From the Morning Scriptures

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,  just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

–Luke 1:1-4 (TNIV)

With these innocuous words, Luke begins his Gospel. But don’t be lulled into missing the tremendously important implications of what he writes here. First, he tells us he has “undertaken to draw up an orderly account of the things that have been fulfilled among us.” To do this, of course, requires a careful and systematic investigation. Luke is telling us he is an historian, not a blogger. Luke’s Gospel is no fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants endeavor!

Second, notice the supreme importance Luke gives to eyewitness accounts. Luke tells us that the account he is going to present in his Gospel is based on eyewitness testimony from the beginning of the Jesus story. The verb Luke uses for “handed down” is paradidomi, which is a technical term in Greek meaning to entrust or deliver to somone (BDAG). It suggests that the story was not handed down willy-nilly nor was the story subject to the whims of the storyteller. Rather, it suggests that great care was taken not to change the original eyewitness accounts of Jesus and transmitted in a formal way, much like we would expect to see occur in educational contexts and environments. If you are interested in the Gold Standard of this stuff, I commend to you Richard Bauckham’s tome, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Be forewarned, however, that it is very dense and scholarly reading and not for the feint of heart.

Why am I spending time on this? Because this suggests that contrary to many modern, liberal theologians, the Gospel accounts are not the product of the first-century church which cannot be trusted to be historically reliable. They are not myth or a product of imaginative thinking, but just the opposite. Luke is telling us here in language that would have been readily recognizable to any first-century reader or hearer that his Gospel is based on eyewitness accounts, the Gold Standard for ancient historians, and are consequently trustworthy and true. This includes the whole enchilada: miracle stories and–dare I say it?–the physical resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus.

I do not have time to parse out a full case for all of this. Suffice it to say that when you read the Gospels, you can read them and be confident that they are based on history, not myth or imagination, and this is a game-changer. You can read their respective testimonies and have confidence that they report accurately who Jesus was and what he said and did. Thanks be to God for that!

Evelyn Underhill: What the Spirit Produces

St. John of the Cross says that every quality or virtue which that Spirit really produces in our souls has three distinguishing characters–Tranquility, Gentleness, Strength. All our action must be peaceful, gentle and strong. That suggests, doesn’t it, an immense depth, and an invulnerable steadiness as the soul’s abiding temper; a depth and steadiness which come from the fact that our small action is now part of the total action of God, whose Spirit, as another saint has said, “Works always in tranquility.” Fuss and feverishness, anxiety, intensity, intolerance, instability, pessimism, and wobble, and every kind of hurry and worry–these, even on the highest levels, are signs of the self-made and self-acting soul; the spiritual parvenu. The saints are never like that. They share the quiet and noble qualities of the great family to which they belong.

–The Spiritual Life

It’s About Time

Therefore, be attentive to time and the way you spend it. Nothing is more precious. This is evident when you recall that in one tiny moment heaven may be gained or lost. God, the master of time, never gives the future. He gives the present, moment by moment. Time is for you, not for time. God, the Lord of nature, will never anticipate your choices which follow one after another in time. You will not be able to excuse yourself at the last judgment, saying to God: “You overwhelmed me with the future when I was only capable of living in the present.”

But now I see you are discouraged and are saying to yourself: “What am I to do? If all he says is true, how shall I justify my past? I am twenty-four years old and until this moment I have scarcely noticed time at all. What is worse, I could not repair the past even if I wanted to, for according to his teaching such a task is impossible to me by nature even with the help of ordinary grace. Besides I know very well that in the future, either through frailty or laziness, I will probably not be any more attentive to the present moment than I have been in the past. I am completely discouraged. Please help me for the love of Jesus.”

Well have you said “for the love of Jesus.” For it is in his love that you will find help. In love all things are shared and so if you love Jesus, everything of his is yours. As God he is the creator and dispenser of time; as man he consciously mastered time; as God and man he is the rightful judge of you and your use of time. Bind yourself to Jesus, therefore, in faith and love, so that belonging to him you may share all he has and enter the fellowship of those who love him.

–Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing

What is the New Heart?

“Get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 18:31) means leaving behind the old age of the letter, and living in the newness of the spirit. The new heart is to forsake the idols of the Gentiles, to despise dead things, and to believe in him who is “God of the living.”

–Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel 6

Don’t take Jerome too literally in his last sentence. Rather, think of things that my be your idols and which lead to death in your life. His point, of course, is that if we want to live, we had better make the Source and Author of all life our primary focus.

A Prayer from Augustine

Lord, you know those who are sore stricken and heavy of heart. As their days, so let their strength be. Heal the sick, comfort the weary, succor the tempted, give peace to the dying and light at eventide. Watch over us who are still in our dangerous voyage, and remember such as lie exposed to the rough storms of trouble and temptations. Frail is our vessel, and the ocean is wide; but as in your mercy you have set our course, so steer the vessel of our life toward the everlasting shore of peace, and bring us at length to the quiet haven of our heart’s desire, where you, O our God, are blessed, and live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

From the Methodist Hymnal

Soldiers of Christ Arise (513)

Soldiers of Christ arise,
and put your armor on,
strong in the strength which God supplies
thru his eternal Son;
strong in the Lord of Hosts,
and in his mighty power,
who in the strength of Jesus trusts
is more than conqueror.

Stand then in his great might,
with all his strength endued,
but take to arm you for the fight
the panoply of God;
that having all things done,
and all your conflicts passed,
ye may o’ercome thru Christ alone
and stand entire at last.

Pray without ceasing, pray,
(your Captain gives the word)
his summons cheerfully obey
and call upon the Lord;
to God your every want
in instant prayer display,
pray always, pray and never faint,
pray, without ceasing pray.

From strength to strength go on,
wrestle and fight and pray,
tread all the powers of darkness down
and win the well-fought day.
Still let the Spirit cry
in all his soldiers, “Come!”
till Christ the Lord, descends from high
and takes the conquerors home.

–Charles Wesley