Between 1958 and 1963 there was a television crime drama series called "The Naked City." Each episode would end with the famous line, "There are 8 million stories in the naked city; this has been one of them." Every person has a story, and life is the interconnection between those separate and distinct people. Each person's story is an open book, ready for all to read. Much has been heard and read about the life of Jesus Christ. But when you look at the stories of the distinct encounters he had with individual people, you get to know Him so much more.
Last week I found a way to look at the Gospel of John that I had never seen before. You remember the post about chapter three, where John compares and contrasts John the Baptist with Jesus, and attributed similar quotes to both of them. John also described the encounter with Nicodemus in a way that shows how Jesus broke through the religious customs of the day.
I confess that since then I have looked at the Gospel of John with new eyes. I re-read chapter 2, where Jesus' first miracle was done behind the scenes, where no one knew about it except the servants who had drawn the water that Jesus had turned to wine. If anyone at the wedding had known about it, it would have embarrassed the host, because they would have known that he had run out of wine for the wedding feast. Jesus was sensitive to people's feelings.
The second event described in chapter 2 was the first cleansing of the temple. Unlike the miracle at the Wedding at Cana, this was a very public showing. It challenged the status quo, and showed Jesus' physical and mental strength. He stood up to the vendors and money-changers; He even stood up to the Jewish officials, who had allowed the money-changers and vendors to set up shop there. We should be as strong-minded and strong-willed as we stand up against injustice.
So we see Jesus' first acts after He went public as being both showing both passion and compassion. Then, as we saw last week, Jesus challenged a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin by taking Nicodemus from the physical mind-set into a spiritual mind-set. Now, in John 4.4-42, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well.
This story is well known to Bible students. Jews hated Samaritans, because they had started out as a Jewish town that had inter-married with Gentiles. Over time, the so-called "pure" Jews' hatred of the Samaritans grew such that they probably hated the half-breed Samaritans worse than the Gentiles. Also significant is the fact that Jesus was talking to a woman: most Jewish Rabbis did not speak to women with whom they were not married. (Marriages were pre-arranged, so there was no occasion for men to chat up women in that society). But even beyond that, this particular Samaritan woman had a sordid past; she was divorced or widowed from at least five men, and was just then living with a man with whom she was not married. Scandalous!
Yet Jesus saw her heart and knew she had a need. Again, John writes it in such a way that we see how Jesus led her from the physical to the spiritual in her thinking and in her actions. Jesus sat by the well, and this woman approached with a water jar on her head. Jesus asked her for a drink. Her response is colored by years of rejection: Sir, you don't want me to draw water for you--I'm a Samaritan, and you are a Jew. Verse 9 tries to explain by saying "(For Jews do not associate with Samaritans)". The real meaning of this phrase is that Jews do not use dishes that Samaritans have used, because the dishes are unclean by virtue of the fact that a Samaritan has touched them; using unclean dishes would make the Jew ceremonially unclean. So Jesus broke through this barrier with her.
His response to her is telling. He said you should be asking me for water, because the water I give you leads to eternal life. The woman misunderstands. She sees that he cannot draw water, as he has no jar or rope. How can she ask Him to draw water from this well? She points out the obvious--that the well is deep, and that he has nothing with which to draw the water. And then she gets defensive, saying that her ancestor Jacob dug this well. Remember that thing about the Jews and the Samaritans? She is still hanging on to the fact that her people and the Jewish people that despise her are both descended from Jacob, who was called "Israel". Jesus repeats himself, saying the "water" he can give her will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Again she misunderstands--she thinks if this man has water that will never again leave me thirsty, then give me some of that. Going to the well was not just a physical burden to her, but an emotional one as well. She was going to the well at mid-day, when none of the other towns-folk were there. She didn't like being stared at, or being called an adulteress, or being gossipped about. So if she could find a way to keep from going to the well every day, she wanted to take advantage of it.
Jesus opens her eyes spiritually by telling her who she is. Suddenly, she realizes that this man, this Jewish man, has approached her and has had a conversation with her, all the while knowing her secrets, her past. And yet there is no condemnation. This is the most amazing part of the whole encounter. She calls Him a prophet, and listens to His testimony. Then she basically asks Him if He is the Messiah. He confirms His identity to her, and she is overjoyed.
After this, the woman becomes a missionary for Him. As a result of her testimony, many in the town come to Jesus to hear Him, and they believe. They believed not just because she told them, but because Jesus spoke to them directly. Today, our job is to bring people to Jesus, and let Him touch them.
The last part of the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John shows Jesus breaking through political barriers. Verse 46 tells of a royal official who came to Jesus for help. The term "royal official" probably means that worked closely with Herod, the king. This king was the son of the King Herod who had killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem, trying to kill Jesus just after He was born. This King Herod was the one who would later behead John the Baptist, and would participate in the trial of Jesus with Pontius Pilate. Knowing this, Jesus still helped the official by healing his son.
To recap, Jesus impacted the lives of a Galilean groom, a misdirected member of the Sanhedrin, a sinful Samaritan woman, and a recalcitrant royal official. They all believed. Two were Jews; two were not. Two were likely very wealthy; two were probably not. One was probably not even religious. One was a woman. Yet Jesus met them all where they were, and after the encounter with Him, they believed. Not everyone who met with Jesus believed in Him. Some rejected Him, and held on to their traditions, their politics, their religion or their sin. But these four encounters show that Jesus can change you regardless of your situation.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Devolution of thought, from important to inane
This commentary on the radio today got me thinking about how people communicate, and how what's really important often gets lost. Here is how it went.
SHARPE: But in real life, it's not that simple. Even though the police did find my car, the perfect pair of Espadrilles remains on the loose. For NPR News, I'm Jenifer Sharpe.
How utterly and completely idiotic. Yet, somehow, very real.
You see, when we try to sit people down and discuss what's really important, like their eternal destiny, or big decisions they are trying to make on their own without God's help, they often have other, less serious, things on their minds. Like cars, or shoes, or TV shows, or a thousand other things that distract them. That's why missionaries have more success than evangelists--the missionaries live among the people, and share their joys and sorrows. The evangelists come in, pound the pulpit, then leave.
Don't get me wrong--God uses both. But the danger with evangelists is that they have no roots. And the danger with missionaries is that they, too, might get caught up in the mundane, the very distractions that are keeping their message from being heard. Like the woman above who, though her car had been stolen, focuses her attention on trendy shoes, we know that we need to share the gospel, but we have other things that we like to talk about, too.
So the gospel of Jesus Christ gets pushed down on the list of things on our lips, and on our hearts, and on our minds. But it is on the list. And if we could somehow underscore the message, and make it more urgent without sounding pretentious, then we would win more souls to Christ.
When C.S. Lewis wrote The Screwtape Letters, he tried to think like a demonic spirit would think. One of the weapons, logically, would be to distract from the message of Christ, to relegate it to one of the less frequent things we discuss. After writing it, he said he had never felt so filthy in his soul. He said he never wanted to write another book in the voice of a demon, because he couldn't stand the drain, physically and mentally. That's what Satan wants--to drag us down to his level.
So I urge you, Dear Readers, to elevate your thinking; elevate your speaking. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (Philippians 4.8).
Commentator and veteran blogger Jennifer Sharpe has always looked for the funny and quirky online, but this time she found it in the comments of one of her more serious Facebook updates.
SHARPE: I've just been through one of the worst losses an Angelino can go through--my car got stolen. Humbled, I had to walk to a friend's house for help. But it wasn't until later that night when I sank into my couch and logged on to Facebook that my anxiety finally began to subside, thanks to some first responders on my social network.
FACEBOOK ENTRY(Jenifer Sharpe): Holy Smokes, my car got stolen!
SHARPE: The first sympathy comes from Jenifer Holmes in San Francisco:
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Jenifer Holmes): May the thief get swift Karma, which they cannot rationalize as anything else.
SHARPE: Next Randy Mills wants to know:
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Randy Mills): What kind of car was it?
FACEBOOK ENTRY (Jenifer Sharpe): It's a charcoal 2004 Toyota Matrix with a spoiler. So strange to think it's out there somewhere without me.
SHARPE: Ingrid Heather wants more detail.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Ingrid Heather): From where?
FACEBOOK ENTRY (Jenifer Sharpe): Venice. Our last moments together, parked, singing along to Black Coffee In Bed...And when it was actually being stolen, I was probably sipping a Cappucino, and thinking about Espadrilles.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE(Ingrid Heather): Don't mean to sound callous, but when things settle down, we may have to discuss Espadrilles.
SHARPE: Espadrilles are canvas shoes with rope soles, usually flat but sometimes made into heels, originating in the Pyrenees.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Randy Mills): Did you call the insurance company? How about the cops?
FACEBOOK ENTRY (Jenifer Sharpe): Yes, Randy, I filed a police report. I even have a Lojack. But on to the Espadrilles: This woman walks into Cafe Intelligencia wearing some, and I suddenly wanted a pair of Espadrilles like I haven't wanted a pair of Espadrilles since 1988. What are your thoughts on the matter?
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Ingrid Heather): Well, I love Espadrilles, especially navy ones with white pants.
SHARPE: Ingrid Heather continues.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Ingrid Heather): But I've noticed that nobody makes a basic, dark navy, classic Espadrille with a high enough heel. Instead, everyone is ripping on Espadrilles. Have you found ones you like?
SHARPE: No, my quest for Espadrilles had been interrupted by my car getting stolen. And where was it now? On some dock in San Pedro being loaded into a shipping container? Erica Hughes speaks to my loss.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Erica Hughes): Jenifer, I am really sorry about your car. But about the Espadrilles: I'm was thinking about them yesterday.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Coco Niehoff): I'm sorry about the wheels, but maybe this link will cheer you up.
SHARPE: Coco Niehoff in Amsterdam.
FACEBOOK RESPONSE (Coco Niehoff): It's the Mother Ship of Espadrilles in Europe. It's a Spanish company.
SHARPE: The idea of someone's grubby hands on my steering wheel fades behind collections of Espadrilles, as my friends succeed in moving me past my trauma. The next morning I announce:
FACEBOOK ENTRY (Jenifer Sharpe): Hallelujah! They recovered my car. My Lojack prevailed. Everybody--get a Lojack....and some Espadrilles.
How utterly and completely idiotic. Yet, somehow, very real.
You see, when we try to sit people down and discuss what's really important, like their eternal destiny, or big decisions they are trying to make on their own without God's help, they often have other, less serious, things on their minds. Like cars, or shoes, or TV shows, or a thousand other things that distract them. That's why missionaries have more success than evangelists--the missionaries live among the people, and share their joys and sorrows. The evangelists come in, pound the pulpit, then leave.
Don't get me wrong--God uses both. But the danger with evangelists is that they have no roots. And the danger with missionaries is that they, too, might get caught up in the mundane, the very distractions that are keeping their message from being heard. Like the woman above who, though her car had been stolen, focuses her attention on trendy shoes, we know that we need to share the gospel, but we have other things that we like to talk about, too.
So the gospel of Jesus Christ gets pushed down on the list of things on our lips, and on our hearts, and on our minds. But it is on the list. And if we could somehow underscore the message, and make it more urgent without sounding pretentious, then we would win more souls to Christ.
When C.S. Lewis wrote The Screwtape Letters, he tried to think like a demonic spirit would think. One of the weapons, logically, would be to distract from the message of Christ, to relegate it to one of the less frequent things we discuss. After writing it, he said he had never felt so filthy in his soul. He said he never wanted to write another book in the voice of a demon, because he couldn't stand the drain, physically and mentally. That's what Satan wants--to drag us down to his level.
So I urge you, Dear Readers, to elevate your thinking; elevate your speaking. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (Philippians 4.8).
Saturday, May 21, 2011
You be the judge
An interesting parallel is found in John chapter three. First, Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, when none of the other Jewish rulers of the Sanhedrin can see, and admits that he is troubled by Jesus' teachings (John 3.1-2). Later in the chapter, a prominent Jew (or group of Jews) comes to John the Baptist, and challenges him (John 3.25). Basically the Jew's argument is this: you baptize with water, which you say washes people's sins away; we do ceremonial cleansing with water, which our tradition says makes us clean from sin. So how are you any different from us? And besides, we heard Jesus, whom you are preaching about, is baptizing as well (John 3.26). So who is right, you or him? You can't both be the path to salvation, can you?
While Nicodemus came for answers, I'm sure the Jews came to John to challenge his teaching. Yet John's answer is the same one that Jesus gave Nicodemus. "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful." (John 3.31-33)
Jesus said this: "I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" (John 3.11-12)
In both these situations, both John and Jesus challenged their listeners to hear the evidence, the testimony that is put before them. In both cases, the challenge was this: you be the judge.
John the Baptist answered the prominent Jew in this way: your ceremonial washing with water is all about you. My baptizing with water is all about Him. And now that He is here, I can take a step back and let Him take the stage. He deserves all the attention, not me. "You yourselves can testify that I said 'I am not the Christ, but I am sent ahead of Him'. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3.28-30).
John's answer to the critics was to point them to Jesus. He testified about Jesus. His testimony was on the record--anyone could check. More on this later.
Jesus' response to Nicodemus was to brush away all the fluff and get down to the real point: "You must be born again." This approach takes Nicodemus a minute to comprehend, and he asks questions from his world, the physical realm. "How can a grown man be born--his mother's womb is not big enough--I'm confused." Jesus directed him to the spiritual realm, but at the same time He gave Nicodemus a reference that all Jews knew about. "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." John 3.14-15.
That reference was to Numbers 21.4-9. You can look it up if you want. During the 40 years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites started complaining, whining that they had been taken out of Egypt. They asked why they had been brought out to the desert to die. So God sent poisonous snakes into the camp to bite all of the complainers. Now they really were dying. Then they came to Moses and said "We're sorry. We didn't mean it. Help us!" Moses prayed to God, and God told Moses to make a snake out of bronze, and put it up on a pole. Anyone who looked up at the snake would be healed of the deadly venom of the real snakes. This was exactly the opposite of what the people of Israel expected--hadn't Moses been told by God at Sinai that they should not make any graven images or idols, and not to trust things made by man to save them? But those who held to the religious tradition died; those who looked up at the image of the snake lived.
In the same way, God came as a man. Anyone who believed in this Man would be saved. Those who held to the religious tradition (only look to God, not to man, for salvation) were lost. This was the background to the most famous verse in the Bible. "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." (John 3.16) Jesus further testified to Nicodemus that God had not sent Jesus to condemn the world--there was too much condemnation already. He was sent to bring reconciliation with God.
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3.19-21).
This may have been a gentle jab at Nicodemus for coming to see Jesus at night. But in the bigger picture, isn't it testimony against all of us? When we sin, we want the sin to be hidden. When we lie, we shroud the truth in darkness. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with God the Father.
There has been a lot of legal terminology in this message. Charges were made against both John the Baptist and Jesus. Testimony was given by multiple witnesses. Jesus read the verdict reached by the jury of His peers. And now comes the time for sentencing. You are the judge. Are you going to listen to the testimony, and agree with the verdict? Or will you throw out the case? What evidence do you rely on? Or are you a corrupt judge, swayed by evil? Who has offered you a bribe that is more valuable than Eternal Life?
While Nicodemus came for answers, I'm sure the Jews came to John to challenge his teaching. Yet John's answer is the same one that Jesus gave Nicodemus. "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who comes from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful." (John 3.31-33)
Jesus said this: "I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" (John 3.11-12)
In both these situations, both John and Jesus challenged their listeners to hear the evidence, the testimony that is put before them. In both cases, the challenge was this: you be the judge.
John the Baptist answered the prominent Jew in this way: your ceremonial washing with water is all about you. My baptizing with water is all about Him. And now that He is here, I can take a step back and let Him take the stage. He deserves all the attention, not me. "You yourselves can testify that I said 'I am not the Christ, but I am sent ahead of Him'. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3.28-30).
John's answer to the critics was to point them to Jesus. He testified about Jesus. His testimony was on the record--anyone could check. More on this later.
Jesus' response to Nicodemus was to brush away all the fluff and get down to the real point: "You must be born again." This approach takes Nicodemus a minute to comprehend, and he asks questions from his world, the physical realm. "How can a grown man be born--his mother's womb is not big enough--I'm confused." Jesus directed him to the spiritual realm, but at the same time He gave Nicodemus a reference that all Jews knew about. "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." John 3.14-15.
That reference was to Numbers 21.4-9. You can look it up if you want. During the 40 years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites started complaining, whining that they had been taken out of Egypt. They asked why they had been brought out to the desert to die. So God sent poisonous snakes into the camp to bite all of the complainers. Now they really were dying. Then they came to Moses and said "We're sorry. We didn't mean it. Help us!" Moses prayed to God, and God told Moses to make a snake out of bronze, and put it up on a pole. Anyone who looked up at the snake would be healed of the deadly venom of the real snakes. This was exactly the opposite of what the people of Israel expected--hadn't Moses been told by God at Sinai that they should not make any graven images or idols, and not to trust things made by man to save them? But those who held to the religious tradition died; those who looked up at the image of the snake lived.
In the same way, God came as a man. Anyone who believed in this Man would be saved. Those who held to the religious tradition (only look to God, not to man, for salvation) were lost. This was the background to the most famous verse in the Bible. "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." (John 3.16) Jesus further testified to Nicodemus that God had not sent Jesus to condemn the world--there was too much condemnation already. He was sent to bring reconciliation with God.
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3.19-21).
This may have been a gentle jab at Nicodemus for coming to see Jesus at night. But in the bigger picture, isn't it testimony against all of us? When we sin, we want the sin to be hidden. When we lie, we shroud the truth in darkness. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with God the Father.
There has been a lot of legal terminology in this message. Charges were made against both John the Baptist and Jesus. Testimony was given by multiple witnesses. Jesus read the verdict reached by the jury of His peers. And now comes the time for sentencing. You are the judge. Are you going to listen to the testimony, and agree with the verdict? Or will you throw out the case? What evidence do you rely on? Or are you a corrupt judge, swayed by evil? Who has offered you a bribe that is more valuable than Eternal Life?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
In the fullness of time
A friend of mine asked me yesterday to explain "The Hippie Movement." She had heard her Rabbi mention that he had been caught up in it in his younger days, and she didn't understand what it meant. I had to explain to her that in the 1950s young people in America preferred music with a beat--this was the genesis of Rock-n-Roll, and their parents didn't much like the change. There was a space race going on, and everyone was worried about the Red Scare; so naturally, any cultural change was viewed as possible "Communist Propaganda." Older Americans were worried about the Soviet Aparatchnik, so they attached the suffix "nik" to any word used to describe something new. If young people were interested in World Peace, then they were labeled "Peaceniks". If they liked the beat of new music,they were labeled "Beatniks."
So in the early 1960s, several other influences came to America. Timothy Leary introduced the drug culture, advising young people to "tune in, turn on, and drop out". Many began to question our involvement in the Viet Nam war. Young people tried very hard to fit in with other young people, so they started wearing blue jeans, bell bottoms, mini skirts, and wild "psychedelic" colors. They were trying very hard to be "hip" and "groovy". So the older people started calling them "hippies." When the Beatles came to America in 1964, their hair extended midway over their shirt collars, and the older people called them "long-haired hippies". So the fashion began to wear hair longer and longer.
The movement was pretty much over in 1972, when Christian groups tried to mimic the hippie movement by starting what they called the Jesus Movement. They began to sing songs that had the Rock-n-Roll beat, but had Christian lyrics. They began wearing tie-dyed shirts and preaching that Jesus was Groovy, Man. Like any pop movement, imitation is the death of it. So by 1975, when Americans pulled out of the Viet Nam war, the Hippie Movement was largely over. Disco music became popular, and social change moved to the sexual revolution.
Just as many influences came together to create the Hippie Movement in the 1960s, so had many things come together in the ancient near East about the time Jesus was born. The Bible says "When the time was right, God sent His Son into the world." The Romans had conquered most of the western world, and part of their heritage was roads. They built roads everywhere. About the same time, Greek philosophers started people thinking about knowledge and wisdom. The Jewish religion had been dormant for 400 years--there had not been a prophet in four centuries.
So when Jesus was born, he gathered disciples to Himself, men who sought knowledge much like their Greek neighbors. And when He gave the Great Commission, missionaries like Paul were able to travel over the roads that the Romans had built. So a confluence of events resulted in an explosion of conversions to Christianity. But unlike the Hippie Movement in the 1960's, which only lasted about a decade, Christianity has flourished for two millenia. This is because instead of trying to be "hip", the followers of Jesus were trying to be like Christ. It took over 30 years, but Followers of the Way were first called "Christians" in Antioch (Acts 11.19-30). Like the terms "Beatnik" and "Hippie", the word "Christian" may have first been a term of derision. The Greek people may have said to themselves, "Look at those people--they act just like Christ, the religious rabble-rouser from Israel."
We are still encouraged to be like Christ, and to wear the name proudly. One day He will return and take us to Heaven with Him. There is a small sect who think that the Church will be raptured this Saturday, May 21. I don't know if it will happen then or not--Jesus said "No man knows the day or the hour". If He comes, praise God! If He doesn't, we should still live like He could show up at any moment. "When the time is right..."
So in the early 1960s, several other influences came to America. Timothy Leary introduced the drug culture, advising young people to "tune in, turn on, and drop out". Many began to question our involvement in the Viet Nam war. Young people tried very hard to fit in with other young people, so they started wearing blue jeans, bell bottoms, mini skirts, and wild "psychedelic" colors. They were trying very hard to be "hip" and "groovy". So the older people started calling them "hippies." When the Beatles came to America in 1964, their hair extended midway over their shirt collars, and the older people called them "long-haired hippies". So the fashion began to wear hair longer and longer.
The movement was pretty much over in 1972, when Christian groups tried to mimic the hippie movement by starting what they called the Jesus Movement. They began to sing songs that had the Rock-n-Roll beat, but had Christian lyrics. They began wearing tie-dyed shirts and preaching that Jesus was Groovy, Man. Like any pop movement, imitation is the death of it. So by 1975, when Americans pulled out of the Viet Nam war, the Hippie Movement was largely over. Disco music became popular, and social change moved to the sexual revolution.
Just as many influences came together to create the Hippie Movement in the 1960s, so had many things come together in the ancient near East about the time Jesus was born. The Bible says "When the time was right, God sent His Son into the world." The Romans had conquered most of the western world, and part of their heritage was roads. They built roads everywhere. About the same time, Greek philosophers started people thinking about knowledge and wisdom. The Jewish religion had been dormant for 400 years--there had not been a prophet in four centuries.
So when Jesus was born, he gathered disciples to Himself, men who sought knowledge much like their Greek neighbors. And when He gave the Great Commission, missionaries like Paul were able to travel over the roads that the Romans had built. So a confluence of events resulted in an explosion of conversions to Christianity. But unlike the Hippie Movement in the 1960's, which only lasted about a decade, Christianity has flourished for two millenia. This is because instead of trying to be "hip", the followers of Jesus were trying to be like Christ. It took over 30 years, but Followers of the Way were first called "Christians" in Antioch (Acts 11.19-30). Like the terms "Beatnik" and "Hippie", the word "Christian" may have first been a term of derision. The Greek people may have said to themselves, "Look at those people--they act just like Christ, the religious rabble-rouser from Israel."
We are still encouraged to be like Christ, and to wear the name proudly. One day He will return and take us to Heaven with Him. There is a small sect who think that the Church will be raptured this Saturday, May 21. I don't know if it will happen then or not--Jesus said "No man knows the day or the hour". If He comes, praise God! If He doesn't, we should still live like He could show up at any moment. "When the time is right..."
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The bears and the bees
In the world of honey
how do you fare--
Are you the bee,
or are you the bear?
People can be divided into two groups: producers and consumers. This basic division can be seen in economic terms, as well as in other areas of life. Even in the church, you can see workers who are busy as a bee setting up, welcoming others, cleaning up afterwards--basically meeting the ministry needs of the church. Others in the church just go to soak up the atmosphere. They lumber in like a bear, eat all of the doughnuts, create a mess and leave. You just hope that the second group of people get fed spiritually.
Paul speaks to this division in I Thessalonians 5.12-24, when he encourages the Thessalonian Christians to do the work of the ministry. "Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."
We should meditate on this passage. The last statement about the one who calls you can either refer to the pastors and teachers referenced in the first sentence, or it could refer to God. Philippians 1.4-6 says, "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." We all know of people we have met who are genuine and caring. I'll bet right now you can think of at least one person who listens, who is there when you need a friend. This person is always patient and kind with you; he or she shares love and joy with you; they have a deep-seeded sense of peace about them; they are faithful and gentle, and never fly off the handle. In short, they exhibit all of the Fruit of the Spirit toward you. Hurting people gravitate toward them like bears to honey.
See, honey is sweet. Everyone likes honey. We are all bears, in that we will go where the honey is. But bears are biologically related to pigs. Bears leave a trail of destruction wherever they go. Bears consume everything, but the only thing bears produce is more bears.
Spiritually, there is nothing sweeter than the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who are called to the work of the Lord have a mission, the Great Commission, to share that sweet message of salvation with the whole world. That's a big task, so we'd better stay busy. And don't worry about what others do. Do you think that the bees worry about bears? No. They keep busy producing the honeycomb and defending their hive as best they know how. They will continue to gather nectar and produce honey until the end of time. Like your Spirit-filled friend, they will always produce.
God will continue to bless His Church until Jesus comes back. He will always provide workers where there is a need. You can be a part of His plan by sharing the sweetness of His blessing to all. Like Paul told the Church in Thessalonica, live in peace with each other; warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Isn't that a picture of Christ Himself? And how better to draw people to Christ than to be Christ-like? Paul admonished us to never repay wrong for wrong--"revenge is mine, says the Lord." Let God handle the bears. Always try to be kind, not only to your friends, but to everyone else as well.
"Honey" is a pet name used by some to refer to everyone they meet. You know the type: "Hey there, Honey. You want some more coffee, Honey?" Yes, they are talking to you. You are the "Honey" they are referring to. So, using that logic, let's change the poem above. Where it says "honey", insert your name.
In the world of _______(insert your name)
How do you fare?
Are you sweet and kind, not weary in well-doing?
Or are you not?
Do you act as a channel or conduit for the Spirit of God to work through you? Or are you one of those who mocks the Spirit-filled person, teasing them for serving other people rather than looking out for Number One? My dear friend, do not quench the Spirit. God will meet their needs, just like He wants to meet yours. Look outside yourself, and give your whole being to the service of God. Like the Hokey-Pokey song says, put your whole self in--that is the point of the song, and the point of spirituality. God doesn't want your left arm or your right foot. He wants all of you, totally and completed committed to Him. Don't worry what other people might think if you "put your whole self in and shake it all about." Sure, some may think you are crazy as a road lizard for giving up control. But there might just be that one person who looks at you and sees the face of God.
how do you fare--
Are you the bee,
or are you the bear?
People can be divided into two groups: producers and consumers. This basic division can be seen in economic terms, as well as in other areas of life. Even in the church, you can see workers who are busy as a bee setting up, welcoming others, cleaning up afterwards--basically meeting the ministry needs of the church. Others in the church just go to soak up the atmosphere. They lumber in like a bear, eat all of the doughnuts, create a mess and leave. You just hope that the second group of people get fed spiritually.
Paul speaks to this division in I Thessalonians 5.12-24, when he encourages the Thessalonian Christians to do the work of the ministry. "Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."
We should meditate on this passage. The last statement about the one who calls you can either refer to the pastors and teachers referenced in the first sentence, or it could refer to God. Philippians 1.4-6 says, "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." We all know of people we have met who are genuine and caring. I'll bet right now you can think of at least one person who listens, who is there when you need a friend. This person is always patient and kind with you; he or she shares love and joy with you; they have a deep-seeded sense of peace about them; they are faithful and gentle, and never fly off the handle. In short, they exhibit all of the Fruit of the Spirit toward you. Hurting people gravitate toward them like bears to honey.
See, honey is sweet. Everyone likes honey. We are all bears, in that we will go where the honey is. But bears are biologically related to pigs. Bears leave a trail of destruction wherever they go. Bears consume everything, but the only thing bears produce is more bears.
Spiritually, there is nothing sweeter than the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who are called to the work of the Lord have a mission, the Great Commission, to share that sweet message of salvation with the whole world. That's a big task, so we'd better stay busy. And don't worry about what others do. Do you think that the bees worry about bears? No. They keep busy producing the honeycomb and defending their hive as best they know how. They will continue to gather nectar and produce honey until the end of time. Like your Spirit-filled friend, they will always produce.
God will continue to bless His Church until Jesus comes back. He will always provide workers where there is a need. You can be a part of His plan by sharing the sweetness of His blessing to all. Like Paul told the Church in Thessalonica, live in peace with each other; warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Isn't that a picture of Christ Himself? And how better to draw people to Christ than to be Christ-like? Paul admonished us to never repay wrong for wrong--"revenge is mine, says the Lord." Let God handle the bears. Always try to be kind, not only to your friends, but to everyone else as well.
"Honey" is a pet name used by some to refer to everyone they meet. You know the type: "Hey there, Honey. You want some more coffee, Honey?" Yes, they are talking to you. You are the "Honey" they are referring to. So, using that logic, let's change the poem above. Where it says "honey", insert your name.
In the world of _______(insert your name)
How do you fare?
Are you sweet and kind, not weary in well-doing?
Or are you not?
Do you act as a channel or conduit for the Spirit of God to work through you? Or are you one of those who mocks the Spirit-filled person, teasing them for serving other people rather than looking out for Number One? My dear friend, do not quench the Spirit. God will meet their needs, just like He wants to meet yours. Look outside yourself, and give your whole being to the service of God. Like the Hokey-Pokey song says, put your whole self in--that is the point of the song, and the point of spirituality. God doesn't want your left arm or your right foot. He wants all of you, totally and completed committed to Him. Don't worry what other people might think if you "put your whole self in and shake it all about." Sure, some may think you are crazy as a road lizard for giving up control. But there might just be that one person who looks at you and sees the face of God.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sanctified (verb): to be set apart, made holy
I work in the insurance field, specifically insurance claims. It is a complicated line of work, requiring adherence to state regulations, legal precedents, and Best Practices. We are required by law to have a certain number of Continuing Education Credits each year in order to keep our licenses current.
I work with a woman who is a hard worker and is technically correct nearly 100% of the time. She must have a photographic memory, because she can quote things that she heard in CE classes from years before. She can even quote things that her Manager said months ago. But she is very impatient, especially with her coworkers.
This woman gets frustrated at co-workers who need to be reminded constantly of the Best Practices and the laws governing our profession. She complained to me last week, saying, "I know our team knows how to do this procedure, because I gave them a handout on it last year." She doesn't seem to understand, or care, that some people don't have a photographic memory. Or maybe they forget how to do a procedure if they haven't done it in awhile. She doesn't stop to think that our job is very complicated, requiring a knowledge of medicine, law, accounting, surveillance and common sense. She doesn't realize that we work with people, and that people are not perfect.
So I asked her last week. "Lee, why do you think your Preacher wants you to go to church every Sunday? He's already told you how to be saved; you've already heard how to live a godly life. What is the point of going all the time? Isn't it because sometimes we forget? Isn't it because we need to be constantly reminded of what the Lord has done for us, and what we should do in return? Living the Christian life is complicated, requiring a knowledge of morals, theology, doctrine, eschatology and missions."
The Apostle Paul knew that people needed constant reminding. Paul wrote letters to the churches that he had started, encouraging them to remember his teachings. These letters give us some idea of his preaching, and of the messages that he brought to the people. A good example of this is I Thessalonians 4.1-12:
Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not to passionate lust like the heathens, who do not know God; and in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gave you His Holy Spirit. Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Even after a rousing sermon by the great Apostle Paul, people would go back to their old habits. Even after working side by side with him in church planting and ministry, after he left they would always tend to return to their old sinful natures. It is the same with me. It was the same with Israel, the followers of Moses.
The Israelites weren't just in the presence of a great Man of God (Moses); they weren't just in the presence of a great communicator (his brother Aaron); they had an encounter with God Himself. Exodus 19.10-11 says, "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.' " When God came down in the sight of the people of Israel, everyone in the camp trembled with fear. What an awesome encounter!
Yet 40 days later, while Moses was up on the mountain getting the law of God and writing down all His regulations, they called out to Aaron to make them an idol in the shape of a calf, made of gold. They offered burn sacrifices to this idol, and had a feast. After they ate, they all got up and engaged in salacious revelry. Just 40 days removed from trembling in the very presence of God, and they were ready to not only forget God, but to sacrifice to a golden calf and engage in a sexual orgy, like the pagan fertility rites of other peoples that God would later ask them to destroy.
That's what happens to us if we stop seeking God's face. It is easy to miss church a couple of Sundays in a row. It is even easier to slip into old speech patterns, using profane and even obscene words and phrases. It is in our nature to begin longing for ill-gotten gain, lounging in slothful situations, and lusting after sexual images or encounters. I don't know if you have ever clicked on the links on the upper right hand column of this blog. The top one is a depiction of God using a chisel to mold a Christian into His image. He starts by removing some minor sins, but when He starts to remove the sin of Lust, the Christian says, "I don't have a problem with Lust--I can do it whenever I want!" Then the Christian wants God to take a break, and stop all of the chiseling away at his sins. In a way, the Christian wants to hold on to some of his sins for awhile, particularly the sin of Lust.
I confess I struggle with this often. But like the actors in the linked video, I ultimately want God to make me more like Himself; I want to be conformed to the image of His Son. The video reminds us that God desires fellowship with us, but He cannot abide the sin in our lives. We were created for fellowship with God, but we have this unholy attachment to specific sins. This is what Paul meant when he wrote that we must take up our cross daily to follow Him. Each day we must sacrifice what stands between us and Holy God, so that we can be holy like Him.
Thank God He doesn't treat us like we treat Him. He doesn't forget us. He doesn't forsake us. He never comes to us after awhile and asks, "OK, what did I miss?" He never rolls His eyes and sighs at us, like my impatient co-worker, thinking, "I've already told them this--why is this still a problem?" Lamentations 3.23 says "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness!"
We will never be wholly like Him. But we are God's workmanship, his beloved creation. He desires fellowship with us. And deep in our heart of hearts, we want fellowship with Him, too. We just have to set aside our pet sins so we can truly follow Him with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength. This is what Jesus called the greatest command of God.
I work with a woman who is a hard worker and is technically correct nearly 100% of the time. She must have a photographic memory, because she can quote things that she heard in CE classes from years before. She can even quote things that her Manager said months ago. But she is very impatient, especially with her coworkers.
This woman gets frustrated at co-workers who need to be reminded constantly of the Best Practices and the laws governing our profession. She complained to me last week, saying, "I know our team knows how to do this procedure, because I gave them a handout on it last year." She doesn't seem to understand, or care, that some people don't have a photographic memory. Or maybe they forget how to do a procedure if they haven't done it in awhile. She doesn't stop to think that our job is very complicated, requiring a knowledge of medicine, law, accounting, surveillance and common sense. She doesn't realize that we work with people, and that people are not perfect.
So I asked her last week. "Lee, why do you think your Preacher wants you to go to church every Sunday? He's already told you how to be saved; you've already heard how to live a godly life. What is the point of going all the time? Isn't it because sometimes we forget? Isn't it because we need to be constantly reminded of what the Lord has done for us, and what we should do in return? Living the Christian life is complicated, requiring a knowledge of morals, theology, doctrine, eschatology and missions."
The Apostle Paul knew that people needed constant reminding. Paul wrote letters to the churches that he had started, encouraging them to remember his teachings. These letters give us some idea of his preaching, and of the messages that he brought to the people. A good example of this is I Thessalonians 4.1-12:
Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not to passionate lust like the heathens, who do not know God; and in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gave you His Holy Spirit. Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Even after a rousing sermon by the great Apostle Paul, people would go back to their old habits. Even after working side by side with him in church planting and ministry, after he left they would always tend to return to their old sinful natures. It is the same with me. It was the same with Israel, the followers of Moses.
The Israelites weren't just in the presence of a great Man of God (Moses); they weren't just in the presence of a great communicator (his brother Aaron); they had an encounter with God Himself. Exodus 19.10-11 says, "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.' " When God came down in the sight of the people of Israel, everyone in the camp trembled with fear. What an awesome encounter!
Yet 40 days later, while Moses was up on the mountain getting the law of God and writing down all His regulations, they called out to Aaron to make them an idol in the shape of a calf, made of gold. They offered burn sacrifices to this idol, and had a feast. After they ate, they all got up and engaged in salacious revelry. Just 40 days removed from trembling in the very presence of God, and they were ready to not only forget God, but to sacrifice to a golden calf and engage in a sexual orgy, like the pagan fertility rites of other peoples that God would later ask them to destroy.
That's what happens to us if we stop seeking God's face. It is easy to miss church a couple of Sundays in a row. It is even easier to slip into old speech patterns, using profane and even obscene words and phrases. It is in our nature to begin longing for ill-gotten gain, lounging in slothful situations, and lusting after sexual images or encounters. I don't know if you have ever clicked on the links on the upper right hand column of this blog. The top one is a depiction of God using a chisel to mold a Christian into His image. He starts by removing some minor sins, but when He starts to remove the sin of Lust, the Christian says, "I don't have a problem with Lust--I can do it whenever I want!" Then the Christian wants God to take a break, and stop all of the chiseling away at his sins. In a way, the Christian wants to hold on to some of his sins for awhile, particularly the sin of Lust.
I confess I struggle with this often. But like the actors in the linked video, I ultimately want God to make me more like Himself; I want to be conformed to the image of His Son. The video reminds us that God desires fellowship with us, but He cannot abide the sin in our lives. We were created for fellowship with God, but we have this unholy attachment to specific sins. This is what Paul meant when he wrote that we must take up our cross daily to follow Him. Each day we must sacrifice what stands between us and Holy God, so that we can be holy like Him.
Thank God He doesn't treat us like we treat Him. He doesn't forget us. He doesn't forsake us. He never comes to us after awhile and asks, "OK, what did I miss?" He never rolls His eyes and sighs at us, like my impatient co-worker, thinking, "I've already told them this--why is this still a problem?" Lamentations 3.23 says "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness!"
We will never be wholly like Him. But we are God's workmanship, his beloved creation. He desires fellowship with us. And deep in our heart of hearts, we want fellowship with Him, too. We just have to set aside our pet sins so we can truly follow Him with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength. This is what Jesus called the greatest command of God.
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