1.Omaha Presbyterian School for Pastors Hastings 2012 Session 3

2. Saving Israel 3. School for PastorsHear our prayer for the School forPastors, O Lord. 4. School for PastorsWe pray that you may grant, in accor-dance with the riches of your glory, thatwe may be strengthened in our innerbeing with power through your Spirit. 5. School for PastorsWe pray that you will dwell in ourhearts by faith, as we are establishedand grounded in your love. 6. School for PastorsWe pray that we may have the power tocomprehend, with all the saints, thebreadth and length and height anddepth of your love: to know this lovethat surpasses knowledge. 7. School for PastorsWe pray that we may be filled with allyour fullness, O God. 8. School for PastorsBy the power at work within us you areable to accomplish abundantly far morethan we can ask or imagine. 9. School for PastorsTo you be glory in the church and inChrist Jesus to all generations, foreverand ever. Amen. from Ephesians 3:16-21 10. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177) 11. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)On the Nature of Christ, fragment vii(ANF 8) 12. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)For there is no need, to persons ofintelligence, to attempt to prove, fromthe deeds of Christ subsequent to Hisbaptism, 13. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)that His soul and His body, His humannature like ours, were real, and nophantom of the imagination. 14. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)For the deeds done by Christ after Hisbaptism, and especially His miracles,gave indication and assurance to theworld of the Deity hidden in His flesh. 15. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)For, being at once both God andperfect man likewise, He gave us sureindications of His two natures: 16. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)of His Deity, by His miracles during thethree years that elapsed after Hisbaptism; 17. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)of His humanity, during the thirtysimilar periods which preceded Hisbaptism, 18. Saving IsraelMelito of Sardis (d ca 177)in which, by reason of His low estate asregards the flesh, He concealed thesigns of His Deity, although He was thetrue God existing before all ages. 19. Saving IsraelFrances Young, Virtuoso Theology(1993)She describes Melitos complaintagainst the Jews of Sardis as: 20. Saving Israelthe first really bitter Christian attack onthe Jews as the ones responsible forthe death of Christ. It does not makenice reading. 21. Saving IsraelIt reminds us that what one is closestto, if there be a breakdown ofrelationships, is precisely what one ismost hostile to. 22. Saving IsraelOf course we should not overlook thefact that at this stage the Christianswere a small, marginalized group, 23. Saving Israelvulnerable because they were neitherproper Jews nor proper Gentiles, andfaced in Sardis by a prosperous andsizeable Jewish community, 24. Saving Israelwhose very presence was a constantthreat to Christian claims. 25. Saving IsraelThe early Christian communities hadidentity problems, and were dogged byjudaising tendencies. 26. Saving IsraelSo sadly the seeds of a shameful futurewere sown here: he had to die, Melitoadmits it was part of Gods plan 27. Saving Israelbut it need not have been you, Godsown people acting against their ownLord. (Frances Young, VirtuosoTheology, 73-74) 28. Saving IsraelWhat did Melito actually say? 29. Saving IsraelAnd where was He put to death? In themidst of Jerusalem. 30. Saving IsraelBy whom? By Israel: because Hecured their lame, and cleansed theirlepers, and gave light to their blind, andraised their dead! 31. Saving IsraelThou, O Israel, wast giving commands,and He was being crucified; thou wastrejoicing, and He was being buried;thou wast reclining on a soft couch,and He was watching in the grave andthe shroud. 32. Saving IsraelO Israel, transgressor of the law, whyhast thou committed this new iniquity,subjecting the Lord to new sufferings 33. Saving Israelthine own Lord, Him who fashionedthee, Him who made thee, Him whohonoured thee, who called thee Israel? 34. Saving IsraelBut thou hast not been found to beIsrael: for thou hast not seen God, norunderstood the Lord. 35. Saving IsraelThou hast not known, O Israel, that thiswas the first-born of God, who wasbegotten before the sun, 36. Saving Israelwho made the light to shine forth, wholighted up the day, who separated thedarkness, 37. Saving Israelwho fixed the first foundations, whopoised the earth, who collected theocean, who stretched out thefirmament, who adorned the world. 38. Saving IsraelBitter were thy nails, and sharp; bitterthy tongue, which thou didst whet; 39. Saving Israelbitter was Judas, to whom thou gavesthire; bitter thy false witnesses, whomthou stirredst up; 40. Saving Israelbitter thy gall, which thou preparedst;bitter thy vinegar, which thou madest;bitter thy hands, filled with blood. 41. Saving IsraelThou slewest thy Lord, and He waslifted up upon the tree; 42. Saving Israeland an inscription was fixed above, toshow who He was that was slain. Melito of Sardis, On Faith fragment V (ANF 8) 43. Saving IsraelIs this the bitterness of the firstantisemitic attack, or the bitterness of alament? 44. Saving IsraelMelitos tone of scolding is strong,maybe even harsh; but is it more harshthan the scoldings of the prophets? 45. Saving IsraelEzekiel 34:8Because my shepherds have notsearched for my sheep, but theshepherds have fed themselves, andhave not fed my sheep; 46. Saving IsraelEzekiel 34:9-10therefore you shepherds, hear the wordof the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Iam against the shepherds ... 47. Saving IsraelJeremiah 48. Saving IsraelJeremiah 8:5Why has this people turned away inperpetual backsliding? They have heldfast to deceit, they have refused toreturn. 49. Saving IsraelJeremiah 8:6I have given heed and listened, but theydo not speak honestly; no one repentsof wickedness, saying, What have Idone? 50. Saving IsraelJeremiah 8:6All of them turn to their own course,like a horse plunging headlong intobattle. 51. Saving IsraelJeremiah 8:7 my people do not know theordinance of the Lord. 52. Saving IsraelJeremiah 8:8How can you say, We are wise, andthe law of the Lord is with us, when, infact, the false pen of the scribes hasmade it into a lie? 53. Saving IsraelJeremiah 8:9The wise shall be put to shame, theyshall be dismayed and taken, sincethey have rejected the word of the Lord. 54. Saving IsraelAmos 2:6Thus says the Lord: For threetransgressions of Israel, and for four, Iwill not revoke the punishment; 55. Saving IsraelAmos 2:6because they sell the righteous forsilver, and the needy for a pair ofsandals 56. Saving IsraelAmos 2:7they who trample the head of the poorinto the dust of the earth, and push theafflicted out of the way; 57. Saving IsraelAmos 2:7father and son go in to the same girl, sothat my holy name is profaned; 58. Saving IsraelAmos 2:8they lay themselves down beside everyaltar on garments taken in pledge; andin the house of their God they drinkwine bought with fines they imposed. 59. Saving IsraelIs it fair to say that Gods tone, in manyplaces in the prophets, is stronglyscolding of Israel? 60. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1When Israel was a child, I loved him,and out of Egypt I called my son. 61. Saving IsraelHosea 11:2The more I called them, the more theywent from me; they kept sacrificing tothe Baals, and offering incense to idols. 62. Saving IsraelHosea 11:3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim towalk, I took them up in my arms, butthey did not know that I healed them. 63. Saving IsraelHosea 11:4I led them with cords of humankindness, with bands of love. I was tothem like those who lift infants to theircheeks. I bent down and fed them. 64. Saving IsraelHosea 11:5They shall return to the land of Egypt,and Assyria shall be their king,because they have refused to return tome. 65. Saving IsraelHosea 11:6The sword rages in their cities, itconsumes their oracle-priests, anddevours because of their schemes. 66. Saving IsraelHosea 11:7My people are bent on turning awayfrom me. To the Most High they call,but he does not raise them up at all. 67. Saving IsraelHosea 11:8How can I give you up, Ephraim? Howcan I hand you over, O Israel? How canI make you like Admah? How can Itreat you like Zeboiim? 68. Saving IsraelHosea 11:8My heart recoils within me; mycompassion grows warm and tender. 69. Saving IsraelHosea 11:9I will not execute my fierce anger; I willnot again destroy Ephraim; 70. Saving IsraelHosea 11:9for I am God and no mortal, the HolyOne in your midst, and I will not comein wrath. 71. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9I have loved Israel for centuries 72. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9I have loved Israel for centuriesI feel frustrated by Israels sin 73. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9I have loved Israel for centuriesI feel frustrated by Israels sinI have decided to cast off Israel forever 74. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9I have loved Israel for centuriesI feel frustrated by Israels sinI have decided to cast off Israel foreverI cant stand this decision 75. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9I have loved Israel for centuriesI feel frustrated by Israels sinI have decided to cast off Israel foreverI cant stand this decisionI have changed my mind 76. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9Does God get to feel things like that? 77. Saving IsraelHosea 11:1-9Does God get to feel things like that?Does God get to feel that frustrated, toyearn with that kind of yearning? 78. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:1The hand of the Lord came upon me,and he brought me out by the Spirit ofthe Lord and set me down in the middleof a valley; it was full of bones. 79. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:2He led me all around them; there werevery many lying in the valley, and theywere very dry. 80. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:3He said to me, Mortal, can thesebones live? I answered, O Lord God,you know. 81. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:4Then he said to me, Prophesy to thesebones, and say to them: O dry bones,hear the word of the Lord. 82. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:5Thus says the Lord God to thesebones: I will cause breath to enter you,and you shall live. 83. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:6I will lay sinews on you, and will causeflesh to come upon you, and cover youwith skin, and put breath in you, andyou shall live; and you shall know that Iam the Lord. 84. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:7So I prophesied as I had beencommanded; and as I prophesied therewas a noise, a rattling, and the bonescame together, bone to its bone. 85. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:8I looked, and there were sinews onthem, and flesh had come upon them,and skin had covered them. 86. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:9Then he said to me, Prophesy to thebreath, prophesy, mortal, and say tothe breath: 87. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:9Thus says the Lord God: Come fromthe four winds, O breath, and breatheupon these slain, that they may live. 88. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:10I prophesied as he commanded me,and the breath came into them, andthey lived, and stood on their feet, avast multitude. 89. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:11Then he said to me, Mortal, thesebones are the whole house of Israel.They say, Our bones are dried up, andour hope is lost; we are cut offcompletely. 90. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:12Therefore prophesy, and say to them,Thus says the Lord God: 91. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:12I am going to open your graves andbring you up from your graves, O mypeople; and I will bring you back to theland of Israel. 92. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:13And you shall know that I am the Lord,when I open your graves, and bring youup from your graves, O my people. 93. Saving IsraelEzekiel 37:14I will put my Spirit within you, and youshall live, and I will place you on yourown soil; then you shall know that I, theLord, have spoken and will act, saysthe Lord. 94. Saving IsraelRomans 9 11 95. Saving IsraelRomans 11:26All Israel will be saved. 96. Saving IsraelRomans 9:1I am speaking the truth in Christ I amnot lying; my conscience confirms it bythe Holy Spirit 97. Saving IsraelRomans 9:2I have great sorrow and unceasinganguish in my heart. 98. Saving IsraelRomans 9:3For I could wish that I myself wereaccursed and cut off from Christ for thesake of my own people, my kindredaccording to the flesh. 99. Saving IsraelRomans 5:7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for arighteous person though perhaps fora good person someone might actuallydare to die. 100. Saving IsraelIf Paul can yearn for the salvation of hispeople so deeply, does this mean thathe longs for their salvation more thanGod does? 101. Saving IsraelIf Paul would be willing to be damnedto hell for the sake of his people, towhat lengths might God Almighty gofor their sake? 102. Saving IsraelRomans 9:4They are Israelites, and to them belongthe adoption, the glory, the covenants,the giving of the law, the worship, andthe promises; 103. Saving IsraelRomans 9:5to them belong the patriarchs, and fromthem, according to the flesh, comes theMessiah, , . 104. Saving IsraelRomans 9:11Even before they had been born or haddone anything good or bad (so thatGods purpose of election mightcontinue, 105. Saving IsraelRomans 9:12(not by works but by his call) [Rebekah]was told, The elder shall serve theyounger. 106. Saving IsraelRomans 9:13As it is written, I have loved Jacob, butI have hated Esau. 107. Saving IsraelRomans 9:14What then are we to say? Is thereinjustice on Gods part? By no means! 108. Saving IsraelRomans 9:15For he says to Moses, I will havemercy on whom I have mercy, and I willhave compassion on whom I havecompassion. 109. Saving IsraelRomans 9:16So it depends not on human will orexertion, but on God who shows mercy. 110. Saving IsraelRomans 9:17For the scripture says to Pharoah, 111. Saving IsraelRomans 9:17I have raised you up for the verypurpose of showing my power in you,so that my name may be proclaimed inall the earth. 112. Saving IsraelRomans 9:18So then he has mercy on whomever hechooses, and he hardens the heart ofwhomever he chooses. 113. Saving IsraelRomans 9:19You will say to me then, Why does hestill find fault? For who can resist hiswill? 114. Saving IsraelRomans 9:20But who indeed are you, a humanbeing, to argue with God? Will what ismolded say to the one who molds it,Why have you made me like this? 115. Saving IsraelRomans 9:21Has the potter no right over the clay, tomake out of the same lump one objectfor special use and another for ordinaryuse? 116. Saving IsraelWhere does this potter-and-clayimagery come from? 117. Saving IsraelJob 10:8-9Your hands fashioned and made me;and now you turn and destroy me.Remember that you fashioned me likeclay; and will you turn me to dustagain? 118. Saving IsraelIsaiah 29:16You turn things upside down! Shall thepotter be regarded as the clay? 119. Saving IsraelIsaiah 29:16Shall the thing made say of its maker,He did not make me; or the thingformed say of the one who formed it,He has no understanding? 120. Saving IsraelIsaiah 45:9Does the clay say to the one whofashions it, What are you making? orYour work has no handles? 121. Saving IsraelIsaiah 64:7O Lord, you are our Father; we are theclay, and you are our potter; we are allthe work of your hand 122. Saving IsraelLamentations 4:2The precious children of Zion, worththeir weight in fine gold how they arereckoned as earthen pots, the work of apotters hands! 123. Saving IsraelWisdom of Solomon 15:7For the potter, tempering soft earth,fashioneth every vessel with muchlabour for our service: 124. Saving IsraelWisdom of Solomon 15:7yea, of the same clay he maketh boththe vessels that serve for clean uses,and likewise also all such as serve tothe contrary: 125. Saving IsraelWisdom of Solomon 15:7but what is the use of either sort, thepotter himself is the judge. 126. Saving Israel1QS [the Community Rule] 11:21What shall one born of woman beaccounted before Thee? Kneaded fromthe dust, his abode is the nourishmentof worms. 127. Saving Israel1QS [the Community Rule] 11:22He is but a shape, but moulded clay,and inclines towards dust. What shallhand-moulded clay reply? Whatcounsel shall it understand? 128. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:1The word that came to Jeremiah fromthe Lord: 129. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:2Come, go down tot he potters house,and there I will let you hear my words. 130. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:3So I went down to the potters house,and there he was working at his wheel. 131. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:4The vessel he was making of clay wasspoiled in the potters hand, and hereworked it into another vessel, asseemed good to him. 132. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:5Then the word of the Lord came to me: 133. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:6Can I not do with you, O house ofIsrael, just as this potter has done?says the Lord. 134. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:6Just like the clay in the potters hand,so are you in my hand, O house ofIsrael. 135. Saving IsraelWhat does this we are all clay in thepotters hand mean? 136. Saving IsraelAdelaide Pollard, 1907Have thine own way, Lord, have thineown way!Thou art the potter, I am the clay. 137. Saving IsraelAdelaide Pollard, 1907Mold me and make me after thy will,While I am waiting, yielded and still. 138. Saving IsraelThe oddness of this hymn 139. Saving IsraelThe oddness of potter-and-clayimagery 140. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:6Just like the clay in the potters hand,so are you in my hand, O house ofIsrael. 141. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:7At one moment I may declareconcerning a nation or a kingdom, thatI will pluck up and break down anddestroy it, 142. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:8but if that nation, concerning which Ihave spoken, turns from its evil, I willchange my mind about the disaster thatI intended to bring on it. 143. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:9And at another moment I may declareconcerning a nation or a kingdom that Iwill build and plant it, 144. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:10but if it does evil in my sight, notlistening to my voice, then I will changemy mind about the good that I hadintended to do to it. 145. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:11Now therefore, say to the people ofJudah and the inhabitants ofJerusalem: thus says the Lord: 146. Saving IsraelJeremiah 18:11Look, I am a potter shaping evil againstyou and devising a plan against you.Turn now, all of you from your evilways, and amend your ways and yourdoings. 147. Saving IsraelThe potter-and-clay imagery does notsimply mean God will shape our liveshowever he decides, and thats it. 148. Saving IsraelJeremiah is very clear: it particularlymeans that when God has expressed aparticular intention, he can change hismind and do something different. 149. Saving IsraelRomans 9:22What if God, desiring to show his wrathand to make known his power, hasendured with much patience theobjects of wrath that are made fordestruction; 150. Saving IsraelRomans 9:23and what if he has done so in order tomake known the riches of his glory forthe objects of mercy, which he hasprepared beforehand for glory 151. Saving IsraelRomans 9:24including us whom he has called, notfrom the Jews only but also from theGentiles? 152. Saving IsraelRomans 9:25As indeed he says in Hosea, Thosewho were not my people I will call mypeople, and her who was not beloved Iwill call beloved. 153. Saving IsraelRomans 9:26And in the very place where it wassaid to them, You are not my people,there they shall be called children ofthe living God. 154. Saving IsraelRomans 10:12For there is no distinction between Jewand Greek; the same Lord is Lord of alland is generous to all who call on him. 155. Saving IsraelRomans 10:13For Everyone who calls on the nameof the Lord shall be saved. 156. Saving IsraelRomans 11:1I ask, then, has God rejected hispeople? By no means! 157. Saving IsraelRomans 11:11So I ask, have they stumbled so as tofall? By no means! But through theirstumbling salvation has come to theGentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 158. Saving IsraelRomans 11:12Now if their stumbling means riches forthe world, and if their defeat meansriches for the Gentiles, how much morewill their full inclusion mean! 159. Saving IsraelRomans 11:17But if some of the branches werebroken off, and you, a wild olive shoot,were grafted in their place to share therich root of the olive tree, 160. Saving IsraelRomans 11:18so not boast over the branches. If youdo boast, remember that t is not youthat support the root, but the root thatsupports you. 161. Saving IsraelRomans 11:19You will say, Branches were brokenoff so that I might be grafted in. 162. Saving IsraelRomans 11:20That is true. They were broken offbecause of their unbelief, but you standonly through faith. So do not becomeproud, but stand in awe. 163. Saving IsraelRomans 11:21For if God did not spare the naturalbranches, perhaps he will not spareyou. 164. Saving IsraelRomans 11:22Note then the kindness and severity ofGod: severity toward those who havefallen, but Gods kindness toward you, 165. Saving IsraelRomans 11:22provided you continue in his kindness;otherwise you also will be cut off. 166. Saving IsraelRomans 11:23And even those [of Israel], if they donot persist in unbelief, will be graftedin, for God has the power to graft themin again. 167. Saving IsraelRomans 11:24For if you have been cut from what isby nature a wild olive tree and grafted,contrary to nature, into a cultivatedolive tree, 168. Saving IsraelRomans 11:24how much more will these naturalbranches be grafted back into their ownolive tree. 169. Saving IsraelRomans 11:25So that you will not claim to be wiserthan you are, brothers and sisters, Iwant you to understand this mystery: 170. Saving IsraelRomans 11:25a hardening has come upon part ofIsrael, until the full number of theGentiles has come in. 171. Saving IsraelRomans 11:26And so all Israel will be saved; as it iswritten, Out of Zion will come theDeliverer; he will banish ungodlinessfrom Jacob. 172. Saving IsraelRomans 11:27And this is my covenant with them,when I take away their sins. 173. Saving IsraelRomans 11:28As regards the gospel they are enemies[of God] for your sake; but as regardselection they are beloved, for the sakeof their ancestors; 174. Saving IsraelRomans 11:29for the gifts and the calling of God areirrevocable. 175. Saving IsraelRomans 11:30Just as you were once disobedient toGod but have now received mercybecause of their disobedience, 176. Saving IsraelRomans 11:31so they have now been disobedient inorder that, by the mercy shown to you,they too may now receive mercy. 177. Saving IsraelRomans 11:32For God has imprisoned all indisobedience so that he may bemerciful to all. 178. Saving IsraelRomans 11:33O the depth of the riches and wisdomand knowledge of God! Howunsearchable are his judgments andhow inscrutable his ways! 179. Saving IsraelWhat do we learn, about God and aboutourselves, from the story of Godstelling Ezekiel to preach to the drybones? 180. Saving IsraelWhat do we learn, about God and aboutourselves, from the story of God as thepotter who changes his mind when theclay isnt coming out as planned? 181. Saving IsraelWhat do we learn, about God and aboutourselves, from the story of how Paulinsists that all Israel will be saved, forthe gifts and the calling of God areirrevocable?