I'm currently prepping for my small group lesson. This week our chapter is on the crucifixion of Christ, and I have struggled to organize it in a way to hit all the important points and not take 3 months in doing so. We will see how successful those efforts will be. However, one thought came to my mind while sifting through scriptures, commentaries, books, and musings. Namely, that while there is a hesitance in discussing or approaching the concept of God's wrath in modern Jesus-anity (typically in favor of "love" as an emotional, sappy, reassurance from God), it is precisely this attribute that frames so poignantly the depth of that love. We never want a cheap love; we want it to cost something. We distrust those who build their relationships on mutually benefitting circumstances that disappear when said benefits dry up. God's wrath points out (at least) two ideas for us:
1. That He is perfectly holy and righteous. I mean, it seems kind of harsh right? We do fun things that we are sort of inclined to do - even though we have this feeling that we shouldn't - and because of that God burns with hatred towards all of humanity? Really? Well, yes actually. According to Psalm 5, God hates all evildoers. And according to Romans 3 (via Psalm 14), all persons are evildoers. Therefore, my deductive logic tells me, my dear Watson, that God hates all persons. Proverbs particularly bangs the drum of God's animosity toward pride. The root of all sin seems to be idolatrous pride; that is, taking God off the throne and placing ourselves as judge of right and wrong, good and evil, as if our insights were profound enough to overcome the wisdom of the system designer. The smallest things that we excuse are direct defiance in the face of the King of the universe. And he does not take it lightly. This communicates to us that God is not dependent on humanity to fulfill his longing; He doesn't need worshippers or children or homeboys. It's not as if it creates a deficiency in Himself to wipe us off the face of the planet. He is self-sufficient separate from His creation which shows that he is holy (other or separate) from his creation. He is different from us dependent creatures. Also, if His nature is such that He burns with anger and punishes the slightest transgression of His law, he truly is perfectly righteous and good, and hates evil. Many mushy-gushies would have us believe that it would be good (and best) for God simply to overlook our sins rather than punish them. The problem with that, of course, is what God says. So we see through God's wrath that He is entirely holy and righteous.
2. God's love is magnified in His wrath. Through the cross of Christ, God freely chooses to pour out love on his enemies by pouring out the wrath that they have incurred onto His son. God does not do this because He is loving and He must; rather, He chooses to demonstrate His love in the full light of His wrath. Christ - dying in the place of sinners, for their sin - is the best picture of God's love, not creation. Providing for physical needs of the destitute is not the most glorious display of God's love, Christ's absorption of God's hatred of sinners is. We have heard that God is love and therefore holds no judgement toward sin. But we know that this is the very definition of love: that Jesus Christ died as a substitute and incurred God's wrath upon himself for people that were His enemies. Then He sat down at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for those who would rather suffer eternal torment than bow their knee to Him. How powerful is God's love when we know that He disregards all obstacles between us and at the cost of His own Son. How vibrant the redemptive picture is when it includes the brushstrokes of His very wrath.
I just don't get the thinking behind "Best Life Now" theology, where God is infinitely resourced, so He will (and exists almost exclusively to) give you whatever you think will make you happy and not miss anything. Why would we ever accept from God a love that we wouldn't accept from another person? Is it really better to think that God's love didn't really cost Him anything? I guess those who want a loving God without a wrathful one are kind of like someone who enjoys watching cheesy reruns on a black and white tv. I prefer to see grace in 1080p.
Showing posts with label Preaching to Myself. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preaching to Myself. Show all posts
09 February 2011
03 March 2010
Thoughts on Sovereignty's Implications
During a discussion regarding God's sovereignty and its impact on sotieriology, some thoughts came to mind. We are taught in apologetics to appeal to the universal morality that is weaved through all of history's great cultures and use this to point to a creator. And yet when it comes to discussing what God can and cannot do we often find ourselves limiting God based on what is just or right or loving or gracious. Which leads me to ask:
Is God good, or is goodness God?
Is God love, or is love God?
Is God just, or is justice God?
Is God subservient to the higher moral truths, or does He by His nature and decree define what those ideals are?
Too often I think we take the filter of what our fallen limited minds conceive of as loving or just or good and apply those to God, instead of taking our definitions of those ideas and running them through the filter of God and His word. If God is bound by some moral code higher than Himself, then He ceases to be the most powerful force in the universe. Why is it so hard for us to let go and let God be God? He has told us He is truthful and He is just and He is loving. Why do we impose what our understanding of those ideas are onto Him? Too often I let the fallen side of my mind step in and try to convince me that I know better than God what is right and place restrictions on Him that are based on a fallen, simple, bad understanding of what right means. God does right because what He does is right, by definition. He literally can do no wrong. We learn what is right from His example and His decree. Not from what we think is right. And definitely not from what somebody else tells us is right.
For those that think I'm only playing with semantics, remember that foundational thinking is the first step toward action. So, for example, if we want to fight for justice, we had better know exactly what justice is. Otherwise we will fail in achieving our goal. If we are to work to further the kingdom of God, it is imperative that we know what the components of that kingdom are.
So if God is sovereign and defines for us what is right, then He has the freedom to do what He wants, and to explain and expect humanity to do the same. We never have to argue to justify God's actions - although sometimes we need to understand clearly His purpose. Instead, we must constantly renew our minds and bring ourselves into alignment with His truth. What box are you putting God in? (He won't fit, you know)
Is God good, or is goodness God?
Is God love, or is love God?
Is God just, or is justice God?
Is God subservient to the higher moral truths, or does He by His nature and decree define what those ideals are?
Too often I think we take the filter of what our fallen limited minds conceive of as loving or just or good and apply those to God, instead of taking our definitions of those ideas and running them through the filter of God and His word. If God is bound by some moral code higher than Himself, then He ceases to be the most powerful force in the universe. Why is it so hard for us to let go and let God be God? He has told us He is truthful and He is just and He is loving. Why do we impose what our understanding of those ideas are onto Him? Too often I let the fallen side of my mind step in and try to convince me that I know better than God what is right and place restrictions on Him that are based on a fallen, simple, bad understanding of what right means. God does right because what He does is right, by definition. He literally can do no wrong. We learn what is right from His example and His decree. Not from what we think is right. And definitely not from what somebody else tells us is right.
For those that think I'm only playing with semantics, remember that foundational thinking is the first step toward action. So, for example, if we want to fight for justice, we had better know exactly what justice is. Otherwise we will fail in achieving our goal. If we are to work to further the kingdom of God, it is imperative that we know what the components of that kingdom are.
So if God is sovereign and defines for us what is right, then He has the freedom to do what He wants, and to explain and expect humanity to do the same. We never have to argue to justify God's actions - although sometimes we need to understand clearly His purpose. Instead, we must constantly renew our minds and bring ourselves into alignment with His truth. What box are you putting God in? (He won't fit, you know)
26 January 2010
Put up or shut up (actually, shut up either way)
Last night I watched Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle present videos and images of a trip to Haiti he and another pastor made to survey the damage and formulate a plan of action to set up an organization that will help the churches of Haiti. Until I had seen this presentation, I had felt sorry for Haiti, but actually seeing the devastation tore me up, as my wife can attest to (you can watch the video here WARNING: there is some graphic content and it will mess up your heart). The reason I write is because the past few days I have seen and read and heard many who name the name of Christ speak rather glibly about the efforts being made to give relief and hope to the distraught people there. In particular, I have heard some of my friends complain that there are those suffering here in the US so why should we be spending so much energy in Haiti? To be honest, this thinking makes me sick to my stomach, and so I have a few unpopular points I would like to make.
First, I agree that there are those here who suffer, and that the church has failed at meeting their needs. In fact, I have seen this suffering firsthand. I moved from a relatively affluent sector of the country in Northwest Arkansas where it was easy to sweep those who suffered under the rug and keep them out of sight and out of conscience. Since moving to Jacksonville, I have been confronted almost daily with true suffering, and there is no ignoring the homelessness and poverty that exist even in our prosperous land. I have seen women and children who have had to leave everything behind to escape abusive endangerment of their lives. I have seen people who have had addictions ravage their life and leave them with nothing. I have heard of a man with a master's degree who could not get a job and is homeless for the third time. And yet, I submit to you that these people are more fortunate than almost every single person in Haiti, and even more fortunate than the majority of people in the entire world. It is true that in the US, the church for the most part has done a terrible job of meeting the needs of our most desperate people. We have ignored those forced into sexual slavery, and the elderly who spend their time alone abandoned by their family, and we should repent and serve those people wholeheartedly in the name of Jesus. But the resources exist here to meet their needs. There are shelters to protect those who have no shelter, and provide meals for those who have no food. Although these churches don't go out and find these people as they should, if these people came to the church, almost any church in America would be willing to put these people in touch with someone or someplace to meet their needs. Even our public recreational parks have fresh, clean water to drink. When natural disasters happen, the government provides money and resources for relief and rebuilding. The problem is that in Haiti, NONE of those things exist. There is no drinkable water in Port-au-Prince. There are almost no church buildings left intact. There basically is no government. There is no viable police force. There isn't even farmable country because the environment has been so devastated in the past. All that is left are shell-shocked people living and sleeping on the streets alongside corpses, fighting for survival. There is no comparison with the need there and the need here, and we have the affluence in the United States to help meet the needs of the Haitian people.
Secondly - and this is what worries me more - these Christians are not really speaking out of motivation to help the people here. I'm sure that if you asked them if they would like to see suffering ended in their hometown and country, they could honestly say yes. But if you look at their lives and their bank account, they are not the ones spending time handing out blankets and scarves to homeless people on the street. They are not the ones finding prostitutes and helping them to put their lives back together. They are not the ones who sacrifice at home to give more money away. These people are evidence of the problem of mistaking right-wing politics with following Jesus. It is remarkable that Christians have begun taking their cues from politicians rather than biblical Christianity. Throwing darts at those who are doing a good thing is not a new practice, especially to the church. Those who rise up and lead are always going to catch the most flak. But this is a foreign practice that we see in politics to attack those who may disagree with us no matter what they do. Even Jesus said that those who were serving others and weren't against Him were on His side (Mark 9:38-41). And honestly, this grumbling by Christians is done only to disguise their own conviction of their failure to do what is right (they would do well to read James 4:17). It is so much easier to say "I can't believe they are trying to send so much money when we have suffering here" than it is to move to a smaller apartment or not get coffee every morning or fast for a week in order to give that money away. And it is definitely easier to complain than it is to spend a night meeting the homeless on the street or even to jump a plane and go serve people in desperate, dire need. A quarter of a million people, each bearing the image of God, are dead, and hundreds of thousands more are in danger if something is not done. And people who spend their time sitting on their hands wave the red flag, whining that we should do more here first. Christians are notorious for talking loud and complaining hard and doing nothing, and frankly, it is this kind of crap that has made the church in the US ineffective and borderline irrelevant, and it pisses me off that those who claim to love Christ can stomach this behavior. We should all repent of the sin of apathy that we have allowed to fester in our churches and have our hearts broken for the Haitian people, especially our brothers and sisters. So what if "Hollywood" is leading the charge? They can reach more people than you because you hole up in your church and your home and have no contact with the outside world! Pray that God can make us more in tune with those around us so that we can be effective in sharing God's love with them.
Lastly, instead of throwing darts at those who actually have the audacity to see a desperate need and try to meet it, we should repent and join in giving and in service, following the example of Christ (Matthew 20: 26-28). So, give to your church, give to the red cross, or to the "Hollywood charity", or give to help rebuild churches. And also, give of your money and your time locally to help spread the gospel of God's love in your Jerusalem.
I know I don't have thousands of people reading this (and maybe no one actually), and it will probably never reach the people I wish I could say this to face to face, but I felt compelled to write anyway. I will close with an admonition from Paul.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Galatians 6:7-10
First, I agree that there are those here who suffer, and that the church has failed at meeting their needs. In fact, I have seen this suffering firsthand. I moved from a relatively affluent sector of the country in Northwest Arkansas where it was easy to sweep those who suffered under the rug and keep them out of sight and out of conscience. Since moving to Jacksonville, I have been confronted almost daily with true suffering, and there is no ignoring the homelessness and poverty that exist even in our prosperous land. I have seen women and children who have had to leave everything behind to escape abusive endangerment of their lives. I have seen people who have had addictions ravage their life and leave them with nothing. I have heard of a man with a master's degree who could not get a job and is homeless for the third time. And yet, I submit to you that these people are more fortunate than almost every single person in Haiti, and even more fortunate than the majority of people in the entire world. It is true that in the US, the church for the most part has done a terrible job of meeting the needs of our most desperate people. We have ignored those forced into sexual slavery, and the elderly who spend their time alone abandoned by their family, and we should repent and serve those people wholeheartedly in the name of Jesus. But the resources exist here to meet their needs. There are shelters to protect those who have no shelter, and provide meals for those who have no food. Although these churches don't go out and find these people as they should, if these people came to the church, almost any church in America would be willing to put these people in touch with someone or someplace to meet their needs. Even our public recreational parks have fresh, clean water to drink. When natural disasters happen, the government provides money and resources for relief and rebuilding. The problem is that in Haiti, NONE of those things exist. There is no drinkable water in Port-au-Prince. There are almost no church buildings left intact. There basically is no government. There is no viable police force. There isn't even farmable country because the environment has been so devastated in the past. All that is left are shell-shocked people living and sleeping on the streets alongside corpses, fighting for survival. There is no comparison with the need there and the need here, and we have the affluence in the United States to help meet the needs of the Haitian people.
Secondly - and this is what worries me more - these Christians are not really speaking out of motivation to help the people here. I'm sure that if you asked them if they would like to see suffering ended in their hometown and country, they could honestly say yes. But if you look at their lives and their bank account, they are not the ones spending time handing out blankets and scarves to homeless people on the street. They are not the ones finding prostitutes and helping them to put their lives back together. They are not the ones who sacrifice at home to give more money away. These people are evidence of the problem of mistaking right-wing politics with following Jesus. It is remarkable that Christians have begun taking their cues from politicians rather than biblical Christianity. Throwing darts at those who are doing a good thing is not a new practice, especially to the church. Those who rise up and lead are always going to catch the most flak. But this is a foreign practice that we see in politics to attack those who may disagree with us no matter what they do. Even Jesus said that those who were serving others and weren't against Him were on His side (Mark 9:38-41). And honestly, this grumbling by Christians is done only to disguise their own conviction of their failure to do what is right (they would do well to read James 4:17). It is so much easier to say "I can't believe they are trying to send so much money when we have suffering here" than it is to move to a smaller apartment or not get coffee every morning or fast for a week in order to give that money away. And it is definitely easier to complain than it is to spend a night meeting the homeless on the street or even to jump a plane and go serve people in desperate, dire need. A quarter of a million people, each bearing the image of God, are dead, and hundreds of thousands more are in danger if something is not done. And people who spend their time sitting on their hands wave the red flag, whining that we should do more here first. Christians are notorious for talking loud and complaining hard and doing nothing, and frankly, it is this kind of crap that has made the church in the US ineffective and borderline irrelevant, and it pisses me off that those who claim to love Christ can stomach this behavior. We should all repent of the sin of apathy that we have allowed to fester in our churches and have our hearts broken for the Haitian people, especially our brothers and sisters. So what if "Hollywood" is leading the charge? They can reach more people than you because you hole up in your church and your home and have no contact with the outside world! Pray that God can make us more in tune with those around us so that we can be effective in sharing God's love with them.
Lastly, instead of throwing darts at those who actually have the audacity to see a desperate need and try to meet it, we should repent and join in giving and in service, following the example of Christ (Matthew 20: 26-28). So, give to your church, give to the red cross, or to the "Hollywood charity", or give to help rebuild churches. And also, give of your money and your time locally to help spread the gospel of God's love in your Jerusalem.
I know I don't have thousands of people reading this (and maybe no one actually), and it will probably never reach the people I wish I could say this to face to face, but I felt compelled to write anyway. I will close with an admonition from Paul.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
Galatians 6:7-10
11 December 2009
Let Earth Receive Her King
I have tried to avoid writing about Christmas. Perhaps it is my years working retail in the heart of winter that has led me to be an absolute grinch. Seeing all that is wrong with American culture enhanced by permitting it in the name of Christian celebration irks me even more. Greed and consumerism abound. However, the joy of spending time with family and friends will be especially sweet this Christmas. In what has been a tough year for many of us, it seems a more simplistic mindset has come upon those around me and I am thankful for their reminding me of the good of Christmas. A scripture has kept reappearing that is not usually associated with Christmas but I think has a great deal to say to those who love Christ.
Philippians 2:1-11 reads:
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
The first point we see is that continuing from a discussion of the struggle that both Paul and the Philippian church shared, Paul begins to speak of encouragement and unity. The conjunction translated "if" actually assumes the following to be true; a better rendering might be "since". Paul knows that those who have met Christ have been encouraged, have been loved compassionately, and have been united to Him. So Paul encourages the believers to have a like mind: if you have been encouraged, be an encouragement; if loved, be loving; if united, etc. Rather than having hollow opinions of ourselves, we are to think of others and their considerations first. Hollowness and emptiness are a theme that we see unfold in Paul's mind in this chapter. When we think highly of ourselves it is really vain conceit and hollow thinking. We deceive ourselves in pride. Instead of focusing on ourselves we should focus on others; Paul literally says, look to the things of others. Imagine walking down a street where everyone was intently focused on themselves and their own problems and not looking where they were going. This is what happens when we do things out of selfish ambition. In our scenario, people would be bumping into each other, running into buildings or out in front of cars, only compounding their own problems. However, if they are looking after the things of others, they can maneuver safely, and even receive help with their own problems while helping others. Paul gives the antitheses of his wrong motivations: do nothing out of selfish ambition, but rather out of the anti-selfishness, consideration of others. Likewise, do nothing out of vain conceit, but rather out of anti-pride, humility.
You may be asking, what does this have to do with Christmas? I'm glad you asked. You see, Paul knew that humility and consideration are so far removed from our human mentality that we would only truly understand what he meant if we had an example set for us. And boy did we. Paul looked to the One who had a true claim to think highly of Himself and yet decided to act in humility and selflessness. Jesus was in very nature God. The Greek here is transliterated morphe, and it describes essential attributes. If anyone had a right to enjoy the privileges of the throne of God, it was Jesus. He was, and always has been, at His essence, God. However, Christ did not consider this glory something to be taken advantage of. It is interesting to note here the contrast of the first Adam, father of mankind, and the second Adam, firstborn over all creation. In Genesis 3, we see the serpent tell the man and his wife that if they ate of the fruit that they would become like God. Our sinful forefather seized his opportunity to grasp equality with God. And yet, Jesus, our righteousness, deemed it worth sacrificing for our sake. This is anything but selfish ambition.
Instead of taking pride in His divinity and lording it over us, Jesus rather became like us, and not only like us, but even our servant. Worth noting here is that while the Greek schema - describing outward appearance that is subject to change - is used to describe Christ's becoming a man, morphe is used to describe His being a servant (doulos, literally slave, but this might offend our Western European conscience). So while Christ was God who became a man, it was actually essential to Himself to be a servant. In fact, when Paul tells of Christ emptying Himself it brings to mind Isaiah 53:12: "Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Christ was obedient. Not only that, but God Himself was obedient to death. And not only death, but the most despicable and gruesome death imagined, especially to the Jewish people (for whom death by hanging was a curse). So this is our Jesus, God become weak and insubstantial flesh, the Creator of speech unable to speak a word and having to learn language. The One who designed the human body learning to control his bowels. The One who imagined circulatory systems bleeding out. That is what humility looks like.
But, of course, the story does not end there. Because Christ humbled Himself and was obedient unto death, the Father exalted Him and it will be the duty and honor of every knee to bow and every tongue proclaim that King Jesus is Lord, to the glory of the Father (SOLI DEO GLORIA!)! And if we are like Him in life, and like Him in death, then we too will be rewarded - though to a much smaller degree - by God our Father at the resurrection.
So as we celebrate the birth of our King, we would do well to remember His example. As we exchange gifts with those we love, and work with, and tolerate, and got stuck with in secret santa drawings whom we barely know, we should remember Him whose birthday we celebrate. And perhaps we should give Him the gift of honoring His example. What are practical ways that we can be humble servants who consider others? Doubtless we all have our own circumstance and know how we can best serve the poor, needy, hurting, and sick around us. I will leave you with a video by an organization that offers eye-opening truths and some practical suggestions on how we can honor Jesus as we celebrate His birth. Merry Christmas, and Hallelujah!
Philippians 2:1-11 reads:
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
The first point we see is that continuing from a discussion of the struggle that both Paul and the Philippian church shared, Paul begins to speak of encouragement and unity. The conjunction translated "if" actually assumes the following to be true; a better rendering might be "since". Paul knows that those who have met Christ have been encouraged, have been loved compassionately, and have been united to Him. So Paul encourages the believers to have a like mind: if you have been encouraged, be an encouragement; if loved, be loving; if united, etc. Rather than having hollow opinions of ourselves, we are to think of others and their considerations first. Hollowness and emptiness are a theme that we see unfold in Paul's mind in this chapter. When we think highly of ourselves it is really vain conceit and hollow thinking. We deceive ourselves in pride. Instead of focusing on ourselves we should focus on others; Paul literally says, look to the things of others. Imagine walking down a street where everyone was intently focused on themselves and their own problems and not looking where they were going. This is what happens when we do things out of selfish ambition. In our scenario, people would be bumping into each other, running into buildings or out in front of cars, only compounding their own problems. However, if they are looking after the things of others, they can maneuver safely, and even receive help with their own problems while helping others. Paul gives the antitheses of his wrong motivations: do nothing out of selfish ambition, but rather out of the anti-selfishness, consideration of others. Likewise, do nothing out of vain conceit, but rather out of anti-pride, humility.
You may be asking, what does this have to do with Christmas? I'm glad you asked. You see, Paul knew that humility and consideration are so far removed from our human mentality that we would only truly understand what he meant if we had an example set for us. And boy did we. Paul looked to the One who had a true claim to think highly of Himself and yet decided to act in humility and selflessness. Jesus was in very nature God. The Greek here is transliterated morphe, and it describes essential attributes. If anyone had a right to enjoy the privileges of the throne of God, it was Jesus. He was, and always has been, at His essence, God. However, Christ did not consider this glory something to be taken advantage of. It is interesting to note here the contrast of the first Adam, father of mankind, and the second Adam, firstborn over all creation. In Genesis 3, we see the serpent tell the man and his wife that if they ate of the fruit that they would become like God. Our sinful forefather seized his opportunity to grasp equality with God. And yet, Jesus, our righteousness, deemed it worth sacrificing for our sake. This is anything but selfish ambition.
Instead of taking pride in His divinity and lording it over us, Jesus rather became like us, and not only like us, but even our servant. Worth noting here is that while the Greek schema - describing outward appearance that is subject to change - is used to describe Christ's becoming a man, morphe is used to describe His being a servant (doulos, literally slave, but this might offend our Western European conscience). So while Christ was God who became a man, it was actually essential to Himself to be a servant. In fact, when Paul tells of Christ emptying Himself it brings to mind Isaiah 53:12: "Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Christ was obedient. Not only that, but God Himself was obedient to death. And not only death, but the most despicable and gruesome death imagined, especially to the Jewish people (for whom death by hanging was a curse). So this is our Jesus, God become weak and insubstantial flesh, the Creator of speech unable to speak a word and having to learn language. The One who designed the human body learning to control his bowels. The One who imagined circulatory systems bleeding out. That is what humility looks like.
But, of course, the story does not end there. Because Christ humbled Himself and was obedient unto death, the Father exalted Him and it will be the duty and honor of every knee to bow and every tongue proclaim that King Jesus is Lord, to the glory of the Father (SOLI DEO GLORIA!)! And if we are like Him in life, and like Him in death, then we too will be rewarded - though to a much smaller degree - by God our Father at the resurrection.
So as we celebrate the birth of our King, we would do well to remember His example. As we exchange gifts with those we love, and work with, and tolerate, and got stuck with in secret santa drawings whom we barely know, we should remember Him whose birthday we celebrate. And perhaps we should give Him the gift of honoring His example. What are practical ways that we can be humble servants who consider others? Doubtless we all have our own circumstance and know how we can best serve the poor, needy, hurting, and sick around us. I will leave you with a video by an organization that offers eye-opening truths and some practical suggestions on how we can honor Jesus as we celebrate His birth. Merry Christmas, and Hallelujah!
30 August 2009
Thoughts on What Church Do
It is no secret that membership in evangelical American churches in on the severe decline. Depending on which survey you read, no more than 40% of American adults indentify themselves as affiliated with any church at all. This mass exodus from the pew has been going on for two and a half decades and there is no promise for the reversal for that trend. The obvious question is why? Why in a country with so proud a religious heritage and a history of strong national faith are more than half of the adults outside of the church? Why is the body of Christ failing so badly to reach this nation? While inquiry into this subject would lead to no simple answer, a simplification of the issues at hand is that the church in America no longer looks anything like the church founded by Jesus and His apostles.
The book of Acts tells the history of the founding of the early church. Picking up at the ascension of Jesus into heaven, the author of the book (Luke) describes the mission of the disciples as they preached the gospel in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. As the word of God reached those who had not believed in Jesus, powerful transformations occurred in the lives of converts. Perhaps the most clear description of the practice of the early church is found in Acts 2:42-47:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (ESV)
A similar description is found in Acts 4:32-35:
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (NIV)
These descriptions seem to mirror the exhortation of Peter to the dispersed church in 1 Peter 4:
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (vv 7-11 ESV)
The passage in Acts 2 mentions that the believers met in the temple daily; this presumably would have been similar to our corporate worship services (in theory, definitely not in culture or practice). However, the modern American church stops there as the end-all be-all of church function. Occasionally a potluck will bring a shared meal, or a revival or evangelism night will be an opportunity for inviting those outside the church to run a "trial membership" in the club. But rarely do we see true dedication to study of the apostles' teachings (scripture). How many sermons are "4 steps to financial freedom" or "5 rules for being a good parent" rather than explicit study and proclamation of the truth of the Bible? How many Sunday school classes are good for business networking and figuring out what our purpose is or that our heart is wild or captivated or broken or free rather than being edifying expositions of God's truth in His holy word? The early church had no mere peripheral interest in what truth was being presented to them. They devoted themselves to studying the teachings. They pursued truth and knowledge. It is true that practical applications exist for the Christian life, but when you don't know what the word says - and more importantly, what it means - application is useless, and powerless.
One of the fundamental problems in the American church is the abandonment of true fellowship and community for superficial relationships and a country club atmosphere with weekly meetings. The believers of the early church had a passion for community that is almost non-existent in the 21st century Western world. While technology has increasingly made the world smaller, it has also increasingly isolated the members of our society. We can hide behind social networking sites and websites (and blogs!) and communicate through text messages rather than by voice or face-to-face in order to avoid any real human contact. We put up facades and smiles and assure everyone that we are "good" when they ask "how are you" (even though they don't care). One can walk into a church service, give the hand of fellowship, the sign of peace, or the fist bump of brotherhood and leave having made no real connection with a fellow human being. When Peter says to show hospitality, does he mean to provide donuts and coffee, or a greeter at the door, or smile at each other during the greeting time? Peter's idea of the church obviously has nothing to do with a Sunday morning song and lecture service. Sometimes I wonder whether we should not follow Paul's command to greet each other with a holy kiss if for no other reason than that it forces us out of our comfort zone into real (if forced) interaction. Fellowship consists of so much more than what we have accomplished in the American church. It is hard to do. It is difficult to let people see you as you are; to appear broken and weak is against our nature, especially in Western culture. We ignore the command to bear each others' burdens. But until we are genuine and open and care about others more than ourselves, we as the church cannot be the image of Christ's bride that God desires.
The major complaint against modern Christianity is that Christians fight and bicker and hate each other. This is not a new issue. Nearly every epistle affirms the need to show kindness and patience and love for one another. Jesus Himself knew that our actions towards each other as His followers would be the loudest witness when He said in John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV) Why does the world disregard Christians? Because we do not love one another. Jesus said to love each other as He loved us. He died for us. Peter demands that we love earnestly. We have to try. Hard. We have to cover over each others' sins with love. Don't forget that this writing comes from the man who once thought he was doing good to forgive his brother seven times. What kind of dedication did these people have that they shared all of their possessions with one another to take care of any who had need. How foreign this must seem to us, especially in a time of economic hardship in our country, to sell property because someone else is in need. To sacrifice because someone else was hurting. And yet, perhaps, it is precisely because we do not understand what it is truly to suffer and to need that we cannot bring ourselves to be generous. Becoming a Christian for many of the Jews in the early church meant becoming anathema to their families. Or losing their jobs and livelihoods. Or being outcast by their friends and peers. To many of these people, their new brothers and sisters in Christ were their only real family. And maybe since we don't have the same necessity, we can't bring ourselves to the same devotion to fellowship. The early church lived life together and depended on each other for survival. Not that this family wasn't dysfunctional. Like any family, friction existed between sinners. This is why Peter must insist on love that covers sin. But such a dedicated love would present itself in many forms, and is evidenced by sacrificing for one another and putting someone else's needs ahead of one's own. Whether because of the "get-ahead" mindset, or because of sheer disregard for the commands of Christ, or for some other reason, we have failed to love each other more than ourselves. And this fact cannot and never will be hidden from those on the outside looking in to see if we live up to our own standards.
The breaking of bread seems significant for its symbolism of the fellowship among the believers. Family and esteemed guests eat together. Discussion over (and after) dinner reaches levels of familiarity (dare I say intimacy) that occur very few other places and instances (except for over cigars and beer, of course). To invite someone into one's home is a deep sign of kindness and courtesy, and sharing food seems to reach the most primal nerves within us. It may mean giving up a night after work, but how much quicker can fellowship be built than when sharing meals at the end of the day? To live life together in unity and to bear each other's burdens demands love and sacrifice, and sharing meals is one way to build those connections necessary to live in true fellowship.
Can you imagine what our witness would be if we took care of our brothers and sisters in need to the point that not one wanted? If we could put aside our own selfish desires for useless crap, fueled by consumerist mentality? I have referenced before James 1:27: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (NIV) I pray that we have not become so polluted by the world and its temporal desires that we ignore the orphans and widows (and single moms and homeless and starving and those without clean water, etc.) in their distress. If we do not take care of our family - i.e. our brothers and sisters in Christ - we will never be willing to do what it takes to reach those that do not yet belong to God's family.
There are some Christians in America that are earnestly seeking community and generosity. They seek to show love and forgiveness above all else to each other. However, there are many among these groups that would water down the truth of God's word so as not to be offensive and to appeal to those who need God's love. While they are to be commended for their attempts at living life the way God intended in fellowship, there is no need to sugarcoat or change the gospel to reach others. It is fascinating to me to back up and read the first part of Acts 2 where Peter preaches to many people in Jerusalem. Peter boldly and clearly proclaims Jesus as Christ, the Son of God. Peter maintains Jesus's innocence, and claims that the same men to whom he was speaking were responsible for the death of the Messiah (v 23). Then the men ask what they should do and Peter tells them to repent. There was no dilution of the gospel; Peter only proclaimed the truth. And three thousand believed that day (v 41). It was these who were transformed by God's grace and learned to love each other and are our examples in verses 42-47. There is no reason to dismiss any part of God's word in order to live in harmony. In fact without it, there is no true banner to fly over ourselves as Christians. We should be wary of those who would delete part of the gospel in order to be peaceful.
I suck at praying. Personally, I find my own communications with God tend to be so whiny and self-centered that I can only dream of the effective prayer of a righteous man that avails much. I think I am not alone. But how much of the American mindset of prayer is framed by those who teach us to ignore the example of Jesus and to pray "my will be done". We hear all the time that if we tell God what we want, then he will make it happen without any regard for our discerning what He wants, and what He might want us to pray for. We have reduced Him to the genie beyond the sky, old grandfather waiting on our requests so he can spoil us with the desires of our heart. What would our brothers in the Sudan say if they knew we were praying for a new car as they die for their faith? Or the girl forced into prostitution in India? Or the orphan whose parents both died of AIDS? Prayer is about finding the heart of God in order that our hearts may be broken and formed into mirror images of Christ's. It is about lifting up others and pleading with God for justice or mercy for ourselves and our brothers and sisters. God tells us to offer requests for our needs, and He desires to take care of us according to His will. But we abuse this privilege when we use prayer in the name of the only risen Son of God to make known our wish lists and nothing else. I wonder whether it is not blaspheming the Holy Spirit to focus our prayers on ourselves rather than on God and communing with Him. The early church devoted themselves to prayer. So much so that when they petitioned God, He sent an angel on a jailbreak mission to rescue Peter and return him to the church (Acts 12). They knew that prayer was not a public spectacle for human attention or a display of pseudo-righteousness, but rather a supplication to God in times of need, a way to grow nearer to Him and commune with Him. These people, who are clear-minded as Peter desires, will benefit from growing close to God, so that when they speak it is as though God were speaking. And they would not seek any credit but desire above all that God be glorified. There is so much more to be said on the subject of prayer, but as I am admittedly a novice, I will leave such discussions to those who know what they're talking about. Suffice it to say that if the American church were devoted to true prayer, we would see mighty movements of God that we cannot fathom and would be more effective in spreading the news of His Kingdom.
In the passage from Acts 2, we see that when the church devoted itself to the apostles' teachings, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer that God moved among them, they had the favor of the people, and many joined their number. If the American church returns to its roots; if it is filled with people who seek after God's truth, who are genuine and not pretentious, are kind and tender-hearted, forgive each other, who serve each other, who eat meals together, who live life together, and who pray not for their own storehouses to be filled, but for God to reign in all of earth; if the church is filled with those seeking that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, perhaps we may regain the favor of the people. They, seeing Christ alive in us, will join with us in proclaiming Him as Lord, and God will move powerfully among us.
The book of Acts tells the history of the founding of the early church. Picking up at the ascension of Jesus into heaven, the author of the book (Luke) describes the mission of the disciples as they preached the gospel in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. As the word of God reached those who had not believed in Jesus, powerful transformations occurred in the lives of converts. Perhaps the most clear description of the practice of the early church is found in Acts 2:42-47:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (ESV)
A similar description is found in Acts 4:32-35:
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (NIV)
These descriptions seem to mirror the exhortation of Peter to the dispersed church in 1 Peter 4:
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (vv 7-11 ESV)
The passage in Acts 2 mentions that the believers met in the temple daily; this presumably would have been similar to our corporate worship services (in theory, definitely not in culture or practice). However, the modern American church stops there as the end-all be-all of church function. Occasionally a potluck will bring a shared meal, or a revival or evangelism night will be an opportunity for inviting those outside the church to run a "trial membership" in the club. But rarely do we see true dedication to study of the apostles' teachings (scripture). How many sermons are "4 steps to financial freedom" or "5 rules for being a good parent" rather than explicit study and proclamation of the truth of the Bible? How many Sunday school classes are good for business networking and figuring out what our purpose is or that our heart is wild or captivated or broken or free rather than being edifying expositions of God's truth in His holy word? The early church had no mere peripheral interest in what truth was being presented to them. They devoted themselves to studying the teachings. They pursued truth and knowledge. It is true that practical applications exist for the Christian life, but when you don't know what the word says - and more importantly, what it means - application is useless, and powerless.
One of the fundamental problems in the American church is the abandonment of true fellowship and community for superficial relationships and a country club atmosphere with weekly meetings. The believers of the early church had a passion for community that is almost non-existent in the 21st century Western world. While technology has increasingly made the world smaller, it has also increasingly isolated the members of our society. We can hide behind social networking sites and websites (and blogs!) and communicate through text messages rather than by voice or face-to-face in order to avoid any real human contact. We put up facades and smiles and assure everyone that we are "good" when they ask "how are you" (even though they don't care). One can walk into a church service, give the hand of fellowship, the sign of peace, or the fist bump of brotherhood and leave having made no real connection with a fellow human being. When Peter says to show hospitality, does he mean to provide donuts and coffee, or a greeter at the door, or smile at each other during the greeting time? Peter's idea of the church obviously has nothing to do with a Sunday morning song and lecture service. Sometimes I wonder whether we should not follow Paul's command to greet each other with a holy kiss if for no other reason than that it forces us out of our comfort zone into real (if forced) interaction. Fellowship consists of so much more than what we have accomplished in the American church. It is hard to do. It is difficult to let people see you as you are; to appear broken and weak is against our nature, especially in Western culture. We ignore the command to bear each others' burdens. But until we are genuine and open and care about others more than ourselves, we as the church cannot be the image of Christ's bride that God desires.
The major complaint against modern Christianity is that Christians fight and bicker and hate each other. This is not a new issue. Nearly every epistle affirms the need to show kindness and patience and love for one another. Jesus Himself knew that our actions towards each other as His followers would be the loudest witness when He said in John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV) Why does the world disregard Christians? Because we do not love one another. Jesus said to love each other as He loved us. He died for us. Peter demands that we love earnestly. We have to try. Hard. We have to cover over each others' sins with love. Don't forget that this writing comes from the man who once thought he was doing good to forgive his brother seven times. What kind of dedication did these people have that they shared all of their possessions with one another to take care of any who had need. How foreign this must seem to us, especially in a time of economic hardship in our country, to sell property because someone else is in need. To sacrifice because someone else was hurting. And yet, perhaps, it is precisely because we do not understand what it is truly to suffer and to need that we cannot bring ourselves to be generous. Becoming a Christian for many of the Jews in the early church meant becoming anathema to their families. Or losing their jobs and livelihoods. Or being outcast by their friends and peers. To many of these people, their new brothers and sisters in Christ were their only real family. And maybe since we don't have the same necessity, we can't bring ourselves to the same devotion to fellowship. The early church lived life together and depended on each other for survival. Not that this family wasn't dysfunctional. Like any family, friction existed between sinners. This is why Peter must insist on love that covers sin. But such a dedicated love would present itself in many forms, and is evidenced by sacrificing for one another and putting someone else's needs ahead of one's own. Whether because of the "get-ahead" mindset, or because of sheer disregard for the commands of Christ, or for some other reason, we have failed to love each other more than ourselves. And this fact cannot and never will be hidden from those on the outside looking in to see if we live up to our own standards.
The breaking of bread seems significant for its symbolism of the fellowship among the believers. Family and esteemed guests eat together. Discussion over (and after) dinner reaches levels of familiarity (dare I say intimacy) that occur very few other places and instances (except for over cigars and beer, of course). To invite someone into one's home is a deep sign of kindness and courtesy, and sharing food seems to reach the most primal nerves within us. It may mean giving up a night after work, but how much quicker can fellowship be built than when sharing meals at the end of the day? To live life together in unity and to bear each other's burdens demands love and sacrifice, and sharing meals is one way to build those connections necessary to live in true fellowship.
Can you imagine what our witness would be if we took care of our brothers and sisters in need to the point that not one wanted? If we could put aside our own selfish desires for useless crap, fueled by consumerist mentality? I have referenced before James 1:27: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (NIV) I pray that we have not become so polluted by the world and its temporal desires that we ignore the orphans and widows (and single moms and homeless and starving and those without clean water, etc.) in their distress. If we do not take care of our family - i.e. our brothers and sisters in Christ - we will never be willing to do what it takes to reach those that do not yet belong to God's family.
There are some Christians in America that are earnestly seeking community and generosity. They seek to show love and forgiveness above all else to each other. However, there are many among these groups that would water down the truth of God's word so as not to be offensive and to appeal to those who need God's love. While they are to be commended for their attempts at living life the way God intended in fellowship, there is no need to sugarcoat or change the gospel to reach others. It is fascinating to me to back up and read the first part of Acts 2 where Peter preaches to many people in Jerusalem. Peter boldly and clearly proclaims Jesus as Christ, the Son of God. Peter maintains Jesus's innocence, and claims that the same men to whom he was speaking were responsible for the death of the Messiah (v 23). Then the men ask what they should do and Peter tells them to repent. There was no dilution of the gospel; Peter only proclaimed the truth. And three thousand believed that day (v 41). It was these who were transformed by God's grace and learned to love each other and are our examples in verses 42-47. There is no reason to dismiss any part of God's word in order to live in harmony. In fact without it, there is no true banner to fly over ourselves as Christians. We should be wary of those who would delete part of the gospel in order to be peaceful.
I suck at praying. Personally, I find my own communications with God tend to be so whiny and self-centered that I can only dream of the effective prayer of a righteous man that avails much. I think I am not alone. But how much of the American mindset of prayer is framed by those who teach us to ignore the example of Jesus and to pray "my will be done". We hear all the time that if we tell God what we want, then he will make it happen without any regard for our discerning what He wants, and what He might want us to pray for. We have reduced Him to the genie beyond the sky, old grandfather waiting on our requests so he can spoil us with the desires of our heart. What would our brothers in the Sudan say if they knew we were praying for a new car as they die for their faith? Or the girl forced into prostitution in India? Or the orphan whose parents both died of AIDS? Prayer is about finding the heart of God in order that our hearts may be broken and formed into mirror images of Christ's. It is about lifting up others and pleading with God for justice or mercy for ourselves and our brothers and sisters. God tells us to offer requests for our needs, and He desires to take care of us according to His will. But we abuse this privilege when we use prayer in the name of the only risen Son of God to make known our wish lists and nothing else. I wonder whether it is not blaspheming the Holy Spirit to focus our prayers on ourselves rather than on God and communing with Him. The early church devoted themselves to prayer. So much so that when they petitioned God, He sent an angel on a jailbreak mission to rescue Peter and return him to the church (Acts 12). They knew that prayer was not a public spectacle for human attention or a display of pseudo-righteousness, but rather a supplication to God in times of need, a way to grow nearer to Him and commune with Him. These people, who are clear-minded as Peter desires, will benefit from growing close to God, so that when they speak it is as though God were speaking. And they would not seek any credit but desire above all that God be glorified. There is so much more to be said on the subject of prayer, but as I am admittedly a novice, I will leave such discussions to those who know what they're talking about. Suffice it to say that if the American church were devoted to true prayer, we would see mighty movements of God that we cannot fathom and would be more effective in spreading the news of His Kingdom.
In the passage from Acts 2, we see that when the church devoted itself to the apostles' teachings, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer that God moved among them, they had the favor of the people, and many joined their number. If the American church returns to its roots; if it is filled with people who seek after God's truth, who are genuine and not pretentious, are kind and tender-hearted, forgive each other, who serve each other, who eat meals together, who live life together, and who pray not for their own storehouses to be filled, but for God to reign in all of earth; if the church is filled with those seeking that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, perhaps we may regain the favor of the people. They, seeing Christ alive in us, will join with us in proclaiming Him as Lord, and God will move powerfully among us.
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