We will start our week of posting resources by looking at a few resources from NT Wright. NT Wright is a present-day New Testament scholar and is well respected in our Wesleyan/Armenian (Nazarene) academical circles. Many of his writings and sermons can be found at www.ntwrightpage.com. He has written many books and a few of my favorites include: Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, Simply Jesus, and After You Believe.

Here are a few of his writings to help you dig deeper:

• Mind, Spirit, Soul and Body: All for One and One for All... This article delves into the Biblical context of the mind/body/soul.
• Jesus’ Resurrection and Christian Origins by NT Wright. An overview of the pagan, Jewish, and Christian beliefs concerning life after death.
• Farewell To The Rapture by NT Wright. A simple and concise writing addressing the folly of rapture theology.
• Time Magazine did an interview with Dr. Wright in 2008 that caused some stir. You can read the article here.

If reading isn’t your specific learning style, there are several video postings on youtube of NT Wright. Here are a few of those great videos:

• Revelation and the Christian Hope (1.38hr). 
• What happens after you die? (1.29 min).
• Clouds and Harps, Is That the Real Heaven? (1.09 min)
• What is the “paradise” Jesus speaks on the Cross? (1 min)
• What Will We do in Heaven? (1.44 min)
• What Does Heaven Look Like? (1.08 min)

Picture borrowed from this site, visit www.agnusday.org for more lectionay humor.

This week we will look at the phrase, “Lead us to purity of soul and body in these forty days.” - Throughout the Scriptures and in the teachings of Jesus we are challenged to examine every motivation in our lives, and to see mind, body, and soul as holy space.

Take a few minutes today to pray the 40 day prayer and read this article titled Marketplace or Holy Space.

Purifying Mystery, Your light exposes in us all that we hide. Awaken us and all Your Holy Church to spiritual combat. Lead us to purity of soul and body in these forty days. Fortify us to take an honest look at ourselves–to name our secret sins and our ruts of disobedience. Let abstinence from our addictions free us for prayer and the fire of love. Perfect us by steady gaze toward Your pure mercy and grace, so we may come to the Passion of Jesus and the Holy Easter in pure joy.

In confidence we commend ourselves and all our passions and cares to Your never-failing mercy. We intercede for the world and the church and especially for those we have hurt by our preoccupations, for those who live sacrificially so others may know Your justice and compassion, for a just peace in and among the nations, for professionals who help others stand in the light, for the Church in every place and for the concerns and cares of our lives. Amen.

Spiritual combat = the battle for God’s will to be done on earth as it is heaven.

AS ALL OUR STRENGTH for conquering the enemy derives from distrust of self and confidence in God, I think I should give some additional advice, very necessary for obtaining these virtues.

In the first place, everyone must be convinced that neither all natural or acquired abilities, nor all supernatural gifts or perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, nor even whole ages spent in the service of his Creator, can enable him to do the will of God. He cannot perform his duty unless the Hand of the Almighty sustains him as often as any good action is to be done, temptation to be overcome, dangers to be avoided, or crosses to be borne according to the Will of God. This truth must be kept in mind every day, hour, and moment of his life. In this way he will lose all presumption and will never rashly trust in himself.

In order to acquire complete confidence in God, he must firmly believe that He as perfectly capable of conquering a great number of enemies as a few, the strong and experienced as the weak and inexperienced. Consequently, although a soul is overwhelmed by sins, although it has labored in vain to tear away from vice and follow virtue, although it should find its inclination to evil increasing daily instead of diminishing in favor of virtue, yet it must not fail to place its confidence in God; it must not be discouraged or abandon its spiritual works. On the contrary, it must arouse itself to new fervor and redouble its efforts against the enemy.

In this kind of battle, the victory will be won by him who has the courage not to throw down his arms or out aside his confidence in God. His assistance is always present for those who fight His battles, though He may sometimes permit them to be wounded. Persevere to the end. Victory depends on this. There is a swift and effective remedy for the wounds of anyone who fights for God’s cause and who places his entire trust in Him. When he least expects it, he will see his enemy at his feet.

Taken from DOM LORENZO SCUPOLI With Imprimatur. 

I love the way Miroslav Volf describes this journey to “something new” in this video. After experiencing the “death march” we can look forward with the hope that “we are loved, all is forgiven, and all will be well.”

Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”
Jesus answered, “Philip, I have been with you for a long time. So you should know me. The person that has seen me has seen the Father too. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you truly believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The things I have told you don’t come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done.” (ERV)

Have you ever wanted to see God? Do you ever think to yourself, “If God would only tell me what to do…”.

We don’t have to look far to see God. We don’t have to struggle to know the will of God.  The picture of God is given to us in the stories and words of the scriptures about Christ. And as we understand the life and message of Christ…we can see directly into the heart of God.

For God has unfolded in Christ every one of his blessings.  “For it pleased the Father, that in Him all fullness should dwell” (Col. 1:19), not by adumbration or according to the shadow, but bodily.  For this reason he is called, “the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person,” (Heb. 1:3), in whom the Father condescends to afford to us his infinite majesty, his immeasurable goodness, mercy, and philanthropy; to be contemplated, beheld, and to be touched and felt…For those things which lay hidden and indiscernible within the Father, like the fine and deep traces in an engraved seal, stand out, become prominent, and may be most clearly and distinctly seen in Christ, as in an exact and protuberant impression.”  - Jacobus Arminius, The First Oration: The Object of Theology

If you want to know what God is about…start with the life of Jesus.

Originally posted at The Christian Century Blog

¹My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?

These words are found in Psalm 22…but perhaps we recognize them best as the words Jesus cries out while on the cross. At Jesus’ lowest point, when he was most alone, this was the scripture he quoted.  

What is our Christian response in the low and alone moments of our lives? What hope is there in the midst of our depression?

The Psalm continues…

²O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. ³Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.^v4In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. ⁵To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. ⁶But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people. ⁷All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; ⁸“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver— let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”

The Psalmist clearly knows the feeling and depth of depression. He clearly understands the cycle of doubt…but he reminds us that our hope is not found in our feelings of worthlessness (worm), or our fear of what others will think (they shake their heads). Our hope is found in a commitment to the faithfulness of God. 

Commit your cause to the Lord…let him deliever and rescue you!

Here are a few additional resources for further reading on Psalm 22:

• On Being Pursued by the Black Dog
• The Power of the Dogs: When Trouble is Near
• When Your World Falls Apart

After you have taken time to watch this brief video…think on these things:

• How in this season of Lent are you “welcoming or feeding the stranger?”
• What does the phrase “we is me plus one more” mean for you?
• How will you “break bread with another” this next week?

Join with us through this season of Lent as we daily pray this prayer together:

Purifying Mystery, Your light exposes in us all that we hide.

Awaken us and all Your Holy Church to spiritual combat.

Lead us to purity of soul and body in these forty days.

Fortify us to take an honest look at ourselves–to name our secret sins and our ruts of disobedience.

Let abstinence from our addictions free us for prayer and the fire of love.

Perfect us by steady gaze toward Your pure mercy and grace, so we may come to the Passion of Jesus and the Holy Easter in pure joy.

In confidence we commend ourselves and all our passions and cares to Your never-failing mercy. We intercede for the world, especially for those we have hurt by our preoccupations; for those who live sacrificially so others may know Your justice and compassion; for a just peace in and among the nations; for professionals who help others stand in the light; for the Church in every place and for the concerns and cares of our lives. Amen.