(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see how)
Focus Question:
What does disorder look like?
Intro:
Greetings again from Ohio!
One of the things I had the chance to do while here was visit the Creation Museum (which is technically in Petersburg, KY). I was surprised by a couple things, considering that I know that that ministry supports the YEC — Young Earth Creationism — perspective. And in case you’re not familiar, “young earthers” make an argument (and a compelling one) for a 6000 year old earth. I don’t personally take a position on YEC vs OEC though, not because I don’t find it interesting, but because it’s not germane to the gospel…that we’re all broken and all in need of a Savior.
What surprised me was first that it included a really solid set of apologetics, from the existence of truth to the trustworthiness of the Bible. It wasn’t overbearing, and it made sense in the context of presenting the truth claims of Christianity beyond just a ‘young earth vs old earth’ position. I caught a couple multimedia shows — one in a planetarium and one with 3-D glasses that gave an artist’s cinemagraphic vision creation, and they were excellent.
The other thing that completely surprised me was a rich investigation of dinosaurs. Took me back to being six years old. AND they tied it in with legends of dragons.
I bring all this up not because I expect you to care about my vacation, but because today’s focus question today is, “What does disorder look like?” You can guess the answer, but I’ll share one other idea for you on the other side.
New here? Check out this episode for something more “normal.”
New Testament segment:
Passage: 1 Peter 4
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 19
Words: ~433
1 Corinthians 14:33 states that God is not a god of disorder, but of peace (CSB), but I like the translations that say he’s not the “author of confusion.” A perfect being wouldn’t be a being that makes no sense, right?
Today’s passage listed out a bunch of effects of disorder or confusion. Yet we need not look far to see just exactly that. I’ll close with a final thought, but if God is not a god of confusion or disorder, might we be right to examine our hearts to ask if there is anything we do (or any causes we support) that conflicts with that?
The section we’re in in Jeremiah, broadly speaking, covers Jeremiah’s conflicts — with God, with the nations, with the rulers and false prophets and priests who want to kill him, and the section we’re in right now, the struggle of challenging false beliefs.
OLD Testament segment:
Passage: Jeremiah 27-28
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 39
Words: ~1156
Hold on to these thoughts…tomorrow is a reeeeally important chapter in Jeremiah and for you and me.
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Psalm 126+137
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 6+9
Words: ~98+148
The bottom line:
About a week and a half ago, the Sunday Reflection here reflected upon the topic of contradictions (link in the show notes; today is #1194). You’ll recall that something that is a true contradiction means both things cannot be true. The point: God can’t contradict himself, and we even recently read James say that — that God has no variation or “shadow of turning.”
So when Peter trots out a list of things the Gentiles used to do — carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry (1 Pe 4:3), remember that that list isn’t exhaustive. It would apply to anything that we do that’s contrary to God’s ordering of things. If anything, the effect of sin means that it doesn’t have to be riots in the streets that is counter to God’s design, it’s dissension or gossip or pointing fingers and a whole lot of other things that are contrary to the love Peter exhorts us to.
Remember the overarching theme of Peter — holy living in the midst of suffering. The eternal reward will be soooo worth it. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) David S. Dockery, ed., Holman Bible Handbook (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 764.