Sunday, February 27, 2011
Who do you follow?
A Church Divided Over Leaders
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Great discussion of this passage and its relevance to the Tampa Underground Church. It is tempting for Christians to align themselves with particular leaders over others and to be for one camp while against another. This not only creates division and disunity, but also elevates certain earthly leaders above THE LEADER of the church - Jesus. Their opinions and perspectives come to matter more than the words that one hears directly from God. We must be careful to keep Jesus at the very center of our lives. When was the last time you did something simply because you felt or heard from Jesus that he wanted you to do it? It becomes a dangerous thing when we seek the approval, encouragement and advice of other people in place of coming to Jesus. It is unhealthy, yet all too common, for people to support one kind of church leader or doctrine or paradigm. We are so quick to fall into the arrogance of believing that our way or our idolized & eloquent pastor is somehow better or more gifted or more true than others. Paul, in his words to the church at Corith, faced a similar dilemma where factions were devised and discord was birthed. All because those who claimed to be followers of Jesus chose to replace Him with an earthly leader, as if the King of Glory remained dead and was in need of a successor. We need to wake up again to the reality that our God is alive and speaking. And he is not just speaking through a Brian Sanders or a Shane Claiborne. He is not just speaking through a Mark Driscoll or a Rick Warren. Believe it or not, the Senior Pastor, the Chief Leader of the Church Himself - Jesus Christ - is speaking in a multitude of voices through his beloved and devoted followers. When we recognize this and affirm this without thinking more highly of one than another, then the possibility for a truly united church that values its leaders, but values and worships its Maker above all really can come to fruition. Would this desire for unity and submission to our God in all things become an everlasting marker of our church and apostolic movement here in Tampa. It's my prayer and renewing personal conviction every day.
"Unity is not something that is achieved by a direct campaign. You don't try to be unified. What you do instead is love God with all your heart and unity is something that comes out of it." - Brian Sanders
Sunday, February 13, 2011
So, who is this guy Timothy?
After finishing studying Galatians I had planned to move onto Ephesians since it's right next door, but after meeting with Evey about a week ago I'm following her suggestion to examine 1 and 2 Timothy. However, in order to begin this study it is necessary to look back in Acts (another book I will definitely need to critically study again). To get to know Timothy, one must also look at his mentor and father-figure, Paul. This guy was boldly preaching the gospel, planting new churches like nobody's business and being severely persecuted for his unashamed and unadulterated testimony about Jesus Christ.
Acts 14:8-20
Paul and Barnabas go to the Greek towns of Lystra and Derbe to preach Jesus and Paul heals a crippled man. The crowds believe them to be Zeus and Hermes because of their greek mythology (ref. also to a poem by Ovid where only one Greek family welcomed the gods and were thus spared from destruction). Paul and Barnabas obviously protest this and point them to the true God instead. They say, "Men, why are you doing this? (they were trying to make sacrifices to them) We too are only men, humans like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them." Notice how Paul is not afraid to speak the truth, the OFFENSIVE truth wherein what the Greek people believe is... did you catch it... WORTHLESS. I love how this is what the Spirit of God leads his spokesmen to say. Not because it pisses people off (though it most certainly does) but because it is demonstrably clear where Paul's allegiance lies. JESUS, and no one or no thing else. The fact that he speaks in such a way shows how he is sold out to Christ even to the point of being hated, mocked, beaten, jailed, and if you continue reading a few verses later, STONED almost to the point of DEATH. I am taken aback by the faithfulness of this man. He has no filter on his mouth that manipulates his words to be sensitive and culturally respectful. He calls them out in their sin and offense to the Living God. The Greeks worship idols and false gods, with a theology that is so warped that they ascribe to Paul and Barnabas the status of gods, worthy of worship and sacrifices. It is imperative to notice how Paul responds to such nonsense. His response will either offend man or offend God. We have the propensity to be overly respectful, sensitive, and diplomatic, not wanting to step on anyone's toes or challenge anyone else's personal views about God. But you know what that ends up doing in the end? Pleasing the depraved humans with whom we interact rather than the holy and perfect God who we claim to serve and worship with our whole lives. Really? Are we worshipping Him in that moment where we choose rather than to say a harsh, but honest word to a person about their ideas of God, we diminish the truth of Jesus and instead say some foolish thing like, "Oh, I can see what you mean. That makes sense."? Imagine if Paul behaved the way we do - "Oh, I can see why you would think I am a god. It makes complete sense for you to sacrifice those bulls and wreaths. Well, let me just get to know and understand you/your views/your culture/your whatever and put aside Jesus for another time." Seriously, thank God for Paul and others like him who actually are so devoted to the Lord that they would rather face fatal persecution than even consider for a second to cheapen or dilute the gospel of Christ.
Moving on. Paul also says that, "In the past, he [God] let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." So, what is he saying here? He tells the Greeks the proper way to understand the reality of their lives. It is not due to their many mythical gods, but rather, the one true God. The effects of his kindness alone is what they are seeing and receiving; they must acknowledge it as such and reject their own misconceptions and wrong interpretation of the world. Paul explains something known as common grace, where God shows his grace and favor even to those who are not his own or are still apart from him. With the Greeks, He is showing them kindness and mercy in spite of their ignorance and idolatry. Paul is communicating to them that this is by his grace and love. But as is typical, they do not believe. And what is worse, the Jews who Paul and Barnabas pissed off earlier in Antioch and Iconium show up in Lystra and win the crowd over as allies against them. It is interesting to note that these angry Jews came from an region over 100 miles away. Now you got to be pretty hated for some of your enemies to travel that long of a distance to find you and try to kill you. It is really easy for us to read a story like this and believe that that kind of behavior and interaction among people is unique to Scripture and is not to be expected of us today. After all, we are to be loving and supportive and peaceful and friendly like Jesus, right? We should tone down our challenging attitudes and preach a gospel of tolerance, just like our beloved Messiah who loved all people, right? Not quite. When Paul says that God let all nations go their own way, does that not strike a chord in you about how all these different religions and paths to heaven might have come about? What unifies these nations' religions and paths is not that they all lead to the same place, but that they have all departed from the one true Way. I like this highway logic game - if you were to take I-275 N and I-275 S from the Underground, you are not going to end up in the same place. Someone will be in Seminole Heights while the other is Downtown. Throw in I-4, and that guy is all the way out in Orlando. These various roads and directions that a person can take in life do matter. They matter because of the destination. Not all highways lead to the same place. Even more so, not all religions lead to the same place. In truth, it is only Christ that leads to the kingdom of heaven and life everlasting. All others are rightly called worthless. They lead to nothing other than lies, deceit, death and eternal damnation. Now if we actually understand and know this to be true, how is it that we continue to play this game that a person's thoughts and beliefs about God aren't that serious and aren't worth the metaphorical stoning of challenging them?
We speak of being radical. We don't even know the meaning of the term. Radical is preaching boldly, fearlessly and with integrity the name of Jesus. Then not only getting crap for it but being physically attacked for it. And that's not the end of it. THEN (go ahead, read verse 20) GETTING UP AND GOING BACK into that place where you were JUST assaulted. Not fleeing, not bad-mouthing, but loving. Now, of course it does not have to be that extreme, but the question is: are we willing for it to ever get that extreme? How true to God's Word are we willing to be? How ridiculous and narrow-minded are we willing to be perceived? Have far are we willing to go and what risks are we willing to take? It is a question of faith and devotion to this God we have laid our lives down for. We have A LOT to learn from Paul. And by God's grace, we can.
Acts 16:1-10
Here Paul returns to Derbe and Lystra some time later and he meets Timothy, who lives in Lystra and is part of the church that was planted there. Despite a confused upbringing in this Greek town, we find out that he is now a disciple. Perhaps he was present and converted when Paul first came and preached back in Acts 14. At any rate, the brothers speak well of him. He has a good reputation. He's known as a man who loves the Lord and has been called by God. Paul notices this and decides to take Timothy along with him on his missional journey. He will further instruct Timothy and train him to be a leader in the church. Not only a leader, but his #2 guy in ministry. Paul and Timothy will become very close as they set out delivering the gospel and strengthening the churches together. Paul will come to call Timothy on a number of occasions, "my son," serving as a kind of intimate father-figure in this young man's life for some 15 years. I am looking forward to learning more about these two men, their incredible friendship and their amazing service to God. I especially desire to see how we can learn from the life and leadership of Timothy. There are very few people called to be leaders like Paul, but a vast majority who are chosen by God to be Timothys. As much as I try to resist leadership and the responsibility that it entails, I feel like I am in a place where I need to embrace it. Especially as I learn to step up with leading the Walk for however long God desires that I do so. I hope that through studying these two epistles and taking the spiritual leadership class at the Underground, God will speak to me and challenge me to be a more committed follower of Jesus whose confidence is in Him, not my own ability and whose drive to lead is not to do good works for God, but rather to love God with my whole heart and allow His love to pour out from me to touch the lives of others, be it youth or family or friends or a stranger.
Acts 14:8-20
Paul and Barnabas go to the Greek towns of Lystra and Derbe to preach Jesus and Paul heals a crippled man. The crowds believe them to be Zeus and Hermes because of their greek mythology (ref. also to a poem by Ovid where only one Greek family welcomed the gods and were thus spared from destruction). Paul and Barnabas obviously protest this and point them to the true God instead. They say, "Men, why are you doing this? (they were trying to make sacrifices to them) We too are only men, humans like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them." Notice how Paul is not afraid to speak the truth, the OFFENSIVE truth wherein what the Greek people believe is... did you catch it... WORTHLESS. I love how this is what the Spirit of God leads his spokesmen to say. Not because it pisses people off (though it most certainly does) but because it is demonstrably clear where Paul's allegiance lies. JESUS, and no one or no thing else. The fact that he speaks in such a way shows how he is sold out to Christ even to the point of being hated, mocked, beaten, jailed, and if you continue reading a few verses later, STONED almost to the point of DEATH. I am taken aback by the faithfulness of this man. He has no filter on his mouth that manipulates his words to be sensitive and culturally respectful. He calls them out in their sin and offense to the Living God. The Greeks worship idols and false gods, with a theology that is so warped that they ascribe to Paul and Barnabas the status of gods, worthy of worship and sacrifices. It is imperative to notice how Paul responds to such nonsense. His response will either offend man or offend God. We have the propensity to be overly respectful, sensitive, and diplomatic, not wanting to step on anyone's toes or challenge anyone else's personal views about God. But you know what that ends up doing in the end? Pleasing the depraved humans with whom we interact rather than the holy and perfect God who we claim to serve and worship with our whole lives. Really? Are we worshipping Him in that moment where we choose rather than to say a harsh, but honest word to a person about their ideas of God, we diminish the truth of Jesus and instead say some foolish thing like, "Oh, I can see what you mean. That makes sense."? Imagine if Paul behaved the way we do - "Oh, I can see why you would think I am a god. It makes complete sense for you to sacrifice those bulls and wreaths. Well, let me just get to know and understand you/your views/your culture/your whatever and put aside Jesus for another time." Seriously, thank God for Paul and others like him who actually are so devoted to the Lord that they would rather face fatal persecution than even consider for a second to cheapen or dilute the gospel of Christ.
Moving on. Paul also says that, "In the past, he [God] let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." So, what is he saying here? He tells the Greeks the proper way to understand the reality of their lives. It is not due to their many mythical gods, but rather, the one true God. The effects of his kindness alone is what they are seeing and receiving; they must acknowledge it as such and reject their own misconceptions and wrong interpretation of the world. Paul explains something known as common grace, where God shows his grace and favor even to those who are not his own or are still apart from him. With the Greeks, He is showing them kindness and mercy in spite of their ignorance and idolatry. Paul is communicating to them that this is by his grace and love. But as is typical, they do not believe. And what is worse, the Jews who Paul and Barnabas pissed off earlier in Antioch and Iconium show up in Lystra and win the crowd over as allies against them. It is interesting to note that these angry Jews came from an region over 100 miles away. Now you got to be pretty hated for some of your enemies to travel that long of a distance to find you and try to kill you. It is really easy for us to read a story like this and believe that that kind of behavior and interaction among people is unique to Scripture and is not to be expected of us today. After all, we are to be loving and supportive and peaceful and friendly like Jesus, right? We should tone down our challenging attitudes and preach a gospel of tolerance, just like our beloved Messiah who loved all people, right? Not quite. When Paul says that God let all nations go their own way, does that not strike a chord in you about how all these different religions and paths to heaven might have come about? What unifies these nations' religions and paths is not that they all lead to the same place, but that they have all departed from the one true Way. I like this highway logic game - if you were to take I-275 N and I-275 S from the Underground, you are not going to end up in the same place. Someone will be in Seminole Heights while the other is Downtown. Throw in I-4, and that guy is all the way out in Orlando. These various roads and directions that a person can take in life do matter. They matter because of the destination. Not all highways lead to the same place. Even more so, not all religions lead to the same place. In truth, it is only Christ that leads to the kingdom of heaven and life everlasting. All others are rightly called worthless. They lead to nothing other than lies, deceit, death and eternal damnation. Now if we actually understand and know this to be true, how is it that we continue to play this game that a person's thoughts and beliefs about God aren't that serious and aren't worth the metaphorical stoning of challenging them?
We speak of being radical. We don't even know the meaning of the term. Radical is preaching boldly, fearlessly and with integrity the name of Jesus. Then not only getting crap for it but being physically attacked for it. And that's not the end of it. THEN (go ahead, read verse 20) GETTING UP AND GOING BACK into that place where you were JUST assaulted. Not fleeing, not bad-mouthing, but loving. Now, of course it does not have to be that extreme, but the question is: are we willing for it to ever get that extreme? How true to God's Word are we willing to be? How ridiculous and narrow-minded are we willing to be perceived? Have far are we willing to go and what risks are we willing to take? It is a question of faith and devotion to this God we have laid our lives down for. We have A LOT to learn from Paul. And by God's grace, we can.
Acts 16:1-10
Here Paul returns to Derbe and Lystra some time later and he meets Timothy, who lives in Lystra and is part of the church that was planted there. Despite a confused upbringing in this Greek town, we find out that he is now a disciple. Perhaps he was present and converted when Paul first came and preached back in Acts 14. At any rate, the brothers speak well of him. He has a good reputation. He's known as a man who loves the Lord and has been called by God. Paul notices this and decides to take Timothy along with him on his missional journey. He will further instruct Timothy and train him to be a leader in the church. Not only a leader, but his #2 guy in ministry. Paul and Timothy will become very close as they set out delivering the gospel and strengthening the churches together. Paul will come to call Timothy on a number of occasions, "my son," serving as a kind of intimate father-figure in this young man's life for some 15 years. I am looking forward to learning more about these two men, their incredible friendship and their amazing service to God. I especially desire to see how we can learn from the life and leadership of Timothy. There are very few people called to be leaders like Paul, but a vast majority who are chosen by God to be Timothys. As much as I try to resist leadership and the responsibility that it entails, I feel like I am in a place where I need to embrace it. Especially as I learn to step up with leading the Walk for however long God desires that I do so. I hope that through studying these two epistles and taking the spiritual leadership class at the Underground, God will speak to me and challenge me to be a more committed follower of Jesus whose confidence is in Him, not my own ability and whose drive to lead is not to do good works for God, but rather to love God with my whole heart and allow His love to pour out from me to touch the lives of others, be it youth or family or friends or a stranger.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
I think that instead of the terrible music we hear on the radio or mtv, full of its profane words, images, messages, ideas... we will listen to real talent and auditory beauty in the kingdom of heaven. Our own words won't be necessary because all those in the kingdom will want to sing "Holy, Holy is the Lord..." There will be no desire to create music that draws the opposite sex together for raunchy and leud behaviors. No, that trash will perish. We won't hear, "but it's rhythmic..." Sure, there will be rhythms in the kingdom but I get the feeling it will look completely different from the depraved kinds we have produced and sold for popular consumption. The more I listen to the glorified songs and music videos of our day, the less appeal they have for me. This self-gratifying, overly sexualized music outlet happily drinks from the toilet when there is fresh water available only a few feet away. And that is not to say that the "christian" music genre has it right. There are PLENTY of equally terrible songs coming from that side of the industry... they may not curse or idolize the female body, but some naively sing about life with God as if it were a giant gumdrop we are all just merrily licking from.
So, sometimes it is the wordless songs that make me smile and enjoy life more. You get to listen to the melodies and chords and innovative manipulation of instruments. It becomes less about what the artist has to say and more about the incredible sounds you get to hear. I think that's what I like about this random kid in this talent show. He's just up there with his instrument (kudos for him that it isn't ANOTHER guitar but the highly neglected VIOLIN!) and a little bit of technology, putting something cool and creative together for the audience. There WILL be music in the kingdom, but I wonder what kind it will be. An eclectic sort, I'd imagine. I hope that the thread tying all of the musical expression together will be LOVE & sheer JOY. That those who are singing and playing do so because it is just a blast to perform for their amazing God who has gifted them in that way. No need for their own fame or recognition. No crap artists popping up to give it a go. Just the raw and rare talent for what it is. Now that would be something worth listening to.
Galatians 6:1-6
The question remains, how do we keep in step with the Spirit that results in loving Jesus, trusting Jesus, being close to Jesus, and ultimately becoming acting, loving people like Jesus?
this is a word to those who live or desire to ever live in community with God's people. and i mean REAL community, not the living-in-a-house-together kind, but the living-life-together-as-the-church kind. it is also a word about what it means to live by the Spirit. pretty powerful to me, I especially appreciated the distinction made that: our end goal is not to be LIKE Jesus, but rather to be WITH Him. do not be alarmed by this statement, for it's actually only through this truth that we can ever hope to be like Him in the end. in talking to a friend just last night about something very similar, i feel even more strongly that our focus must be spending time with our God rather then always jumping to do things for Him (as if he needed our help in fulfilling his will in the first place) and striving to be like him. because think about it, if we are having authentic connection to him and sincere love for him in our daily life, then the fruit of that (as Paul spoke about in Galatians 5) will have no choice but to show forth in the believer's life. he or she will live differently. he or she will become more like the Son who died for them. but the moment we turn the logic around and believe that the performing of righteous and just behaviors somehow justifies us and brings us closer in relationship with the Lord, there we have tragically been deceived.
the passage here sheds insight into how we do what Paul encourages us to do in Galatians 5, which is "live by the Spirit."
other notes from the sermon:
- How to live by the Spirit and keep in step with Him, how to crucify the flesh: get into a church that loves each other and teaches the Scriptures, develop friendships, open lives, receive discipline, distinguish between burdens and loads, help others and know when to receive help. Not mystical experience but it works.
- Not personal relationship, but communal one. Sin not just between that person and God. It affects other people and must be called out/dealt with. Accountable. Restoration. Be humble.
- Paul in Acts 20 – all of God’s word must be preached, the whole breath of Scripture.
- Understand purpose of Scripture – James says “do not merely listen to the gospel and so deceive yourselves, but do what it says”
- Teaching of Scripture is not to cause you to be holy through information but to cause you to be holy through transformation.
- Goal is for you to be like Christ, not just to memorize innumerable facts about him. It is to love him and be with him as a person, and not just be committed to him as a concept or a principle. Cannot just listen and have doctrine in order because doctrine is also life and practice and what we do.
- Galatians are arguing and speculating with each other, not loving each other and God.
- John 5 – false teachers much like in Galatia. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life”
- Cannot be about information, but transformation. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. We as the church should be compelling people to come to Jesus.
- Paul’s harsh words because he loves them and is concerned. Hard words produce soft people and soft words produce hard people. Soften hearts toward God and his Word.
- Book of encouragement
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Life by the Spirit
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
I like how in the beginning of this passage, it makes the statement that we who are brothers and sisters in Christ are called to be free. There are many different "callings" in a believer's life and one of them is to embrace the true freedom that is found only in Jesus. Paul addresses the legalists' fear that such freedom could lead to a license to sin. What I find interesting is his response to those with this newfound freedom - serve one another in love. He does not just stop with the "don'ts" [don't indulge the sinful nature] but he gives an answer to what exactly it is that you should do with this freedom in Christ. He just finished talking to the Galatians about the needlessness of circumcision and religion and ritual and law and all that entangles one back into a yoke of slavery. He stands firm against such legalism that sucks the life and spirit out of what it means to actually be a follower of Jesus. And like a good leader, he re-iterates the words of his great teacher and Lord, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Where religious people get caught up with rules and regulations over sin, Paul is not afraid to champion the hallmark of true Christianity - GRACE - and this, like faith, expresses itself through love. Love for your neighbor. His words are prophetic and all too relevant, "if you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." Why is it that once freed, we are still tempted to return to our own vomit? And even more troubling, why do we persist in our negligence of that for which we have been entrusted - LOVE. It is because we lose sight of our King and Savior, we quickly harden back up the heart that he has painstakingly softened. Oh, what a wretched state we find ourselves in without Him!
Could we just realize, as Brian pointed out in his sermon on 1 Corinth this morning, that it is God who has named us. He has given us an identity, one that we somehow remain blinded to. Paul is reminding us here that we are in fact FREE. God has already called us out and set us apart from the world. We are made holy and different and capable of love because it is Christ who lives in us. We have chosen another way than to tear each other down and to fruitlessly follow a checklist to righteousness. We have chosen Jesus, or rather, he has chosen us. I praise God for that.
I am fascinated by verse 16 - "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." I know this to be true, but how exactly do we live by the Spirit? I want to live in this reality more fully that's all I know. We as people seem to try as hard as we can to avoid conflict at all costs, as if it were the worst thing that could possibly happen to us. My community, my friends, myself included. But here I see a conflict worth facing. It is between the sinful nature (or flesh) and the Spirit of God in us. We need to come to a sincere understanding that we are bad people. Jesus meant what he said in Luke 18, that "No one is good - except God alone." Paul was also intentional and serious when he reminded the church in Romans 3 that "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." This is always sobering to read and remember. It would leave one depressed if it weren't for the presence and empowerment of the Spirit. We tend to neglect this person of the Trinity, mostly I suspect because we just don't understand him very well. I mean, I don't, do you? But I do know that he is our Advocate. And this quality of his character makes more sense to me when I read about how there is such a daunting and overwhelming struggle occurring inside ourselves. I need to learn how to let Him take the reigns from me in this war because my strength is laughable compared to his infinite power. Where the best we can do is sin management, the Spirit actually gets to the root of the problem by standing as a great warrior ready to do battle with our sin for us and put the desires of the flesh to death forever. We must acquiesce, though. We must surrender.
I'm a little disturbed by Paul's warning that "those who live like this [see verses 19-21] will not inherit the kingdom of God." How will anyone reach the kingdom?! But I see how it is not ultimately behavior that matters, as it would appear to be here. He does not say this to create categories to place people into. Otherwise, judgmentalism would be the result. And unfortunately that has been the stance taken by many a Christian believer. No, Paul says this in order to contrast it to the glorious fruit that shows forth in the life of a believer who has truly given their hearts over to Christ. The seed that Jesus has planted in these men and women has in fact taken root and expressed itself through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and the like. They know their true identity. They've been called by God and rest peacefully knowing that they belong to Him, from now into all eternity. This great battle does not drown them in anxiety because they know they have not been left alone. No longer orphans, but sons and daughters. Is this not the most wonderful gift to be given? Eternity with God that begins the moment he saves you and sends you the Holy Spirit to guide and protect you? I want nothing more than this sustained relationship and intimacy. I want to live my life so in love with Jesus that what marks and overflows from it is goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, patience... all the fruit that the Spirit gives. I feel so far from this sometimes, but I trust that the work he has started in me will be seen through to completion.
Jesus crucified our sinful nature. That alone is mind-blowing. I look at my life and wonder how this could possibly be. But again, it is imperative that we understand what this means. We see the effects and acts of the flesh present in our lives because it is an ongoing struggle, one that precisely involves the Spirit's convicting and sanctifying power. We still screw up, but the question is what posture do we take towards God in these moments of weakness and rebellion? If it is anything but complete prostration before his feet, then something is off. The Spirit replaces our old passions and desires with totally different ones, if you can believe that. He actually plants a seed in us that hates sin in all of its forms and manifestations. Not a fiber of our being remains okay with walking in sin or witnessing it in others. When we live by the Spirit and keep in step with Him, then guess what, our lives do change and look more like the Son's. It's just cause and effect. So, where are you weak? What part of the list above is your struggle? I know that there is too much on it for me to know what to deal with first. But He knows. Oh, don't you love that? He knows! I am so thankful for a Lord and God who knows me better than I know myself. A God who is all holy and good. This means that there is not only a standard, but a Savior who has met it (indeed HE is IT) and a Spirit that quickens to take us closer to He. And the closing of this chapter is not to be overlooked. We must realize our continual brokenness so that we constantly run to Jesus rather than become blinded to it. Let us beat our chests in humble desperation as we approach this God who is so completely OTHER than us. Would we not become conceited and self-righteous, saying to ourselves "God, I thank you that I am not like other men" but instead over and over and over again these words: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
I like how in the beginning of this passage, it makes the statement that we who are brothers and sisters in Christ are called to be free. There are many different "callings" in a believer's life and one of them is to embrace the true freedom that is found only in Jesus. Paul addresses the legalists' fear that such freedom could lead to a license to sin. What I find interesting is his response to those with this newfound freedom - serve one another in love. He does not just stop with the "don'ts" [don't indulge the sinful nature] but he gives an answer to what exactly it is that you should do with this freedom in Christ. He just finished talking to the Galatians about the needlessness of circumcision and religion and ritual and law and all that entangles one back into a yoke of slavery. He stands firm against such legalism that sucks the life and spirit out of what it means to actually be a follower of Jesus. And like a good leader, he re-iterates the words of his great teacher and Lord, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Where religious people get caught up with rules and regulations over sin, Paul is not afraid to champion the hallmark of true Christianity - GRACE - and this, like faith, expresses itself through love. Love for your neighbor. His words are prophetic and all too relevant, "if you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." Why is it that once freed, we are still tempted to return to our own vomit? And even more troubling, why do we persist in our negligence of that for which we have been entrusted - LOVE. It is because we lose sight of our King and Savior, we quickly harden back up the heart that he has painstakingly softened. Oh, what a wretched state we find ourselves in without Him!
Could we just realize, as Brian pointed out in his sermon on 1 Corinth this morning, that it is God who has named us. He has given us an identity, one that we somehow remain blinded to. Paul is reminding us here that we are in fact FREE. God has already called us out and set us apart from the world. We are made holy and different and capable of love because it is Christ who lives in us. We have chosen another way than to tear each other down and to fruitlessly follow a checklist to righteousness. We have chosen Jesus, or rather, he has chosen us. I praise God for that.
I am fascinated by verse 16 - "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." I know this to be true, but how exactly do we live by the Spirit? I want to live in this reality more fully that's all I know. We as people seem to try as hard as we can to avoid conflict at all costs, as if it were the worst thing that could possibly happen to us. My community, my friends, myself included. But here I see a conflict worth facing. It is between the sinful nature (or flesh) and the Spirit of God in us. We need to come to a sincere understanding that we are bad people. Jesus meant what he said in Luke 18, that "No one is good - except God alone." Paul was also intentional and serious when he reminded the church in Romans 3 that "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." This is always sobering to read and remember. It would leave one depressed if it weren't for the presence and empowerment of the Spirit. We tend to neglect this person of the Trinity, mostly I suspect because we just don't understand him very well. I mean, I don't, do you? But I do know that he is our Advocate. And this quality of his character makes more sense to me when I read about how there is such a daunting and overwhelming struggle occurring inside ourselves. I need to learn how to let Him take the reigns from me in this war because my strength is laughable compared to his infinite power. Where the best we can do is sin management, the Spirit actually gets to the root of the problem by standing as a great warrior ready to do battle with our sin for us and put the desires of the flesh to death forever. We must acquiesce, though. We must surrender.
I'm a little disturbed by Paul's warning that "those who live like this [see verses 19-21] will not inherit the kingdom of God." How will anyone reach the kingdom?! But I see how it is not ultimately behavior that matters, as it would appear to be here. He does not say this to create categories to place people into. Otherwise, judgmentalism would be the result. And unfortunately that has been the stance taken by many a Christian believer. No, Paul says this in order to contrast it to the glorious fruit that shows forth in the life of a believer who has truly given their hearts over to Christ. The seed that Jesus has planted in these men and women has in fact taken root and expressed itself through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and the like. They know their true identity. They've been called by God and rest peacefully knowing that they belong to Him, from now into all eternity. This great battle does not drown them in anxiety because they know they have not been left alone. No longer orphans, but sons and daughters. Is this not the most wonderful gift to be given? Eternity with God that begins the moment he saves you and sends you the Holy Spirit to guide and protect you? I want nothing more than this sustained relationship and intimacy. I want to live my life so in love with Jesus that what marks and overflows from it is goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, patience... all the fruit that the Spirit gives. I feel so far from this sometimes, but I trust that the work he has started in me will be seen through to completion.
Jesus crucified our sinful nature. That alone is mind-blowing. I look at my life and wonder how this could possibly be. But again, it is imperative that we understand what this means. We see the effects and acts of the flesh present in our lives because it is an ongoing struggle, one that precisely involves the Spirit's convicting and sanctifying power. We still screw up, but the question is what posture do we take towards God in these moments of weakness and rebellion? If it is anything but complete prostration before his feet, then something is off. The Spirit replaces our old passions and desires with totally different ones, if you can believe that. He actually plants a seed in us that hates sin in all of its forms and manifestations. Not a fiber of our being remains okay with walking in sin or witnessing it in others. When we live by the Spirit and keep in step with Him, then guess what, our lives do change and look more like the Son's. It's just cause and effect. So, where are you weak? What part of the list above is your struggle? I know that there is too much on it for me to know what to deal with first. But He knows. Oh, don't you love that? He knows! I am so thankful for a Lord and God who knows me better than I know myself. A God who is all holy and good. This means that there is not only a standard, but a Savior who has met it (indeed HE is IT) and a Spirit that quickens to take us closer to He. And the closing of this chapter is not to be overlooked. We must realize our continual brokenness so that we constantly run to Jesus rather than become blinded to it. Let us beat our chests in humble desperation as we approach this God who is so completely OTHER than us. Would we not become conceited and self-righteous, saying to ourselves "God, I thank you that I am not like other men" but instead over and over and over again these words: "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Jesus, Be My Hurricane
I have built a city here
Half with pride and half with fear
Just wanted a safer place to hide
I don’t want to be safe tonight
CHORUS
I need You like a hurricane
Thunder crashing, wind and rain
To tear my walls down
I’m only Yours now
I need you like a burning flame
A wild fire untamed
To burn these walls down
I’m only Yours now
I’m only Yours now
I am Yours and You are mine
You know far better than I
And if destruction’s what I need
Then I’ll receive it Lord from Thee
Yes, I’ll receive it Lord from Thee
(Chorus)
I need You like a hurricane
Thunder crashing, wind and rain
To tear my walls down
I’m only Yours now
I need you like a burning flame
A wild fire untamed
To burn these walls down
I’m only Yours now
I’m only Yours now
And it’s Your eye in the storm
Watching over me
And it’s Your eye in the storm
Wanting only good for me
And if You are the war
Let me be the casualty
‘Til I’m Yours alone
I am only Yours
I am Yours alone, Lord
(Chorus)
I need You like a hurricane
Thunder crashing, wind and rain
To tear my walls down
I’m only Yours now
I need you like a burning flame
A wild fire untamed
To burn these walls down
I’m only Yours now
I’m only Yours now
Half with pride and half with fear
Just wanted a safer place to hide
I don’t want to be safe tonight
CHORUS
I need You like a hurricane
Thunder crashing, wind and rain
To tear my walls down
I’m only Yours now
I need you like a burning flame
A wild fire untamed
To burn these walls down
I’m only Yours now
I’m only Yours now
I am Yours and You are mine
You know far better than I
And if destruction’s what I need
Then I’ll receive it Lord from Thee
Yes, I’ll receive it Lord from Thee
(Chorus)
I need You like a hurricane
Thunder crashing, wind and rain
To tear my walls down
I’m only Yours now
I need you like a burning flame
A wild fire untamed
To burn these walls down
I’m only Yours now
I’m only Yours now
And it’s Your eye in the storm
Watching over me
And it’s Your eye in the storm
Wanting only good for me
And if You are the war
Let me be the casualty
‘Til I’m Yours alone
I am only Yours
I am Yours alone, Lord
(Chorus)
I need You like a hurricane
Thunder crashing, wind and rain
To tear my walls down
I’m only Yours now
I need you like a burning flame
A wild fire untamed
To burn these walls down
I’m only Yours now
I’m only Yours now
This is such an appropriate song for me to hear. I can relate to so much of what it says. I let my pride and fear get the best of me, and guard myself to the point that I need someone to come in, and like a hurricane, destroy those walls that I have put up so readily and stubbornly. The more I learn about Jesus, the more I am amazed at how he really does reign over every single thing in my life and in this world. This God will not leave us alone. He will not be kept out of the fortresses we construct around ourselves to dwell inside and retreat to. We cannot run from him forever or hide from His presence. To do so is absurd and sheer folly. And yet we do this all the time, don't we? We know we need the purifying flame of His Spirit to sanctify and completely renew our entire lives again. But often we still resist and rebel. Why is that? I want to be a person who opens the gate of my heart and invites this untamed wildfire in, risking the pain and insecurity and humiliation of the self, but trusting that the losing of my will means the total reign of His over mine. I want to embrace the reality that if destruction of my shelters' what I need, then I will humbly receive it from He who does so out of love and grace and goodness. God's discipline can feel like a hurricane, but he does not leave our lives in shambles. He makes a path for repentance and restoration that brings us so much closer to Him that all we can utter in His presence is "I'm only Yours now."
My Favorite Benediction
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21
Hebrews 13:20-21
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