verb — [ka-ko-pa-theh-oh]
definition: bear hardship patiently; suffer physical pain, trouble, danger, and distress.
Σὺ δὲ νῆφε ἐν πᾶσιν, κακοπάθησον, ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τὴν διακονίαν σου πληροφόρησον. (2 Timothy 4:5)
The imperative is translated: “endure hardship” (ESV, NAS, NIV), “endure afflictions” (NKJV), “endure suffering” (NRSV), “bear evils” (DRBY).
So you’re a pastor, and you’re preaching this passage, and you want to mention some Hebrew or Greek word that is in the passage. Fine. Great, in fact. Terrific.
Say it right, or don’t say it.
Now, many would advise that you just not say it, period, because it’s not going to help your largely (linguisitically) unschooled audience, and may just look like preening. Most of the time, I think that’s good advice.
But because I know we pastordudes can be a bit thick, let me break it down and be very specific.
You’re preaching a passage. There’s a Hebrew or Greek word in it that is cool, that you think is worth commenting on. Fine.
If you do not actually know Hebrew or Greek:
- You should learn Hebrew and Greek. (After all, you are an instructor in ancient Hebrew and Greek literature. Your Principal wrote the class textbook in those languages. Your students have the right to expect that you’re conversant with them, or working on it.)
- Until then, you probably should not say any Hebrew or Greek word.
- If you do, find someone who has studied, and ask him whether you’re about to say it right.
Phillips has still more to say about it here.
verb — [so-fro-neh-oh]
definition: to be prudent, with a focus on self-control; to be in one’s right mind
synonyms: be reasonable, sensible, serious, keep one’s head
Τοὺς νεωτέρους ὡσαύτως παρακάλει σωφρονεῖν. (Titus 2:6)
Used beside νήφω (“be sober,” that is, free from mental and spiritual drunkenness, from excess, passion, rashness) in 1 Peter 4:7.
[O]ur task, as a generation teaching the next one, is not to get students to conform to the standard. The task before us is getting them to love the standard.
—Doug Wilson, NSA Convocation 2009
Update – August 24 at 11:23AM: Read the following and thought it was good supplemental wisdom.
Let me speak for everyone you have ever met, from a recent acquaintance to your closest relative: We can wait until you get home to see the photos from your vacation. You can share the funny anecdote about your kids after they’ve gone to bed. And nothing you’ve ever tweeted or shared is urgent enough for you do it while driving.
Pull Over Before You Read This, Confession #79 from Tweetage Wasteland
Six Lessons in Prayer
Strauch addresses the (pastoral) idol of hyper-busyness, and how that challenges the apostolic priorities in Acts 6:4: “We will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
From Ephesians 6:18-19, Strauch admonishes pastors to:
- Always be creative in your praying: “all prayer and supplication.” Avoid the rut.
- Always be praying in a spirit of prayer: “praying at all times.” Emphasis on the frequency, thanking always, confessing regularly, seeking always.
- Always be praying in the power of the Spirit: “praying … in the Spirit.”
- Always be watching and praying. Emphasis on effort and perseverance: “keep alert with all perseverance.”
- Always be praying for others: “making supplication for all the saints.” See also 1 Samuel 12:23
- Always be praying for missionaries and the gospel: “to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.”
In March of 2005, I posted the original pink ox logo from Jesse Martin. I’ve used it as my Gravatar here at the Void, for my Twitter picture, and to identify my online persona at various other internet sites. For those that may not have noticed, it looks like this:
But Jesse worked his Adobe Suite brilliance again this week, and I’m thinking the new insignia may start propagating across the web in the next few days. You may now enjoy the Pink Ox 2.0.
All six sessions from the 09SR are now online. Each link includes a downloadable mp3 and the very rough draft version of my notes, especially for those interested in the quotes by Augustine. My plan is to start blogging through the series soon.
- Session 1 – Be Zealous and Repent
– The Need for Repentance
- Session 2 – The Journey of a Restless Heart
– A Life of Repentance: Augustine of Hippo
- Session 3 – Toward True Joy
– The Meaning of Repentance
- Session 4 – Give What You Command
– The Source of Repentance
- Session 5 – Turning the World Upside Down
– The Message of Repentance
- Session 6 – Christ, the Cross, and Repentance
– The Celebration of Repentance
Ian Lugg created the following video for our snow retreat on Repentance last week. It moves my affections every time I watch it, and since many people have asked for the quotes, I’ve included those below for prolonged marination.
Repentance stands, then, in opposition to all our former prejudices against the divine character; and in opposition to that sin-extenuating, self-justifying, law-hating, God-blaming disposition which reigns in every impenitent soul. ~ Joseph Bellamy
Though it deserves to be hated with perfect hatred, and though there be every reason why we should be horrified on account of it and abase ourselves before God, mourning it in bitterness of heart, fearing it, watching against it as the greatest of all evils, yet we shall never do so until we see sin in its real hideousness. Thus a deep sense of the infinite evil of sin is plainly essential to repentance, yea, it is from this that repentance immediately springs. ~ A.W. Pink
You may today go home and pretend to pray, you may today be serious, tomorrow honest, and the next day you may pretend to be devout; but yet, if you return—as Scripture has it, like the dog to its vomit and like the sow to its wallowing in the mire—your repentance shall but sink you deeper into hell, instead of being a proof of divine grace in your heart. ~ Charles Spurgeon
If a soul is truly converted, there will be a battle, and an awful chasm that will never be filled up but with the love of God; and therefore when we say, Repent and be converted, it is no more than saying, Repent and be happy. Indeed we shall never be completely happy till we get to heaven. O that every man could see the good of every thing of a sublunary nature drop off like leaves in autumn: God grant this may be known by every one of you. ~ George Whitefield
- Myself (Right, I don’t belong in this list, but it was our retreat, after all.)
- Steve Lawson
- Paul Washer
- John MacArthur