Those of you hanging in there with me for the Luke study have heard me mention several times a literary device called an inclusio. This is a very common and important element of writing in the First Century.

So, what’s an inclusio? Here’s the Wikipedia take on it.

In literature, inclusio is a literary device based on a concentric principle, also known as bracketing or an envelope structure, which consists of creating a frame by placing similar material at the beginning and end of a section, although whether this material should consist of a word or a phrase, or whether greater amounts of text also qualify, and of what length the frames section should be, are matters of some debate. Inclusio is found in various sources, both antique and new.

I sort of like the image of bookends. As the definition above indicates, inclusios are still in common use today, but in biblical times they are often prominent. Using them, authors can section off literary units and indicate to both readers and hearers the boundaries of context and purpose. By strategic positioning of inclusios, readers and hearers are alerted to other information as well.

We’ve already seen a couple of prominent uses in the Gospel of Luke. For example, we know that Peter was Luke’s primary source of information. We know this because the first apostle specifically mentioned by name and the last apostle mentioned by name is Peter. We also saw that Luke announced to his readers that women had a special and equal place in Jesus’ ministry by mentioning three women by name in both the beginning and ending of Jesus’ ministry.

Last week we were examining the Incarnation in Luke 2:7. That verse, Luke 2:7, is the precise beginning of Jesus’ life.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

The precise end of Jesus’ life is recorded in Luke 23:53.

And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

This is an inclusio. Observe:

The message is stark and clear – Jesus was born to die. This is where we’ll pick it up Sunday morning in all services. Join me there!

If you are a Gracewayer, you know the drill. Pastor Jeff is in the pulpit and throws out the question knowing full well that there will be a chorus of right answers in return.

What’s the #1 rule of Bible study?

And all the people say, “Context!”

That’s like asking a realtor the most important factor in determining the desirability of a piece of property. Repeated three times for emphasis, it’s location, location, location.

OK, here’s a confession. There’s a verse in the Bible that those of us in the Preacher’s Union have been ripping out of context for centuries. It happens when we want to hammer people to give their tithes and offerings. One of our very favorite verses to throw into the mix is Luke 6:38. You know it, don’t you?

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Ummmmm … the context … it … really … well, … itdoesn’treallyhavetodowithgivingmoneytothechurch.

Whew! There, I said it!

So what IS the context?

Jesus is repeating some of the same principles and concepts he taught in what we call the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). You know, the Beatitudes and all that stuff. The whole message on this occasion swirls around verse 31, the so-called Golden Rule, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. He’s talking about dealing with enemies and going far beyond what “normal” people would do. He’s telling us to love our enemies, do good to them and give to them in a way not expecting to receive anything in return.

In other words, he is telling us that we should give love instead of vengeance, good deeds instead of an eye for an eye, mercy instead of judgment and condemnation. There’s not an offering plate in sight (or KFC bucket in the case of Graceway). Check me out on this. Start reading at Luke 6:20 and see if this is not the case.

Now, if you would, let me try to cover my already drafty rear side. In Luke 6:38 Jesus is borrowing this basket-measuring image of pressed down, shaken together and running over from the market place. There is a universal principle understood here that certainly can be applied to teaching about the concept of giving and the financial responsibility of the believer. But, it’s probably a good idea that we at least mention the context of this verse just in case there are people in the congregation who actually know how to read or think!

You know the five second rule, right. If food falls on the floor it’s OK to eat it if you pick it up in 5 seconds or less. I propose a five second rule for Bible verses. If you’re making a big enough deal of some passage of scripture that you are hovering over it for more than 5 seconds, you need to go ahead and at least mention the context. Sound fair?

So, what’s our take-away from all this?

• The #1 of Bible study and application is context, context, context. Always take the Bible in its proper context.
• Treat your enemies with love, generosity and compassion and that’s what others will give to you in return.
• Keep those tithes and offerings coming! You wouldn’t want me to hammer you with an out-of-context verse, would you?

This question was bounced around in our staff meeting last Monday in light of Psalm 37. We were talking about a number of things and I can’t even remember the exact context in which these comments arose. But I thought it good to pass a few thoughts along to you.

We often create Christian cultures that challenge us to live to the very highest of standards. High standards are appropriate, but they need to be tempered with realistic expectations. If not, it is but a short step to legalism and lives lived in fear and peer pressure rather than in the power of God’s Spirit. People begin to operate under intense pressure to maintain a flawless exterior. The slightest misstep can trigger torrents of gossip, criticism and blame. When flawlessness is the only acceptable condition with no possibility for grace and mercy, this is the result to be expected. Rather than engaging the world with the message of Jesus Christ, believers retreat behind their masks and live in isolated fantasy.

How could a leader (do or say) such a thing! 

I can’t believe that (he or she) would do this. 

Jesus set the bar high. Outside of him, there are only two major biblical characters of whom no specific sin is recorded (Joseph and Daniel). We should never lower the bar but rather remember that growth into conformity to his image is a lifelong process and never fully accomplished in this earthly life. In fact, our failures are often converted to forward motion on the continuum of spiritual growth.

Some people do openly rebel and refuse to reason or repent. These are cases to be handled with a deft combination of decisiveness and love. In extreme cases discipline can be necessary, but always with an eye to repentance, reconciliation and restoration in the light of a clear pathway to follow.

While some people fall because of wickedness, others fall because of weakness.

The question under consideration here has to do with good people, godly people, not wicked or rebellious people. Can a good, godly person fall even while still being good and godly? Can a good person fall even when his or her steps are clearly ordered by God and the person sincerely delights to walk in God’s pathway?

The biblical text gives us the answer with no need for commentary or explanation.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24)

Other questions beg to be answered.

When a good person falls, should they just give up and stay down? Who is it that always dares to reach out in strength to those  good people who fall? If God shows grace and mercy to good people who fall, should we?

See if you can find the answers to the above questions in the same biblical text. If you get stumped, here’s a hint: Proverbs 24:16. Go ahead. Look it up. Or, if you’re a visual person, think really hard about the picture.

Slow healer – that phrase has been a frequent visitor in our household lately.

Many of you are aware that a year ago December Cheryl had a knee replaced. Then, in September of last year, she had the second knee replaced. She’s been waiting to do this since she injured them both in gym class in Jr. High School. Both times the doctor told her that the recovery time for a knee replacement is a year or more.

No one is more faithful to the rehab routine or works harder than Cheryl. When some of you ask how she’s doing, I say she’s doing great. If you ask her, the answer may be a bit different. She sees people who seem to be progressing faster than she, who have more flexibility or who, well … you get the idea. And then there is the matter of pain and swelling.

I keep reminding her that the doctor says it’s a year to a year-and-a-half recovery and that every knee and person is different. She knows that but still thinks it should be faster. Lately she’s been saying that she is just a slow healer.

Last week she made an unscheduled appointment to see the surgeon about the pain she has been experiencing.  When I asked her how it went, she said that they examined her, thought everything looked fine, but said that she is just a slow healer.

Slow healer. That doesn’t mean she is physiologically inferior; it just means she heals more slowly in comparison to others. And, different people heal differently at different seasons of life. You know THAT is NOT the issue here!

Last September I pulled a hamstring in my left leg. I’ve never done that before. I’ve had little tweaky pangs in the hamstring, but nothing serious. In over twenty years of martial arts I’ve broken toes, nose, and fingers, but never pulled a hamstring, and none of those other things ever slowed me down. The hamstring deal, however, is driving me nuts! I’ve continued to run, but cut back to 3 miles most days instead of 5 or 6 and MUCH slower. After all this time it is getting better, but I’m still not where I need to be. I’m still running, but still running a bit gimpy.

The other day I thought I would try to do some karate to see how it went. The first time I tried to raise my leg above my waist I thought I was going to die. I screamed; I cussed. Yes, there ARE things bad enough to make a preacher cuss. So, I suppose I’m a slow healer, too.

I’m wondering about how this might apply to emotional hurt. I’m thinking that some people may be slow healers. I hear it all the time. Someone is hurt by another person and it hurts – really hurts – for a long time.

Before we go any further it is important to distinguish between hurt and forgiveness. Forgiveness is a decision to obey. As followers of Jesus we are commanded to obey by forgiving those who hurt us (Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Mark 11:25-26; Luke 6:37; 17:3-4; Ephesians 4:32). Not only that, we aren’t even supposed to sleep on it, but deal with it before the sun goes down (Ephesians 4:26). Forgiveness is an act of the will in obedience to the command and example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Healing is something else. You can forgive and still hurt. I think this is why some people are afraid to forgive. They are afraid that if they still hurt the forgiveness is not authentic. Not so. Forgiveness is a decision; healing from hurt can take a while, and sometimes it takes a long time. Sometimes the hurt never goes away.

You can forgive, but that doesn’t mean you have to blindly trust the person who hurt you and be a chump to be hurt again. Although you just might be hurt again, in which case you forgive again (Matthew 18:21-35). To forgive does not mean you forget, nor does it mean that you automatically stop hurting. To forgive is the biblical thing to do. To heal is part of being human.

While in India last month, a friend fell and broke her wrist. It wasn’t a bad break, but it hurt. She wasn’t sure it was broken and we encouraged her to have a doctor check it out. She made the right decision to have it examined and it was confirmed that it was indeed broken. They stabilized it with a soft cast and gave her some pain medication. Good choice to check it out! … It still hurts.

Got hurt? Forgive. It’s a choice. You can’t begin to heal until you forgive. Some might heal faster than you. That’s OK. We’re all different and all hurt is different.  Just don’t confuse forgiveness with hurt and the healing process can begin. If this is a subject that interests you, or that you need, there is a forgiveness conference coming up next month at Graceway. You can read about it here.

Are you a slow healer?  Will Cheryl ever be glad she had her knees replaced? Will I ever recover from my gimpy hamstring? Had any experience with this?

In my Bible reading journey last week I came across Proverbs 11:30. Though I was reading the passage in Spanish, the KJV that I had memorized not long after coming to faith jumped into my consciousness – The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

“Soul winning,” I was taught, is what we should be about. Having no idea of the context of that verse in Proverbs,  before long I came to associate that phrase with passing out Gospel literature, starting awkward conversations with strangers and convincing people to pray the “sinner’s prayer” to “invite Jesus to come into their hearts” (based on an equally out-of-context interpretation of Revelation 3:20).

Please understand that I am in no way making light of the attempt to share our faith in Jesus Christ, nor am I belittling the idea of making a once-for-all decision to follow Jesus. Without apology I believe that becoming a follower of Jesus Christ is a conscious decision to trust what the Bible says about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ being the price God paid to deal with the penalty of our sin.

I also believe that evangelical culture in the United States during the last half of the Twentieth Century often lapsed into what has been variously called easy-believism, decisionism, or other terms to denote a superficial understanding of eternal salvation. Soul winning was getting people to pray “the prayer,” or to “get saved.” Too often, that was it and little thought was given to the supernatural transformation of life that is said to occur with faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In the same Bible reading that served up Proverbs 11:30, I also saw Psalm 34:22, telling us that the Lord redeems the soul of his servants. That’s interesting! He redeems (purchases with a price, saves, or rescues) the soul of his servants – not just the lost. God is indeed in the business of rescuing souls. I just think this whole rescuing souls thing is far deeper and more comprehensive that many would dare to imagine.

In the Old Testament, the soul spoke of the whole being, not just a a specific division of psycho-spiritual anatomy. Genesis 12:5, for example, speaks of Abraham coming into the land with all the souls he had gathered together. This is a very tangible term, not a psychological concept.

Here’s my point. Winning or rescuing souls begins with the a conscious decision to follow Christ and continues through the process of growing to maturity in faith. This is why the Great Commission is not to win souls, but to make disciples. Being a disciple begins with trusting God for forgiveness of sin and eternal life, but is the beginning, not the ending of the process.

Churches today seem to be filled with “saved souls,” and dysfunctional lives. People who raised their hands in an “invitation,” and prayed the sinner’s prayer never learned how to follow Jesus. A “testimony” is the story of getting saved 20 years ago, but rarely mentions any continued supernatural transformation of life.

My challenge is to elevate our conception of rescuing souls to a life-long process of transformation rather than a once-for-all momentary decision that moves on to complacency. I think of nations like Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala that I know well. The percentage of born again evangelical believers there approaches or exceeds 30% of the population. Yet all three of these Central American countries wrestle with governmental corruption, horrific rates of violent crime and all other sorts of social ills. If 30% of the population are evangelicals, where the heck is the supernatural transformation? Where is the influence of transformed lives?

In the United States why is that one in six women who choose to abort their unborn baby claims to be a born again Christian? Why is that we are content to cloister ourselves in fortress-like church buildings instead of preparing ourselves to be salt and light in society and reproduce our live and maturity in others? How can we spend all our time passing out Gospel literature and yet ignore the human slavery, sex trafficking, child molestation, spousal abuse, damaging addiction and corruption that surrounds us?

I’m just saying that there is a lot of soul rescuing to do and it involves far more than we would like to think. Let’s share our faith and lead people into life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ, but let’s not stop there. Let’s take a good look at the world around us courageously take the Good news of Jesus Christ into the darkest and dirtiest places in the supernatural power of God. Let’s really make a difference in this world and not just collect notches on our Gospel guns.