Recently I read the story of an Army Chaplain who had lost his faith. He served the troops in Iraq shortly after the invasion of 2003, witnessing the horrors of war. When he got home he discovered that his marriage had exploded in his absence. He concluded that God, who could have prevented any or all of this, was cruel and immoral, that God was not love, that God did not care. And so he gave up any real faith in God or a desire to serve God.
The story brought up the old question of "theodicy" and the sovereignty of God. What does is really mean when we say that God is control? And what difference does it make?
For some, the sovereignty of God amounts to little more than philosophical determinism. It's just really a matter of fate. What will be will be. Human free will and choice are illusions. Everything that happens is simply a matter of God's sovereign will. Therefore, we are not really accountable - no matter what we do, we will in the end live out God's irresistible plan for our lives.
For others, God himself is still learning, growing. Nothing is pre-determined. The future is what we make of it. Although God has overall authority in God's creation, he has set it up so that he is not (and can not be) in control of the details along the way - just final destinations.
The problem for us - as is often the truth - is that the Bible can be used to justify both of these positions. Since the Bible is not a collection of philosophical principles but rather the story of God's purpose for and interaction with God's creation, you can't settle a philosophical argument with Scripture.
The fact is this: When the Bible says that "God is love," it teaches us that God is a personal, relational, dynamic, interactive God. The divine characteristic of "love" determines everything God does and the way God does it. We are not pieces on God's chessboard, and we are not living in self-determined chaos. Or as Albert Einstein once said, "God does not play dice with the world." At the very least, the sovereignty of God means that God has the first word and God has the last word, and that God personally and relationally oversees the process in between. And yes, we do make real choices along the way.
Which brings up the subject of "faith." You would think our understanding of faith would be fairly simple, but it is one of the most debated ideas in Christianity. Your perspective on the sovereignty of God will literally determine how you define "faith," and how that works out in your life. For some, faith is simple trust and acceptance of God's sovereign will. For others, faith is the metaphysical force God uses to work, and by learning the proper ways of saying things (and perhaps visualizing things), we can use that same force to get God to work in the way that seems best.
The fact is this: faith is the ability to trust God, no matter what. Faith also involves the powerful, dynamic, personal ability to discern God's will in a situation, and by agreeing with God, see God's will actually accomplished. Faith is a human response, but faith is also the gift of God. However, faith is never a process we initiate or control. Faith is always our response to God's initiative. There is not a magic method guaranteed to work every time. We may have our favorite methods (of prayer, confession, etc.), but the sovereignty of God means that God always has the last word. God alone gets to choose when it works and when it does not work. Any attempt on the part of human beings to be in control of the process is magic, not faith. If God is not in control, then God is not God.
So my question for the Army chaplain is this: What would you have God do? Do you want God to reprogram the minds of the political leaders so that we could never go to war? Would you want God do simply destroy all the enemies of the American Army? What if God placed an angelic shield over all of the American troops so that bullets and bombs simply bounced off of them? If all of God's works and all of God's methods are relational, designed to facilitate opportunities for men and women to be reconciled to him, and for the reconciled to grow in Christllikeness, what would be the best way for God to work in a situation?
Fortunately, the end of the story for our Army chaplain includes his own healing, restoration with a new family, and a return to Christian vocational ministry. In the end, he learned something new about God and something new about faith. It reminds me of Psalm 73. Read it and share your thoughts with me.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Community Shepherds
Recently I had a discussion with my dad about his community work with community leaders. Dad is a retired pastor who loves the local church and local pastors. After telling me about all the community leaders who were effectively representing God's Kingdom in their sphere of influence, he expressed disappointment that local pastors seemed to be preoccupied with the typical three concerns of "buildings, bodies and budgets." They were more focused on maintaining their authority in their local congregations and with competing with other congregations than they were providing redemptive leadership in the community.
As we shared and prayed together I remembered the ministry and message of the Old Testament prophets. They were faithful, in the context of God's covenant, to remind the local leaders of their responsibilities before God. In the words of Dr. King, it was their responsibility to "speak truth to power." And they didn't just address their message to the local priests but to all kinds and levels of local leadership:
As we shared and prayed together I remembered the ministry and message of the Old Testament prophets. They were faithful, in the context of God's covenant, to remind the local leaders of their responsibilities before God. In the words of Dr. King, it was their responsibility to "speak truth to power." And they didn't just address their message to the local priests but to all kinds and levels of local leadership:
- They addressed their message to Kings, to civil, governmental leaders (e.g., Isaiah 7 & Jeremiah 13).
- The prophets spoke to the Wise or Sages, to the local educators and counselors (e.g., Jeremiah 8 & Hosea 14).
- The prophets were faithful to deliver the word of the Lord to Priests, to local religious leaders (e.g., Isaiah 28 & Ezekiel 22).
- They also called False Prophets to account, those who only spoke what those in power wanted to hear in order to gain influence for themselves (e.g., Isaiah 44 & Jeremiah 50).
What strikes me as significant in these prophetic passages is the fact that God (and God's prophets) did not consider one kind of leadership more significant than another. All were governing with God's delegated authority. All were equally accountable to God for the nature and results of their leadership.
In fact, the prophets used one word to describe all community leaders: Shepherd. The Lord viewed every leader as someone God had appointed to shepherd - to lead, feed, guard and care for God's sheep. The Kings were to faithfully shepherd God's people (Micah 7:14). Even the future Persian Emperor, Cyrus, was referred to by God as a "shepherd" (Isaiah 44:28). God's view of God's own leadership was that of a shepherd (Jeremiah 31:10; Ezekiel 34:16). All leaders were judged by how effectively they shepherded the flock God had assigned to them (Ezekiel 34:2-10). If people and communities thrived under a leader's governance, it showed they had shepherded well. If people and communities suffered as a result of a leader's influence (usually because they were using their authority to benefit themselves), they were judged by God (Zechariah 11:17).
In my conversation with my dad my conclusion was simple: God requires all local leaders - civil, educational, business and religious - to faithfully shepherd the citizens of that community. While it might be frustrating getting local pastors to see the big picture, when the mayor and the superintendent of schools, and even local business people, lawyers and judges, are all committed to being faithful shepherds as representatives of King Jesus in the community, there is much to celebrate! In fact, if local pastors spent more time exercising a redemptive influence in the broader community among the other community leaders, their prayer to see God's kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven, might come closer to fulfillment! Well done, Dad!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
A Worm With Wings?
I have often been fascinated by the question of the extent to which a "redeemed" human being is different from an "unredeemed" human. On the one hand, it is clear that the life of someone who has been restored to a relationship with the Father-Creator, of someone who has reconnected heart-to-heart with God, is fundamentally different. Living out a love-relationship with God through Christ is not just "sin management." In fact, an atheist can learn the disciplines that will make him or her a "better person." It's easy to conclude that our full redemption must wait until this sinful body is no longer a barrier. But if that was bottom line, why not advocate for pastor-assisted suicide?
That makes the words of Paul in Romans 12:1-3 even more interesting. The core of his message is this: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (verse 2). On the negative side, Paul tells us to not pattern our mind and character after the tendencies of this present age. In fact, our natural tendency is to do this very thing. Our default response is to discover current trends and adopt and adapt them. We so quickly and easily conform to current cultural values, perspectives and thought patterns. Instead, we are to be "transformed." Some of you are aware that the word behind this word is metamorphoo, the word that is the basis for the English metamorphosis. And that obviously brings up the story of the butterfly.
Have you ever wondered about the process, the one we call metamorphosis, that results in a butterfly? Is a butterfly really just a worm with wings? How different is the butterfly from the original caterpillar? So I googled it - and here's what I found: a caterpillar undergoes a "complete metamorphosis." The original "larva" is very different from the adult butterfly. It actually eats different kinds of food. The caterpillar grows very quickly and sheds its skin 4 or 5 times, but it still isn't a butterfly. Eventually the caterpillar stops growing and surrounds itself with a cocoon. Inside of the cocoon, the caterpillar releases special enzymes that literally dissolve the larval tissues. Special cells that were always present but dormant in the caterpillar now begin to grow, forming legs and wings and eyes. At the right time the full-grown butterfly emerges to fly and reproduce. The butterfly is clearly related to the caterpillar, sharing all the original DNA. But it is a very different creature. Metamorphoo literally means another form.
So what does it mean to be transformed? The dynamic presence and influence of the Holy Spirit on and in a human person does not make them less human. In fact, it makes them more human. You see, humans were created to be more like butterflies than like caterpillars. But a process of metamorphosis, of transformation, must take place. The result is related to the original but is fundamentally different.
Paul goes on to say that we are to be transformed "by the renewing of your mind." "Renew" means "to be new again." The process of transformation takes place significantly in our minds. Our thinking must become new again. Our mental perspectives and attitudes must conform to the thought patterns of God as revealed in Scripture. And in so doing, our lives will be a growing demonstration of God's "good, pleasing and perfect will" (verse 3).
The process of human transformation is not just a matter of mental gymnastics. Paul begins this section by urging us to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice" (verse 1). Our entire concrete selves are involved in redemption and in transformation. The very act of presenting our entire selves to God is an act of worship, the core of our commitment to and service of God.
So is real transformation possible? If it isn't, Paul was messing with us by just bring it up. Transformation is the logical outcome of a restored connection to the heart of the Father. But transformation is so much more than sin management. We are destined to be so much more than a worm with wings. It is so much more than living by a list of external "dos" and "don'ts." A transformed life is very different from its former life. It shares the same DNA, but the original human "stuff" has now been metamorphozed into a beautiful butterfly.
Individuals can be transformed. And organizations can be transformed. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to real transformation can be a fear of change. And let there be no doubt about it: transformation will involve profound change. The result will bear little resemblance to the original. But the new found ability to fly will make it all worthwhile.
That makes the words of Paul in Romans 12:1-3 even more interesting. The core of his message is this: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (verse 2). On the negative side, Paul tells us to not pattern our mind and character after the tendencies of this present age. In fact, our natural tendency is to do this very thing. Our default response is to discover current trends and adopt and adapt them. We so quickly and easily conform to current cultural values, perspectives and thought patterns. Instead, we are to be "transformed." Some of you are aware that the word behind this word is metamorphoo, the word that is the basis for the English metamorphosis. And that obviously brings up the story of the butterfly.
Have you ever wondered about the process, the one we call metamorphosis, that results in a butterfly? Is a butterfly really just a worm with wings? How different is the butterfly from the original caterpillar? So I googled it - and here's what I found: a caterpillar undergoes a "complete metamorphosis." The original "larva" is very different from the adult butterfly. It actually eats different kinds of food. The caterpillar grows very quickly and sheds its skin 4 or 5 times, but it still isn't a butterfly. Eventually the caterpillar stops growing and surrounds itself with a cocoon. Inside of the cocoon, the caterpillar releases special enzymes that literally dissolve the larval tissues. Special cells that were always present but dormant in the caterpillar now begin to grow, forming legs and wings and eyes. At the right time the full-grown butterfly emerges to fly and reproduce. The butterfly is clearly related to the caterpillar, sharing all the original DNA. But it is a very different creature. Metamorphoo literally means another form.
So what does it mean to be transformed? The dynamic presence and influence of the Holy Spirit on and in a human person does not make them less human. In fact, it makes them more human. You see, humans were created to be more like butterflies than like caterpillars. But a process of metamorphosis, of transformation, must take place. The result is related to the original but is fundamentally different.
Paul goes on to say that we are to be transformed "by the renewing of your mind." "Renew" means "to be new again." The process of transformation takes place significantly in our minds. Our thinking must become new again. Our mental perspectives and attitudes must conform to the thought patterns of God as revealed in Scripture. And in so doing, our lives will be a growing demonstration of God's "good, pleasing and perfect will" (verse 3).
The process of human transformation is not just a matter of mental gymnastics. Paul begins this section by urging us to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice" (verse 1). Our entire concrete selves are involved in redemption and in transformation. The very act of presenting our entire selves to God is an act of worship, the core of our commitment to and service of God.
So is real transformation possible? If it isn't, Paul was messing with us by just bring it up. Transformation is the logical outcome of a restored connection to the heart of the Father. But transformation is so much more than sin management. We are destined to be so much more than a worm with wings. It is so much more than living by a list of external "dos" and "don'ts." A transformed life is very different from its former life. It shares the same DNA, but the original human "stuff" has now been metamorphozed into a beautiful butterfly.
Individuals can be transformed. And organizations can be transformed. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to real transformation can be a fear of change. And let there be no doubt about it: transformation will involve profound change. The result will bear little resemblance to the original. But the new found ability to fly will make it all worthwhile.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
What Does a Fruitful Life Look Like?
I don't mind saying that this year has been a season of an unprecedented (and sometimes challenging) time of growth for me. Have you ever wondered whether or not you will ever reach an age when you will have matured enough and you can just coast? (Spiritual retirement?) That thought is obviously foolish. In fact, I think this mortal adventure we're having is really Pre-School in the light of eternity, even for the most spiritually developed. It almost seems like every year takes my spiritual schooling for a new level - sometimes involving a proverbial "tool shed" experience.
There are several passages of Scripture that have been the focus of my reflection, repentance and reformation this year. One of the most important is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. I know! Everyone is very familiar with that passage! What can be so challenging? After all, haven't I taught, written and preached on that passage any number of times? Well, yes. But I find a new perspective on that ancient story is literally changing the focus of my life.
In a word: I find I have been identifying myself with the One-Bag Servant.
This servant is known for one thing: digging a hole in the ground and burying the Master's bag of gold. Later, when called to account, this servant confesses that he was afraid of losing any of his Master's gold. He thought he would be in hot water if, when the Master returned, he was able to return less than what had been given to him. And he succeeded. He didn't lose anything that had been entrusted to him. The Master's investment in his life was in tact.
Maybe we should pause to describe how much a "talent" was worth in those days. A "talent" (Greek talanton) was equivalent to 20 years of wages. That's why some translations render this word a "bag of gold." A One-Bag Servant was a very wealthy man! (The Five-Bag Servant was given 100 years of wages.) In other words, every servant in God's Kingdom has been given great wealth to invest. The Master had "entrusted his wealth" to his servants.
So what was the Master expecting of his servants? I would think not losing any of his wealth would have been a good thing. What strikes me is the difference between the attitudes of the Five-Bag and the Two-Bag Servants and the One-Bag Servant. Jesus remarked that Mr. Five and Mr. Two "went at once and put his money to work." These two servants were known for (1) the urgency and immediacy of their response, and (2) their diligence in finding ways to make their bags of gold "work." And as a a result, they doubled the Master's investment. A 100% ROI! These servants were diligent, creative, faithful masters of enterprise. They were successful entrepreneurs, dedicated to the productive use of all the Master had entrusted to them.
And what was the Master's response to their productivity? "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's happiness." The Master (Jesus) characterized these two investors as "good and faithful." They had dedicated themselves to the good productivity of the Master's investment, and they had been faithful in carrying it out. As a result, they were to share in the Master's deep joy, a joy being experienced in the context of the servants' good faithfulness. I'm amazed that the Master remarked on the fact that he had put them in charge of a few things; even the great wealth being entrusted to them did not compare to the wealth to be entrusted to them (to manage) as a result of their faithfulness.
So it was more than just the need to not lose the Master's investment. When Mr. One presented the Master's investment in tact, he made a fairly harsh statement. "I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed." The word "hard" (Greek skleros) literally means grasping, harsh, cruel, merciless, exploiting the labor of others. One commentator noted, "“He is virtually calling his master a vicious tyrant, a capitalist who takes for himself the harvest that others worked so hard on. In other words, he takes what he wants without caring who gets hurt in the process" (Grand Osborne, Matthew). He didn't think his Master needed his help increasing his wealth. After all, wasn't he wealthy enough already? He should be happy just getting his entire investment back!
But no! The master characterizes this servant as "wicked and lazy," the exact opposite of "good and faithful." He used his fear of the Master as an excuse, but in reality, he was just lazy. He reasoning was dishonest and irresponsible. At the very least, his commitment to being a faithful servant-investor would have led him to deposit his bag in the bank to earn interest. Instead, he was satisfied with just not losing anything. As a result, his one bag was taken away from him and given to Mr. Five - who was now Mr. Ten.
The lesson rings loudly and clearly in my mind! The Master is looking for more than a level of faithful stewardship that protects his investment in our lives from loss. The Master is looking for - is committed to - a high level of productivity from our lives. He has given us all a very wealthy deposit - not just to enjoy or feel good about, but to multiply for the Master's use. That requires us to be honest about and appreciate the valuable gifts and resources he has put into our hands. Our response is then to begin immediately to explore effective ways to put that treasure to work so that it will achieve it's productive potential.
I'm reflecting on what that might mean for me. What does that mean for you?
There are several passages of Scripture that have been the focus of my reflection, repentance and reformation this year. One of the most important is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. I know! Everyone is very familiar with that passage! What can be so challenging? After all, haven't I taught, written and preached on that passage any number of times? Well, yes. But I find a new perspective on that ancient story is literally changing the focus of my life.
In a word: I find I have been identifying myself with the One-Bag Servant.
This servant is known for one thing: digging a hole in the ground and burying the Master's bag of gold. Later, when called to account, this servant confesses that he was afraid of losing any of his Master's gold. He thought he would be in hot water if, when the Master returned, he was able to return less than what had been given to him. And he succeeded. He didn't lose anything that had been entrusted to him. The Master's investment in his life was in tact.
Maybe we should pause to describe how much a "talent" was worth in those days. A "talent" (Greek talanton) was equivalent to 20 years of wages. That's why some translations render this word a "bag of gold." A One-Bag Servant was a very wealthy man! (The Five-Bag Servant was given 100 years of wages.) In other words, every servant in God's Kingdom has been given great wealth to invest. The Master had "entrusted his wealth" to his servants.
So what was the Master expecting of his servants? I would think not losing any of his wealth would have been a good thing. What strikes me is the difference between the attitudes of the Five-Bag and the Two-Bag Servants and the One-Bag Servant. Jesus remarked that Mr. Five and Mr. Two "went at once and put his money to work." These two servants were known for (1) the urgency and immediacy of their response, and (2) their diligence in finding ways to make their bags of gold "work." And as a a result, they doubled the Master's investment. A 100% ROI! These servants were diligent, creative, faithful masters of enterprise. They were successful entrepreneurs, dedicated to the productive use of all the Master had entrusted to them.
And what was the Master's response to their productivity? "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's happiness." The Master (Jesus) characterized these two investors as "good and faithful." They had dedicated themselves to the good productivity of the Master's investment, and they had been faithful in carrying it out. As a result, they were to share in the Master's deep joy, a joy being experienced in the context of the servants' good faithfulness. I'm amazed that the Master remarked on the fact that he had put them in charge of a few things; even the great wealth being entrusted to them did not compare to the wealth to be entrusted to them (to manage) as a result of their faithfulness.
So it was more than just the need to not lose the Master's investment. When Mr. One presented the Master's investment in tact, he made a fairly harsh statement. "I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed." The word "hard" (Greek skleros) literally means grasping, harsh, cruel, merciless, exploiting the labor of others. One commentator noted, "“He is virtually calling his master a vicious tyrant, a capitalist who takes for himself the harvest that others worked so hard on. In other words, he takes what he wants without caring who gets hurt in the process" (Grand Osborne, Matthew). He didn't think his Master needed his help increasing his wealth. After all, wasn't he wealthy enough already? He should be happy just getting his entire investment back!
But no! The master characterizes this servant as "wicked and lazy," the exact opposite of "good and faithful." He used his fear of the Master as an excuse, but in reality, he was just lazy. He reasoning was dishonest and irresponsible. At the very least, his commitment to being a faithful servant-investor would have led him to deposit his bag in the bank to earn interest. Instead, he was satisfied with just not losing anything. As a result, his one bag was taken away from him and given to Mr. Five - who was now Mr. Ten.
The lesson rings loudly and clearly in my mind! The Master is looking for more than a level of faithful stewardship that protects his investment in our lives from loss. The Master is looking for - is committed to - a high level of productivity from our lives. He has given us all a very wealthy deposit - not just to enjoy or feel good about, but to multiply for the Master's use. That requires us to be honest about and appreciate the valuable gifts and resources he has put into our hands. Our response is then to begin immediately to explore effective ways to put that treasure to work so that it will achieve it's productive potential.
I'm reflecting on what that might mean for me. What does that mean for you?
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Tithe! What tithe?!
Full disclosure: I was raised to always "tithe"? When I first was given a weekly allowance of $1, it was given to me in the form of dimes, and I was taught the joy of giving the first dime to the Lord when we gathered for worship Sunday morning. It was never taught as some kind of magic formula, religious obligation, or business contract with God. It was worship and obedience, plain and simple.
I know that the subject of "tithing" can be fairly controversial. The reason may involve the complicated interaction between greedy preachers and stingy parishioners. It's simply true that the American church seems to be rife with manipulative flimflam men in the guise of shepherds. It's also true that American Christians give an average of 2.8% of their income to all charitable causes and organizations.
Now I'm not a mathematician, but 2.8% seems to fall short of the meaning of tithe/tenth. Last time I checked, a tenth was 10%. Worshiping God with the first tenth of anything and everything as an expression of loving obedience, as a sacred portion, was a part of the faith-life of Abram before the Law and continued into the New Testament. Now, some of you are thinking, "But that's the Old Testament," as if the Old Testament is not a part of the Bible. In fact, the New Testament church did not have a New Testament. For them, "all scripture" was the Old Testament. New Testament teaching was built on the foundation of the revelation of God in the Old Testament. Not to mention the fact that when Jesus referred to the giving of tithes, he reminded his followers of the need to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness "without neglecting the" practice of tithing (Matthew 23:23).
So what is my point? The prophet Malachi, speaking for the Lord, made a very clear statement about this covenantal expression of loving obedience and worship. The Lord began by rebuking his people for "robbing" him. Somehow the people were quite satisfied to claim allegiance to God and receive the benefits of that arrangement without responding as covenant partners. They were great takers but very poor givers, "serving" God for what they could get from God. God simply stated that they had robbed him "in tithes and offerings" (Malachi 3:8). It's interesting that the Lord didn't then take the time to elaborate on the people's grasping, stingy response to God, but rather moved on quickly to an elaborate promise. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, says the Lord, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows" (verse 10). The Lord invites his people to test his faithfulness by deciding to respond to him with a very basic level of covenant love and obedience.
Now, most American Christians are well familiar with this passage of scripture. Recently I have been reflecting on the words, "the whole tithe." A new generation of American pastors tend to communicate a compromise. It goes something like this: "If you're not giving the Lord a tithe of what he has given you, start where you can. Give 1%, then 2%, then 3%, and so forth, and see if the Lord won't bless you for your obedience and generosity." There's just one problem: 1% is not "the whole tithe." The whole tithe is 10%. I understand why a pastor would make a statement like that. (1) as a shepherd he/she wants to be sensitive and compassionate, not loading the people down with a guilty burden; (2) he is very aware of the manipulative practices of some "shepherds" who enrich themselves by fleecing the sheep; and (3) something is better than nothing (the light bill needs to be paid this week). However, the promise of God, the invitation from God to test his faithfulness, is predicated on "the whole tithe." Anything less than the whole tithe is still robbery. So for a pastor to encourage those under her care and supervision to "give whatever you can," to "start somewhere and grow from there," will only result in frustration on the part of folks who never really get a place of covenant obedience, who never really know the full blessing of the Lord.
My mother has always taught me that "the blessing begins after the tithe." Those words of wisdom are simply true to the words of scripture. And they have been true in my life. What has your experience been?
I know that the subject of "tithing" can be fairly controversial. The reason may involve the complicated interaction between greedy preachers and stingy parishioners. It's simply true that the American church seems to be rife with manipulative flimflam men in the guise of shepherds. It's also true that American Christians give an average of 2.8% of their income to all charitable causes and organizations.
Now I'm not a mathematician, but 2.8% seems to fall short of the meaning of tithe/tenth. Last time I checked, a tenth was 10%. Worshiping God with the first tenth of anything and everything as an expression of loving obedience, as a sacred portion, was a part of the faith-life of Abram before the Law and continued into the New Testament. Now, some of you are thinking, "But that's the Old Testament," as if the Old Testament is not a part of the Bible. In fact, the New Testament church did not have a New Testament. For them, "all scripture" was the Old Testament. New Testament teaching was built on the foundation of the revelation of God in the Old Testament. Not to mention the fact that when Jesus referred to the giving of tithes, he reminded his followers of the need to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness "without neglecting the" practice of tithing (Matthew 23:23).
So what is my point? The prophet Malachi, speaking for the Lord, made a very clear statement about this covenantal expression of loving obedience and worship. The Lord began by rebuking his people for "robbing" him. Somehow the people were quite satisfied to claim allegiance to God and receive the benefits of that arrangement without responding as covenant partners. They were great takers but very poor givers, "serving" God for what they could get from God. God simply stated that they had robbed him "in tithes and offerings" (Malachi 3:8). It's interesting that the Lord didn't then take the time to elaborate on the people's grasping, stingy response to God, but rather moved on quickly to an elaborate promise. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this, says the Lord, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows" (verse 10). The Lord invites his people to test his faithfulness by deciding to respond to him with a very basic level of covenant love and obedience.
Now, most American Christians are well familiar with this passage of scripture. Recently I have been reflecting on the words, "the whole tithe." A new generation of American pastors tend to communicate a compromise. It goes something like this: "If you're not giving the Lord a tithe of what he has given you, start where you can. Give 1%, then 2%, then 3%, and so forth, and see if the Lord won't bless you for your obedience and generosity." There's just one problem: 1% is not "the whole tithe." The whole tithe is 10%. I understand why a pastor would make a statement like that. (1) as a shepherd he/she wants to be sensitive and compassionate, not loading the people down with a guilty burden; (2) he is very aware of the manipulative practices of some "shepherds" who enrich themselves by fleecing the sheep; and (3) something is better than nothing (the light bill needs to be paid this week). However, the promise of God, the invitation from God to test his faithfulness, is predicated on "the whole tithe." Anything less than the whole tithe is still robbery. So for a pastor to encourage those under her care and supervision to "give whatever you can," to "start somewhere and grow from there," will only result in frustration on the part of folks who never really get a place of covenant obedience, who never really know the full blessing of the Lord.
My mother has always taught me that "the blessing begins after the tithe." Those words of wisdom are simply true to the words of scripture. And they have been true in my life. What has your experience been?
Sunday, September 7, 2014
The Challenge of "Spiritual Formation"
The question about whether and to what extent a "redeemed," "regenerated" human person can be actually free from sin and become more like Christ this side of Paradise is one of the most common and vexing questions in the history of our faith. I grew up in a "holiness church" where it seemed to be relatively easy to lose our salvation. As a teen in the church I had the opportunity to come back to Christ, to renew his lordship in my life, and to be filled with the Spirit (who had somehow leaked out during the week), almost every Sunday night - and especially during the annual summer camp every year. Frankly, it left me wondering about the whole process as a young adult, resulting in a kind of overreaction, swinging the pendulum over to the "grace" side of things.
The fact is, there is truth on both sides of the pendulum. There is a real need to exercise our wills, to decide to obey the Lord. There is also an absolute need to receive the grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love of the Father through Christ. There must also be a way to experience the grace and power of God given to transform us, to form within us the very character of Christ. We have to somehow be free from one thing (sin) in order to free for another thing (transformation). Various ways of focusing on external aspects of morality ("legalism") put the focus on the need to "get your act together" as an act of your will ("or maybe you're really not saved!"). On the other hand, a focus on the human person as a passive receptor of grace simply makes the question of spiritual formation irrelevant. It doesn't really matter if you're experiencing freedom from sin and conformity to the "image of Christ." It's all in God's hands! In the end, neither side of the pendulum are effective or satisfying.
To make any real progress we have to be honest and realistic about sin. It is the moral virus that is attempting to destroy humankind and warp the rest of God's good creation. It is written into the very DNA of our physical bodies - a sort of physical, mortal "sanctification" limitation. As an introvert, I'm painfully aware of what the patterns of sin look like within my own soul. But these patterns work themselves out into interpersonal relationships, into human society as a whole, and even into our interaction with the world around us. During this year the Holy Spirit has been intensely focused on my own experience of spiritual formation, and that means an even greater awareness of sin - not just of what sin looks like, but what energizes patterns of sin at the root. Someone once said that rightly diagnosing the cause of a disease is 90% of the cure. I propose to explore a diagnosis of sin - but before I do, it is absolutely imperative that we explore the effect Jesus has had on this age-old enemy. How did the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus affect the power, and indeed the future reign, of sin?
*A special thanks to my good friend Ken Malmin, Dean of Portland Bible College, for this outline, taken from his courses "Basic Doctrine."
The fact is, there is truth on both sides of the pendulum. There is a real need to exercise our wills, to decide to obey the Lord. There is also an absolute need to receive the grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love of the Father through Christ. There must also be a way to experience the grace and power of God given to transform us, to form within us the very character of Christ. We have to somehow be free from one thing (sin) in order to free for another thing (transformation). Various ways of focusing on external aspects of morality ("legalism") put the focus on the need to "get your act together" as an act of your will ("or maybe you're really not saved!"). On the other hand, a focus on the human person as a passive receptor of grace simply makes the question of spiritual formation irrelevant. It doesn't really matter if you're experiencing freedom from sin and conformity to the "image of Christ." It's all in God's hands! In the end, neither side of the pendulum are effective or satisfying.
To make any real progress we have to be honest and realistic about sin. It is the moral virus that is attempting to destroy humankind and warp the rest of God's good creation. It is written into the very DNA of our physical bodies - a sort of physical, mortal "sanctification" limitation. As an introvert, I'm painfully aware of what the patterns of sin look like within my own soul. But these patterns work themselves out into interpersonal relationships, into human society as a whole, and even into our interaction with the world around us. During this year the Holy Spirit has been intensely focused on my own experience of spiritual formation, and that means an even greater awareness of sin - not just of what sin looks like, but what energizes patterns of sin at the root. Someone once said that rightly diagnosing the cause of a disease is 90% of the cure. I propose to explore a diagnosis of sin - but before I do, it is absolutely imperative that we explore the effect Jesus has had on this age-old enemy. How did the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus affect the power, and indeed the future reign, of sin?
- Jesus has removed the guilt that sin caused. Before the work of Jesus every human being stood fundamentally guilty before God, condemned. Now those who come to Jesus in faith find that the sentence of guilt has been removed. In that sense, all Jesus followers stand "innocent" before God, having received forgiveness through Christ.
- The cost of sin has been paid by Jesus. Sin resulted in separation from God - the definition of death - but through Christ we have been reunited with the Father. We are now "accepted in the Beloved."
- We have been clothed in a robe of righteousness because of Jesus. The very righteousness of Christ has been assigned to us, applied to us, placed on us like a garment. Our sins have been covered, not only in the sense of cleansing but also in the replacement of our sins with the righteousness of Christ.
- Our position before the Father's throne has changed because of Jesus. We now stand forgiven, free, accepted, with a free offer of growing intimacy with the Father - the very thing we have been created for.*
*A special thanks to my good friend Ken Malmin, Dean of Portland Bible College, for this outline, taken from his courses "Basic Doctrine."
Monday, June 9, 2014
"Come!"
At the risk of sounding sentimental (if not pious), I have to admit that I love Jesus. I don't just love the idea of Jesus or the idea that Jesus died for my sins. I don't just love his life and teaching. I love the person, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Being a Scandinavian male from the upper Midwest I prefer to avoid all PDEs (Public Displays of Emotion), and I usually succeed quite well. Except when it comes to Jesus. I have a very clear memory of being an 8-year-old boy at the altar of a church on a Sunday evening, looking on a classic picture of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane - and weeping openly. In fact, I can't watch a movie or even a play about the life of Jesus without losing all composure at some point. I try hard to hide it, but that only gives me a headache. I am and shall always be a Jesus Freak!
It's fairly common for me to have some kind of "picture" of Jesus in my mind when I am praying. When I am afraid, I picture Jesus asleep in the boat and myself sitting next to him - if he's not afraid, then neither should I be afraid. If I'm facing a particularly challenging season, I picture Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the storm and inviting me to join him. (I think you get the picture.) So as you can imagine I have spent the last six months seeing Jesus calmly riding the wind and the waves while I stand in the boat wondering what it's all about. I've had a lot of time to reflect on that story. Here are some of my thoughts:
The context of this experience of Jesus was a boat that was "a considerable distance from the land" being "buffeted by the waves" and opposed by the wind (Matthew 14:24). No one likes to have their circumstance buffeted and opposed, but sometimes it just happens. Occasionally it seems as though chaos has broken out and upset the delicate balance of our orderly lives. And it usually happens when we have traveled a significant distance from shore, when there are no good opportunities to return to a safe harbor. These times feel like abandonment - by God and those closest too us. What we don't know at first is that the storm has been whipped up by God, that God is in the midst of the storm. Only later do we appreciate that we were able to move into a whole new level of relationship with Jesus as a result of the storm.
The circumstance of the wind and waves does not in any way intimate the Lord (Matthew 14:27). Because Jesus is the Lord of all creation, he has authority over both wind and waves. He has overcome, and is able to simply walk on the waves and through the wind. When Jesus first appeared to the disciples in the storm his first words were, "Take courage!" Don't panic or shrink back as though your life has fallen apart (if not come to an end). "It is I." Jesus is in the storm, ready and willing to reveal himself in a unique way, a way that could not be experienced on the shore or a calm sea. "Don't be afraid." The opposite of faith is fear, but fear is instinctive, an automatic response to any perceived threat of danger. The encouragement to not be afraid is simply an exhortation to trust God anyway, no matter how dangerous or uncertain the circumstance might seem.
The best faith response in the midst of the storm is to ask for a fresh revelation of Jesus (Matthew 14:28). Peter could have asked any number of good questions: Why are you walking on water? Why didn't you take better care of us, allowing us to experience this storm? Why did you leave us and then send us into this storm? Why aren't you calming the wind and the waves? Instead Peter's response was, "Lord," acknowledging the authority of Jesus in this situation. "If it's you," wanting to be sure he was seeing Jesus and not having some kind of psychotic break. "Tell me to come to you," relying on the Lord's authoritative initiative in his life, asking for a personal, relational response from Jesus that would lead to a new, fuller experience of Jesus. "Tell me to come to you on the water," expressing a willingness to overcome the perceived threat in order to see and know Jesus more fully. For Peter it was not about the wind and the waves and it was not about walking on water - it was about Jesus!
At the right time, Jesus invites us to take our eyes off of our circumstances and put our eyes on him alone (Matthew 14:29). Jesus responded to Peter with a one word command - "Come." He was not inviting Peter to walk on water; Jesus was inviting Peter to come to him, to know him better, to grow in his ability to trust him in every situation. It didn't require some great mystic experience; it just needed one simple word from the Master. "Come!"
The word of the Lord calls for a simple response of obedience (Matthew 14:29). I'm sure Peter could have paused to consider the appearance of Jesus, the word of his invitation, the situation of the boat in the storm. Peter could have weighed the pros and cons of getting out of the boat. After all, God loved him too much to expose him unnecessarily to danger. Maybe he should take a time out and reflect on his options; maybe Jesus just wants him to be willing to come. Instead, Peter simply "got down out of the boat." He had to actually climb over the side of the boat and lower himself onto the water. The time for prayerful reflection was over - it was time to act. Peter "walked on the water." His simple trust and obedience empowered him to do what he never could have done on his own, even with all of his talent and ability. And Peter "came toward Jesus." Peter's focus was on Jesus - not on some destiny or reward, the fulfillment of some vision or kingdom purpose. Jesus wasn't a means to an end - Jesus was the end!
A faith walk with Jesus has moments of distraction and doubt (Matthew 14:30). Even though Peter was having a wonderful time of hearing the voice of the Lord, responding in obedience and experiencing the grace and power of the Lord, the wind was still blowing and the waves were still crashing down on him. Who could condemn Peter for being distracted by all of that and taking his eyes off of Jesus? It would have been much better if the storm has simply stopped the moment Peter's foot hit the water. Instead, the storm continued and Peter's storm-tossed experience of Jesus continued. Fortunately, Peter did not take his eyes off of the essence and the meaning of his experience. When in his moment of distraction and doubt he began to sink, he quickly asked, "Lord, save me!" He knew that the Lord was still with him and that he could count on the Lord to rescue him, no matter how weak his faith.
Jesus is always faithful to take us by the hand and give us whatever assistance we may need as we seek to know him and obey him in the storm (Matthew 14:31). "Immediately," without a moment's hesitation, "Jesus reached out his hand and caught him." Sinking and perishing was not an option. Jesus had not set a trap for Peter. Jesus was not testing Peter's survival instinct. Jesus was revealing himself to Peter. Jesus was giving Peter an opportunity to know him better and trust him more. There was no way Jesus was going to let Peter sink. In a very personal way Jesus grabbed Peter's hand and "caught him." Being caught by Jesus was no doubt a part of Peter's scary but beautiful experience in the storm.
The storm is a faith-building means to an end and is not intended to be a lifestyle (Matthew 14:32). Peter had an encounter with Jesus that would significantly form his relationship for all time. But the moment came when both Jesus and Peter climbed back into the boat (where the other disciples had been observing the whole drama), and "the wind died down." There would be other storm experiences for Peter, given him by God to equip him to walk more intimately with Jesus and be more fruitful during the times when there were no storms, but now it was time for this storm to calm down.
During these last few months I've spent considerable time reflecting on this story. I started by reading my favorite John Ortberg book, "If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat." I've even had the opportunity to teach a video-based class based on the book - twice! All the while I've seen myself out there with Jesus, trying to ignore the wind and the waves, practicing my spiritual water-walking skills. Only recently have I come to realize that this entire time I have been standing in the boat, looking at the storm and looking at Jesus, reflecting on how wonderful it would be to know him and trust him enough to actually get out of the boat. I've gotten close to the edge of the boat without actually enduring the danger of climbing out. I've even wondered whether or not it would be better to go back to the familiar shore. Only recently I've come to see that I have not walked on any water yet - I've only been screwing up enough courage to haul myself over the side of the boat and begin the adventure with Jesus. Water walking is still ahead. At least I've learned enough to know that it's not about the storm and it's not about walking on water - it's about Jesus! "I want to know Christ" (Philippians 3:10).
It's fairly common for me to have some kind of "picture" of Jesus in my mind when I am praying. When I am afraid, I picture Jesus asleep in the boat and myself sitting next to him - if he's not afraid, then neither should I be afraid. If I'm facing a particularly challenging season, I picture Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the storm and inviting me to join him. (I think you get the picture.) So as you can imagine I have spent the last six months seeing Jesus calmly riding the wind and the waves while I stand in the boat wondering what it's all about. I've had a lot of time to reflect on that story. Here are some of my thoughts:
The context of this experience of Jesus was a boat that was "a considerable distance from the land" being "buffeted by the waves" and opposed by the wind (Matthew 14:24). No one likes to have their circumstance buffeted and opposed, but sometimes it just happens. Occasionally it seems as though chaos has broken out and upset the delicate balance of our orderly lives. And it usually happens when we have traveled a significant distance from shore, when there are no good opportunities to return to a safe harbor. These times feel like abandonment - by God and those closest too us. What we don't know at first is that the storm has been whipped up by God, that God is in the midst of the storm. Only later do we appreciate that we were able to move into a whole new level of relationship with Jesus as a result of the storm.
The circumstance of the wind and waves does not in any way intimate the Lord (Matthew 14:27). Because Jesus is the Lord of all creation, he has authority over both wind and waves. He has overcome, and is able to simply walk on the waves and through the wind. When Jesus first appeared to the disciples in the storm his first words were, "Take courage!" Don't panic or shrink back as though your life has fallen apart (if not come to an end). "It is I." Jesus is in the storm, ready and willing to reveal himself in a unique way, a way that could not be experienced on the shore or a calm sea. "Don't be afraid." The opposite of faith is fear, but fear is instinctive, an automatic response to any perceived threat of danger. The encouragement to not be afraid is simply an exhortation to trust God anyway, no matter how dangerous or uncertain the circumstance might seem.
The best faith response in the midst of the storm is to ask for a fresh revelation of Jesus (Matthew 14:28). Peter could have asked any number of good questions: Why are you walking on water? Why didn't you take better care of us, allowing us to experience this storm? Why did you leave us and then send us into this storm? Why aren't you calming the wind and the waves? Instead Peter's response was, "Lord," acknowledging the authority of Jesus in this situation. "If it's you," wanting to be sure he was seeing Jesus and not having some kind of psychotic break. "Tell me to come to you," relying on the Lord's authoritative initiative in his life, asking for a personal, relational response from Jesus that would lead to a new, fuller experience of Jesus. "Tell me to come to you on the water," expressing a willingness to overcome the perceived threat in order to see and know Jesus more fully. For Peter it was not about the wind and the waves and it was not about walking on water - it was about Jesus!
At the right time, Jesus invites us to take our eyes off of our circumstances and put our eyes on him alone (Matthew 14:29). Jesus responded to Peter with a one word command - "Come." He was not inviting Peter to walk on water; Jesus was inviting Peter to come to him, to know him better, to grow in his ability to trust him in every situation. It didn't require some great mystic experience; it just needed one simple word from the Master. "Come!"
The word of the Lord calls for a simple response of obedience (Matthew 14:29). I'm sure Peter could have paused to consider the appearance of Jesus, the word of his invitation, the situation of the boat in the storm. Peter could have weighed the pros and cons of getting out of the boat. After all, God loved him too much to expose him unnecessarily to danger. Maybe he should take a time out and reflect on his options; maybe Jesus just wants him to be willing to come. Instead, Peter simply "got down out of the boat." He had to actually climb over the side of the boat and lower himself onto the water. The time for prayerful reflection was over - it was time to act. Peter "walked on the water." His simple trust and obedience empowered him to do what he never could have done on his own, even with all of his talent and ability. And Peter "came toward Jesus." Peter's focus was on Jesus - not on some destiny or reward, the fulfillment of some vision or kingdom purpose. Jesus wasn't a means to an end - Jesus was the end!
A faith walk with Jesus has moments of distraction and doubt (Matthew 14:30). Even though Peter was having a wonderful time of hearing the voice of the Lord, responding in obedience and experiencing the grace and power of the Lord, the wind was still blowing and the waves were still crashing down on him. Who could condemn Peter for being distracted by all of that and taking his eyes off of Jesus? It would have been much better if the storm has simply stopped the moment Peter's foot hit the water. Instead, the storm continued and Peter's storm-tossed experience of Jesus continued. Fortunately, Peter did not take his eyes off of the essence and the meaning of his experience. When in his moment of distraction and doubt he began to sink, he quickly asked, "Lord, save me!" He knew that the Lord was still with him and that he could count on the Lord to rescue him, no matter how weak his faith.
Jesus is always faithful to take us by the hand and give us whatever assistance we may need as we seek to know him and obey him in the storm (Matthew 14:31). "Immediately," without a moment's hesitation, "Jesus reached out his hand and caught him." Sinking and perishing was not an option. Jesus had not set a trap for Peter. Jesus was not testing Peter's survival instinct. Jesus was revealing himself to Peter. Jesus was giving Peter an opportunity to know him better and trust him more. There was no way Jesus was going to let Peter sink. In a very personal way Jesus grabbed Peter's hand and "caught him." Being caught by Jesus was no doubt a part of Peter's scary but beautiful experience in the storm.
The storm is a faith-building means to an end and is not intended to be a lifestyle (Matthew 14:32). Peter had an encounter with Jesus that would significantly form his relationship for all time. But the moment came when both Jesus and Peter climbed back into the boat (where the other disciples had been observing the whole drama), and "the wind died down." There would be other storm experiences for Peter, given him by God to equip him to walk more intimately with Jesus and be more fruitful during the times when there were no storms, but now it was time for this storm to calm down.
During these last few months I've spent considerable time reflecting on this story. I started by reading my favorite John Ortberg book, "If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat." I've even had the opportunity to teach a video-based class based on the book - twice! All the while I've seen myself out there with Jesus, trying to ignore the wind and the waves, practicing my spiritual water-walking skills. Only recently have I come to realize that this entire time I have been standing in the boat, looking at the storm and looking at Jesus, reflecting on how wonderful it would be to know him and trust him enough to actually get out of the boat. I've gotten close to the edge of the boat without actually enduring the danger of climbing out. I've even wondered whether or not it would be better to go back to the familiar shore. Only recently I've come to see that I have not walked on any water yet - I've only been screwing up enough courage to haul myself over the side of the boat and begin the adventure with Jesus. Water walking is still ahead. At least I've learned enough to know that it's not about the storm and it's not about walking on water - it's about Jesus! "I want to know Christ" (Philippians 3:10).
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