"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - Jesus (John 3:16)
If there's one word I could remove from the Christian Lexicon, it's the word "believe". Why? Because we've mangled it so badly it's hardly recognizable from the original meaning the writers of the New Testament intended.
We have reduced "believing in Christ" down to the level of believing in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus or Sasquatch. We've told people, and each other, that all we have to do to be "born again" is to simply "believe" that Jesus was real, or that he was the Messiah, or that he was God's son.
However, the verses we base this misunderstanding on suggest otherwise. The most famous one being John 3:16. In context, Jesus is having a conversation about the Kingdom of God with a pharisee named Nicodemus. The pharisee wants to know how he can enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus explains to him that he cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God unless he is first transformed from within. This is when Jesus says, "...whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life" and he doesn't mean, "whoever thinks I'm real" or even "whoever thinks I'm God."
First of all, since the verse is in the middle of a conversation, we know that Nicodemus wasn't having trouble accepting Jesus as a real-life person. They were in the middle of a conversation! So "believe in" here does not mean "to accept that Jesus is/was real."
Secondly, if belief were enough in itself, then what about what we do with the rest of our lives? Isn't it possible to believe in God and still having almost nothing to do with Him? As the Apostle James says,
"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." (James 2:19)
See, the demons "believe" in God the way that we sometimes think we should believe in God. In fact, as James points out, they not only know that Jesus is real, they've seen Him with their eyes, and they tremble with fear! But is that kind of belief enough to save the demons? No, of course not. The demons "believe" in God but they do not put their trust in God. They will not submit their lives to Jesus and allow Him to transform them into beings who are just like Him.
God is not interested in having you and I believe in Him. He already has legions of demons who do that just fine. No, what God is searching for is a human being made in His likeness who willingly surrenders their life to Him and trusts Him enough to say, "I will submit my whole life to you and receive your amazing love for me."
God wants our love, and our complete trust in His wisdom, power and goodness. Believing is only the first step. We have to go all in.
-kg
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tell me what a congregration sings and I will tell you their theology
GUEST BLOG ARTICLE
Tell me what a congregration sings and I will tell you their theology
by Dwight Smith
NOTE: Dwight Smith and his wife serve the homeless community in Santa Ana, California. He shared the article below with me today and was gracious enough to allow me to re-publish it here. I hope it blesses you as it did me. - kg
**
To the Christian Century,
We run a house of hospitality and a soup kitchen in Santa Ana, California.
Today as we served lunch to about 200 souls in the government plaza, I wondered if I was becoming childish. As the acolytes of local government passed by, scowling, I "turned up the volume."
For fifteen years we Catholic Workers have been "reading the alphabet" while we arrange and distribute the US mail along with our soup. Knowing how utterly dependent homeless people are for the mail to contain the funds or documents they need for "redemption," I, years ago, became almost inured to their repeated requests that I "check again" or "keep a lookout" for their salvific correspondence.
To allay their fears that we might miss something, we began pulling an entire sheaf of incoming envelopes, gathered by the first letter of the last name, and crying out, "Doing the "M's," or "Doing the R's!" Then we would proceed to sing out the surnames so everyone in the soup- line could hear their "call."
Over the years I became culturally more sensitive. I pride myself on being able to pronounce Spanish and Vietnamese surnames. In a lower voice I can often guess how the mortified parents from Detroit and Mississippi would have their kid's names properly pronounced all these years later in this God-forsaken place so far from home.
By saying aloud every surname beginning with a given letter of the alphabet for every single communicant, we have arrived at a process that largely allays the fears of those for whom no check ever comes.
This process, a hymn of sorts, is the way we sing the names of the children whose ship won't be coming in; for those whose only ship is deportation; and for those whose forebears "already got their trip" on a slave ship many years ago. We sing the names of those who will not be rescued this time around - at least not in the way they want.
We sing out these names, a tiny balm over anxious and troubled waters, and we sit with the empty-handed until, on rare occasions and after many, many years, they raise their own voices in song.
It is then, thanks to your Pastors' message to a young seminarian, that I now recognize the hymnal of our theology: I now hear the loud, clear voice of those who have turned, undistracted by wealth or power or even sustenance, utterly toward the Cross.
It is the song of those reconciled to the singular sufficiency of the Redemption Himself; of those for whom no lesser counterfeit will suffice.
Thank you for your much needed and salvific interpretation. Tomorrow I pray that I might listen anew to the sound of my friends, silently singing of the Love that will at last their terrible suffering suffice.
Thank you for showing me how to follow this sweet, sweet sound.
-Dwight Smith
Tell me what a congregration sings and I will tell you their theology
by Dwight Smith
NOTE: Dwight Smith and his wife serve the homeless community in Santa Ana, California. He shared the article below with me today and was gracious enough to allow me to re-publish it here. I hope it blesses you as it did me. - kg
**
To the Christian Century,
We run a house of hospitality and a soup kitchen in Santa Ana, California.
Today as we served lunch to about 200 souls in the government plaza, I wondered if I was becoming childish. As the acolytes of local government passed by, scowling, I "turned up the volume."
For fifteen years we Catholic Workers have been "reading the alphabet" while we arrange and distribute the US mail along with our soup. Knowing how utterly dependent homeless people are for the mail to contain the funds or documents they need for "redemption," I, years ago, became almost inured to their repeated requests that I "check again" or "keep a lookout" for their salvific correspondence.
To allay their fears that we might miss something, we began pulling an entire sheaf of incoming envelopes, gathered by the first letter of the last name, and crying out, "Doing the "M's," or "Doing the R's!" Then we would proceed to sing out the surnames so everyone in the soup- line could hear their "call."
Over the years I became culturally more sensitive. I pride myself on being able to pronounce Spanish and Vietnamese surnames. In a lower voice I can often guess how the mortified parents from Detroit and Mississippi would have their kid's names properly pronounced all these years later in this God-forsaken place so far from home.
By saying aloud every surname beginning with a given letter of the alphabet for every single communicant, we have arrived at a process that largely allays the fears of those for whom no check ever comes.
This process, a hymn of sorts, is the way we sing the names of the children whose ship won't be coming in; for those whose only ship is deportation; and for those whose forebears "already got their trip" on a slave ship many years ago. We sing the names of those who will not be rescued this time around - at least not in the way they want.
We sing out these names, a tiny balm over anxious and troubled waters, and we sit with the empty-handed until, on rare occasions and after many, many years, they raise their own voices in song.
It is then, thanks to your Pastors' message to a young seminarian, that I now recognize the hymnal of our theology: I now hear the loud, clear voice of those who have turned, undistracted by wealth or power or even sustenance, utterly toward the Cross.
It is the song of those reconciled to the singular sufficiency of the Redemption Himself; of those for whom no lesser counterfeit will suffice.
Thank you for your much needed and salvific interpretation. Tomorrow I pray that I might listen anew to the sound of my friends, silently singing of the Love that will at last their terrible suffering suffice.
Thank you for showing me how to follow this sweet, sweet sound.
-Dwight Smith
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
OUR UNITY IS BASED ON JESUS AND NOTHING ELSE
I’ve written a little before on the unique blending of denominational backgrounds within our little Mission House Church. Somehow, even though we each come from divergent and oftentimes hostile denominational streams, everyone within our simple church family has managed to overlook our differences and love one another in spite of this.
So, why am I writing about this again? Well partly because I’ve started to notice that a lot of the other organic and simple churches in our area share a common denominational background, which means that their unity isn’t strained by the same forces that a group like ours might encounter. In our group we can't appeal to a common set of doctrines. If anything, we've all abandoned our identity as members of a particular denomination and embraced our core identity as followers of Jesus.
On paper, then, our house church family shouldn't be so united. We come from Pentecostal, Calvary Chapel, Vineyard, Brethren, Baptist, Lutheran and non-denominational backgrounds. How can we all sit together and worship together without sparking an argument? Simply because we have intentionally avoided centering our gatherings together on issues or doctrines that we know are potentially divisive.
Because we’re sensitive to these theological landmines we’ve instead focused our meetings on the One Thing we can all agree on – Jesus.
Not that other groups aren’t centered on Jesus and what it means to follow Him daily. I'm certain that they are. But since our group is not all on the same page when it comes to doctrines I think we have a tendency to emphasize following our Lord Jesus and discovering together how we can put His teachings into practice in our actual lives.
This also doesn’t mean that we don’t tend to stray over into areas where there are differences of opinion. We have had our share of disagreements and in those cases we’ve done our best to allow everyone an opportunity to communicate their perspective on scripture. Thankfully we’ve stopped short of trying to impose a particular perspective on everyone else in the church. No one has to agree with me, or with anyone else, on a peripheral issue in order to remain a valued and loved member of the church family.
For example, my wife and I have a huge personal conviction when it comes to our calling to love and serve the poor in the context of following Jesus. We formed the Mission largely because we wanted to plant a church where 100% of the offering could go to help people in the community (and even within our own church family) who were struggling financially or in poverty. We regularly serve at a local motel and share free groceries with families living there each month. But at no time does anyone in our house church family feel guilty for not joining us in this service. (Yes, we've asked them to make sure). Of course, we freely invite people to come along with us, and we regularly share testimonies of what God is doing through this service, but we don’t impose our conviction on anyone else in the Body.
Again, it’s not as if our group is perfect. We’re continually learning from our mistakes. But one thing we’ve tried to hold on to is the idea that everyone is free to share in our church family and everyone is free to disagree as long as no one attempts to sway the group to “go their way” in a certain practice or doctrine.
As Christians we have to admit that our calling is to love one another, not to argue one another into agreement on doctrines that are non-essential. We’re totally ok with people sharing their perspectives on the scriptures. That's how we grow together! But what we advocate is an attitude that listens and doesn't have an agenda to change the other person's mind.
Think about it: If you wanted to find something to argue about in your church fellowship I'm sure you wouldn't have to look very hard. The question is whether or not your desire is to seek for what things you disagree on, or if your desire is to seek for the things that you all agree on?
Here’s another example. A few months ago we had a new visitor to our group. In the course of our open sharing time someone brought up an issue of healing. This new brother shared his firm conviction that it is always God’s will to heal. He was allowed to share his perspective and no one interrupted him. After he was finished I shared that my perspective (and I was clear to state that I could only speak for myself) was that sometimes God choose not to heal and instead used the sickness or the struggle to work the character of Christ into our lives.
Again, my goal was not to convince him that he was wrong or to change his mind. I knew that I probably couldn’t do that anyway (and I didn’t). To be sure that this brother was ok with my sharing a counter point I invited him to lunch the following week and he and I talked together about our group’s commitment to allow differences of opinion. The great thing was that this brother understood and celebrated our open share time and our desire for freedom and acceptance of one another.
Our group only asks: “Are you following Jesus daily and is it your aim to know Him and to let the Bible be your guide?” If the answer is “Yes” then you’re in! We ask nothing else of those who desire to fellowship with us, as long as their desire is also to walk with others who may, or may not, agree with them on everything.
Our aim is to avoid being distracted from our main goal which is to love God and to love one another and to follow Jesus in our actual lives.
I think that whatever church you’re part of, you have to be ok with sitting next to someone who holds a different opinion about eschatology or baptism or spiritual gifts, etc. and still call that person a brother and love them simply because they are part of the same family of God.
If someone denies the Gospel or teaches a strange doctrine that distorts the Gospel or character of Christ, then yes, of course, you need to correct that. But we're not saved by having the correct information about the Bible, nor are we saved because we can communicate complex theological ideas, we are saved because we have a transformational encounter with the living Jesus and we fall in love with Him and His Word.
By the Grace of God our church family will continue to love one another and to accept one another on the basis of Christ and not on the basis of agreement on a set of doctrines.
-kg
So, why am I writing about this again? Well partly because I’ve started to notice that a lot of the other organic and simple churches in our area share a common denominational background, which means that their unity isn’t strained by the same forces that a group like ours might encounter. In our group we can't appeal to a common set of doctrines. If anything, we've all abandoned our identity as members of a particular denomination and embraced our core identity as followers of Jesus.
On paper, then, our house church family shouldn't be so united. We come from Pentecostal, Calvary Chapel, Vineyard, Brethren, Baptist, Lutheran and non-denominational backgrounds. How can we all sit together and worship together without sparking an argument? Simply because we have intentionally avoided centering our gatherings together on issues or doctrines that we know are potentially divisive.
Because we’re sensitive to these theological landmines we’ve instead focused our meetings on the One Thing we can all agree on – Jesus.
Not that other groups aren’t centered on Jesus and what it means to follow Him daily. I'm certain that they are. But since our group is not all on the same page when it comes to doctrines I think we have a tendency to emphasize following our Lord Jesus and discovering together how we can put His teachings into practice in our actual lives.
This also doesn’t mean that we don’t tend to stray over into areas where there are differences of opinion. We have had our share of disagreements and in those cases we’ve done our best to allow everyone an opportunity to communicate their perspective on scripture. Thankfully we’ve stopped short of trying to impose a particular perspective on everyone else in the church. No one has to agree with me, or with anyone else, on a peripheral issue in order to remain a valued and loved member of the church family.
For example, my wife and I have a huge personal conviction when it comes to our calling to love and serve the poor in the context of following Jesus. We formed the Mission largely because we wanted to plant a church where 100% of the offering could go to help people in the community (and even within our own church family) who were struggling financially or in poverty. We regularly serve at a local motel and share free groceries with families living there each month. But at no time does anyone in our house church family feel guilty for not joining us in this service. (Yes, we've asked them to make sure). Of course, we freely invite people to come along with us, and we regularly share testimonies of what God is doing through this service, but we don’t impose our conviction on anyone else in the Body.
Again, it’s not as if our group is perfect. We’re continually learning from our mistakes. But one thing we’ve tried to hold on to is the idea that everyone is free to share in our church family and everyone is free to disagree as long as no one attempts to sway the group to “go their way” in a certain practice or doctrine.
As Christians we have to admit that our calling is to love one another, not to argue one another into agreement on doctrines that are non-essential. We’re totally ok with people sharing their perspectives on the scriptures. That's how we grow together! But what we advocate is an attitude that listens and doesn't have an agenda to change the other person's mind.
Think about it: If you wanted to find something to argue about in your church fellowship I'm sure you wouldn't have to look very hard. The question is whether or not your desire is to seek for what things you disagree on, or if your desire is to seek for the things that you all agree on?
Here’s another example. A few months ago we had a new visitor to our group. In the course of our open sharing time someone brought up an issue of healing. This new brother shared his firm conviction that it is always God’s will to heal. He was allowed to share his perspective and no one interrupted him. After he was finished I shared that my perspective (and I was clear to state that I could only speak for myself) was that sometimes God choose not to heal and instead used the sickness or the struggle to work the character of Christ into our lives.
Again, my goal was not to convince him that he was wrong or to change his mind. I knew that I probably couldn’t do that anyway (and I didn’t). To be sure that this brother was ok with my sharing a counter point I invited him to lunch the following week and he and I talked together about our group’s commitment to allow differences of opinion. The great thing was that this brother understood and celebrated our open share time and our desire for freedom and acceptance of one another.
Our group only asks: “Are you following Jesus daily and is it your aim to know Him and to let the Bible be your guide?” If the answer is “Yes” then you’re in! We ask nothing else of those who desire to fellowship with us, as long as their desire is also to walk with others who may, or may not, agree with them on everything.
Our aim is to avoid being distracted from our main goal which is to love God and to love one another and to follow Jesus in our actual lives.
I think that whatever church you’re part of, you have to be ok with sitting next to someone who holds a different opinion about eschatology or baptism or spiritual gifts, etc. and still call that person a brother and love them simply because they are part of the same family of God.
If someone denies the Gospel or teaches a strange doctrine that distorts the Gospel or character of Christ, then yes, of course, you need to correct that. But we're not saved by having the correct information about the Bible, nor are we saved because we can communicate complex theological ideas, we are saved because we have a transformational encounter with the living Jesus and we fall in love with Him and His Word.
By the Grace of God our church family will continue to love one another and to accept one another on the basis of Christ and not on the basis of agreement on a set of doctrines.
-kg
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
BEING CHURCH?
Those of us who are part of a house church or an organic church often speak of "being the church" rather than "attending a church".
A fellow house church leader recently emailed me and a few other house church practitioners to ask us how we would answer this question: “How are your house church communities doing at ‘being the Church’ rather than ‘going to Church’?”
Here’s my response.
Over the last few weeks I've had conversations with several in our house church family and they’ve indicated to me that they've started to experience a paradigm shift between "going to church" and "being the church". Here's how some of them have expressed this phenomenon:
*"Once I realized that being who God created and called me to be was all that He expects of me, I started to realize that I have a ministry to children already. I don't have to travel to Africa or even to Mexico to minister to children who don't know the Gospel. They're in my 5th grade class I teach every day."
*"I had only been coming to this house church for two weeks when I offered to host the next meeting in my home. Everyone was like, 'That's great!' At first I thought, 'Don't you want to see my house first?' but then I realized that it didn't matter to anyone what my house was like. They were all eager to allow me the freedom to contribute to the Church in whatever way I wanted to."
*"All my life at other churches I was always on the outside of that myterious inner circle of leadership, but now I'm one of the many other contributing members of the Church. Suddenly my voice counts for something. My gifts are relevant. My family is truly known and loved. This is what Church is all about!"
*"Growing up in Church I never understood what the pastor was saying. But now I'm free to ask questions and people are free to question me and to challenge me in my walk with Jesus. It's the Body of Christ that has changed my life where all those sermons never did."
*"For the first time in my life as a Christian, when I think of "my church," I now think of the people in it. Not the building or the pastor because we don't have any. The faces of the people I fellowship with come to mind."
*"Instead of going to church and attending a meeting, the house church experience has allowed me to see that all of my life is a ministry to God. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, the Spirit of the Living God is alive in me and that's where 'Church' can happen."
Our house church is called “the Mission” because we hope to encourage everyone to see that they are missionaries equipped by God to minister the Gospel in their own neighborhood, workplace, community, etc.
In addition to these statements, I’ve personally witnessed individuals in our house church family as they discover their own personal mission. Some have felt a calling to start a weekly prayer meeting in their home. Some have felt compelled to take regular trips to an orphanage in Mexico. Some have taken it upon themselves to put together survival kits for the homeless. Some have responded to God’s calling to use their teaching gift to lead weekly Bible Studies with people outside our house church family. Some have stepped out to help teach Chinese students how to speak English as a second language. Others are still trying to understand what their personal mission is and we’re patiently standing by them and encouraging them as they continue to follow Jesus daily.
While no one in our house church family feels pressure to participate in anyone else’s ministry, they do know that they are free to join in if they want to. No one feels pressure to start a ministry of their own either. Unless God is genuinely speaking to them about stepping forward, we’re content to meet them wherever they are.
Our house church family has a saying that goes, “We’re all in process.” That means we recognize that none of us is in exactly the same place in our walk with Christ. While we encourage everyone to grow deeper with Jesus, we don’t set our own expectations of what that should look like. We allow the individual person to listen for God’s voice and to respond accordingly. We strive to have grace for one another and not to impose our passion on others.
For example, my family has been serving at a local motel for nearly 9 years now. We go every month and pass out free groceries which our house church family purchases using the offerings that are freely given to help the poor. Not everyone in our house church goes with us when we serve at the motel, but they know we'd love to have them join us if they wish. They also know that they don't have to give their offering to this cause if they don't want to. No one forces them to give or looks to see who is giving or how much. We don't impose our vision and mission on them and they don't try to convince us that their personal ministry should be everyone else's.
Rather than exploit one another to benefit our ministry, we empower one another to step out and serve others in whatever way we feel called. We help when we can. We encourage one another, and we cheer each other onward.
So, in a nutshell this is how our little house church family is learning to “be the Church” to one another and to people we come into contact with each and every day.
How are you learning to “be the Church”?
-kg
A fellow house church leader recently emailed me and a few other house church practitioners to ask us how we would answer this question: “How are your house church communities doing at ‘being the Church’ rather than ‘going to Church’?”
Here’s my response.
Over the last few weeks I've had conversations with several in our house church family and they’ve indicated to me that they've started to experience a paradigm shift between "going to church" and "being the church". Here's how some of them have expressed this phenomenon:
*"Once I realized that being who God created and called me to be was all that He expects of me, I started to realize that I have a ministry to children already. I don't have to travel to Africa or even to Mexico to minister to children who don't know the Gospel. They're in my 5th grade class I teach every day."
*"I had only been coming to this house church for two weeks when I offered to host the next meeting in my home. Everyone was like, 'That's great!' At first I thought, 'Don't you want to see my house first?' but then I realized that it didn't matter to anyone what my house was like. They were all eager to allow me the freedom to contribute to the Church in whatever way I wanted to."
*"All my life at other churches I was always on the outside of that myterious inner circle of leadership, but now I'm one of the many other contributing members of the Church. Suddenly my voice counts for something. My gifts are relevant. My family is truly known and loved. This is what Church is all about!"
*"Growing up in Church I never understood what the pastor was saying. But now I'm free to ask questions and people are free to question me and to challenge me in my walk with Jesus. It's the Body of Christ that has changed my life where all those sermons never did."
*"For the first time in my life as a Christian, when I think of "my church," I now think of the people in it. Not the building or the pastor because we don't have any. The faces of the people I fellowship with come to mind."
*"Instead of going to church and attending a meeting, the house church experience has allowed me to see that all of my life is a ministry to God. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, the Spirit of the Living God is alive in me and that's where 'Church' can happen."
Our house church is called “the Mission” because we hope to encourage everyone to see that they are missionaries equipped by God to minister the Gospel in their own neighborhood, workplace, community, etc.
In addition to these statements, I’ve personally witnessed individuals in our house church family as they discover their own personal mission. Some have felt a calling to start a weekly prayer meeting in their home. Some have felt compelled to take regular trips to an orphanage in Mexico. Some have taken it upon themselves to put together survival kits for the homeless. Some have responded to God’s calling to use their teaching gift to lead weekly Bible Studies with people outside our house church family. Some have stepped out to help teach Chinese students how to speak English as a second language. Others are still trying to understand what their personal mission is and we’re patiently standing by them and encouraging them as they continue to follow Jesus daily.
While no one in our house church family feels pressure to participate in anyone else’s ministry, they do know that they are free to join in if they want to. No one feels pressure to start a ministry of their own either. Unless God is genuinely speaking to them about stepping forward, we’re content to meet them wherever they are.
Our house church family has a saying that goes, “We’re all in process.” That means we recognize that none of us is in exactly the same place in our walk with Christ. While we encourage everyone to grow deeper with Jesus, we don’t set our own expectations of what that should look like. We allow the individual person to listen for God’s voice and to respond accordingly. We strive to have grace for one another and not to impose our passion on others.
For example, my family has been serving at a local motel for nearly 9 years now. We go every month and pass out free groceries which our house church family purchases using the offerings that are freely given to help the poor. Not everyone in our house church goes with us when we serve at the motel, but they know we'd love to have them join us if they wish. They also know that they don't have to give their offering to this cause if they don't want to. No one forces them to give or looks to see who is giving or how much. We don't impose our vision and mission on them and they don't try to convince us that their personal ministry should be everyone else's.
Rather than exploit one another to benefit our ministry, we empower one another to step out and serve others in whatever way we feel called. We help when we can. We encourage one another, and we cheer each other onward.
So, in a nutshell this is how our little house church family is learning to “be the Church” to one another and to people we come into contact with each and every day.
How are you learning to “be the Church”?
-kg
Sunday, March 13, 2011
HE DID IT!
So proud of my son, David. I gave him a puzzle on his 13th birthday (December 31st) called "One Tough Puzzle". It has only 9 pieces and it says on the outside of the box, "10,000 wrong answers, but only one right answer". (Kind of like our lives, right?)
Our whole family took turns trying to figure this one out but one day I came home from work and David had figured it out - mathematically! (I can't explain to you how he did it, but when I asked him how he found the answer he proceeded to explain a complicated calculation that boggled my brain, but I know it all makes sense, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to make it work).
That's my boy.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Terms of Surrender
"Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (Matt 19:16)
"Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matt 19:21)
Someone recently emailed me to ask about what this verse means for believers today. Are we expected to go and sell all of our possessions and give to the poor in order to follow Jesus?
It's a huge challenge to consider these instructions from Jesus and even more challenging to consider applying them to our actual lives.
Here are some things to consider as you meditate on this scripture.
First, notice that the Rich Young Ruler's question to Jesus was "What good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (v.16)
In response to that question Jesus says, "Sell all that you have and give it to the poor and then come and follow me." (v.21)
Throughout the Gospels several people come to Jesus and ask him what they must do to inherit eternal life or to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus never gives the same answer to anyone twice.
Why?
I think it's because Jesus is able to look into the hearts of those who are asking and he can see what is holding them back from submitting themselves to him as their King, and therefore what needs to change in order for them to enter the Kingdom of God.
For Nicodemus, a wise and well-respected Pharisee, the terms of surrender were to become like a baby again and start over from the beginning with a new birth.
For the Rich Young Ruler it was letting go of his wealth.
For Peter it was walking away from the biggest catch of fish he had ever had in his entire life.
For Matthew it was quitting his job as a tax collector on the spot to follow Jesus for the rest of his life.
For Zaccheus it was giving half of his possessions to the poor and paying back four times the money he had extorted from his fellow Jews as a tax collector.
For the Thief on the Cross it
was simply recognizing that Jesus was a King who would soon be coming into His
Kingdom.
In every case, the terms of surrender were unique to the individual.
So, what is it that's holding you back from following Jesus with your actual life today? If it's your great wealth or your love of money, then maybe that's what Jesus would ask you to surrender to Him. If it's your intellect and your position of respect and authority in the community, maybe it's complete humility and the willingness to become simple and foolish in the eyes of men in order to identify yourself as a follower of Jesus. If it's your job, then maybe you should walk away from it like Peter and Matthew did and follow Him.
For each of us there is probably one thing that we would find difficult to surrender to Jesus in order to enter the Kingdom. We should certainly be willing to let go of whatever the Lord Jesus asks us to surrender in order to follow Him and die to ourselves and carry our cross in obedience to Him. But we shouldn't take it upon ourselves to assume that just because Jesus asked one person to do something that you and I automatically need to do that same thing.
What is Jesus saying to you? What is it that Jesus would ask you to surrender? What, if anything, is keeping you from seeing the Kingdom or following Jesus today? Honestly, that's all that we really need to ask ourselves.
-kg
FRED ROGERS: ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Just in case you needed to see this for yourself...
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
And This Is How It's Done
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood won four Emmy awards, and Rogers received one for lifetime achievement.
During the 1997 Daytime Emmys, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Rogers. The following is an excerpt from Esquire's coverage of the gala, written by Tom Junod:
"Mister Rogers went onstage to accept the award — and there, in front of all the soap opera stars and talk show sinceratrons, in front of all the jutting man-tanned jaws and jutting saltwater bosoms, he made his small bow and said into the microphone, "All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, ten seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are. Ten seconds of silence."
And then he lifted his wrist, looked at the audience, looked at his watch, and said, "I'll watch the time." There was, at first, a small whoop from the crowd, a giddy, strangled hiccup of laughter, as people realized that he wasn't kidding, that Mister Rogers was not some convenient eunuch, but rather a man, an authority figure who actually expected them to do what he asked. And so they did. One second, two seconds, seven seconds — and now the jaws clenched, and the bosoms heaved, and the mascara ran, and the tears fell upon the beglittered gathering like rain leaking down a crystal chandelier. And Mister Rogers finally looked up from his watch and said softly "May God be with you," to all his vanquished children."
Someday I hope to live in this man's neighborhood. For now I'm happy just to drive through and admire the architecture.
May all of us live such simple and humble lives as this man did.
Peace,
Keith
During the 1997 Daytime Emmys, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Rogers. The following is an excerpt from Esquire's coverage of the gala, written by Tom Junod:
"Mister Rogers went onstage to accept the award — and there, in front of all the soap opera stars and talk show sinceratrons, in front of all the jutting man-tanned jaws and jutting saltwater bosoms, he made his small bow and said into the microphone, "All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, ten seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are. Ten seconds of silence."
And then he lifted his wrist, looked at the audience, looked at his watch, and said, "I'll watch the time." There was, at first, a small whoop from the crowd, a giddy, strangled hiccup of laughter, as people realized that he wasn't kidding, that Mister Rogers was not some convenient eunuch, but rather a man, an authority figure who actually expected them to do what he asked. And so they did. One second, two seconds, seven seconds — and now the jaws clenched, and the bosoms heaved, and the mascara ran, and the tears fell upon the beglittered gathering like rain leaking down a crystal chandelier. And Mister Rogers finally looked up from his watch and said softly "May God be with you," to all his vanquished children."
Someday I hope to live in this man's neighborhood. For now I'm happy just to drive through and admire the architecture.
May all of us live such simple and humble lives as this man did.
Peace,
Keith
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
NAKED SPIRITUALITY: A Review
As someone largely unfamiliar with the writings of Brian McLaren I wasn't sure what to expect when I received a pre-press copy of his yet-to-be-released book, Naked Spirituality, in the mail for review.
Being a proud member of theOoze.com Top 20 Viral Bloggers set, I have been tasked with reading this book in advance of it's publication and providing an honest review of the book here on my blog.
Before I begin the review I need to make a few disclaimers. The first being that I do not consider myself an "Emerging" or an "Emergent" Christian. Even though guys like Jim Belcher (Deep Church) and others consider me among those in that camp, I most vocally do not belong to that brand of faith. Of course, I'm not against them either and I do publish articles on webzines (like theOoze.com and Next-Wave Magazine) that are widely recognized as such, and I do consider people like Spencer Burke not only my friends but my brothers in Christ.
But enough about me, let's talk about Brian D. McLaren's newest book, shall we?
As I've already pointed out, I'm not familiar with McLaren's books so this was my first foray into his writing. Surprisingly, I found myself deeply moved by his insight and challenged by his ideas. Frankly, the Preface and the Introduction alone were better than most books I've read in the last few years, and that's the truth.
In the preface, McLaren reminds us of St. Francis of Assisi's many naked moments and uses these to illustrate our calling to throw off the adornments of this world and to embrace the glorious skin of our primary selves before all men, and before God.
If at first this seems like an arbitrary example of nakedness as a metaphor for spiritual honesty, McLaren goes on to remind us of Isaiah the prophet's three year sermon in the nude (Is 20:3). Eventually he points out that our Lord Jesus called us to give away our clothing if someone takes us to court to sue us for our overcoat (Mt 5:38-41), implying that we should call attention to their greed by exposing ourselves in order to appease their demands.
Of course, the author isn't calling us to embrace a literal nakedness here, (thankfully), but a spiritual nakedness that reflects the actual vulnerability of our souls before God and men.
Yes, Jesus was stripped totally naked on the cross. His clothing was literally stripped off of him and divided among the Roman soldiers at his crucifixion.
As McLaren says, "Naked we came from the womb, Job sid, and naked we will shall depart this life, but in between, we clothe ourselves in a thousand fascinating ways."
The book is about how we hide ourselves in outward garments and how we cover our spiritual sensitivies in clothing both real and figurative. It's a book about how we are spiritual beings who were created to be naked and unashamed and how to recover our spiritual identity by stripping away the layers of designer labels, religious robes, and fashion consciousness to reveal the image of God in ourselves.
After sharing a deeply personal testimony of an early encounter with the Holy Spirit, McLaren sets up a framework for his book, allowing readers to take a voyeuristic glimpse at what will be revealed in the pages to come.
Essentially, McLaren sets up twelve practices arranged in four stages to help readers navigate the process of being naked before God. Without spelling everything out here, the book covers Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity and Harmony as seasons of spiritual growth. Within each of these four season, the author places three simple words to meditate on as we journey through our lives.
For me, this is where the book begins to lose me. I wasn't looking for a "How to" book as much as an exploration of concepts and ideas that might help me see myself, and my own need for spiritual nakedness, in a new light. The practical part, as helpful as it may be, didn't appeal to me. Perhaps because I tend to shy away from formulas and programs as a general rule, the step-by-step section of the book was only mildly interesting, although there were several helpful insights buried within this section to keep me reading along.
If you're like me, I'd recommend reading the programmatic sections more as suggestions and take from them what you find helpful without feeling the need to incorporate all of them into your daily routine. And to be fair, I suspect that this is partly what McLaren is hoping for anyway. He does speak of there being exceptions even to our natural seasons (where we experience unusually warm winter days, or surprisingly cold summer nights) and this I think is his concession that one size may not fit all. So, don't let any suggestion of self-help rhetoric to keep you from picking this one up. The chapters are not contingent upon one another and anyone who longs to learn more about spiritual vulnerability and living naked before God and others will find plenty to nourish their souls within these pages.
McLaren, it must be said, is a masterful and talented writer. His images are effective. His language is evocative and his insights are profound. This book bears witness to why he is hailed as one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals and I expect that many followers of Jesus will find themselves lost in these pages and discover themselves beneath the covers where they have hidden themselves away for too long.
Still, some of what is communicated here feels more than a little like an update to Richard Foster's classic Celebration of Discipline but without the nasty "discipline" word (for those who recoil at the sound). Yet, if McLaren's clout can inspire a new generation of Christ-followers to entertain the old school notions of simplicity, silence, meditation, fasting, service and prayer, then I suspect even the most anti-emergent pastors could only whisper a reluctant "halleluiah" in response.
-kg
Being a proud member of theOoze.com Top 20 Viral Bloggers set, I have been tasked with reading this book in advance of it's publication and providing an honest review of the book here on my blog.
Before I begin the review I need to make a few disclaimers. The first being that I do not consider myself an "Emerging" or an "Emergent" Christian. Even though guys like Jim Belcher (Deep Church) and others consider me among those in that camp, I most vocally do not belong to that brand of faith. Of course, I'm not against them either and I do publish articles on webzines (like theOoze.com and Next-Wave Magazine) that are widely recognized as such, and I do consider people like Spencer Burke not only my friends but my brothers in Christ.
But enough about me, let's talk about Brian D. McLaren's newest book, shall we?
As I've already pointed out, I'm not familiar with McLaren's books so this was my first foray into his writing. Surprisingly, I found myself deeply moved by his insight and challenged by his ideas. Frankly, the Preface and the Introduction alone were better than most books I've read in the last few years, and that's the truth.
In the preface, McLaren reminds us of St. Francis of Assisi's many naked moments and uses these to illustrate our calling to throw off the adornments of this world and to embrace the glorious skin of our primary selves before all men, and before God.
If at first this seems like an arbitrary example of nakedness as a metaphor for spiritual honesty, McLaren goes on to remind us of Isaiah the prophet's three year sermon in the nude (Is 20:3). Eventually he points out that our Lord Jesus called us to give away our clothing if someone takes us to court to sue us for our overcoat (Mt 5:38-41), implying that we should call attention to their greed by exposing ourselves in order to appease their demands.
Of course, the author isn't calling us to embrace a literal nakedness here, (thankfully), but a spiritual nakedness that reflects the actual vulnerability of our souls before God and men.
Yes, Jesus was stripped totally naked on the cross. His clothing was literally stripped off of him and divided among the Roman soldiers at his crucifixion.
As McLaren says, "Naked we came from the womb, Job sid, and naked we will shall depart this life, but in between, we clothe ourselves in a thousand fascinating ways."
The book is about how we hide ourselves in outward garments and how we cover our spiritual sensitivies in clothing both real and figurative. It's a book about how we are spiritual beings who were created to be naked and unashamed and how to recover our spiritual identity by stripping away the layers of designer labels, religious robes, and fashion consciousness to reveal the image of God in ourselves.
After sharing a deeply personal testimony of an early encounter with the Holy Spirit, McLaren sets up a framework for his book, allowing readers to take a voyeuristic glimpse at what will be revealed in the pages to come.
Essentially, McLaren sets up twelve practices arranged in four stages to help readers navigate the process of being naked before God. Without spelling everything out here, the book covers Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity and Harmony as seasons of spiritual growth. Within each of these four season, the author places three simple words to meditate on as we journey through our lives.
For me, this is where the book begins to lose me. I wasn't looking for a "How to" book as much as an exploration of concepts and ideas that might help me see myself, and my own need for spiritual nakedness, in a new light. The practical part, as helpful as it may be, didn't appeal to me. Perhaps because I tend to shy away from formulas and programs as a general rule, the step-by-step section of the book was only mildly interesting, although there were several helpful insights buried within this section to keep me reading along.
If you're like me, I'd recommend reading the programmatic sections more as suggestions and take from them what you find helpful without feeling the need to incorporate all of them into your daily routine. And to be fair, I suspect that this is partly what McLaren is hoping for anyway. He does speak of there being exceptions even to our natural seasons (where we experience unusually warm winter days, or surprisingly cold summer nights) and this I think is his concession that one size may not fit all. So, don't let any suggestion of self-help rhetoric to keep you from picking this one up. The chapters are not contingent upon one another and anyone who longs to learn more about spiritual vulnerability and living naked before God and others will find plenty to nourish their souls within these pages.
McLaren, it must be said, is a masterful and talented writer. His images are effective. His language is evocative and his insights are profound. This book bears witness to why he is hailed as one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals and I expect that many followers of Jesus will find themselves lost in these pages and discover themselves beneath the covers where they have hidden themselves away for too long.
Still, some of what is communicated here feels more than a little like an update to Richard Foster's classic Celebration of Discipline but without the nasty "discipline" word (for those who recoil at the sound). Yet, if McLaren's clout can inspire a new generation of Christ-followers to entertain the old school notions of simplicity, silence, meditation, fasting, service and prayer, then I suspect even the most anti-emergent pastors could only whisper a reluctant "halleluiah" in response.
-kg
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
NOBODY FOLLOWS JESUS (So Why Should You?)
Nobody follows Jesus anymore. Just look around, and you’ll see what I mean. How often do you ever see someone show love to a person who is in their face? Have you ever once heard of anyone chasing a thief down the street screaming, “Hey, you forgot my DVD player!” or witnessed a person who has just been slapped in the face turn their head to offer the other cheek?
I doubt it.
That’s my point. Jesus had some pretty radical teachings. Love your enemies. Pray for those who abuse you. Give to those who steal from you. Lend without expecting anything in return. Bless those who curse your name.
Even the most casual glance at the words and teachings of Jesus will tell you this guy had unreasonable expectations of those who would dare to follow Him. It was almost as if He was trying to thin the crowd by raising the bar so high.
He doesn’t stop there. No sir. Jesus even goes so far as to say that those who follow Him must deny themselves and take up their own cross (an instrument of brutal torture and death). In fact, He says if you don’t do this, you "cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27).
No wonder no one follows Jesus anymore.
Now, I’m not suggesting people don’t believe in Jesus anymore. There are millions and millions of people out there who really do believe a guy named Jesus actually lived 2,000 years ago. They believe that He was the Son of God, and God the Son, and that He lead a sinless life, died on the cross for their sins and rose bodily from the grave three days later. Yep. They all believe that. But, those people don’t really follow Jesus, not the way He expected them to.
Maybe that’s why Jesus wondered out loud, "When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Maybe He knew after 2,000 years of Christianity, we’d just have given up on following His specific example of how to live.
G.K. Chesterton once said, "It’s not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting; it’s that it has been found difficult and left untried."
I think Jesus really did expect His followers to live extravagant lives of love as He commands in Luke 6:27. He wasn’t kidding around.
He’s pretty clear that the kind of love the world has is nothing special at all. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that" (Luke 6:32).
Jesus was trying to get His potential followers to understand they were expected to model a standard of love that went far, far beyond what anyone living on this planet had ever encountered or dreamed of before. A kind of love that could change someone’s life for eternity.
Once you understand this, it starts to make more sense. Jesus calls His followers to this kind of life for a reason—so we can show those who aren’t aware of the kindness of God what it means to be loved, forgiven and shown mercy.
Yes, Jesus expects us to actually do these things.
Yes, it will hurt.
Can you think of a better way to show those who are far from God that He really loves them, Christianity is the "real thing," and forgiveness is for them?
Imagine a world where we all actually did this stuff on a daily basis.
Would it change the world? Would it change the world’s idea of Christianity? Of Christ?Would it set the teachings of Jesus apart from every single other religious figure who had ever lived?
Isn’t it ironic to think the most radical thing a modern Christian could do today would be to simply do exactly what Jesus says? Yeah, it’s really a shame that no one really follows Jesus anymore. But, can you imagine what would happen to the world you live in if even a few people actually did?
Not only that, Jesus promises those who actually do put His words into practice will be blessed and have life abundantly. Maybe it’s time to start following Jesus? Maybe it’s time to take Him seriously? What do you think?
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24).
[From the book, "Nobody Follows Jesus (So Why Should You?)" by Keith Giles]
Download the entire book for free
HERE
NOTE: This article is part of a lenten blog series started by Christine Sine entitled: Following Jesus, what difference has it made?
The series will feature writers from various sources all sharing what it means to follow Jesus, the impact it has made on their life, and why it’s important to be a disciple of Christ.
Read what others wrote on this topic over at her blog:
HERE
I doubt it.
That’s my point. Jesus had some pretty radical teachings. Love your enemies. Pray for those who abuse you. Give to those who steal from you. Lend without expecting anything in return. Bless those who curse your name.
Even the most casual glance at the words and teachings of Jesus will tell you this guy had unreasonable expectations of those who would dare to follow Him. It was almost as if He was trying to thin the crowd by raising the bar so high.
He doesn’t stop there. No sir. Jesus even goes so far as to say that those who follow Him must deny themselves and take up their own cross (an instrument of brutal torture and death). In fact, He says if you don’t do this, you "cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27).
No wonder no one follows Jesus anymore.
Now, I’m not suggesting people don’t believe in Jesus anymore. There are millions and millions of people out there who really do believe a guy named Jesus actually lived 2,000 years ago. They believe that He was the Son of God, and God the Son, and that He lead a sinless life, died on the cross for their sins and rose bodily from the grave three days later. Yep. They all believe that. But, those people don’t really follow Jesus, not the way He expected them to.
Maybe that’s why Jesus wondered out loud, "When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Maybe He knew after 2,000 years of Christianity, we’d just have given up on following His specific example of how to live.
G.K. Chesterton once said, "It’s not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting; it’s that it has been found difficult and left untried."
I think Jesus really did expect His followers to live extravagant lives of love as He commands in Luke 6:27. He wasn’t kidding around.
He’s pretty clear that the kind of love the world has is nothing special at all. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that" (Luke 6:32).
Jesus was trying to get His potential followers to understand they were expected to model a standard of love that went far, far beyond what anyone living on this planet had ever encountered or dreamed of before. A kind of love that could change someone’s life for eternity.
Once you understand this, it starts to make more sense. Jesus calls His followers to this kind of life for a reason—so we can show those who aren’t aware of the kindness of God what it means to be loved, forgiven and shown mercy.
Yes, Jesus expects us to actually do these things.
Yes, it will hurt.
Can you think of a better way to show those who are far from God that He really loves them, Christianity is the "real thing," and forgiveness is for them?
Imagine a world where we all actually did this stuff on a daily basis.
Would it change the world? Would it change the world’s idea of Christianity? Of Christ?Would it set the teachings of Jesus apart from every single other religious figure who had ever lived?
Isn’t it ironic to think the most radical thing a modern Christian could do today would be to simply do exactly what Jesus says? Yeah, it’s really a shame that no one really follows Jesus anymore. But, can you imagine what would happen to the world you live in if even a few people actually did?
Not only that, Jesus promises those who actually do put His words into practice will be blessed and have life abundantly. Maybe it’s time to start following Jesus? Maybe it’s time to take Him seriously? What do you think?
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24).
[From the book, "Nobody Follows Jesus (So Why Should You?)" by Keith Giles]
Download the entire book for free
HERE
NOTE: This article is part of a lenten blog series started by Christine Sine entitled: Following Jesus, what difference has it made?
The series will feature writers from various sources all sharing what it means to follow Jesus, the impact it has made on their life, and why it’s important to be a disciple of Christ.
Read what others wrote on this topic over at her blog:
HERE
Friday, February 25, 2011
EMBRACING DISCOMFORT
Lately I've been feeling a very strong urge to step outside of my comfort zone again.
There was a time when I was regularly crossing that border to minister to prostitutes in Santa Ana at 12am, or hosting hot dog picnics with the homeless in Costa Mesa and hoping the cops didn't try to shut us down.
Over the last few years I've slowly settled into the comfort of my daily routine. I've given myself permission to spend my time on myself and as a result I've been less and less engaged in the lives of others around me. Not just the poor, but those in my community, my neighborhood, even my own house church family.
Slowly I've been awakening as if from a long nap and I'm discovering once again a strong desire to pursue Jesus outside of my comfort zone.
Truth be told, this is where you'll find Jesus. He's out there. He's moving among the poor. He's near to the destitute. He's wrapping his arms around the homeless. He's weeping over the prostitute. He's grieving with the hopeless. Just as he was when he walked this Earth over 2,000 years ago, Jesus is always "out there" where the broken and the forgotten are crying out for love.
So, right now I just know that I need to rediscover Jesus in the street and I'm feeling, personally, a need to be challenged more in this area of my life.
Someone reminded me the other day that the word "Compassion" means "to suffer with". If we do not make ourselves available to those who are suffering, we can't truly know what compassion is all about.
I know that I need to start leaving my comfort zone more often to encounter Jesus in the world around me, and specifically among the poor where I live.
My friend Thomas Crisp has been spending his Sunday mornings hanging out with the homeless at a local shelter. Together we've been trying to explore how to create an incarnational expression of Jesus among the poor here in Orange County. Meaning nothing more than he and I sitting down and having a meal with people living on the streets. Not to fix them. Not to evangelize. But to allow the Holy Spirit to change us (and them) in the process of sharing a meal and inviting Jesus to be with us.
It's simple, yet it's bold. It's quiet, but it's radical. It's small, but it's powerful enough to transform a human soul into the image of Jesus. At least, that's what I'm about to find out.
Peace,
kg
There was a time when I was regularly crossing that border to minister to prostitutes in Santa Ana at 12am, or hosting hot dog picnics with the homeless in Costa Mesa and hoping the cops didn't try to shut us down.
Over the last few years I've slowly settled into the comfort of my daily routine. I've given myself permission to spend my time on myself and as a result I've been less and less engaged in the lives of others around me. Not just the poor, but those in my community, my neighborhood, even my own house church family.
Slowly I've been awakening as if from a long nap and I'm discovering once again a strong desire to pursue Jesus outside of my comfort zone.
Truth be told, this is where you'll find Jesus. He's out there. He's moving among the poor. He's near to the destitute. He's wrapping his arms around the homeless. He's weeping over the prostitute. He's grieving with the hopeless. Just as he was when he walked this Earth over 2,000 years ago, Jesus is always "out there" where the broken and the forgotten are crying out for love.
So, right now I just know that I need to rediscover Jesus in the street and I'm feeling, personally, a need to be challenged more in this area of my life.
Someone reminded me the other day that the word "Compassion" means "to suffer with". If we do not make ourselves available to those who are suffering, we can't truly know what compassion is all about.
I know that I need to start leaving my comfort zone more often to encounter Jesus in the world around me, and specifically among the poor where I live.
My friend Thomas Crisp has been spending his Sunday mornings hanging out with the homeless at a local shelter. Together we've been trying to explore how to create an incarnational expression of Jesus among the poor here in Orange County. Meaning nothing more than he and I sitting down and having a meal with people living on the streets. Not to fix them. Not to evangelize. But to allow the Holy Spirit to change us (and them) in the process of sharing a meal and inviting Jesus to be with us.
It's simple, yet it's bold. It's quiet, but it's radical. It's small, but it's powerful enough to transform a human soul into the image of Jesus. At least, that's what I'm about to find out.
Peace,
kg
Thursday, February 24, 2011
WHAT ABOUT PASTORAL MINISTRY?
If you've been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I've spent a fair amount of time discussing the modern concept of the Pastor and how it corresponds (or not) to the New Testament use of that same word.
Before you read any further I have to say that I am not against pastors. Many of my dear friends are senior pastors. I do not hate pastors and I'm not writing this article to put pastors down. I love pastors (and some of them even love me).
My beef with the word "pastor" is that we've given it (and the concept of a clergy-lead church) a level of importance that the New Testament doesn't support.
As I've said elsewhere, it's not that I'm against the idea of someone surrendering their life to serve the Body of Christ. Far from it. What I'm in favor of, instead, is the idea that every single believer in Christ is already a member of the priesthood. I'm in favor of the ordination of all Christians into the ministry of the Gospel, not just a select few professionals.
Does that mean that all are pastors? Of course not. But every believer is a member of the priesthood and that means that they have an ability to hear Jesus's voice, to minister to (serve) others using their gifts, and to participate in the life of the Church.
So, for me, the title of "pastor" is something I've worked hard lately to get out from under. Although I have been licensed and ordained as a minister in the Southern Baptist Church, my aim is to empower everyone who follows Jesus to operate fully in their gifting and serve in the Church as the Holy Spirit directs them to do. (My ordination papers are framed and resting happily on the floor under my bed covered in a layer of dust).
I'm in favor of the 58 "one anothers" being practiced and celebrated rather than recognizing a handful of professionals who attempt to do the work of the entire Body all by themselves.
Still, there are plenty of people who still call me "Pastor" and get away with it. For example, my family has been involved in planting an organic church at a local motel lately, in partnership with Saddleback Church. Because of this, it's more and more common for people involved to call me "Pastor Keith". I don't mind it and I don't try to correct them. Why? Because I'm actively encouraging them to "be the Church" and to follow Jesus in their daily lives. It matters less to me what they call me and more to me whether or not they are becoming disciples of Jesus.
When I used to visit my friend Robert Higgins at the Senior Home near my house, everyone called me "Pastor" and even Robert would introduce me to others as "His Pastor". Quite honestly, I was very happy to be known as "Robert's Pastor" because this is what I was for him. I was "shepherding" him into the presence of Jesus and he and I both recognized this.
To me, a pastor is someone who cares for others in the Church. He, or she, has been filled with the Holy Spirit and gifted to come alongside people in trouble or distress. As far as I can see, the New Testament (which only mentions the word once) gives us no restrictions as to how many people can operate in the pastoral gifting. And the scriptures always speak of a plurality of elders who shepherd, never one single pastor.
What's more, the gift of pastoring is a service gift. It's not a gift that carries any authority with it. Pastors care for their brothers and sisters in Christ, but there is only one Father and that is God. There is only one Head of the Church and that is Jesus.
A few years ago, when I first started this blog my bio at the left identified me as a "Writer, pastor, teacher, and house church leader in Orange County". You'll notice now that the word "pastor" has since been removed. That's because I've tried to distance myself from both the title and the popular perception of what most believe a pastor is or does.
In our house church family I have also done my best to back myself out of the senior pastor role, allowing others to share scripture, lead us in communion, teach the Word, and operate in their gifting more. Most are shocked to learn that I do not teach or preach at our house church. In fact, no one does! Instead, everyone one of us - children included - are encouraged to bring a scripture, a teaching, an encouragment, a song, or whatever else the Lord compels them to share with the church family.
One member recently remarked that he was shocked the first time he visited our house church because I wasn't the one leading the meeting. At one point I even left the room while everyone else continued to share from scripture! This is by design. It's taken me a long time to learn how to shut my mouth and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in the meetings. And I've love the freedom we've enjoyed over the last 5 years together, operating in this way. It's been the best thing I've ever done with the word "Church" on it.
So, when we look at the New Testament we see that the Apostles used the terms Elder, Shepherd and Overseer interchangeably.
The terms "elder" (or, presbyter), "overseer" (or, bishop) and "pastor" all refer to the same thing. So, we should not separate elders, pastors, and overseers into three different groups with differing functions.
An elder (presbyter) is literally "an old person". The same word is used in the Greek to refer to someone who is old and also someone who is recognized in the Church as such. In Titus 1:5-7, Paul talks about appointing elders in the church but then he switches to the term "Overseer" which suggests that the two were one and the same in his mind.
In 1 Peter 5:1-2, the Apostle Peter exhorts the "elders among you" to "shepherd (pastor) the flock of God that is among you." So, who are the one's "pastoring" the church in the New Testament? It's the Elders (plural) who are recognized as being mature, humble and trustworthy in the Body.
In Acts 20, all three of these words (Overseer, Pastor and Elder) are used to refer to a single group. Paul calls "the elders of the church" and instructs them to care for "the flock" (suggesting that they are therefore "shepherds") and reminds them that the Holy Spirit has made them "overseers" (v.28). So, elders, pastors and overseers are referring to one group of people in the Church who perform all three works of service.
I always have to point out that the New Testament also commands all of us in the Body of Christ to submit to one another. Submission isn't something you demand in the Church, it's something you grant to others out of love.
So, all of us are called to submit to one another and that means that the elders/pastors/overseers submit themselves to serve the entire church and the entire church submits to them and to everyone else. The only supreme person to whom all Christians should submit is Christ, and Christ alone.
The pastors (plural) in the Body are called to be the servants (or slaves) of all and to serve out of humility and love. If we follow the New Testament, it's not about one person leading us in everything. Instead, everyone gets a chance to serve and to lead and to encourage. Eventually, the immature among us will become the "elders" of the group and they will have their turn to serve others in the way they have been served.
The Church is a family and in God's family there is only one Father (God) and one Head (Christ). The rest of us are just brothers and sisters in Him.
-kg
Before you read any further I have to say that I am not against pastors. Many of my dear friends are senior pastors. I do not hate pastors and I'm not writing this article to put pastors down. I love pastors (and some of them even love me).
My beef with the word "pastor" is that we've given it (and the concept of a clergy-lead church) a level of importance that the New Testament doesn't support.
As I've said elsewhere, it's not that I'm against the idea of someone surrendering their life to serve the Body of Christ. Far from it. What I'm in favor of, instead, is the idea that every single believer in Christ is already a member of the priesthood. I'm in favor of the ordination of all Christians into the ministry of the Gospel, not just a select few professionals.
Does that mean that all are pastors? Of course not. But every believer is a member of the priesthood and that means that they have an ability to hear Jesus's voice, to minister to (serve) others using their gifts, and to participate in the life of the Church.
So, for me, the title of "pastor" is something I've worked hard lately to get out from under. Although I have been licensed and ordained as a minister in the Southern Baptist Church, my aim is to empower everyone who follows Jesus to operate fully in their gifting and serve in the Church as the Holy Spirit directs them to do. (My ordination papers are framed and resting happily on the floor under my bed covered in a layer of dust).
I'm in favor of the 58 "one anothers" being practiced and celebrated rather than recognizing a handful of professionals who attempt to do the work of the entire Body all by themselves.
Still, there are plenty of people who still call me "Pastor" and get away with it. For example, my family has been involved in planting an organic church at a local motel lately, in partnership with Saddleback Church. Because of this, it's more and more common for people involved to call me "Pastor Keith". I don't mind it and I don't try to correct them. Why? Because I'm actively encouraging them to "be the Church" and to follow Jesus in their daily lives. It matters less to me what they call me and more to me whether or not they are becoming disciples of Jesus.
When I used to visit my friend Robert Higgins at the Senior Home near my house, everyone called me "Pastor" and even Robert would introduce me to others as "His Pastor". Quite honestly, I was very happy to be known as "Robert's Pastor" because this is what I was for him. I was "shepherding" him into the presence of Jesus and he and I both recognized this.
To me, a pastor is someone who cares for others in the Church. He, or she, has been filled with the Holy Spirit and gifted to come alongside people in trouble or distress. As far as I can see, the New Testament (which only mentions the word once) gives us no restrictions as to how many people can operate in the pastoral gifting. And the scriptures always speak of a plurality of elders who shepherd, never one single pastor.
What's more, the gift of pastoring is a service gift. It's not a gift that carries any authority with it. Pastors care for their brothers and sisters in Christ, but there is only one Father and that is God. There is only one Head of the Church and that is Jesus.
A few years ago, when I first started this blog my bio at the left identified me as a "Writer, pastor, teacher, and house church leader in Orange County". You'll notice now that the word "pastor" has since been removed. That's because I've tried to distance myself from both the title and the popular perception of what most believe a pastor is or does.
In our house church family I have also done my best to back myself out of the senior pastor role, allowing others to share scripture, lead us in communion, teach the Word, and operate in their gifting more. Most are shocked to learn that I do not teach or preach at our house church. In fact, no one does! Instead, everyone one of us - children included - are encouraged to bring a scripture, a teaching, an encouragment, a song, or whatever else the Lord compels them to share with the church family.
One member recently remarked that he was shocked the first time he visited our house church because I wasn't the one leading the meeting. At one point I even left the room while everyone else continued to share from scripture! This is by design. It's taken me a long time to learn how to shut my mouth and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in the meetings. And I've love the freedom we've enjoyed over the last 5 years together, operating in this way. It's been the best thing I've ever done with the word "Church" on it.
So, when we look at the New Testament we see that the Apostles used the terms Elder, Shepherd and Overseer interchangeably.
The terms "elder" (or, presbyter), "overseer" (or, bishop) and "pastor" all refer to the same thing. So, we should not separate elders, pastors, and overseers into three different groups with differing functions.
An elder (presbyter) is literally "an old person". The same word is used in the Greek to refer to someone who is old and also someone who is recognized in the Church as such. In Titus 1:5-7, Paul talks about appointing elders in the church but then he switches to the term "Overseer" which suggests that the two were one and the same in his mind.
In 1 Peter 5:1-2, the Apostle Peter exhorts the "elders among you" to "shepherd (pastor) the flock of God that is among you." So, who are the one's "pastoring" the church in the New Testament? It's the Elders (plural) who are recognized as being mature, humble and trustworthy in the Body.
In Acts 20, all three of these words (Overseer, Pastor and Elder) are used to refer to a single group. Paul calls "the elders of the church" and instructs them to care for "the flock" (suggesting that they are therefore "shepherds") and reminds them that the Holy Spirit has made them "overseers" (v.28). So, elders, pastors and overseers are referring to one group of people in the Church who perform all three works of service.
I always have to point out that the New Testament also commands all of us in the Body of Christ to submit to one another. Submission isn't something you demand in the Church, it's something you grant to others out of love.
So, all of us are called to submit to one another and that means that the elders/pastors/overseers submit themselves to serve the entire church and the entire church submits to them and to everyone else. The only supreme person to whom all Christians should submit is Christ, and Christ alone.
The pastors (plural) in the Body are called to be the servants (or slaves) of all and to serve out of humility and love. If we follow the New Testament, it's not about one person leading us in everything. Instead, everyone gets a chance to serve and to lead and to encourage. Eventually, the immature among us will become the "elders" of the group and they will have their turn to serve others in the way they have been served.
The Church is a family and in God's family there is only one Father (God) and one Head (Christ). The rest of us are just brothers and sisters in Him.
-kg
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
OC/ ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM: This Saturday
You're invited to join us for our next OC/OC FORUM on Saturday, Feb.26th.
We'll hear from local house church leaders Wendy and Keith Giles as they share their story and answer questions about their journey into organic church in Orange County.
*** RSVP REQUIRED! ***
Seating is very limited for this event.
TO RSVP: Please reply to this email with names of all who wish to attend.
Check-in will be required at the door. Please bring a picture ID with you when you arrive.
Info:
OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM
Saturday, Feb. 26th - 9am to 11am
Fuller Seminary California Coast
2021 Business Center Drive, Suite 115
Irvine, CA 92612
Need more info? Post questions here or visit
http://www.OCHouseChurch.com/
We'll hear from local house church leaders Wendy and Keith Giles as they share their story and answer questions about their journey into organic church in Orange County.
*** RSVP REQUIRED! ***
Seating is very limited for this event.
TO RSVP: Please reply to this email with names of all who wish to attend.
Check-in will be required at the door. Please bring a picture ID with you when you arrive.
Info:
OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM
Saturday, Feb. 26th - 9am to 11am
Fuller Seminary California Coast
2021 Business Center Drive, Suite 115
Irvine, CA 92612
Need more info? Post questions here or visit
http://www.OCHouseChurch.com/
Monday, February 21, 2011
A Difficult Path and an Easy Yoke
Jesus is often found saying things that challenge us, perplex us and confuse us. For example, he tells us that we have to eat his flesh and drink his blood if we ever hope to enter the Kingdom. He also expects us to love people who want to kill us and in the Gospel of Matthew he appears to contradict himself. But does he really?
First, Jesus says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)
Then later on in Matthew he says something that sounds contradictory like, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
So, which is it? Is following Jesus easy, or is it difficult? Let's see if we can make sense of what Jesus is teaching us here.
Starting in Matthew 7:13-14 we see that Jesus tells us that following him will not be an easy thing to do. This by itself can be confusing to a lot church-goers since pastors and evangelists have been teaching for years that all we have to do to escape judgment is to believe in Jesus and we’ll be saved. What could be easier than that?
Yet, Jesus is adamant here that it is certainly not an easy thing to find the narrow gate and to enter it and to walk in that path. What is easy? The wide gate. This is wide and easy to see and – look – so many other people are walking in that direction already! How can it be the wrong way to go?
Jesus affirms that the way that leads to life is hard to find. Not only that, once we find it we will soon discover that the way is difficult and not many people will come with us.
What is he talking about?
I think there are a few different things going on here. First, I believe that Jesus is warning us that "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12 ; Proverbs 16:25).
Basically, if we ask most people if they believe in God they will say "Yes". Every national poll for the last 50 years has confirmed this truth. Most people, in general, believe that God exists. Most people also believe that if they live a good life and don’t kill anyone that they will go heaven when they die.
Of course, all of this simply human wisdom. It does not take into account that none of us is "good enough" to earn heaven. If we were, then Jesus was the dumbest messiah ever because he came and suffered in our place for no reason whatsoever. This human wisdom also doesn't take into account that going to heaven when we die isn’t really the issue. It's who we will put our trust in now – today – while we are still living.
Jesus never invited anyone to believe in him so they could go to heaven. He always asked people to follow him, and he always talked about one thing: The Kingdom of God.
The most famous passage that people gravitate towards is, of course, John 3:16. But if you read the entire chapter you'll see that the conversation was all about the Kingdom and who could enter the Kingdom of God (v.3). Those who are able to become like little children and who are willing to start over again with God as their Father (i.e. – “Born Again”) are capable of entering the Kingdom. They must receive a spiritual birth (v.6) in order to receive the new life of the Kingdom.
This is why the "gate...that leads to life" is narrow and "few (people) find it"; because without Jesus we cannot see it or understand it. In fact, you cannot live in a Kingdom unless you submit to the King. That is why many miss the narrow path; because they are unwilling to submit their lives to the King and live under His rule and reign. They want life on their own terms.
This is what the "wide gate" is all about. It's about the American Dream. It's having your plans succeed and your dreams come true – usually at the expense of others – and certainly without compromise. The shocking thing is that Jesus says that this way "leads to destruction" and that "many go this way". Why? Are they stupid? Of course not. No one would continue driving down a road marked "certain death" no matter how well-paved it might be. People gladly travel down the wide path because it promises the happiness that everyone craves.
The wide path is the one you see advertised on Television. It's what the Paparazzi chase with their cameras. It's what drives big business, and fashion, and celebrity, and the Lottery. It's a willful submission to the promise of a Me-centered reality. It's about a Kingdom of comfort where the only King is you.
Now, how do we reconcile this teaching with the passage where Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)?
Which is it? Is following Jesus difficult, or is it easy and light? This is confusing stuff.
In this passage, Jesus contrasts his "yoke" with the one that the world gives us. The yoke of the world isn't gentle. It is not rooted in humility but in pride. The yoke of the world isn't about rest. It’s not "easy" or "light". The world's yoke uses us up, exploits us, and spits us out. In fact, the world leverages the empty promise of the Wide Gate and puts us on the treadmill where we can chase the carrot dangling just out of reach. If we ever actually succeed, we'll find out that it was all a lie. But most of us never realize our dream for fame or riches, and so we continue to run the race that leads to nowhere.
Elsewhere, Jesus also tells us that "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
So, we know that while we are in the World we will have trouble. The yoke of the World is burdensome and does not lead us to peace. The Narrow Path (following Jesus) is difficult (because it requires us to leave our comfort zones), but Jesus has already overcome the World and has shown us that it is possible to walk the Narrow Path successfully if we trust in (believe in) Him to show us how – day by day.
When Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 that the way is difficult he doesn’t mean that it takes work to be saved. So, what does he mean? He means that the way is difficult because it challenges our sinful nature. As we read in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus asks us to do some pretty difficult things: Loving our enemies, forgiving people, not worrying, going the extra mile, not lusting, not being angry, etc. All of these are difficult things for us to do because they are not our natural tendencies. However, if we can let go of everything we think we know and submit ourselves fully to the King, then He will empower us to walk in the narrow path and to enjoy the peace of a light and easy yoke. In fact, he will walk beside us along the path and show us how it’s done because He’s already walked down this way many times before.
-kg
**
Three things Jesus tells us about the Narrow Gate:
1. It’s the path of life. (Jesus is the gate and His teachings show us how to live an abundant life which eventually leads us to eternal life with Him)
2. It is difficult. (It involves a willingness to do things that are not easy for us to do but that are good for us in the long run)
3. Not many people chose this path. (But those who do will discover the real life that the other path can only promise)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
LOVE BEYOND KNOWLEDGE
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Notice how many times Paul talks about "Power" in this passage, and in what context the word is used.
What Paul is praying for the church in Ephesus is, first, that the power of God would be exerted in the hearts and lives of the followers of Jesus "so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."
It takes God's power working in us to reveal Christ in our hearts and to empower us to have an ongoing relationship with Jesus.
Secondly, Paul prays that the power of God would lead us "to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
I love this verse because here Paul confesses a bit of his inability to express with words the incredible love of Christ for us. Notice the phrase, "to know this love that surpasses knowledge". How can we know something that is beyond knowledge? If there is a concept that "surpasses knowledge" can it really be known? Not in the natural world, but supernaturally it is possible, and only through the miraculous power of God working in us by His Spirit.
Lately I must admit I have forgotten this. I've been very busy with a lot of "Christian activity" but I've neglected to simply come to my dear Lord Jesus and sit at His feet and love Him. Not only to love Him, but to allow Him to love on me.
Re-reading this passage reminds me that what I need most is the power of Christ to be made alive in me so that I can "grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge".
Do you think it's possible for us to know something that goes beyond knowledge? Is the love of God really greater than our ability to absorb or comprehend without an upgrade to our spiritual software?
Paul seems to think so. And he spends a lot of time in his letter to the Ephesians trying to express something with words that cannot be understood through words. He struggles to communicate to us in this epistle that God's love for us is beyond comprehension, and then he prays that we might have an ability to understand it, and to receive it, and to be empowered by it in our everyday lives.
God's love transcends information. The Gospel is not about information, it's about a tranformation of the heart by our Creator who comes to live within us as we humbly submit to Him as our King.
One of the ways that we can be empowered to know the love of God that surpasses knowledge is through suffering. Paul affirmed this when he talked about his "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7) and said that it was given to Him by the Lord "so that Christ's power may rest on (him)" (v.9) because "(God's) power is made perfect in weakness" (v.9).
Over the last few days my family has endured a lot of suffering. In fact, at almost every level we have been under attack, and I think this is why I was able to realize last night that I had been neglecting to remember that I am called to love Jesus and cling to Him no matter what.
Today, in my weakness, I am thankful for the power of Christ at work in me. This power reminds me that I am loved and treasured beyond words and that the love of God is greater than I ever fully know with my natural mind.
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
Peace,
kg
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Notice how many times Paul talks about "Power" in this passage, and in what context the word is used.
What Paul is praying for the church in Ephesus is, first, that the power of God would be exerted in the hearts and lives of the followers of Jesus "so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."
It takes God's power working in us to reveal Christ in our hearts and to empower us to have an ongoing relationship with Jesus.
Secondly, Paul prays that the power of God would lead us "to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
I love this verse because here Paul confesses a bit of his inability to express with words the incredible love of Christ for us. Notice the phrase, "to know this love that surpasses knowledge". How can we know something that is beyond knowledge? If there is a concept that "surpasses knowledge" can it really be known? Not in the natural world, but supernaturally it is possible, and only through the miraculous power of God working in us by His Spirit.
Lately I must admit I have forgotten this. I've been very busy with a lot of "Christian activity" but I've neglected to simply come to my dear Lord Jesus and sit at His feet and love Him. Not only to love Him, but to allow Him to love on me.
Re-reading this passage reminds me that what I need most is the power of Christ to be made alive in me so that I can "grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge".
Do you think it's possible for us to know something that goes beyond knowledge? Is the love of God really greater than our ability to absorb or comprehend without an upgrade to our spiritual software?
Paul seems to think so. And he spends a lot of time in his letter to the Ephesians trying to express something with words that cannot be understood through words. He struggles to communicate to us in this epistle that God's love for us is beyond comprehension, and then he prays that we might have an ability to understand it, and to receive it, and to be empowered by it in our everyday lives.
God's love transcends information. The Gospel is not about information, it's about a tranformation of the heart by our Creator who comes to live within us as we humbly submit to Him as our King.
One of the ways that we can be empowered to know the love of God that surpasses knowledge is through suffering. Paul affirmed this when he talked about his "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7) and said that it was given to Him by the Lord "so that Christ's power may rest on (him)" (v.9) because "(God's) power is made perfect in weakness" (v.9).
Over the last few days my family has endured a lot of suffering. In fact, at almost every level we have been under attack, and I think this is why I was able to realize last night that I had been neglecting to remember that I am called to love Jesus and cling to Him no matter what.
Today, in my weakness, I am thankful for the power of Christ at work in me. This power reminds me that I am loved and treasured beyond words and that the love of God is greater than I ever fully know with my natural mind.
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
Peace,
kg
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Your Cross And Mine
In all things and in all ways, Jesus is our example, teacher and master. We are his disciples, followers and friends.
It troubles me that often we make the Gospel about His cross and not ours.
I think that what Jesus did for us on the cross was incredible. It was the single most heroic and astounding act ever committed by anyone in the known universe. Mostly because the person committing this ultimate act of humility and sacrifice was God Himself. He certainly didn’t have to go through this. No one forced Him to do it. He simply could’ve wiped out all of mankind and started over with a new group of humans rather than endure the shame and the agony of the cross. Better yet, He could’ve just avoided all of this by not creating anything at all.
But, for whatever reason, God did create everything. He did know that it would cost Him everything. He did realize that this creation would require Him to leave His throne in glory, step down from the eternal praise of the angels and the twenty-four elders, and take on the form of a servant. Even the form of a baby, in a small stable, surrounded by smelly shepherds and barnyard animals.
Worse still, He realized that this creation would compel Him to first suffer unbelievable rejection, humiliation, physical torture, pain, separation from the Father, and even physical death.
Would you have said, “Let there be light” if you knew it would cost you all of this?
Yes, the cross of Jesus is miraculous and awe-inspiring. We don’t talk about it or meditate on it enough. It is the scandal of the universe that the perfect, pure, Holy One became smeared with the filth of sin and shame…our filth…our shame.
But we forget that Jesus offered us a cross of our own. Before he took up his cross, he called his disciples to take up their own cross and follow him.
“Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” – Luke 9:23
A.W. Tozer once said, "Among the plastic saints of our times, Jesus has to do all the dying, and all we want to hear is another sermon about his dying."
We are also called to die along with Jesus. His death was for our salvation, but our death is also necessary to the process. We must surrender our lives in exchange for the new life that Jesus died to give to us.
Jesus also tells us, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (John 12:24-26)
Somehow, in my walk with Jesus, I have forgotten to carry my own cross. Somehow, I have neglected to receive the words of my teacher, my master and my friend when He tells me that “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)
What is left for me is repentance, and a search for the cross which He has set aside for me to carry.
Jesus has left me with an example of what love is. He has called me to follow where he has already traveled. Our attitude should be the same as that of Jesus, as he humbled himself, we are to humble ourselves, as he emptied himself, we are to empty ourselves, as he took on the form of a servant, we are to take on the form of this same servant.
The amazing thing about the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus came and died to preach and proclaim is that “the Kingdom of God is near you” (Luke 10:9). This means that we don’t have to strive and dance around to get the Kingdom to arrive or to make it go. It’s here. Right now. Jesus announced it. He invites us into the Kingdom right now. Today.
What we often miss is that, the pathway into this Kingdom is through humility, servant hood and taking up our cross to declare Jesus as our Lord and our King.
Jesus declared the Kingdom was near to us. He demonstrated that it was true. He modeled for us how to enter the Kingdom and enjoy the Kingdom kind of life.
We’re left with little mystery then, as to where the Kingdom is and how to enter it. What we’re challenged with is the cost of this great treasure. It costs us everything, and yet, in comparison, it costs us nothing at all.
“I died on the cross with Christ. And my present life is not that of the old "I", but the living Christ within me. The bodily life I now live I live believing in the Son of God who loved me and sacrificed himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)
We’d love for there to be “another way” into the Kingdom, wouldn’t we? Even Jesus, when faced with his own cross, prayed and asked if there was another way, yet he concluded by saying, “Nevertheless, not my will be done, but yours” and he accepted this call to surrender unto death.
Our temptation is no different. The lie of the enemy is that there is “another way” to partake of the Kingdom and to follow Jesus besides the cross. We cannot allow ourselves to think that following Jesus is possible without dieing to ourselves daily and allowing Jesus to be our Lord and King.
"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self--all your wishes and precautions--to Christ.” (C.S. Lewis, “Counting The Cost”)
The cross of Jesus is a stunning and breathtaking act of love and sacrifice by God Himself for people like you and me, and the cross He asks us to carry is our declaration of love and gratitude to Him for this amazing sacrifice.
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” - (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “The Cost Of Discipleship”)
”…BUT LET JUSTICE ROLL ON LIKE A RIVER, RIGHTEOUSNESS LIKE A NEVER-FAILING STREAM!”- AMOS 5:24
-kg
*Originally posted here on July 13, 2005
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
JACKIE PULLINGER: THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
It seems that there are many of us in the church these days who look at miraculous signs and think, ‘If God would only do them, the whole world would come to Christ’. And they’re hoping that the Holy Spirit will fill a church while we worship, and fill it so full that it will somehow get to the ends of the Earth.
No. If it worked like that, He would not have told us to go! It does not get there by itself. It gets there if you go.
You think Jesus Christ, up there in heaven, couldn’t have done sky writing? Done a few signs and somehow by the power of God we’d all be one?
No.
The miraculous sign upon which all men will be judged was the cross. That is the miraculous sign that the world is waiting for, through us.
There’s this terrible song that we sing called “Lord Let Your Glory Fall”. I don’t know if you sing it, but I get real upset when we sing this song.
I can’t sing that song, especially when they sing it all sweet. You know what the Glory of God is? The Son of God, crushed, voluntarily.
“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life, only to take it up again.”- John 10:17.
God gives us this same privilege. “Anyone who would follow me must take up his cross, daily.”- Luke 9:23
See? That’s it!
I don’t think the Glory of God is going to get to the ends of the Earth when we sing in church. I mean, it’s not a bad thing to do, to praise His name and bless His heart. But that’s not how the Gospel gets to the Nations.
You see, it isn’t “just” a miraculous sign. The miraculous sign comes through a man.
I think the world has yet to see this. The world has yet to see Christians laying down their lives. They’re singing in church for God to do it again.
I think we’re so rude to God. I mean, He gave us His son, He gave us His Holy Spirit and we say, ‘More, Lord’! What more can He give?
He gave everything, and we say ‘More Lord’?
We say, ‘We need more before we go’. No! No! We haven’t used hardly any of what He’s given us yet. And if you go and it’s quickly used up, great! Because as you use it up you get more, and you use it up, and you get more. That’s how it works!
We haven’t seen hardly any of the signs and wonders that we’re supposed to see yet. Hardly any.
Because we think that the sign and the wonder is instead of the Cross. But the sign and the wonder is “in” the cross.
Then, when we understand the Cross, which is His heart, all the other signs and wonders are the expression of His heart. They are not demonstrations of His power, merely. They’re expressions of His heart.
You know that this was Jesus’ temptation, right at the beginning of His ministry, and at the end, to have it all without the Cross.
For any of you, young people, if you will minister with the poor, everything’s backwards.
You spend a year on these people, and then they rob you of your money. In this ministry, you go backwards. God is faithful, of course, they all come off drugs by the power of the Holy Spirit, but then many of them turn back.
I was sharing this with a church in Taiwan and the pastor came up to me afterwards and said, ‘How can this be? We’ve never heard this teaching before.’ And I said, ‘It’s the way Jesus did it.’
Look at Him. At the end of three years, what’s He got to show? I mean, he’s had some great Glory meetings and some people got healed, but what’s He got at the end?
Eleven in disarray and one suicide. His group hasn’t multiplied even.
Not until Peter knows the Grace of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s that Rock the Church is built on; a weak, forgiven Peter knowing the Grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
And so few yet in this world have used this explosive mixture of the compassion of Lord with a broken heart, and the power of the Spirit.
It’s what the world waits for.
*Transcribed from Tape 4 in the conference tape set entitled “The Fragrance Of Justice”; VMG, 2005
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Trust: The Key To Everything [Part 3 of 3]
Here are some possible barriers we might face when it comes to fully trusting God:
*We don't really know God.
*We have a fear of letting go.
*We think we know what's really best.
*We don't want Gods intervention in our lives.
Let's briefly examine these four barriers to trusting God.
*We don't really know God.
If we really knew God, we would have no problem trusting Him. I believe this is why God sends trouble and difficulty into our lives. When things are going well we tend to ignore God, but when we are in financial difficulty or walking through uncertainty, we are suddenly desperate for God to rescue us. Whereas our goal during these trials may be to coerce God into making the pain go away, I believe God's goal during this time is simply to teach us that He can be trusted.
Time and again my family has been through crisis after crisis. Each time God has come through miraculously, and yet this fact is lost on me when that "next crisis" occurs. I still find myself wondering, "Will God rescue us this time? What if this time is different?" I believe that God wants us to come to a place where we immediately trust Him whenever we face trials. For now I still find myself freaking out first and then remembering to trust Him later.
*We have a fear of letting go.
I spent most of last year as an unemployed "temporary" worker. This made our financial future quite uncertain and called for us to daily trust God with everything. I can remember clearly the epiphany I had a few months into this ordeal- "If God is in control, that means that I am not." I needed to learn to be ok with being out of control so that God could be in control. This takes courage. It's not easy.
One of my favorite books of all time is "Let Go" by Fenelon. It's only a 99 page book, but the wisdom and spiritual insight found inside is solid gold. The overall theme, as you might guess from the title, is to remind us to let go of our lives and surrender fully to Christ. God knows that we need to develop a deeper sense of trust with Him and He is patient with us as we slowly learn that loving Him means trusting Him.
*We think we know what's really best.
Sometimes I believe we find it hard to trust God simply because we're pretty sure we already know what we want with our lives. God's ideas might not line up with our plans and letting go, trusting Him completely, will probably mean laying that dream (or that plan or hope, etc.) on the altar.
*We don't want Gods intervention in our lives.
Some of us aren't entirely comfortable with the idea of God running our lives as He sees fit, however this is what the Gospel of Jesus is all about. We're called to surrender our lives to Christ. We are expected to die to ourselves daily and put the words and teachings of Jesus into practice. The idea of living life "our way" and ignoring the clear instruction of Jesus is anti-Christian. God does not want to be your Co-Pilot. He is either "Lord" or you are living your life your own way. For many of us, our biggest problem is that we've not understood the "death to self" portion of the Gospel.
THE KEY TO TRUST IS COMPLETE SURRENDER
I know you probably believe in God and the Bible. You've probably received Jesus into your heart. But the Gospel is about giving up your life and allowing God to have His perfect will, even if it goes against your beautiful plans.
Do you feel like God is really calling the shots in your life right now? Is Jesus really your Lord or is He just your Savior? If you want to call yourself a follower of Jesus, you have to let go of your life, your way of living, and surrender everything to Him.
"Then (Jesus) said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." - Luke 9:23-24
REMEMBER THIS
As long as you are in the drivers seat of your life, you will always be miserable.
God isn't interested in having you believe in Him. He wants you to trust Him to make the decisions in your life. He wants to have your permission to allow Him to change your behavior.
God wants to be God, which should come as little surprise. He designed your life (and my life) to work best that way. I know in my life I've learned that it doesn't work when "Keith is Lord". That's when things get really screwed up.
But, if we can let go and trust God with our entire life, if we can make a total surrender to God and let Him lead us, that's what The Gospel is all about. That's when He can really transform us into something amazing.
This is why Jesus urges us to pray by saying, "Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On Earth (right now) as it is in Heaven..."
Its all about depending completely on God.
To fully trust God we must first fully surrender to Him. It's crucial for us to raise the white flag and let go of our way of doing life.
God is trustworthy. Isn't it time to really trust Him?
-kg
[END OF PART 3]
*We don't really know God.
*We have a fear of letting go.
*We think we know what's really best.
*We don't want Gods intervention in our lives.
Let's briefly examine these four barriers to trusting God.
*We don't really know God.
If we really knew God, we would have no problem trusting Him. I believe this is why God sends trouble and difficulty into our lives. When things are going well we tend to ignore God, but when we are in financial difficulty or walking through uncertainty, we are suddenly desperate for God to rescue us. Whereas our goal during these trials may be to coerce God into making the pain go away, I believe God's goal during this time is simply to teach us that He can be trusted.
Time and again my family has been through crisis after crisis. Each time God has come through miraculously, and yet this fact is lost on me when that "next crisis" occurs. I still find myself wondering, "Will God rescue us this time? What if this time is different?" I believe that God wants us to come to a place where we immediately trust Him whenever we face trials. For now I still find myself freaking out first and then remembering to trust Him later.
*We have a fear of letting go.
I spent most of last year as an unemployed "temporary" worker. This made our financial future quite uncertain and called for us to daily trust God with everything. I can remember clearly the epiphany I had a few months into this ordeal- "If God is in control, that means that I am not." I needed to learn to be ok with being out of control so that God could be in control. This takes courage. It's not easy.
One of my favorite books of all time is "Let Go" by Fenelon. It's only a 99 page book, but the wisdom and spiritual insight found inside is solid gold. The overall theme, as you might guess from the title, is to remind us to let go of our lives and surrender fully to Christ. God knows that we need to develop a deeper sense of trust with Him and He is patient with us as we slowly learn that loving Him means trusting Him.
*We think we know what's really best.
Sometimes I believe we find it hard to trust God simply because we're pretty sure we already know what we want with our lives. God's ideas might not line up with our plans and letting go, trusting Him completely, will probably mean laying that dream (or that plan or hope, etc.) on the altar.
*We don't want Gods intervention in our lives.
Some of us aren't entirely comfortable with the idea of God running our lives as He sees fit, however this is what the Gospel of Jesus is all about. We're called to surrender our lives to Christ. We are expected to die to ourselves daily and put the words and teachings of Jesus into practice. The idea of living life "our way" and ignoring the clear instruction of Jesus is anti-Christian. God does not want to be your Co-Pilot. He is either "Lord" or you are living your life your own way. For many of us, our biggest problem is that we've not understood the "death to self" portion of the Gospel.
THE KEY TO TRUST IS COMPLETE SURRENDER
I know you probably believe in God and the Bible. You've probably received Jesus into your heart. But the Gospel is about giving up your life and allowing God to have His perfect will, even if it goes against your beautiful plans.
Do you feel like God is really calling the shots in your life right now? Is Jesus really your Lord or is He just your Savior? If you want to call yourself a follower of Jesus, you have to let go of your life, your way of living, and surrender everything to Him.
"Then (Jesus) said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." - Luke 9:23-24
REMEMBER THIS
As long as you are in the drivers seat of your life, you will always be miserable.
God isn't interested in having you believe in Him. He wants you to trust Him to make the decisions in your life. He wants to have your permission to allow Him to change your behavior.
God wants to be God, which should come as little surprise. He designed your life (and my life) to work best that way. I know in my life I've learned that it doesn't work when "Keith is Lord". That's when things get really screwed up.
But, if we can let go and trust God with our entire life, if we can make a total surrender to God and let Him lead us, that's what The Gospel is all about. That's when He can really transform us into something amazing.
This is why Jesus urges us to pray by saying, "Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On Earth (right now) as it is in Heaven..."
Its all about depending completely on God.
To fully trust God we must first fully surrender to Him. It's crucial for us to raise the white flag and let go of our way of doing life.
God is trustworthy. Isn't it time to really trust Him?
-kg
[END OF PART 3]
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Trust: The Key To Everything [Part 2 of 3]
"I believe in God, but it's so hard to trust Him sometimes."
This is a phrase I've heard more than once from my friends as we've shared together. Heck, I'm sure at one time or the other I've said the same thing myself, but as I analyze this statement I realize that we don't really understand the meaning of the phrase "I believe in God."
In fact, if I could outlaw one word in the Christianese language it would be "Believe" because so many of us really have no idea what the word really means in the context of faith in God.
Biblically, the concepts of belief, trust, and faith are one and the same. So, for us to say, "I believe in God but I don't trust Him" is like saying, "I trust in God, but I really don't trust Him."
A "Believer" is by default also a "Truster" of God. The concept of trusting in God is imbedded in the definition of "Believer". Why then is trusting God, in our minds, a separate concept from believing in Him?
I think it is partly due to our misunderstanding, and therefore our misuse, of the term "Believe." I think most of us use the term belief to refer to an idea we think is true. So, when we say, "I believe in God" we're saying, "I think God is real" but we don't necessarily mean, "I trust in God."
It's also fascinating to me that people who identify themselves as follower of God, or as Believers, find trusting God difficult. Imagine the headline: "Study shows that 90% of Christians don't trust God" or "People of Faith Find Trusting God Difficult." I mean, shouldn't it be the other way around? It would make sense to me to read that the majority of unbelievers find trusting God difficult, that would explain why they remain in their unbelief. But, for Christians to find trusting God to be a problem seems more than strange- it seems wrong.
In the amazing New Testament book of James this concept is explored in full, which means that our modern misunderstanding of the term "Believe" is nothing new. In his book, James demonstrates the uselessness of leaning on belief in God, as opposed to really trusting, or having faith, in God, when he says, "You believe in God? Good! Even the demons believe and they shudder." (see James 2:19)
James, in this passage, wants to illustrate to us the impotency of belief alone. If we think that believing God is real means anything at all, let us consider the demons who don't just believe God is real- they know it! Not only do the demons know it, they quake in fear. But does this knowledge of God's realness save the demons? Of course not. What the demons lack is trust in God. They know God is real, they even shake in fear of Him, but they refuse to trust in God. They refuse to have faith in God.
My question is, are we more like the demons than we are like disciples? Do we believe that God exists but refuse to trust in Him? Do we resist putting the words of Jesus into practice? Do we refuse to surrender our will, our plans, our ideas, our dreams to God and crown Him as the King of our lives? If so, we are more like demons who believe in God but have not yet trusted Him with our lives.
WHY DO WE FIND IT HARD TO TRUST GOD?
Here are some possible barriers we might face when it comes to fully trusting God:
*We don't really know God
*We have a fear of letting go.
*We think we know what's really best
*We don't want God's intervention in our lives
-kg
[END PART 2]
This is a phrase I've heard more than once from my friends as we've shared together. Heck, I'm sure at one time or the other I've said the same thing myself, but as I analyze this statement I realize that we don't really understand the meaning of the phrase "I believe in God."
In fact, if I could outlaw one word in the Christianese language it would be "Believe" because so many of us really have no idea what the word really means in the context of faith in God.
Biblically, the concepts of belief, trust, and faith are one and the same. So, for us to say, "I believe in God but I don't trust Him" is like saying, "I trust in God, but I really don't trust Him."
A "Believer" is by default also a "Truster" of God. The concept of trusting in God is imbedded in the definition of "Believer". Why then is trusting God, in our minds, a separate concept from believing in Him?
I think it is partly due to our misunderstanding, and therefore our misuse, of the term "Believe." I think most of us use the term belief to refer to an idea we think is true. So, when we say, "I believe in God" we're saying, "I think God is real" but we don't necessarily mean, "I trust in God."
It's also fascinating to me that people who identify themselves as follower of God, or as Believers, find trusting God difficult. Imagine the headline: "Study shows that 90% of Christians don't trust God" or "People of Faith Find Trusting God Difficult." I mean, shouldn't it be the other way around? It would make sense to me to read that the majority of unbelievers find trusting God difficult, that would explain why they remain in their unbelief. But, for Christians to find trusting God to be a problem seems more than strange- it seems wrong.
In the amazing New Testament book of James this concept is explored in full, which means that our modern misunderstanding of the term "Believe" is nothing new. In his book, James demonstrates the uselessness of leaning on belief in God, as opposed to really trusting, or having faith, in God, when he says, "You believe in God? Good! Even the demons believe and they shudder." (see James 2:19)
James, in this passage, wants to illustrate to us the impotency of belief alone. If we think that believing God is real means anything at all, let us consider the demons who don't just believe God is real- they know it! Not only do the demons know it, they quake in fear. But does this knowledge of God's realness save the demons? Of course not. What the demons lack is trust in God. They know God is real, they even shake in fear of Him, but they refuse to trust in God. They refuse to have faith in God.
My question is, are we more like the demons than we are like disciples? Do we believe that God exists but refuse to trust in Him? Do we resist putting the words of Jesus into practice? Do we refuse to surrender our will, our plans, our ideas, our dreams to God and crown Him as the King of our lives? If so, we are more like demons who believe in God but have not yet trusted Him with our lives.
WHY DO WE FIND IT HARD TO TRUST GOD?
Here are some possible barriers we might face when it comes to fully trusting God:
*We don't really know God
*We have a fear of letting go.
*We think we know what's really best
*We don't want God's intervention in our lives
-kg
[END PART 2]
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Trust: The Key To Everything [Part 1 of 3]
The other day a friend of mine made the comment that trusting God seems to be the hardest thing for us to do, even as followers of Jesus who should find it easy...or at least fundamental to our daily practice.
Several thoughts splinter outward from the impact of this statement. First, I wonder why it is that we find it so hard to trust God. Second, I wonder if this isn't the central key to everything.
WHY IS IT HARD FOR US TO TRUST GOD?
There are several possible reasons for this. One being that we may have a problem with trust in general. Meaning, all of us have been manipulated by the media, society, politicians, teachers, lovers, parents, etc. all of our lives. After a while we simply lose the ability to completely trust anyone or anything 100%.
There is no logical reason not to trust God. After all, if you could name only one being in the entire known Universe whom you should be able to trust with absolute certainty, it is God.
Author Jan David Hettinga suggests that the issue of trust is a big part of what God was doing on the cross in the first place. Even though God had all power and all authority at His disposal, including the ability to force us to do whatever He wanted us to do, God instead chose to lay it all down (see Philipians 2) and embrace a posture of servanthood and humility.
When Jesus laid down his life on the cross he was demonstrating that his intentions for us were good, that he only considered what was best for us, and that therefore we can trust him completely.
Not only did God not abuse his power over us, he allowed us to have the power of abuse over him! He took the punishment and refused to lash out. He forgave us for the nails and excused our ignorance.
When we look at Jesus, God in the flesh, hanging upon the cross, enduring the shame meant for us, we look into the eyes of a God who says, "Look at me. I will not trick you. I will not manipulate you. I will not lie to you. I love you."
If we cannot trust Jesus, we have no hope of ever trusting anyone, or anything, ever.
IMPERATIVE TRUST
The author of Hebrews reminds us that "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (see Hebrews 11:6) and the more I meditate on this concept of trusting God the more I realize that "Faith", "Belief", "Trust" and "Obedience" are practically synonyms.
If we believe God, we will obey His commands. Jesus says that if we love him we will obey his teachings. To trust someone is to believe them. To have faith in someone is to believe, and to trust them.
I now also realize that our joy in Christ, our ability to enjoy peace, or contentment in this life, is tied directly to our ability to trust God.
If we can trust God, completely, with everything in our life, we can experience peace because we know He is in control. If we really believe that God loves us then we can trust that He knows what is best for us.
The question then becomes, if we can't fully trust God with our everyday life, why not? What is it that prevents us from trusting God? Why is it so hard? What can we do that will make us more capable of trusting God with everything?
-kg
[END PART 1]
Several thoughts splinter outward from the impact of this statement. First, I wonder why it is that we find it so hard to trust God. Second, I wonder if this isn't the central key to everything.
WHY IS IT HARD FOR US TO TRUST GOD?
There are several possible reasons for this. One being that we may have a problem with trust in general. Meaning, all of us have been manipulated by the media, society, politicians, teachers, lovers, parents, etc. all of our lives. After a while we simply lose the ability to completely trust anyone or anything 100%.
There is no logical reason not to trust God. After all, if you could name only one being in the entire known Universe whom you should be able to trust with absolute certainty, it is God.
Author Jan David Hettinga suggests that the issue of trust is a big part of what God was doing on the cross in the first place. Even though God had all power and all authority at His disposal, including the ability to force us to do whatever He wanted us to do, God instead chose to lay it all down (see Philipians 2) and embrace a posture of servanthood and humility.
When Jesus laid down his life on the cross he was demonstrating that his intentions for us were good, that he only considered what was best for us, and that therefore we can trust him completely.
Not only did God not abuse his power over us, he allowed us to have the power of abuse over him! He took the punishment and refused to lash out. He forgave us for the nails and excused our ignorance.
When we look at Jesus, God in the flesh, hanging upon the cross, enduring the shame meant for us, we look into the eyes of a God who says, "Look at me. I will not trick you. I will not manipulate you. I will not lie to you. I love you."
If we cannot trust Jesus, we have no hope of ever trusting anyone, or anything, ever.
IMPERATIVE TRUST
The author of Hebrews reminds us that "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (see Hebrews 11:6) and the more I meditate on this concept of trusting God the more I realize that "Faith", "Belief", "Trust" and "Obedience" are practically synonyms.
If we believe God, we will obey His commands. Jesus says that if we love him we will obey his teachings. To trust someone is to believe them. To have faith in someone is to believe, and to trust them.
I now also realize that our joy in Christ, our ability to enjoy peace, or contentment in this life, is tied directly to our ability to trust God.
If we can trust God, completely, with everything in our life, we can experience peace because we know He is in control. If we really believe that God loves us then we can trust that He knows what is best for us.
The question then becomes, if we can't fully trust God with our everyday life, why not? What is it that prevents us from trusting God? Why is it so hard? What can we do that will make us more capable of trusting God with everything?
-kg
[END PART 1]
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