Memorials to the Old Man

When we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we become a new creation. When we are baptized into Christ, our old man is cut off, and we enter in to the resurrection life of Christ.  The old man is dead and we can now live in newness of life.  It is a completely different way of being than we have experienced before.  The Holy Spirit gives us the power to remain in the place of new life.

Giving credit to my husband for this illustration, I want to paint a picture of why we need to renew our minds about the reality of our new position in Christ.  When Jesus died, He died AS us not FOR us.  We are now dead.  The life we live is no longer our own, but it is Christ who lives life in us.

So, the question is, why do we still sin?

We fall into old ways of being and thinking, because there are memories of the old nature that are still alive and drawing us into a false relationship with the old man.

Here is the illustration:

A woman had a child she loved very much.  The child died in a tragic accident.  The woman keeps the child’s bedroom exactly as it was when the child was alive.  All the trophies are still on the bureau.  All the pictures are still on the wall, the clothes are still in the closet, the stuffed animals still on the bed.  The bedroom has become a memorial to the dead child.  She is trying to keep the dead child alive in her mind.  Every time the woman passes the room, she looks in and remembers the child she loved.  The memories take her back, if only for a moment, to the time the child was alive.

We also have memorials (memories) keeping the old man alive in our minds.  When we experience something that reminds us of your old nature, it is like the woman viewing a trophy of the dead child.  It is just activating a memory of the child; it is not bringing the child back to life.  When those temptations or memories surface, we have to remind ourselves they are just shadows of what has already died. 

Temptation appeals to the dead man.  However, it is just a memory of a habit.  It is a false pleasure or a perversion of the life of God.  For instance, the smell of smoke sometimes appeals to the appetites of a former smoker.  It has the potential to activate the nature of the old man, but even if he indulges in the habit of the old man, that is not his true identity.  The fact remains; he is still dead.

The woman can go into the room of the dead child and she can laugh over good memoires.  She can cry over things she wished could be different and re-live experiences in her mind.  That doesn’t change the fact that the child is still dead.  So, when temptation comes, it is just a memory of the old man.  When we recognize that we are participating in a habit, we can remind ourselves that it is just a place of memorial, and the authority it had over our lives has been removed. 

The new creation man has the power to choose new life in Christ.  We never stop being a new creation.  We never stop being IN the new man. 

When we sin, it is like taking a picture of the old man and gazing at it.  We get confused that it is still our picture.  We activate a memory that wants that old man to be alive, just like the woman would like the child to be alive.   Our habits are like that much loved child which the woman cannot let go of.  Continual renewal of the mind will enable us to live on THIS side of the cross; in the resurrection.  The old man is dead.  The new man is seated with Christ.  His life is our life.  Our life is His life.  We need to let go of the old man to fully step into our future.   

The New Man is our identity.  Our new identity is not in what we do, even if we do new things.  Our identity is that we are a new creation and we now have full access to all the resurrection power that Jesus purchased when He was raised from the dead.  When He was raised, we were raised in Him.

When we find ourselves in sin, all we need to do is apologize to God for forgetting who we are, and fall back into our identity as a much loved son; a new creation in Him.  It is as easy as just starting over again to walk in newness of life.

Psalm 84 and My Latest Visit to Israel

Psalm 84 and My Visit to Israel

This trip to Israel was different than the previous three times I have visited.  There were no deep experiences, no profound revelations and no visitations.  The pace was slower and we spent more time in Jerusalem.  However, an understanding began to form inside me.

I found myself becoming familiar with where things were in relation to each other.  I knew how to get to the Cardo from the Jaffa Gate, and walked there by myself.  I only became disconcerted for a moment when trying to confirm my plan with a woman who had been to Israel at least ten times.  She didn’t know how to get to the Cardo from where we were.  She assured me that I was headed in the general direction, however.  I decided to go with my gut and ventured off.

I also knew where a bathroom was located when someone needed one, and where to find an ATM machine.  When traveling on the bus, my friend asked if we were passing a place we had visited last year.  I assured her it was the same place and that next door was the place we were planning to visit that evening. 

To those of you who enjoy reading maps or are naturally good at directions, this may not seem particularly significant.  I have never included myself in either one of those categories, often calling myself “geographically challenged.”  I am happy to put myself in the care of those who know where they are going.  So, it was a delightful experience to find that I knew my way around somewhat.  I was beginning to feel like I was on home turf.

In the weeks before the trip, I kept hearing the phrase of scripture from Ps. 122, “My feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem”.  Since I have returned home, I could change that to, “My heart is longing for your gates, O Jerusalem”.  There is not an hour that goes by that my thoughts have not turned to that place.  This time, I think I left my heart in God’s neighborhood.  I think I left my heart in God’s backyard.

David had the same sentiment in Psalm 84.  He said:

            How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty!

            My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord;

            My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

            Even the sparrow has found a nest for her young—a place near your altar,

            O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

            Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

            They are ever praising you.

It is amazing that you can have two homes.  I have a natural home here in Massachusetts, but I have a spiritual connection that is becoming more and more real in Jerusalem.  It really feels like home.  I think that is because when I go there I am taking Him home, too.  He comes home in me and the feelings I have are His for that place.

Earthquake at the Crucifixion

In the beginning, out of the personality of His  great love, God created the heavens and the earth.  Out of the passion of His heart, God made a place where He wanted to come and dwell.  First, He created Adam out of the dust of this earth.  He took some of the very substance of the place of His dwelling (earth, adam in Hebrew) to create a being who was of the place, named after the place, and could have relationship with Him.  He gave that place to mankind. (The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to man.)

We know that the first Adam had one assignment with two parts; take care of the place, while taking dominion: conquering for God.  Adam’s assignment was to rule in such a way that God could indeed dwell with him on the earth.  Before that could happen, Adam needed to take dominion over anything on earth that was in opposition.  He needed to establish the authority God had given him over the earth.  The task had already been accomplished in the Spirit, since Jesus was crucified before the foundations of the earth, but God wanted a visible manifestation of that fact, through one made of the substance. 

The place from which one originates, always gives one authority in that place.

Because Adam abdicated his authority and gave it to the devil, there was a need for a Second Adam to come in time, and be born into the place, and of the place.   His assignment was to do what had never been done before; to manifest on earth, what had already been accomplished in His heart. 

Immanuel came to the earth, and took on the same quality of being.  He was made of the dust of the earth.  He turned Himself inside out and became the creation.  He knew what we are now learning, “if you can see it; you can have it”.  He saw Himself as having already accomplished the intention of His heart, and He wanted to walk it out in demonstration, to manifest the victory.

At the crucifixion, there was an earthquake and the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  In Jewish culture, when the father hears of the death of his son, he tears his garment in a visible demonstration of the grief of his heart.  Kriah is a Hebrew word meaning "tearing." It refers to the act of tearing one's clothes. This rending is a striking expression of grief and anger at the loss of a loved one.

Kriah is an ancient tradition. When Jacob believed his son Joseph was dead, he tore his garments (Genesis 37:34). Likewise, in II Samuel 1:11 we are told that King David and all the men with him, took hold of their clothes and rent them upon hearing of the death of Saul and Jonathan. Job too, in grieving for his children, stood up and rent his clothes (Job 1:20).  Even today, a cut is made on the left side of the clothing for parents--over the heart.  As the tear or cut is made, the family recites the following blessing:

Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam dayan ha'emet.
Blessed are You, Adonai Our God, Ruler of the Universe, the True Judge.

The Father’s heart for His Son is revealed to us in this picture.  The veil in the temple, shielding the Holy of Holies, was torn open to reveal how the Father felt at the moment of Jesus’ death.  There was no longer a covering over the precious place Jesus held.  The grief of having to turn away from looking at His son when Jesus voluntarily took on the sin of earth, was demonstrated for those who had eyes to see.

The earth itself responded to the death of Jesus with a tearing apart that was recorded in the Bible.  At the point of death, all hope for earth to be the dwelling place of God with man was lost. The earth shook and the rocks were split. The place of God’s dwelling was rent asunder in much the same way as the veil in the temple was torn.  Creation-- the earth--which is of Jesus, for Jesus and thru Jesus, and is held together in Him, (Col.1:16), was rent in two, travailing in grief.

Jesus descended into the dwelling place of the author of death, the apparent victor.  He confronted him with victory, and rightfully took possession of the keys to the earth; an earth man, taking ownership once again.  When he arose, Jesus gave the keys back again to those of Adam’s descendants, to go forth with the same commission He gave the first Adam.  Just as Jesus had authority to conquer, so we have the same authority to kick the opposition in the teeth, and get rid of him.

The earth is still groaning today for those who can picture the victory that has been imparted to them in their DNA.  The earth is still travailing for the ones made of the stuff of the earth and of His heart, who can legislate the victory.  They are of the earth and have authority there because they have been handed the keys.  When they see it, they can have it.

It is interesting to note that before the earthquake, at the time of the crucifixion, the Sanhedrin, who were the legislative body of the Jews, met in a chamber called the Chamber of Hewn Stones located near the Holy Place.  One of their functions was to judge capital offenses.  However, at the time of Jesus, they also tried to make the case of treason against Rome. Therefore, when they wanted to get rid of Jesus, they had to appeal to Pilate, a Roman governor. Members of the Sanhedrin also went behind the scenes and stirred up the crowds to ask for the release of Barabbas when Pilate gave them a choice of whom to let go.

After the crucifixion, the Sanhedrin was forced to leave the Chamber of Hewn Stones, located near the Holy Place in the Temple.  They moved to a location called The Trading Station on the Temple Mount.  The Trading Station was outside the Temple; a much less favorable spot.  Many sources note the Sanhedrin would not have done this voluntarily, nor would Herod have dared to require it.

Sources also indicate the move may have been necessitated by damage to the Chamber, from the earthquake, rendering it unsafe structurally.  There are also sources remarking that the lintel in the Temple was broken, splintered and fell.  This stone was some 30 feet long and may have weighed 30 tons.

In any case, it appears that the last time the Sanhedrin was able to seek the death penalty was for the crucifixion.  After that, the power to judge capital offenses was taken from them, with the Romans retaining sole right of capital punishment. 

Apparently, the earthquake also rendered judgment on those who were opposed to the plan of God. 

Communion

When talking about intimacy with God and having God’s heart for Israel; communion is a natural outflow of that.  It is an easy transition to make when we join hearts with Jesus because joining heart to heart means loving what He loves.  Israel is what he loves.  Jerusalem is where He will establish His throne and the Jewish people carry his DNA.  

I was at the skate park, waiting in the car, meditating and praying while my son and his friend enjoyed their scooters and skateboards.  I was sitting under a maple tree and noticed it had two trunks that shared a common root system.  It was hard to tell whether they were two separate trees that grew tightly together and became joined, or were, indeed one tree that had separated into two.

However, about two feet from the ground, the trunks separated and became two distinct trunks with a space of a couple of inches between them.  They grew parallel for about 6 or 7 feet, and then began to grow toward one another.  Not only that, they began to twist together.  At the point of their joining, it appeared that they were embracing; kissing, even—sharing life.

         

This began to remind me of the Jew and Gentile—the One New Man.  We share a common root.  Christianity was birthed from Judaism.  You can have Judaism without having Christianity, but you cannot have Christianity without Jewish roots.  The root of Judaism supports the trunk of Christianity.

Together, we share the same prophets, priests, kings and Jewish history. The entire Church was Jewish until Peter, a Jew, got the revelation that Gentiles could receive salvation and Paul, also a Jew, took the message of the Gospel throughout Asia and Europe.

Just as that tree near the skate park had one trunk, so we have one and the same heritage!  Jesus came to fulfill every jot and tittle of the law to make it fuller, not do away with it, and not do away with Judaism.  When the Gentiles received the gospel, they were grafted into everything the Jews had—the prophets, the promises, the covenants.

Only during the Middle ages did the tree begin to separate and the Jews go one way and the Church, another.  For years there has been ignorance and even arrogance on the part of the church; lording it over the Jewish people for their temporary rejection and blindness to the Gospel.  Instead there should be deep appreciation of the heritage and the heart and dedication that has kept God at the center of life for centuries.  There would be no hope of the promises of God ever being fulfilled, if the Jews had not kept faith in God’s Word to them as a people.         

God has dealt severely with the Jewish people throughout history—loving them—leading them—correcting them—always with a future in view—an ultimate time when He would gather them to Him as His own and they would recognize Him. 

As this present age draws to a close, Jew and Gentile are being drawn together, coming closer and closer to being united in direction, vision, and purpose.  Each is recognizing the need for the other.  Just as the church cannot exist without her Jewish heritage, so now, the Jew cannot go forward without the help, support and prayer of the church.

As we begin to embrace our Jewish heritage and the calling to the One New Man, our purposes will join.  We will breathe new life into each other.  The lines of demarcation between territories will become blurred.  It will be just like that tree I was sitting under.  As looked further up, the branches were intertwined.  The leaves were all mixed together.  It created a wonderful canopy of shade.

So it is, when we join our hearts with what Jesus loves.  We will have a common goal, a common passion and a common cry.  We will create a common canopy of love and protection and shade where unbelievers in the nations can come and find refuge and revelation of what makes this unity and cooperation possible.  That is my dream.