of Galatians 5 at the back of the message, reminding them that too often Galatians 5 is not read in its historical context, and thus, is misappropriated as a list of “do-dos and don’t-dos”.

Focusing on the Greek word “pieraso” (“3985” in Strong’s Concordance), Pastor Scott asked the congregation to turn to Matthew, chapter 4 – the temptation of Jesus.

While acknowledging that the traditional meaning of this passage was the devil attempting to have Jesus mis-use his divine power, Pastor Scott added that it served equally as a pattern for the life of the believer and that at the start of both Matthew and Luke, some “very subtle things are being spelled out”, namely, that the order of Matthew’s account from genealogy, to birth, to baptism, and then temptation, was also the Christian’s “life in depiction”.

Digging deeper into the significance of the text, Pastor Scott pointed out that “40 days” was the number of “complete testing”, that Satan used the term “Son of God”, where Jesus only referred to Himself as “Son of Man”, and that in the life of the believer, the most basic entry point for the devil to tempt an individual was through the “abuse of perfectly natural desires”, observing that Jesus hunger was tested by the devil in His first temptation.

Pastor Scott dissected each of the three temptations in the order recorded in the Matthew 4 account. She said that the first temptation was of the “physical realm” and that Jesus’ response – “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” – brought to mind a sense of “equipping to fight”, because the Greek word used for “word” was “rhema” (pronounced: hray’-mah) – meaning sword or weapon that the Holy Spirit reminds of in a time of need.

Moving to Jesus’ second temptation, Pastor Scott compared it to Satan’s abuse of the modern day concept of religiosity. Additionally, Pastor Scott referenced how the money-changers had made God’s house a “den of thieves” (Mark 11: 17).

Impressing the importance of “coming here to learn about God and not for a feeling”, Pastor Scott interpreted Jesus’ third temptation for the life of the believer as the choice to emulate or envy the world. She theorized that much of the modern church world is fallaciously set up to appeal to the judicial compartment of the individual, where the devil has pervaded his own idea as the “generalized other”, thus, making mockery and giving a counterfeit of what the church “should” or “should not” be. Staunchly opposing this, Pastor Scott exclaimed “God is looking on the heart, there are no boxes to check!”

Continuing to verse 11, and emphasizing “Then” at the start of the verse, Pastor Scott rhetorically posed “if it ended here, it would be miserable, because where is the protection?” Pre-empting her own answer, Pastor Scott immediately referenced 1 Corinthians 10: 13 – “… God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” – and, more importantly, noted that Jesus gave His disciples equipping, instructing them “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven… lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” (Luke 11: 2 and 4). She also reiterated that Jesus gave His “rhema” in His word, and implored her congregation to “find the scripture that is your rhema for your specific temptation and circumstance”, noting that temptation may come in all kinds of forms.

Pastor Scott then briefly turned her attention to the Luke, chapter 8 account of the “parable of the sower”.  Honing in on verse 13, she mourned “these (that) have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away”, and postulated that a lack of spiritual equipping – being rooted with God’s rhema and Spirit – could potentially prevent this falling away.

Requesting her congregation to turn to Luke 22: 28, Pastor Scott firmly insisted that the disciples followed Jesus continuously and faithfully through His temptations. Taking a deeper look past this passage, Pastor Scott said that this chapter’s account of Peter’s behavior was an example to the believer. She pointed to verse 31 – “… the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” – and that Satan’s desire to sift was one also of a continuous nature; not simply a one-time event. With fine dissection, Pastor Scott insisted that there was a process of “entering in” to temptation and that there was no irony that this was also the same term used in Luke 22: 3: “Then entered Satan into Judas…” To reassure, Pastor Scott noted that there was refuge in Jesus because He alone “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4: 15).

Lending even further encouragement to the congregation, Pastor Scott said that there is “nothing we cannot combat in faith, standing shoulder to shoulder”, but that each person would fight his or her own faith battle, individually, as well.

 

In conclusion, Pastor Scott pondered, “Is there a solution to this?”

Then, bringing her message full circle, she turned back to the genealogical account of Jesus, this time however, focusing on Luke’s chapter 4 account. Reminding the congregation that the chapters and verses were added by the translators, Pastor Scott noted Luke 3: 38 – “…which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God” – and Luke 4: 1 – “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness “ – were conjoined in a subtle picture that illustrated “where the first Adam failed, the last Adam succeeded”.

Pastor Scott inferred that the purpose of Jesus’ tempting in this Luke 4 account was to restore what was lost in the Garden of Eden and that Verse 14 – “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee” – confirmed that “where the Spirit had brought Jesus in for testing, it also brought Him out victorious”. She emphasized that the tools he used to resist the devil in His temptations were weapons – rhemas – applied specifically, for the specific temptation and this gave Him victory over the devil. But quick to remind the congregation that the war continues in each of their lives, Pastor Scott said that when the devil departed from Jesus “for a season” (Luke 4: 13), he did so in a fashion that was like a boxer withdrawing, and then looking for an opening to strike again.

Thanking God, Pastor Scott implored the congregation to “keep focused on where God leads you, and He will lead you out.” With a smile, she exclaimed, “That’s a sure-fire victory!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday, May 31, 2009: Galatians 5: 16 – (Message VF 1667)

Pastor Scott opened service on the last Sunday of May, 2009 by paraphrasing from a book that she had read by David du Plessis, titled “The Spirit Bade Me Go,” where du Plessis tells the story of how God inspired in his heart the phrase, “God has no Grandchildren.”

Pastor Scott recounted how, while staying at another minister’s home, Du Plessis heard a voice speaking this phrase to him and, realizing it was neither the radio nor any of the other people in the home, he deduced that it was the Holy Spirit speaking to him. Some time elapsed and, finally, after a conversation with a priest in an airplane, David du Plessis realized that the point God conveyed to him was that there are no second generation Christians; that is to say, no child brought up in a Christian home automatically or by necessity has a relationship with God – on the contrary, each Christian is engaged in a “one on one relationship” with God as God’s child. Pastor Scott used this story as a launching pad to pick up and continue last week’s teaching on Galatians 5: 16, and more specifically, to illuminate the concept of how the Spirit works in the life of the believer.

Giving her personal opinion, Pastor Scott told that it was a mistake made by many Christians to casually think of the Holy Spirit as an ‘it,’ and not as a person. Writing the words “Person, Presence, Power and Promise” on the board, Pastor Scott noted that the word ‘Spirit’ should bring concepts in our mind. She carefully and specifically outlined that when encountering the Greek word “neumaticos”, (root: “neuma”): it is a person, power, presence, and, reaffirming, not simply an “it”. Pastor Scott went on to emphasize how this change; walking instrumentally “by” (and, contrarily, not “in”) the spirit, revolutionizes the way the Christian reads this passage of the bible.

Pastor Scott reminded the congregation that “no scripture of is private interpretation” and that it should only be applied to one’s life as it was meant. Therefore, when Faith is required, the Christian should immediately act on it! This served to further drive her point; that the believer does not merely submit to an “it”, but rather they submit to a “person”.

Looking toward Old Testament examples, Pastor Scott mentioned that Paul will grasp these concepts and project them forward in his writings in the New Testament. Pastor Scott referenced from  Jeremiah 31:31, telling of God’s new covenant with His people – I will be their God, and they shall be My people, and from Ezekiel 36:26 where God says He will give His people a new heart and a new spirit.

Pastor Scott then explained how this tapestry, woven in the Old Testament, is communicated to the Corinthians by Paul through the concept that “We Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit.” Citing that this phrase is often misused and twisted by some in the Christian community – abused as a laundry list to tell other Christians what they must or mustn’t do – Pastor Scott went on to tell how Paul understood that just as the Tabernacle in the Old Testament would house God’s Presence, these “crocks of clay” – the believers – will instead be the abode of God.

Admonishing the congregation, Pastor Scott reminded all present that they should not forget God’s Presence and Person and Power in them, and as Paul made clear, that the believer is not left to fend for themselves in trial and tribulation, claiming instead that Christians are more than conquerors because the Spirit of God endues the believer with His Power.

Before going on to the Book of John, Pastor Scott again referenced this same Person, Power and Presence at work in the lives of believers, working to turn lives around, and manifesting in areas such as healing.

The first New Testament verse about Jesus that Pastor Scott spoke of from John 14: 16: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” In addition Pastor Scott also listed John 14: 18, “I will not leave you comfortless”, as well as John 14:26 “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Pastor Scott mentioned then how this Comforter in Christians gives them the Power for service, the Power to proclaim, and the Power to keep walking by faith. She also beckoned the congregation to pray about these concepts, that they also might be more empowered by this Spirit Person.

Moving on to John 16:13, Pastor Scott then pointed out that the Spirit is referred to as ‘He’ in this verse, and that the purpose of sending the Comforter is to glorify Jesus.

Looking at the event of Pentecost, Pastor Scott described a subtle transition that occurred: before Pentecost, the disciples were endued with some power, but after Pentecost, a different and enhanced spiritual capacity was given to them.  She then asked the congregation to turn to Acts 17:9; the story of Paul’s conversion and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Pastor Scott used this framework to come back to the concepts of the Presence of the Spirit, the Person, the Power, and the pointing at the Promise of the Spirit, Pastor Scott noted it was a deposit or “part payment” on what will be fully redeemed in Heaven, and is put into each believer, as a free gift, for their faith.

Pastor Scott continued by stating that, “This sermon is for equipping”; encouraging that this “Person, Power, Presence and Promise” is available to each Christian. She then mentioned that many times, Christians do not lay claim to all of the heavenly power that is available to them, and cited herself as often being guilty of the same.

Referencing back to her teaching handout from the previous week, Pastor Scott continued through Galatians 5: 15 by reiterating the grammar behind the Greek term; “to walk” (stoicoman).  Insisting that this verb is in the “active”, “present” tense, Pastor Scott asserted that it connoted a continuous action.

Pastor Scott continued to define the action of “walking” and also the “coming under”, reinforcing that it was a military term, to be in “rank-and-file” with the Holy Spirit, thereby, reminding the congregation to pick up their individual cross daily and continuously. With this frame of reference – the Spirit being a person, a power, a presence – the Christian is actively and continuously submitting not to this Spirit Person, that lends power and daily presence.

Continuing, Pastor Scott highlighted Galatians 4:6 and its reference of the Spirit, aligning this notion back to her opening frame; David du Plessis’ quote “God has no grandchildren”. Reaffirming, Pastor Scott underscored Galatians 4: 6, stating God has sent the Spirit into the hearts of his Children so they may cry “Abba, Father” and by this faith, a Christian thus becomes a son or daughter of God.  Highlighting the grammar behind this, Pastor Scott taught that the activity of “sending” the Spirit is in the accusative case – meaning “to” or “into” – and, furthermore, that this Spirit is sent deliberately, individually, and exclusively to each Christian as they look with eyes of faith towards God, their heavenly father.  The Spirit deposit (the Greek word “arribone”) given to the Christian, allows them to call God their Father and gives them the hope of glory – eternal redemption.

Pastor Scott referenced Galatians 3:14 where we receive the promise of the Spirit by Faith. This faith must be brought forth from within each individual, just as fruit comes from within a tree – you cannot produce this “fruit” by outside effort, any more than shaking a tree produces fruit.

With a smirk, Pastor Scott recounted the story of a man who one day decided to plant a tomato vine.  This man became frustrated when tomatoes didn’t appear as expected.  In a bid to encourage the dejected man, his sister tied a store-bought tomato to the vine with a piece of string.  The next day, upon seeing the “new” tomato, the man was quickly elated. However, Pastor Scott related how he was quickly heartbroken when he noticed string and then knew the tomato was “not real”.  Humoring the congregation, she likened this tale to much or modern Christianity – where an emphasis on the outward “fruits” and the self-righteous “inspection” of others behavior is commonplace. She noted how this type of ill-conceived theology only quells the Spirit and certainly does not edify it. 

Pastor Scott continued by teaching the meaning behind Paul’s testimony of his lifestyle with the Galatian church.  She revealed that Paul’s message is given not merely for the sake of testimony itself, but rather, to point out that he was delivered from being a Pharisee and, that by God’s grace alone, he came into the kingdom of God.  Pastor Scott insisted, therefore, that Paul was communicating the ways the Spirit of God operated in him, and not a behavioral code of vices and virtues for others to perform. Instead, Pastor Scott showed how Paul taught that if one believes they can be justified by the law, they have, as a direct consequence, “fallen from grace” (Galatians 5: 4).  Pastor Scott stated that the law only magnifies the sinning nature of humankind and the observance of it can only serve to convict a person and, thus, bring spiritual death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday, May 24, 2009: Galatians 5: 16 – (Message VF 1666)

Encouraging the congregation, Pastor Melissa Scott opened Sunday’s message beckoning to their human decency; “Life is truly too short to spend it pre-occupied with our own problems. We have to encourage others in the only way that we, as Christians, can”.

Underlining that Christ went to minister to the lost and rejected, Pastor Scott announced that – in turn, and irrespective of other people’s opinion of her calling – a critical component of her ministry was to those that society had rejected. She issued a “reality check”, and warned not to measure one’s human performance against that of another and, in thus doing so, fall into judgment. Pastor Scott then boldly reminded the congregation that if she were to hang a banner from the front of the Cathedral, it would proclaim: “All sinners welcome”.

With a platform set, Pastor Scott said that she would be returning to the book of Galatians, to continue her expository series through this great letter penned by the Apostle Paul. Pastor Scott superimposed the church at Galatia with the modern church today; noting that modern Christianity suffers from the same malady that Paul was addressing two-thousand years ago; one of outsiders coming in to dissuade from and dilute the true meaning of God’s Word.

 

As an introduction, Pastor Scott reaffirmed that Paul had, indeed, written the letter to warn those in Galatia against other people coming with bad intentions, to cause disturbance and plant seeds of false teaching doctrine. Specifically, Pastor Scott noted, these “judaisers” came insisting that adhering to the Levitical laws, as well as submitting to the ancient Hebrew practice of circumcision, would prove and validate one’s Christianity. Paralleling this subtle evil infiltration with much of modern Christianity, Pastor Scott emphasized Paul’s writings; that the flawed idea of adding a performance criteria to the faith in and of Jesus Christ alone, was utterly false doctrine. She added that those who are concerned with outward, visible circumcision lack the spiritual insight to recognize internal, true circumcision – circumcision of the Spirit.

Presenting her insight, Pastor Scott stated that much of modern Christianity had wondered astray because “without the preaching of the Blood (of Jesus), the propitiation, and the propitiatory, there is a lack of clarity”. This lack of preaching and teaching clarity opens a doorway of entry for many false doctrines. Reminding her congregation of their true Christian walk, Pastor Scott quipped, “If you’re warm and fuzzy in church, then you’re in the wrong place! Christianity starts at the cross, a very uncomfortable place.”

Refining her focus on the fifth chapter, Pastor Scott reflected how some Christians abuse the essential message of Galatians, claiming “I have liberty, therefore I have license.” Pastor Scott, however, noted that such a perception was equally narrow-minded because it overlooks the powerful and dynamic deposit of God’s Spirit in the believer, and that the Spirit’s out-raying produces certain change in that individual. Pastor Scott was quick to add that such change is the working of God through the individual, not produced by the person in and of themselves and their own effort. It is, on the contrary, a natural outflow of God’s own glory and Spirit, produced by God alone.

Unfolding Galatians 5 verse by verse, starting at verses one and two, Pastor Scott broadened the meaning of “circumcision”, highlighting it was any type of imposed “spiritual performance” placed on someone, by someone else – and not by God.

Moving into verse four, Pastor Scott more accurately unfolded “ye have fallen from grace” – “you have strayed/been disconnected from Christ”.

Looking at verse six intently, Pastor Scott focused on the word “availeth”; noting that the text “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing” meant circumcision literally had no power or strength. Continuing, Pastor Scott asked her congregation to circle the word “love” (“but faith which worketh by love.”), and noted that the concept of love was an overlooked undercurrent of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Pastor Scott noted how she would refer again to the topic of love in verse thirteen.

Pastor Scott then turned to verse seven and commented that “Ye did run well”, was better translated as a verb – you were running well – and paralleled Paul’s common use of an athletic analogy to depict the Christian life, also stating that the word “hinder” – who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? – was pictorial of a runner cutting off their competitor before the finish line.

Assuring the congregation that “we are not original in our problems”, Pastor Scott discussed that, in verse ten, the Apostle Paul’s confidence in the Galatians was solely because his confidence was placed in the Lord. Furthermore, Pastor Scott reflected how this type of bond in Christ had shades of the Book of Amos 3: 3 – Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Additionally, she highlighted how those who had come in to disturb and frighten (see “troubleth”) the Galatians, would come under ultimate judgment; pointing to Paul’s use of the Greek word katakrima.

Much to the amusement of the congregation, Pastor Scott revealed that verse twelve was a lament by Paul, that those troublers would literally be emasculated. Continuing, with a more serious tone, she told that Paul was drawing a direct comparison to the troublers own desires to have the new converts prove their faith by undertaking circumcision.

 

Arriving at verse thirteen, and picking up again with the topic of “love” – but by love serve one another – Pastor Scott commented that the love which Paul had referred to was the Greek word agape, which is an unconditional, uncalculated, Godly love, where there was no counting of the cost and no expectation for anything in return. Pastor Scott further reiterated that the concept of this type of love – one that could not be generated by man, and is rather the power of God working through man – was woven delicately through the letter of Galatians, though often disregarded. Pastor Scott highlighted that to serve as such, more accurately defined as being a slave, was paradoxically only capable with a true heart toward the Living God, who gives true freedom, and that this type of loving service could not be produced through either law or by man’s prescription.

Illuminating the rest of verse 13, Pastor Scott said that the use of the English word “occasion” – only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh – when translated from the original Greek, conjured images of a military base, where one would plan tactics for an attack; thereby showing that Paul had encouraged the Galatians not to use their liberty and freedom as a weapon on themselves.

Emphatically stating that verse fourteen was “perhaps the worst thing the King James translators did”, Pastor Scott was not only direct in her observation that the English version was “horrible”, but equally sure that this horrible translation produced bad doctrine and incorrectly imposed an idea that was never intended from the origin.  She was quick to remind the congregation that “this is why we do what we do”.

Dissecting the first portion of verse fourteen – For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; – Pastor Scott noted how “is fulfilled” is incorrectly presented in the present-tense, where a more accurate read would be to say “For all the law has been done”, or “For all the law has been filled up”; specifically past-tense. On the contrary, Pastor Scott underscored that the original Greek word was a verb in the “perfect-passive”, meaning the task was already completed perfectly and – using an analogy – there was, in fact, no more room for the container to be filled, at any rate. Therefore, Pastor Scott reasoned, this verse was specifically not an instruction to do something, or a commandment from Paul, but rather, “a concept to be reconciled with as you read Galatians”.

Pastor Scott continued by looking at the latter portion of verse fourteen – Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself – and drew direct comparison to the Luke 10: 25 account of the Good Samaritan; thereby indicating that to love thy neighbor was to reveal a condition of the heart that only God and His power could generate  in the individual. Pastor Scott showed how it was the lowly Samaritan’s compassionate heart – and explicitly not the Levite’s knowledge of the law, or the Priest’s knowledge of religiosity – that revealed his heart was compassionate with a love flowing through him, coming from God.

As a punctuation point, Pastor Scott noted that verse fifteen showed Paul was reminding the Galatians that one makes a choice not to be involved with the quarrelling in the church.

 

Commencing verse sixteen, Pastor Scott’s chosen text for the message, she started subtly – “if you do not understand it (i.e. the verse), it will become a list of vices and virtues”:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

Galatians 5: 16

Referring to her two-page handout, Pastor Scott commenced her meticulous expository by juxtaposing verse 16 with verse 25 – If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. – and then explaining that the word “Walk” was an imperative order, which was both “present and active”, meaning it was to occur continually, daily, hourly. Parenthetically, Pastor Scott noted that the Apostle Paul chose the notion of walking because it was Hebraic and would immediately bring to mind the idea of following God.

Honing in on the latter portion of the verse, Pastor Scott hailed the Swahili translation for lending the “best sense” of accuracy from the original, claiming it to read as “we live by means of help or support of the Spirit, if we obey His direction”, particularly emphasizing that the Swahili labeled “the Spirit” as a proper person.

In contrast, Pastor Scott theorized that the errors in the translation first began with the Latin and, later, the German, too. Pastor Scott asserted that “to have sound doctrine, the bible must confirm itself” and, hence, that the original Greek word – stoicheion – used in the text, was a military word that meant to “arrange orderly”, and “come under submission to”. To support her claim, Pastor Scott provided seven other New Testament verses where the same word was translated more fittingly (see page 2 of handout).

Moreover, Pastor Scott showed how various English versions have translated this particular verse and mis-communicated the essence of what Paul had intended to communicate. Some of Pastor Scott’s references included the New American Standard Bible, The Contemporary Parallel of the New Testament – 8 translations, The Precise Parallel New Testament, The Amplified Bible, The Contemporary English Version and the New International Version all of which Pastor Scott claimed do not accurately reflect the message contained in the original source.

With a broader stroke, Pastor Scott claimed that verse sixteen “revolves around a warfare that does not commence until the Spirit is birthed in a person”. Conceding that such spiritual conflict may take place around a person prior to this birthing, Pastor Scott insisted that it was not internal to the individual until the spiritual birthing had first taken place, and that the warfare of the real Christians experience “does not mean the flesh stops existing and sins disappear” but rather, it is a “process of perfection” that is started but not completed on earth but, instead, by God in Heaven.

Pastor Scott ventured to assure the congregation of one thing; namely, that the concept of submission was submission to the Spirit.

 

Concluding, Pastor Scott claimed that a true understanding of verse sixteen hinged upon realizing that “the Spirit doesn’t wrestle someone to stop them from doing something” and that it was up to the individual to answer; does one submit in rank and file to the power of God, or, instead, to the power of one’s own desires to rule the self?

In a final pictorial rendering, Pastor Scott likened Christ as being represented by The Tree, and His followers, as the leaves; while each leaf is different and unique in appearance and existence, all are a part of the One tree and connected in willful and loving submission to the one source – Jesus Christ.

Culminating her message, Pastor Scott reaffirmed the words of the psalmist – The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD (Psalm 37: 23) – and that as a soldier in battle, when in submission to Jesus Christ and His Spirit in you, you are, without any merit of your own, walking by faith; a faith which God’s word, through the prophet Isaiah, promises will not return void or empty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday, May 17, 2009: Isaiah 28 – (Message VF 1665)

Starting with an inspiration from the Lord, Pastor Melissa Scott opened her message in Isaiah 28, noting that she had been impressed to speak about the difficult-to-understand passage while driving on the way into the Cathedral in Downtown Los Angeles for this morning’s service.

Pastor Scott introduced her discussion of Isaiah pointing to his name meaning “the Lord is our savior”, that his writings contain the most prophecies of the coming Messiah, and the root of his prophetic ministry was the urge to repentance – turning the people back to God.

Looking at Isaiah 28 specifically, Pastor Scott asserted that the difficulty in understanding it in our age – along with much of the book of Isaiah – was due to the prophet’s tendency to often chop and change between the timeline of his prophecy, presenting his revelations out of historical order.

With revelatory skill and ease, Pastor Scott dissected verses 1-22, superimposing much of her teaching with Galatians 5 and the juxtaposition of the “works of the flesh” opposing that of the “fruits of the Spirit”. Pastor Scott insisted that while Isaiah 28 commenced a series of “woes” and judgments spoken over different groups of people, the deeper message highlighting God’s mercy was really that of hope, and that God will be true to His word and forgive those who turn their hearts toward Him.

 

The first verse of Isaiah 28 opens with Isaiah speaking a “woe” over the people of Samaria, with the “Behold” at the start of verse two announcing this terrible fate - “a tempest of hail” – for Samaria; that they would be cast down with the chastising hand because they had turned away from the Living God and made a mockery of God’s chosen vessel. Pastor Scott additionally outlined how Isaiah was speaking to those who had drifted away from God’s plan in these initial six verses, and how he shifted his focus to the people of Israel – and Judah, specifically – in verse seven.

Through to verse nine, Pastor Scott noted how Isaiah introduced those who mocked him and his message, and touched on the fact that God would take care of those who chose not to follow. They mocked Isaiah’s teaching, saying that he would tell them to “do and do and do”, and give “rule and rule and rule”, all of which underscored the fact that they couldn’t understand the prophet’s message and, worse, refused to see or hear it. Pastor Scott emphasized that the same can be said today of those who hear the teaching of God’s word but do not take it to heart.

Looking at verse 12, Pastor Scott noted how the text brought inspired shades of Matthew 11:28-29 and Jesus’ own revelation of what “rest” in Him, the Lord, means to His followers.

Pastor Scott drew a direct comparison between the mockers and the faithful followers; that the mockers would find their rest in revelry and vanity, while Isaiah said that rest was only truly availed in the Lord, through the daily picking up of one’s cross, living the life of faith and battling the internal spiritual warfare of the flesh against the spirit.

 

Thanking God for her trials, tribulations and enemies, Pastor Scott encouraged the congregation to do the same – noting that such trials produce true fruit, making a better person for Christ’s sake and purpose.

Moving through verses 14 and 15, Pastor Scott illustrated Isaiah’s words with a picture of people who wrongfully ruled Jerusalem, ironically, the “place of peace”. Turning to verse 16, an oft-regarded passage pointing to the coming Messiah – Jesus Christ, Pastor Scott further unfolded the text, pointing to the writings of Peter and Paul in the New Testament and their use of the term “precious” cornerstone and how the Lord was also a “tried” cornerstone; true and pure against evil. Truly, Jesus is the foundation stone we lean on.

Focusing on the close of verse 16 – “he that believeth (literally “Amens”) shall not make haste” – Pastor Scott asked “what exactly do those not make haste against?”; thus, confirming that those who trusted and rested on the cornerstone would not haste fearfully from the “flood of mighty waters overflowing” of verse 2, because the Lord Jesus is their “mighty and strong” shelter, a passage she also paralleled to Psalm 84: 6 – “As they pass through the Valley of Baca (literally “valley of weeping”), they make it a spring”.

Pastor Scott then went on to unfold Isaiah’s imagery of verse 17, claiming that God will let His light and love reach whom He lets it reach, as she pointed to the overflowing waters being a picture of God’s falling judgment, and that the only escape was in the shelter of that precious and tried cornerstone, with verses 18 and 19 further describing the terrible things that befall those who refuse the stone.

 

Arriving at Verse 20, Pastor Scott’s selected text for today’s message, she looked at the deeper meaning of what the prophet was really describing:

“For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.”

Isaiah 28: 20

Posing the question to the congregation; “where are you resting? And what are you covering yourself with?”, Pastor Scott asserted that such a bed is too short, no matter the person, and such a covering never ample, irrespective of the circumstance. Pastor Scott instead claimed Jesus to be the only all-sufficient covering, a true resting place.

Pastor Scott continued through verse 21, discussing how Isaiah had chosen to show God in His “strange act” as the mighty conqueror of the enemy, drawing to mind the Joshua 10 account of Israel’s victory at Gibeon and the 2 Samuel 5: 20 account of King David’s defeat of the Philistines at Baal-Perzazim.

With that mighty, victorious picture of God painted, Pastor Scott gave a more accurate meaning for the start of verse 23, correcting; “Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong…” and adjusting it to; “Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your punishment be multiplied upon you…”

Compacting verses 23-29, Pastor Scott summarized that Isaiah used rhetoric to show God would not, and does not, sow His seed and plough His field randomly – all that He does, He does specifically. Encouraging the congregation, Pastor Scott superimposed Psalm 37: 23 – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD” – over this passage, emphasizing that God always has a purpose and a plan, difficult as it might be for us in our circumstance to see. He does not simply engage in threshing, crushing and sowing merely for the sake of it!

 

In conclusion, Pastor Scott urged the congregants to know where they take their rest, and to rest in the Lord no matter whether one faces the storms of life or storms of judgment. She noted how an onlooking world of scoffers will still ask; “what’s the point?”

In spite of their scoffing, Pastor Scott asserted it is the Christian’s life to always be looking to Jesus, the tried, true and precious cornerstone; that whatever the problems and circumstances may develop in life, God has already got it worked out; and that Jesus love – pure and uncalculated – is working in and through the Christian, so they do not have to worry about the bed being too short, or the covers not being long enough.

Concluding her message, Pastor Scott emphatically claimed: “That’s my Rock, and I’m leaning on it!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sunday, May 10, 2009: A Mother’s Day Message – (Message VF 1664)

Commencing in the book of Proverbs, chapter 31: 10-31, Pastor Scott opened today’s special Mother’s Day message by making particular note of Verse 14, where a mother’s love is portrayed:  “She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.”

Pastor Scott noted how, much like a merchant ship, a mother’s love has the strength to withstand storms, is always unloading and carrying cargo for someone else – namely, her family – and that, ultimately, she is guided by the one “Captain”, the Holy Spirit, through God’s Word.

Referencing Mother’s Day messages delivered by Dr. Gene Scott, Pastor Scott touched on the expression of God’s love for us through the picture of two old testament mothers; referring to the Exodus 1 and 2 account of Moses’ mother, Jochebed, which typifies a mother’s love to the helpless.

In addition to Jochebed was discussion on the 2 Samuel 21 account of Rizpah, a concubine of the inglorious King Saul, and her efforts to fend off the birds and wild animals from the decaying bodies of her dead sons, typifying the way a mother loves what may seem to others unlovable.

Using this as a platform, Pastor Scott went on to develop an acrostic of the word “MOTHER”, presenting a cross section of various biblical mothers, many of whom are largely unheralded:

M – Mary

O – Bathsheba, the “Other” woman

T – Tamar

H – Hannah

E – Elisabeth

R – Rahab and Ruth

Pastor Scott commenced her acrostic with 2 mothers who may be viewed as shameful in the eyes of the world; Tamar and Rahab.

Referring to the account in Genesis 38, Pastor Scott explained the union of Tamar with her father-in-law, Judah, and how their union produced Pharez and Zara; Pharez ultimately continuing the genetic line that would produce Christ. Far from being a shameful thing, Judah claimed Tamar was more righteous than he.  Pastor Scott added that God was not ashamed of Tamar, and instead raised her as an example of a banner of His right to use whom He pleases.

Continuing on was a description of the life of Rahab, as found in Joshua 2-6, where Pastor Scott noted that, in spite of outward appearances, Rahab was a mother of integrity whose faith saved her family.

The imagery of her letting down the scarlet chord out of the window, so that the 2 Israelite spies might escape, was a type of the salvation found in Jesus; a picture that was also shared at the birth of Tamar’s twins, “And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.” (Genesis 38: 30).

 

In an intriguing commentary on the story of Ruth, Pastor Scott unfolded the maternal bond that was forged between a mother and her daughter-in-law, shown in the relationship between Ruth and Naomi.

Ruth, a Moabite by birth, was raised in a polytheistic society and married one of the sons of Naomi.  Following the tragic death of both her sons and husband, Naomi is left widowed and alone. A God-fearing woman well-stricken in years, she implores her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to return to their Moabite families – each to the house of her mother.  Pastor Scott cited how scripture confirms that Orpah heeded her mother-in-law’s counsel, returning to her gods, but Ruth clings to Naomi and vows in a courageous act of loyalty and honor to follow Naomi, “…for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God…” (Ruth 1:16)

Pastor Scott then described that when they had traveled together to Bethlehem, Ruth found favor in the heart of her mother-in-law’s kinsman, Boaz, a man of prosperity and esteem, and she married him. Pastor Scott then referenced how their marital union produces Obed, becoming part of the Royal genealogy of David and, ultimately, Christ.

Emphatically, Pastor Scott stated that the love Ruth shared with Naomi is extraordinary in the regard that it is not one birthed through genetics, like most traditional maternal relationships throughout the early years of one’s life; but nevertheless powerful in underscoring the love God granted these two seemingly displaced women, for both Him and one another, thereby displaying a redemptive triumph of faithful events that ensured in their legacy.

 

Turning attention towards Hannah, Pastor Scott discussed how the wife of Elkanah anguished over her barren womb while her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, procreated in great abundance. Hannah, Pastor Scott recorded, although suffering in her desire to bear a child, continued to pray in faith to the Lord that He would bless her with a child, whom she promised to dedicate to Him‘…all the days of his life…’ (Samuel 1:11).

Pastor pointed to the love that Hannah’s heart was overflowing with, even before the conception of her child, and that such love was a beautiful display of the maternal instincts God granted her to prepare her ultimately for her role as mother to the great prophet, Samuel. Pastor Scott reflected how the ardent and faithful prayers Hannah made to God eventuated with Samuel upholding his tenure as a prophet of the Lord all the days of his life. Pastor Scott then concluded her dialogue on the story of Hannah by emphasizing God’s response to this one faithful prayer that Hannah lifted up while in her barren state; affirming that He is a God who hears and responds to prayer.

 

Looking at the adulterous love affair between David and Bathsheba, Pastor Scott noted how the love of a mother that sprang forth from this forbidden bond in the form of Solomon – the last great king of Israel. Pastor aptly titled this dissection “the Other woman”.

Pastor Scott commented that this story is rarely viewed from the vantage point of Bathsheba – the mother – and that, perhaps, many are quick to judge her. In the final phase of King David’s life, Pastor recounted the scene that unfolded as Bathsheba, full of the pride and love of a mother, petitioned David to name their son Solomon as the Royal heir to reign in David’s stead, an appeal he heeds and immediately bestows.

Pastor Scott reflected on how Bathsheba’s obvious love and devotion to her son is punctuated in this moment and reiterated how this unsuspecting and forbidden bond, rooted in murder and deceit, produced arguably one of history’s most infamous tales of adulterous love, as well as one of history’s greatest Kings. In doing so, Pastor Scott provoked a fresh perspective on the length and breadth of a mother’s love, one that is seldom viewed favorably by a world that generally shuns Bathsheba’s behavior as evil.

Moving to letter “E”, Pastor Scott selected John the Baptist’s mother, Elisabeth; a righteous woman, yet once again barren in her capacity to bear children.  Juxtaposing this with Ruth, Pastor Scott postulated that God blessed Elisabeth and her husband with a son in response to their faith, thus again exemplifying the Lord’s mercy as He sent an angel to assure her that many would rejoice at her son’s birth. Pastor Scott stated that Elisabeth’s heart remained steadfast towards the Lord, without respite.

 

Closing at letter “M”, Pastor Scott immediately referenced three Mary’s: Mary the mother of James and Joseph, Mary the mother of John Mark and, of course, the most prominent Mary of all, and most celebrated mother in Christian history – Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The immaculate conception of Jesus bestowed on this unsuspecting virgin was, as Pastor Scott revealed, a reflection of God’s sovereign ability to use any vessel of His choice – whether pure, innocent and virginal, like Mary, or those more tainted by the world and their circumstance.

Pastor Scott referenced the paradoxical reaction Mary had toward her Son, describing how she loved Him and stood by Him, right to the end, yet often was devoid of any concrete understanding of who her Son actually was. Pastor Scott confirmed that this was displayed when Jesus, at 12 years of age, stayed behind to teach in the synagogue at Jerusalem. When Mary and Joseph had realized they had left Jesus behind in the shuffle, they returned, only to be rebuked and told that He was going about His Father’s business.

Pastor Scott pointed out that God’s grace brought Mary into the upper room on the day of Pentecost, where she would see her Son’s promise of glory fulfilled.

In a climatic finale, Pastor Scott broadened her focus and likened the love of these Biblical mothers for their children to the love of God for His children – a love which is divinely maternal in nature and carries the components of unswerving loyalty and desire to shield, protect, nurture and guide. Pastor Scott reassured her congregation of the unchanging nature of God’s love, being far superior to even the world’s most devoted mothers, and incapable of failure.

The Love of God, Pastor Scott surmised, is traced by His character shining through each of these mothers, and at the same time, reaches so much further to care for, comfort and love His children.

 

 

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Join me on Sundays for the teaching of God’s Word.  Visit http://www.pastormelissascott.com for more information.