The Real Gift

I love Christmas movies! Especially the ones that feature bright decorations, lots of snow, and of course, Santa Claus. However, I must admit that there is one that bothers me a lot. There is a particular scene in the 1985 blockbuster, “One Magic Christmas,” where a Dad, down on his luck, shows up at a gas station to try to sell his old car, or even his camp stove, anything, in order to get some money so he can buy Christmas presents for his son. After being unsuccessful and seeing his son’s despondency, the dad decides to rob the local bank to get the funds needed and ends up killing a key character in the process. Of course, after Ginny (who was woefully lacking in Christmas spirit) has a supernatural conversion experience, time is turned back so she can give the poor man the money needed to buy gifts for his son and, as a result, not rob the bank and kill Ginny’s husband. As I watch this I inevitably say, “Wait a minute. Isn’t the original problem the fact that this poor man and his son place such a high value on Christmas gifts that he is willing to rob and kill to get it?” I mean, come on! What’s wrong with this picture?

This month we’ve been reexamining the meaning of Christmas – of the “Advent”/Coming of the Christ – and that meaning does not include giving nice presents to every boy and girl in the world, no matter what the cost to the family budget. Christmas does, in fact, involve the giving of gifts, and in particular, one gift. You and I are recipients of this, the “real gift.”

Jesus revealed the Father as a Giver. The heart of God is governed by generosity. Even the most generous person gives superficially and with some level of self-centered motivation when compared to God. When teaching about the generosity of God Jesus stated, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11). God knows how to give “good gifts,” gifts that will have the best benefits for the ones receiving his gifts. It’s interesting how the Gospel of Luke records this saying of Jesus: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13). Ultimately, the very best gift God can give anyone is the gift of the inner presence and working of God’s Spirit. That was probably what Jesus was referring to when he told the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). While everyone occasionally thirsts for water, all people have a deep, fundamental thirst for the living water only God can give, for the deep, inner moving of the Spirit of the Living God. While we may have a certain temporary item in mind to give (or receive) as a gift this Christmas, God alone can give us what we really need.

Christmas clearly reveals God’s real gift: “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). GOD GAVE HIS SON!! What else is there? What else could we ever really need or want? During his life and ministry Jesus was very aware that he was God’s gift to humanity. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus came to give his life, to pay the price needed to restore humankind back to the Father. One time Jesus was teaching the crowd about himself, showing that he was God’s Living Bread sent to satisfy the deepest needs of the human heart. Jesus told them, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (John 6:27). Every gift but one is temporary, and will eventually wear out and “spoil.” Only the gift of eternal life given by God when he gave his Son will endure. Nothing else can really satisfy for very long. “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33).

I love what Jesus told the Samaritan woman: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Do we really understand the gift God has given us? Are we asking for, are we receiving that gift? Do we really know that there is only one source of living water?

And are we offering that gift to others this Christmas? No matter what has happened in our lives this year we are truly blessed. God has given us his Son. God has given us eternal life. Jesus is with us. God’s Spirit is in us. God has provided us with living water. Now, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8). May we rejoice in the real gift this Christmas, and may we freely offer it to those who are in need. Nothing else will satisfy. 

A Life Poured Out

When you consider the statement, “God is love,” what do you think it means? Verses like 1 John 4:16 don’t just say that “God is loving,” they define God as “love.” The problem for us is our misuse and often cheapening of this powerful word. When I say, “I love popcorn,” I’m not saying very much (except that I rarely turn down an opportunity to enjoy that particular snack). When God tells us he loves us, God means something profoundly important. For God to define himself as “love,” when God says that the essence of his life and character is summarized as “love,” it lifts our understanding up to a whole new level.

First of all, let’s take time to reflect on biblical definitions of God’s love. Jesus commanded his apprentices to “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). Human love is usually a response to someone else’s loving, encouraging, giving. To love an enemy who is only working to harm you is divine. God set the standard when he demonstrated his love for us “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Even when it comes to our neighbors Jesus instructed us to love them “as yourself” (Matthew 22:39), to put others alongside of our self rather than seeing everyone with our self at the center. “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10). The “Law of Love” teaches us that, if God’s love is ruling in our hearts and lives, we would never do anything that might injure the faith of a brother or sister. “If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died” (Romans 14:15). Even when we know we are “right,” when we have more knowledge about some area of truth, we can never forget that “knowledge puffs up while love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Paul went so far as to say that in the end only three qualities will abide, and that “the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Christ-followers must “do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14), for, “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6).

When celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples Jesus began by washing their feet. Before telling them he was about to give his life, Jesus gave them this command: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). Loving one another was not, in fact, a new command; loving one another “as I have loved you” was new. Jesus was not just asking for a high degree of normal, human love, he was looking for a divine quality of love, a self-giving, self-sacrificing kind of love. In fact, Jesus went on to say, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). God’s love is a life poured out. God’s love can also be seen in a “perfect unity.” “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23). When God’s love is ruling, human hearts and minds are united together around God’s throne, without division and diversion.

God’s love is so powerful nothing will ever be able to separate us from God’s love. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

This divine quality of love is the ultimate mark of a Christians. The same love Jesus demonstrated in his life and death is now to be demonstrated in our lives. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). And this love is actually very practical. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17).

Frankly, this kind of love is not humanly possible. But with God, all things are possible. In fact, Paul taught that when God sent his Holy Spirit to abide in our human hearts, with the Spirit God sent his love as well. “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). Our challenge is to allow God’s love to rule in our hearts more and more.

God’s love is infinite, voluntary, and unconditional. God’s love is expressed as a continuous, sacrificial self-giving. While we can try to define the nature and quality of God’s love, it’s best to contemplate pictures of divine love. Put simply, the love of God is best seen in Jesus – in every aspect of the life and ministry of Jesus – from the cradle to the cross. When we celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas day we see God’s love being shouted from the hills surrounding Bethlehem. At the same time, we remember that Jesus came to die for all humankind. Jesus was God’s life poured out, the final word about God and God’s love for humanity. This is what we are celebrating and proclaiming. “God so loved the world that he gave!”

Incarnation Nation

Have you noticed how Christian theologians love big words? Justification. Redemption. Sanctification. Propitiation (my personal favorite). And a special one for Calvinists (who are the intellectuals of Protestantism), Supralapsarianism. And of course our Christmas term, Incarnation. So what is “incarnation”? Is it a certain type of flower? A certain kind of soup (con carne)? The word literally means “enfleshed,” and refers to something or someone taking on human flesh. “Incarnation” refers to God coming into history as a human being – one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith – the mystery we celebrate at Christmas.

I find it interesting that the prominent philosophies taught in the first century tended to believe that anything physical – flesh and blood – was inherently inferior (if not evil). The very thought of God taking on human flesh was unacceptable. And yet, that is the story of Christmas. The apostle John famously wrote, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The Eternal Word (Logos) of God, the Word that was with God in the beginning and was God, became flesh. I love how the Message paraphrases this verse: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.”

One of the earliest hymns of the church was composed by the apostle Paul to celebrate the incarnation:

“Who, being in very nature God,
     did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own             advantage;
    rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Jesus did not need to strive for divinity (unlike our original parents in the Garden) because he was God. Beyond that, Jesus did not seek to hang on to his divine rights, power and authority. Instead, “he made himself nothing,” literally, “he emptied himself.” As God, Jesus considered himself to be nothing, he poured himself out, pouring himself into humanity, God becoming “enfleshed.” In doing so, Jesus could have come into the world as a king or a famous philosopher. Instead, he “took the form of a servant.” Jesus came into the world to serve the Father, but also to serve humanity. Jesus came as a Servant-King, intentionally choosing a humble birth and a humble lifestyle. In the end, Jesus went even further, humbling himself by dying in the place of us all.

The mystery of the incarnation communicates several very important ideas:

1.     It tells us something about God. When we think of the fact that “God is love,” we see God taking extreme measures to have a free, love relationship with his creatures. God took the initiative to restore humanity back into a full relationship with him. Nothing is more important to our Father than our freely-chosen, freely-expressed love relationship with him.

2.     It tells us something about humanity. When God initiated salvation, God did so by entering into human history, becoming a human being. God’s “Plan A” involves an intimate partnership with humans, the pinnacle of God’s creation. Not only did God not give up on us, God became one of us in order to draw us back to himself. In fact, Jesus came as a perfect, sinless human being, and in doing so, not only perfectly represents God, Jesus perfectly represents human beings as God originally designed them (us) to be. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God; Jesus also came to restore our full, human potential.

3.     It tells us something about the way God works. I suppose God could have waved a magic wand over creation and “fixed it.” It might have been easier for God to wipe out humanity and start over. Instead, God entered into human chaos pain and brought life out of death. All God’s goals are relational and all God’s methods are relational.

So when you see a picture of the Holy Family with shepherds and wise men gathered in a barn, you aren’t just seeing a sentimental symbol of Christmas. You are seeing one of the greatest miracles, and one of the greatest mysteries, in all of human history. Indeed, you are seeing the pinnacle of human history. Everything changed from that moment on, and you and I are invited to enter into the miracle and renew our commitment to God’s plan for our lives. Look how he loves us!

What Are the Odds?

I used to teach a freshman class at Portland Bible College called “Basic Doctrine.” While preparing to teach I came across an amazing statistic: The Old Testament contains 330 specific prophecies pertaining to the coming of the Messiah, all of them specifically fulfilled. What are the odds that any of them would actually be fulfilled? Well, the probability that any 8 of the 330 being fulfilled is 1 in 10¹⁷. This is equivalent to covering the state of Texas two feet deep in silver dollars, randomly placing a special mark on one of the silver dollars, then picking it out the very first time. The probability of all 330 prophecies being specifically fulfilled is 1 in 10¹⁴⁷. Imagine randomly marking one of the electrons in the universe then picking that electron the very first time and you can see that it’s really impossible for all of these prophecies to be fulfilled. And yet they were. How do you account for that? It seem probable that God had something to do with it.

It is an ancient Christian tradition to prepare our hearts for the Christmas celebration with a four-week “Advent” commemoration. “Advent” simply means “coming,” so the purpose of Advent is to prayerfully reflect on Scripture in order to prepare our hearts to fully receive Christ at his coming on Christmas morning. During the first week of Advent it is customary to reflect on the Old Testament prophecies that accurately predict the coming of the Christ child.

When the prophet Isaiah announced to King Ahaz that God was going to deliver Judah from its enemies, the King was skeptical. So Isaiah said, “Ask the Lord God for a sign” (Isaiah 7:11). When Ahaz refused the prophet answered, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14; see also Matthew 1:23). The sign of God’s supernatural deliverance was the gift of a son, and not just any kind of son. This child would come into the world as a result of a young maid, a virgin, conceiving and giving birth. How is that even possible? This must be a supernatural child. And not just supernatural – he will be “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us.” How can a human child be God with us? It’s seemed unlikely that such an amazing prophecy could ever be fulfilled – until that first Christmas morning.

During that same time period Isaiah began to announce Good News to “the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali” (Isaiah 9:1; see also Matthew 4:15). The prophet declared that God was going to cause a special light to dawn on the people, resulting in joy and rejoicing. What was going to be so special about that light? “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). Once again, a special child, a son, would be provided by God to bring a new governance to the land. But this would not just be a normal, human ruler. “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This amazing son would be known as the Wonderful Counselor, the one bringing a full understanding of the wisdom of God. This child-ruler would be the Prince of Peace, bringing true harmony and wholeness to all who submitted to his rule. But not only that, he would also be the “Mighty God” and the “Everlasting Father.” It’s one thing to prophesy a new King provided by God, but to claim that this human child/king would also be God?! Isaiah then sang of the everlasting rule of this God-King. “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:7). The coming child would be the rightful King of Israel, ruling on David’s throne, but his rule would be an eternal reign of peace and justice. How is such a thing possible? Isn’t it only “pie-in-the-sky”? Maybe – until that first Christmas morning explained everything.

During this same period in Israel’s history the prophet Micah began his ministry. One day, while speaking of the enemies of Israel laying a siege against the land, the prophet made a very strange statement: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2; see also Matthew 2:6). The tiny village of Bethlehem was essentially a suburb of the might city of Jerusalem. With the city and the nation occupied by a foreign power, how could Bethlehem factor into God’s deliverance? How likely is it that a powerful ruler, a ruler who would bring ultimate deliverance to the people, one spoken of from ancient times, could be born in Bethlehem? It seemed highly improbably – until that first Christmas morning.

These are only three of the many Old Testament prophecies about the coming into the world of God’s Son, a child who would bring salvation to all mankind. As we enter into this Advent Season, may our hearts to open wide to his coming and ruling in our lives.

(I want to once again give full credit to my friend Ken Malmin, Dean of Portland Bible College and author of the "Basic Doctrine" curriculum.) 

The Power of Accountability

I don’t know about you but I am a very private person. While I can be very hard on myself, I’m not a big fan of others being hard on me (it just adds to my self-inflicted pain and suffering). Unnecessary vulnerability is not my favorite place. (Oops – I just made myself unnecessarily vulnerable.)  My “dirty underwear” will rarely be seen in public (while not denying that I have dirty underwear). There’s just one problem with that hyper-private tendency: It blocks certain areas of personal, spiritual growth and it creates an environment where sin can thrive. (Sin grows best in hidden places.)

On the other hand, Scripture raises the value of things like honesty and openness and the confession of sin, qualities referred to generally as “walking in the light.” Consider these important passages: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people 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 their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God” (John 3:19-21). Everyone has a basic urge to keep evil deeds hidden in darkness. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). “Walking in the light” is simply walking in the light of Jesus who brought the liberating power of his light into our lives. “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46). In fact, in his preaching Paul summarized the mission and message of Jesus as “the message of light” (Acts 26:23), and refers to the kingdom of God as “the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:12). For that reason, Paul exhorted Christ-followers, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). Paul went on to ask, “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Paul also summarizes the Jesus Way like this: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8), and “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6). The problem with light is that it exposes everything – and who likes to be exposed? However, once we have allowed ourselves to be exposed to the light, we become a light in the midst of darkness. “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light” (Ephesians 5:13).

Paul wasn’t the only New Testament writer who referred to a life lived in the light of Christ. Peter taught, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). The apostle John loved to refer to the need to “walk in the light”: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), and “Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble” (1 John 2:9).

All this paints a clear picture of living openly and honestly, with transparency and integrity. The key idea is what the Bible calls “confession,” as in, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). “Confessions” simply means “to say the same thing, to agree.” Confession means to agree with God concerning his view of our lives, including our sins, faults and weaknesses. When we agree with God, and even verbalize our agreement, it has the effect of bringing our sins out into the light, exposing them to the light, and in the process, breaking their power. As you know, there can be no forgiveness without repentance, and there can be no repentance without confession. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When we expose our sins to the light, we will no longer blame others, rationalize, minimize or seek to excuse any aspect of our sin. Instead, we will take full responsibility of our folly and the consequences of our sin.

In that way we can easily appreciate the power of accountability. One of the deepest, most profound relationships we can have with someone is an accountability relationship. It is a sacred relationship, relying on God to bring the right people into each other’s life. It is a high-level trust relationship, governed by consistent confidentiality. It is a covenant relationship, guided by a clear commitment to pray for each other’s healing. In an accountability relationship we give each other permission to ask, “How are you doing in this area?” with a commitment to always answering honestly. Very few things are more liberating or empowering than a godly accountability relationship. Unfortunately, very few ever take the time to explore relationships deeply enough to carve out an accountability relationship with a brother or sister. We know that in the end, “the whole world [will be] held accountable to God” (Romans 3:19). However, we have the option of holding ourselves accountable in our present life by having that kind of relationship with another dedicated Christ-follower. Are you willing to explore that possibility? If so, begin to ask God to show you someone he knows will be a source of healing in your life. 

Relationships are HARD WORK!

Human beings were made primarily for relationship. The first time God said that something in creation was “not good” was when he commented on the man “being alone” (Genesis 2:18). Humans were made for relationship with God, relationship with each other, and relationship with the rest of God’s good creation. It’s at the point of relationships that we reflect the nature of God most completely. “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and not just any kind of love; God’s love is committed, unconditional, voluntary, loyal, covenant-keeping love.

So what went wrong? In one word (here it is again), “Sin!” Yes, that pesky tendency to view all of life with self at the center consistently blocks real relationships. For that reason, healthy, happy relationships do not come naturally or easily to us humans. Even in the context of grace and a new relationship with God, relationships are hard work!

Not only are relationships hard work, every time a relationship goes “to the next level,” it requires more diligent, thoughtful, sensitive, intentional effort. There are several levels of relationship, from the very superficial to high levels of “oneness”: (1) Acquaintance, in the context of occasional, casual encounters and conversations; (2) Friendship, when two people explore the things they have in common and begin to share life on a more consistent level; (3) Commitment, a decision to be loyal to a relationship, “for better or worse,” seen most completely in a godly marriage; and (4) Oneness, two people becoming one in heart and mind as a result of sharing life through many trials over a long period of time.

Human society not centered around the Lordship of Jesus Christ finds it almost impossible to have deeper levels of relationships. Our American “individualistic” culture works against committed relationships. Everyone knows that we have become experts, not at growing a healthy marriage, but at breaking marriage vows at the first sign of trouble. As Christ followers we need to take another look at the personal and interpersonal skills needed to grow Christ-honoring, God-glorifying relationships. We need a revival of relationships that are governed by God’s self-giving love – at home, in the local church, in our communities.

Recent research into healthy, committed relationships has described such relational skills and qualities as (not in any particular order): (1) Kindness, (2) Being open to change, (3) Commitment to meeting the other’s needs, (4) Encouragement, (5) Ability to negotiate win-win resolutions to conflict, (6) Cheerfulness, (7) Respect, (8) Being a good listener, (9) Trust, and (10) Patience. Above all, healthy relationships require commitment and loyalty to another person. For Christ-followers commitment is based on the conviction that God has brought another person into our lives and is joining our hearts together (for whatever reason). When Christ is at the center of a relationship, our mutual commitment to Christ will hold us together, in good times and in bad.

The quality of God’s love not only summarizes God’s character, it is the primary evidence that you and I have a growing relationship with God. Jesus told his disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). Paul taught, “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). Paul also summarized the qualities of a person of faith: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Peter also gave primary importance to our committed relationships: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). On the other hand, Jesus prophesied, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

When you have a casual acquaintance with someone, you rarely ever have a conflict; your communication is too superficial for that to happen. However, the more you get to know someone, the more you will encounter objectionable, irritating aspects of that person’s life. That’s why at each level you have to ask: Is God in this relationship? Does God want me to commit myself to this relationship? Is God calling for covenant-keeping loyalty in the midst of our mess? If the answer is “yes,” then it’s always possible to find a positive way forward toward greater commitment, intimacy and oneness.

Every relationship (except the most temporary, superficial relationships) encounters challenges along the way, some of them very painful, difficult challenges. Husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters (natural and spiritual) encounter many opportunities to give up and move on. Anyone involved very deeply in the life of a local church will face obstacles and offenses along the way. In every situation the question remains the same: Is God the source of this relationship? Is Jesus at the center of this relationship? If so, then God is calling for his committed love to rule. Our commitment to unconditional love will always empower us to do the hard work needed to heal a relationship and move on into greater levels of oneness in the future. By this, the world we know we are apprentices of Jesus. 

The Gathering

Democracy was invented in Athens around 508 B.C. It was a direct democracy, meaning that the citizens voted for every issue – they did not vote for representatives who would vote on issues for them (that’s a Republic). All legislative and executive issues were determined by the citizens. Imagine an issue of taxation coming up in Athens. An assembly of the citizens (to be honest, only wealthy, adult males) was scheduled for a certain time and place. The assembly then heard arguments pro and con, often accompanied by political satirists and comedians (their own SNL), and then a vote was taken. You had to be physically present in order to be a part of the assembly and to have a vote on the matter.

The Greek word for the democratic assembly was ekklesia. It literally means “those who are called out,” i.e., called out of their homes to gather as an assembly. That same Greek word is very important in the New Testament and is always translated “church.” Unfortunately, the word “church” has come to mean a lot of things other than this picture of the assembly. Traditional and historical baggage has been attached to the idea of “church,” resulting in our understanding of church having little to do with the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles.

Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. However, he taught about the idea of his “ekklesia” on two different occasions. The first occasion was when he asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” You’ll recall that Peter responded with this important confession of faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:13-16). Jesus then made this statement about his ekklesia: “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). Jesus made a very clear declaration: “I will build my church,” my assembly. Jesus committed himself to building a community of gathered ones who would have authority to “bind” and to “loose.” This new assembly would gather in communion with heaven and share in the authority of heaven. It would be an entirely new kind of assembly that would triumph over the gates of hell.

On the second occasion Jesus was teaching his apprentices about the unique nature of his kingdom, describing the greatest in the kingdom as “someone who takes the lowly position of this child.” He went on to condemn those who cause one of his little ones to stumble, to recommend leaving the ninety-nine sheep to find the one who has wandered off, and to describe the process of restoring a fallen brother or sister (Matthew 18:1-17). Jesus then made this statement: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:18-20). Jesus expanded on his earlier teaching about the unique authority of his assembly by describing a concrete example of a Kingdom gathering, one involving “two or three” real people gathered at a specific time and place. This assembly would share heaven’s authority to bind and loose. Why? Because “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” This human gathering has heaven’s authority because they are gathered “in my name” and as a result, Jesus is with them.

I’m convinced that most of what we think of as “church” is not really church at all. We all know that the building is not the church, the people are the church. What we don’t appreciate is that the people are the church only when they are assembled together. I am not the church when I leave the assembly. We are the church during the times we are assembled together. And when we gather in the name of Jesus, with Jesus at the center, representing the mission priorities of Jesus, he is present with us, standing in the midst, speaking and working to and through us. It’s not enough just to be together; to share in heaven’s authority we must “agree” together in unity. And when we agree together as we agree with Jesus, the authority of God’s Kingdom is extended to and through our gathering.

May I suggest that there are many reasons why we occasionally assemble together that really miss the point:

·         To see and be seen. While we thoroughly enjoy our human connections and interactions during the times we are together, the church/gathering is not primarily a social club.

·         To serve and be served. For many the local church exists to provide a menu of religious goods and services. Some gather only when they are scheduled to serve. There is really no understanding of the authority of Jesus in the midst of a gathered, united community of Christ followers.

·         To put on a show for seekers. While we are committed to being a welcoming church and not a religious getto, our primary purpose is to gather in the name of Jesus to exercise the authority of God’s Kingdom.

·         To earn favor with God. In our Bible belt culture we are committed to the thought that “going to church” is always a good idea and contributes to our reputation of being good people. But we do not “go to church,” we are the church when we gather together in his name.

Instead, we must understand that the regular practice of assembling together is vitally important to our lives as apprentices of Jesus, to the Jesus Way, and to our experience of being transformed and empowered to being instruments of transformation in the world. We are committed to the regular practice of gathering because:

·         We are the “called out ones,” called out of the world by the grace of God.

·         We are representatives of Jesus, gathering in his name, gathering as instruments of God’s Kingdom in the world.

·         Jesus is with us; we gather to celebrate Jesus, to fellowship with Jesus, to worship together.

·         We have Kingdom authority when we are gathered together, taking advantage of the opportunity to “bind” and “loose” in Jesus’ name.

It’s no accident that you find all of us together at certain times and places. We are God’s Kingdom Gathering – transformed people transforming the world.

Nobody's Perfect!

Have you ever met someone with a “perfection complex”? It’s usually someone who grew up with a lot of pressure to be perfect, to make no mistakes, while being continually criticized for making mistakes and being imperfect. So this unfortunate, wounded person goes through life with an unhealthy compulsion to be perfect, to not make mistakes, to not fail. There are a couple of serious problems with this “complex”: (1) a fear of failure will keep a person from attempting anything of significance, and (2) nobody’s perfect. This person can either decide to live a very safe life where there is little chance of making a mistake, or they can live with a cycle of attempting perfection, failing, attempting again, failing again, etc., etc. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more miserable person.

On the other hand, some people are so completely committed to imperfection they make no attempt to live with any degree of excellence or integrity. They live to flaunt their imperfection, sometimes using “grace” as an excuse.

The fact is, the Bible talks about perfection. In almost every case, the word is used to refer to God (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:31; Psalm 18:30; Isaiah 25:1) or God’s Word (Psalm 19:7). Human perfection is another thing. “To all perfection I see a limit” (Psalm 119:96). Human perfection keeps bumping up against sin and mortality, injustice and death. God created human beings to perfectly reflect his glory. Unfortunately, all have sinned and fallen short of that glory.

Then Jesus came and painted a new picture of human perfection. Perhaps the high point of his “Sermon on the Mount” occurred when Jesus made this statement: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Is that even possible? To the rich man Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). It’s no wonder “he went away sad” (verse 22). It appears as though “the Jesus Way” is the way of perfection.

The apostle Paul went on to say that the renewing of our minds will enable us “to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). He instructed the Corinthian believers to “be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10). He also told them to purify themselves of everything that contaminates the body or the spirit, “perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (1 Corinthians 7:1). Paul wrote this to the Colossians: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14). The letter to the Hebrews refers to the sacrifice on the cross this way: “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14).

So what is it? Is human perfection this side of Paradise impossible, or are their dimensions of perfection made possible by the work of Christ?

What does the Bible mean by “perfect”? The New Testament word (Greek teleios) for “perfect” means “to be brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness.” It simply means “full-grown, adult, mature.” It refers to moral and spiritual maturity and wholeness, to character that reflects the heart of God.

New Testament “perfection,” therefore, means at least these things:

1.     The perfection of Christ and the perfect salvation he has provided can be counted as ours – by faith. Referring to Jesus the writer to the Hebrews claimed, “once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). We find our perfection only within the perfection of Christ.

2.     It is possible, by grace, for the character of the Father to be formed in our lives. For James, that included the way we use our tongues. “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check” (James 3:2). We are growing, developing spiritually, being transformed “from glory to glory,” so we expect to see the heart of God increasingly reflected in and through our lives.

3.     Our human weakness becomes a context for our growth in perfection. Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). There is no hope for perfection independently of God and the grace of God.

4.     The only basis for human perfection is God’s perfect love. Indeed, perfection is ultimately about an ever-increasing measure of love. “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:17-18).

We know we make mistakes. Human perfection is fundamentally impossible outside of Christ. However, the power of God’s grace and love is working mightily in our lives. God’s love is increasingly ruling in our lives. As our Father/Parent God is working to grow us up. We are, in fact, being transformed. In that way, God’s glory is shining in the midst of a dark world. Transformed people transform the world.

Who Is Seeking Whom?

In the church I grew up in we used to have “testimony services.” Folks were encouraged to stand up and volunteer a good witness for the Lord. (If enough didn’t respond we “blessed” them with a request to stand and testify.) I honestly don’t remember anything I may have said, but I do remember that everyone seemed to say about the same thing every time. It was like a rehearsed “elevator speech.” Those who were new to the church often started something like this: “I’m so very thankful that I finally found the Lord!” (Amen! Hallelujah! Well!) It made me wonder – is the Lord lost? Is it up to us to do God a favor by looking for him, finding him? Aren’t we the ones who are lost? And isn’t God the one who is looking for and seeking us?

My conclusion is that human beings are so lost we are incapable of even considering looking for God. “There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:11). If faith is our response to God’s initiative, then you never found God – God found you!

Jesus came seeking the lost. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). The Parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son (Luke 15) all show the nature of the Messianic mission as seeking to find those who are lost. The Father is seeking worshippers. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). Quoting the prophet Isaiah Paul wrote, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me” (Romans 10:20). Everyone human being is equally lost, and God is seeking to have a relationship with everyone. However, only those who know they are lost, only the ones who are willing to admit their absolute need of God, will be open to God when he comes knocking.

As you know, Jesus compares us to sheep. And that’s not necessarily a compliment. Sheep are delightful creatures, but they are also a bit nervous, insecure, easily frightened off, and in constant need of a shepherd. (Goats have just as much need for a shepherd but…but…but they are unwilling to admit it.) In his teaching Jesus was very clear about the value sheep had in his eyes. To the Pharisees he said, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep” (Matthew 12:11-12). It’s no wonder Jesus is referred to as “that great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20), “the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25), and “the Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4).

Jesus had a strong passion and motivation for everything he did in life, and here it is: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). He saw people as sheep and, as a shepherd, was moved with compassion. His shepherd’s heart moved him to travel “through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:35). At the same time he exhorted his new followers to take up the shepherd’s mantle. “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” (Matthew 9:37-38). “Found” sheep share in the shepherd’s heart and mission. But they continue to be sheep themselves, requiring wisdom and a humble dependence on their Chief Shepherd. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

After his resurrection Jesus encountered Peter and asked him three times, “Do you love me?” Three times Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” And all three times Jesus replied with the same words of instruction, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Those words summarize our mission as yoked apprentices of Jesus.

All we like sheep tend to go astray, but the Great Shepherd of our souls is continually looking for us, seeking us, finding us. And when we are found, we are called to share in the Shepherd’s heart and mission. In reality, there are no human “seekers.” God is the compassionate Seeker in our midst. God is seeking you. God is seeking your loved ones and neighbors. God is constantly looking for those who will respond to his initiative in their lives. God then calls us to join him in looking for lost sheep. It’s not up to the lost to come to us; it’s up to us to seek them out. We begin by “praying for laborers,” and then we answer our own prayer by reporting for duty.

Do you know anyone who is lost? Do you see who is missing? Sharing in the Shepherd’s heart for sheep will move you to seek them out and let them know they are loved. 

"Read Your Bible and Pray!"

I had the privilege of growing up in an excellent Christian home. We were the kind of family that was in the church building “whenever the doors are open.” I remember reading the Bible (KJV) from a very early age. And how about “Bible Drills”? and “Bible Clubs”? In that context, whenever the subject of spiritual growth (spiritual formation/transformation) came up the advice was clear and simple: Read your Bible and pray!

It seemed too simple somehow. And yet, so true. The regular, consistent practice of communicating with God through Bible reading and prayer is, in fact, the key element in our spiritual development. But we can make it too simple by reducing it to a set pattern or practice. It’s possible to read the Bible without ever engaging your mind. It’s possible to pray without ever involving your heart. So why is reading your Bible and praying so significant to your transformation, and what does it really mean in our real lives?

In 2004, Willow Creek Community Church did an extensive study of the “catalysts” of spiritual growth, asking the question, “What are the consistent elements and practices that drive the process of spiritual transformation for Christ followers?” They discovered several key ideas: (1) the most consistent driving force in a believer’s spiritual development is “Reflection on Scripture,” when respondents answered “frequent” or “daily” to the statement, “I reflect on the meaning of Scripture in my life”; and (2) the second most important spiritual catalyst comes from a “frequent” or “daily” agreement with the statement, “I pray to seek guidance for my life.” Read your Bible and pray! Easy, right?

So how is that working for us? And if we are consistently communicating with God by reflecting on Scripture and praying to seek guidance, why aren’t we more transformed? Anyone who has ever had a serious relationship with someone can testify to how important, tricky, and scary communication can be. The “typical” communication barriers between men and women have become well known. Communication challenges also exist between young and old, rich and poor, very educated and very uneducated, between various ethnic/cultural communities, etc., etc. Learning how to effectively communicate with another person is the most important key to a growing, healthy, happy relationship with them. But good communication is hard work and requires diligence, commitment and patience. All too many don’t take the time to develop good communication skills. Others who have experienced failed relationships are afraid to try again. However, anyone can master communication skills and grow in interpersonal relationships.

So what does that have to do with reading your Bible and praying? These two spiritual practices are a way of saying, “Grow in your ability to communicate with God.” And remember: Good communication requires commitment and persistence. And good communication goes both ways. If, as some have taught, 93% of all communication is non-verbal, developing good communication skills requires much more than the ability to understand words, both for human relationships and our relationship with our Father-Creator.

Prayer is not just a matter of words; prayer is not just mind-to-mind communication. Prayer is a matter of the heart. Remember what Jesus taught about prayer in his famous sermon: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 5:5-8). Prayer is not public religiosity; prayer is about your personal relationship with God. Prayer is not about using the right words often enough; prayer is about your heart connection with the Father.  Prayer is not a way to manipulate God; prayer is intimacy with God.

Granted, Jesus did refer to the words involved in prayer (see Matthew 6:9-13). But even those words reflect the deep longing in the heart of a Christ-follower, communicating personal needs to a personal God. The words of prayer flow from the heart of the pray-er to the heart of God. Those words also reflect God’s heart-desire to commune with his children, to listen to their requests, and to bring encouragement and strength.

I believe God is speaking to us all the time – in our hearts, in the world around us, in Scripture. The simple fact is this: we have a hearing problem. We are seldom listening to God. Even when we listen we tend to do so through the grid of our self-centeredness. The first and most important communication skill is learning how to listen. “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). Having a regular, consistent practice of prayer and Bible reading is an excellent foundation for your relationship with the Father. To build on that foundation, take some time this week to listen. Read a short passage of Scripture slowly, prayerfully, listening to what God wants to say to you in that passage. Find some extra time to pray and focus on praising, then listening. And see if you heart is not strengthened and the spiritual development of your soul encouraged. It's just that simple – read your Bible and pray!

Seeing the Face of Jesus in “the Least of These”

When I first came to Christ in the “Jesus Movement,” following Jesus as the Way on the Way meant dropping out, having long hair and wearing sandals (“Jesus boots”). While that may be an extreme example, it’s not uncommon for people to have a fairly superficial version of what “the Jesus Way” looks like. What does it look like for you? Is it wearing (or not wearing) certain kinds of clothes? Is it avoiding (or listening to/watching) certain kinds of music? Movies? TV shows? Is it the nature of your vocabulary? Your political party affiliation?

First of all, let me make be clear in pointing out that “the Jesus Way” is a supernatural way of life. It cannot simply be imitated or scheduled. It has to be informed by Scripture and empowered by God’s Spirit.

That becomes increasingly clear as well consider the life, ministry and teaching of Jesus. Jesus had a unique perspective that resulted in a unique response to people and circumstances. One of the clearest examples is found in “the Parable of the Sheep and Goats” (Matthew 25:31-46). In this story Jesus contrasts the values and life-decisions of his “sheep” who have chosen to follow him and the goats who have chosen to go their own way and do their own thing. There are so many amazing things about this story so let me point out just a couple of them: first of all, Jesus provides a consistent list of behaviors that pertain to both groups – giving food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, inviting the stranger (alien, foreigner) in, providing clothes to those who need them, looking after the sick, and visiting those in prison. (People were imprisoned for a variety of questionable reasons in those days and no attempt was made by the prison system to care for the incarcerated.) In every case, these behaviors are aimed at those who do not have the power to care for their own needs; they are the relatively powerless in society. It is assumed that the “sheep” have sufficient resources themselves and that they are sensitive to those who are under-resourced. Those who are following Jesus in “the Way” have learned to see “the least of these” the way Jesus sees them, and share his response to them, finding meaningful ways to empower the powerless.

But the perspective (and response) of Jesus goes even further: Jesus begins his list of Kingdom responses and behaviors by saying, “I was hungry . . . I was thirsty . . . I was a stranger . . . I needed clothes . . . I was sick . . . I was in prison.” Both the sheep and the goats failed to understand this claim of Jesus. “When did you see you hungry . . . or thirsty . . . a stranger . . . needing clothes . . . sick or in prison?” The reply of Jesus to this question is the central point of the parable: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.” We know it is the primary point because Jesus begins it with, “Truly I tell you” (literally Amen, I say to you). Jesus fully identifies himself with his brothers and sisters, with those the Father has created. Remember Paul’s statement that Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation,” that all things have been created “through him and for him” (Colossians 1:15-17). Every human being is a unique creation of God, designed with eternal significance; every person, not just Christ followers, has a unique relationship to Jesus. He sees everyone as a member of his (created) family. In fact, Jesus has such a profound and complete solidarity with every person, he sees himself in them – and he invites his followers to see his face in every person. Only then is it possible to respond to every person in the same way Jesus responded to them.

Furthermore, scripture confirms the fact that Jesus has a special relationship with “the least [smallest, most insignificant] of these.” Perhaps it’s because they are the relatively powerless in the world, those who cannot fully care for themselves, those who are often ignored (or exploited and oppressed) by the powerful of the world. As a Good Shepherd, Jesus is passionately committed to care for those who will not be cared for otherwise – and he anticipates that those on the Way with him will do the same.

Some of the saints in church history have been given a special gift of seeing the face of Jesus in “the least of these.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta testified that she saw the face of Jesus in the face of each sick and dying person she helped. In the 1950s she founded the Missionaries of Charity, committed to caring for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, and all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to society and are shunned by everyone.” She understood the passionate commitment of Jesus to the vulnerable and rejected and she was given the grace to see the face of Jesus in their faces.

Do we have anyone like that in LaGrange and Troup County? Do you have anyone like that in your neighborhood? Your family? Your home? If so, do you see the face of Jesus in their face, or are they just an irritant, an inconvenience? The challenge of walking with Jesus on the Way surely includes the challenging of seeing every person the way Jesus sees them and responding to them as if they were his brothers or sisters, those dear to his heart – because in fact, they are just that!