The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

(Character study series)

Biography, wherever we find it, makes thrilling reading.  And the Bible uses these natural interests as a channel for getting truth to us. There's nothing more interesting than people.

Thomas Carlyle correctly suggests, "The highest being reveals himself in man:' That is why the Bible is filled with biographical material.  Its pages are crowded with true-to-life people-men, women, children, kings, queens, commoners, soldiers, fishermen, tax collectors, priests, and shepherds.

Some of them are known by their names, others by what they did. Stalwarts like Abraham, Moses, Joseph, and Paul have great details given about them.  In other accounts there are only brief flashes, like the references to Pilate's wife, who sought to warn her husband; Simon of Cyrene, who became immortal as a crossbearer; Cleopas, who appeared on the Emmaus road; and Eutychus, who fell asleep during Paul's preaching.

Since people, not abstract propositions, are the aim of vital Christianity, we should not be surprised that the Bible devotes large spaces to biographies. The Incarnation-the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us-provides the noblest example of God's way of clothing majestic truth with human personality to make it understandable to common folks in every generation.  

Like secular history, the Bible teaches deep lessons through the lives of people.  God illuminates His message by allowing us to see it in human form.  In this series of 25 assorted personages, the personalities of the Bible will march before our eyes revealing truth.  To see truth and to act upon it-that is ultimately the goal of all preaching.

We have titled this biographical series, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” Our intent will not be to label and characterize people, but we want to find the possibilities of grace at work in human life.   

There are failures and sins in the lives of biblical characters which provide a legitimate basis for warning us of dangers to avoid while making a proclamation of God's willingness to make every person new. 

We want to use the people we meet to announce that our God is redemptively at work in the common clay of human nature.

Louis Pasteur caught the value of biographical studies when he wrote, "From the lives of men whose passage is marked by a trace of durable light, let us piously gather up every word, every incident likely to make known the incentives of their great souls, for the education of posterity."   That is the worthy goal for every sermon we will deliver on a biblical character.

Bible characters can provide us examples: Children imitate without apology; while we adults try to be coyer about it but we imitate too.  Nearly everyone wants to be like his ideal person.  Some of the worthy models we will meet can deeply influence the development of Christian character.  Real-life examples provide interesting, useful scriptural prods to effective present-day living.

As this series develops and evolves over the next several months, my hope is that in some personage, or in some combination of characters we will meet, you will find yourself in the Bible

It is interesting to note that James comments on Elijah by saying that he was "a man subject to like passions as we are" (James 5:17).  One great translator has put it: "Elijah was only a man like us."

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Until the next time . . .

Pastor Mike

Prayer:
Father in heaven, we claim the promise and assurances in your word to us that, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16,KJV) Help us by the power of your Holy Spirit to cling to and obey your divine instructions that help us to rightly know and serve you.  Help us Oh Holy Father to remember that we are not our own, and we have been bought with a price.  In the precious name of Jesus our Lord, we pray.  Amen

May 22, 2008