Fireside Studies

Spring has finally arrived here at Stonegate!
(Follows is a sort of synopsis/paraphrasing of our study after Passover dinner, 4/12/03)

Gene, Gene's mom Chris, and I, are so glad to have all of you as our guests this beautiful Spring evening. Since there are so many of us tonight, it seemed appropriate that we should move our reading circle outside here to our back deck--and I think there is enough sunlight left to be able to read out here yet, and as you can see, we think the view here is truly inspirational.

Some of you are new tonight to our Fireside Gatherings--we extend a special welcome to you. Did you enjoy the food? I have only prepared lamb once before, at our former home in South Austin. Some of you were there that night--we celebrated Passover, 2000. Those get-togethers were so meaningful and memorable for Gene and I then, that when we realized how peaceful this spot was, we could hardly wait to have everyone over here. Not only did we desire to share our food, new home, and this view with you, but what we have come to learn about this book I asked each of you to bring with you tonight.

It has now taken us two years since that night to unpack completely and to figure out how we could gather folks together, so far away from our former home. We longed to share such special nights of sharing food, learning, and singing songs together, once again. And since we began in November 2002, some of you even now come from as far away as Williamson County, some from the Lake Travis area, and some from Onion Creek. We didn't know how well you would enjoy coming so far out here; I am not a great or consistent cook, and it is a long way to drive for bad food. We knew we couldn't do this once a week anymore as we had done on Thursdays in South Austin. But we hoped to get you out here once a month if possible! (Some of you who live right here within our own neighborhood wouldn't have far to go anyway.) If, however, it is your first night here, regardless of where you drove from, it is our hope that you will fondly remember your evening with us and that you can take away with you some aspect of your being here that will bring you joy to remember some day, somewhere, on down the road.

Why extend ourselves in this way, to bring you way out here in the woods on the edge of this plateau to eat and talk about this book with you all? Because, while there may be many churches opening their doors for folks to gather all around our country, there are not too many teaching folks straight from this book, line by line, so that those who attend may learn what was intended to be distributed among God's "heirs" --via a faithful line by line reading of His Own Will and Testaments to us, the Bible.

You see, in Firesides past we have discussed the meaning of that word "TESTAMENT"--why those English translators chose that word to describe a vast OLD and NEW collection of letters and stories which have become canonized into what we now regard as a "Bible." We have discussed why those OLD and New stories weren't just bundled into sections called "THE OLD and NEW STORIES" or "THE OLD AND NEW COVENANTS," or the OLD and NEW WAY, or anything else. We have learned how this Book, this volume of 66 letters and stories, have been purposefully and purposely gathered together in a single cover, in order that we--like heirs awaiting the outcome of some benefactor's estate, by the reading of that benefactor's will and testament might understand what it is the One who wrote this book intended us heirs to "inherit."

We have a lot of folks from a lot of different professions who come here to eat, study, and then sing along by campfire light (later on ), as you see, tonight. And some of those lawyers among us have even offered their expert opinions as to what this word TESTAMENT truly means in a legal context. And we have learned that a TESTAMENT specifies a legal document, signed by two witnesses, stating the WILL of a testator--the one who leaves something to others at the time of his or her death. And the legal requirement for two witness's validation has been in effect for at least 2000 years, when, according to Jewish Law, in order for a testament or testimony of any kind to be legal and valid in court, it had to be verified by the corroboration of at least TWO male (not female ) witnesses.

Hence, we have today, a legal requirement, yet intact, validating that dreaded document many of us will indeed have to write, "I Betty being of sound mind...." OK...well, some of us will be of sound mind---and we'll have to have it signed, signifying its legitimacy, as well as being indicative of which of our own "estates" we intend to leave to our children or heirs.

Well, God has truly done that in His book. Two times--two ways. One way, called the OLD Testament, bound His people to Him by an old covenant (contract, agreement). And the other, called the NEW Testament, bound them by a newer covenant. An agreement, sealed in blood, forged on a cross, long ago and far away, in His love. A contract He will not break.

And, as I myself sat alone in my house in a state of serious depression in October 1998, wondering if I could count on anything in this life being true and valuable--wondering why life had to be so hard, why we humans keep stepping on one another for very little personal gain to get what we think we deserve, I asked the One who allegedly wrote this book whether or not He was real and could He help me. I asked Him to let me know because I didn't want to face another day not knowing. Was He real, or was He just like the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus----some invisible "friend" we created to give us comfort, but one who, in reality, can't appear unless we leave a tooth under our pillow; some jolly old elf who was "keeping a list (of our sins) and checking it twice..." , but who was only about as dependable as a neighbor who can't always be counted on to help when life gets hard.

I had to know. I HAD to know the truth. And yet let me tell you, friends......I didn't really expect an answer.

But I began to read anyway, right here where we are in this very book we are in tonight--the book of John, fourth book of the NEW Testament. And when I had finished that book two hours later, I knew I had found something important. Something I would later on commit myself to sharing with others. Something I would truly come to believe was worth sharing, worth risking my (ha-ha) reputation as an artist, a mother, a neighbor--something I might even have to face dying for one day--but something that was so worth it, that I sit here tonight before you, willing to humiliate myself, or even be taken to jail, so that you might hear tonight what it is I found in this book that the very One who wrote this book through the 40 men it took to write it over 4000 years, has left on this earth for you, too.

And that, dear ones, is why I am here tonight. May the Truth that is shared here tonight stick to your hearts long after you leave this porch, and may the God I found here in the pages of this book whom I now love and serve, continue to bless us giving us hope and healing, and His own peace which transcends all our understanding--so that when you leave here tonight you have something truly valuable to cling to as things in our world become rougher and rougher--and believe me they are going to. And now may His will continue to be done among us, both now and forever more. Amen.

Please open your Bibles then, to the heartbreakingly beautiful book of John, Jesus' other cousin, chapter 1, verses 15-29. Tonight we will be learning about the "testimony" of one of the author John's own witnesses to his book--John the Baptist's--testimony regarding who this man, Jesus Christ--their cousin--truly was. But first, for the sake of those who have missed our past five gatherings, let us refresh our memories as to what is going on here, and read from the beginning of this chapter--starting with Christine--one verse each, proceeding around in a circle until we finish with verse 29. By the way, as always, anyone who does not feel comfortable reading out loud, just pass your turn to the guy next to you--and anyone who doesn't have a Bible, either share with someone or grab one of our extra Bibles from inside--we have lots of extras--version doesn't matter; all translations are welcome. We will stop reading if there are questions or comments, and we have our trusty Webster's Dictionary, and Greek and Hebrew lexicons, here, fyi, should we need them--just ask, for we are all here to learn, hopefully, and Fireside is for the purpose of learning without pressure from any organization, or denomination, or church--learning intended only for your edification and peace of mind. (OK. Gene has joined us now, so let's begin):

6   There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
        7   He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through
          him.    8   He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
          9   There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
        10   He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know
          Him.
        11   He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
(Go here to Fireside #4 to read our lesson on this part)

        12   But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
          even to those who believe in His name,
        13    who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of
         God.
          14   And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
          glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(Go here to Fireside #5 to read our lesson on this part)

        15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, ' He
          who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' "
        16   For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
        17   For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through
          Jesus Christ.
        18    No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the
          bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
                19   This is the testimony of John (the Baptist), when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites
          from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
        20   And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
        21   They asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you
          the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
        22   Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us?
          What do you say about yourself?"
        23   He said, "I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE
          WAY OF THE LORD,' as Isaiah the prophet said." (from Isaiah 40:3)
        24   Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
        25   They asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor
          Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
        26   John answered them saying, "I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom
          you do not know.
        27   "It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to
          untie."
        28   These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world!"

When we began our study of the book of John in November last year, I wondered how fast we would get through this book, and where we would be come Easter. By February, as we had only gotten through verse 11. I could never have guessed where we would be tonight. It is appropriate therefore, the weekend before "Easter" and Passover are celebrated in many parts of the world, that we should discuss the meaning of this last proclamation by John the Baptist, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

We know from just having read this book thus far, that in this one chapter alone we have already heard several of Jesus many names or titles proclaimed. We have heard Him called the Word. We have heard Him called God. We have heard Him declared Creator. We have heard Him called Life. We have heard Him called Light of Men. We have heard Him called the True Light. We have read how He became flesh and "pitched His tent among us and lived." We have heard Him called Jesus Christ. And we have heard Him called Lord.

I would like to ask all of you why you think this particular word was used by John the Baptist, as opposed to "Behold! God," or "Behold! the Son of God," perhaps, or "Behold the Son of Man," or "Behold! a mere prophet," or "Behold! a really really good teacher," or "Behold a very smart man," or "Behold! a very misled individual," or perhaps, "Behold! a very crazy fellow..."

What do you think was the distinctive significance of the phrase "Lamb of God?" (Someone suggests that it was because Jesus was going to die for us)

Yes, He indeed would die on a cross for us. But why? Why couldn't John have just said, "Behold! a man who is going to die for us?"
(Someone else says His death was to pay for our sins)

But why was His death different, and why was that particular word something which needed to be so noted by John the Baptist?

We are honored to have in our midst tonight a professor of Old Testament theology, whom I'd like to ask to share with us what he knows about the Old Testament Jewish sacrificial and atonement system, according to old Testament law....please share with us, Professor, the intent and meaning of God's sacrificial system for the Israelites, and how that relates to the use of the word LAMB, here in our text tonight.

(Professor Shipp explains concerning God's remedy for His people's sinning: sin offerings, trespass offerings, fellowship offerings, and peace offerings; how God's proscribed offerings/sacrifices were to be made using lambs, bulls, rams and other appointed livestock--and how such sacrifices often had to be the firstborn of a flock or herd, and how they had to be without blemish.

We then talked about how such sacrifices were never completely sufficient, and so they had to be offered to God on an ongoing basis, for sin itself was ongoing. Yet all of that was about to change. And John the Baptist's use of the word Lamb here signified to those who had been studying the scriptures and waiting for the "messiah" that God's older system of dealing with the issue of sin was on its way out, and a new, better system was coming.The Professor hastens to add that the laws did not change because the law was in any way bad or outmoded, but because a New Covenant or agreement or contract was in process of being written regarding God's requirement for sin-- because the law was going to be fulfilled by a very special person indeed--a newer agreement would be necessary between God and His people regarding sin and salvation (state of being spared from God's wages for sin). And what were God's wages, or price, for sin for those who did not make sacrifice?

Let's go to Romans 6:23. There the great apostle Paul, who Himself was once a murderer, writes,
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

So, Jesus Christ, as God's only Son, was sent to this earth to become the One Sacrifice, acceptable to God, sufficient for our sins, so that (as the apostle John writes here in verse 12), "...as many as received Him, to them He (Jesus) gave the right (the word means exclusive power, authority or privilege) to become CHILDREN OF GOD." And yet God states that those who love Him indeed follow His commandments. So did Jesus do away with God's law concerning sin?

This is like a paradox. We will talk more about this later on in our studies. And we will read Jesus' own words, "Do not think I have come to destroy the law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to FULFILL." (Matthew 5:17) For now, it was to be His singular accomplishment--and not ours--the complete fulfillment of those righteous requirements, those 613 laws--something no other man or woman has been, or ever will be, able to successfully accomplish--which makes His own sacrifice, His death on the cross sufficient to satisfy God's wages for sin here on earth. Worthy is the Lamb. He indeed was God's Lamb, the only Begotten, His firstborn among many brethren, bruised by men but not broken, that great and glorious perfect Sacrifice made on behalf of the world--all of us who would call upon His name, all He would call His children.

It is this day above all others we who follow Him celebrate with thanksgiving and gladness, for unto our accounts the Lamb of God's very name has been written--next to our indebted lives' stories where it will read: "Account paid in full on the cross by the Lamb of God, with love."Indeed, on that cross almost 2000 years ago God's Lamb laid down His life for His sheep--for all who would believe--as He proclaimed, "It is finished." His work done. The debt paid. No additional sacrifices necessary. God sent His Son, His Lamb--not to satisfy us, but to satisfy God. And because His perfect Lamb could not sin, death could not hold Him, and He rose away from death to life again, where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father, almighty--the Lamb as King--until He again returns.

And that, dear friends and family, for those who believe on Him--who trust only in His finished work on that cross and not our own--that is truly, truly Good News.