The Living Word Podcast

TRANSCRIPT

Sin — and God’s gracious answer to our most pressing problem

Hello again from Ian Greig and Alison Greig with another episode of The Living Word podcast to encourage you and get you hearing God for yourself and grow into relationship with Him.

That’s a whole lot different from religion — any religion, really, with its rules and condemnation and trying to lead a better life without much help, if any.

- Why is it different? Some churches do seem to be all about rules and recitations…

Where we are coming from is a different place. It’s about a person — Jesus, who is not just a historic figure from first-century Palestine. 

- Doesn’t the Bible say something about how He was involved at the beginning in Creation?

And He is alive and with us now!  After being put to death on a Roman cross and buried in a sealed tomb He was seen again by the disciples and many others, alive and well. 

- He was scarred but not incapacitated, 

But this the point for us to grasp -- He coached them on their new life with Him present, but not visibly present, before being seen to ascend to heaven. 

- But most religions have a historic figure they look to…

Yes, but here’s the difference. And it’s a big difference. Unlike any religion, this is all about a relationship. A personal relationship. Jesus is actually present with those who believe in Him now. We can ask Him to come and to draw near. He doesn’t just expect us to carry on His mission and ministry -- He does it with us and helps us.

- And that’s not just in church?

No, it’s a relationship, so it is a constant thing — not limited by time or place.

- So it’s like, if someone is my friend, they are my friend wherever I am?

That’s right. You text your friend from the beach or the café, at home or abroad — and you can talk to Jesus wherever you are.

- What has that got to do with this week’s theme which explores the problem of sin — ’sin’’ sounds like religion telling us we can’t do things...

You have picked up on the mindset we inherit from medieval monastic Christianity. Mortifying the flesh with a life of austerity.

- And guilt -- plenty of guilt for our wrongdoing?

But that’s without Jesus. If we hear His knock and we open the door to Jesus — that is not a religious demand but an invitation to a relationship. 

- So, would it be true to say that sin is our independence resisting God’s offer and wanting our own selfish way?

That is a big part of it. Jesus takes the problem of our historic independent wrongdoing. By His self-sacrifice on the Cross, He has paid the penalty for that. 

- So where does the relationship help us?

Through this way of living in relationship with Him, He gives us a better pathway. He helps us when we fall short, as we often do. He doesn’t tell us we’ve blown it — He helps us back onto His better path.

- Let’s turn to what the Bible says — taking a look at the set readings that many churches and chapels follow on a Sunday. 

Our story starts in the Old Testament, in Exodus 12, with the account of the institution of the Jewish Passover.

Exodus 12:6-8 NLT

"[On] the fourteenth day of this first month… the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight [and] take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. That same night they must roast the meat over a fire and eat it along with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast.” From Exodus 12:6-8

A plague of death was about to fall on Egypt, and the Egyptians in particular — God's judgment on them for the way they had oppressed his people.

- So what is the lesson here for us?

The lesson here is that, whoever we are, if we rebel against God and refuse to listen to him, we invite His judgment. He is a holy God who cannot countenance sin or evil. On the other hand, because fundamentally He is a God of unconditional, merciful love, He always provides a way out from His judgement.

And we see here something fundamental about sacrifice and how the lifeblood becomes a sign. The Israelites would show themselves to be covered by that shedding of blood, and the judgment would pass over them.

This of course is a pre-figure or prototype of the way out from sin that God would provide through His son Jesus, and His shedding of blood in self-sacrifice for all who would believe and turn to Him.

- So how do we relate to this idea of sacrifice? Is is relevant for us?

We’ll meet sacrifice in another way in a minute. Sacrifice is essentially giving yup to God something that is precious to us. It doesn’t have to be a lamb — but even that points us to Jesus.

So even in the Old Testament teaching, we keep Jesus in view. He is the living embodiment of what we read. He helps us understand how we live out what we read, together with Him — with His help.

- Talking about sin, why is it such an issue? We're created to be thinking and independent. so what's the difficulty?

 Let’s look at it from God’s perspective. God is separated, pure and holy; and His thoughts, ways and standards are way above ours. 

Coming back to us — we inhabit a world dominated by man's selfishness, need for domination — and sheer evil, like that causing hundreds of death a day in Eastern Europe. How do we, made unclean by association, let alone all our self-centred misdeeds, approach God in His separated holiness?

We’re going to see that the Bible shows us three connected things — an action, an attitude and an aspiration. Something we do, a mindset we adopt, and a desire, a goal. We aim for all three, but there is a progression; and that’s to do with how weak or strong is our relationship with God.

- So how does that work, if we are only just getting to know God?

Where faith is weak and God, for us, is still distant, the action is a starting point. Churches are good at coming up with actions. Sometimes in a formal setting,  what is expected is attending and watching someone else perform actions. But more is needed…

- That sounds like somebody else making the connection for us.

That is what a priest does. The problem is, this is not a pattern we see in the Bible except in the Old Testament. That way was made obsolete by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, enabling us to believe and trust in that work that paid for our sin, so we could know and relate to God ourselves without any intermediary.

- Surely that's much better?

Faith to believe and trust in Jesus is far better, because then the action we take regarding sin is our own response in prayer and worship. This is about approaching God through Jesus, conscious of our reliance on Him as our Saviour and Redeemer.

- So by looking to Jesus to help us, it widens the scope of how we resolve sin — is that it?

Let’s look at what Jesus teaches. Here He teaches an action together with an attitude.

"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back." Matthew 18:15

There’s an action — going to the other person — in an attitude not of judgment but seeking fair resolution.. There is also an aspiration — that’s more implied than stated. That is our desire and spiritual need to be reconciled, and believing that to be God’s order and therefore possible.

If the problem is between you, as a believer, and another believe., it It is a three-way relationship between you and the other brother or sister and the Lord. There is sin — one has caused hurt to the other — and the action also DOES involve sacrifice, which may come as a surprise.

- Sacrifice? Where does that come in?

In this case, it's pride that must be put to death, in particular our ring-fenced position of ‘rightness’. First of all, it is the pride of the one "sinned against”, knowing it could easily be the other way round, and that most if not all disputes have two sides to them. Humility finds a way to discuss it and find reconciliation, once pride has been bound and put on the altar.

- So I can there is an action, to get together with the other pers…

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

||  Truly Knowing God leads to seeing ourselves in a renewed way — as He sees us  ||

Ian & Alison Greig talk us through this episode which starts with the story in Exodus 2 of how the Israelites in Egypt were cruelly oppressed under a new Pharaoh, but held on to their faith in God and loyalty to Him as a first priority.

Then we are bystanders as Jesus and the disciples look at a picture of mixed-up, syncretistic religion depicted in the shrines and grottos of Caesaraea Philippi — the story is in Matthew 16. When Jesus asks Peter who he thinks Jesus really is, he blurts out a powerful — and life-changing declaration of faith.

This is underlined by Paul’s teaching in Romans 12, urging us as people renewed by the Holy Spirit to offer true worship to God in our practice as well as our words, interacting with Him and each other as members of a body where each has a particular spiritual contribution to make, for the upbuilding of all.

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There’s an audiogram version of this — audio with captions — on this page

https://open.substack.com/pub/thelivingword/p/truly-knowing-god-its-knowing-who?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

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The full Bible readings (NIV) are all together on this page and there are links to Bible Gateway below so you can find your preferred version. These are the readings recommended for Sunday August 27 in the interdenominational scheme that’s widely used by both churches and chapels (Revised Common Lectionary).

Psalm 124

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+124&version=NIV

Exodus 1:8-2:10 — A new ruler leads to hardship for the Israelites

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+1%3A8-2%3A10&version=NIV

Matthew 16:13-20— Who is Jesus? The answer also defines who we are

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+16%3A13-20+&version=NIV

Romans 12:1-8— Seeing ourselves in the renewed way of the Spirit

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A1-8+&version=NIV

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

BIBLE PASSAGES

These are the Bible readings set for Sunday, August 20 in the interdenominational scheme that many different churches and chapels follow. Ideally read these first and then the podcast becom,es a reflection.

Psalm 133

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+133&version=NIV

Genesis 45:1-15 — Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+45%3A1-15&version=NIV

Matthew 15:10-28 — Words of faith prove a Gentile woman undefiled

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+15%3A10-28&version=NIV

Romans 11:1-2, 29-32 — Paul is the best model of a Jew who is saved

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+11%3A1-2%2C+29-32&version=NIV

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

Hello again and thanks for dropping in on The Living Word podcast. It's Ian Greig here with episode for Aug 6, 2023. It's a simplified, compact format over this summer season — holiday time for many, and a lot of exciting changes going on for us as a family as we're gaining grandchildren and trying to be in several places at once. We're not doing the videos for now and working with podcasts and posts instead which are less demanding in a busy week. We hope you'll understand...

Anyway this week we're talking about generosity. God's generosity, to be precise.

Some folk mistakenly see God as a harsh judge, expecting perfection from us and finding plenty of reasons not to meet our needs! That's religion, not reality, and the Bible paints a very different picture of God, who created us, loving us despite our fallibility and looking for opportunities to be a good partner to us as we partner with him.

There's an introduction which was posted earlier — it sets the scene with the whole story told very briefly. Then we come back in a deeper dive to explore more how the different parts of the story apply to us in our lives today. So let's get into it!

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Quick look

God is generous — and gracious in giving whether we deserve it or not. A lot of people, in church as well as outside, don’t believe this.

On one level it's easy to grasp but the disasters, differences and difficulties of human existence can seem like barriers.

It’s as if God has set us up to fail. But with faith, we see how by experiencing failure we seek His rescue, and find it. Without experiencing the opposite of God’s love and salvation, we cannot value what He freely offers us.

The story of Jacob is from way back in time and culture, but it makes this point. Despite Jacob’s tricky character, God, in His generosity, has decided to invest in him.

And His way of getting Jacob in the right place was an epic all-night-long wrestling match. We read:

"The man (personifying God) asked him, "What is your name?

"Jacob," he answered.

Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and overcome.(Genesis 32:27-28)

Which teaches us that we, of less-than-perfect character, can turn to God for help and direction.

This is what the crowd on the hillside following Jesus were doing, and their immediate need was finding food. We read:

Jesus replied to the disciples, "They do not need to go away, you give them something to eat.”… So they all ate and were satisfied.(Matthew 14:16,20)

God provided for them in their thousands, abundantly and without discrimination. But note that He involves people like us in His provision.

To these Jews, a flashback to the time God provided bread in the desert meant He was offering His salvation again. But this time Jesus is central — teaching us that He is our connection with God’s generosity.

Jews in their history knew all about God's generosity, as Paul reflects.

"Theirs is the adoption to sonship, the divine glory... the covenants." (Romans 9:4) And for us who do not have that history, he asserts:

"How how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree?" (Romans 11:24)

So let’s not pass on what God is generously offering — whether we think we deserve it or not.

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Deeper dive

So, that's a quick summary which gets the bearings of the story set out for us. 

Now we can take a deeper dive, and start to hear what each part of the story means for us and our lives, as we consider God's grace and generosity towards us.

We're going to find three different but collaborative ways God reveals His generosity. In Jacob we see God's generosity to those who clearly don't deserve it! Then through Jesus, Gods generosity is experienced by others through His disciples — believers, like us who God relies on — and lastly in Paul's regrets, expressed in this letter to Christians in Rome, we are reminded that generosity is so much a part of who God is, it is not just a promise but an expectation of His covenant with us, and us with Him.

Our way of connecting with God's generosity is Jesus, but God speaks to us through all of His word, and Jacob's story has particular application for us,

Jacob’s story

Let's look more closely at Jacob's experience, and understand what thist teaches us, living in a very different time and world, but relating to the same unchanging, generous and gracious God.

Who among us can say that we don't ever have an undisclosed motive or a hidden agenda or a bargaining position? Of course we do, because that's part of the fabric of life. However, we would aim to be open and transparent in our dealings — that's part of our witness if we have become Christians by asking Jesus as Lord into our hearts and living new life in Him.

If we have been following this series, we have got to know Jacob already. In those days, name and character went together, and 'Jacob' meant 'grasper' or something like it. He grow up to be someone we might nickname 'tricky Dicky' or Wheeler the Dealer'. He was clever, and had the insights of a spiritual person but he didn't always use them well — or generously. Being clever can result in a calculating cleverness, and observant can easily become opportunist. There's a bit of Jacob in all of us in our old flesh nature!

We learned that Jacob was unsure whether or not God was with him, as he left Canaan. Then God gave him the amazing vision in a dream of a pyramid-like staircase to heaven, and spoke to him from the gate of heaven.

Now he's learned that his brother, who her artfully persuaded to give up his birthright, was heading his way with 400 men. He has prepared an impressive gift to send, but for safety he has sent his family over the river, and he is now all alone. Then, apparently out of nowhere there came...

From the Bible

"... a man (who) wrestled with Jacob till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."

But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

The man asked him, "What is your name?"

"Jacob," he answered.

Then the man said, "‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome." (Genesis 32:24-28)

Jesus and a LOT of people on the mountainside

The way we become changed from the old life to the new life is by meeting with Jesus. In some traditions it is common for people to adopt a new name when they become Christians. That might be the idea behind christening or naming ceremonies today for a new baby, but of course we can't choose to receive Jesus for them, but we can certainly prayerfully encourage them to grow up and make that choice and decision for themselves.

What has that got to do with the crowd of men, women and children who were on a long march as they followed Jesus and listened to Him teaching them in a mountainside natural arena. Jesus taught them that the kingdom of God had come near to them, and they wanted this new life, this living under God's order of justice and love and provision.

Many, many years ago their ancestors had escaped oppression and slavery in Egypt with the promise of a land of their own to settle in safety. The journey took them through a desert, wilderness area and like the deserts we sometimes encounter in our lives, God was using this — a prolonged time — to get the Egypt and slavery mindset out of them and relying on Him and His promises int o themI It took a generation, and while they were 'on hold' in the desert God provided food for them, a bread-like substance they collected and called manna.

What happens next is set against that backdrop, that part of their salvation history that they all knew off by heart. They are far from home — and hungry. And Jesus knows this, and has compassion on them, healing those who were sick and aware of their every need. And right now, it is — food. We read in Matthews account:

From t…

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

See also:

Bible study: https://thelivingword.substack.com/p/july-16-gods-purpose-flows-through?sd=pf

Article post: https://thelivingword.substack.com/p/becoming-fruitful-for-god-living?sd=pf

Video: https://thelivingword.substack.com/p/becoming-fruitful-for-god-living-e5f?sd=pf

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

The story is from May 21 (pre-Pentecost) but the discussion takes it forward.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

||  How to Live the Jesus Way  ||

• The call to be a disciple of Jesus is to join all believers in being a very different kind of priesthood, where everybody represents God to man, and intercedes for man with God

Based on these Bible readings widely used by different churches and chapels on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 — Security is deeply trusting in God's goodness

John 14:1-14 — Disciples have a place prepared for them in heaven

Acts 7:55-60 — Stephen in his dying moments sees heaven open

1 Peter 2:2-10 — Living stones make a heavenly temple here on earth

• See also the Bible study on these passages — ideal for home groups or individual study — and the article post which tells the story that comes from these passages, incorporating he readings themselves:

https://thelivingword.uk

https://medium.com/the-living-word

There’s a video of the story part of this podcast for desktop (wide) and there’s a tall version for mobiles

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com

The story part of the podcast is woven through these Bible readings which are NIV. You can find your favourite version thropugh the links:

Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19

Luke 24:13-35

Acts 2:14, 36-41

1 Peter 1:17-23

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelivingword.substack.com