Why are there 4 Gospels?

(This is taken from Dr. Chuck Missler's book Cosmic Codes)

Q: Why Are There Four Gospels?

A: Each of the four Gospels presents Jesus Christ from a different point of emphasis.

Matthew

Matthew, being a Levite, emphasizes Jesus as the Messiah, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Each of the subtleties of his design supports this primary theme. His genealogy begins with the "first Jew," Abraham, and continues through David and the royal line to the legal father of Jesus, Joseph.

Matthew's emphasis is on the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Tenach, the Old Testament.

As a customs official, Matthew was skilled in shorthand, an essential asset in a culture that did not have the advantages of printing, copiers, and the like. Matthew focuses on what Jesus said, and includes the extensive discourses, which he probably was able to take down verbatim.

Matthew's first miracle is the cleansing of a leper, a Jewish metaphor for sin itself.

Focus on What Jesus SAID

Ends with the Resurrection

Mark

Mark is the amanuensis (secretary) for Peter, and he emphasizes Jesus as the obedient Servant of YHWH. His is the only Gospel with no concern for pedigree or genealogy. He focuses on what Jesus did ; it deals in graphic images, almost like a movie or video shooting script.

Focus on What Jesus DID

Ends with the Ascension

Luke

Luke was a Gentile and a doctor, and his Gospel reflects a very distinctive point of view, emphasizing Jesus as the Son of Man. His genealogy begins with Adam, the first man. From Abraham to David, his list is identical to that of Matthew. However, when he gets to David, he doesn't track through Solomon (the first surviving son of Bathsheba) but through a different son, Nathan (the second surviving son of Bathsheba). He continues through to Heli, the father of Mary. (Joseph is the son-in-law of Heli). As a Gentile, Luke's emphasis is different. His emphasis is Christ's humanity; he focuses on what Jesus felt.

His first miracle is the expulsion of a demon, a very human concern.

Focus on What Jesus FELT

Ends with the Promise of the Holy Spirit (bridging to Acts or Luke Volume 2)

John

John had a very distinctive view, emphasizing Jesus as the Son of God. He focuses on who Jesus was . His "genealogy" is that of the Preexistent One, constituting his opening verses. His Gospel is organized around seven miracles, seven discourses, and seven "I AM" statements.

John's first miracle involves the use of the water of purification being changed to wine at Cana, a private demonstration to the disciples that Jesus was preeminent even over the Levitical priesthood.

Focus on What Jesus WAS

Ends with the Promise of His Return (a bridge to Revelation)

The Four Faces Around the Throne

It is interesting that each time we encounter the "super-angels" (variously called cherubim or seraphim ) that surround the Throne of God, we note that there are four "faces" involved: a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle.

It is interesting that each of these "faces" are suggestive of each of the four Gospels: Matthew, presenting the Lion of the Judah; Mark, the ox (the classic emblem of servanthood); Luke, the Son of Man; and John, the Son of God in the heavens.

The Camp of Israel

Numbers 1 and 2 is a census of Israel as they wander in the wilderness

Always, the Tabernacle was to be in the center of the camp

Also called the Tent of Meeting, it was to always face east

This was where God dwelt with His people

The tribe of Levi was given care over it and encamped immediately around it

Moses, Aaron and the priests camped on the east side near the entrance

The remaining 12 tribes camped in 4 groupings of 3 tribes each around the Levites

Each of these groupings were to rally around the tribal standard of the lead tribe

They were:

Issachar and Zebulun under Judah's banner – the Lion

Simeon and Gad under Reuben's banner – a man

Manasseh and Benjamin under Ephraim's banner – the ox

Asher and Naphtali under Dan's banner – the eagle

Here you have a picture in the wilderness of the Throne of God surrounded by the 4 living creatures!

But there's more here when you begin to look at the specific numbers

I won't bore you with the tallies but most analysts estimate the camp at around 2 million people

Each of the camps of 3 tribes each was to encamp on one of the 4 cardinal compass points around the Tabernacle

To fully appreciate all of the implications, you must think like a Jewish rabbi and maintain a very high respect for the precise details of the instructions given by God

In the passage, you'll note that each camp was to encamp in that cardinal direction with respect to the Levites

If the breadth of their camp was larger than that of the Levites, then the excess would be camping southeast or northeast and not east as they were told

This meant that the entirety of that camp had to spread out in it's cardinal direction away from the Tabernacle.

EAST – Camp of Judah

NORTH – Dan

WEST – Ephraim

SOUTH – Reuben

When you plug in the numbers from the census the picture you get is amazing given these constraints!

Approaching in a helicopter from the east and coming up on the camp, you would notice that Judah was a larger encampment that any of the other

Ephraim was smaller/shorter than the others

Dan and Reuben were almost the same in size

It's a picture of the Cross with the Tabernacle in the center!

finally!!! a new post!!!

Alright…I know I'm overdue. But in my defense, moving 3 times (including the upcoming move in June), having two pastoral roles, and learning an entire new church of almost 700 people keeps one busy.

We're coming up on the 6-month mark in June. Jen's parents were just here last week and it was a GREAT time with them. We went to Anacortes, ate at the Fidalgo Drive-In (yummy!), played and hiked at Washington Park and Deception Pass, looked out from Mt. Eerie in the pouring rain, and kicked around La Conner some (the pub there has amazing fish and chips!!!). We took in a Mariners game (they actually won) and hung out at Pike Place market. And one day we even drove out to Diablo Dam towards easter WA through the northern Cascades. Every crevasse was a waterfall with the snowmelt! It was beautiful. When they left, I needed a few days to recuperate from my vacation! LOL...

This week we got a special visit from our good friends Margo Theivagt and Lee Tolar - WDA staff from GA. They had been on an Alaskan cruise and we drove down to Seattle to see them when they got back. Red Robin is always a good lunch, and since they hadn't eaten there before, it was especially fun.

After lunch we walked down a few doors to the Lifeway Christian store. Jen and I had promised Ethan his own Bible since he was baptized on May 16th, so it was time for him to pick one out. I didn't think it would be a difficult task, but then I think differently from an 8-year-old. It was overwhelming for him. There were "kid" Bibles, and "youth" Bibles and Bibles for every gender (I can only think of two) and every stage of life and occupation. I began to feel queezy. I guess I hadn't been in a "Christian" bookstore in a while and had not remembered how $$-driven much of it is. The one that sent me over the top was the pink "Princess" Bible. I threw up in my mouth a little and then started looking around for something to make a whip out of so I could drive everyone out of the store and turn the shelves over! Luckily Jen stopped me. I still had to help Ethan. So I knelt down and asked him a question, "When we go our Bibles, which is more important? How it looks on the outside or what the words say on the inside?" Ethan answered correctly - the words on the inside. I explained to him that for 2000 years, young kids growing up in Christian families had only the Bible to read, not kid Bibles or youth Bibles or Bibles for "warrior kids" with glowing swords on the front cover. Often the family only had one big Bible and it was their treasured possession because it was God's Word, not because it had a cool cover. He understood and let me help him find a good translation (the ESV!) in a small size that looked kinda Ethan. He was pleased and so was I. My son was making a wise decision for a good reason, not being lead by his feelings and sight, drawn in by slick marketing.

I'm still thinking about going back with a whip...

anyway…

Friday night was movie night with our young adults. We ate together and watched Grizzly Man, a documentary about Timothy Treadwell and the 13 summers he spent in Alaska among the grizzly bears there. It is a story about one man's descent into madness. Truly. It generated some really good discussion. May I suggest that you get a group of friends together and watch it, and then have some discussion about it. It was truly edifying. Warning though!!! The language from Treadwell is obscene in places.

Here are some of the talking points from our time. Feel free to use these if you use Grizzly Man for this purpose.

Share your thoughts/comments/observations about the movie in general.

What were your observations about Timothy Treadwell in particular?

What are some positive things that we, as Christians, can take away from Treadwell?

What were some things that made you (as a Christian) just cringe?

As you think about Treadwell's life, mission, and mindset, how do you respond with Scripture? Did any passages come to your mind as you watched the movie?

Read Romans 1:18-32. How does this apply to Timothy Treadwell?

Some interesting thoughts and insights came up last night as we talked. Just a few for your consideration. First, Treadwell was single-minded. He had one focus. One goal. His life was about one thing and one thing only, and he would not allow himself to be distracted from that thing. Would that we, as Christ-followers, live our lives in such a way.

Second, early on the narrator (Werner Herzog) says that Tim Treadwell was seeking a primordial encounter having left his humanity behind. He is more right than he knows. At the end of the film, there is a segment from Treadwell's last tape in which he is filming himself just in front of the spot where a few hours later he will be killed and eaten by a bear. As he stands there just prior to his death at the hands of the very things he worships, he says these words, "It's (the bears) the only thing I know. Its the only think I want to know…" God honors that in fallen men. If hearts rebel and harden against the true and living God long enough, He turns men over to their desires. In that sense, Treadwell got what he most wanted, to be one with the bears.

Third, Hebrews 10:25-28 talks about our fellowship as Believers. The admonition there is to consider (study intently) how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Treadwell, though he'd romanticized the bears and begun to think they'd accepted him as one of them, did study them intently and learn their behavior and interactions. He knew more than anyone else about what made them tick and how they interacted with each other, and to some extent, how to interact with them himself. I confess, that's something I could stand to learn. I know which buttons to push in the people in my life to elicit anger and frustration and bring out the worst. But we're supposed to study each other in the Body of Christ so as to bring out the best in each other. Oh how we need to do that.

Finally, there but for the grace of God go I. Timothy Treadwell is every man. He is the case study for what happens when a man rejects God and worships something else. It would not have been bears for me, but it surely would have been something else. And I would have devoted my life to the worship of that thing, arranging my life around it and giving my time and resources to it. And in the process, selfishness and madness would have increasingly characterized my life as that idol became my one obsession. So it is with all men who do not repent and turn to Christ.

…

So maybe I'll post some pictures soon. I need to get the video of Ethan's baptism up on Youtube and link it in here and on Facebook. Email or Facebook me! I'd love to hear from you!

Mike

catching up

Yeah, I'm overdue. Things are busy and won't be easing up until after Easter, but that's church ministry. It is one of the two busiest times of year. Here are a couple of little things to update you on...

House Situation

We're moving next week. Lake Stevens was beautiful and the house we've been in has been spacious, but that season is coming to a close. We're about 30 minutes from the church here, and ironically, though we're moving to the same city the church is in, we're going in the opposite direction past the church and will still be 30 minutes out. BUT we will be much closer to many people in our church that we've been getting to know. Our house-til-now was in the burbs. This next place is in the sticks. Praise God for His provision in this new place. We'll be there until July 1.

We'll still be receiving mail at our PO Box, so that won't change if you want to send us anything:

PO Box 3115
Arlington, WA 98223

Please continue to pray for our house in Athens to sell. A couple looked at it recently and word came back that they liked it. They're looking at it again this week. Maybe they will buy it! Just pray. Having that house hanging over us is a tether that keeps us from fully being here emotionally.

Where the Wild Things Are

So I discovered that I can reserve Redbox movies on my iPod touch today, so I get Where the Wild Things Are for us to watch tonight as a family. I vaguely remember the book as a kid, but seeing it now, all I can say is that Maurice Sendak was on meth. Crazy...I really didn't like the movie. Max (the main character) is acting out and pitching tantrums because he's angry about his parent's divorce and his family falling apart. I've seen it in real life and its a real problem, but the reality is Max is a brat who needs a spanking. But the movie (thanks to the PAUSE button) provided some great teaching moments with the kids. But then came the big shocker. Jen and I were looking at each other towards the end, rolling our eyes, thinking it had all been a waste of an evening when we noticed Noah crying. It was the scene where Max is leaving the Wild Things to go home, and Noah was sobbing. We were puzzled, so we let the movie finish and then asked him what it was that had touched him so. He had seemingly recovered but then the answer to our question brought more tears as he said it was the departing that made him cry. The whole notion of leaving those you love even though you know its the right thing triggered latent emotions in Noah. It was good for him to cry tonight. Doss' and Schulz's - if you're reading this, know that Noah was thinking about your boys tonight as Max climbed in his boat to go home. I love that kid. Sometimes I think he's so grown up, then he goes and reminds me that he's still 9 and has a heart of gold.

That's all for now...

day off

Today was a good day. I’ve come to really look forward to and enjoy my Thursdays off with Jen and the kids. It’s a blessing to be part of a staff that value family and require the pastors to take time to be the husbands and fathers we’re supposed to be.

[cool playground at the park]

[family fannies]

[my boys at the beach]

So we headed north again. One day soon we’ll head south to Mt. Rainier, but it was not this day. This day, we went back up to Anacortes (Sorry Charles – I didn’t get any smoked salmon to ship back to you!). A little north of Deception Pass is Washington Park. Some new and dear friends at SPCC had mentioned this place to us as a favorite day-trip destination for their family, so we thought we’d check it out. We were not disappointed.

Great playground for the kids (and me…). That was first. Then lunch together at a table right next to the water. Beautiful day. Beautiful surroundings. So we ate and played, and then decided to drive around the 2.2 mile loop road through the park and check it out.

[making faces]

[that thing goes around and around - fun!]

[perching on the playground]

[really cool tree]

We made our first stop only a 1/4 mile in and picked our way down to the rocks. It was slow going with Abigayle who has moved out of the fearless-adventure-stage and into the “I’m-a-frail-girl-so-help-me-always” stage. I’m not complaining. Its cute. We walked down and out along this really cool tree that was growing horizontally out from the bank. Very Bonzai but on a large scale. We rolled over rocks to find crabs and play with them. Some were kind of bigger, but most you could just pick right up with no fear of being pinched because they were so small. Abigayle was the first child to hold one, much to the chagrin of the boys. They had to pluck up their courage to handle the crabs, but then it was no big deal. We kicked around there for a while and were just heading back to the van when I heard an unmistakable sound. There was a loud chirping above our heads. Think the normal chirruping you hear birds do, but then picture that bird working out and taking steroids and their chirrups dropping a few octaves, and you get a bald eagle. Magnificent! There he was above us, just perched there, completely unconcerned with us. And to top it off, as we got near the tree he was perched in, he took off and glided overhead to another tree down the beach. All I could think of was “The eagles are coming! The eagles are coming!” (1000 points to those who recognize the allusion…)

We meandered around the park to another beach area with more rock overturning and rock throwing and general beach going. But this time we found some baby eels. Squirmy they are, and strong, too! No one took the dare to eat one raw…can’t figure that one out.

[this one was big enough to pinch]

[what's under the rocks?]

[Abi's not afraid]

[family on driftwood]

[bald eagle in the wild]

[Abi enjoying the park scenery]

Further up and further in led us to the highest point in the park, and a beautiful view of the channel below. We hiked around there, and down we went looking for trails to lead us to the water’s edge. Abigayle complained of hunger and weariness and we knew right then that the further down we hiked, the harder it would be on everyone – especially me since I would have to carry her back up. So Jen and the boys took the low road and Abi and I took the high road, and we came to Scotland afore ye…oh wait, no, that’s Lock Lomond. Sorry. But Abi and I did beat them back to the van. Some mouth-fulls of peanut butter and quick potty break livened everyone up and we set out to finish the drive.

[hiking down is easier than hiking up]

[gnarly tree]

On the way down, the “check engine” light came on much to our alarm. We haven’t changed the oil since making the cross-country trip, but that shouldn’t result in anything this serious. So we pulled over and I popped the hood, applying all my extensive automotive expertise (which took about 30 seconds) – nothing burning? Good. All’s well. But Jen was not so easily swayed. So back to the playground area for an hour to let the engine cool some for a recheck of fluids and such. And while we played, we met Sammie the seal (or sea lion – there’s some debate among us about his orientation) whom we’d heard of. He hangs around there and hopes for fishermen to toss bait scraps in as treats for him. Couldn’t get a good picture of him. Bummer.

I called Google411 and found a guy a few miles from us who said he’d check the van to see what the problem was. He checked. Nothing big. Didn’t charge us. Off we went again. North again to Bellingham and Western Washington University. Why you ask? Well, I shall tell you. WWU has a Chick-fll-A kiosk in its student center. We needed a fix. It was sub-par, but it was Chick-fil-A so we dealt with it. Ooooh, Polynesian sauce…*drooling*. Dan Cathy, if you’re reading this, we could use some FSU’s out here. I know some guys who’d love to do it. Send ‘em. Please.

So home again we came. And my day is done. Enjoy the pics. More soon, I hope.

[mt. baker in the distance]

[getting our Chick-fil-A fix at WWU]

the latest...

I’m overdue for an update, I know. Things have been busy. I had time yesterday but Thursdays are my off day and time with Jen and the kids so I don’t get on the computer at all. Kinda nice, actually.

So what new developments can I communicate to you? Pictures are coming soon! But in the meantime text…let’s see…

Well, I was driving around a great old beater truck – a Chevy 4x4 with a camper shell – that one of our pastors (Tim Quick) had loaned me to get around in. It was fun and I felt like I fit in with all the mountain guys in their big trucks. Went to fill it up the other night after church and Ethan was with me. Got the pump paid up and ready and turned to put it in the truck and it was rolling away…lol. I had to run after it, and jump in and stop it. It didn’t go far. What was funny was that Ethan wasn’t even aware of it moving until I jumped in and put the brake on. Funny kid. But now I’m driving a Ford Ranger just like the one I used to have in college. Another guy in the church loaned this one to me so Tim could have his truck back. My brother Austin is driving a Ranger and my dad drives a Ranger, so I’m in good company.

We took the kids down to Seattle yesterday to Pike Place Market. It was a little chilly, but we survived. Parking was the hardest part of the day, and I don’t mean finding a spot – I mean paying for it!!! Yuck! But we walked through and saw all the flowers and hand-made crafts and stuff. I didn’t know until yesterday how very much I needed a leather man-bracelet like my friend Vic has until I saw some. But now I know that it’s a need and not just a want…lol. We saw the fish throwers and went around the corner to the fresh donut stand. She didn’t take cards, which was a real bummer. But she ended up giving us a half-dozen for free as long as we agreed to put some money our local food bank. They were yummy.

So after everyone was worn out from walking around at the waterfront, we headed home and stopped and rented a movie. *sigh* The only movie suitable for family viewing that we hadn’t already seen a dozen times was a Disney pic called “G-Force.” It is about a team of super-spies who also happen to be guinea pigs. The things I endure for my kids…they enjoyed it, and that was the main thing. Walt’s rolling over in his grave. Made me ask myself, “What would Walt say if he were alive today?” and my immediate retort to myself was, “Help! Let me out! I can’t breath in here!” (that one was for free…)

So its Friday afternoon and I’m gearing up for the weekend services. We’re in our 4th week of our 5 week marriage series, and its been going great. But the evil one has not missed an opportunity to attack marriages as the Lord has sought to bring light to them here. Then I’m teaching through the Gospel of John on Sunday nights with our young adult ministry. So we’ll pick up John 2 and the wedding at Cana this week. Fun stuff.

That’s all for now. Pics soon. We need GA visitors soon! Fly, drive, jump a train, hitch-hike, or start walking now.

Happy Birthday Christy!!

Just a little something for Jen's sister, Christy, on her birthday!

my office