This Sunday I had the privilege of speaking for Sonrise Church led by my friend Tony Foglio. I was the 3rd speaker in a series on “WOMEN IN THE BIBLE”. You can both watch the message AND see me in a sport coat on their website (click here).
In the message I shared a lot of Scripture verses and quote on the screens and alluded to quite a few more so I promised to put the notes up on ye ol’ blog so here we go.
Just one note: this is basically my notes for the message. So it’s not meant to be an article. It’s a sermon outline. I wish I had time to actually write it up, but this will have to do for now.
THANKS SONRISE FOR A GREAT WEEKEND. JOURNEY IS IN THIS WITH YOU GUYS!
WOMEN IN THE BIBLE – PART 3
Basically this message has 2 “Acts” – We’ll look at God’s intention and then how the life, death and resurrection of Jesus restores God’s original intent.
Slide 1 ACT 1 – THE DARK REALITY OF BROKENNESS & ALIENATION
– It seems like we as humans have come up with about every possible way of putting up walls and developing hostilities with one another
– Hardly any family doesn’t have some standing conflict or offense
– Racially, nationally, religiously, in terms of class, type of job – heck we even fight over sports teams
- And we’re nothing compared with Soccer – they’re like weaponized!
– Not the plan – enmity
Slide 2 GOD’S VISION
Gen. 1:27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
– specifies… assume animals male and female, but God’s making a huge point – this is ON purpose… and it is GOOD…dóOaVm bwäøf_h´…nIh◊w
– The idea – as Scot M puts it – God made Adam and then split the Adam into Ish & Isah
–
Slide 3 GOD’S INTENTION
Gen. 2:18 ¶ Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [r‰z™Eo (}ezer)] suitable for him.”
– As we get a few more details – not Good
– Intention was that man needs a helper
- Lots of women… GREAT
- Not an “assistant” someone to get coffee so that “MAN” is not bothered by that
- “HELP MEET” (old KJV) to lots of women that sounded a lot like DOOR MAT”
– QUESTION: help him do what – REFLECT THE IMAGO DEI – by himself man is only partially representing
– Most of the time E is used in the OT … GOD is the E
– THIS is the INTENTION – Man and women together reflecting the image of God
- Only one command – just one – no come la mansana
- Anyone wanna guess???
Slide 4 Gen 3:6
Gen. 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
– “Women!” – home boy is standing RIGHT THERE!
Slide 5 RESULT – BROKENNESS, ALIENATION (enmity) e¶cqran
Genesis 3:8-13
– “covered”… “hid”
– v.9 – when God asks a question … NOT asking for info
– Begin throwing each other under the bus
Slide 6 ACT 2 – JESUS… RECONCILIATION (the Cross ending enmity)
– Cross – breaking down walls
Eph. 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
Eph. 2:15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
– God’s desire to make Himself known, to have relationship
– Hundreds of pages, dozens of prophets speaking for God, Temple, sacrificial system, 613 commandments… so much info… it FOOL PROOF, can’t miss
- Of Couse got it dead wrong
– Jesus – Word made flesh, God made flesh
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. ejxhge÷omai – exegeomai
– Jesus explains God to us
– When they saw “God getting explained” – shocked / surprised / annoyed
– Instead of reinforcing the enmity / brokenness – he was blowing it apart, paying no mind, dis-ing it every chance he got
- Constant “you can’t just do that… say that… welcome them”
Slide 7 US/ THEM
– We tend to want God to be for us – take our side
– We tend to want God to make it advantageous for us… after all we’re his peeps
- Religious version of enmity – sometimes “religion” reinforces
– But Jesus kept saying things like…
“Come to me ALL who are weary and heavy-laden…” Matthew 11:28
“If ANYONE is thirsty come to Me and drink…” John 7:37
– Not just what He said, but what he DID
–
Slide 8 – come up one at a time
Observant / non-observant (religious or moral)
Zealot / Tax Collector (political)
Jew / Samaritan (this was a big one)
Jew / Gentile (huge)
– the one that, honestly, I pretty much missed most of my pastoral life
– probably because I’ve been in the
MEN / WOMEN
– This might have been the most shocking of all his US / THEM violations
–
Slide 9
“Rather should the words of the Torah be burned than entrusted to a woman …Whoever teaches his daughter the Torah is like one who teaches her lasciviousness. ” Rabbi Eliezer (1st Century)
Slide 10
“Blessed be thou, , “that thou hast not made me a Gentile”; blessed art thou, that thou hast not made me an unlearned man (or one that is vain and foolish, uncivil and uncultivated); blessed art thou that has not made me a woman.” Rabbi Judah (Early 2nd Century – citing early tradition)
– Stuff you like me may have missed
–
Slide 11
√ Mary
– Not Catholic, don’t want to go to far, forget what an amazing thinker, brave,
– Absolutely pivotal – ultimate climax of the story starts w/ a girl,
– Knew the scripture – so much so that some people say, well they must have put that in later
– E.g. Church of the annunciation – Luke 4 – had the ability to see through the clutter – THIS is what messiah is all about
√ Parables
– Jesus taught TO and ABOUT women
– Often parables in pairs
– Mustard seed… women hid leaven… Shepard lost sheep… woman lost coin (both God figures)
– Conversation with them – e.g. Samaritan woman at the well – talk about messing with the us and them
√ Divorce
– Revolutionary – Dude, you don’t own women – can’t just dump them – Matthew 19:3-12
– Some people called to singleness – used for God’s purpose… like, I dunno… JESUS!
√ Disciple / students
Slide 12 – Luke 8
Luke 8:1 ¶ Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him,
2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.
– First person in history to have women as disciple
–
Slide 13
Luke 10:38 ¶ Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
[this is the phrase used for being a student of a Rabbi – e.g. Paul – study under Acts 22:3– women didn’t do this until Yent]
40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
[wasn’t exactly “you go girl”]
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
ONE THING – Shema – Lord is ONE – ‘ehad
– nothing wrong with what Martha was doing, BUT…
Slide 14
HUGE KINGDOM POINT: Wherever you land… this is for EVERYONE… men & women!
– Devil – half the population away from the ONE thing, even on good things
– Jesus came to end all enmity
– Jesus: “I’m tired of ½ my people missing the better part.”
– Ladies: whenever you land on this or your church lands on this, you need to hear this: Your highest calling is not to be a mom, grandma, wife or anything else. Your HIGHEST calling is to LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, YOUR NEIGHBOR, GLORIFYING GOD ON HIS PURPOSE IN THE WORLD
- Of course for some of us that means raising our kids
- There is no 2nd class calling based on gender, race, economic status
Slide 15
ACTS / THE EARLTY CHURCH women are…
√ Deacons – Rom 16:1
√ Theology teachers – Acts 18:26
√ Prophets – Acts 21:9 –
√ Apostles – Romans 16:7 Junia
√ Church planters… Paul’s co-workers… sunerge – fellow workers – what was Paul’s work???
– My favorite
Slide 16
Phil. 4:2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.
3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
– How did this work out? How did the originals work this out? Could have been a train-wreck, right?
– Jesus called His shot, bam!
Slide 17
THERE WAS A TIME… WHEN WE SHOOK UP THE WORLD!
– Christianity is a religion for women, slaves, and minors. – Celsus
- Those on the bottom, who weren’t lucky, w/o power
– You’re darn right –
– That’s one reason we shook up the world
Slide 18
Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
– Can we imagine what this meant –
– That God has extended His welcome – to ANY one and EVERYONE
– There is something so true about us that it will last forever
It’s time to shake up the world again –
– We’re going to need everyone coming hard after Jesus
– Using EVERY gift that he’s given us
