Archive for Bible
A Half Gospel
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There is a prosperity gospel and then there is an on your way to prosperity gospel. While, in my opinion, there may not be a big distinction between the two, I offer that we allow for one. A statement such as “God wants to bless you with lots of money” sets off warning bells for a significant percentage of followers of Christ. While a talk on “God’s plan for your success” is a bit more palatable. However, if this is THE message–the only message–then it is not the message of the gospel.
Having had two close relatives in the hospital over the past week, I can vouch for the reality of another aspect of the gospel–suffering. When one is close to death or with a loss of consciousness, what is one to do? Standing there watching while helpless in so many ways, often a person will cry out to God. Lying there on what may be a death bed thinking of the children and spouse that could be without a loved one weighs heavily and may lead one to cast all of their hope on God alone.
Jesus was the great communicator of the BOTH/AND. He shares that he came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. AND he also told his disciples to willingly pick up their crosses daily and carry them around…to carry a symbol and reality of suffering and sacrifice with them always. These two statements are shared on different occasions. Jesus did not leave this to complex hermeneutics to arrive at this conclusion though. He shares the both/and reality with his disciples.
29“I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark 10:29-31
Half of the gospel is not the gospel. The good news is both the abundance that God has for us through Christ and sharing in the suffering of Christ.
Missio Dei
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Both simply straightforward and overwhelmingly complex, the nature of God is comprehensible to a child yet ever fascinating for an adult (an idea fleshed out in “The Ethics of Elfland” chapter in Chesterton’s Orthodoxy). A range of books on the topic illustrate this fact as you can see this in books such as the children’s book What is God Like or adult classics such as J.I. Packer’s Knowing God or Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy–all great reads. One aspect of the nature of God that profoundly impacts an evangelical’s understanding of Scripture, worldview, life, family, etc. is the missionary nature of God. The Missio Dei or “sending of God” is key for us, I firmly believe, to “think rightly about God.”
This is a key theme that will receive space in this blog. The “sending of God” impacts church past, present, and future. The creation and implementation of Sunday School reflects the church’s understanding and identifying with the Missio Dei when it was instituted a few generations ago. The Willow Creek seeker-sensitive model also is consistent with the Missio Dei for its time and place. The future is now in the making. How we move forward will be consistent with how we understand God and our willingness to be passionate about the things he is passionate about (aka obedience).
Continuing to be impacted by this, I have been reading the Bible with Missio Dei as a filter for some time now. Recently, I had the privilege of sharing “The Missio Dei Story” (MP3 download) with the wonderful people at Northstar Church in Blacksburg, VA. This is available through their website (10/13/09) as well as on the mission resource page on this blog as a tool to further thinking about the “sending of God.”
Spiritual SAT Scores?
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A few weeks ago my wife and I were visiting a weekly Bible study group for the first time. Everyone was kind and welcoming of us and the lost friends accompanying us. The teacher was both humble and prepared. The group responded to a ministry opportunity that was presented. And then it happened….
One regular in the group shared that she had brought a friend of hers to the group several weeks ago. This friend, she relayed, was someone that she had been praying would come to Christ for a long time. So excited to have her coming for the first time, the group participant conveyed that she could barely wait to find out what her friend thought. In the debrief between friends, the visitor shared that she did not feel that she could be a part of the group because she did not know enough about the Bible. She was convinced, probably accurately, that the other participants knew so much more about their Bibles. Sadly, she has not been with the group again, nor does it seem that she plans to do so.
Challenged with a charge of being too heady in the disciple-making process, the group shared their surprise and disbelief for maybe a full 60 seconds. Then it was back to trying to mine truths out of the passage being studied that day.
This seems to be in stark contrast with the gospel narratives. “Come and see” is an invitation to encounter the Savior. I can only think of one time where Jesus questions how much the disciples know–though this examination is more a challenge to their beliefs rather than their academic acumen. “Who do men say that I am…Who do you say that I am?” (Mt. 16:13-20) Even at this point, Jesus provides grace in deficiency. Just before Jesus returns to heaven, we read that “they worshipped him; but some doubted” (Mt. 28:17). In response, Jesus commissions them to make disciples as they go. He does not mention or encourage academic emphasis or testing. Jesus’ instructions are to teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. Sounds like it could be turning academic, maybe. Perhaps this would be a good time to review how Jesus teaches, or better yet how he models, obedience to his disciples.
Seeking Context
Posted by: | Comments- “Days went by, and I couldn’t seem to get over it. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t cry. I was all empty inside, but hurting. Hurting worse than I’d ever hurt in my life. Hurting with a sickness there didn’t seem to be any cure for.”
- “This is Saint Peter. The rock on which Jesus built His Church.”
- “We learn best in community. Our minds are sharpened and our consciences are deepened through conversation.”
Before you read further in this blog post, let me challenge you to take time to consider each of the three quotes above. Each is from a different, well-known book that you very possibly have read. Answer these two questions: 1) What book is it from? and 2) What is the story that surrounds this excerpt?
The answers are coming, but what if we didn’t have the answers? What if this is all there was for us to read from these three works? These famous books would have been nothing but a Tweet. Our effort in seeking to understand them would have boiled down to seconds instead of the hours we invested in learning these writings.
A holistic approach to presenting / studying Scripture is more than helpful when discipling pre-believers or young believers (while the same is true for mature believers, this is another discussion for another day). Examination of a single verse or passage, word studies, and topical teachings all have a time and place. Deserving, in my opinion, of an even loftier and more constant place in the discipleship process is Bible study that is in its full context.
To understand that Jesus could die on the cross, it is helpful to have examined Jesus’ humanity in John 1 and Philippians 2. All gospel accounts of the birth of Christ as the Son of God are helpful when considering the resurrection. Understanding the need for the Savior is greatly facilitated by studying Genesis through Deuteronomy as well as the history chronicles of the Jewish people and the books of prophecy. The Old Testament books combined with Hebrews, etc. prove helpful again when seeking to gain insight on the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ as outlined in the gospels. And so on and so forth.
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
As a stand-alone, John 3:16 is powerful. In context with verse 17, the love of God becomes clearer still for the reader as we learn why Jesus did and did not come into the world. Put into the context of the story of Nicodemus in chapter 3 of John, we understand better the heart of Christ. When adding John 19:38-42 for consideration, the reader sees yet a fuller understanding of the transformational power of the gospel and the deity of Christ. Placed into context of the whole of the gospel of John, the disciple gains tremendous insight into the unity and constancy of purpose of the triune God. Still greater understanding comes when John 3:16 is examined as a part of the New Testament and then of the whole Bible.
Whether discipling, teaching or preaching, examination of context is at least important. We would all do well to examine our methods and effectiveness as accountability for those that teach the Word of God requires us to do it well. The Great Commission Jesus entrusted to us holds disciple-making as the measuring line for efficacy.
As for the above quotes, the first comes from the last chapter in the children’s classic Old Yeller. The second is from chapter 58 of The DaVinci Code. And the last quote is from Day 39 of The Purpose Driven Life. How did you do? Does knowing the context make the quote more meaningful?
Repent
Posted by: | CommentsFrom time to time I will be posting original writings of guests from around the world. In this first guest post, Bob Royce, a missionary / church planter in Ontario shares about the necessity and urgency of repentance. For the past six years, Bob and his family have been missionaries in the Toronto area–one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Their heart is for awakening and revival at McMaster University and beyond. They have also been involved internationally in SE Asia, Pakistan, Kenya and other places as well. Thanks Bob!
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Striving as the body of Jesus Christ in North America to be more Kingdom minded and missionally involved locally and globally, we need to get back to the basics…starting with repentance.
The command of repentance is the first message that Jesus started declaring when His time came to go public with His ministry[Matt 4, Mark 1]. While God has done some amazing things through the brief history of the church in NA [missions, media, literature distribution, eucation, etc.], my sense is we flatter ourselves a little too much and we are not as strong as we think we are. Though there are small flames of awakening and revival burning in a few places, for the most part we need to repent of the following just as a starting place:
1. Tolerating sin and disobedience
2. A self-centered, consumeristic gospel and lifestyle
3. A lack of spiritual power, anointing, vitality, and Kingdom appetite
4. Trying to market and advance the Kingdom with mere humanism and sociology
5. We really don’t know the Lord, like He wants to be known
Part of repenting will involve recalibrating ourselves around Jesus and His Kingdom. Here is a challenge:
1. Do a search on Biblegateway.com or your favorite search enginge and look up every reference for “kingdom” in the NT.
2. Prayefully digest what is revealed, and adjust accordingly, both personally and corporately.
There is a bit of urgency stirring in the Kingdom these days and there is excitement mixed with a sobering warning. If we respond to the Spirit’s call to repent, we will be more alive and burning brighter for His glory than ever. If we harden our hearts though, judgment is waiting…Hebrews 3:7-19.
So friends, let’s humbly move forward one step and repent by God’s merciful grace.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
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It was a cookout. And I don’t mean the pretty kind on a gas grill in a backyard by a pool. It was just inside a dense forest outside a major urban center in Eastern Europe. There was fire, smoke, mosquitoes, mud, fallen trees used for seats…. There was no toilet, though there was (smile). No place to wash hands. Those who started the fire, both believers and non, had mud and rust and ash on their hands. Those who prepared the meat–one a believer for years, the other for days–had fat and marinade from the wrists down. All had clothes that smelled of smoke. All had a full sensory experience of the meat cooking, sizzling, and in places burning. All shared from the skewers as the meat was ready to be eaten. Some slightly burned their hands and mouths as they ate the meat that had just come off the coals. All could hear the birds singing and the passing of traffic just a quarter mile away. It was real. It was a wonderful time of being together!
Though our outing was not planned for this reason, I was reminded of Jesus’ time with His disciples at the end of His days on Earth. He cooked for them on a campfire. His clothes had to smell of smoke. Surely there was ash and the strong scent of fish on his hands. The subsitutionary lawn chairs were probably the ground or maybe some stones. For added ambience, it appears fish were probably flopping around on the ground. It was real. (John 21)
This was discipleship. It didn’t happen in a classroom. He didn’t hold conferences. What did He do? He walked with His disciples. They walked with dirty, dusty feet together. He ate with His disciples. They encountered both adoring crowds as well as angry religious leaders together. They lived life together. Jesus didn’t teach them about His heart for the lost until after they had repeatedly seen it lived out by Him. Then He sent them out. Then He returned to the Father. John shared that they had seen, heard, and touched Him. It was real. John challenged that if we are going to say “I know him,” then we must “walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 1-2)
This entry is not a call to roughing it, nor is it a challenge to ban gas grills (though I do prefer the charcoal variety for flavor). I am not calling for the halt of conferences. This is, hopefully, the beginning of a conversation about what discipleship is….
Pursuing Demonstration
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One of my kids reminded me recently of a phrase I learned years ago from a previous colleague. Speaking of sales, he would share, “Presentation without demonstration is just conversation.” While I found this to be true in sales, I also believe it to be true when communicating our faith.
Some months ago some long-time friends joined us for a celebration. After everyone else had left, they remained to talk about parenting. They wanted to know how they could get their children to obey and show respect like our children. We were honored by the question which gave us an open door to share with the self-proclaimed atheist husband that what we have learned about how to rear children is all from the Bible. He continued to express interest in learning how to be a better parent and was willing to participate knowing that the information would be from the Bible. We have met together weekly for several months now and discussed at length both marriage and parenting. This week they proudly shared with us about a recent trip to visit family. They received praise from grandparents, parents, and siblings for their children’s behavior. They also enjoyed a peace in their relationship that they had not experienced on a vacation trip in some time. They have begun to see the tranformational power of the gospel even though he has yet to embrace the One who transforms.
Paul writes that we are to “be imitators of God.” This is consistent with his letters where we derive much of our theology and praxis. Usually in his letters he will devote a significant amount of space to understanding who God is and the supremacy of Christ. Then the second portion of each letter deals with how we are to practically live our lives because of our proper thinking about God. Understanding our Lord is key to being transformed as we set our “hearts on things above…and set our minds on things above.” The demonstration of the truth of God’s Word is that we are different from the world internally, in how we react to others, in our relationship with our spouse, with our children, and in our work relationships. Paul even ups the stakes stating more than once that others should, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” While this does seem daunting, the reality is that if we are followers of Christ we should look more and more like Him. His transformation of our lives should allow the world to see a radical difference in us. We are to be walking demonstrations of the transformational power of Christ that is consistent with the presentation we are anxious to share. If people do not see a changed life, then our presentation is just conversation–theory rather than practice. (Eph 5:1; Col 3:1-2; 1 Cor. 11:1, Phil. 3:17; Rom. 12:1-2)
Confidently Un-oriented (part 3)
Posted by: | CommentsDisorientation -> Reorientation -> Meaningful change
The intensity of a disorientating experience may vary significantly. Some may be confronted with a near-death encounter, others may be captured anew by a sunset. The intensity of the disorientation is not the determining factor to dictate the extent or lack of the change. Reorientation is the process that will determine change.
A contrast in disorientation intensity may be found when considering Lydia and the Philippian jailer. Lydia believes while hearing Paul the first time. We read that “the Lord opened her heart.” On the other side of the spectrum, the jailer is ready to take his own life thinking that the prisoners had escaped following the earthquake. Upon learning that all are still present he runs in and falls to the ground shaking. His next response is then the same as Lydia’s. He believes. (Acts 16)
For both characters mentioned above, their reorientation was a complete paradigm shift. A radical worldview adjustment. They would never see things the same again. Not long after that we see Paul writing one of his most encouraging letters to the church that had been planted in the city of Philippi by most likely Lydia and/or the jailer. Here the reorientation was radical, the change was substantive and lasting, but the disorientation experiences could not have been more different.
When Paul addresses the sages in Athens, the responses are multiple. There is change for all: some sneer; some believe; some want to hear more. Paul offers a message that is completely unfamiliar to them. The disorientation is equal for all in the story, but the reorientation and the resulting change has eternity as the variance. (Acts 17)
These three posts on disorientation have strong correlations to someone’s understanding of and response to the gospel. And church. And mission. And missiology. And life. And…?
Confidently Un-oriented (part 2)
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Ironically, shortly after I posted part 1 to this piece, a person in my Facebook network posted: “Today during language I realized how much I don’t know a little bit more than I usually do. It freaked me out.” This is disorientation. It can be a little scary, but it can also be very rewarding. The question for people, like Timothy, when they enter this state, is “how will I respond?” “Now that my wrong assumption has been obliterated, what do I do with my newfound insight?”
Jesus spoke of both the man who became disoriented and the man who remained confidently un-oriented. The Teacher tells a story of two sons. The younger crashes and burns and then says to himself, “I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” He was desperate for change because things had not turned out half as well as he had first envisioned. This was the beginning of his disorientation. Phase two kicked in when he gets close to his childhood home and is greeted and embraced by his father. Dad drives the point home for him: “Quick! Bring the best….he was lost and is found.” Then the party began. (As an aside, I think it is great that Jesus was in favor of a good party at the right times.) The older brother does not seem to rethink things. He is confident in his own goodness: “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.” He continues to be resolute in the shortcomings or the lack of wisdom of the father: “Yet you never gave me….” (Lk 15:11-32)
A profound example of disorientation is in the story of Habakkuk. In the first part of the story Habakkuk tells God that he, Habakkuk, is getting tired of waiting for God to fix things so that the Israelites would not continue in severe persecution. He says: “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save.” Once again, here is a man starting a discourse while confident in his ignorant wisdom. God responds in a way Habakkuk never would have guessed: “I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians…to seize dwelling places not their own.” Habakkuk replies with a highfalutin version of ‘God are you crazy?’ He says: “O Lord, are you not from everlasting? …Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.” But then Habakkuk gets smart. He seems to prepare himself for disorientation. He says, “I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.” God then lays out a plan of destruction because of the sin of Israel. Through all of this, God reveals the truth of the gospel: “See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous will live by faith….You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.” Disoriented and changed, Habakkuk replies: “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy….Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” At this point Habakkuk understands the sinful behavior of his people. This now makes sense to him through the span of history as he has a new, deeper understanding of the holiness and majesty of God. (Hab 1-3)
The rich young ruler, a final example for this post, came to Jesus seeking affirmation of his own goodness and right standing. Confidently un-oriented he replied to Jesus instruction about keeping the last 6 commandments: “All these I have kept….What do I still lack?” When told that his wealth kept him from obeying the first four commandments, the man was profoundly disoriented. This was not at all the way he expected this encounter to unfold. He left sad with his riches having a little less luster than before, but eternal life not being opulent enough to pursue change. (Mt 19:16-30)
Disorientation does not automatically equal meaningful change. It is a prerequisite, but not a guarantee. The wayward son and Habakkuk changed through their disorientation process. The older brother and rich young ruler did not.
