Out of Shame - Seeing Jesus

One of the strongest proofs for the Resurrection of Jesus, in my view, is not the holes in his hands  nor the hole in his side from the spear where blood and water came out (though these two helped Thomas believe {John 20:27}).

It wasn't that he appeared to the fear-ridden disciples behind locked doors (though that is still pretty stinking cool {John 20:19}). 

Its not found in how he simply says, "Mary" (though that is beautiful and would be of overwhelming comfort in the midst of despair {John 20:16}). 

No, what I find so compelling about the Resurrection and where I simply cannot arrive at any other conclusion than ABSOLUTE fact is what happens in a story rarely discussed less than two months after Jesus returns to life.

In Acts 3 and 4 the story is told of how Peter and John, filled with the Spirit of God, healed a man. Acts 4:5 picks it up, 

⁵ On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ⁶ with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. ⁷ And when they had set them in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

These men were cowering behind locked doors and hiding from the religious elite who had just killed their Savior and now they are standing before those SAME MEN saying the following:

¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.

What happened? The text tells us...

¹³ Now when they (the religious elite) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 

Jesus changes everything. 

• He takes paralyzing doubt and creates space for one to struggle without the urgency to conform to His understanding. In other words he does not shame the one who seems to spin their wheels. 
• He addresses fear with peace by giving the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22). The One who is the Prince of Peace dwells in us (who believe) and meets our fear with us as a comforter. 
• He takes what despair concludes is a lost cause and hopeless enterprise and flips the script to possibility and potential.  

This is what the disciples experienced... This is why they were BOLD less than two months after they ran and hid from the SAME people. 

And, I would argue with conviction and passion, this is the intended experience for anyone who claims the name of Jesus Christ as their Savior, Lord and Friend. Be encouraged today. The resurrection is far more than bunnies, good chocolate, and family get-togethers. 

It is JESUS and He changes everything!

(if you so desire you can follow this link to listen to the message I preached on Easter about how God moves us from shame to repentance and joy: click here)

Who You Are and How You Help

Identity shapes things; from our struggle with indwelt sin to how we help others toward Christ-likeness. So how does living out of our identity help us help others in personal counseling...

In I Jn. 2:6 we learn that whoever says he abides in Christ must “walk in the same way in which he walked.” There was not a portion of the day/life of Jesus that was void of communion/dependence on the Father. The book of John alone has many references to the fact that Jesus could not/would not do anything apart from God. My life ought to reflect the same rhythms: returning to Him thanks, basking in His love for me, seeking his face in everything, discipling others around me, and ministering to the physical needs of others, etc. If I don’t “walk” this way my effectiveness will be out of its depth in a parking lot puddle. 

In I Cor. 4:17 Paul explains that he is sending Timothy to “remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”  This smacks of consistency and trustworthiness. From church to church others were not saying, “Paul is losing it, he said this to the Colossians but this to the Philippians.” No, Paul was trustworthy and as a point of fact asked the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitated Christ. I am able to help people when there is a consistently observable pattern of obedience and wisdom in my life that point to Jesus. 

Finally, as I survey the life and walk of Christ I am amazed by his faith. Luke 22:42 unveils this reality: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” A submission to the process that He sets forth (of my own or other’s sanctification) is seen as best. The most influential piece of my identity in the helping of others is a joyful, willful submission to His way and plans on His timetable. 

monday musing

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James (the epistle in the New Testament) is such a potent little message of both hope and challenge. Often in the journey of faith we can become bogged down. James mentions a few evil ambitions that may contribute: bitter zeal, selfish ambition, sinful cravings, and pleasure (whatever pleases me).  

At times each of these can “stick out out me.” I think at the moment the one that grabs my attention the most is sinful cravings.  A sinful craving or “passion” as the ESV puts it, aims at the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state. Even that statement betrays the reality of fulfillment of joy found only in Jesus (Psalm. 16:11).

James 4:6 ("But He gives more grace...") provides comfort because I get uncomfortable and impatient with myself in those moments. As I get uncomfortable my knee-jerk reaction is the natural inward curve of sin. I begin to self-assess: “How did I get here, why do I still struggle like this, why can’t this desire just be removed from me?” Naturally then, I take my eyes off the Savior and instead cast my gaze upon my issues as though heightened scrutiny will lead to greater and quicker freedom.

A sinful craving, for anything, means that I have effectively set aside the life-satisfying nature that an authentic relationship with Jesus provides. For me there is shame in the exchange of satisfaction from Him to satisfaction in my sinful craving because I have tasted and am sustained by his sacrifice and gift. Simply knowing that “…he gives more grace…” even in the face of my wanton craving provides the comfort and strength necessary to resist the temptation and receive His gift. I need only be humble and repentant. Reminds me of Paul’s statement in Romans 5:20 “…where sin increased grace increased all the more…” 

His grace, in those moments, enables me to see His grace in SO MANY others that I had hitherto missed or avoided.

With God wrap-up

"I want God, not my idea of God," - C.S. Lewis - 

Those words were penned by C.S. Lewis as he was walking through the loss of his wife. He understood the only hope that could potentially alter his grief-stricken state, was a ravishing vision of God that obliterated all his preconceived understanding of relating with God.

In the last four posts we have examined four different postures of relating with God. Each contains seeds of biblical truth (feel free to scroll down to read previous posts). However, when focused on exclusively as a primary means of relationship, it obscures the reality God intended when He walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve AND when he sent his Son to live with us as Immanuel (God with us).

The question surfaces on the horizon of our hearts and looms until we can begin to arrive at a satisfactory answer; for knowing what something is not only amounts to half the equation.

So that the reader of this blog may feel equipped, let me suggest a few options to arrive at a satisfactory answer: listen to last week's message which summarized the reality of LIFE WITH GOD (click here) OR come by NCF and pick up a copy of the book ($10) With: Reimagining the Way You Relate To God by Skye Jethani (you could also order online). 

Watch this short video where author Skye Jethani provides an introductory analysis to life with God.  



Finally, if you have listened to the messages online or live at NCF OR have read the book by Jethani - please consider taking the time to post one or two ways you were impacted in the comments below (anonymously if you prefer).

Toward a defintion of self

Brennan Manning once shared these insightful words:

Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.

Let's engage what Manning is chasing after in his statement for a brief moment. What are you doing for God? Seriously, make a list in your mind or on a sheet of paper. Mentally walk through the exercise and then return to this post...

Welcome back.

Now as you were carefully thinking through those things you do for God what were the whisperings you began to hear?

I can tell you what I heard:

"...you're not good enough, this guy has written a book, you didn't share the gospel with that guy at the baseball game... consider so-and-so their door is always open and they live a life completely given over to any and all who don't know Jesus..." OR "...I have a better understanding of God's word than so-and-so, last month we had our neighbors over for a cookout and invited them to church..."      

Its as though we are saying, "God, are you happy with me? Have I done enough service for you to be satisfied with my efforts?" OR "Is my life about your mission in the world enough so that you will see I am sincere and devoted." And on it goes. We cry out for significance, meaning and belonging - not knowing how to arrive there we opt for effort instead. This is the essence of the life For God posture; how am I serving or what I accomplishing for God.

Following this line of logic things get downright scary. In our pursuit of God and His mission we may sometimes land on a particular philosophy to accomplish that mission; feeling as though we have nailed it so-to-speak, we begin to cast some disdainful glances at others who have not. Skye Jethani puts it this way:

An individual is either on the mission, the object of the mission, an obstacle to the mission, an aid to the mission, or a fat Christian who should be on the mission.

This was the story that Jesus told in Luke 15. One son shames his father, takes the inheritance and blows it in almost no time at all in wild and licentious living. He then returns home in utter embarrassment and shame.

The second son, upon his brother's return home, remains outraged at his father's reception of the younger son. He lectures the father on his morality, work ethic and devotion; essentially spitting in his face and refusing to celebrate the fact that his younger brother is still alive.

Both sons wanted what the Father had to give. They went about it two wildly different ways - one through entitlement and one through effort.

In this story, we are both sons. Licentious and entitled, we go our own way only concerned with the things we receive from God (Romans 3:10-19). It's easy and common to return here. Its equally as easy to display good morality, work ethic and devotion for God (Isaiah 64:6). Both postures of relating to God are interested in what God has, not so much God himself.

The latter son was the central theme of the life for God sermon which Steve Thompson preached this past Sunday (listen here). As he so carefully communicated there are seeds of biblical truth in each of the ways we relate to God that we have been examining over the last month. Steve provided a few diagnosing questions to help us learn if we are interested more in the meaning and significance found in doing something for God OR the meaning and significance we have as result of His reconciling work toward us. I urge you to consider them in conversation with a friend or family member this week:

1. Is my life for God so central that it characterizes my life as a Christian? Essentially, does mission supplant the central PERSON of the mission (Jesus)?
2. Do I pursue works of service because I am loved and accepted OR in order to gain acceptance or meaning before God? 
3. Do I believe God is disappointed with me when I fall short? 
4. Do I devalue others who don't have a similar passion or call to the mission as I do? 

If you've worked through the content of this entire post and still have a desire to dig deeper into the inexhaustible love of God (Eph. 3:17-19)... I recommend watching this:


Mike Frost SENTRALIZED Conference Kansas City 2013 "The Surprising Father" from Sentralized on Vimeo.


Consider joining us next Sunday as we wrap up the series and get to the heart of the matter - or return to this blog next week and read the summary.

One Pump BB Guns

Gifts are wonderful.

Given at just the right time to an individual who least expects it and it could make a deep impact on one's life. A tangible expression of love which conveys, without provocation, the sentiments of the giver to the recipient. In fact, the very definition of gift communicates this very clearly: a thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present. 
 
When I was a young boy there was a particular Christmas I will never forget. I wanted a BB Gun so bad I could taste it - those pesky pigeons and barn swallows were about to meet their fate. The gifts were wrapped under the tree; and I thought, "What harm could there possibly be in just 'bumping' the edge of the gift marked with my name in order to find out if I had gotten what I wanted."

Raising a large number of children is called parenting. It also doubles as law enforcement training 101 for would-be detectives and my father was a decorated veteran of the program. He spotted the tear in the wrapping paper caused "by accident" and I was not awarded the gift for two weeks following Christmas.   

A funny thing happened internally in the days that followed as the punishment was enacted. Though my parents were under no compulsion to provide for me the gift I now was upset with them for having taken it away. Their tangible expression of love, simply because I was their son, was met with juvenile anger and a real sense of entitlement that simply had to be addressed. 

We do this with God, don't we? We can so easily fixate on His gifts to us that we forget THE GIVER. This is the Life From God posture. We are totally interested in what God has to offer, just not so much God Himself. 

Author Skye Jethani says it this way, 

Everything that lives draws its life from God, and he is the “Father of lights” from whom comes “every good gift and every perfect gift. (see James 1:17)" And Jesus calls us to ask God for what we need. But the life from God posture has a tendency to overemphasize this single aspect of the divine-human relationship. It makes receiving God’s gifts the entirety of our religious lives.

He's absolutely right.

In His kindness, God has lavished His love on us (see Eph. 1). This past week, in his sermon, Don Stuber had the opportunity to draw attention to that (listen here). In the message he drew upon his own experience with his father. Telling a story that captivates the imagination and awe a young boy can sometimes feel for his father; he shared how he climbed into the farm truck at a young age eager for the presence of his dad.   

NOT HIS PRESENTS

His dad said, "Where we going son?" Don, filled with a wonder not yet stained by the world replied...

"Anywhere dad, as long as its with you."

This week as you consider the all-encompassing, failure-swallowing, entitlement-obliterating, and totally undeserved LOVE of God in Christ - here are some questions for around the dinner table or in your personal time with Jesus:

1. What are you most looking forward to when you think about eternal life WITH God? (if answer is your lack of sickness, a gold mansion, or any other benefit that's not the presence of God then He may be addressing the gift vs. GIVER reality in your heart)
2. How does faith remain strong (or even grow) when life continually throws you curves? 
3. What things or relationships have I overemphasized? How do they (things or relationships) illustrate God's lavish love for me?  

 

Life Over God

The Enlightenment (period of history in the 17,1800's marked by dramatic advances in science, philosophy, society and politics) has often been described as the "age of reason." This age of reason, as one can well imagine, has had equally dramatic, if not damning, influences on the Christian faith. It has created two evils; one, we'll mention and the other we will park on.

The first evil is that The Enlightenment has made a false dichotomy between faith and science. This is another conversation for another day. The second evil created, is that our faith must be founded on proven principles with predicable and measurable outcomes.  

No where is this more clear than when John Locke (an Enlightenment philosopher) says:

You may be saying, "How does this work itself out to be a damning influence on the Christian faith?" Glad you are still reading and therefore asking that question. Last Sunday Eric Rahn approached an answer to that question by proposing that our approach to the Bible says something about our relationship with God. In a stimulating and convicting quote, he says: 

"Our relationship with Jesus trumps our relationship with the Bible. However, our approach to the Bible has everything to do with our relationship with Jesus."

Curiously, this is not a new problem. Jesus dealt with a group of leaders who were constantly returning to predictable, measurable, and reason-based thinking with regard to faith. He confronts them with a statement in John 5:39, "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!" They were trusting in the scriptures, not the God of them...This is essentially the problem with Life Over God.


To get you thinking and to continue the application from Sunday's sermon by Eric Rahn (listen to it here) here are some questions he gave us and I encourage you to share them around a meal or in conversation...

    •    What do you your actions show about what you believe about the Bible?
    •    Where, if you were honest, are you trusting in proven principles rather than trusting the Spirit to lead you?
    •    What’s one area in your life you can give up control so that you can rely on the amazing work of Christ in your life?


Feel free to post thoughts or start a conversation...