2008 November

Greetings to all on 22 NOV 2008

Word for the Day
Funk - A depressed state of mind.

Quote for the Day
Gain all you can ... Save all you can ... Then give all you can.John Wesley, “The Use of Money” [sermon, 1744] Later adopted by Dave Ramsey [1]

Website for the Day
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/4673.htm This is an interesting, and brief, article about Henri Nouwen. If you don’t know who he is, then you should.

Thought for the Day
The temple in first-century Jerusalem is often referred to as Herod’s temple. Herod the Great was responsible for many building projects including the rebuilding of the temple. Today, I’d like to point out one interesting feature of the Jerusalem temple. Did you know that the Court of the Gentiles was about twice as large as the inner court?

It seems that the Jews were looking forward to the day when people from all nations would be welcomed into God’s plan. We don’t normally think of Judaism as being evangelical, but, somehow, people were attracted to the tenants and lifestyle of the Jewish people. Cornelius is identified as a “God fearer” in Acts 10.2, 22. The phrase occurs several times in Acts, especially in chapter 13. It is my opinion that Lydia (ch. 16) and the Ethiopian Eunuch (ch. 8) were also God-fearers. Think about it; a eunuch could never have been a true proselyte and, therefore, it follows that he could never have entered into the temple proper. It appears that these people were friends of the Jews and adherents to Judaism at a level below being full proselytes. So, they would have been relegated to the Court of the Gentiles.

In Isaiah 56 we read, “Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me from his people,’ and do not let the eunuch say, ‘I am just a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant ... And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord ... all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it ... these I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer ...Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.” [v.1 - 8]

Now I think I know why Luke included the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in the Acts of the apostles. It is an important piece of Luke’s message to ensure Theophilus that the gospel is for the non-Jew as well as the Jew. And you might remember that the eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53; perhaps Philip led him through chapter 56 also. Luke again relies upon Isaiah (49.6), “I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.” [ACT 13.47]

Ray Vander Laan asks, “What if we made a part of our buildings just for the unchurched - and made it twice as large as our own sanctuary?” You already know I’m not a proponent of getting people “to the building,” however, the principle is undeniable. Are we preparing a place for welcoming the foreigner, the stranger? Are we expecting God to break into our world and offer salvation to the stranger and the alien just as he promised thousands of years ago?

May God Bless
Mike Toole
Lori Moores, ed.

P.S. You might have noticed there was no October issue. I’ve not run out of ideas yet, but do have less time with my new job and have been in kind of a funk lately. I’m doing much better now and my intention is to continue in 2009 on a quarterly basis. Thanks for the support over the past several years.

1. Christianity Today, Reflections on Thrift, September 2008, Vol.52, Number 11, p.67