"What is the opposite of shame?
Being touched by the right person."
This is how Welch begins this next chapter and then goes on to explain how Scripture teaches that Jesus touches us and teaches us how to live in a new Kingdom. Our old culture was one of shame, with all the manners, rules, and prohibitions that every culture has. Welch now gives us the task to live in a new culture, which could be very awkward at first, as we still carry our old shame-culture with us.
This new Kingdom has Jesus as King, gathering His subjects around Him as He teaches them on the side of a hill. In this chapter Welch shows how the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5-7 applies to us. Jesus uses this Sermon to show how the 10 commandments have been added to through Jesus' work. With the 8 beatitudes, divided into 2 parts: first 4 applying to how we relate to God and the last 4, how we relate to people, Jesus unloads all the old thoughts about shame and honour.
"Blessed" is a loaded word showing honour, recipients getting divine approval and favour. Welch encourages us to replace Blessed are with How honourable are to get a better sense.
How honourable are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven - The poor were the original people Jesus spoke to, but by adding poor in spirit to describing nothing. Welch uses Martin Lloyd-Jones description to show that NOTHING includes the consciousness that we are nothing in the presence of God. When I read this part I just sat there, crying in relief that this nothingness is a relief!! God requires NOTHING from me!! Please sit with that for a moment.....
Welch encourages us now, and he repeats this a number of times - think the opposite of the way you normally do. Depending on the King instead of ourselves, makes us share in what is His. That means we have EVERYTHING, and it will all LAST.
How honourable are those who mourn, for they will be comforted - Book of Job shows the old system's view of mourning, that they must have done something bad to be under God's judgment, which Welch comments that this is actually quite ironic considering that Job was one of God's favourites, showing that suffering was actually a badge of honour (p. 144). Shame also thinks that we have to have done something bad to suffer and mourn but Welch reminds us to look at those who cry - they are the compassionate ones. In fact crying tears of sadness is a way to get rid of toxins in our body. Science has proven that when the tears of sadness have be chemically measured, they are toxic enough to kill a rodent. Crying is important for our healing! Welch tells us that they are badges of honour in God's Kingdom.
How honourable are the meek, for they will inherit the earth - Jesus is quoting Psalm 37:11 but Welch encourages us to read the whole Psalm to see the lies around victimization. If people acting as enemies add to our shame, the psalmist encourages the path of meekness, "Trust in the Lord" "Be still before the Lord", "Refrain from anger". Even when we don't understand why or what is happening it does not help to fight against it, but it's more important to trust God, that He knows what is going on, and will lead us on the path of humble obedience. This is very tough for us because we are not naturally meek, we want to know why, be able to "fixit" so here is another one of those times when we have to learn to think the opposite of our natural ways.
How honourable are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled - Anyone who is hungry or thirsty is poor, and the poor include those who live with shame, Welch tells us. Jesus takes this point to make us think more deeply about what it means to be hungry and thirsty -- it means we are dependent on something, food and drink, in order to live, which leads us to realize that to truly LIVE we are dependent on God/Jesus. When Jesus was obedient to God, even dying on the cross, He made us RIGHTEOUS before God. That is what we need to live, we need to follow Jesus and therefore know true honour.
These first four beatitudes point to our relationship with God and that has to come first for us to be healed from our shame. Shame seems to be about our relationship with others - what others think of us, where we fit in so thinking that our relationship with God has to come first is hard to recognize. The thing is that, we know we are accepted by the King-God and we know how to live before Him, the power of shame before others is actually BROKEN. You may think that other people's voices may still hurt but they really don't reach as deep or last as long when we are firmly connected to God. PLEASE BELIEVE IT!!!
How honourable are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy - Welch tells us that mercy is for the miserable and therefore this beatitude assumes we have suffered, and that we have also tasted mercy. The reality is that only when we receive mercy can we offer it. The great thing is that the more we receive/understand God's mercy, the more we can offer mercy, receive mercy, give mercy, receive mercy, give mercy ...... Even when we're afraid that our shame will contaminate someone if we show mercy, the truth is that the way of the Kingdom is that those who need mercy are uniquely qualified to show mercy (p. 149).
How honourable are the pure in heart, for they will see God - the idea of being pure may seem a bit foreign to us, especially when we feel shame, but Welch reminds us to remember where we have been! Pure is possible for the poor in spirit because we have been PURIFIED by Jesus. Being pure is NOT something we do ourselves but it is something DONE to us. We receive it by faith which is the gentle yet powerful touch of Jesus!! Remember faith is calling to God to help us, and He makes us pure = sanctification, Christians under Construction. Purity comes from being purified and our Christ-purified hearts will show Christ-like behaviour --> genuine love and mercy, pursuing peace more than personal rights.
How honourable are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God - when we realize the power of God in that He accepted me, an outcast, we will want to invite others to peace with God and peace with other people (p. 151). Sometimes its hard to figure out how to be a peacemaker but Welch tells us that "shamed people feel powerless, and what could be more powerful than being an agent of peace in the midst of war? What could be more powerful than disarming someone with love? Peacemaking is, indeed, an honourable profession." (p. 151) But peacemaking doesn't always work, Welch warns, and the way of honour is still the more important point of being connected to the King, than being an expert peacemaker.
How honourable are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven - the disciples had to learn that even though they followed Jesus, it didn't mean that their social standing got better. In fact many times their social status became less. We also can't expect that because we follow Jesus our health, wealth and prosperity will be great, warns Welch. Instead he tells us to expect comfort and hope during trouble, strength during persecution.
Knowing the beatitudes is the reality that our old reality has to change. We have to truly understand and believe that our relationship with the King changes everything, honour is found only in knowing the King and saying "I am with Him." (p. 153) But this new reality will not be easy, we will NOT be placed in a higher social status. We have to think the opposite of what we would normally think! Power and prestige in this world is NOT what we're looking for, it won't heal us from shame! Instead we have to become like little children (Mt 18:1-4), hanging onto God with a simple child-like faith!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
When God Touches the Untouchables
Welch begins this chapter by reminding us how Jesus really succeeded in associating with outcasts. The Pharisees asked why He was a friend of "tax collectors and sinners", the very dregs of society: the divorcer, the adulteress, the thief, the physically handicapped or abused, the blind, the molested. Jesus looked for them and they looked for Him! The Jews expected God to be close but not too close. Jesus came close, even touching the untouchable!
What does it mean to be touched? We're touched constantly throughout our day as people brush up against us, but what about the deliberate touch of someone you love, or who loves you? Welch describes how when you love someone you touch them. Attachment theory says that the first way we attach to someone is through the senses, which includes touch. Think about how we attach to a baby? We get close, get them to look at us, hold their hand, get them to grasp our finger. So touch is important to a secure attachment.
But sometimes there is a harmful touch, purposeful, intentional harmful touch, which can shame us, especially if it is sexual. This kind of touch can't be broken except through a good touch that erases and replaces the harmful touch (p.129).
Welch then looks at OT touching, where he tells us that Scripture is all about touching. The priest touched the consecrated (made holy) altar and the holiness rubbed off on him; some Israelites were burying a man and quickly threw his body into Elisha's (a holy prophet) tomb and when the body touched Elisha's bones it quickly came back to life (2 Kgs 13:21); Aaron, the high priest laid his hands on the scapegoat (an actual live goat) and confessed the peoples' sins over the goat, transferring their sin onto the goat so that the goat, not the people, would carry the weight of the sin (Lev 16:20-22); prophet Elisha stretched himself over top of a dead boy, touching him so he came alive again (2 Kgs 4:32-34).
In the OT touch was usually a good thing but you still needed to be careful. When God came to the people at Mt Sinai they had to ritually wash themselves but even then if someone touched the mountain they would die (Ex 19:10-13); when ark was returned and unauthorized Uzziah touched it, he died (2 Sam 6:6-7).
What we have to learn from this, Welch tells us, is that touch has a deeper meaning -- get touched at the wrong time by the wrong person and you at least became unclean, even might die; get touched at the right time by the right person and you come to life (p.131).
So now Welch goes on to look at the purposeful touch of Jesus. Jesus intentionally touched many, healing the lame, blind, leprous, discarded and sinful. With the story in Matthew of the leper (Mt 8:1-3) you see how Jesus makes Himself unclean to make the leper clean. Can we make this our story??? Can we say, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."? Welch urges us to do just that, not to just nod our head in agreement but to actually say those words!!! If we can't say it, pray that God will help you say it, and then we also have to BELIEVE it. Do we really believe what God says? If we don't then we have to be careful because in a sense then we are actually saying our worthlessness has more authority than Jesus. Jesus is NOT telling the truth, that His touch is less powerful than Elisha's (p. 132).
Now Welch points us toward the story of the woman with a bleeding for twelve years (Luke 8:42-48). Her touching Jesus was totally intentional but she wanted it to stay secret because she was UNCLEAN and when she touched Him she made Him unclean. Are we also willing to contaminate the KING? What she did was done in FAITH. Faith is our response to Jesus. Welch tells us that Jesus makes the first move, bee-lining it toward us and then we respond "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." or simply, "Yes Lord, I believe."
THIS IS THE GOSPEL -- GOD TOUCHES US (my emphasis of Welch's words). Christ displaces our shame and replaces it with holiness (2 Cor 5:21). Welch describes it as "With our touch Jesus becomes our scapegoat, in His touch Jesus takes our sin and absorbs our shame" (Ps 69:9, Rom 15:8).
THIS IS FAITH -- WE REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE HOLY ONE (my emphasis of Welch's words). Faith -- or touching Jesus -- means saying, "Jesus, I need you." (p. 136) Shame may make it hard to say that and our instinct is to turn inward, rather than putting our trust and confidence in Jesus but EXPOSE that LIE! Even as we have seen this as self-protection, Welch warns us that it is actually UNBELIEF. Shame and unbelief are very close cousins. BEWARE!
Truly look at what happened when Jesus came: unclean people were filled with hope and boldly ignored the townspeople and searched for Jesus. When they found Him they felt compelled to touch Him = faith, they came ALIVE!!! Join them and purposefully reach out to touch Him today!!!
What does it mean to be touched? We're touched constantly throughout our day as people brush up against us, but what about the deliberate touch of someone you love, or who loves you? Welch describes how when you love someone you touch them. Attachment theory says that the first way we attach to someone is through the senses, which includes touch. Think about how we attach to a baby? We get close, get them to look at us, hold their hand, get them to grasp our finger. So touch is important to a secure attachment.
But sometimes there is a harmful touch, purposeful, intentional harmful touch, which can shame us, especially if it is sexual. This kind of touch can't be broken except through a good touch that erases and replaces the harmful touch (p.129).
Welch then looks at OT touching, where he tells us that Scripture is all about touching. The priest touched the consecrated (made holy) altar and the holiness rubbed off on him; some Israelites were burying a man and quickly threw his body into Elisha's (a holy prophet) tomb and when the body touched Elisha's bones it quickly came back to life (2 Kgs 13:21); Aaron, the high priest laid his hands on the scapegoat (an actual live goat) and confessed the peoples' sins over the goat, transferring their sin onto the goat so that the goat, not the people, would carry the weight of the sin (Lev 16:20-22); prophet Elisha stretched himself over top of a dead boy, touching him so he came alive again (2 Kgs 4:32-34).
In the OT touch was usually a good thing but you still needed to be careful. When God came to the people at Mt Sinai they had to ritually wash themselves but even then if someone touched the mountain they would die (Ex 19:10-13); when ark was returned and unauthorized Uzziah touched it, he died (2 Sam 6:6-7).
What we have to learn from this, Welch tells us, is that touch has a deeper meaning -- get touched at the wrong time by the wrong person and you at least became unclean, even might die; get touched at the right time by the right person and you come to life (p.131).
So now Welch goes on to look at the purposeful touch of Jesus. Jesus intentionally touched many, healing the lame, blind, leprous, discarded and sinful. With the story in Matthew of the leper (Mt 8:1-3) you see how Jesus makes Himself unclean to make the leper clean. Can we make this our story??? Can we say, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."? Welch urges us to do just that, not to just nod our head in agreement but to actually say those words!!! If we can't say it, pray that God will help you say it, and then we also have to BELIEVE it. Do we really believe what God says? If we don't then we have to be careful because in a sense then we are actually saying our worthlessness has more authority than Jesus. Jesus is NOT telling the truth, that His touch is less powerful than Elisha's (p. 132).
Now Welch points us toward the story of the woman with a bleeding for twelve years (Luke 8:42-48). Her touching Jesus was totally intentional but she wanted it to stay secret because she was UNCLEAN and when she touched Him she made Him unclean. Are we also willing to contaminate the KING? What she did was done in FAITH. Faith is our response to Jesus. Welch tells us that Jesus makes the first move, bee-lining it toward us and then we respond "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." or simply, "Yes Lord, I believe."
THIS IS THE GOSPEL -- GOD TOUCHES US (my emphasis of Welch's words). Christ displaces our shame and replaces it with holiness (2 Cor 5:21). Welch describes it as "With our touch Jesus becomes our scapegoat, in His touch Jesus takes our sin and absorbs our shame" (Ps 69:9, Rom 15:8).
THIS IS FAITH -- WE REACH OUT AND TOUCH THE HOLY ONE (my emphasis of Welch's words). Faith -- or touching Jesus -- means saying, "Jesus, I need you." (p. 136) Shame may make it hard to say that and our instinct is to turn inward, rather than putting our trust and confidence in Jesus but EXPOSE that LIE! Even as we have seen this as self-protection, Welch warns us that it is actually UNBELIEF. Shame and unbelief are very close cousins. BEWARE!
Truly look at what happened when Jesus came: unclean people were filled with hope and boldly ignored the townspeople and searched for Jesus. When they found Him they felt compelled to touch Him = faith, they came ALIVE!!! Join them and purposefully reach out to touch Him today!!!
Monday, July 22, 2013
The Boundary Violator
This time Welch helps us understand even more how Jesus the King identifies with the shamed and destitute and actually became the shamed and destitute as it says in Psalm 69:7-9.
Welch begins by looking at Jesus' life verse: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour (Lk 4:18-19, quoted from Is 61:1-2). The poor, the prisoner, the worthless and forgotten are Jesus' constituency.
Welch then uses John 4, the story of the Samaritan Woman to help us understand that Jesus came for the shamed. Welch helps us imagine that we are the Samaritan Woman and reminds us of the cultural barriers between Jesus and this woman:
Just as the Samaritan woman did not expect Jesus to start talking to her, we probably don't expect Jesus to take the initiative to us either, but He does!!! Just as Jesus invited the woman to ask for the living water He also invites us to ask for something, but in our shame we probably pull back, cringe as He continues to talk to her/us. Finally she/we hear Him, shock has passed, hope starts to kick in = FAITH. But then Jesus tells the woman to get her husband and she immediately feels the shame again, freezes in it, she and we get defensive. She/we don't want to go to those dark and shameful areas but then Jesus says, Don't worry, I already know all about your past, your shameful spots, but I still want to give you the living water.
We don't have to go into all the shameful details of our past, Welch tells us, because Jesus already knows all about them. We don't have to get defensive but we often do, changing the subject from us to religion. We might say something like, "With so many denominations and religions, who is to know what's true?" Somewhat of a dumb question but we're really trying to get the focus off ourselves because we still don't really know who Jesus is.
Jesus IS the one true God! We simply have to worship Him!! Stop trying to change the subject. Jesus is a friend who knows all about you and me and we don't have to feel shame in His presence. Just as Jesus connected with the Samaritan woman, so He is connected to you and me. He WILL give us living water and His Holy Spirit to live in us. We are no longer isolated, outcast. Please hold onto that!!!!
Welch begins by looking at Jesus' life verse: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour (Lk 4:18-19, quoted from Is 61:1-2). The poor, the prisoner, the worthless and forgotten are Jesus' constituency.
Welch then uses John 4, the story of the Samaritan Woman to help us understand that Jesus came for the shamed. Welch helps us imagine that we are the Samaritan Woman and reminds us of the cultural barriers between Jesus and this woman:
- men didn't talk to women in public!
- Jews didn't associate with Samaritans!
- Jews didn't contaminate themselves by eating or drinking with non-Jews!
Just as the Samaritan woman did not expect Jesus to start talking to her, we probably don't expect Jesus to take the initiative to us either, but He does!!! Just as Jesus invited the woman to ask for the living water He also invites us to ask for something, but in our shame we probably pull back, cringe as He continues to talk to her/us. Finally she/we hear Him, shock has passed, hope starts to kick in = FAITH. But then Jesus tells the woman to get her husband and she immediately feels the shame again, freezes in it, she and we get defensive. She/we don't want to go to those dark and shameful areas but then Jesus says, Don't worry, I already know all about your past, your shameful spots, but I still want to give you the living water.
We don't have to go into all the shameful details of our past, Welch tells us, because Jesus already knows all about them. We don't have to get defensive but we often do, changing the subject from us to religion. We might say something like, "With so many denominations and religions, who is to know what's true?" Somewhat of a dumb question but we're really trying to get the focus off ourselves because we still don't really know who Jesus is.
Jesus IS the one true God! We simply have to worship Him!! Stop trying to change the subject. Jesus is a friend who knows all about you and me and we don't have to feel shame in His presence. Just as Jesus connected with the Samaritan woman, so He is connected to you and me. He WILL give us living water and His Holy Spirit to live in us. We are no longer isolated, outcast. Please hold onto that!!!!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
A Shameful Start
Welch begins this next chapter in this second section with these words:
"What is the way out of shame?
Start with Jesus.
Look outside yourself to Jesus, who has been both highly honoured and deeply shamed.
Somehow, you must be associated with Him.
You associate yourself with Him by faith." (p. 108)
Attachment theory tells us that when we are attached to someone in love, their acceptance and reputation keep us in a secure attachment and from there we can venture forth, grow and mature to become the people we were meant to be. Imagine if that lover had a perfect love! Welch tells us to imagine no longer but our job is to get to know the better LOVER and to trust in Him!!
Jesus -- the Servant-King, someone who no one expected to be like He was -- A King from David's line, King of the Jews heralded by angels, a royal envoy preceding Him; yet He was also Nothing -- identifying Himself with things and people considered to have no value. This incongruity, Welch tells us, is where we find our hope for our own rejection and contamination. He understands Nothings because He chose to BE one; He elevates Nothings when they associate with Him, King Jesus. Welch now goes on to show how Scripture introduces Jesus to us.
Royal Blood
To get rid of shame we need to be connected to someone who can actually do something about it - a King, and Jesus was royalty. We can read His lineage in Matthew and Luke, but also see that Tamar (became pregnant through her father-in-law), Rahab (an outsider and prostitute), and Ruth (an outsider reduced to nothing) are included in the royal line. These women were sinful, didn't have much worth but their sin and shame would no longer define them because, through God's mercy, they were honoured as part of the royal line of Jesus, the Messiah. Can you think of any other King who can reverse shame and replace it with honour???? (p. 110)
The Right Place of Birth
Want to let people know how important you are? Start dropping names of who your ancestors were, perhaps they were founding members of the church or community. Then make sure you tell everyone where you were born, and make sure it wasn't on the poor, rejected side of town.
Now lets look at Jesus. Remember the incongruity of His royal blood? Jesus was born in Bethlehem, nothing to boast about in those days (Micah 5:2). Then His family is forced to flee to Egypt, the place where the Jew had been enslaved!! Welch compares this to a Jew in Hitler's time, fleeing to Germany to find safety!! Jesus' family in Egypt were outcasts, with no privileges or reputation, poorer than poor. Next they go to Nazareth, a place about as far away from Jerusalem in prestige as you could get because it was associated with Gentiles, unclean people who would make you unclean if you came in contact with them. This is the town (John 7:41) that Jesus was identified with; common and poor people saw Him as one of their own, the ruling class thought He should stay there.
Dreams and Announcements
Welch tells us that Scripture gives Jesus' credentials to us -- a commoner, outcast who knows us and identifies with us so we can identify with Him; a King who takes us to the heights of honour and privilege (p. 112).
Famous births come with signs, dreams and pageantry but Welch points us once again to the incongruities of these for Jesus.
"What is the way out of shame?
Start with Jesus.
Look outside yourself to Jesus, who has been both highly honoured and deeply shamed.
Somehow, you must be associated with Him.
You associate yourself with Him by faith." (p. 108)
Attachment theory tells us that when we are attached to someone in love, their acceptance and reputation keep us in a secure attachment and from there we can venture forth, grow and mature to become the people we were meant to be. Imagine if that lover had a perfect love! Welch tells us to imagine no longer but our job is to get to know the better LOVER and to trust in Him!!
Jesus -- the Servant-King, someone who no one expected to be like He was -- A King from David's line, King of the Jews heralded by angels, a royal envoy preceding Him; yet He was also Nothing -- identifying Himself with things and people considered to have no value. This incongruity, Welch tells us, is where we find our hope for our own rejection and contamination. He understands Nothings because He chose to BE one; He elevates Nothings when they associate with Him, King Jesus. Welch now goes on to show how Scripture introduces Jesus to us.
Royal Blood
To get rid of shame we need to be connected to someone who can actually do something about it - a King, and Jesus was royalty. We can read His lineage in Matthew and Luke, but also see that Tamar (became pregnant through her father-in-law), Rahab (an outsider and prostitute), and Ruth (an outsider reduced to nothing) are included in the royal line. These women were sinful, didn't have much worth but their sin and shame would no longer define them because, through God's mercy, they were honoured as part of the royal line of Jesus, the Messiah. Can you think of any other King who can reverse shame and replace it with honour???? (p. 110)
The Right Place of Birth
Want to let people know how important you are? Start dropping names of who your ancestors were, perhaps they were founding members of the church or community. Then make sure you tell everyone where you were born, and make sure it wasn't on the poor, rejected side of town.
Now lets look at Jesus. Remember the incongruity of His royal blood? Jesus was born in Bethlehem, nothing to boast about in those days (Micah 5:2). Then His family is forced to flee to Egypt, the place where the Jew had been enslaved!! Welch compares this to a Jew in Hitler's time, fleeing to Germany to find safety!! Jesus' family in Egypt were outcasts, with no privileges or reputation, poorer than poor. Next they go to Nazareth, a place about as far away from Jerusalem in prestige as you could get because it was associated with Gentiles, unclean people who would make you unclean if you came in contact with them. This is the town (John 7:41) that Jesus was identified with; common and poor people saw Him as one of their own, the ruling class thought He should stay there.
Dreams and Announcements
Welch tells us that Scripture gives Jesus' credentials to us -- a commoner, outcast who knows us and identifies with us so we can identify with Him; a King who takes us to the heights of honour and privilege (p. 112).
Famous births come with signs, dreams and pageantry but Welch points us once again to the incongruities of these for Jesus.
- angels sang at His birth -- but sang to shepherds, the lowliest of occupations
- angel Gabriel tells Mary she will bear a Son of the Most High God -- but she will be pregnant before she is married, about as shameful as you could get in that day
- This was how King Jesus chose to be born -- took on human flesh, taking on the most rejected place on the social ladder
Envoys and Ambassadors
Now Welch describes how Kings don't just show up, they have to be properly announced, therefore these ambassadors have to be impressive, standing out in the crowd with their uniforms, medals, banners flying (p. 113), making all the proper arrangements.
Jesus' ambassador was John the Baptist whose uniform was a primitive coat of camel's hair, his royal food -- locusts and wild honey, very popular with the poor and common crowd yet called the ruling class a brood of vipers (Luke 3:7). John's ministry offered cleansing symbolized by baptism (John 1:26).
The message Welch wants us to hear is that the King identifies Himself with outcasts, and that the OT continually shows that people NEED cleansing, shown by all the sacrificial rituals. But now John and Jesus unveil a radical message -- unclean, shamed people can experience cleansing by confessing their sins; if you were contaminated by others, you were cleansed and accepted. No more would sacrifices be necessary, you do not need to bring ANYTHING!!! Jesus was the Servant-King (Mt 20:28), the Lamb-King (Jn 1:29), the Outcast-King, the Naked-King -- an unexpected King who cannot be compared to anything/one else! We who are Nothing, may understand that He considers us as one of His own!
Shame, Honour and Jesus
This is the title of Welch's next section which he begins with:
"Everything Scripture says about shame converges at Jesus. From His birth to His crucifixion, the shame of the world was distilled to its most concentrated form and washed over Him. He was despised, insulted, naked, a friend of sinners, and abandoned by those who knew Him best. The crucifixion was not the tragic end of an otherwise charmed life. It was the logical conclusion of the shame he voluntarily accumulated from the moment of His birth. The task in the first section was just to listen and give hope a fighting chance. Now the job is to work, and "this is the work of God, that you believe in Him in whom He has sent."" (John 6:29)
"Everything Scripture says about shame converges at Jesus. From His birth to His crucifixion, the shame of the world was distilled to its most concentrated form and washed over Him. He was despised, insulted, naked, a friend of sinners, and abandoned by those who knew Him best. The crucifixion was not the tragic end of an otherwise charmed life. It was the logical conclusion of the shame he voluntarily accumulated from the moment of His birth. The task in the first section was just to listen and give hope a fighting chance. Now the job is to work, and "this is the work of God, that you believe in Him in whom He has sent."" (John 6:29)
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
"Their Faces Shall never be Ashamed"
Again Welch turns us to the book of Isaiah 54:1-5 and Psalm 34:1-8.
Up to this point Welch has been encouraging us to have hope, allowing it to take root in our hearts. He describes hope as "steely confidence that God is in this story of shame and He is up to something good." (p.97) Like Isaiah we might not understand all the details yet but through getting to know God's character that's enough for us right now. We know God truly loves those who are the underdog! That's why we continue to look at Isaiah even as he prophesies of some very hard things to come. The good thing about that is, on the other side of the hard, dark things there is light through the Servant King Jesus. A Servant who would be despised and rejected but somehow through all that He would take on all our shameful acts and every bit of shame done against us. The Servant would identify with us and call us to identify with Him. (p. 98).
"Sing, O barren one" (Is 54:1). Welch tells us that when we think of the most shameful thing that could happen today, we think of sexual abuse. This compares with the same level of shamefulness in the OT as being barren. Being barren was so noticeable, so public, your family line would not continue.... Yet these words of Isaiah show that something the Servant King did, made the barren one sing, her joy comes bursting out of her!! She is honoured among her people instead of shunned. What would that look like today? Can we imagine something happening so that our shame is gone and the opposite -- honour, glory, renown happens?
"Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced" (Is 54:4). The shame that has stubbornly stuck to our hearts, Isaiah tells us will be gone. When God says "Fear not", we can positive that He is doing something. It may be hard but let's just LISTEN to these words, just stop and LISTEN, HOPE!
"For your Maker is your husband" (Is 54:5). Welch reminds us that shame usually works with associations and this is a key point here. We can feel shame because of our connections to something/someone shameful, but we can also feel shame when we have no connections. God built in us this need for attachment and when we feel we are not invited into anyone's presence, this brings great shame. We are identified with nothing and this is a great curse. Nothing is bad and we may feel like we are worth nothing in poverty, if we are orphans/adopted, if we are rich because we identify ourselves with money which really is nothing, or when we attach ourselves to some other idol because idols are really nothing. In this passage of Isaiah Israel was nothing, until they were identified with God, the Lord Almighty, the King, the Holy One. Because Israel became His bride, He chose her, Israel became glorious! Welch tells us that "The cure for shame will always be found in how we become connected to God." (p. 103)
"Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed." (Ps 34:5) Imagine a wedding ceremony, the moment when the bride and groom face each other, deeply connected, eyes only for each other. Welch tells us that this is similar to what happens when Our King turns His face toward us. He is committed to us and change will happen. The worst curse is found in Psalm 27:9 when God turns His face away from us, and the greatest blessing is heard every Sunday in the worship service (Num 6:24-25) when the LORD makes His face to shine upon us. In response we look to His face, turning away from emptiness and nothing. We might think we're still not good enough to turn and face God, we have to clean up our act a bit first, shame is still pulling us away from God, but Welch pushes us to TURN TO HIM deliberately, perhaps talking to someone to help you, to pray for and with you, to point you in the right direction.
Ever thought married couples start to look like each other, the longer they stay together, the more deeply they know each other? The same happens with God. The closer we are to Him, the longer we spend time with Him, the more we look like Him. Remember Moses (Ex 34:29) and then look at Paul's words in 2 Cor 3:18. In His Grace, God turns to us and we in response begin to reflect His beauty. It won't take long and people will start to see it too. Welch welcomes us to shame's opposite and encourages us to turn and find acceptance, honour, worth, even glory.
In his next chapters Welch wants us to discover the identity of the despised and rejected Servant, who is the Author of all those benefits.
Up to this point Welch has been encouraging us to have hope, allowing it to take root in our hearts. He describes hope as "steely confidence that God is in this story of shame and He is up to something good." (p.97) Like Isaiah we might not understand all the details yet but through getting to know God's character that's enough for us right now. We know God truly loves those who are the underdog! That's why we continue to look at Isaiah even as he prophesies of some very hard things to come. The good thing about that is, on the other side of the hard, dark things there is light through the Servant King Jesus. A Servant who would be despised and rejected but somehow through all that He would take on all our shameful acts and every bit of shame done against us. The Servant would identify with us and call us to identify with Him. (p. 98).
"Sing, O barren one" (Is 54:1). Welch tells us that when we think of the most shameful thing that could happen today, we think of sexual abuse. This compares with the same level of shamefulness in the OT as being barren. Being barren was so noticeable, so public, your family line would not continue.... Yet these words of Isaiah show that something the Servant King did, made the barren one sing, her joy comes bursting out of her!! She is honoured among her people instead of shunned. What would that look like today? Can we imagine something happening so that our shame is gone and the opposite -- honour, glory, renown happens?
"Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced" (Is 54:4). The shame that has stubbornly stuck to our hearts, Isaiah tells us will be gone. When God says "Fear not", we can positive that He is doing something. It may be hard but let's just LISTEN to these words, just stop and LISTEN, HOPE!
"For your Maker is your husband" (Is 54:5). Welch reminds us that shame usually works with associations and this is a key point here. We can feel shame because of our connections to something/someone shameful, but we can also feel shame when we have no connections. God built in us this need for attachment and when we feel we are not invited into anyone's presence, this brings great shame. We are identified with nothing and this is a great curse. Nothing is bad and we may feel like we are worth nothing in poverty, if we are orphans/adopted, if we are rich because we identify ourselves with money which really is nothing, or when we attach ourselves to some other idol because idols are really nothing. In this passage of Isaiah Israel was nothing, until they were identified with God, the Lord Almighty, the King, the Holy One. Because Israel became His bride, He chose her, Israel became glorious! Welch tells us that "The cure for shame will always be found in how we become connected to God." (p. 103)
"Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed." (Ps 34:5) Imagine a wedding ceremony, the moment when the bride and groom face each other, deeply connected, eyes only for each other. Welch tells us that this is similar to what happens when Our King turns His face toward us. He is committed to us and change will happen. The worst curse is found in Psalm 27:9 when God turns His face away from us, and the greatest blessing is heard every Sunday in the worship service (Num 6:24-25) when the LORD makes His face to shine upon us. In response we look to His face, turning away from emptiness and nothing. We might think we're still not good enough to turn and face God, we have to clean up our act a bit first, shame is still pulling us away from God, but Welch pushes us to TURN TO HIM deliberately, perhaps talking to someone to help you, to pray for and with you, to point you in the right direction.
Ever thought married couples start to look like each other, the longer they stay together, the more deeply they know each other? The same happens with God. The closer we are to Him, the longer we spend time with Him, the more we look like Him. Remember Moses (Ex 34:29) and then look at Paul's words in 2 Cor 3:18. In His Grace, God turns to us and we in response begin to reflect His beauty. It won't take long and people will start to see it too. Welch welcomes us to shame's opposite and encourages us to turn and find acceptance, honour, worth, even glory.
In his next chapters Welch wants us to discover the identity of the despised and rejected Servant, who is the Author of all those benefits.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Touch and Cleansing
Welch begins this chapter by quoting Isaiah 6:1-7 and it is well worth having that passage open as we go through summarizing this chapter.
Welch reminds us first that the OT is filled with signposts explaining that we get directions, walk a ways, then get another sign and so on... The first signs put names to shame --> unclean, rejected, exposed, outcast, naked, ugly. Scripture gives us the words for our feelings so that we can do something with them. Next come the stories of hope --> people are covered, outcasts accepted, regulations given to make unclean clean, animal skins can be traded in (at least temporarily) for clothes that transform. What will be the next part of the story???
Cleansing is possible and it is not dependent on how carefully we follow temple rules!
God is the one who cleanses and it give Him great pleasure to do it. Isaiah's story shows us that cleansing is not just so we can be clean and acceptable in our community, but that the Holy One can come close, so close that He touches us. (p.88)
In his vision Isaiah is taken to the throne room, unprepared, not dressed for the occasion, and the first thing he does is to look away, yet not quite quick enough. He knew that to look on God was to die (Ex 33:18-20). Yet for some reason he does not die, but hears the words: "Holy, holy, holy." Because repeating something in Hebrew makes it more intense, Isaiah is surrounded and overwhelmed by God's Holiness! It reverberates around him! God is God and we are not! He is infinite and eternal!!! We are not.
This does not really bring comfort in our shame but it made Isaiah and us more aware of our shame and this is not necessarily a bad thing if it turns us to God, to trust Him or be associated with Him. In fact the word Holy is the answer to our shame. God is not a mere human and nothing on earth compares to Him!!
Sometimes things happen to us on earth by people who stand in God's place and so we thing God is like that too. Therefore we have to look at Scripture in HUMILITY, Welch encourages. We have to acknowledge we don't know everything and we might truly be confused about God. We need to truly sit back and LISTEN now also as Isaiah helps us understand God's holiness.
Isaiah came into the presence of the Holy One, dirty, unprepared, expecting to die but God teaches him and us something about Himself. We need to take a reality check about now --> do we still think/believe we can clean ourselves???
There really is only one thing for us to do and that is to admit that we are unclean. Say it, repeat it: "I am unclean, and I live with people who are unclean." (p.93) Welch tells us that simply saying and meaning it will not cause us despair but will identify us with Isaiah because what happened to him next is AMAZING!!
The LORD sent the seraphim on a special mission --> take hot purifying coals and touch Isaiah's mouth. THE MINUTE THEY DID THAT, ISAIAH WAS CLEAN. Wow!!! Isaiah was forgiven, cleansed, welcomed into the presence of God where we also BELONG.
This story is a foretelling of the time when Christ would come, sent from the throne to come close to us, close enough to touch us. Sounds amazing because we know that God is not human, He is the Holy One, The Triune God and we ABSOLUTELY may not limit Him to human terms.
Welch encourages us to think that we have a delusion. The delusion is shame and that makes shame very real to us and God's holiness the lie. Giving up our shame delusion is incredibly hard but we have to give it up!!! The only way to give it up, is to truly get to know God, since it is only through building a relationship with someone that we will trust and believe them. May God give us the knowledge and strength to make His Holy Spirit live in us and help us to let go of the lies of satan and accept the cleansing truth of God's character!!!
Welch reminds us first that the OT is filled with signposts explaining that we get directions, walk a ways, then get another sign and so on... The first signs put names to shame --> unclean, rejected, exposed, outcast, naked, ugly. Scripture gives us the words for our feelings so that we can do something with them. Next come the stories of hope --> people are covered, outcasts accepted, regulations given to make unclean clean, animal skins can be traded in (at least temporarily) for clothes that transform. What will be the next part of the story???
Cleansing is possible and it is not dependent on how carefully we follow temple rules!
God is the one who cleanses and it give Him great pleasure to do it. Isaiah's story shows us that cleansing is not just so we can be clean and acceptable in our community, but that the Holy One can come close, so close that He touches us. (p.88)
In his vision Isaiah is taken to the throne room, unprepared, not dressed for the occasion, and the first thing he does is to look away, yet not quite quick enough. He knew that to look on God was to die (Ex 33:18-20). Yet for some reason he does not die, but hears the words: "Holy, holy, holy." Because repeating something in Hebrew makes it more intense, Isaiah is surrounded and overwhelmed by God's Holiness! It reverberates around him! God is God and we are not! He is infinite and eternal!!! We are not.
This does not really bring comfort in our shame but it made Isaiah and us more aware of our shame and this is not necessarily a bad thing if it turns us to God, to trust Him or be associated with Him. In fact the word Holy is the answer to our shame. God is not a mere human and nothing on earth compares to Him!!
Sometimes things happen to us on earth by people who stand in God's place and so we thing God is like that too. Therefore we have to look at Scripture in HUMILITY, Welch encourages. We have to acknowledge we don't know everything and we might truly be confused about God. We need to truly sit back and LISTEN now also as Isaiah helps us understand God's holiness.
Isaiah came into the presence of the Holy One, dirty, unprepared, expecting to die but God teaches him and us something about Himself. We need to take a reality check about now --> do we still think/believe we can clean ourselves???
There really is only one thing for us to do and that is to admit that we are unclean. Say it, repeat it: "I am unclean, and I live with people who are unclean." (p.93) Welch tells us that simply saying and meaning it will not cause us despair but will identify us with Isaiah because what happened to him next is AMAZING!!
The LORD sent the seraphim on a special mission --> take hot purifying coals and touch Isaiah's mouth. THE MINUTE THEY DID THAT, ISAIAH WAS CLEAN. Wow!!! Isaiah was forgiven, cleansed, welcomed into the presence of God where we also BELONG.
This story is a foretelling of the time when Christ would come, sent from the throne to come close to us, close enough to touch us. Sounds amazing because we know that God is not human, He is the Holy One, The Triune God and we ABSOLUTELY may not limit Him to human terms.
Welch encourages us to think that we have a delusion. The delusion is shame and that makes shame very real to us and God's holiness the lie. Giving up our shame delusion is incredibly hard but we have to give it up!!! The only way to give it up, is to truly get to know God, since it is only through building a relationship with someone that we will trust and believe them. May God give us the knowledge and strength to make His Holy Spirit live in us and help us to let go of the lies of satan and accept the cleansing truth of God's character!!!
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