One of the central things I'm most afraid of is being wrong. You may laugh, saying that everyone is wrong at some point. Sure, very true. But I will do almost anything to avoid it. And if that doesn't work, I'll do my best improv when the opportunity presents itself to cover any doubt that a mistake could be made on my part.
So, another similar fear of mine is that my Christian life is severly or even slightly misguided. And as I read a passage of scripture today I found myself once again getting caught in the depth of my confusion.
"During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper" John 13:2-3.
When I read these verses for themselves and excavate them from the surrounding scripture I'm left with two parallel, yet distinct themes. The devil put it in Judas' heart to betray Jesus and Jesus was in control of all things. Do me a favor- step back a moment and draw up in your imagination a picture of Jesus being in complete control. Can you see it? Harmony, peace. All roses, huh? But here, in this picture John draws for us it's not that way. It's pretty ugly actually.
I love the order John writes in- no mistaking that Jesus was in control in the midst of the devil consuming Judas. But here's my struggle- did Judas have an aching inside of him, burning a hole right through him that he was wrong? I'm not asking about the end, after he had betrayed Jesus; I'm asking did he know all along, all the way back to the first step he ever took astray, that he was wrong?
Now you may be thinking, no one could possibly convince himself that stealing money from the disciples, sneaking around, having Jesus call you out at the last supper and then handing him over to die could be right. Ok, I see where you're coming from- but where you're coming from is HINDSIGHT. Hindsight is an incredible thing where we can look back and see the whole picture. But at the time, the picture was much less complete, much less clear and much less apparent.
So my question is, can I be Judas? I'm pretty well convinced that there are thousands of people that believe without a doubt in a certain cause, in a certain way and in a certain absolute truth. I'm pretty well convinced that some, not all, but some suicide bombers believe their cause is right and true and that they would not be doing it unless they thought it was truly their duty as a servant of their god. I'm pretty well convinced that some people that are doing, in my eyes, pretty ugly things fully believe that what they are doing is right. So how can I be sure that's not me too?
But if I shudder at the first phrase in the passage and realize that it's very possible for evil to inhabit even the best of us (Paul, for instance), I cannot end my thoughs there. I have to incorporate the second theme and see that despite the devil's inhabitation, Jesus is in control of the whole situation. So, my thought becomes this: with God's authority and control we'll be wrong plenty of times. But the central theme of Christianity is glorifying God and loving one another. Now those two things can mean many things but if I stay myself on those two issues and keep from getting caught up in the confusion of the more complicated, then if I'm wrong at least I can rest knowing that I am working out my faith and that someday when I am called to account I can honestly say I fought the good fight and did what I could to pursue truth. And I think that God will still use us, even if we are wrong, to work out His great will and that HE will reveal His truth in His time.
And the hardest, and I mean it, and most challenging conclusion I can draw is that I need to be willing to be USED by God, not for my glory and my proof of my correctness, but of HIS glory and truth. God needed Saul and Judas just like He needed Peter and Paul.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Definitions of Common Words
I read the following a little while ago and maybe it will help you follow my train of thoughts:
"Though it may be argued, theoretically, that a Christianity in which men know how to picket, but now how to pray, is bound to wither, theorizing is not required, because we can already observe the logic of events. The fact is that emphasis upon the life of outer service, without a corresponding emphasis upon the life of devotion, has already led to obviously damaging results, one of which is calculated arrogance. How different it might be if the angry activists were to heed the words found in The Imitation of Christ, 'Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.'
"The essence of pietism, by contrast, is the limitation of primary interest to personal salvation. Even today, by the highways, we can see signs paid for by somebody, which urge us to 'get right with God.' The evil of this well-intentioned effort lies not in what it says, but in what it so evidently omits. The assumption is that salvation is nothing more than a private transaction between the individual and God and that it can become an accomplished, dated event."
-From The New Man for Our Time by Elton Trueblood
Follow me for a second, would you, and then hopefully you can see where my rabbit trail emerges. So I read this in my little devotional book and it got me thinking about how as believers many times we have the best of intentions with things and we so desperately want people to see the light and goodness that we see in Jesus that we don't actually give the entire picture. It then led me to thinking about one of my favorite quotes by Amy Carmichael that says, "Persecution winnos the grain, and we do not want a church of chaff." This quote to me spells out the goodness of God in hard times. He knocks us down to build us up.
But now continue on down my rabbit trail and I hope you will see the full circle. When we became believers we signed on to a different dictionary than Webster's. Persecution is never positive in any dictionary I've ever read. But Christ says on multiple occasions that His people will suffer much for their decision to follow Him. So if God is good all the time- and He is, that's not up for discussion currently- then persecution helps make the church and its people stronger, thus glorifying the Kingdom (thus being good!). Or take good. If you look it up you'll find things like "above average condition, high-quality." Is that what you call a situation that we've all had in our Christian journey when things go horribly wrong? There are many other words I like to use in those bad situations and "above average" isn't one of them. But those situations are "good" when we think of them from God's definition- meaning things that bring us closer to being more like Him and a little less like ourselves in our human condition.
I could go on and on with examples but my point is this: when we signed on to Christianity our dictionary had to change. We have to stop seeing things from the world's perspective and we have to start learning God's perspective.
Maybe you'll resonate with one last example.
" O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame." Psalm 25: 2-3a.
I can think of about a hundred or more examples when I've felt pretty embarrased in life. And from my human perspective embarrasment and shame are pretty much the same thing. I'm ashamed when I do something dumb (ranging from tripping on the sidewalk to actual sin). I felt "put to shame" in college on many occasions when the "cool thing" was not something I wanted to do and people thought I was a little uptight.
But God's definition must not be my definition because I'm going to choose to believe instead of doubt. So if I'm going to believe I'm going to take Him at His word and His word says "NONE who wait for you shall be put to shame [PERIOD.]" Not "put to shame sometimes" but "not put to shame ever." So my definition must be WAY off, way misguided, way too far deep into our culture and what we find as happiness-giving but really is a temporary band-aid for deeper needs. Whatever emotion I've experienced in those situations whether because I'm sticking up for Jesus or because I've done something clumsy, it's not shame. And you know why? Because God says He made me perfect and I know what His definition for that word is. It may not always be my definition, but I'd rather use His dictionary anyway.
"Though it may be argued, theoretically, that a Christianity in which men know how to picket, but now how to pray, is bound to wither, theorizing is not required, because we can already observe the logic of events. The fact is that emphasis upon the life of outer service, without a corresponding emphasis upon the life of devotion, has already led to obviously damaging results, one of which is calculated arrogance. How different it might be if the angry activists were to heed the words found in The Imitation of Christ, 'Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.'
"The essence of pietism, by contrast, is the limitation of primary interest to personal salvation. Even today, by the highways, we can see signs paid for by somebody, which urge us to 'get right with God.' The evil of this well-intentioned effort lies not in what it says, but in what it so evidently omits. The assumption is that salvation is nothing more than a private transaction between the individual and God and that it can become an accomplished, dated event."
-From The New Man for Our Time by Elton Trueblood
Follow me for a second, would you, and then hopefully you can see where my rabbit trail emerges. So I read this in my little devotional book and it got me thinking about how as believers many times we have the best of intentions with things and we so desperately want people to see the light and goodness that we see in Jesus that we don't actually give the entire picture. It then led me to thinking about one of my favorite quotes by Amy Carmichael that says, "Persecution winnos the grain, and we do not want a church of chaff." This quote to me spells out the goodness of God in hard times. He knocks us down to build us up.
But now continue on down my rabbit trail and I hope you will see the full circle. When we became believers we signed on to a different dictionary than Webster's. Persecution is never positive in any dictionary I've ever read. But Christ says on multiple occasions that His people will suffer much for their decision to follow Him. So if God is good all the time- and He is, that's not up for discussion currently- then persecution helps make the church and its people stronger, thus glorifying the Kingdom (thus being good!). Or take good. If you look it up you'll find things like "above average condition, high-quality." Is that what you call a situation that we've all had in our Christian journey when things go horribly wrong? There are many other words I like to use in those bad situations and "above average" isn't one of them. But those situations are "good" when we think of them from God's definition- meaning things that bring us closer to being more like Him and a little less like ourselves in our human condition.
I could go on and on with examples but my point is this: when we signed on to Christianity our dictionary had to change. We have to stop seeing things from the world's perspective and we have to start learning God's perspective.
Maybe you'll resonate with one last example.
" O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame." Psalm 25: 2-3a.
I can think of about a hundred or more examples when I've felt pretty embarrased in life. And from my human perspective embarrasment and shame are pretty much the same thing. I'm ashamed when I do something dumb (ranging from tripping on the sidewalk to actual sin). I felt "put to shame" in college on many occasions when the "cool thing" was not something I wanted to do and people thought I was a little uptight.
But God's definition must not be my definition because I'm going to choose to believe instead of doubt. So if I'm going to believe I'm going to take Him at His word and His word says "NONE who wait for you shall be put to shame [PERIOD.]" Not "put to shame sometimes" but "not put to shame ever." So my definition must be WAY off, way misguided, way too far deep into our culture and what we find as happiness-giving but really is a temporary band-aid for deeper needs. Whatever emotion I've experienced in those situations whether because I'm sticking up for Jesus or because I've done something clumsy, it's not shame. And you know why? Because God says He made me perfect and I know what His definition for that word is. It may not always be my definition, but I'd rather use His dictionary anyway.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
The Apostles' Creed Part 2
He descended into hell. Did He? Although only alluded to in scripture, I believe He did this in so many words. What is hell? Life without God. Not life totally void of a god, a supreme being, a ruler and controller. But life without that being. Life spent apart from and unable to reach toward goodness and freedom. Bondage. He descended to our fate, our ultimate end because of our sin that He took on. He not only took on sin but He took on our end, the utmost punishment. Sit in that thought for a second. Can you imagine the torture, the pain that hell must be? We sometimes focus on how horrible it must have been to be beaten and nailed to a cross but that was only a few hours of torture. We're talking days in hell here. He willingly did that for you. He willingly did that for me. The amazing thing is, above all the other amazing things, that He created the world in such a way that He would have to die for us. He created the world not only knowing but making it so that He would have to come down, live among us, teach us His ways and then take our place. He loves us that much.
The third day. 3 days in hell. I can hardly imagine three hours of torture and life without God, much less three days of it. Even as someone not yet saved, the capacity still exists to be so if the said person still exists here on earth. But Jesus endured 3 days of life devoid of any semblance of the comfort, authority and alms that He deserved. I don't even know what else to say- 3 days, that's a long time when you're in pain.
He rose again from the dead. We're conveniently surrounded by people here in the south that know about Jesus. I read a statistic the other day that said 94% of Americans believe in God and 46% are Christian. I think I might a "claim to be" in the later but that's my skepticism talking. Have you ever sat back and thought about what it looked like for Jesus to die and then come back to life? When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead I believe He made a distinct decision to wait a few days before going there. Jesus wanted Lazarus good and dead. Dead so that he's beginning to smell and rot, leaving no one suspicious that maybe he's just in a comma and looks dead. Now I'm no history buff but I've heard that they used to put bells in caskets because some people got buried alive. They knew this because when they excavated some graves they found fingernail scratchings and other indications that people tried to get out. How terrible would that be? Anyway, that's not the case here. No desperate attempt to look dead or act dead so He could come off the cross. He was dead. They pierced His side, they embalmed him, they set him in a tomb and rolled a really heavy stone over the entrance. But against all odds, against all faith, against everything that made sense to humanity He rose. He, because He is God, picked himself up and decided to live again. He couldn't be beat. We don't know how and the more we try to rationalize it the more it doesn't make sense. Jesus was dead for too long to be considered logical and He not only started to live again but in that moment all blame, all punishment, all pain and torture that we should have endured vanished for those who love Him.
He ascended into heaven. I've always wanted to fly. I think, however, what amazes me most about this picture (can you see it?) is Jesus' humble attitude throughout the scene. I would have been going nuts, I'll be honest, throwing around a few "I told you so's" and "why didn't you believe me, stupid" and "haha I was right". I would at least have wanted to go back to everyone that laughed at me and pointed and laughed at them. But luckily I'm not god. He continued this amazing ability of communicating love and grace to those that still didn't truly understand. He didn't taunt them with His amazing abilities, He hoped they'd realize they could do the same. He hoped they'd do even greater things. He hoped they would draw strength from His strength and seek not themselves but Him and thus get to the Father. He ascended to His rightful place, His place that He never had to leave but chose to leave. He flew to be back in bodily form with a God He never left spiritually.
The third day. 3 days in hell. I can hardly imagine three hours of torture and life without God, much less three days of it. Even as someone not yet saved, the capacity still exists to be so if the said person still exists here on earth. But Jesus endured 3 days of life devoid of any semblance of the comfort, authority and alms that He deserved. I don't even know what else to say- 3 days, that's a long time when you're in pain.
He rose again from the dead. We're conveniently surrounded by people here in the south that know about Jesus. I read a statistic the other day that said 94% of Americans believe in God and 46% are Christian. I think I might a "claim to be" in the later but that's my skepticism talking. Have you ever sat back and thought about what it looked like for Jesus to die and then come back to life? When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead I believe He made a distinct decision to wait a few days before going there. Jesus wanted Lazarus good and dead. Dead so that he's beginning to smell and rot, leaving no one suspicious that maybe he's just in a comma and looks dead. Now I'm no history buff but I've heard that they used to put bells in caskets because some people got buried alive. They knew this because when they excavated some graves they found fingernail scratchings and other indications that people tried to get out. How terrible would that be? Anyway, that's not the case here. No desperate attempt to look dead or act dead so He could come off the cross. He was dead. They pierced His side, they embalmed him, they set him in a tomb and rolled a really heavy stone over the entrance. But against all odds, against all faith, against everything that made sense to humanity He rose. He, because He is God, picked himself up and decided to live again. He couldn't be beat. We don't know how and the more we try to rationalize it the more it doesn't make sense. Jesus was dead for too long to be considered logical and He not only started to live again but in that moment all blame, all punishment, all pain and torture that we should have endured vanished for those who love Him.
He ascended into heaven. I've always wanted to fly. I think, however, what amazes me most about this picture (can you see it?) is Jesus' humble attitude throughout the scene. I would have been going nuts, I'll be honest, throwing around a few "I told you so's" and "why didn't you believe me, stupid" and "haha I was right". I would at least have wanted to go back to everyone that laughed at me and pointed and laughed at them. But luckily I'm not god. He continued this amazing ability of communicating love and grace to those that still didn't truly understand. He didn't taunt them with His amazing abilities, He hoped they'd realize they could do the same. He hoped they'd do even greater things. He hoped they would draw strength from His strength and seek not themselves but Him and thus get to the Father. He ascended to His rightful place, His place that He never had to leave but chose to leave. He flew to be back in bodily form with a God He never left spiritually.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Being Mad a God
"And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them...And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them" Acts 16:6-7,10.
It doesn't solve anything or do any good to be mad at God. You can try, you can beg and whine, cry, barter and make plenty of other deals with Him, but it won't amount to anything. I was reminded of that fact yesterday as it's somewhat the teeter-totter of my life right now. I read this passage last night right before crawling into bed and it was as though the very heavens opened up and spoke directly to me.
Can you imagine Paul going city to city, proclaiming Jesus, being extremely obedient, fasting, praying, giving everything up; basically being super-human, super-Christian, best all-around guy probably ever? Can you picture it? He's in-touch with God. He's got it. He goes to these regions but the Spirit forbids him speaking. Now this time the Spirit forbids him so this time he probably got the word directly and knew he wasn't supposed to preach in Asia. So that's comforting that he knows close to exactly what's why going, why things are going to the way they are and he's ok with it because it's directly what God wants. But then things change. He goes to the next region, Mysia and attempted to go into Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. What does that look like? Jesus didn't allow them to go into the city. They were just walking, just trying to do some good, just trying to save some people from eternal damnation and teach them about a risen Savior that could bring them current joy, current satisfaction and hope that nothing else could bring. But Jesus stopped them by whatever means and confounded their path. He didn't appear in a vision and say, "I don't want you going there so I stopped you. Please understand I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I think you're great." Nope, nothing. He just confounded their way and offered no explanation.
But they, Paul, Silas, Timothy and probably others chose to trust God, chose not to get mad or be frustrated that they couldn't enter the town. They chose NOT to doubt in His sovereignty or doubt His plan. They chose to think higher, think wider and believe that God knew the best way. Then Paul had a vision that they should go to Macedonia. It says "immediately WE sought to go..concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." They concluded, they didn't know for sure, they didn't quite get all the answers about why they'd been stopped from entering Bithynia, but they believed in a God who works everything out for good, who has a divine plan that is so much better than our plans, even if our plans seem good or best at the time.
You can get mad at God. You can tell him how things would have worked out so much better if He'd just done this or that. You can sob and whine thinking He doesn't love you, He doesn't care, He doesn't have control. But He does, and He will continue to. So you can stand in God's way and make things more complicated or you can get out of the way and enter into your Macedonia.
It doesn't solve anything or do any good to be mad at God. You can try, you can beg and whine, cry, barter and make plenty of other deals with Him, but it won't amount to anything. I was reminded of that fact yesterday as it's somewhat the teeter-totter of my life right now. I read this passage last night right before crawling into bed and it was as though the very heavens opened up and spoke directly to me.
Can you imagine Paul going city to city, proclaiming Jesus, being extremely obedient, fasting, praying, giving everything up; basically being super-human, super-Christian, best all-around guy probably ever? Can you picture it? He's in-touch with God. He's got it. He goes to these regions but the Spirit forbids him speaking. Now this time the Spirit forbids him so this time he probably got the word directly and knew he wasn't supposed to preach in Asia. So that's comforting that he knows close to exactly what's why going, why things are going to the way they are and he's ok with it because it's directly what God wants. But then things change. He goes to the next region, Mysia and attempted to go into Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. What does that look like? Jesus didn't allow them to go into the city. They were just walking, just trying to do some good, just trying to save some people from eternal damnation and teach them about a risen Savior that could bring them current joy, current satisfaction and hope that nothing else could bring. But Jesus stopped them by whatever means and confounded their path. He didn't appear in a vision and say, "I don't want you going there so I stopped you. Please understand I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I think you're great." Nope, nothing. He just confounded their way and offered no explanation.
But they, Paul, Silas, Timothy and probably others chose to trust God, chose not to get mad or be frustrated that they couldn't enter the town. They chose NOT to doubt in His sovereignty or doubt His plan. They chose to think higher, think wider and believe that God knew the best way. Then Paul had a vision that they should go to Macedonia. It says "immediately WE sought to go..concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." They concluded, they didn't know for sure, they didn't quite get all the answers about why they'd been stopped from entering Bithynia, but they believed in a God who works everything out for good, who has a divine plan that is so much better than our plans, even if our plans seem good or best at the time.
You can get mad at God. You can tell him how things would have worked out so much better if He'd just done this or that. You can sob and whine thinking He doesn't love you, He doesn't care, He doesn't have control. But He does, and He will continue to. So you can stand in God's way and make things more complicated or you can get out of the way and enter into your Macedonia.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Signs and Wonders
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance…Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles….so that the people even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them…And gazing at Stephen, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel…But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God…The Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands…An angel of the Lord said to Philip…And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more…” Select scripture from Acts 2-8.
I read all of this today from Acts. I got to thinking, mulling over what it must have been like to have lived during this phase. I’m trying to immerse myself in the faith, in the emotion, in the thought-processes that must have been going on at this time. And now I’m wondering what it would be like to have all of these signs and wonders, all of these people and their great faith transplanted into our culture. Picture it- Philip comes up to you while you’re reading something really difficult to grasp from the Bible. You’re confused, perplexed and delighted to find someone so eager to help break the words down for you. He adequately explains the passage; you get so excited about Jesus that you immediately want to be baptized (without the church class). You stop by the side of the road, get out and he dunks you (a non-ordained, uneducated person). Then, if that’s not enough, he’s gone, like gone, gone. The Spirit carries him away.
I find myself thinking how it would go over if someone were carried away by the Spirit in our culture. I think people would be screaming voodoo, witch or something black magic, not ‘neat, the Holy Spirit!’ I think about how many times I’ve needed to literally be two places at one time. I think I’d use this passage as a punch line more than I’m prone to actually attempt to wrap my mind around the circumference, as well as the sincerity and reality of these words. Something like, “Gee, it’d sure be nice to be Philip right now and disappear from one place, landing in the exact spot, the exact time I need to be in the next….” No really, can you imagine it actually happening in our world? Can you imagine an angel speaking directly to someone, telling them to go somewhere particular? Can you picture a man nowadays so powerful and mighty, performing so many signs and wonders that people wanted to touch even his shadow? I think people in 2009 would freak out- and not in a good way. I think most Christians would freak out too.
We say we want a mighty God. We say we want an all powerful deity that reigns supremely. We say we want a God that knows all things, has authority over all things, that makes miracles happen, but do we really? I think one of the saddest things about my generation and the world today is that we don’t spend time sitting in passages like these from acts. We don’t spend time glimpsing what it felt like to be Jesus- to be humiliated for a cause so great. We don’t spend time knowing scripture, figuring it out and unlocking more knowledge and power. We take the cookie cutter Christian life, we take what other people tell us about it, we read the best sellers and we think that’s pretty much all there is to it. We miss out on the authentic Christ, the authentic God, the authentic Spirit and settle for hearsay that truthfully always makes you question whether the bandwagon your on is actually real, is actually going to turn up true. I think it's because sadly a lot of us aren't on the authentic road and therefore that life is coming up short of the awe-inspiring one you thought you might have as a Christian. We've got to read the Bible, we've got to know what's in there so we know what we're getting ourselves into and what God actually exists.
I read all of this today from Acts. I got to thinking, mulling over what it must have been like to have lived during this phase. I’m trying to immerse myself in the faith, in the emotion, in the thought-processes that must have been going on at this time. And now I’m wondering what it would be like to have all of these signs and wonders, all of these people and their great faith transplanted into our culture. Picture it- Philip comes up to you while you’re reading something really difficult to grasp from the Bible. You’re confused, perplexed and delighted to find someone so eager to help break the words down for you. He adequately explains the passage; you get so excited about Jesus that you immediately want to be baptized (without the church class). You stop by the side of the road, get out and he dunks you (a non-ordained, uneducated person). Then, if that’s not enough, he’s gone, like gone, gone. The Spirit carries him away.
I find myself thinking how it would go over if someone were carried away by the Spirit in our culture. I think people would be screaming voodoo, witch or something black magic, not ‘neat, the Holy Spirit!’ I think about how many times I’ve needed to literally be two places at one time. I think I’d use this passage as a punch line more than I’m prone to actually attempt to wrap my mind around the circumference, as well as the sincerity and reality of these words. Something like, “Gee, it’d sure be nice to be Philip right now and disappear from one place, landing in the exact spot, the exact time I need to be in the next…
We say we want a mighty God. We say we want an all powerful deity that reigns supremely. We say we want a God that knows all things, has authority over all things, that makes miracles happen, but do we really? I think one of the saddest things about my generation and the world today is that we don’t spend time sitting in passages like these from acts. We don’t spend time glimpsing what it felt like to be Jesus- to be humiliated for a cause so great. We don’t spend time knowing scripture, figuring it out and unlocking more knowledge and power. We take the cookie cutter Christian life, we take what other people tell us about it, we read the best sellers and we think that’s pretty much all there is to it. We miss out on the authentic Christ, the authentic God, the authentic Spirit and settle for hearsay that truthfully always makes you question whether the bandwagon your on is actually real, is actually going to turn up true. I think it's because sadly a lot of us aren't on the authentic road and therefore that life is coming up short of the awe-inspiring one you thought you might have as a Christian. We've got to read the Bible, we've got to know what's in there so we know what we're getting ourselves into and what God actually exists.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Peter
Peter has always struck me as an interesting character. He's always trying to jump the gun, always so sure in all his actions and speeches. What I like most about Peter is that He wasn't afraid to look stupid in front on Jesus, at least not from my perspective. Take a look-
"Jesus said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.' So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea..for they were not far from land, about a hundred yards off" John 21:6-8.
He threw himself into the sea? Can you picture it? John says, "It's Jesus!" and Peter clumsily puts ON his clothes and jumps overboard. It was a hundred yards, a few minutes delay would have kept him dry, but a few minutes he could not spare.He had to get to Jesus. It meant everything to him. Sure, you can say he's trying to make up for denying Christ, trying to show Jesus he's back being a good guy, but I think by now Peter is well aware that Jesus knows the heart instead of the actions. I think Peter genuinely thinks of nothing else but getting to Jesus as quickly as possible, forsaking being cool, looking good and saving face. Peter knew the importance of being near Jesus.
I also thought about Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Look how Peter acts here:
"Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!'" 13:6-9.
I love seeing how feisty Peter acts in life. He's a go-getter. He probably needed John and the other disciples to calm him down and make him think realistically about certain situations because he wanted to do something, wanted to take action and make change probably a little faster than was sometimes good. But look here, He comes unashamed to Jesus, asking him questions, wanting to know more. He says, 'are you really going to wash my feet? Shouldn't I be washing yours?' And instead of just following the crowd because everyone else is sitting in awe He says, 'nope, not going to happen. I should be washing yours not you washing mine. You can't do that Jesus, you're no servant, if anything we're your servants.' But Jesus had a lesson or two to teach Peter about true servant hood. When Peter understood that Jesus wanted to serve, wanted to cleanse him of the dirt that so easily clung to him, Peter got over-zealous and said, 'wash all of me!' But yet again, Jesus in all His wisdom says, 'you don't need it, Peter. You are clean everywhere but this one part of you. I'll fix it, I'll make it clean. You just let me, that's your part.' Peter didn't feel dumb because Jesus had to explain it to him. He didn't say, 'oh, well fine,' like our culture of embarrassment when we're wrong. He grasped on tightly to Jesus' words of correction and embraced the new knowledge and wisdom. He embraced Jesus' ability to cleanse and His desire to serve.
When Peter got to the empty tomb He ran directly in. He didn't stop to think if it was safe, if he should be doing that, or if it was best. He was searching for Jesus and logic was out the window. I think I could learn a great deal from the character of Peter. After all, he's the Rock, the great pillar of the church, the guy who died upside down on a cross because he realized just how unworthy he truly was and how fortunate he was to die for such a man that would wash even him of everything he'd ever done.
"Jesus said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.' So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea..for they were not far from land, about a hundred yards off" John 21:6-8.
He threw himself into the sea? Can you picture it? John says, "It's Jesus!" and Peter clumsily puts ON his clothes and jumps overboard. It was a hundred yards, a few minutes delay would have kept him dry, but a few minutes he could not spare.He had to get to Jesus. It meant everything to him. Sure, you can say he's trying to make up for denying Christ, trying to show Jesus he's back being a good guy, but I think by now Peter is well aware that Jesus knows the heart instead of the actions. I think Peter genuinely thinks of nothing else but getting to Jesus as quickly as possible, forsaking being cool, looking good and saving face. Peter knew the importance of being near Jesus.
I also thought about Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Look how Peter acts here:
"Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!'" 13:6-9.
I love seeing how feisty Peter acts in life. He's a go-getter. He probably needed John and the other disciples to calm him down and make him think realistically about certain situations because he wanted to do something, wanted to take action and make change probably a little faster than was sometimes good. But look here, He comes unashamed to Jesus, asking him questions, wanting to know more. He says, 'are you really going to wash my feet? Shouldn't I be washing yours?' And instead of just following the crowd because everyone else is sitting in awe He says, 'nope, not going to happen. I should be washing yours not you washing mine. You can't do that Jesus, you're no servant, if anything we're your servants.' But Jesus had a lesson or two to teach Peter about true servant hood. When Peter understood that Jesus wanted to serve, wanted to cleanse him of the dirt that so easily clung to him, Peter got over-zealous and said, 'wash all of me!' But yet again, Jesus in all His wisdom says, 'you don't need it, Peter. You are clean everywhere but this one part of you. I'll fix it, I'll make it clean. You just let me, that's your part.' Peter didn't feel dumb because Jesus had to explain it to him. He didn't say, 'oh, well fine,' like our culture of embarrassment when we're wrong. He grasped on tightly to Jesus' words of correction and embraced the new knowledge and wisdom. He embraced Jesus' ability to cleanse and His desire to serve.
When Peter got to the empty tomb He ran directly in. He didn't stop to think if it was safe, if he should be doing that, or if it was best. He was searching for Jesus and logic was out the window. I think I could learn a great deal from the character of Peter. After all, he's the Rock, the great pillar of the church, the guy who died upside down on a cross because he realized just how unworthy he truly was and how fortunate he was to die for such a man that would wash even him of everything he'd ever done.
Monday, August 03, 2009
The Apostle's Creed
In what follows I have written a few thoughts of mine surrounding The Apostle's Creed. I've broken it into two days so stay tuned for part 2!
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe: the deep cry of our souls so desperately wanting this first eternal statement of the Apostles’ Creed to be true. Not only to be true, but to radiate power, authority, dominion- Almighty-ness. Deep breath. The maker of heaven and earth. How far around that statement can we actually wrap our minds? Do we even scratch the surface of realizing the incomprehensible nature of the breadth and depth of the makings of heaven and earth? The making of such a vast expanse from nothing, not even thin air or dirt. To believe in God, the Father who made all of this by speaking it, although not even necessary in itself. Even the act of speaking things into being could be God’s first application of limiting Himself, or better, arranging Himself in such a way that the human mind might more easily comprehend His workings from the beginning. Limiting not in a sense of boundaries to God, but limiting in a sense of deep, perfect, seamless love that realizes so intricately our make-up, since He is the maker, that it limits its incomprehensibility in order that our fleck-of-sand faith might have a possibility of even catching the hem of his tapestry.
And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord. His only son. You and I are not original sons and daughters. We are adopted heirs bought, as in normal adoptive cases, but given the same privileges of the only rightful heir. Privileges to live life the way He lived it. Privileges to put the Father and His creations first before ourselves. Privileges not to try and pay back our adoptive price tag or earn our Father’s favor by deeds of obedience, but privileges that embrace the goodness of God and His abundance because He is our Lord, our Messiah, our Redeemer, our infinite God that made Himself finite that we might be able to inherit Kingdom entry because of our adoption.
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary. A young virgin having a baby, unmarried while pregnant. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is conventional about God. Those things which make the least sense often emerge as the most powerful. Those things that require faith often become the most profitable.
suffered under Pontius Pilate. Oh Pilate, didn’t want to go against the grain, didn’t want to disengage the crowd and terrified to be a waves maker. Luke says Pilate was “desiring to release Jesus” (23:20) and he “did not find this man guilty of any of the charges against Him” (v14). Pilate, when will we learn the costliness of your mistake? When will we see that following the crowd’s orders and being more afraid of them than God will never make us succeed or be complete? When will we stop seeking others’ affirmation for voids only God can fulfill? He had a life in His hands that He could have sold everything he had, purchased that life, and lived more abundantly from then on than all His riches held. He could have been a follower of the true leader but instead chose to be a leader of a bunch of false followers. He chose appeasement, he chose fame, he chose prosperity and popularity.. I’m fortunate I wasn’t around in Biblical times. So often in daily practice I stand beside Pilate in the same decisions. My name should be right alongside his in this sacred creed. Suffered under me. Suffered because of my sin, my self-righteous actions, my arrogance, my ideals and my desire to be liked. But he suffered not because of me but for me. He suffered under my sin, under my great desire to deviate from His plan, but not because of my great folly. He chose to suffer and willingly entered into it. He may have prayed in the garden, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me” (Luke 22:42), but He knew when He stood at the beginning with the Father (John 1:1-5), that He would in fact have to prove that life He had in Him was and is the light of men by coming here and suffering for crimes He didn’t commit but willingly took upon Himself. He stood at creation and wholeheartedly agreed in unison that all of creation was very good.
was crucified, dead and buried. Would that be the end, some wondered. Others sat crushed, some feeling duped, some feeling saddened He wasn’t the messiah they were looking for. He wasn’t the king who came to take back what the Jews thought rightfully theirs. He wasn’t boisterous, daring and outspoken. He was a soldier, but a much different one that they imagined or truthfully wanted. And now He was dead so did any of it even matter? They knew the prophesy of the Old Testament, they memorized the scriptures for lack of ability to read. They listened at the synagogue with unparalleled attention to each word coming out of any teacher’s mouth. They had heard Jesus say on multiple occasions that on the third day He would rise. But this crucifixion, this dishonoring and disrespectful way of dying was not according to the human plan. It was not how they saw their King riding into victory. They didn’t understand, but they didn’t ask or stop to think that these three harsh words- crucified, dead and buried could come to hold the most glorious tidings for each of us. He truly did turn that which is most horrid, most terrifying and most ugly to most freeing, beautiful and perfect.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe: the deep cry of our souls so desperately wanting this first eternal statement of the Apostles’ Creed to be true. Not only to be true, but to radiate power, authority, dominion- Almighty-ness. Deep breath. The maker of heaven and earth. How far around that statement can we actually wrap our minds? Do we even scratch the surface of realizing the incomprehensible nature of the breadth and depth of the makings of heaven and earth? The making of such a vast expanse from nothing, not even thin air or dirt. To believe in God, the Father who made all of this by speaking it, although not even necessary in itself. Even the act of speaking things into being could be God’s first application of limiting Himself, or better, arranging Himself in such a way that the human mind might more easily comprehend His workings from the beginning. Limiting not in a sense of boundaries to God, but limiting in a sense of deep, perfect, seamless love that realizes so intricately our make-up, since He is the maker, that it limits its incomprehensibility in order that our fleck-of-sand faith might have a possibility of even catching the hem of his tapestry.
And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord. His only son. You and I are not original sons and daughters. We are adopted heirs bought, as in normal adoptive cases, but given the same privileges of the only rightful heir. Privileges to live life the way He lived it. Privileges to put the Father and His creations first before ourselves. Privileges not to try and pay back our adoptive price tag or earn our Father’s favor by deeds of obedience, but privileges that embrace the goodness of God and His abundance because He is our Lord, our Messiah, our Redeemer, our infinite God that made Himself finite that we might be able to inherit Kingdom entry because of our adoption.
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary. A young virgin having a baby, unmarried while pregnant. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is conventional about God. Those things which make the least sense often emerge as the most powerful. Those things that require faith often become the most profitable.
suffered under Pontius Pilate. Oh Pilate, didn’t want to go against the grain, didn’t want to disengage the crowd and terrified to be a waves maker. Luke says Pilate was “desiring to release Jesus” (23:20) and he “did not find this man guilty of any of the charges against Him” (v14). Pilate, when will we learn the costliness of your mistake? When will we see that following the crowd’s orders and being more afraid of them than God will never make us succeed or be complete? When will we stop seeking others’ affirmation for voids only God can fulfill? He had a life in His hands that He could have sold everything he had, purchased that life, and lived more abundantly from then on than all His riches held. He could have been a follower of the true leader but instead chose to be a leader of a bunch of false followers. He chose appeasement, he chose fame, he chose prosperity and popularity.
was crucified, dead and buried. Would that be the end, some wondered. Others sat crushed, some feeling duped, some feeling saddened He wasn’t the messiah they were looking for. He wasn’t the king who came to take back what the Jews thought rightfully theirs. He wasn’t boisterous, daring and outspoken. He was a soldier, but a much different one that they imagined or truthfully wanted. And now He was dead so did any of it even matter? They knew the prophesy of the Old Testament, they memorized the scriptures for lack of ability to read. They listened at the synagogue with unparalleled attention to each word coming out of any teacher’s mouth. They had heard Jesus say on multiple occasions that on the third day He would rise. But this crucifixion, this dishonoring and disrespectful way of dying was not according to the human plan. It was not how they saw their King riding into victory. They didn’t understand, but they didn’t ask or stop to think that these three harsh words- crucified, dead and buried could come to hold the most glorious tidings for each of us. He truly did turn that which is most horrid, most terrifying and most ugly to most freeing, beautiful and perfect.
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