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Nathan E. Lewisliving the gospel
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Evergreen Presbyterian Church, in the Portland, Oregon area has gone mult-site! You are invited to worship at the Beaverton site and you may also worship in Newberg on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. at the SDA site on College St. Visit www.evergreenpca.com for directions to all four of our sites. Mult-site strategy allows us to expand Mission to Oregon.
Remembering the Covenant: February 19 “The Thin Place� (Deuteronomy 8)
In the seventh century the Celts identified the “Thin Places� in Ireland, locations where this earthly realm and the spiritual realm intersect. Today on the American continent, New Mexico is the land of the “Thin Places.� Sacred sites of the Hopi, Taos, and Navajo connect planet earth to the stars and gather humanity to the Great Spirit. New Age retreat centers are located near rock formations which generate spiritual energy. Section 22 outside of Roswell is the epicenter of space alien citings. In human history, there are few “Thin Places� as thin as Mt. Sinai. In the middle of a desert wilderness, Israel encountered the presence of “Yahweh,� whose other-worldly presence set the whole mountain ablaze. The earth-shaking voice of God spoke from the fiery mountain causing great fear among Israel. We have already heard Moses in his address of Israel say, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?� Moses reminds the people, “On earth Yahweh has showed you his great fire and you heard his words from the fire.� Mt. Sinai is one of the “Thin Places� in history.
Remembering the Covenant: March 19 “Many Commandments in One� (Deuteronomy 11)
Have you noticed the repetition in the teaching of Moses? He has been addressing the second generation of Israel, teaching her to remember the covenant. In this particular section of his address, Moses asks the second generation to remember that her children were not eyewitnesses of the Exodus or the divine discipline in the desert. This third generation did not see the waters of the Red Sea swallow the Egyptian army. They did not see the earth swallow the households of the disobedient Reubenites. The second generation must tell the third generation the stories of God’s redemption so that the children will love God and obey his law. Moses is preparing these two generations to enter the land. Moses not only uses repetition of important lessons to prepare Israel, he also concisely summarizes the law.
Remembering the Covenant: March 26 “The High Place� (Deuteronomy 12)
Humanity, regardless of religion, has worshipped on the high places. Tibetan monks live in caves and huts high in the Himalayas. Christian orders have built monasteries on the summits of Europe and Africa. The God of Israel instructs her to remember the blessings and the curses of his covenant, by ascending to the high places. On Mount Gerizim, Israel is to present the blessings of the covenant. On Mount Ebal, Israel is to present the curses. From the very beginning, God has associated himself with the mountain. In the middle of Eden stood the mountain of God. In the evening God would descend the mountain to walk with Adam and Eve. God commands Abraham and Isaac to ascend Mount Moriah to offer sacrifice to him. Moses ascends Mount Sinai to meet with God, to receive the law. King David develops the city, Jerusalem upon Mount Zion. His son, Solomon, builds God’s temple at the summit of Zion. Worship in the high places is not merely a pagan ritual. It is part of the worship of the one, true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.