Old is New - The Use of a Lectionary for Personal Spiritual Growth

Paul instructed Timothy to devote himself to the public reading of Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13). If your background is a more liturgical church then you are probably familiar with a Lecionary - a book that aids in a scheduled reading plan that corresponds to the church calendar.

Although Crossroads would not be considered a liturgical church, the biblical instruction of systematic Scripture reading remains valid. As a part of the weekly schedule of posts I am including the suggested reading from The Christian Worship One Year Lecionary simply for your edification and discipline.

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2010 LENT
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT

Old Testament 2 Samuel 22:1–7
Psalm Psalm 73
New Testament Ephesians 5:1–9
Gospel Luke 11:14–28
OLD TESTAMENT
2 Samuel 22:1–7

22 And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said,
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
4 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
5 “For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
6 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 “In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.
PSALM
Psalm 73

73 A PSALM OF ASAPH.
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken
and rebuked every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.
NEW TESTAMENT
Ephesians 5:1–9

5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
GOSPEL
Luke 11:14–28

14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Christian Worship One Year Lectionary. 2009. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Called: Ephesians 4:1

On the weekends at Crossroads we are studying Ephesians 4:17-5:21. The series is called Deconstruction / Reconstruction of the Disciples Life. From the sound of the title it might appear that sanctification (spiritual growth) is based on will power and self motivation. Although, a cooperative element with the Spirit of God is required to grow it does not begin there. The power to grow spiritually begins, rather, at our calling to salvation. So to have a good grasp on Ephesians 4:17-5:21 we need to first understand Ephesians 4:1.

After three chapters concerning the theology of our salvation Paul writes, "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." What is the anchor word of the passage? You think it is the verb, "walk." However, the key to the passage is actually the word "calling" or "called." Paul's emphasis is on our salvation. He is saying that our daily conduct (walk) should be in balance (in a manner worthy) with our salvation (calling).

The ability to overcome unrighteousness is based not in our personal will power but rather in the power of our salvation. This is one of Paul's favorite themes:

Rom 8:30: "Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

1 Thess 2:12: "We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory."

2 Timothy 1:9: "…God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began."

At our calling to salvation we became a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and the life we now live is not by the power of the "flesh" but by the "Son of God" (Gal. 2:20). Paul's admonishment to the Roman's is not to walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:1-11).

How do you deconstruct unrighteous lifestyles? It begins with the call of God. My desire here is less theological and more pastoral. I say that because I want us to grasp the greatness of our salvation. The power to grow spiritually and to walk righteously originates in our salvation. We will not have any degree of success, at least with consistency, deconstructing the unrighteous elements of our lifestyles if we attempt to do so in our own power.

"So what now?" I smile as I write those words because I can hear one of my favorite seminary professors asking that question. After elucidating some great truth he would pause and stare at us. After what seemed like agonizing minutes he would says, "Gentlemen, so what now?" He was asking for the implication.

"So what now?" How do we apply the truth just revealed? Just as we trusted God for our salvation we must daily trust him for our sanctification. That's easy to say, but how do we do it?

Now the verb "walk" becomes important to understand. The idea behind the grammar of the Greek word is to walk continually. In other words, we are to daily yield our life to Him "in a manner" just like our salvation. Just as we surrendered our life to him on the first day of our salvation we do the same daily in our walk with Him. Spiritual defeat and set backs happen when we forget this one principle of daily walking and yielding to Christ.