Leaving Room For Faith

What happened to March? I look up and its April. I guess there have been a few things happening as TriTPastor2B will soon B. My "List of Lasts" continues to grow and I anxiously await the "List of Firsts". Although there is an element of nervousness as I transition from the known world of health care into the new role in ministry, I must admit that I struggle with guilt at times. I feel guilty that I get to do something I love so much and have prayed for so long and I actually get paid to do it. How could I be so blessed? I am so very thankful! Just yesterday during my jog, I was brought to tears as I considered the privilege I have of serving God as a messenger of hope at a time when so many people are searching for answers.

Which brings me to my thought today. I have been struck recently by our compelling need to have all the answers. Yet, more often than not, we simply don't have the answers - especially to some of life's most difficult questions. My parents still ask why their son did not live past the young age of 30. My sister-in-law questions why God would remove the man of her dreams from her loving embrace. I still weep at the thought of missing my brother. And we all ask why? So many others have faced similar struggles and they strive to make sense of the unexplainable - miscarriages, suicide, children with disabilities, cancer...and the list goes on.

As we face such difficulties we all ask the same question: Why? We seek answers to explain why such terrible tragedies occur. How can this be? Somehow (we assume) if we just knew the answer to why these things happen, it will give us peace.

Even this past Easter Sunday, I heard 2 very good messages on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each proclaiming the powerful reality of the our risen Savior and the evidence to support this historical fact. I wholeheartedly believe what was communicate but it does demonstrate our inherent need for answers, our opposition to blind faith and our drive to make the leap of faith as narrow as possible.

I am not against seeking answers. In fact, I don't think we can avoid it. I believe apologetics has in important role in helping to establish what I believe. But I am equally convinced that we must leave room for faith. And the reason is, we will inevitably encounter times in our life when we face the answerable question...the tragedy that has no answer. Now what do we do? When we cannot conclude with a comforting explanation, how do we keep walking?

For those who have left room for faith, we rely on "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb 11:1) We release our demands for an answer and we trust that He who said He was faithful, merciful, full of grace and love, is true to His claims, even when we do not understand.

Oh, but wouldn't life be easier if we were a scientist. A person who's life is built upon evidence and answers. Well, one of the greatest scientists I have ever known explained to his class the day he began his lecture on evolution with these words, "Before we get started, you need to know that our study of evolution and creationism are both theories based on faith. Although one exists in the scientific community and I personally believe in evolution, I do so based on faith because there are gaps that have no answer. Evolution and Creationism are not based on science and faith respectively. Instead, faith is fundamental to each of them. It is simply a matter of where you choose to place your faith."

Even an atheist is a person of faith. They cannot prove that there is no God, but must believe, by faith, that what they cling to is true. In that sense, every human being since the beginning of time is a person of faith. It's simply a matter of where you choose to place your faith. And the more difficult the tragedy. The more painful the loss. The more space we need for faith - blind faith. The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith of any color is blind. It is the conviction of things not seen. But does it give you hope? Is what you believe through faith an assurance of things you hope for?

I believe, by faith, I will see my brother restored and made new. No cancer and no regrets, waiting for me to join him in worship of the Savior who has healed him for eternity. Parents will be reunited with children, no sickness, no sorrow, no pain. Faith with a substance of hope.
That is the difference!

How else can you explain the email I received yesterday from a mom who lost her child in a terrible tragedy within hours of writing these words:

Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness and joy that I let you all know that our son went home to be with his Father today. We rejoice for him and grieve only for ourselves that we will miss his person in our home. He suffered a head injury this morning when he fell off his horse at therapeutic riding and was transported immediately to surgery where he died on the operating table. We cannot know but can only impute integrity to God that he did not intervene on our son's behalf. We can only trust that this was perhaps a tender mercy as he passed very quickly and did not suffer. Please pray for us - this is a test of fire and of faith. We will be unavailable for a few days as we need time to think and to make some weighty decisions for our family. We will let you know when the memorial will occur when we know ourselves. Our son's life was a testimony to the goodness of God and we want his memory to reflect that. Maranatha!

When life gives us questions that have no answers, do we have space for faith? A place for the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen?

Do You Believe...or Do You Believe?

A royal official. We don’t know his exact role, but what we do know is that he was desperate. We know this because he was a man with power. He had many servants and it was their job to do exactly as the royal official instructed them. But in this particular situation, the man who had the authority to give any order he desired, told his men to stay put. He would take care of this himself. In his mind, he knew it was too important to entrust to anyone else.
And yet he was torn. To leave his home would be an almost overwhelming risk. His son was in bed and barely hanging on to life. Everyone knew, including his father, that he did not have much time. The life of his son was growing shorter with every subtle heartbeat. If he left to go to Jesus, he may lose the opportunity to be by his son’s side when he drew his last breath. A painful dilemma to say the least. Tears must have filled his eyes as he left the house that day. “Goodbye son. I will see you soon.” So he hoped.
There was no time to waste. 20 miles is a long journey in a desert land. The popularity of Jesus had reached such grand proportions. He knew it would be difficult to get to the man known for his miracles for a large crowd had surely formed around him. He was right…
The scene was chaos. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people gathered. Each one with a story of who this man Jesus was and what He had done. Some were true. Most were exaggerations and rumor. But now they could see for themselves. Perhaps Jesus would do the miraculous right before their eyes. This was an exciting day!
But the official was less concerned with the anticipated performance. His son was dying and he was desperate. He pushed his way through the crowd. As he did, some recognized his status and gave way. Others could care less and took the opportunity to put him in his place. None of this mattered. His eyes were fixed on Jesus.
Finally, he gets his attention. “Jesus, I beg you. My son is dying. Please, I beg you. Come to my house so that you may touch my son and he may be healed. Please Jesus. You are my only hope.”
The crowd continued to clamor and the voice of this royal official was lost in the commotion of a thousand other voices vying for the attention of the man known for his miracles. But hush rippled through the mass of people when Jesus spoke. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
“Was he talking to me?” thought the official. Was this a cruel way to say “no” to his request? His heart sunk deep in his soul and all hope was gone. His son would surely die.
Jesus turned, looked into the desperate man’s eyes, and renewed his hope once again by saying, “Go, your son lives.”
The chaos of the crowd continued and this frantic father stood frozen and speechless as the people pressed by him following Jesus and seeking a sign. He heard nothing. Only silence in his heart.
“I must believe,” he said to himself, “I have no other choice.” “No medicine has cured my son. Each doctor has given up hope. I sit at my son’s bed and watch him labor to take each breath. Oh dear God how I love my son!” And he falls to his knees.
Like a ray of light in his mind’s eye, the official recalled the brief encounter not seconds ago. “For a fleeting moment, when Jesus looked into my eyes, I could see that same desperate love I have for my son, extended toward me in a way I have never experienced before. I think…I know…I could see…he felt my pain. Perhaps…just maybe, he cares enough to do for me what no one else can do. He is my only hope. I must believe this miracle can happen. For my son’s sake, I must believe.”
And at a pace twice that of his arrival, he returns home. Yet, before arriving, he is met by his servants. The horses halt and once again, the man’s heart sinks low. “I’m too late…”
His servants dismount, run to the official and say to him, “Your son! Your son, he lives!” While you were gone, just moments ago, the fever left him. Your son! He has been healed! It’s a miracle that we cannot explain!”
Perhaps they could not explain this miracle, but the royal official could. And that is exactly what he did when he got home – beginning with his son whom he embraced like never before.
Everyone listened intently and as if at once, they knew Jesus was more than a man who performed miracles of healing, signs and wonders. No, his greatest miracle to this family was the miracle of hope. The man now believed, not for his son’s sake, but for his own. He no longer believed because of what Jesus could do…He believed because of who Jesus was. He was the Savior. The One promised to bring hope to the hopeless. He and all his family truly believed. "I know that my Redeemer lives and in the end, He will stand upon the earth." The ancient words of Job (19:25) had now become his own.

Stop for a moment. Do you believe…or do you believe? In your own life, is Jesus a genie in a bottle, a cosmic vending machine, a magician? A person whom you follow for the miracles He can perform?
Or is He more? Have you seen the light of His love? Do you trust Him beyond your circumstances: beyond failing health, failing economies, failing relationships? Do you seek him for more than signs and wonders? Do you seek Him as Savior?
Let Him reign in your heart today, unchallenged by any lesser thing. Confess the idolatrous distractions and seek him for more than a sign. Seek Him as redeemer. Seek him as friend. Believe that your only hope is in Him and in that knowledge…rejoice!

Drink Up!

"So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”" (John 4:1-26)

Segregation is not a new idea. It occurred all throughout the ancient near east during the time of Jesus- perhaps none stronger than the separation of Jew and Samaritan. Those who hear of this account in the biblical culture would have been appalled at the thought of Jesus (a Jew) initiating a conversation with a Samaritan (a Samaritan woman no less!). It would have been a scandal no less offensive than the thought of our President sitting down to have dinner at a nice New York restaurant with Osama Bin Laden. The public outcry would be huge. The same would be true of the encounter with the Samaritan woman and Jesus.
So why would Jesus risk it? Why threaten the integrity of his reputation and ministry? Maybe it was because Jesus did not come to promote his own reputation. His mission was to offer something that would change the reputation of others, not only in the eyes of man, but more importantly, in the eyes of God.
The Samaritan woman was thirsty. Like everyone, she came to a well to draw water. But unlike everyone else, she avoids the convenience of the city well and she travels a significance distance outside the city to avoid the ridicule of her neighbors. By all accounts, she was ashamed.
And Jesus knew why. He breaks the social tradition and asks her for a drink. It was a way to introduce a conversation and her surprise could not be over estimated. This is the reason she so boldly asks Jesus, “Why are you, a Jew, speaking to me, a Samaritan?”
Jesus tells her the reason. He explains that she is coming to quench the thirst of her lips, but He has come to satisfy the thirst of her soul. She is seeking water, Jesus is offering life.
But the woman does not understand at first. In fact, she is distracted by the thought of her reputation. If she did not have to come to the well, she could avoid the ridicule of others who judged her. “Please give that water so that I don’t have to come to this well,” she tells Jesus.
In what seems to be a rude interruption, Jesus tells the woman to go get her husband.
“Here we go again,” she thinks. “My reputation precedes me and I must once again reveal that no one wants me. I don’t have a husband and have been abandoned more times than I can count. Don’t remind me…I know. I am worthless and completely empty inside.”
“You mean you’re thirsty inside?” Jesus probes.
“I am,” she says. “And I have been seeking answers in the only way I know how. I know the Messiah is coming and perhaps He can give me what I am looking for.”
“He can,” says Jesus. “I who speak to you am He. You have worshiped what you do not know. Now you know.”
All creation worships God. The only difference is that some worship God in ignorance and others in truth. The woman at the well was thirsty because she was ignorant of the only source of life that would satisfy her soul. Jesus reveals that He is the one sent to satisfy the thirst of every soul.
Now He turns to you. What is your reputation? Do you have something to prove? Do you have something to hide? Jesus continues to make the same offer as He did to the woman at the well. Satisfy your soul in Him. Worship Him in Spirit and truth. Drink up my friend.

A Rude Awakening

Eugene Peterson pastored the same small church for almost 30 years. He has a wealth of wisdom and insight which demands our respect and attention. His book, The Contemplative Pastor, has an obvious target audience. However, the insight he provides extends well beyond the borders of those in full time ministry. For that matter, we are all in full time ministry, so by definition, we all have something to learn. Allow me to share what impacted me most and I pray it will be the same for you.
To begin with, I must admit that I was slightly offended in reading this book. As far as I am concerned, there exists an unwritten rule between author and reader to delay the impact of the most painful content until the reader has had a chance to ease into the material. Peterson violated this unwritten rule when he spoke adamantly against the “outrageous scandal” of busyness in the life of a Christian within the first few pages of his book.
Busyness, in Peterson’s view, is not a “symptom of commitment but of betrayal.” In a metaphorical one-two punch, he talks about the vanity of busyness and laziness as its source. Busyness, argues Peterson, often exists in order for us to appear important. It is vanity. The culture insists that a crowded schedule is a measure of significance and all too often the we all buy into this lie. If not for the reasons of vanity, Peterson suggests the other option is laziness (as if that makes me feel any better!). We become busy because we let others control our time instead of resolutely deciding for ourselves. In either case, the negative results of a life without margin which constantly meets the demands of others will inevitably render all of us harmless and unable to complete the work for which we have been called. It is a dangerous trap. Beware!
Peterson does offer the antidote, however. He encourages us to remain committed to prayer, meditation and listening. Prayer, at its core, is the cultivation of intimacy with God. It is the language of relationship. Meditation, says Peterson, must finds it’s source in the immersion of scripture. Time dedicated to meditating on God’s word which cannot happen in the midst of busyness and "sound bite study obligations". Richard Foster says that one hour one day a week is preferable to 10 minutes segments of time in God's Word every day. I tend to agree. Peterson continues by reminding us that we must learn to listen. But listening requires “unhurried leisure”. A quality of spirit, Peterson says, not a quality of time. Busyness is a theif of quality time.
I was impacted by Peterson reflection when he writes, “The question I put to myself is not, “How many people have a spoken to about Christ this week?” but “How many people have I listened to in Christ this week?”’ What a poignant reminder for us all.
One of the realities of my transition is the common question: “So…When are you taking over the church?” This has always unsettled me and it is the very thing Peterson seems to address as he reflects on his friends comment about “running the church.” Although the church activity on Sunday has not changed much through the centuries, what happens between Sundays is radically different. Peterson suggests that it has “not been a development but a defection.” Pastors (but not only pastors) have inherited an attitude of ownership where the success of the church (as determined by our culture) is falsely assumed to be based on our leadership ability and skill. This attitude centers around the belief that if we do not take charge, the church will fail and the people will drift into apathy. Our skill is in our programs and our organizational prowess of motivating people to get things done for the business of the kingdom.
This is the reality of the business world from which I come. But Peterson has reminded me that it is not the way of the church. The church does not need a successful business plan with a penetrating vision and a motivational mission. I am not the CEO. Neither are you. Instead, we are the servants of souls. As such, we recognize that it is not us but God who takes the initiative. He gets things going and He is on the scene before we ever arrive.
Peterson suggests that the better questions for us to ask are: “What has God been doing here? What traces of grace can I discern in this life? What has God set in motion that I can get in on?” Instead of carrying the burden of leading positive change, I must seek to discover what He is doing and live appropriately with it. I submit to you that the counsel given by Peterson applies not only to pastors but to every follower of Christ.
Living with this humble perspective should direct what we say and how we listen. Instead of persuasive speech and a drive to motivate others to get things done and to get on with growing in faith, we must learn the language of relationship. A personal language of love and prayer. Spontaneous language that is unhurried and unforced. Peterson describes it as “the leisurely language of friends and lovers.”
Our job, as Peterson reminds us, is not to solve problems. As an Administrator, this is my job. It is my responsibility to develop better procedures, organize and administrate. But the church is different. Much of what is done in the context of the body of believers is, and should be, a mystery. It is mystery that makes room for faith. If everything has an answer and the direction is always clear, the need for faith is removed.
We live in a world of experts where everything has an explanation and a solution. But the Christian life is a pilgrimage of prayer. A submission to the Soverign and a willingness to leave unanswered questions in His capable hands. As a Christian, we are not called to answer on His behalf as much as we are to direct others to discover Truth for themselves. When it is personal, lives are changed.
Good reminders, although slightly unfair in his tactics. Every once in a while, we all need a rude awakening.

Rosemary's Questions

The world is changing! Not exactly a news bulletin unless you consider the rate of change and then we might have something to talk about. And yet, as a Christian, I don't believe that is the most important topic of our consideration. Consider instead, the changing face of Christianity.
In preparation for seminary winter session class, I have been reading material specific to Christian missions. Not a subject I was naturally drawn to but it very well may be the most penetrating class of my long (7 year and counting) seminary career. Of particular interest was an article entitled, "Global Missiology for the 21st Century". Perhaps the title doesn't immediately grab your attention, but I assure you, the content would.
The author, Rosemary Dowsett, makes some very intriguing observations about the changing face of Christianity in the Western World. In one section, she comments:

"In some ways we are back where we started. Of course, that is not entirely true. There have been 20 centuries of Christian history, which have indelibly marked much of the world besides shaping the church. In that sense, we cannot go back to where we started. But in other ways, we are perhaps closer to the context of the pre-Constantinian church than we realise.
For the first time in 15 centuries, through most of Europe, the church has neither political nor economic nor educational power...We live in a cauldron of religious pluralism, with institutionalized (as well as popular) opposition to claims to the uniqueness of Christ as the only truth and the only Savior. We live in a culture where Christianity has been so marginalized that most people could not articulate clearly the core beliefs of the Christian faith...
Many Christians from the first three centuries of the church would identify with most if not all of these characteristics."

Now that may not be too startling to most of you, but here is her premise. Fundamentally, "the post-modern church of the West must come to terms with weakness rather than power as the base from which she operates". (Read that again...it is vitally important!)
Now, this would not be considered news to the early church. In fact, it was there daily experience. But for us in the 21st century church, we have come to see weakness as failure and power as achievement.
Just take a look! Churches (even in our own city) are considered "successful" because they are large or popular or wealthy. This is the language of power!
Instead, maybe we should be asking Rosemary's questions:

• Are we (as a church) being challenged to lay down our lives for Christ?
• Is this church a community which openly acknowledges its weakness, gives away its wealth, put faithfulness above popularity, demonstrates dynamic love and points to the grace and glory of God?
• Is this a body of people who live out their daily lives in such a way that everything about them declares the gospel of Christ crucified?

The early Christian church understood these values. Most congregations had a precarious, often hidden, existence. But their power was in their weakness. The church has always been most vibrant where it has not been compromised by official status and political power but instead, has had to concentrate on spiritual integrity alone.

I, for one, believe the Church in America will increasingly follow the trend of weakness in our post-modern world. The political, economic and educational power of the church will become increasingly irrelevant. And personally, I feel this is a good thing. For when we can focus not on how we use our power to change the world and can instead, in our weakness, sacrifice our lives for the sake of the gospel of Christ. Perhaps then we will witness the true power of God to redeem the world. To God be the glory!

As you begin the New Year, take a moment to consider the words of Paul to the Corinthians. Perhaps not all that different than the church in America today, the Corinthian church thought they had all they wanted (4:8). And yet they continued to seek more power and influence which inevitably created an attitude of pride and judgment of one another...including the apostles. Instead of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, they were seeking to quench their insatiable appetite for power and self indulgence. Listen to Paul's condemnation of worldly power (dripping with cynicism) and his call to all of us to live lives of humble weakness so that the power of Christ may be made strong.

"For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?" (1 Corinthians 4:9-21, NIV)

The book of Revelation reminds us that Jesus, like Paul, will be coming to "find out how these arrogent people are talking about their power". In this coming year, may we relate more to the example of Paul and the apostles. May our weakness, not our power, becomes our base of operation.

Community - Be the Church

Don't go to church - be the church. Because the church is not a meeting, nor a place, but a family. A community of people with diverse gifts and abilities but a unified purpose and mission. And the gifts God has given are not for me, but for someone else. And that is because, by God's design, each member of the body of Christ functions to serve the body.

"For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5, NASB95)

Paul reminds us that each member functions to serve the body, not the body to serve the members. The difference may be subtle but vastly important. Here is an important reason to consider.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he reminds us that the church is "Christ's body and (we) individually members of it." (1Cor 12:27) Therefore, the supreme value of the church is to "image" Christ to the world. Individually, we give a distorted and incomplete view of this image, but corporately, as the church, when each member functions to serve the body, the image of the body, that of Christ, becomes clear. Therefore, the church is not a place for personal opinion and individualism. Instead, the church is the place where unity transcends all differences for the name of Christ to be magnified.

That is the reason why we live in community - in order to "image" Christ to the world. How we do it is a limitless conversation but let me give you 3 ways to consider

1. Share a Meal: Throughout the New Testament, the early church is often seen gathering for a meal. Many times this meal was the Lord's Supper and was intended to be a reminder of the sacrifice of Christ and the new life, the new community (i.e. church), made possible by His death and resurrection. But what we may not realize is that most often, this meal was at some one's house and it lasted all day. This was not just a simple tradition, it was a family affair. And the Lord's Supper was not the only time a meal was shared and yet the importance of this activity seems to carry great significance. For example, Paul addresses the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols. He does so because sharing a meal within the community of faith is a regular occurrence and of great importance. So important, that Paul took time to teach the church about how to eat with one another. More specifically, how to avoid letting food be a stumbling block to a weaker brother. You remember the story. The conclusion of which is very simple. If eating meat sacrificed to idols causes your brother to stumble, don't do it. Technically, there is nothing wrong with eating this type of meat but the offense it may cause must be avoided at all costs. Why? Because Paul says "when we wound our brother, we sin against Christ". (1Cor 8:12) In other words, since the church is the image of Christ, offending our brother or sister is ultimately an offense to the image of God. So here is the point - sharing a meal is a practical application to living out community within the body of Christ. And when we do, let's be sensitive to consider how to encourage each other to love and good deeds. Let's be careful not to cause anyone to stumble. Let's give the world an image of Christ that draws them to Himself. Are you too busy to have someone over to spend time sharing a meal? If so, you are too busy! It is not an event you plan, it is a privilege you share. Make a point to share a meal with someone in the church very soon.
   
2. Share Your Possessions: The early church describes an environment where "the one who gathered much had nothing over and the one who gathered little, had no lack". (2Cor 8:15) In other words, no one had too much and no one had too little. Now this does not mean that everyone had joint ownership of all things in the absence of private property. Yet, at the same time, it does not suggest (nor will you find it any where else in the New Testament) that any person in the body of Christ has any "right" to have such possessions. In fact, the idea of "rights" is a foreign concept in scripture. The gospel is not about claiming a right. It is about accepting a gift. All that we own should be in view of the cross and for the service of others. It is no different than the discussion of spiritual gifts. Similarly, material gifts are not simply for me but more often are for someone else. Paul did not form communes but he was very clear about common attitudes to property. Those who entered into the community of faith could never again look upon what they owned with the same eyes. Nor should we! May we be reminded to "give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver". (2Cor 9:7) Why? Because He is a cheerful giver and when we share our possessions, we image forth the most important attribute of the gospel - an unmerited sacrificial gift.


3. Sharing Emotions: It is not possible to present a complete image of Christ without community because no one person (outside of Jesus himself) possesses all the attributes of His divinity. Even further, it is not possible to live in community without meaningful relationships. And finally, it is not possible to have a meaningful relationship without authenticity. This seems to be the point of Romans 12:9 when Paul instructs the church to demonstrate love without hypocrisy. (Rom 12:9) The word for hypocrisy literally means "to pretend or act". Therefore, love without hypocrisy, is love without pretending. That means when someone within your church family asks you how you are doing and you are struggling in your marriage, you do not answer by saying, "Fine. Everything is fine." That is pretending and pretending is hypocrisy. As a church, we are called to love without hypocrisy. Make a point to peel back the layers of your life and invite someone in to those places you have previously hidden. Why? So they can fix you? So we can roll in the mud of our sinful lives? No and no! It is all about the image of Christ. We cannot present a complete image of Christ outside of community. Community cannot exists outside of relationships. And relationships are not as God intends when they are not authentic. Don't be an actor, remove your mask and for the sake of Christ, live in the community He purchased with His blood in the depth of relationship He demonstrated and has called us to: "Love one another as I have love you, that you also love one another." (Jn. 13:34)
   

Don't go to church - be the church!

Living Missional Lives

How easy it is to live our lives isolated from those who hold a different world view. Maybe its a political world view or an environmental world view or a religious world view. The division lines are often clear in our society and if they are not clear enough, we name them. That's right, we go as far as to magnify the difference by categorizing the view. We have democrats and republicans, conservatives and liberals, environmentalists, baptists, catholics, evangelical, reformed, liturgical, seeker friendly and the list goes on.

It seems as if this process of categorizing our differences is an unchangeable pattern of our society. However, as a Christian, we should avoid the inevitable trap of living our lives according to these boundaries. May we be reminded: It is not the goal of the christian church to develop a christian subculture so that we avoid relationships outside of our "category". We are not called to create our own "safe society" where all we do is hang out with other Christians, go to Christian schools, go to church to have our needs met and then meet with other Christians to talk about how bad our world is becoming. Of course it is! And in the absence of a message of life changing hope, the decay of our society will only accelerate.

Jesus made our commission very clear, "...as the Father sent me, so I also send you." (Jn 20:21) From generation to generation, we must pass the baton of faith as a representative of Jesus Christ. "An ambassador of Christ as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg (others) on behalf of Jesus Christ, to be reconciled to God." (2Cor 5:20) And the message we carry is not relevant in our subculture. The message of salvation is shared at the dinner table with sinners. (Luke 15:1-2)

In consideration of this calling, consider this:

1. When is the last time you shared a meal with a person in need of the world's most important message of hope? Perhaps it is a co-worker or a neighbor or that guy you always sit next to at the game. Have you taken the time to engage with that person enough to earn the right to be heard? Be honest! Because some of us need to confess that we have become so isolated in our own circle of friends that we do not have this opportunity. In fact, some of us may need to initiate efforts by rebuilding bridges we have previously burned. When we isolate, we send a message of condemnation: "You are not good enough to be in my group." So ask yourself today - Which message am I sending: Hope or condemnation?


2. For those who are engaging with outsiders, are you living wisely among them? (Col 4:5-6) Remember, we are in the world but not of the world. As someone once said, "Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it." None of us are immune to influence. Therefore, we must march into enemy territory only when our own soul is well fortified. Are your loins guarded with truth? Do you carry the shield of faith? Do you wield the sword of the spirit? The armor of God as described by Paul is a necessity for those "who make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel". (Eph 6:12-20)


3. Finally, does prayer precede your purpose? John Piper (in his book Let the Nations Be Glad) reminds us that "prayer is the communication with headquarters by which the weapons of warfare are deployed according to the will of God". Yet, all too often, we forget that we are in war. We have no sense of urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning. Just easy peace and prosperity. Instead of prayer being a 2 way communication system in the midst of war, we have rigged up an intercom system in heaven so that we can submit our requests for safety, security and luxury - not to call in firepower for conflict but asking for more comforts in the den. Piper reminds us: God has given us prayer because Jesus has given us a mission. So ask yourself, is my prayer life more like a walkie talkie in the midst of battle or an intercom system to call in comforts for the den?

Prepared with prayer, girded with truth, engaging with outsiders. The Great Commission for all who trust in Jesus Christ. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Mt 28:19)